Coffee shop business plan template

Download this coffee shop business plan template in PDF or Word format, or tailor it to your project directly in our business plan software.

Discover our coffee shop business plan template

Our coffee shop business plan template gives you the structure to write a professional plan

Not accustomed to writing business plans? Our coffee shop business template will turn a typically challenging process into a total breeze.

Modelled on a complete business plan of a coffee shop in Normandy, our template features both the financial forecast and the written part that presents the project, its team, the local market and the business strategy implemented by the management.

Cast your eyes on this template to achieve a better understanding of what your bank and investors would like to see, so that you can create a business plan that meets their expectations.

coffee shop businesss plan template
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How to use this coffee shop business plan template

Edit the coffee shop business plan template online, or download it

There are 3 ways to use this template:

  • Edit it online: you can adapt this template to your business idea by changing the text or the financial forecast directly in our business planning software
  • Download in PDF: if you're just after a little inspiration, you can download the coffee shop business plan template in PDF to read over it
  • Download in Word format: want to edit your plan on Word? Simply export the coffee shop business plan template to Ms Word (.docx) format
online editor for coffee shop business plan template

Coffee shop business plan template content

This template includes a complete coffee shop business plan example, with a financial forecast and the following sections:

  1. Executive summary: the executive summary gives the reader a clear and concise overview of your business idea
  2. Company: this section lays out the structure of your business, including its location, management team and legal form
  3. Products and services: here, you'll give an overview of the services or products offered by the company
  4. Market analysis: the market analysis is where you’ll demonstrate that there is a strong demand for your products and services through a thorough assessment of the industry (customer profile, hot trends, regulation, competition, etc.)
  5. Strategy: this section highlights the company's game plan when it comes to pricing, marketing and mitigating risks along the way
  6. Operations: this step lays out the company's operational organisation, including the recruitment plan
  7. Financial plan: the financial plan includes a table of sources & uses (initial funding plan), and complete financial statements (P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement).
  8. Appendices: this part provides the opportunity to include multiple financial appendices generated by our software (debt maturity profile, monthly financial statements, financial analysis, etc.).
cover page and table of contents for the coffee shop business plan template by The Business Plan Shop
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Executive summary of the coffee shop's business plan

The executive summary gives the reader a clear and concise overview of your business idea.

Our coffee shop business plan example's executive summary is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Business overview: in this subsection, we outline who the coffee shop founders are, what legal form they've chosen for the business, and the rationale behind the choice of their location
  2. Market overview: in this subsection, we summarize the conclusions of the market analysis performed by the coffee shop's owners and explain which type of coffee lovers they aim to target
  3. Financial highlights: in this subsection, we give an overview of the forecasted financial performance of the coffee shop over the first 3 years of operation
  4. Our ask: in this subsection, we outline the amount of financing required to start the coffee shop and how it's going to be funded (the founders are seeking a bank loan to start their coffee place)
executive summary for coffee shop business plan sample

Company overview included in our coffee shop business plan sample

This section lays out the structure of your business, including its location, management team and legal form.

Our coffee shop business plan template's company section is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Structure & Ownership: in this subsection, we outline who the coffee shop shareholders are, what legal form they've chosen for the business
  2. Location: in this subsection, we present the area surrounding the location chosen for the business and the layout and main features of the premises
  3. Management Team: in this subsection, we give an overview of the background of each of the coffee shop's founders and explain how they met and why they decided to start a company together
company overview included in coffee shop business plan template
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Products and services offered by the coffee shop

The products and services section is where you will present the different types of food and beverages sold by your coffee shop.

In our coffee shop business plan template products and services section, we cover:

  • Hot drinks: ranging from classic expressos to "latte art coffees" signed with a unique design made of foamy milk
  • Cold drinks: ranging from fresh juices and smoothies to iced and chilled coffees
  • Seasonal drinks: a special hot drink each season, including a pumpkin latte in autumn, hot chocolate with Christmas spices in Winter, etc.
  • Food menu: a selection of different homemade pastries and sandwiches
product and services description of the coffee shop business plan example

Market analysis for the opening of the coffee shop

The market analysis is where you’ll demonstrate that there is a strong demand for your products and services through a thorough assessment of the industry (customer profile, hot trends, regulation, competition, etc.)

Our coffee shop business plan example's market analysis section is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Demographics and Segmentation: in this subsection, we explore the market in depth. We look at the supply and demand sides both at the national and local level, analyse the hot trends perceived by the founders, and the key statistics that will help the founders build their positioning
  2. Target market: in this subsection, our founders explain which types of coffee lovers they view as their ideal customers and why they chose to target them
  3. Competition: in this subsection, we take a look at the direct (coffee shops nearby) and indirect (other ways of getting coffee) local competition to ensure we have a differentiated positioning and that the market is large enough to accommodate the arrival of new coffee shop
  4. Regulation: in this subsection, we give an overview of the main regulation applicable to our coffee place
market analysis section of the coffee shop business plan template
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Setting the strategy for our coffee shop

This section highlights the company's game plan when it comes to pricing, marketing and mitigating risks along the way.

Our coffee shop business plan template strategy section is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Pricing: in this subsection, we explain how we set the prices of our main categories of products (pastries, coffees, other beverages) and the rationale behind our choice
  2. Marketing plan: in this subsection, we explain what action we'll put in place to build awareness and loyalty among the customers of our coffee
  3. Milestones: in this subsection, we give an overview of the main goals we set for ourselves for the next 3 years
  4. Risks and Mittigants: in this subsection, we perform an assessment of the medium and long-term risks that could jeopardize the financial viability of our coffee place and outline how we intend to mitigate them
coffee shop business plan example: stragtegy section

Operations section of the coffee shop business plan template

This part lays out the company's operational organisation, including the recruitment plan.

Our coffee shop business plan example's operations section is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Personnel plan: in this subsection, we explain what our opening hours will be and explain the responsabilities of each of our coffee place's staff member
  2. Key assets and IP: in this subsection, we list the assets and intellectual property rights which are critical to our business operations and explain how we will secure and protect each of these
  3. Suppliers: in this subsection, we give an overview of the main suppliers we will use our what commercial terms have been negotiated with them
coffee shop business plan template: operations section
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Financial plan included in our coffee shop business plan template

This section presents the expected financial performance of the coffee shop over the next 3 years.

Our coffee shop business plan example's financial plan is formed of the following subsections:

  1. Start-up funding: in this subsection, we list the cost of each item required to launch the coffee shop
  2. Important assumptions: in this subsection, we explain the methodology and the main assumptions used to build the coffee shop's financial forecast
  3. Sales forecast: in this subsection, we detail the expected revenues and growth rate for our coffee place in the coming years
  4. Cost structure: in this subsection, we list all the expenses required for our coffee shop to operate smoothly
  5. Projected Profit & Loss statement: in this subsection, we analyse our forecasted P&L and comment on the expected profitability of our coffee shop over the next 3 years
  6. Projected cash flow statement: in this subsection, we analyse the expected cash generation of the coffee place
  7. Projected balance sheet: in this section we give an analysis of the liquidity and solvability implied from our balance sheet
coffee shop business plan forecasted P&L

Appendices of the coffee shop business plan template

This part provides the opportunity to include multiple financial appendices generated by our software (debt maturity profile, monthly financial statements, financial analysis, etc.).

Our coffee shop business plan template's appendices include:

  1. A Maturity profile chart showing the principal repayments of their loans over the next 3 years
  2. A monthly cash flow forecast: showing how much cash is being generated or consumed each month over the first 3 years of operations
coffee shop business plan template: monthly cash flow forecast

Coffee shop business plan template sample

Executive Summary

Business Overview

Cuppa Coffee will be a coffee shop located in the city of Caen, offering a wide selection of coffees, hot drinks, cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and pastries.

Our coffee shop will specialise in the art of coffee-making, thanks to our barista-trained staff. All of our pastries and sandwiches will be made on-site with interchangeable seasonal recipes.

Cuppa Coffee will be located in the rue de Geôle, in the heart of Caen city centre, close to the city's main tram and bus station, as well as the castle and the Quatrans house.

Cuppa Coffee is a limited company with a share capital of €10,000. The company will be managed by two partners: Viviane D. who holds 60% of the shares and Amélie C. who holds 40% of the shares.

Each of the partners benefits from having the experience and professional background required to help them see the project through to its final stages.

Viviane has solid operational experience. She lived in London for 7 years where she worked as a barista and then managed a centrally located coffee shop. She also trained at the London School of Coffee, before coming back to France to open Cuppa Coffee.

Amélie has a strong background in management and marketing. She also lived in London for 5 years, where she met Viviane whilst working in a digital marketing agency.

Market Overview

Domestic Market

83% of French people are self-proclaimed coffee lovers. Although coffee is consumed regularly at home, especially at breakfast, it also provides an opportunity for people to meet and catch up with friends and family.

While the French's enthusiasm for coffee is universally acknowledged, the American takeaway coffee culture is gradually developing, with 9% of the population calling into coffee shops every day for their caffeine fix.

Adjustments in working hours and shorter lunch breaks mean the French have less time to sit in a restaurant to enjoy a coffee, hence the appeal of coffee shops.

The French coffee shop market is dominated by three franchises which together hold nearly 60% of the market share: Colombus Café, Nescafé, and Starbucks.

Besides location, the most important criterion for a coffee shop is the quality of its services, both in terms of customer service and the overall atmosphere of the shop, as well as the quality of the drinks and food on offer.

In terms of figures, the annual turnover of an independent coffee shop open 11/12 months of the year is estimated at €194,850 (excl. tax) with an average spend of around €7 (incl. tax) per customer.

People aged 25 to 34 make up the majority of coffee shop customers. After that comes once-off customers who are passing by, placing an emphasis on the importance of the location in attracting tourists or office employees on the go.

The least receptive to the French coffee shop concept are people over 50 years old. While 92% of them drink coffee, they prefer drinking it in a restaurant or at home. There's still a long way to go before changing their perceptions of the takeaway coffee culture.

Local Market

In 2015, Caen was estimated to have 106,260 inhabitants. A population of 40,889 students was also recorded from 2017-2018, solidifying the presence of many potential coffee shop customers.

The city centre is an attractive point of focus. With a heavy influx of people making their daily commute between the city centre and the outskirts, its popular shopping district also attracts a wide variety of people both during the week and on weekends.

Students who live centrally tend to travel by tram to university, making them much more likely to opt for a takeaway coffee to accompany them on their commute each morning.

Finally, the vast number of tourists in Caen should not be overlooked. With 438,000 visitors to the Caen Memorial in 2014 and 10,029 visitors to the Abbaye aux Hommes, tourists fall within one of our target groups.

Financial Highlights

We expect to be profitable in our first year of activity with sales of €202,132 and an EBITDA of €11,515 (with a 5.70% margin) for year 1.

We expect to be able to continue to grow our business to reach €206,015 in sales and €21,842 in EBITDA (with a 10.60% margin) by year 3.

We anticipate positive cash generation over the plan as a whole, and the company should be sufficiently capitalized to be able to meet its loan repayments while maintaining a margin to deal with unforeseen events.

Our Ask

The opening of our coffee shop will require an investment of €81,000.

The partners have planned to contribute €36,000 (44% of the total), with a share capital contribution of €10,000 and a director loan of €26,000.

We would like to obtain a loan of €45,000 to finance the remaining amount.

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Coffee Shop Business Plan Template FAQ

What is a coffee shop business plan and do I need one?

A coffee shop business plan is a written document that sets out the commercial, operational and financial objectives of the company over the next 3 to 5 years.

It consists of two main parts:

  • A written part that presents, in detail, your coffee shop business, the team, your strategy, and your medium-term objectives.
  • A financial forecast that highlights the expected profitability of the coffee shop and the initial funding requirements.

The lack of business planning is one of the main reasons why more than 50% of startups fail within 5 years. If you're starting a coffee shop, writing a business plan is a must-have in order to reduce the risk of failure of your project.

Business plans are also required by most lenders and investors in order to secure financing, therefore a business plan is also highly recommended if you're seeking a loan or equity investment for your coffee shop.

How do I write a business plan for a coffee shop and is it difficult?

Writing a coffee shop business plan without The Business Plan Shop can be both error-prone and time-consuming - whether you're new to entrepreneurship or experienced:

  • You'll need to research the structure of a business plan, what to include in each section, and what key elements investors and lenders expect to see
  • You may encounter writer's block (especially if it's the first time you're writing a business plan for your coffee shop)
  • You'll need to create a financial forecast on a spreadsheet which requires a solid understanding of accounting and financial modelling in order to be done without error
  • You'll need to spend hours formatting financial data on Excel or Sheets before it's ready to integrate into your business plan
  • Any updates to your coffee shop business plan or financial forecast will need to be done manually

Luckily for you, The Business Plan Shop's online platform and coffee shop business plan template guide you through every stage of writing a business plan, so that you can spend more time managing and growing your business instead.

Our editor follows a best-in-class structure for professional business plans. Each section and subsection includes examples and instructions to help you, while our business plan templates provide further inspiration if you're stuck.

Our financial forecasting software helps you create a forecast and integrate it into your business plan with ease. Anytime you update your data, your business plan automatically updates.

And with our forecasting software all the calculations are done for you, without errors.

What is the budget for a coffee shop and how much does it cost to get started?

The budget to start and run a coffee shop will depend on the exact concept and location.

A small local coffee doing mostly takeaways with limited seating requires a limited investment. A bigger place with a large seated area, fresh food and table service will require a larger upfront investment and more staff to operate.

As an example, in our coffee shop business plan template the total initial funding requirement amounted to €81,000 (c. $87,000 or £70,000), with the founders contributing €36,000 (c. $38,000 or £31,000).

In order to assess the exact budget for your coffee shop idea, you need to do a financial forecast using a financial projection tool such as the one we offer.

Is The Business Plan Shop the best coffee shop business plan template for me?

The package we offer at The Business Plan Shop goes way beyond a simple blank template you need to fill. With our platform you get:

  • Access to one of the best business plan software on the market
  • Access to our coffee shop business plan template which contains a complete example of a written business plan and financial forecast to start a coffee shop
  • Access to our entire business plan templates library - giving you dozens of examples to take inspiration from
  • Access to our financial planning and analysis platform so that you can track the actual performance of your business against what you had planned in your business plan and re-plan easily

But you shouldn't take our word for it: try our solution for free and make your own opinion!

How does the free trial of The Business Plan Shop work?

The free trial enables you to try the software for free during 7 days in order to verify that it meets your requirements before buying.

Some features are limited during the free trial, the main limits are:

  • You can only create one business plan
  • The financials of the first year are visible, but data for other years are hidden
  • You can export your plan in PDF but not in Word or CSV
  • No access to our business plan templates

You can create your account and start your free trial here.

How much does The Business Plan Shop’s coffee shop business plan template cost?

Access to our template is included with all our paid subscriptions.

Please visit our pricing page to learn about this in more detail.

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