Going Dutch… errr in Yorkshire?
You have to admire someone like Sara Headley.
By 5 o’clock each morning Sara is hard at work making speciality breads, scones and pastries for Sara’s Flowers and Teas, the two Dutch coffee shops come florists which she runs in Barnsley and Stocksbridge, south Yorkshire.
By 11.00 am, Sara is on to her next job, preparing bouquets and floral displays for the delivered flower service which she operates across the region.
After the lunch time rush, it’s back to the kitchen when Sara starts creating gourmet delights for the following day, whilst preparing buffet and finger food for the outside catering business which she also runs from the same premises.
The idea of combining a florist shop with a tea room came about 5 years ago. “ I was a trained florist with my own shop in Stocksbridge, Sheffield and I was looking for a way of attracting additional passing trade.” said Sarah. With plenty of space in the shop Sara decided to set up a tea room.
Without any prior experience or formal catering training some might say it was a brave move, though Sara, who is completely self taught, seems to have taken it in her stride.
With Dutch inlaws, the idea to develop a niche for the business by focusing on Dutch cuisine was a natural choice.
Gourmet Dutch specialities ….
“I was given lots of family recipes for traditional Dutch specialities and spent hours perfecting these. I try to incorporate authentic Dutch ingredients wherever possible, for example I use Dutch buttermilk in the scones and Romboter Butter in the cakes. Many of the ingredients are difficult to find in the UK so I have an arrangement with my flower supplier who also happens to be Dutch. He travels back to Holland every week and as well as returning with my flower order, he brings me back the essential items that I cannot buy in the UK,” explained Sara.
“We provide flowers and outside catering for births, weddings and funerals and other special events and those customers also come into the coffee shop too. It might seem an unusual combination but having the two different income streams which attract the same customer base is a great way to build business as one feeds off the other,” said Sara.
Sara opened a second Sara’s Flowers and Teas just off the high street in Barnsley in 2013. “It’s a light and airy space and we have filled it with several pieces of family owned Dutch furniture that have been shipped over specifically which adds to the authenticity of the place.”
Sara has a comprehensive speciality coffee offer and also has over 200 different teas on the menu.
Great tasting coffee, every day
When Sara first opened she was hesitant to invest too heavily in equipment as she wasn’t sure how the business would go. “Sara was using a one group traditional machine which was OK initially but as she got busier she struggled because the machine was clearly not designed to cope with the volumes,” explained Sarah Dyson, sales executive for Cimbali.
“Some of the regular customers include local businesses and for example, a hairdresser or beauty salon would come in on a coffee run and order a mix of hot drinks to take out. With a one group machine this inevitably created queues at the till,” said Sarah.
The solution was a three group Cimbali M39 PGS traditional machine with Turbosteam 4 milk management system.
“Sara was concerned that because she has five staff on site, the quality of the coffee might vary according to who prepared the drinks that day. She wanted to build a reputation for great tasting coffee which was on a par with the food offer,” said Sarah
“When I told Sara about the benefits of Cimbali’s new perfect grinding system she could instantly see the benefits it would offer,” said Sarah.
The self adjusting PGS delivers a consistent quality regardless of who is working the machine and eliminates the need for regular grinder checks through the day. Rest assured, the coffee will always taste delicious.
“All the staff use the TurboSteam 4 to prep the milk hands free and that’s a real advantage when we are busy as they can get on with the drinks whilst the milk is being heated or frothed. It means the drinks are ready to go much quicker which keeps the customers happy,” said Sara.
Sara buys coffee from local coffee expert, The Coffee Bros, Huddersfield who supply Lovely Louis, a blend of four coffees from Brazil, Honduras, an Ethiopian Mocha and an Indonesian Sumatra. The result is a sweet balanced coffee with complex aromatic notes of blackberry, peach syrup and dark cocoa complemented by a thick syrupy body and lingering finish.
“Customers know they can come in and always get a great cup of coffee, we have become known for that now. As a result, we have doubled our sales of coffee since getting our new Cimbali machine,” said Sara.
A lady with a big heart
Sara is a lady with a big heart. “We run music nights for Creative Recovery, a local charity which supports those fighting alcohol addiction. A percentage of our profits also goes into a kitty to allow us to provide floral tributes free of charge to families in certain circumstances,” said Sara.
Sara also supports the Suspended Coffee Scheme in which customers not only order their own drink but request a second drink for someone who cannot afford to pay. “Anyone can come in and ask for a ‘suspended coffee’ and it is hoped that the most needy people will take advantage,” said Sara.
So what’s next for Sara? Plans are well underway to open a third coffee shop – The Dutch Bake House, also in Barnsley. “ We are currently developing the new premises and we will employ students from Holland who are keen to learn the trade,” added Sara.
