Three cutting-edge tech businesses have united to create an app which will allow independent coffee shops to compete with the major chains – as they predict the £10,1billion sector will continue to grow.
London-based web developer Andy Harrison is behind the innovative CoffTea app which enables users to pre-order drinks and food in advance from independent cafes and thus cut out queuing.
Mr Harrison, aged 24, lived in Plymouth for six years and has linked with two of the Ocean City’s leading tech firms – digital marketing agency Bluestone360 and app and games developer Elixel – to hone the CoffTea app, which he self-financed.
And he will launch it in his home city having invited Plymouth’s independent coffee shop owners to an event at the Bakehouse Cafe, in the waterfront Royal William Yard, at 6.30pm on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.
Mr Harrison, a former University of Plymouth student, believes the coffee boom of the past decade, which saw more than 1,200 outlets open in 2019 alone, has yet to end.
But he thinks it is independent cafes, particularly those with a unique offer for coffee lovers, that will thrive. However, they need, he says, a helping hand in order to compete against titans such as Starbucks and Costa in a market which was worth £10.1billion in 2018.
“Global coffee chains are seemingly one step ahead of independents, they have literally spent thousands of pounds developing apps to appeal to the modern consumer,” he said.
“But now our local cafes won’t have to spend that kind of money to be in the game. The CoffTea app is here to make a difference.”
Mr Harrison hopes the app will boost sales in the independent sector and help the economy. He said that if it is a hit he could extend the idea to other sorts of outlets, such as bakeries.
But he sees the coffee trend, which has seen the number of coffee shops in the UK top 24,000, is here to stay.
“Coffee places are talking over from pubs in the UK,” he said. “Even coffee shops that sell alcohol are on the rise.”
He said saturation point is still some way off, but does think chain outlets are likely to lose out to independents and said: “People want to be more adventurous, to explore different things.
“The younger generation are more into that way of life, they want to try something new. But people have become too used to the chains, they are not doing anything new.”
Mr Harrison worked as an IT manager at a large firm before leaving to study for a degree. But he dropped out and starred working for “YouTubers” and other firms building websites, before starting his own business.
Mr Harrison chose Plymouth to develop and launch the app because of personal and professional reasons, and said: “I grew up in Plymouth and thought it was best to start in Plymouth. And Elixel did a fantastic job,”
Mr Harrison will be joined at the launch by Steve Hughes, chief executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, the organisation which manages the Business Improvement District.
Businesses attending the event can have “an informal chat” and watch demonstrations of the technolgy. Mr Harrison has promised “incentives” for the businesses that sign up to CoffTea early and will have some £100 tablets to give away.
Coffe business owners who want to attend should contact Cofftea’s Instagram or Facebook pages.
