Brewing Change: A Sustainable Coffee Pop-Up Business

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
I recently started a small side business called K’s Coffee Bar, which is a pop-up specialty coffee service for small events like weddings and fundraisers. My project was to scale up K’s Coffee Bar with Sustainability as its core value. I am excited to have demonstrated a business model that integrates Sustainability in its decision making while achieving profit and growth. I seek to apply my learnings to larger businesses as I start my career as a sustainability professional.

2. IMPORTANCE:
K’s Coffee Bar demonstrates the ability to prioritize sustainability as a core value and maintain economic feasibility. While steadily growing, it has undergone extensive understanding of its impacts and has research to back its decisions so that when it scales, it has the infrastructure prepared to keep its core values. As I work towards a larger business and work within other businesses, I hope to utilize these learnings to show the upfront work needed to truly prioritize sustainability.

3. IMPACT AND REACH:
The goals for my project were to (1) perform a quantifiable impact analysis of K’s Coffee Bars events, (2) provide research-based evidence for all decisions made in the business, (3) generate at least five social media posts on sustainability topics, and (4) gain at least two clients in 2022 to demonstrate economic sustainability (deemed an appropriate amount given other commitments). The performance of these objectives was measured by (a) the existence of documents that meet the goals and (b) the perceptions and feedback gained in response.
My project successfully met its goals. I achieved these outcomes through (1) publishing a Sustainability Report with key metrics quantifying material impacts, (2) publishing an infographic overviewing the lifecycle analysis of its product with references, (3) posting XXX sustainability-related posts on social media, and (4) gaining two clients and four events in 2022.
Both the sustainability report and lifecycle analysis infographic can be seen publicly on https://www.kscoffeebar.com/sustainability. The sustainability report shares data on K’s Coffee Bar’s material impacts: waste, supply chain, customer health and safety, and training and education. It also publishes holistic information on its practices and perspectives. The lifecycle analysis infographic established the research behind my reasoning and decisions, such as milk choices, coffee sources, and disposal options. My sustainability social media posts further show the public K’s Coffee Bar’s core values and provide a platform for discussion (Instagram username @kscoffeebar). Finally, the four events in 2022 showed that, despite the ‘green premiums’ associated with sustainable products, my business remained profitable, with a 3x return on investment. These events reached young to middle-aged adults working, as all the events were held by employers.

4. COLLABORATIONS:
For my lifecycle analysis and reporting, I consulted my UCLA professors for advice and guidance as needed. I also intentionally collaborated with my clients and consumers, informally (conversational) and formally (surveys, emails) to understand sustainability perception, business performance, and grievances.
Two KCB events included formal surveys. A QR code was provided that linked to an online survey for those waiting in line at the event. I received 36 responses. The results showed significant awareness and support for more sustainability actions in the coffee industry, especially in waste diversion and sourcing practices. There was also a recognition that coffee drinks are often high in sugar, which was supplemented by feedback that the sugar-free drinks provided by KCB are popular and well-liked. Finally, I found that a pilot study I ran at one event, where I replaced plastic cups with reused glass jars, was largely met with customer support and excitement, showing the effectiveness of prioritizing waste diversion.

5. YOUR ROLE WELL DEFINED:
I acted as the sole contributor to the project since K’s Coffee Bar is owned and operated by myself. This included operationalizing my studies, which taught me the foundations of sustainability, sustainability reporting, and lifecycle analysis. It also included maintaining my barista skills, developed by my training and experience in the industry, and organizing events, which included financial, legal, sourcing, logistical, marketing, and customer service aspects.

6. OPTIONAL NEXT STEPS:
While efforts have slowed down towards the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023 due to work, school, and personal commitments, I hope to continue this business after I graduate!