In 2021, Jonathan Treble, founder and CEO of PrintWithMe, which provides printing kiosks in multifamily communities and other popular public spaces, got some advice from a client. The client suggested expanding beyond printers to serving up coffee, saying a need existed for a service provider that catered to the industry and spoke the same language.
“As a coffee drinker, I was intrigued by the idea and could see how I could make it better. Over a few months, I realized it would be worth launching a sister company to PrintWithMe,” says WithMe’s Treble. “We already had so many multifamily customers. Our sales teams are in markets coast to coast and having conversations about printers, so why not offer coffee.”
SipWithMe launched at the end of 2021 in Chicago. In just two-and-a-half years, it has expanded to nearly 30 markets, with plans to be in all major metros by the end of 2024.
The SipWithMe model uses a high-end bean-to-cup coffeemaker in a community’s common area. The beans are ground fresh, and milk and flavoring powders can be added to make up to 20 different types of coffee beverages.
“The growth has been spectacular. We have over 360 clients today and are growing quickly. We definitely are meeting a need in the market,” he says, adding that the success of SipWithMe encouraged him to form a parent company for his products—WithMe, Inc.
In addition, SipWithMe typically partners with local brands when possible. In April, it announced The Coffee Tree Roasters, a local family-owned business, as its partner for participating communities in the Pittsburgh market. Treble says other examples of local partners include Ampersand Coffee Roasters in Boulder, Colorado; Metropolis Coffee Co. in Chicago; and Independence Coffee Co. in Texas.
“That’s been a big hit because residents appreciate having convenience access to craft coffee,” Treble notes. “It often is more fresh because it’s promptly deliveried to the property after being roasted.”
SipWithMe also has software integrated with the coffeemakers to help property managers elevate the resident experience with some cost control limits. The technology allows managers to set the number of beverages that a resident can dispense per month, with residents then paying a reasonable price for each cup thereafter.
“We are really helping communities of all shapes and sizes have a package that fits their budget,” he says. “As we all know, this is a trying time for customers with macro factors making it hard to run a property. At the same time, we know there’s still demand for coffee solutions. We want to provide packages at all price points and provide the property managers with control.”
Treble says a lot of the growth has been organic, with word spreading by mouth from one property to another.
“SipWithMe has proved to be an effortless way to bring residents together. The simple increase in traffic in our amenity area has encouraged residents to strike up conversations with their neighbors, and it’s also resulted in intentional interaction, with residents choosing to catch up over a cup of coffee,” says Kobe Walker, an assistant manager at Greystar. “The amenity has also generated an uptick in positive online reviews, which will be powerful in attracting new residents.”
As a renter at a Greystar-managed property in Scottsdale, Arizona, Treble gets to see his business in action and opts for the vanilla coffee.
“I hear very positive things, and I love getting advice and suggestions,” he adds. “It’s still a business that has so much potential to grow and be better and better every year.”
