Blogger Pru Whitwell of Scotland Coffee Lovers has coordinated with around 30 of Scotland’s leading specialty coffee shops to take advantage of the date to try and invite more customers to shop local by offering free coffees.
Pru said: “I’ve long been an active advocate of our small and perfectly formed independent specialty coffee shops that are unique and full of personality.
"On Small Business Saturday I’m hoping coffee lovers will try somewhere new for coffee, shopping local instead of opting for one of the big coffee chains."
"Participating shops across Scotland will be giving away great coffee and cakes, however there will also be some signature quirks such as matcha, beetroot and turmeric lattes in Edinburgh and Kinross, a film screening and marketplace in North Berwick, a chance to try an e-bike ride in Auchterarder, Police Box and Canal Boat coffee shops in Edinburgh, free batch brew all day in Aberdeen, and cupcake & coffee flavour matching in St Andrews – plus plenty more.”
According to recent trends coffee lovers are becoming more and more discerning about their coffee and increasingly choosing independent coffee shops over chain coffee shops.
Leading research company Allegra has revealed that independent coffee shops achieve the highest total excellence scores from coffee shop visitors and deliver most on customer-centricity.
Pru added: “Our specialty baristas are some of the best in the UK so you’re getting high quality, ethically sourced coffee. But they also add to the diversity of our community and are the first friendly face of the day for thousands of people all over Scotland as they grab their morning caffeine hit.”
Owner of North Berwick’s Steampunk Coffee Catherine Franks explained her feelings on what it means to be an independent business, she said: “I’ve thought hard about what it means for me to be a small business and really what it boils down to is that we are part of the community.
The team at Steampunk Coffee. Picture: contributed
"We work alongside people we know to offer something unique, something that cannot be found anywhere else...If someone wants to find integrity, care and passion for what is produced, they will find it in a small independent business, not in a multi-national corporation or chain store.
"We know the people who walk through our door every day and they know us. So on Small Business Saturday we want to highlight what’s special about us (apart from our coffee): it is relationships.”
Pru has put together a timetable of specialty coffee freebies to celebrate Small Business Saturday across Scotland, but hopes that the day will encourages coffee lovers to find plenty more great independent coffee houses and to shop local.
