Most café fridges are accidental: post-mix for the regulars, water for everyone, kombucha for the wellness ask, and a cane-sugar can that looks like an afterthought. A better soft-drink fridge is a decision, not another SKU dumped on the bottom shelf.
This is how to choose what earns a facing — before you open five cases of anything.
Three questions before you add a can
- Who asks for it? Guests who want “not Coke,” guests who want fermented, or guests who want a treat that still tastes like soda.
- Will it turn in two weeks? Dead stock in a small door is more expensive than a higher case price.
- Can staff explain it in one line? If the answer needs a lecture, it will not sell at the till.
Sidekick’s line: honey-sweetened, no cane sugar. Not diet. Not kombucha. Not a mixer speech. Full script: The 10-second FOH line for honey soda.
Map the jobs in the door
| Job | Typical stock | Do not confuse with |
|---|---|---|
| Hydration | Still / sparkling water | Treat cans |
| Ferment / tang | Kombucha | Soft drink |
| Default soft drink | Post-mix or cane-sugar can | Honey soda |
| Grown-up treat soda | Honey fruit soda | Diet / stevia cans |
A honey soda does not replace water or kombucha. It replaces the weak soft-drink option for the guest who wants fruit and fizz without stevia. Operator split vs kombucha: Honey soda vs kombucha for NZ cafés.
Margin without pretending it is Coke
Work the board from the case price on Upstock, the same way you price other bottles — not from fountain syrup. If the only way the number works is to list it next to post-mix Coke, skip it. Pricing guide: How to price honey soda on a café menu.
Waste drops when you face what sells. Open with four can SKUs (or Cherry-heavy) at hand height — not one lonely can behind the milk. Merchandising: How NZ cafés add a honey soda to the fridge.
Format that matches the room
Cans only for the door going forward. Pour to a glass at the table if you want a sit-down serve — do not wait on wholesale bottles: Cans vs glass for cafés.
When you are ready to order
Trade rules are short: 12-pack cases, 5-case minimum, mix flavours across cases. Hub: Wholesale soda for NZ cafés. Walkthrough: How NZ trade buyers order on Upstock. Or email Fiona.
A better fridge is fewer confused SKUs and one treat can that staff can sell in ten seconds.
