Cafés – Equipment & Accessories

Cafés are one of the fastest-growing HoReCa segments globally. Specialty coffee, latte art, alternative brewing methods (aeropress, chemex, drip), vegan desserts, coworking spaces—cafés have become meeting places, remote work hubs, and relaxation spots. For café owners, combining high-quality coffee with proper equipment, consumables, and attention to detail is crucial. Napkins are a basic product in every café. Guests use them to wipe mouths after pastries, as coasters, to clean foggy glasses. In cafés, 2-ply paper napkins with 30-33 gsm grammage work best—sufficiently absorbent, aesthetic, and affordable ($38-52 per 1,000 pcs, about $0.045/napkin). Colors: white (universal, elegant), ecru/cream (warmer, fits rustic or vintage interiors), pastel colors (for Instagram-worthy cafés targeting young audiences). Cafés with 30-50 guests use an average of 2,500-4,000 napkins monthly—bulk purchases in collective packages (20-30 packs) save 10-15%. Paper coffee cups for takeaway are the second most important product. The boom in takeaway coffee has been ongoing since 2018 and shows no signs of slowing—approximately 45-50% of transactions in urban cafés are takeaway beverages. Paper cups must be double-walled or have additional thermal sleeves to protect guests' hands from heat. Standard sizes: 200ml (espresso, cortado), 300ml (cappuccino, flat white), 400ml (latte, americano). Cup cost: $0.15-0.25/pc for 300-400ml cups with lids. Lids should be leak-proof (click-close)—leaky lids are the most common guest complaint. A café selling 100 takeaway coffees daily needs about 3,000 cups monthly—cost $450-750. Trends: kraft paper cups (more eco-friendly appearance), biodegradable PLA cups, recycled paper cups. Millennial guests more willingly choose cafés with eco cups (+18-22% preference in industry surveys). Takeaway coffee accessories: wooden stirrers (cheaper, biodegradable, $2-4 per 1,000 pcs) vs. plastic stirrers (more durable, pricier $5-8 per 1,000 pcs), white and brown sugar sachets ($12-18 per 1,000 sachets 5g), sweetener sachets (aspartame, stevia), cream miniatures (UHT) or plant milk sachets (oat, almond—expensive but trendy). Accessory budget for café doing 80-120 coffees/day: stirrers $80-150/month, sugar sachets $200-350/month. Worth having regular supplier with 2-4 week delivery frequency—retail stores are 30-50% more expensive. Bar napkins (dispenser napkins) are must-haves at every café table. Format 17×17 cm or 20×20 cm, Z-fold or quarter-fold, packaged 200-300 sheets in plexiglass or metal dispensers. Guests take one napkin as needed—convenient and hygienic. Dispenser napkins cost $0.03-0.05/pc with bulk purchases. A 30-seat café uses 6-10 dispensers strategically placed (at counter, at 2-4 person tables, at sofas). Refill replacement: every 2-3 days with high traffic. Hygiene supplies in cafés: liquid hand soap for restrooms (antibacterial, pleasant scent—first guest impression), ZZ-fold paper towels or roll paper (white, minimum 21 gsm absorbency), trash bags (60-120L depending on bin capacity), surface cleaning agents (counters, tables, espresso machines). Health inspectors require availability of soap, paper towels, and covered waste bins in every restroom—lack of these basics means fines $500-2,000. Cafés serving cakes, pastries, and snacks need paper trays, dessert napkins (smaller formats 24×24 cm, aesthetic patterns), disposable forks (wooden or biodegradable plastic), takeaway cake boxes (kraft boxes with windows). Guests increasingly order desserts to-go—packaging must be leak-proof, aesthetic, and portable. Biodegradable sugarcane or laminated cardboard packaging is a 2025 trend—20-25% more expensive but appreciated by guests. Café operating costs for consumables (napkins, cups, accessories, hygiene supplies): $1,200-2,800 monthly for cafés doing 50-100 coffees/day. Optimization through quarterly purchases, partnership with 1 HoReCa wholesaler, abandoning luxury branded cups for neutral eco options (same specs, 15-20% cheaper). Monitor product consumption weekly—if napkins/guest exceed 2.5 pcs, guests may be wasting (single-pull dispensers reduce this by 20-30%). Café trends 2025: local coffee roasters (short supply chains, bean freshness), alternative plant milks (Oatly oat, almond, coconut), vegan and gluten-free desserts (20-25% of guests have dietary preferences), coworking spaces (Wi-Fi, outlets, work areas), coffee events (latte art battles, cuppings, tastings). Cafés with unique offerings have average 22-30% higher margins and more loyal guests. Investment in quality consumables (cups, napkins, packaging) is part of guest experience and café brand building.