We recently connected with Benjamin Byrd and have shared our conversation below.

Benjamin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

I think this is changing more and more now, but being in specialty coffee the driving selling factor has generally been “we have the best product” or “we are better than these other guys doing it” The reality is, everyone who is in specialty coffee (and the restaurant industry) is likely executing on the level they would like to be. I think that our mindsets in specialty coffee need to shift and just know that it is a given that if you are doing “x” you think you are an expert at “x” or you are at least doing everything you can to make the best version of “x” that you can. The differentiating factor now is going to be “we create the best experience, we have the best service, and we can help you reach your goal the best.” We have a cafe and a wholesale program in a market that is dense with great roasters. At the end of the day, we are all well within the range of “very good” coffee, our goal is to be the place that you can walk in and it makes your day brighter, or if you are a wholesale partner you order your coffee and know that you are fully taken care of and it will get to you in a timely manner. I am not saying let’s all throw quality out the window and we should not be striving for excellence, I am saying those are a given, do those while going out of your way to treat others the way you’d like to be treated and try to make their day the best it can be. The best coffee is at the cafe or restaurant where you feel the most welcome, have the best experience, and feel the most cared for.

Benjamin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Benjamin, I have been working at Due South Coffee Roasters for the last 8 years. I started as a barista because I just needed a job to finish out college and I stayed longer than anyone else. Here I am, managing, roasting, doing whatever needs to get done that day. Due South Coffee Roasters has been around for 11 years, we have always prided ourselves on serving what we refer to as “full spectrum specialty” this means that there is something for everyone. If you just love grocery store coffee, we have something that you would be comfortable drinking. If you’re in love with competition level coffees and enjoy digging into every note and nuance, you can find a home here. We are always striving to get better, and better for us looks like going the extra mile however we can to take care of our guests and partners. It takes time and it takes work, but it is work that is worth doing and we are proud to be in it.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Our business is a lot of wholesale relationships, they purchase roasted coffee from us to sell at their restaurants, cafes, or schools. It is important to us that there is always an open line of communication between our team and theirs. For us, we like to take a very relational approach where I am personally touching base with our wholesale partners most every week and if they are having issues it is me they reach out to. I believe this is an important part of maintaining our partners because there will always be a shiny new roaster with beautiful packaging and well roasted coffee to hop over to, but if they feel completely taken care of here, someone new could come in and undercut our pricing and they would still stay with us.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Treat others like you would want to be treated. Be direct when you need to be, and allow people to make mistakes while feeling comfortable coming to you for help. Find people that are curious and lifelong learners who realize that they have never “arrived” and you will have a space where people want to grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Duesouthcoffee.com
• Instagram: duesouthcoffee

Image Credits

BJU marketing