The coffee industry has had a reputation for being a competitive and commercially driven industry that many businesses struggle to break through. But one entrepreneur sought to try make a breakthrough by offering something different.
It was at the height of the pandemic when Josh (who insists on just being called by his first name) conceived the idea of a unique coffee-based venture. “Most people personalise their residence to become their home and I feel like coffee should be personalised in a similar manner, but historically it hasn’t been,” he explains. “Many people did not realise that they could be making the best coffee possible, perfectly suited to them, from the comfort of their homes.”
This would become Lime Blue Coffee, which provided an offering that was well-suited during the lockdown period. As Australians invested heavily in coffee machines. Lime Blue offers premium coffee beans that are envisioned to elevate the at-home brewing experience, giving customers access to high-quality coffee across various single-origins and unique specialty-grade blends.
Addressing the post-pandemic demand growth
As the lockdowns eased up, the demand for their home coffee initially decreased with people going back to the offices and outside. However, in an ironic twist, demand for their product grew larger than it was during the pandemic. Lime Blue had to find ways to address the increased demand.
To do this, Josh embarked on an expansion plan for the business, part of which involved marketing to business customers. He also ensured that the business is operated on optimal efficiency without affecting the quality of their product. “We ran a super lean operation with a quick in, quick out mindset, designing specific systems to find the perfect balance between not enough stock and too much stock,” Josh shares. “We really did push the limits of the smaller space and rearranging became an hourly endeavour. We utilised technology, which we regularly audited and changed whenever we needed it to do more.”
Josh also sought outside help in expanding the business. For this, he entered into a partnership with PayPal, which he already has a relationship with as it has provided multiple payment options for its customers. He then joined the PayPal Working Capital program.
A cashflow boost from the program allowed Lime Blue to undertake a physical expansion of the business. Josh put some thought into this expansion for some time. “The goal is to create a space that bridges the gap between in-person and online, by creating a wonderfully symbiotic relationship between the two,” he explains. “We can now educate customers through enjoyable experiences about how wonderful their coffee experience at home really can be, without the need to break the bank or get a PhD in coffee.”
Customers remain the focus
As customer service has been the foundation of Lime Blue Coffee, customer feedback has been very much valued by the business. “At present I’m finding that even as little as every three months we’re able to create an experience several times better than the prior three months,” Josh says. “That’s in no way saying the prior three months was subpar, it’s just that I believe things can always get better, especially with the help of such engaging customers. “
Because of this, while Josh has a vision in mind for Lime Blue’s future but he ultimately wants its customer base to have an ultimate say on the matter. He says, “It’s hard to realistically fathom what we’ll look like years from now, but I’m confident and excited about how much further we can continue to improve the home coffee experience.”
