Case Study — Tiffany Brake, Cattle Brand Coffee
“When I stopped selling Rock Creek Coffee, sales plummeted 50% within just two weeks, and customers complained.” Tiffany Brake, Cattle Brand Coffee
Summary
Tiffany Brake received her barista training from Joel and Peggy Gargaro at Rock Creek Coffee Roasters in 2004.
“Both Peggy and Joel have a passion for coffee that’s infectious,” states Tiffany. “Joel is the mad scientist of coffee-roasting and knows how to get the most flavor out of each bean. Peggy traveled the world to learn about coffee and sustainability and is an excellent teacher. In fact, when creating a cup of coffee today, I think about the consistency and always ask myself, 'how would Peggy do this'?”
After working several years at the shop and developing a passion for coffee, Tiffany moved to Forsythe, Montana and opened her own coffee kiosk in 2016. There, she grew a successful business, Cattle Brand Coffee, solely selling Rock Creek Coffee to customers in 80 to 100 cars per day.
Problem
One day, Tiffany noticed that the coffee she received from her distributor was different… even though they said it was the same product she used previously. She tried to work with it and create the best drinks possible. However, the coffee had a bitter taste. Customers complained and even stopped visiting her kiosk.
Tiffany knew something was wrong.
“When I was using Rock Creek Coffee, I was going through about 50 pounds of coffee every two weeks,” she states. “In that two-month span of using the other brand, I was only going through 25 pounds every two weeks and it killed my sales.”
Solution
To remedy this situation, Tiffany conducted research, called the Gargaros for their input and discovered that her distributor was actually using a different coffee with the same label. She immediately stopped her order and began buying her coffee directly from Rock Creek Coffee.
“Rock Creek Coffee is very smooth and has a chocolatey, hickory flavor that leaves a delicious taste in your mouth when it's finished instead of a bitter, questionable flavor like the other brands,” says Tiffany Brake, Cattle Brand Coffee. “I’ve never had a crema quite like theirs because it is so rich. The flavor is consistent and their espresso shots pull perfectly every time.”
Results
With the coffee change, sales increased immediately.
With the coffee change, sales increased immediately.
“I'm back at about 40 pounds every two weeks and sales are going up as customers return for 'the good stuff,'” exclaims Tiffany. “Many are amazed at the difference in taste and are so happy I have Rock Creek Coffee again.”
Today, Tiffany has travelers from Montana to Washington who go out of there way to stop by and get a cup of her delicious coffee. “You know that's got to be good coffee if customers are making a special stop on their one-year trip, and they always do it,” she says. “I’ve tried others, and nothing is as good as Rock Creek Coffee.”