How do I find wholesale coffee customers?

Start with independent cafes and food businesses near you whose style suits your coffee. Visit as a customer, then ask for a tasting with the owner and head barista.

How much coffee does a cafe use per week?

It varies widely with size and trade. Ask the cafe, or estimate from cups sold and recipe dose; a busy independent can use tens of kilos a week.

Should I give cafes free equipment?

Only against a written commitment to a minimum volume over a minimum term, with a way to recover the equipment. See the account terms guide.

Selling wholesale coffee to cafes: winning and keeping accounts

Cafes rarely switch roaster for a slightly better coffee. They switch for reliability, support and someone who understands their business. How to find, win and keep wholesale accounts.

8 min read Updated 9 October 2026

Wholesale gives a roastery steady, predictable volume: the same kilos every week, delivered in 1 kg bags, invoiced monthly or on terms. It also brings competition on price, requests for equipment and the work of supporting baristas. Done well, a handful of good accounts carries the fixed costs of the whole roastery.

Winning an account, step by step

Choose your targets. Independent cafes, bakeries, restaurants, offices and hotels within your delivery area, whose menu and price point suit your coffee.
Find out what they use and pay. Visit as a customer first. Note the grinder, espresso machine, menu prices and what they would likely buy per week.
Ask for a tasting, not a sale. Bring two coffees dialled in for their equipment and taste with the owner and head barista.
Send a written proposal: price per kg by volume tier, delivery days, payment terms, minimum order, any equipment terms and the support you provide.
Offer a trial of a few weeks with clear terms, so both sides can judge consistency and support.
Onboard properly: dial in on site, train staff, set up standing orders and the ordering method, and agree how to report a problem.
Review after a month and then quarterly: volume, feedback, recipe, staff turnover.

What cafes value

What they say matters	What you do
Consistency	Recorded profiles and roast logs, blind cupping of every batch, the same blend all year
Reliable delivery	Fixed delivery days, cut-off times, stock held for their standing order
Support	Barista training, recipe advice, quick help when the grinder goes off
Price	A clear tiered price, with the value of support and service explained
Equipment	Equipment on loan or lease against a volume commitment, with servicing arranged
Easy ordering and invoicing	A simple ordering portal and accurate invoices

The economics of an account

Work out the margin per kilo for each account after delivery and support time. A cafe using 10 kg a week is a very different account from one using 40 kg. Set a minimum volume for free delivery and for equipment, and price small, distant accounts so they still make money. See B2B pricing tiers and gross margin per kg.

Keeping accounts

Account care

Visit or call each account on a schedule, not only when there is a problem
Retrain when staff change
Tell them before you change a blend component or a price
Track weekly volume per account; a drop is an early warning
Fix complaints the same week, in person if needed

Where Roastnet helps

Questions roasters ask

How do I find wholesale coffee customers?: Start with independent cafes and food businesses near you whose style suits your coffee. Visit as a customer, then ask for a tasting with the owner and head barista.
How much coffee does a cafe use per week?: It varies widely with size and trade. Ask the cafe, or estimate from cups sold and recipe dose; a busy independent can use tens of kilos a week.
Should I give cafes free equipment?: Only against a written commitment to a minimum volume over a minimum term, with a way to recover the equipment. See the account terms guide.