Email marketing is a secret weapon for coffee roasters, helping brands turn newsletter subscribers into loyal customers with personalized offers, engaging content, and exclusive rewards.
The Welcome Series, often the very first interaction a subscriber has with your brand, sets the tone for everything that follows. As the saying goes, first impression is the last impression. A well-crafted Welcome Series lays the foundation by introducing the brand’s story, offering special incentives, and curating tailored product recommendations.
But how well are coffee brands actually executing this?
I subscribed to 216 coffee newsletters to find out—and here’s what I discovered.
- Only 44 brands (20.4%) out of 216 sent a welcome email after signup—meaning 4 out of 5 never followed up.
- Out of these 44 emails, 30 (68%) went straight to the spam folder; only 14 landed in my inbox.
- Just 21 brands (47.7%) offered a discount or incentive to encourage a first purchase.
- Only 1 brand (2.3%) provided a personalized coffee recommendation—a huge missed opportunity.
- 1 brand (2.3%) offered a freebie like a brewing kit coupon.
A welcome email series is a sequence of automated emails sent to new subscribers after they sign up for a newsletter, create an account, or make a purchase. These emails serve as your brand’s first impression—they introduce who you are, provide value, and set the tone for all future communication.
It’s more than just a “thanks for subscribing”—it’s your opportunity to start building a lasting relationship.
A well-crafted welcome series plays a crucial role in building long-term customer relationships by:
- Establishing a personal connection with the subscriber
- Setting expectations for email content and frequency
- Encouraging engagement through offers, recommendations, or educational content
- Reinforcing your brand’s mission, values, and story
Because open rates are typically highest at the start of the relationship, this is your prime chance to stand out and win loyalty.
An effective welcome email series should include:
- A warm thank-you and friendly brand introduction
- What to expect from your emails – including the type of content, how often you’ll send them, and any exclusive benefits
- A special offer or discount, if applicable, to encourage a first purchase
- Your brand’s story, values, or mission, so subscribers understand the “why” behind what you do
- Helpful content like brewing guides, how-tos, or curated product recommendations
- Popular blog posts or customer favorites, to provide immediate value and build trust
- Clear calls-to-action, such as browsing your store, following on social media, or joining your loyalty program
- Social proof or testimonials, if available, to build credibility early
- No Email At All – Most brands collected my email but never sent anything. This means that nearly 80% of brands did not follow up after collecting emails. No welcome email, no engagement, and no effort to build a relationship with new subscribers.
- Too Much Focus on Discounts – Of the few brands that did send emails, 21 relied just on a discount code as their only form of engagement. While discounts can drive initial sales, they do little to establish a long-term connection.
- Lack of Personalization – Only one brand took the extra step to recommend specific coffee options based on preferences. Given how personal coffee selection is, brands that offer tailored recommendations have a stronger chance of building loyalty.
- Overcomplicated or Poorly Executed Opt-Ins – Many brands required multiple opt-ins, had unclear subscription flows, or sent irrelevant confirmation emails, making the process frustrating for users. Furthermore, double opt-ins were uncommon, which could negatively affect email deliverability and engagement. Simplifying the opt-in process and ensuring a seamless user experience is crucial for retaining subscribers.
Brands need to focus on fixing technical issues, offering compelling incentives beyond discounts, and clearly communicating the benefits of subscribing. By highlighting VIP lists, exclusive notifications about micro-lots, unique offers, community engagement, and brand storytelling, brands can make their emails more valuable to subscribers.
Below, we’ve created a checklist. Follow these steps, and your welcome series will reach a perfect mark. Once you’ve nailed the fundamentals, add a personal touch that sets your brand apart and keeps subscribers engaged!
Foundational Setup
- Ensure easy newsletter sign-up Make it easy for coffee lovers to join—use clear forms on your homepage, blog, and product pages.
- Avoid complex and unnecessary opt-in steps Keep sign-up simple so users can quickly access brewing tips, product updates, or exclusive offers.
- Implement double opt-in Confirms genuine interest in your coffee content and protects your sender reputation.
Engagement & Content Strategy
- Offer a welcome discount or incentive
A limited-time offer on first coffee orders, subscriptions, or free shipping encourages quick conversions. - Tell your brand story concisely
Share how your roastery started, your sourcing philosophy, or what makes your coffee different. - Clearly outline newsletter content expectations
Let subscribers know they’ll get updates on new roasts, brewing tips, exclusive lots, and more. - Provide free resources to add value
Include brewing guides, roast profiles, or tasting notes to educate and engage subscribers. - Showcase best-sellers to boost interest
Highlight your most-loved blends or top-performing subscription picks to guide first-time buyers. - Use a strong, focused call-to-action (CTA)
Encourage clear next steps like “Start a Subscription” or “Explore Brewing Methods.”
Optimization & Compliance
- Optimize emails for mobile users
Ensure your coffee visuals and product content look great on mobile for on-the-go readers. - Test and optimize subject lines
Use enticing lines like “Your perfect brew starts here ☕” to spark curiosity and opens. - Include social proof (reviews or testimonials)
Highlight real customer feedback on your beans, gear, or subscription experience to build trust. - Make unsubscribing easy
A clear opt-out link maintains transparency and protects your sender’s health. - Ensure compliance with email regulations
Follow email laws (like GDPR and CAN-SPAM) to keep your roastery’s marketing ethical and safe.
Technical Email Setup (Deliverability & Authentication)
- Set up SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
Prevents unauthorized emails from using your domain—key for protecting your coffee brand’s reputation. - Configure DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
Confirm your coffee emails are authentic and secure, improving inbox placement. - Implement DMARC
Adds an extra layer of protection against spoofing and provides domain performance reports. - Use a custom-sending domain
Improves trust with inboxes and looks more professional (e.g., emails from newsletter@yourroastery.com). - Monitor bounce rates and spam complaints
Helps maintain strong deliverability so your brew-worthy emails keep landing in inboxes.
Email marketing remains one of the most underutilized yet powerful tools for coffee roasters to build loyal communities and drive consistent revenue. Our findings show that many brands in the industry are missing the mark—but that also means there’s massive untapped potential.
If you’re a coffee brand, now’s the time to assess your approach. Are you genuinely nurturing your subscribers, or simply collecting email addresses with no meaningful follow-up?
The roasters who get this right won’t just see more clicks—they’ll build lasting customer relationships that keep their brand top of mind, cup after cup.
Whether it’s email flows, your site experience, or SEO, we’ll review one key growth area and give you quick, practical tips to improve—no strings attached.
