Free Tool
Coffee Shop Inventory Management
A free, no-signup inventory calculator for independent cafés. Enter daily usage and delivery cycle for every SKU, and get par levels, reorder quantities, and low-stock alerts — the same system used inside Coffee Shop Dashboard.
| Item | Unit | Daily usage | Delivery (days) | Safety × | On hand | Par level | Reorder | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.25 kg | 1.25 kg | Low | |||||||
| 9.6 gal | 3.6 gal | Low | |||||||
| 13 ctn | 4 ctn | Low | |||||||
| 2.73 case | 0.73 case | Low | |||||||
| 25.3 ea | 7.3 ea | Low |
Formula: par = avg daily usage × days between deliveries × safety factor. Reorder = par − on-hand. Status flips to Low below par, Out at zero.
The weekly inventory rhythm
- Sunday close: count every SKU in the same unit you order in.
- Monday open: one consolidated order per supplier — fewer mistakes.
- Mid-week: spot-check milk and pastries; note any waste at the bin.
- End of month: recalculate par from last month's actual usage.
Benchmarks for a healthy café
- Inventory turns: 8–12× per month total.
- Espresso beans: 7–10 days on hand. Past 14 you taste the loss.
- Dairy & oat milk: 2–3 days. Daily deliveries beat freezer space.
- Waste rate: < 4% of COGS. Above 7% means par is too high.
When to graduate from a spreadsheet
Spreadsheets handle 20–30 SKUs. Past that, the weekly count starts taking longer than the closeout, formulas break, and waste tracking lives in a different file than COGS. Coffee Shop Dashboard ties on-hand, waste and COGS together — low-stock alerts surface on the dashboard, and the daily closeout enforces the rhythm above.
FAQ
What is coffee shop inventory management?
The weekly routine of counting on-hand stock, setting par levels per SKU, and reordering before you 86 a drink — without tying up cash on extra inventory.
How do you calculate par levels?
Par = avg daily usage × days between deliveries × safety factor (1.2–1.4). Use the table above for each SKU.
What's the best inventory system for an independent café?
Most cafés outgrow spreadsheets around 40 SKUs. A dashboard that ties on-hand, waste, and COGS together saves several hours a week and surfaces low-stock alerts automatically.
How often should I count café inventory?
Every SKU once a week, same time (Sunday close works for most), then reorder Monday morning. Daily spot-checks for milk and pastries.