As a beverage equipment company, it’s exciting to watch a small company live the adage, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. US consumers are undergoing a change in their expectations and businesses have to adapt. One big change that we’re noticing is that day parts are no longer etched in stone. For example, if a customer wants to eat a traditional breakfast at two in the afternoon or if they want a Nitro Cold Brew at 9 p.m. at night, they’ll get it where it’s available. And restaurants are going to have to change to stay in the game!
Frothy Monkey is a local Nashville coffee shop that has continually adapted and grown since they opened their first coffee shop in an up-and-coming area called 12South in Nashville, TN. Fast forward to 2022 and there seems to be a Frothy Monkey in every village around the Nashville area. We’ve watched this group create a strategy that actually DOES increase long term revenues in a restaurant. The secret to their success seems to be that they keep their customers happy in a “stay-all-day” concept, where you’ll find the warmth of a coffeehouse and the hospitality of a full-service restaurant for every part of your day.
It’s hard for hot coffee alone to attract a following during the normal happy hours, and we first met up with the owners of Frothy Monkey in 2013 when they asked us to help them with a draft beer system for their Franklin, TN location. Draft beer, along with other alcoholic beverages, helped them garner new customers who liked to grab a beer after work, or have a glass of wine with their dinner. Frothy is known to have a late afternoon pop of activity, with everything from a midday “pick-me-up” coffee, or to take advantage of their happy hour beer, wine, and cocktail specials.
When Cold Brew was introduced, this innovative group decided to start roasting their own in each location. In 2020 they added Cold Brew on tap and are now brewing it out of a local beer brewery. They are also distributing this product in the Middle TN market. Nitro Cold Brew is a people pleaser, and with it on tap, it is a profitable beverage item to serve. They are serving their Cold Brew through equipment purchased and installed by A Head for Profits.
Nitro Cold Brew on tap obviously boosts revenues in summer months, but they also serve die-hard cold brew fans that are drinking it when it’s 25 degrees outside. Because you can charge more for Cold Brew than a single cup of coffee, it is a super profitable menu item to add to your offerings. It’s also a great product to offer in place of the waning soda sales in restaurants from the past ten or so years. Nitro Cold Brew Cocktails have been becoming a hit in bars, Jameson, Bailey’s, and Kahlua all mix well with cold brew.
We are excited to continue to watch this local Nashville company grow, and we can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
