FROM THE GROUND UP

It was one man’s determined quest for the perfect espresso in the 1930s that gave birth to one of Italy’s most iconic brands. For more than 80 years, Gaggia has been supplying both bars and homes with innovative, state-of-the-art coffee machines and, in an exclusive interview with Evoca Group’s Andrew Barrow, we learn why the brand would make the perfect partner for your hotel.

Please introduce Gaggia and the idea behind the brand.

Back in the ‘30s, Gaggia, or Mr Gaggia, was the first person to use, instead of steam, hot water under pressure, which was forced through ground coffee enabling the extraction of a range of aromas and natural coffee oils that produce a soft layer of “crema naturale” on the top of the drink. So, every single espresso we have these days has come from his initial invention.

The brand have been making coffee machines for a long, long time and are now home to the ‘complete package’. Innovators in all things coffee who seemingly have it all, Gaggia, really have progressed ‘from the ground up’ as they can now provide not just coffee machines, but everything to go with them, making for the perfect accompaniment to a hotel space.

How can the range from Gaggia fit into the setup of a hotel?

Because there is such a variety throughout the range, Gaggia can fit into any self-service area, a conference room or a breakfast hall, and even the bedroom. We can set them into self-serve mode so the icons are nice and big, making it easy for guests to function at the tap of a button. Due to their versatility, one of Gaggia’s shiny and traditional machines would fit perfectly in the bar area which is manned – making a gorgeous focal points for guest too, adding to that element of luxury during their stay.

Would you say there is a specific hero product that a hotel shouldn’t be without?

A hero product – and, in my opinion, one of our best-sellersis the Reale, designed to optimise ergonomics for the Barista. It’s got everything you want. It’s got power, function, and it makes a great centrepiece. If you want a show-stopper to grab people’s attention, put one of those on the counter because it will certainly deliver straight away. With this being said though, it can’t just look nice; it must to function well and have all the other important elements needed to produce delicious drinks time and time again, which will leave a lasting impression. This is why Reale is our flagship product.

Gaggia also offer training, can you tell us about this?

From a hotel’s perspective, that training would normally fall to the distributer to do. Our training enables our distributors to install/repair if anything goes wrong. We do however arrange courses for professionals and ask for you to register your interest online via our website so we can get in touch with further details. www.theartofperfection.co.uk

How important is it that staff at hotels embark on training when using a brand like Gaggia?

It’s essential. Even the automatic machines would need a level of training because you need to be able to clean them in order for them to always work to the best of their ability but the actual function of the drink is all done by the machine so you kind of have the barista inside as opposed to the barista outside. So, some training is still necessary even with the most automated equipment. I would recommend more training with the traditional machines, but where these are a little bit more versatile, you can continue to change and adapt it as you’re going along. One thing I would say about the automatic machines is that, no matter who touches that screen, the coffee will be the same - and for guest satisfaction, consistency is key.