Pablo & Rusty's Case Study: How a Huskee-Focused Retail Shelf Drove a 92% Sales Uplift
Retail is often an underutilised revenue stream for cafés. While customers regularly purchase coffee, converting those visits into retail sales requires the right product mix and clear in-store merchandising.
At Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters, Sydney CBD cafe, the team wanted to test whether a fully stocked retail shelf featuring all three Huskee ranges could improve retail performance.
The hypothesis was simple:
A well-presented retail display with multiple product price points and materials could create an easy upsell opportunity for staff and increase customer engagement and brand loyalty.
The Approach
Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters, Sydney CBD Cafe refreshed its retail display to include all three Huskee ranges, giving customers a broader choice of materials, colours and price points. This included:
HuskeeOriginal
HuskeeRenew
HuskeeSteel (branded)
By presenting multiple options in one dedicated retail space, the goal was to:
Make the display more visually appealing
Provide different price tiers and materials for customers
Make it easier for staff to recommend products
Demonstrated a commitment to sustainability
The Results
The results were immediate.
Comparing September–November 2025 with the same period in 2024, Huskee retail sales increased significantly.
Retail Huskee sales:
Period
Units Sold
Sep–Nov 2024
12
Sep–Nov 2025
23
This represents a 92% increase in retail sales.
The uplift suggests that simply stocking the full range and merchandising it effectively can dramatically improve retail performance.
Why it Worked
1. More Choice for Customers
Having multiple materials and price points meant customers could choose a cup that suited their preferences and budget.
2. Stronger Visual Merchandising
A fully stocked, well-presented retail shelf reduces the need for active staff selling. When the product range is visible, complete, and professionally displayed, customers self-select. Staff don't need product knowledge beyond the basics — the merchandising handles the conversation
3. Price anchoring works
The HuskeeSteel range sits at the premium end of Huskee's offering. Having it on shelf alongside entry-level HuskeeOriginal cups gives the overall display a sense of value — and it makes the mid-range HuskeeRenew options feel like a good value. The result: customers buy more confidently.
Co-Branding with Huskee Steel: An Additional Advantage
Beyond the baseline uplift, HuskeeSteel opens a compelling co-branding opportunity. The 91% post-consumer recycled stainless steel construction provides a premium canvas for café branding, transforming a retail product into a walking ambassador for your brand. Find out more about co-branding Huskee products here.
Key Takeaway for Cafés
Retail shelves are often overlooked, but they represent one of the simplest ways to increase revenue without increasing foot traffic. A well-stocked, clearly merchandised retail display can act as low-hanging fruit for cafés looking to grow retail sales. As this trial shows, something as simple as stocking the full Huskee range can make a measurable difference.
Recommendations
Fully stocked - no one wants the last cup. It suggests something is wrong with it.
Clean and dust-free. Fast-moving products leave no time for dust to settle!
Price clearly labelled. Remove the mental load and question.
Unbox one so customers can get a feel for it without damaging the packaging.
"We love Huskee for several reasons, it was very simple to introduce the swapping system to our community and the minimalist design matches our cafe vibe."
"How good it has been to see a stranger at the park, the beach, in public transport with a HuskeeCup. It makes you feel like you share something important with this person. Something that makes you both part of the positive change the Earth needs."
