Does Your Coffee Shop Need a Commissary?

Coffee Shop Commissary

Your Coffee Business

Does Your Coffee Shop Need a Commissary?

When starting a coffee shop, you’ll have to juggle many elements to be able to open up your doors and serve coffee legally.

Some of the requirements to start a coffee shop may be legal and administrative. Others may need to be practical.

This post will explore the idea of utilizing a commercial commissary – some a requirement and others just of practicality.

Today, we’ll focus on the following questions:

• What is a commissary?
• Do you need a commissary for your coffee shop?
• How do you choose a commissary?
• Are there alternative options?

What is a Commissary?

A commercial commissary is a kitchen and professional space used by food and beverage service businesses – like coffee businesses. They often contain many elements found in commercial kitchens, including stoves, ovens, sinks, countertops, storage, refrigeration, freezers, and commercial dishwashers. It also may have an environmentally sound way of disposing of grease, oils, and other food byproducts.

A commissary may be:

• Shared kitchen space – a specialized kitchen that multiple food businesses can rent. It typically has lots of equipment, storage spaces, refrigerators, and tables where food businesses can work simultaneously.
• Private kitchen – a specialized prep and cooking space for food catering and food educational businesses.
• Another business’s kitchen – you may sign an agreement with another coffee shop or restaurant to use their commercial kitchen and other amenities to prepare your goods.
• Other organizations – churches, colleges, and healthcare establishments with a commercial kitchen may want to rent it out to small coffee businesses.

A commercial commissary is often rented monthly – after a usage agreement is signed. The cost of a commissary varies, and you should consider budgeting this monthly cost with your coffee shop budget.

Do You Need to Have a Commissary?

What Decides Whether You Need a Commissary?

Several factors may determine whether you need to use a commercial commissary for your coffee business.

They include:

• Your coffee business concept
• Your coffee shop menu
• Your available space
• Local health department requirements

Your Coffee Shop Concept

You may have to utilize a commercial commissary operating a mobile coffee business, such as a coffee truck, a coffee trailer, or a bike.

The simple reason is that your operation may not be able to handle (on-site) the things that must be done to prepare, cook, and serve food and beverages appropriately.

For example, if you make your own muffins, it is unlikely that you will be able to prepare, bake, store, and serve on your mobile food trailer.

Your Coffee Shop Menu

Your menu will play a significant role in determining whether or not you need to use a commissary. For example, if you operate a coffee trailer business and only serve espresso-based drinks and pre-packaged items, you may or may not need the services of a commercial commissary. However, the health department might want you to have a place to dump grey water, wash your utensils, and clean the trailer. So be sure to check with all the mandatory regulations.

On the other hand, a commissary may be necessary if you decide on other things that require more prep time and refrigeration.

Availability of Space in Coffee Business

Often the use of a commissary is needed based on the space you have. For example, if you have a drive-thru coffee stand and want to offer breakfast burritos or lunch specials, you need a place to prepare, cook, and store these items.

Health Department Requirements

Often, your local health departments will look at your concept, menu, and ability to maintain a sanitary environment and determine if you need a commissary. Sometimes, many local health departments will have a pre-written checklist to decide whether or not you need a commissary.

Therefore, you’ll want to check with your local health department agency. It’s also important to state that one local health department may have slightly different requirements for food and beverage businesses.

Requirements Vs. Practical Needs

Your Menu

As stated earlier, your coffee shop menu plays an essential role in whether or not you need a commissary. For example, suppose you offer only pre-packaged goods, such as muffins or donuts, individually wrapped before being taken on-site. In that case, it’s entirely possible that you may not need a commissary. If you serve your pastries or sandwiches, you either need to have a bigger space or rent a commissary.

Your Available Kitchen Space

Some coffee shops seem to have enough space for their menu at first glance, but in practicality, they don’t have the refrigeration, table or counter space, storage, or oven capacity. As mentioned earlier, your menu will dictate your needs.

The next step is determining how many people you intend to serve daily. For example, how many croissants will you need to make if you want to serve 300 to 400 patrons? This will impact the space you need and whether that overflow food prep will need to extend to a  commissary.

Local Requirements

Every county in the United States has its own health regulations for food and beverage establishments. So, while one county may not require a commissary, another might require one in a different county. Therefore, you will want to double-check what your local requirements dictate.

Opportunities for Growth

A commissary for your coffee business may be convenient if you are bursting at the seams with your brick-and-mortar or mobile coffee business.

A commissary can be very useful to your business growth even if you have the space. For example, let’s say your baking operation catches the eyes of a local retailer that wants to order their bagels from you. Then, you can utilize the commercial kitchen space of a local commissary. This would allow you to keep your current space and grow your coffee shop operation.

Your Coffee Shop

How to Choose a Commissary

You may have determined that you need a commissary but don’t know how to choose the best one for your coffee shop.

First, consider what specific items you’ll need from a commissary. For example, do you need ovens, a workspace, and refrigeration? Whatever your reasoning, understand what exactly you need from a commissary before you start looking for one.

Additionally, I recommend visiting a few commissaries before you sign an agreement. Tour the facilities and talk to existing customers (the chances are that you will learn a lot about the commissary’s owner, premises’ conditions, and lease terms).

You’ll want to feel good about several vital elements before you sign a commissary agreement.

Let’s discuss those now.

Is The Commissary Up to The Code?

Your prospective commissary owner is a business person who has to establish their business and get food and regulatory license from the health and fire department requirements and wastewater treatment agency. Moreover, all the equipment must be commercial-grade.

As a coffee business owner, you want to partner with another legit business that is up to the code. Make sure you ask for all necessary permits and licenses. You don’t want to sign a commissary lease only to find out later that it’s not maintained right, has previous health and safety violations, and will end up being closed. After all, the safety of your customers depends on a clean and well-maintained prep space.

Local and Convenient

Your commissary should be physically convenient to get to and from your home and coffee business. For example, you may need to get to your commissary early in the morning, prepare your meals, and then drive to your location without hassle.

Saving time (and money) to utilize your commissary space should be considered when you are looking for commissaries in your area.

Affordable

Commissary fees can eat into your operational costs. While you may understand that commissaries provide the space, water, power, security, and ability to do your business, you still want the prices to be competitive.

I recommend calling around various commissaries and asking for their pricing structure. Remember that the cheapest commissary may not be the best for you. For example, the cheapest one may be in a geographically undesirable location; it also may have cleanliness issues, lack of security, or be too busy for you to get your products made and moved out efficiently.

Commissary Amenities

While commercial kitchen commissaries are nearly all similar, they each have essential amenities for your menu and operation.

As previously mentioned, you’ll want to determine what you’ll need before choosing a commissary because you may not need all of the amenities offered (and which you might pay for).

Some commissaries might offer a safe place to park your mobile coffee business, which is another great benefit.

Unique Considerations

If you prepare specialty foods such as Kosher foods, you may need to see if a commissary provides the workspace you need.

Your commissary has to have enough fridges, stoves, ovens, and tables to accommodate all the businesses that lease this space. For example, you might need specific fridges with a certain temperature or cooking equipment to bake eclairs or other unique items.

If you have your own coffee equipment or small wares, you should discuss it with the commissary owner and have your agreement in writing.

Cleanliness

I have been to several commissaries. Not all of them were clean and up-to-code. Consider the cleanliness of the facilities before you choose your commissary.

Inspect the place, talk to current clients, and read online reviews. Additionally, call your health department and ask what they think of various commissaries. They should be able to tell you what commissaries have any health code violations. When you visit, consider the place’s cleanliness – Are the floors dirty, and is there evidence of mold or visible rodent droppings?

Coffee Shop Commissary: Alternative Options

Commercial commissaries play an essential role in the food service industry. But there may be alternatives to working with a traditional commissary. For example, you may also utilize another existing coffee shop to serve as your commissary.

Likewise, Restaurants or bistros may also be able to fulfill your commissary requirement—other food service businesses, such as a bakery or food product manufacturers. I have also seen churches equipped with full kitchens satisfy the commissary requirement for local health departments.

So, if you don’t find a commissary that is right for you in your local area, consider branching out a little and see if you can partner with another coffee shop, restaurant, church, or related organization.

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