Sahara Coffee was preparing to launch a new coffee brand in Minnesota, with plans to expand to around 10 stores within the following year. Before the stores were fully ready, the owner wanted to finalize the packaging and café supplies early, knowing that customized production and international shipping would take time.
At that stage, the customer was not looking for just paper cups or a few products printed with a logo.
They needed a complete coffee shop supply system that could bring packaging, drinkware, café equipment and branded staff items under one consistent brand identity — while also supporting future multi-store expansion.
What began with customized packaging soon developed into a one-stop supply project covering dozens of products, with AT PACK coordinating product selection, quantity planning, customization, multi-SKU production and mixed 40HQ container consolidation through one supply chain.
ChallengesFor a new coffee brand, preparing packaging sounds simple until every item needed for daily operations is placed on one list.
Sahara Coffee's requirements quickly expanded from double-wall paper cups and PET cold cups to cup sleeves, paper bags, pastry bags, greaseproof paper, napkins, food boxes, coffee bags and Coffee To Go Boxes. The project then grew further to include glassware, coffee cups, brewing pots, pour-over kettles, stainless-steel kettles, tumblers, trays, polo shirts, T-shirts, aprons and caps.
These products involve very different materials, production processes, printing methods, MOQs and manufacturers.
If sourced traditionally, Sahara Coffee would need to communicate separately with paper cup factories, plastic cup suppliers, flexible packaging manufacturers, paper bag factories, food packaging suppliers, glassware manufacturers, café equipment suppliers, apparel suppliers and logistics companies.
At the same time, the customer was still preparing the new stores and did not have a completely finalized purchasing list. Many specifications, quantities and even product choices still needed to be determined.
The customer also understood that customized production and international shipping would take time:
“We are trying to finalize the packaging first because it will take time to arrive.”
The real challenge was therefore not simply finding products.
It was how to turn dozens of products from different supply chains into one consistent, manageable and scalable purchasing system for a new coffee brand.
SolutionInstead of waiting for Sahara Coffee to prepare a complete RFQ, AT PACK worked from the actual operating needs of a coffee shop and helped turn the customer's broad request for “Everything” into a structured sourcing plan.
Our team helped identify suitable products, confirm specifications and recommend practical starting quantities based on the customer's new-store stage. For example, instead of encouraging excessive inventory, AT PACK recommended starting with 1,000 pieces of 12oz coffee bags for the first store.
As more products were added, the entire project was gradually organized around a mixed 40HQ container. This allowed different product categories to be consolidated into one purchasing and delivery plan rather than being managed as separate orders.
AT PACK coordinated the complete process:
Product Selection → Quantity Planning → Specification Confirmation → Brand Application → Mockups → Multi-SKU Production → Quality Confirmation → Container Consolidation → Logistics
The value of this model became even clearer when unexpected details appeared.
When the customer did not know the correct pastry bag size, AT PACK guided him through measuring the existing product. When two-cup and four-cup takeaway solutions were required, we helped match the appropriate carrier structures. When staff uniforms were added, we helped confirm the quantity allocation across different sizes.
When wooden or bamboo trays were no longer suitable for the customer's requirements, AT PACK continued sourcing alternatives such as ceramic and melamine options rather than forcing the original product.
AT PACK also discovered that the website linked to the customer's QR code had not yet been completed. The issue was confirmed before mass production, reducing the risk of incorrect information being printed across large quantities of customized packaging.
Commercial coordination was another important part of the project. Sahara Coffee was comparing suppliers, with some competing quotations approximately 10%–15% lower. Rather than competing only on individual unit prices, AT PACK optimized the overall SKU structure, volume pricing, purchasing quantities, commercial support and shipping options.
When international freight costs changed, we continued comparing logistics solutions while allowing the customer to evaluate his own freight forwarder.
For Sahara Coffee, this meant that instead of managing many different factories and service providers, the customer had one point of contact for the entire project — AT PACK.
ResultsAfter multiple rounds of product selection, sampling, quotation optimization and commercial discussions, Sahara Coffee moved forward with the project.
The customer's responses reflected the progression from evaluation to decision:
“That's great.”
“If you can do that I can place this order right away.”
And finally:
“Go ahead and proceed.”
By May 2026, the project had entered formal ordering, payment, artwork confirmation and production. By July, multiple products had been completed, with AT PACK providing finished-product photos and coordinating the remaining payment and shipping arrangements.
More importantly, the project created a supply structure that could extend beyond the first store.
Sahara Coffee shared plans to open approximately 10 stores within the following year, with future purchasing potentially reaching 2–3 containers per month as the business expands. The customer also discussed bringing packaging and supplies for his restaurant business into the AT PACK sourcing system.
What began as packaging preparation for a new coffee brand therefore developed into a broader, scalable supply-chain partnership.
For Sahara Coffee, AT PACK's value was not simply producing cups, bags or café supplies.
It was bringing together product sourcing, quantity planning, customization, brand consistency, multi-factory coordination, production management, container consolidation and international logistics under one coordinated system.
From dozens of products and suppliers to one complete coffee shop supply solution.
AT PACK helps coffee brands simplify complex sourcing, maintain brand consistency and build a supply chain ready for growth.
