Five Lakes Coffee’s Recipe For Growth and Expansion with Jared Smith, CEO

What's more American than a local coffee shop serving up its version of a cup o joe? 20 years ago Jared Smith and his brother Paul started Fives Lakes, bought a roaster, and began their business journey. Jared joins me as he shares the inside story of roasting the perfect coffee bean and their successful business plan to be a regional player.

Welcome to Five Lakes: Home of the Highly Caffeinated Angry Brew. Small batch Michigan coffee roasters with eight locations in MI and IN.

 

Origin Story

Purchasing a roaster

1^st coffee shop in their town

The roasting process

Store-bought VS fresh roasted

Coffee bean blends, caffeination

Current business model

Key learning – opened 2 stores too far away and had to close them

8 regional stores – spoke and wheel model and a 9^th scheduled this year

Some foodservice, universities, casinos no retail grocery at this point

Expanding into RTD coffee with Michigan States University

Scaling a coffee company

Be willing to work a lot and trust people

Be winning or learning

HR Strategy

GMs and assistants

Store Director

Communications

Trainer

Responding to trends

Don’t be attached to an idea or menu item

Iced and frozen drinks are trending

Systems that actually work

What does the future hold?

 

Season 3, Episode 15

Five Lakes Coffee

Connect with Jared Smith

Connect with Tony

About me and my mission and the podcast:

Are you looking for a fun and light-hearted podcast to discover unique brands and learn about the people and strategies successful companies are implementing in the CPG and Food and Beverage Industry?  The brands featured here take us into the world of innovation, sustainability, good for you, lifestyle, QSR, Foodservice, Distribution, DTC, Club, and more.

I am a fun-loving business leader, podcaster, husband, dad, cyclist, and Convention of States volunteer in my spare time. My mission is to discover the people and ideas behind these different, better, and special companies. 

 

Entrepreneurs and CEOs, are you:

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My Direct Response Marketing Service attracts exactly what you need to help your brand thrive and grow. 

Here is a NOVEL approach to ATTRACT distributors, buyers, people (DEMO)

 

Contact me: Tony@timpl.com

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