Griind Coffee Company: Turning a love of coffee into a side hustle

If you appreciate a good cup of coffee, then chicory is simply not an option. In fact, in Rudolf de Villiers’s household, chicory is a swear word, and his pursuit of the perfect cuppa joe led to the creation of something few coffeeholics can resist.

As Sales Account Manager at Sage South Africa, Rudolf brings a new meaning to bean counter. He is also on the road a lot, and coffee is his fuel. But not just any coffee.

“I got tired of drinking bad coffee, so I sourced my own blend of coffee beans. It was never about making money, but the simple joy of enjoying a proper cup of coffee.”

When you create something you want, the chances are that others want the same thing. That is precisely what happened when Rudolf started sourcing his own coffee beans: his friends, colleagues, and family members wanted a good cup of coffee as well.

Griind Coffee Company: For the love of good coffee

Rudolf’s coffee bean journey started in 2018 when he visited a coffee roaster in Centurion. After experimenting with bean combinations, he finally found the ‘blend of all blends’.

“I was looking for a full-bodied, aromatic, and fruity taste that would make me want to come back for more. But after countless roasts and tasters, I still couldn’t find a combination that I could drink three to five cups of…until I found the Griind Coffee blend.”

A Columbian base mixed with Ethiopian and Brazilian beans turned out to be the perfect blend of aroma and fruitiness that Rudolf was looking for.

Mixing business with coffee

After he found his blend, Rudolf created a website for Griind Coffee Company that would allow clients to purchase his beans online.

“My full-time job required me to do a lot of travelling and consulting, so most of my coffee sales came from my own clients. After a while, I would get orders from clients who wanted up to 10 kilograms of beans per month.”

Although Griind Coffee Company had to take a back seat during COVID-19, Rudolf didn’t mind.

“I’ve never been in it for the money, so when COVID-19 hit, the decrease in Griind sales didn’t necessarily bother me. I’m happy as long as I have good coffee at home to enjoy with my family and friends.”

As a cyclist, Rudolf regularly rides with his friends on the weekends. But his presence comes at a cost: he has to take coffee for everyone on every ride.

Coffee first, money later

The stress of becoming successful fast cripples many entrepreneurs who try to transform side hustles into full-time businesses. However, Rudolf doesn’t see his side hustle growing into something bigger, and he’s happy for it to stay a hobby. And the money? Well, that’s just a bonus.

“If I ever get to a point where my back is against the wall, I would consider taking Griind Coffee Company further. But for now, it’s something that I enjoy having. I even went as far as tattooing the Griind Coffee Company logo onto my arm!”

Life is too short for bad coffee

Rudolf isn’t planning on launching a global coffee empire, but he has sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to get a good cup of coffee. The moral of the story? If you want something, pursue it with everything you have, even if it doesn’t make you millions initially. Once it becomes successful, you can decide how far you want to take it.

Today, Rudolf focuses on sharing his blend with family, friends, and anyone interested in the perfect cup.

He shares his advice for side hustlers:

• Love what you do: “Let everything in life be a hobby and enjoy what you’re doing.”
• Have a solid plan: “Don’t do something that will bleed money, and make sure you’re doing something that benefits your business and customers. Know exactly what you’re going to do, what you want out of it, and if your profits will cover everything you need to run the business.”
• Local is lekker: “If your side hustle requires resources, try to source locally. If you post something about a local company giving you great service and resources, chances are they’ll do the same for you and your company.”
• Keep your finances separate: “Make sure you separate your salary from your side hustle income. Open a separate bank account and do your homework on what you need to make your side hustle work.”
• No half measures: “If you’re going to start a side hustle for the money, give it everything you possibly can and have pride in what you do.”

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