How to Become a Barista

Coffee shops, vans and franchises have all been growing dramatically over the last few years. And although it’s true the industry was hit hard by the pandemic, it’s already bouncing back. If you’re looking to get in on this profitable and exciting sector, here’s everything you need to know about becoming a barista.

Coffee shops and coffee shop franchises are some of the fastest growing sectors in the UK, and baristas are at the heart of it all. Although many shops and franchises have had a tough time of it over the last few months, there is a lot of pent-up demand that is already pushing this industry back towards the green. 

If you’re looking to make a change with a coffee franchise, start your own coffee franchise, or are just interested in what you need to do in order to become a barista, this is the article for you.

What does a barista do?

Baristas are at the heart of the coffee shop industry. Every franchise you work with will have their own way of working and customer demographic, but on a daily basis you could be doing any of the following:

• Negotiating with suppliers 
• Marketing your franchise
• Trialling and testing new drinks and recipes 
• Processing invoices
• Working with industry-leading equipment
• Ensuring high standards of presentation, working, and health and safety are kept to
• Providing an excellent, customer-facing service

There are many advantages to being a barista. The above are only a rough indication of the kinds of things you will be doing on a regular basis. If this sounds up your street, and you’re keen to see how running a coffee shop franchise can make you the best barista you can be, you might just be the perfect coffee franchisee. So, read on to find out all you need to know about becoming a barista. 

How to become a barista

1. Do some market research

Understand the market. It might sound an obvious point, but it isn’t all as easy as that. Understanding the coffee shop industry isn’t just doing some basic research on the biggest companies or learning how much the sector is worth. That all matters, but it’s far more important for you to look into ways that the industry is changing, key trends, and fastest-growing franchises.

For example, while it might not have occurred to you a decade ago, you might need to figure out whether you would prefer to be a coffee shop franchise or a coffee van franchise. Coffee vans are one of the fastest-growing trends in the coffee sector. They offer you more independence and lower staffing costs. This is one trend you might need to look into further.

2. Choose the right franchise for you

There are a few different things to consider when it comes to deciding which coffee franchises are the right option for you. There are dozens of exciting and ambitious coffee franchises out there, but they will each have their own unique ways of working that don’t necessarily work for you. 

When it comes to filtering through which franchises are a good or bad fit for you, you might want to consider the following:

• What working practices do the franchise employ? Do you agree or disagree with them? What would you improve?
• How much support and training is on offer? Is there ongoing training even after you’ve opened your doors?
• Do you see yourself being a good representative for the brand’s ethos?
• Is there scope to give feedback and input?
• What are the immediate and ongoing costs of running a franchise? Can you afford them? What help is available?

You will need to answer your own questions, but going through a period of detailed research about each franchise is important. Eventually, by the end of this process, you should have a good idea which franchises are a better or worse fit for you. 

3. Qualifications

It’s only rarely that you'll need some specific qualifications to work as a barista. Many of the most important skills you will learn on the job and, with a bit of experience, you can quickly start scaling-up your skill set. But to really make sure your staff have the highest standard of food and drink health and safety, you might want to consider whether you need certain qualifications, and whether you want your employees to have them as well.

For that, you could look at qualifications like health and safety, introductions to hospitality, food and drink preparation, catering, and many other different potential paths. It isn’t always necessary, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing.

4. Prepare a business plan

With your research and skills behind you, you’ll need to put together a business plan that sets out this research, your expertise, and your future plans. These plans are changeable, so don’t expect your first draft to be set in stone. You will, however, need a good idea of what you want to do with your marketing, future growth, recruitment, location, and financing before you put a business plan together.

Whoever reads your business plan, whether it’s your franchisor or your bank, will be looking for something different. Your franchisor will want some supporting information about your marketing and recruitment strategies; your lender will need to see evidence of good financial planning. In short, your business plan will need to be a good overall plan for your business future. 

Become a barista with a coffee franchise today and push your skills and profits to the next level

This sector is booming. It has been growing for several years on-the-bounce and, despite the challenging environment, franchisors are on the lookout for new and ambitious franchisees to take their business forward.

If that sounds like you, there are plenty more resources on Point Franchise to help you take your next business forward. For more information, you can have a look at some of our key tips for running a coffee shop franchise. Or, if coffee isn’t quite the right thing for you, there are many more franchising opportunities in a number of other sectors, so consult the UK franchise directory for more information.