Coffee Wagera will complete two years on 1st April 2020, and here’s what we are proud of…
OUR TEAM
- Most of our team members have been with us from the start. Some who had left for better opportunities, came back realising there’s something special about CW!
- All the managers at the four outlets started at CW-Badar and have been doing a great job: Ahmed at CW-Maskan; Nabeel at CW-5star; Laraib at CW-Sharfabad; Sultan at CW-Clifton
- Sultan started as a Helper, then became a Barista, then Supervisor and now a Manager – a role model for everyone in the CW team!
- Our awesome support team that has made all the growth possible. Most of them started with us as freelancers or part-timers and have now become more than full-timers: Sami, Karachi Manager; Dan, Finance & Admin Manager; Salman, Marketing & Franchising Manager; Rameez, Design & Branding Manager
Few things we do to keep the team happy and motivated:
- No bias while hiring – gender, age, religion, caste, looks, tattoos
- Training in happiness and customer service, besides job training
- We ensure they leave on or before time
- We rotate morning/evening shifts so everyone gets family time
- Their safety, well-being and happiness is always a priority – CW is often the only place to shut down during heavy rains, on Eid or on New Year’s Eve!
- Always paid before the due date
- Staff meals/parties once a month; outing once a year
- Ongoing training and development to move everyone to the next level
- Recognition, awards, bonuses
Special mention of Hur Mush, the Special Olympics Gold Medalist, who has been with us from day one as a helper, always spreading cheer and winning hearts with his big smile!
OUR SUPPLIERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
We are sorry to see a few of them drop out due to the increased business and/or multiple locations, and happy to recognize the following for their continued support and consistency in product or service excellence:
- Sonya and Vijanti of Khushi in a Box (Brownies and Banana Honey Cake)
- Sehar of Sehar’s Kitchen (the beef/chicken filling for all our sandwiches)
- Zahra of Boulanger (Bohra Auser and Oat Cookies)
- Pinky of Coco9 Café (Croissants)
- Team Hobnob (multigrain bread for our sandwiches)
- Team Raaz (coffee beans)
- Fouzia of Floc (locally produced syrups and flavors)
- Asif of Bevsol (imported syrups and flavors)
- Jasir of Crepery (locally produced chocolate powder)
- Mudassir of Standard Brands (cleaning material/supplies)
- Team DYS Solutions (POS/software)
- Team Sanaullah & Co (Tax/legal services)
- Usman and Ramzan of Print Eazy (printing services)
OUR FRANCHISEES
Most of them started as CW customers, then became huge fans and supporters, before investing and building their own CW franchise. We have been blessed with the most passionate and committed individuals who were able to duplicate the CW model and values from day one:
- Mehwish and Asad of CW-Maskan
- Samiuddin and Zamiruddin of CW-5star
- Sarah and Saad of CW-Sharfabad
- Zartashia and Zohaib of CW-Clifton
These partners made it possible for us to achieve the goal of “five outlets in Karachi within two years”! Our next goal is to have “20 outlets in Pakistan within five years” – by 1st April 2023.
OUR UNIQUENESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
We may be the only (or the first) café in Pakistan to…
- Support women empowerment by buying most of our snacks from female entrepreneurs, and to further support the community through Brunch Wagera
- Hire transgender as a barista, and to offer a free training program for transgenders
- Have a menu in Braille for the visually impaired
- Learn sign language to communicate with customers with speech/hearing impairment
- Say ‘no’ to plastic bottles, and provide free drinking water to all customers
- Implement ten steps to reduce waste, support clean-city and be eco-friendly
- Support students and startups, by providing a fully functional workbench, with individual power/USB socket for a minimum spending of just Rs.248 per day
- Provide three WIFI connections (and free coffee if WIFI doesn’t work)
- Provide low-cost franchise opportunities to promote entrepreneurship
- Support local artists by displaying and selling their ‘coffee paintings’ at every outlet
- Run innovative events like Coffee Tour in collaboration with other cafes, Brunch Wagera to support female entrepreneurs, Coffee Workshops to share coffee skills/knowledge, free training programs for personal development, Open Mic to encourage new talent…
- Provide “happiness” training to all staff
- Greet every customer with the most enthusiastic “Salam Alaikum! Welcome to Coffee Wageraaaaaa!”
- Open 5 outlets in 2 years (the last four opened within a span of six months)
- Operate a cafe without any kitchen/cooking
- Implement ‘no free beverages/snacks’ policy that applies to all owners, family members, friends, bloggers, influencers, celebrities… and everyone else who wishes to support CW
- Offer a 10% discount to students and senior citizens
- Offer free coffee to non-Pakistani visitors, when they buy any snacks
- Offer free coffee on your birthday, when you buy any snacks
- Have a founder with an official designation of ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ – Mush Panjwani also teaches happiness at corporates and non-profits, and is also a published author.
And we are very proud to receive the ‘Best Coffee Place of the Year 2019‘ award by APRA (All Pakistan Restaurant Association).
We are also extremely thankful to our customers, many of whom have become our friends and/or raving fans. Some very special ones you may mistake as our partners or family members due to their extreme support and almost-daily visits: Dino, Aly, Reesham, Khalid, Omar Iftikhar, Hassan Talal, Manizhe, Ayesha Fahad, Jamal Ahmad, Bagh Hoti, Xuhair, Naxish…
And finally, thanks to some family members who are some of our most regular customers and loyal supporters: Salma Mush, Sara Mush, Zohair Vazir, and also Hamza Mush and Mashal Mush (whenever they are in Pakistan).
With such incredible team, suppliers, service providers, franchisees, customers and supporters… we are all set to become “the coffee chain of Pakistan!”
WHAT ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY?
Many of you would remember the 1st Anniversary Party at CW-Badar – and the food, games, fun and awards! We were planning something much bigger this year, but the lockdown due to Corono made it impossible. So we are planning our first virtual meet-up later today, complete with a video, awards and an address by yours truly.
We have also prepared several Awards of Appreciation for the team, suppliers (who have been with CW for at least a year), service providers and franchisees. These can be accessed through this link; signed copies will be presented after the lockdown!
Mush is the Founder of Coffee Wagara. He has been a sales, marketing, and training expert for over 35 years; he has worked with corporates, leaders, and entrepreneurs in 20 countries. Mush is also the author of Dhinchak Life, a book about living a fantastic life!
