Black Sheep

“Organic since day one.” Legacy Sonoma County coffee brand Taylor Maid Farms was struggling to compete with newer, trendier coffee brands. I joined as interim CEO to help reposition the company for growth. They had a lot of advantages that set them apart from the competition, but their brand position did little to communicate that. They were unique because they'd been dedicated to roasting organic coffee since 1993, far before other regional roasters became organic certified. So we leaned into that commitment to quality organic coffee, bringing it front and center with the rebrand to Taylor Lane Organic Coffee. The new tagline "Organic since day one" positioned us as fully committed to the organic ideal, something that was important to customers in Sonoma County. Here's how to position your coffee brand based on quality: 1. What element of quality is important to you & your customers?  2. Weave that element of quality into everything you do. 

Customized coffee, like nostalgic cereal milk-inspired drinks that balance health and indulgence, is gaining popularity. The novelty of a product is now just as important as the product itself, which means consumers want more than simply coffee – they are demanding an experience. Multiple ingredients that change the flavor, mouthfeel, and appearance of a drink cater to this in ways that black coffee or traditional milk-based options often can’t. When Tasmin Grant of Perfect Daily Grind and I discussed this trend and its implications for our industry, we had some thoughts on how specialty coffee brands can balance changing consumer preferences with coffee bar efficiency. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gVruHevF

When you walk into a Blue Bottle cafe, you know you're in a Blue Bottle cafe. Even if you don't see a big blue bottle on the wall. Every detail of their shops contributes to their brand: >>> Light-colored wood furniture & shelving >>> Minimal clutter >>> Few barriers between baristas & customers >>> Their no wi-fi rule means the focus is on coffee and conversation, not laptops >>> Curated retail offerings located intentionally throughout the space And it's all consistent with their coffee offerings which focus on the flavors of single-origin coffees and signature blends. There's an air of refinement & sophistication throughout, that reflects founder James Freeman's interest in Japanese cafe culture & his background as a classical musician. How does your retail space reflect your brand? 

2 Cafes. 2 Cookies. 2 Cappuccinos. 2 very different experiences. Imagine you go into 2 different cafes and order the same thing: a cookie and a cappuccino. In the first cafe the barista hands you the cookie as soon as you order. Then you can pick up your cappuccino with your cookie already in hand. Amazing. In the second, you wait for the cookie until you pick up the drink 5-10 minutes later… Except for when you get your cappuccino, there’s no cookie next to it. The barista making the drinks doesn’t know the food you ordered: they’re busy making drinks. And the barista who took your order is busy talking to the next customer in line. While you try to get their attention, your drink is degrading and getting cold. Which experience is better? Which cafe would you be more likely to go back to? Your brand is a lot more than just your logo. How your cafe handles each aspect of the customer journey creates an impression that your customers will remember. 

The specialty coffee market has never been more crowded. Jumping in by creating just another RTD cold brew, canned latte, or K-Cup offering...puts you in competition with some pretty big players. Is your brand strong enough to stand out? If a product makes sense with your brand, you could become the top seller in a niche category. Prebiotic soda didn't exist a few years ago. And now Ollipop is everywhere. If you're the camping coffee brand, does it make sense to create K-Cups? Or would a Campfire Cold Brew or a high-quality single-serve or instant version of your coffee be a better bet? Even if a signature product is only 20% of your revenue... it could be something that every customer remembers. And in today's crowded coffee market, that probably isn't another canned cold brew.

Is your brand communicating the right things? When we helped to-go coffee lid company FoamAroma reposition their brand, we wanted to make sure we were appealing to buyers in specialty coffee who cared about quality & the coffee experience. The logo didn't just look outdated. It was focusing the message on the lid itself. Plus, it had a lot going on - multiple messages competing for attention. We knew that what essentially set FoamAroma apart was how much better the experience of drinking coffee with their lid was. Specifically, the mouthfeel, aroma, and flavor came through when using the lid. So, the new logo distills this positioning into one simple, clean logo that focuses on the experience, not the product itself. What do you think? Previous logo on the left, new logo the right.

The product shouldn't always be the focus. FoamAroma produces an amazing lid. Every roaster, Q-grader, and coffee shop owner who tries it agrees. The experience is just better. But messaging that focused on how the lid was unique fell flat. Lids just aren't exciting, even to coffee companies. So talking about how the lid was different and better didn't get attention. We made a strategic shift in our messaging, focusing on the coffee experience to start a different conversation. Here's the old messaging on top, with the new messaging on the bottom.

Hey, food podcast listeners! Tune into this episode of The meez Podcast, where Joshua Sharkey and I discuss the intricacies of coffee agriculture, bean grading, and the art of brewing an exceptional cup. We also dive into the methodology of helping coffee brands grow.

In this episode of The meez Podcast, Joshua Sharkey reconnects with Darleen Scherer, the trailblazing founder of Black Sheep, and a pioneering force in the specialty coffee world. ☕️ With over 20 years of experience, Darleen has led some of the most successful coffee roasting companies, including Gorilla Coffee, Supercrown Coffee Roasters, and Taylor Lane Organic Coffee. Known as "The Godmother of New York Coffee," Darleen's expertise has earned her recognition from The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Time Out, The Food Network, The Today Show, and The Wall Street Journal. 🌟 In this episode, Darleen shares her deep knowledge of coffee—from the intricacies of coffee agriculture and bean grading to the art of brewing an exceptional cup. But that's not all! She also dives into her early career in NYC ad agencies and how she now uses her marketing savvy to help coffee brands grow. 🌱 Whether you're a coffee enthusiast or a brand builder, this episode is packed with inspiration and expertise. Tune in now for a rich brew of insights! 🎧✨ https://lnkd.in/g35XN3ag

Are the testimonials you're displaying getting you the customers you want? To-go coffee lid brand FoamAroma LLC featured a quote from the Wall Street Journal. Impressive on its own, but when you consider that the brand's target market wasn't just anyone... But was the owners & managers of multi-location specialty coffee companies... When we highlighted a testimonial from Onyx Coffee Lab, it was much more powerful. Original testimonial up top, new testimonial on bottom. What do you think?