The Blend July/August 2017

July/August 2017 Issue 3

FULL STEAM AHEAD Catching up with Matt and Nick from Sheffield’s Steam Yard

REGIONAL FOCUS

Exploring the up-and-coming coffee scene in Bath

SPECIAL: ARTISAN DRINKS

OFFERING TEA

INSPIRED BY...

MOVIES

Drinks with personality

How to introduce tea to your business

The cafés using film to entice the crowds

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WELCOME

W

“WHAT A GREAT COUPLE OF MONTHS WE’VE HAD AT THE BLEND HQ – YOUR BRILLIANT FEEDBACK IS CONTINUING TO POUR IN”

hat a great couple of months we’ve had here at The Blend HQ. Your brilliant feedback is continuing to pour in, and for that we thank you.

So, where have we been this month? The list is long, but I’ll pick out the highlights, one of which was Caffè Culture in May. The team thoroughly enjoyed the couple of days we spent there.

Another great event was a Brazilian coffee cupping session at Coffee Island near Covent Garden in London. The wonderful décor of brushed concrete and contemporary metal and wood furniture was the perfect spot for a consortium of seven Brazilian coffee farmers to come over and show off their produce. Brazil is going through a change in style; it has long been associated with the ‘filler’ coffee in blends, but the farmers I spoke to are really starting to grasp the speciality coffee scene, and are creating excellent beans that are perfect for single-origin offerings. I had the pleasure of tasting 21 different coffees at the

Issue 3

cupping session, all of them unique and brilliant in their own ways.

On to this issue. We have a fantastic interview with Matt and Nick at Steam Yard in Sheffield – if you’re on social media, you’ll probably already know all about these guys and the remarkable things they’re doing in South Yorkshire. Read about it on page 17. We’ve also got a brilliant feature on loose leaf tea; Chris and Alice from West Sussexbased Edgcumbes, who have a wealth in experience in tea blending, coffee roasting and the coffee shop market, impart their tips on the best methods for introducing a tea offering to your shop. Find that on page 22.

We’ve also been to Bath and had a tour of a selection of the independent coffee shops there.

Bath is starting to become a significant player in the UK coffee scene, and its coffee shops are really getting into the coffee community spirit – read all about that on page 32. We’ve also asked a selection of coffee shops nationwide about their espresso machines, and rounded up the most indulgent hot chocolate products on the market.

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Editorial Managing Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Editorial Assistant – Max Dodd max.dodd@eljays44.com Editorial Assistant – Abbie Dawson abbie.dawson@eljays44.com Production Production Editor – Charlie Cook charlotte.cook@eljays44.com Subeditor – Kate Bennett kate.bennett@eljays44.com Design – Mandy Armstrong Sales Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Brand Manager – Michelle Molloy michelle.molloy@eljays44.com Group Sales Manager – Darren Shelton darren.shelton@eljays44.com Management Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com

See you next month.

Editorial Director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Circulation & Data – Emily Maltby emily.maltby@eljays44.com @theblendmaguk Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK The Blend is published 10 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2017 subscription price is £95.00.

Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

Joe Wilkinson Managing Editor

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Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

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12/07/2017 09:10

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 06

NEWS Our roundup of all the latest industry news

15

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TILL SYSTEM What to consider to make sure you select the right EPoS for your business

08

OPENINGS We profile four exciting new coffee shops opening around the UK this month

BATH TIME The Blend delves into the independent coffee scene in the beautiful city of Bath

17

FULL STEAM AHEAD We speak to Matt Cottrill and Nick Pears, co-owners of Sheffield’s Steam Yard

22

A SQUARE DEAL Eco-charity Hubbub on the success of its #squaremilechallenge recycling campaign

10

OUT & ABOUT Out and about with The Blend team at Caffè Culture and Coffee Island’s cupping event

24

OFF TO A TEA Why you should offer it and how to serve it – The Blend talks all things tea with Edgcumbes

13 14

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37

SPECIAL: ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS We talk local provenance with Folkington’s Juices and raw soda with Rapscallion ETC – plus our favourite artisan soft drinks

42

LATEST PRODUCTS Our pick of the best espresso machines and hot chocolate products

46

MEET THE ROASTER Finders Keepers on its accessible speciality roasts

48

POST WINNING CONTENT What to post to ensure your online fans and followers are engaging with your brand

INCREASE YOUR IMPULSE-SELL POTENTIAL Easy ways to encourage those coveted in-the-moment sales

MOVIE INSPIRATION Four film-themed coffee shops talk us through their business models

32

NEWS EXTRA The Blend investigates the average wages of coffee shop workers in the UK

09

29

TRADING WITH Talking business with El Hoddo Coffee

26

INSPECTOR GADGET Behind the scenes at Steampunk, maker of the world’s wackiest cold brew coffee machines

50

LITTLE INTERVIEW Quick-fire questions to the people who make up our industry

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NEWS

N

EWS UGANDA AIMS TO INCREASE ITS COFFEE PRODUCTION FIVEFOLD BY 2025

U

ganda Coffee Development

Authority (UCDA) and Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at UCDA’s headquarters at Coffee House in Kampala. This MoU aims to increase the country’s coffee production from 4m bags per year to 20m bags per year by 2025.

“We are excited to be partnering with the UCA,”

ECCENTRIC COFFEE LOUNGE LAUNCHES IN SOLIHULL

said Dr Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira, UCDA’s

B

this collaboration we will strengthen farmers,

ristol-based coffee bar company Loungers

According to the planning application, the

managing director. “We believe that through

hours of opening in Solihull High Street could

recruiting farmer organisations, cooperatives and

centre. The chain has received planning

be 8am-11.30pm, Sunday to Wednesday, and

associations across the country.”

permission to transform the former Stead &

8am-12.30am, Thursday to Saturday.

is to open a new branch in Solihull town

Simpson shoe shop on Solihull High Street into one of its flamboyant coffee shops.

Loungers currently operates 85 sites nationwide, each with its own unique name.

The cafés include board games, daily

The UCDA is a statutory body with a mandate to oversee the country’s coffee industry by

newspapers, free Wi-Fi, highchairs, a book swap

supporting research, promoting production,

facility and what some might call chintzy decor.

controlling quality and improving marketing

Children are called Little Loungers, and each

to optimise foreign exchange earnings for the

The sites are billed as “informal food-led

outlet always has colouring pads and pencils

country. The goal of the MoU is to have all coffee

neighbourhood café-bars where families,

available to keep them entertained, as well as

farmers join organisations, providing members

friends, and locals can come for a coffee, a

the opportunity to have baby food and drink

with the services to drive productivity and

drink, or something to eat in a relaxed and

heated by staff.

making the organisations self-sustaining.

comfortable environment.”

www.thelounges.co.uk

www.newvision.co.ug

CHAIN COFFEE SHOP LOYALTY SCHEMES EXPOSED

of the final bill amount; the customer then gets a free drink after 15 points. This means customers

oyalty schemes are a highly effective way

L

someone purchasing a

need to buy 15 drinks, spending £40.50, in

to retain customers, creating a sense of

large latte, which costs

order to get their freebie.

obligation for return visits with the promise of

£2.65, will accumulate 10

Supershoppers found that McDonald’s

free drinks. However, researchers for Channel 4

points. Customers would

loyalty scheme offered the best value, with

show Supershoppers found that many of these

need to buy 27 of these to get the points they

schemes actually offer poor returns.

need for a free drink – spending £71.55.

Costa’s reward scheme, the Costa Coffee Club, offers five points for every £1 spent in-store – so

6 The Blend July/August 2017

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Starbucks’ ‘My Rewards’ works by awarding the customer a point for each purchase, regardless

customers only needing to purchase six cups in order to get a free drink – the equivalent of spending £11.34. www.mirror.co.uk

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:33

NEWS ADAM HANDLING LAUNCHES BEAN & WHEAT IN LIVERPOOL STREET

ON THE WEBSITE THIS MONTH - www.theblendmagazine.co.uk -

A

dam Handling, owner of Spitalfields restaurant The Frog, opened coffee shop and deli Bean & Wheat in

Liverpool Street on 26 June.

Bean & Wheat offers a simple homage to London-based

The 13 best coffee-infused beers from around the world Coffee and beer are each incredible in their

coffee roasters and bakeries, using only locally-sourced,

own right, so combining the two in one

artisanal ingredients. It is open for breakfast and lunch,

beverage has to be a recipe for success. To

which can be eaten in or taken away. Adam and his team at The Frog have developed the menu to

celebrate this ingenious pairing, The Blend

reflect the innovative, flavourful combinations that customers have grown to expect from them – but

has rounded up our 13 favourite coffee-

served in a more casual setting and with an eye to maintaining Adam’s ‘no waste’ philosophy.

infused beers from around the world.

Customers can choose from a selection of savoury and sweet toppings, made daily using offcuts and byproducts from The Frog’s kitchen and presented in Kilner jars. These change daily, depending on what the chefs at The Frog have been cooking.

Five pieces of vintage coffee equipment that are still worth using

The drinks offering has been carefully selected by the team, and includes a range of blended and

Sometimes it’s best to keep it old school and

single origin coffees from independent London roasters, teas from luxury tea company Newby Teas,

brew coffee the old fashioned way, reminding

and Adam’s very own Black & White cold-pressed juice range.

ourselves why we fell in love with it. We’ve

“I’m hugely excited about the opening of Bean & Wheat – I think there’s a real demand for

listed five pieces of vintage coffee equipment

innovative ‘grab and go’ food,” says Adam. “In addition, food wastage is an issue that’s increasingly

that are still continuing to outperform many

important in our industry, and one that’s particularly close to my heart. Restaurants tend to waste so

modern alternatives.

much food on a day-to-day basis, and we are trying to tackle this – in the next few years we hope to

The top six coffeebased world records

reach zero-waste status.” www.beanandwheat.co.uk

Coffee culture currently has a grip on the world in a way that very few other things can

CARDIFF’S FIRST VEGAN COFFEE SHOP AND BAKERY IS DUE TO OPEN THIS AUTUMN

contend with. The worldwide obsession with coffee has sparked a spree of record-setting, so The Blend has rounded up the top six coffee world records.

lanche Bakery

B

popularity of the vegan eateries and shops that

started out a

have opened in the city during the last few years,

year ago as a pop-

Amy-Rose and Remed hope to fill a gap in the

Five amazing cold brew drip towers

up business, and

independent coffee shop market.

It’s important for a coffee

is now set to get a

“This is a huge opportunity, not just for us

permanent home.

but for multiple communities in Cardiff,” says

theatre about it, providing customers with a

Amy-Rose.

more glamorous experience than they would

The 100% vegan coffee shop and bakery will be serving

“Our coffee shop will be a friendly space with

shop to have an element of

have at home or in a supermarket. With the

a relaxed atmosphere that anyone can enjoy,

trend for cold brew coffee still going strong,

a host of cruelty-free treats. Amy-Rose Hopkins,

whether they are vegan or not.”

coffee shops are increasingly investing in

21, and Remed Aran, 24, who started the pop-up

www.blanchebakery.com

showstopping cold brew towers; we’ve picked

venture a year ago, supply some of Cardiff’s

out our top five.

best-loved independent cafés and shops, including Coffee Barker and Clancy’s.

They secured a business loan to help

Eight things you need to know about El Salvadorian coffee

cover costs, but have decided to run a

Shipping season for El Salvadorian coffee is in

crowdfunding campaign to finance

full swing, giving roasters the opportunity to

the last stretch, raising money for

incorporate a citrus and honey twist to their

fixtures and fittings.

blends – or to offer it as a standalone product.

If the crowdfunding is

The Blend has rounded up the top eight facts

successful, Blanche Bakery will

about El Salvadorian coffee, to keep you in the

open this autumn – and given the

know about the region’s offerings.

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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£1

£2

£3

£4

£5

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NEWS EXTRA

WHAT IS THE

AVERAGE WAGE £1

OF COFFEE SHOP WORKERS IN THE UK?

F

or business owners, one of the most time-consuming and stress-inducing, elements of running a business is the cost of staff. You want to make sure you’re £1 £2getting £3 the best barista for the best cost, without sacrificing either the quality of the cup your customers are getting, or too much of the profit that you need to invest back into the business. £1 (NMW) £2 £3 The UK National Minimum Wage set by the government is currently set at £7.50 per hour for over-25s, £7.05 for those aged 2124, £5.60 for those aged 18-20 and £4.05 for anyone under the age of 18; for apprentices it is currently set at £3.50 per hour. Let’s take a look at a breakdown of the hourly rates in the coffee shop market.

£1

£2

£3

Coffee shop manager: £7.44 £1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£2

£4

£5

£6

£7

By location

Comparison of other sectors

London: £7.80

Bartender: £6.87

£5

£6

£7

£8

Bar manager: £8.16

Glasgow: £7.22

Electrician: £12.73

Hampshire: £6.18 £4

Cambridgeshire: £7.20

Landscape gardener: £8.46

Nottinghamshire: £7.12

Fast food worker: £5.24

£5

£6

£9

£8

£7

£8

Retail sales assistant: £6.70

Manchester: £7.13

Travel agent: £7.63 £3

Barista: £7.10

£1

£3

£6

Kent: £7.15

Average hourly rate for coffee shop workers in the UK

By gender

£4

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

Cardiff: £8.00

Derbyshire: £8.10 £2

£4

£6

£8

£10

£6

£9

£12

£15

While European uncertainty means that these figures may not be accurate in a year’s time, it’s an interesting insight into wages in the coffee shop industry.

Taking into consideration the work a barista carries out, are these wages fair?

Male: £7.40 £1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£7

£8

Female: £7.44

By experience Less than one year: £6.90 Between one and four years: £7.34 £1 £2ve and £3 nine £4 years: £5 £7.59 £6 Between fi £1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

£1

£2

£3

£4

£5

£6

£7

£8

Over 10 years: £7.52

8 The Blend July/August 2017

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£15

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12/07/2017 12:17

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OPENINGS

OPEN

INGS

THE FIND

CREMA, ROMFORD

44 Collier Row Road, Romford, Essex RM5 3PA

Crema opened on 16 June after locals said that the area needed a modern coffee shop, and aims to be Romford’s go-to spot for speciality coffee and desserts.

Owner: Imran Asghar Covers: 38 Design inspiration: Modern rustic, with a clean look and vintage lighting Roaster: Coffee Central Espresso machine: Crem International Britesso 3-group Grinder: Crem International www.facebook.com/cremaromford

STANTONS COFFEE

FRANKIE HOWARD’S COFFEE CO

20 Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HE

7 Queen Anne’s Place, Enfield EN1 2QB

27 Witton Street, Northwich CW9 5DE

Cheltenham’s coffee scene is about to get a new addition, with The Find set to open its doors this autumn. It will also offer a flexible coworking space, The Workplace.

Wanting to give Enfield residents the coffee experience they are usually only able to access in central London, brothers James and Colin Stanton recently opened their own coffee shop.

Owner Martina Dalton has wanted to run a high quality coffee shop since she was 17.

The name of the shop is in memory of her father and father-in-law, who passed away within a short time of each other.

Owners: James and Colin Stanton Covers: 27 Design inspiration: Rustic and semi-industrial Roaster: Own brand coffee Espresso machine: Kees van der Westen Arte special edition Grinder: Mazzer Luigi www.stantons.store

Owner: Martina Dalton Covers: 26 Design inspiration: Personal interest, with a bit of American coffee house thrown in Roaster: Frankie Howard’s Espresso machine: Fracino Bambino 2 Group www.facebook.com/Frankie-HowardsCoffee-Co-Ltd

Owners: David Orme and Claire Storey Covers: 60 (plus coworking space) Design inspiration: A modern interpretation of the traditional English coffee house Roaster: James Gourmet Coffee, with local guest roasts Espresso machine: La Marzocco Linea PB Grinder: Mahlkönig EK43, Mahlkönig K30 Vario www.thefind.co.uk

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OUT & ABOUT

O ut & about

CAFFÈ CULTURE

Eat Grub

Caffè Culture, the UK’s only business-to-business event dedicated to the café sector, took place at Olympia London on 23 and 24 May. This year, we showcased our first and second issues and received some fantastic feedback, as well as attending insightful seminars and mixing with some of the industry’s finest producers and businesses.

Oatly Apron Atelier

Brew Lab

Dalston Cola

Soaking up the atmosphere

The Blend team

Stunning latte art

10 The Blend July/August 2017

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Luscombe Drinks

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OUT & ABOUT

O ut & about

BRAZILIAN CUPPING

The Blend’s Joe and Abbie attended a Brazilian coffee cupping session at Coffee Island in London’s Covent Garden, meeting farmers from seven Brazilian farms and trying 21 different coffees for an overall excellent experience.

Getting up close and personal

Setting up

Pouring over water

The event’s location in Covent Garden

Attendees work their way around 21 varieties

The Blend’s Joe gets stuck in

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The event proved very popular with attendees

Inside Coffee Island

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OUT & ABOUT

O ut & about

BIRMINGHAM

COFFEE FESTIVAL

On 2 July, The Blend team attended the first Birmingham Coffee Festival. Spanning two days, the event was open to consumers as well as trade customers, and played host to some of the industry’s finest roasters, producers and bakers alike, alongside live music and demonstrations.

The industry’s finest producers were in attendance

The perfect place for a coffee fix

The best of the best showcased their wares

Plenty to see – and plenty to try

Coffee lovers came from far and wide

Attendees were spoilt for choice

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12/07/2017 11:44

BUSINESS

POST WINNING CONTENT

Melanie Boehme from Simel.Coffee explains the dos and don’ts of social media content

O

ne of the questions I am asked most often regards the sort of social media content that cafés should be posting to get the ‘likes’ and engagement that they want from their fans and followers. This is what I tell people: Engagement is your goal Algorithms are a huge part of Facebook and Instagram nowadays. It sometimes seems that no matter what you post and how often, your fans and followers still can’t see your content. To avoid this, make sure you’re not just posting random photos, plain text or links to blog articles you like, but content that your audience wants to see and engage with. And no, that doesn’t just mean latte art.

What is engaging content?

Always remember that your fans and followers want to connect with you, the people behind the brand. Think of your own preferences – how likely are you to connect with a brand that only posts about offers or discounts? People buy from people, so show yourself more. Post photos and videos about you and your staff. Introduce your team. Tell people about the things they wouldn’t usually be told when entering a coffee shop.

Video works very well on Facebook and Instagram; it tends to rank higher in people’s newfeeds than other content. You could do a Facebook Live stream – five to 10 minutes is enough.

Plan, plan, plan Before you start to send out content, make sure you have your audience in mind. Brainstorm with your staff. Start with three or four posts a week – if time is tight, don’t force yourself to post every day. Your goal is creating engaging content, not adding to the thousands of latte art posts.

Melanie Boehme is the founder of Simel.Coffee and host of the podcast Adding Some Flavor. www.simel.coffee

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BUSINESS

INCREASE YOUR IMPULSE-SELL POTENTIAL Stuart Brazier of Cirka Creative Ltd passes on his methods for upping your impulse sales

H

umans are an impulsive bunch, and retailers can capitalise on this using store design and product positioning. The average shopper spends only 15 seconds contemplating a purchase, and notices just 40% of the products on offer. How do we break into this ‘autopilot mode’?

Most people have a ‘go to’ beverage, so try to target the ‘attached purchase’ for a quick win, rather than the main sale. People check the menu board to see if their drink is available, even if it’s something common – they do this to reassure themselves and check the price. Retailers can use ‘eye flow’ here, positioning attached products and promotions to the right of where common drinks are listed for maximum exposure to their shoppers’ gaze.

Stores can influence a shopper’s movements from the moment they enter. Forcing a nonlinear approach to the order point, with a queue system or promotional stand, will make the shopper look at more than one vista. This gives you a chance to fill their line of sight with products. Keep it simple and subtle – I’m not talking theme park zigzag queues here.

Another quick win is to find out what your most popular attached purchase is, and disrupt it. Shoppers will likely glance to check that what they want is available; use that glance and position your new offering to the right of the popular purchase.

You can also challenge their subconscious with a direct sell message such as “Always order an ‘X’? Try our new ‘Y’ today!”.

Make sure that your POS fixtures make the products visible and easy to access. According to psychologists, fixtures that are rounded are more successful than those with angles, as this is more ‘comfortable’ for the brain. POS get just 1.6 seconds of shopper attention, so keep them simple. They need to attract and disrupt, but only enough to allow the buying impulse to flare up – a fixture that is too distracting in itself can divert attention away from the products it is supposed to be pushing.

Stuart Brazier is creative director of Cirka Creative Ltd. www.cirka.co.uk

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12/07/2017 11:56

BUSINESS

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TILL SYSTEM

Oliver Rowbory of The Good Till Co. guides you through selecting the best EPoS system for your needs

T

he amount of choice for EPoS systems can be quite daunting – how can you decide which will be best for your business? Here are some considerations.

Choose your merchant service partner A bespoke system will be a large investment, while an offthe-shelf till might cost a couple of thousand as a one-off payment. You might prefer to spread the cost, choosing from the new cloud-based systems that are more flexible and work on a subscription model.

Choose your payment types Convenience has become the new loyalty. An EPoS should make buying as simple as possible – the more contactless and mobile payments are promoted by major retailers such as supermarkets, the more customer expectations shift.

Consider your connectivity The ‘cloud’ has revolutionised how businesses work, providing a platform to collect, analyse and use data quickly and securely. Rural businesses may hesitate to use cloud technologies because of unreliable broadband, but there are solutions that allow companies to work offline and then sync to the cloud once there is a stable connection available.

Futureproof your system A tablet-based PoS system is flexible and intuitive to use, so you can customise the system to your requirements. The most important factor in futureproofing your EPOS solution, however, is ensuring that it enables you to gather and use data intelligently. Seeing in real time what is selling and who is selling it, and keeping on top of cash flow, allows you to continually optimise your service.

Oliver Rowbory is co-founder of The Good Till Co. www.thegoodtill.com

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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2017 Ad Templates PRINT 01.19.17.pdf

1

1/19/17

3:39 PM

Our new Straw Lid Set turns the Klean Vacuum Insulated Tumbler into a spillproof to-go cup.

You owe it to the morning smoothie.

#BringYourOwn

Ads_JulAug.indd 3

12/07/2017 09:36

INTERVIEW

FULL STEAM AHEAD

O

pened in January 2014, Steam Yard sits in the Aberdeen Courtyard on Division Street, Sheffield.

It’s at the forefront of a bustling and vibrant indie scene in Sheffield, given life primarily by students from the city’s universities.

“We’re just two friends with the shared passion to create something based around people sharing a good

The Blend talks to Steam Yard co-owners Matt Cottrill and Nick Pears about starting up, the Sheffield scene and the importance of being social – both on and offline

cup of coffee,” explains Nick. “We opened our doors on 14 January 2014 after spending some money on an espresso machine, a grinder and a tray of doughnuts,” Matt adds.

Social scene There’s a real social feel woven into the fabric of Steam Yard, which has space for around 50 customers. “We have ➝

“WE HAVE A GREAT MIX OF CLIENTELE. THE BEAUTY OF RUNNING A COFFEE SHOP IS THAT IT’S A PLACE WHERE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE CAN HANG OUT TOGETHER”

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12/07/2017 11:57

INTERVIEW

“WE DON’T HAVE TO FEND OFF THE BIG CHAINS, WE JUST DO OUR OWN THING... WE TRY TO PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH AN EXCELLENT QUALITY CUP OF COFFEE IN A LAIDBACK ENVIRONMENT, WITH GOOD MUSIC ON IN THE BACKGROUND”

no qualifications in coffee, just an A* in enthusiasm,” Nick jokes. “We have a great mix of clientele – the shop is full of nice, friendly people. The beauty of running a coffee shop is that it’s a place where all sorts of people can hang out together.”

The focus on sociability doesn’t end at the shop’s doors: Steam Yard makes extensive use of social media, regularly posting images of mouthwatering doughnuts, cronuts and grilled cheese sandwiches on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. It’s one of the main methods Nick and Matt use to drive footfall and promote the business.

“From day one, we made the conscious decision not to do advertising in the traditional sense,” says Matt.

18 The Blend July/August 2017

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“We never run any discounts or loyalty schemes. We want everyone to be equal when they walk through our doors, and we want everyone to pay the same price for a cup of coffee.

“We communicate heavily with our customers through our social media channels; it helps up build a community around the business. We’ve also spent time investing in merchandise that helps to promote us – we’ve recently started selling bottled cold brew coffee, tote bags, keyrings and soaps.”

Sheffield Nick describes Sheffield’s independent coffee scene as “very strong”. “It’s very individual from place to place,

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 11:57

INTERVIEW

ACCOLADES Observer Food Monthly Awards 2016 Best Cheap Eats: Runner Up Sunday Times ‘The Best Coffee Shops in the UK’ Refinery29.uk ‘Britain’s Most Instagrammable Coffee Shops’ The Telegraph ‘Britain’s 30 Best Places For Brunch’ ShortList.com ‘The Coolest Coffee Shops in the UK’ Stylist.com ‘The Best Places for Brunch and Coffee in the UK’

and it’s also very passionate,” he adds. “Sheffield has a great community of people doing their own thing and supporting each other along the way,” says Matt. “When we have a day off, it’s not uncommon to find us in our friends’ coffee shops, and vice versa.”

“We don’t have to fend off the big chains,” Nick tells us, asked how they cope with competition from the high street conglomerates. “We just do our own thing and look after our customers. The rest is down to our excellent staff – that really does make a difference.”

Steam Yard’s approach to its staff is in line with its laidback environment, with no uniforms. Matt sees the business’s relaxed style as part of its appeal. “We just try to provide our customers with an excellent quality cup of

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InterviewV2.indd 19

coffee in a laidback environment, with good music on in the background.”

Trends Steam Yard is fully on board with the coffee trends that are currently sweeping the nation. “We’ve seen huge growth in the popularity of cold brew among our customers over the last two years,” Matt says. “Currently our bestselling drink is a flat white, but that does change seasonally, and we’ve seen a huge growth in batch filter sales this year.”

Why do they think speciality coffee has become more prominent over the years? “Quite simply because a cup of coffee needs a soul to taste good,” says Nick.

The Blend July/August 2017 19

12/07/2017 11:58

EL-HODDO COFFEE inspired by mexico - roasted by gringos

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12/07/2017 14:25

FEATURE

“THE PUBLIC IS WILLING TO RECYCLE THEIR CUPS IF IT IS MADE SIMPLE”

22 The Blend July/August 2017

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www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:24

FEATURE

A SQUARE DEAL The Blend recently caught up with Gavin Ellis, co-founder of environmental charity Hubbub, to talk about the social media movement #squaremilechallenge, which aimed to recycle half a million coffee cups in the month of April

T

he #squaremilechallenge campaign is a collaboration between Hubbub, Simply Cups, the City of London Corporation, national coffee retailers and a number of the City’s employers, aiming to make coffee cup recycling easy for people who live and work in the City of London. “People in the Square Mile can recycle their coffee cups at the coffee chains, and more than 30 of the biggest City employers signed up and introduced cup recycling facilities in their offices,” Gavin explains.

City of London streetcleaners can also collect and recycle cups, and in April, seven large yellow cup-shaped collection bins were distributed across the City. In total, over 130 new recycling points were introduced in April.

“The idea came from our recycling partner Simply Cups,” says Gavin. “We worked with them on Manchester’s #1MoreShot trial in 2016, which collected 30,000 cups from one street. We found that the recycling rates were higher in controlled spaces with ‘captive audiences’, such as offices, universities and libraries.” The Square Mile has the UK’s largest concentration of office workers, so it was the logical choice for the campaign to target.

With #squaremilechallenge, the coffee cups are collected in their own separate waste stream, which means they can be recycled into plastic products or low-grade cardboard. “We will be donating plastic products made from

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the collected cups to a new community space in the City of London,” Gavin tells us. “Early indications suggest that we have hit our target of collecting 500,000 cups in April, showing that the public is willing to recycle their cups if it is made simple – if recycling points are put in the correct places and if it is communicated properly. The target is to collect five million cups from the City by the end of 2017.”

Every day up to seven million coffee cups are thrown away across the UK, with less than 1% thought to be recycled. The issue is the plastic film inside the cups, which means that they can rarely be recycled with other mixed recycling. The cardboard sleeve that stops your hand getting burned can be recycled, and as this often shows the recycling symbol, people tend to think that the rest of the coffee cup can be recycled as regular cardboard too.

You can sign up to Simply Cups’ scheme at www.simplycups.co.uk. Coffee shops can also help by letting customers know that cups cannot be recycled in normal mixed recycling, as well as by encouraging and incentivising customers to use reusable cups.

“We are putting together a guide for towns and cities to follow if they want to tackle this issue,” says Gavin. “Simply Cups offers collection across the UK, and the #1MoreShot campaign continues in Manchester.” www.squaremilechallenge.co.uk

The Blend July/August 2017 23

12/07/2017 12:24

FEATURE

24 The Blend July/August 2017

Tea.indd 24

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:20

FEATURE

OFF TO A TEA The Blend spoke to Chris Edgcumbe and Alice Rendle of Edgcumbes, a 35-year-old, family-run coffee roasting and tea blending company in West Sussex, about why they feel it’s important to have a tea offering and how best to serve and present it What does tea add to a coffee shop’s offering?

We are still a nation of tea drinkers, and coffeeloving customers are often accompanied by people who only drink tea. Additionally, a lot of people are desperate to find a beautifully brewed cup of tea. It doesn’t take much to offer a range of loose leaf teas – with the right teaware and some staff training, you will find that people will flock to you for your tea.

How important is it for a coffee shop to find a knowledgeable and decent tea supplier?

It’s vital, otherwise you’re not going to get the level of support that you will need and you’re not going to get fresh tea – teabags are often stale, old or tasteless. You also need to know the temperature at which different teas should be brewed, and this is where a good supplier’s advice can be invaluable.

Is there money to be made in tea?

Without question. A cup of tea is mostly water, so the only cost is the tea itself. If you use quality tea and present it well, customers will be happy to pay for the experience of a freshly brewed pot.

What role does the water play in making a great cup of tea?

It’s even more important with tea than it is with coffee, because 98% of the drink is water. Always have a water boiler with an inline filter – the calcium in non-filtered water can mask the flavours of certain teas. Assam tea seems to work better in softer water, Kenyan teas in harder water.

What are the takeaway options for premium tea?

At our on-site café near Arundel we make loose leaf tea to order, but we know that’s not always practical. Edgcumbes can supply a range of premium ‘string and tag’ teabags and superpremium silk bags to its catering customers.

A lot of speciality tea is now available in teabag form – does this spell the end for loose leaf?

I would say the opposite – people will buy into loose leaf tea as they start to see how sustainable it is. Our job is to help caterers deliver a loose leaf service in the simplest way possible.

The five teas to offer 1. A high quality, English Breakfast-style loose black tea. You could also offer a decaffeinated version.

2. A Chinese or Japanese green tea.

Japanese Sencha is ideal.

3. A lovely fruit infusion – free from caffeine, and delicious.

4. A herbal tea – again, caffeine-free.

5. You can experiment; Earl Grey, Darjeeling or herbal blends work well.

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What role does tea play in the future of the coffee shop industry?

People are increasingly interested in wellness, and tea has a lot of health-giving properties. The sustainability of loose leaf tea is also attracting a younger, more eco-aware demographic. The ritual around tea is a huge part of our culture, and something that coffee shops need to develop more. www.edgcumbes.co.uk

How to present tea 1. Don’t buy loads of tea if you can’t sell it – tea becomes stale and oxidised over time.

2. Use presentation jars that customers can see.

You can use glass if your throughput is fast, or a black container, which keeps tea fresher for longer by keeping the sunlight out.

3. Make sure the container is airtight. There are lovely containers available, from tin to glass.

4. Create a simple menu that your customers can study to decide which tea is best for them.

How to serve tea 1. We prefer simple, but a bit of theatre around the ‘tea ritual’ can also work well.

2. Serve tea in a properly designed teapot, with an attached lid and an integral infuser.

3. Offer on a tray, with a cup or mug and a teapot per person.

4. If the tea lends itself to milk, serve with an individual milk jug for each customer.

5. To add a bit of theatre, you can use strainers, timers and a fancy teapot.

The Blend July/August 2017 25

12/07/2017 12:20

FEATURE

The Blend magazine caught up with Peter Harris, the creator of Steampunk cold brew machines, to talk about his contraptions, the inspiration behind them and his work with Project Waterfall What was the inspiration behind the Steampunk machines?

An exhibition at the Oxford Science Museum several years ago, which had several exotic contraptions on display, sparked my interest in the design side. In terms of the coffee element, it was my fiancée who inspired me; her company runs the London Coffee Festival, and the passion and friendliness of everyone there was really inspiring.

After looking around for ways to become involved, I noticed Volcano Coffee Works at the event that year; they had a huge cold drip coffee tower on their stand. This made me think about taking this simple machine and making it into an amazing visual spectacle.

How do the machines work?

The process is the same as that of a standard cold drip machine, using the Hario WDC-6 dripper system, with glassware that will be familiar to those who use cold brew machines.

I add a few scientific glass pieces such as a condenser to give better results. This all creates a quality coffee at the end, but it does require a well-trained barista to oversee it.

How do you go about building a machine?

The machines are completely handmade.

I attend antique fairs and other events between builds, searching for unique parts to incorporate into my next design. I’ve used a host of intriguing components, such as radio valves from a radar station and a Victorian electric shock machine. The dripper itself is

26 The Blend July/August 2017

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always Hario, and a digital photo-screen is integrated into each machine, disguised with vintage pieces to maintain its look. The images put on the photo screen can display either the company logo or images that fit with the theme of the machine.

What inspired the military theme of your machine at this year’s London Coffee Festival?

This machine was inspired by a bulletproof coffee company called Black Sheep. I was approached to produce a gun-themed machine for the launch of the Mafia III video game. At a promotional event, they served coffee with real gunpowder in it; this led to me creating that machine, which features a double-barrelled shotgun that I purchased at a Bermondsey antiques market. We have since sold another gun-themed machine to Black Sheep, which is now on display at their branch in the Leadenhall Building, London.

Can you tell us about your work with Project Waterfall?

Project Waterfall is a charity that provides clean water for communities in Africa. I built a machine in collaboration with them in order to attract interest at the London Coffee Festival.

Once Steampunk machines became more established, we displayed at the festival and offered samples of coffee for donations to the charity. The first year we raised close to £300 and this year we raised over £400, supported by Finders Keepers Coffee. We have received help from all manner of companies, such as Mulmar, who gave us a prime position on their stand.

Clean water is a necessity and Project Waterfall is a fantastic cause. www.steampunkcoffeemachine.com

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

13/07/2017 09:15

FEATURE

“I’VE USED A HOST OF INTRIGUING COMPONENTS, SUCH AS RADIO VALVES FROM A RADAR STATION AND A VICTORIAN ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHINE”

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The Blend July/August 2017 27

12/07/2017 12:23

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13/07/2017 10:51

FEATURE

MOVIE

INSPIRATION Film is a universally appreciated art form that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life; it’s unsurprising that coffee shops are increasingly using its power to draw in customers. A café with a film theme offers something different in an oversaturated marketplace, providing its owners with an injection of revenue from both ticket sales and increased food and beverage sales.

Cafés can incorporate film into their operation in many different ways. Some conduct film nights, others display memorabilia – and some take a wackier approach, as we’ll discover.

The Blend has spoken to four prominent cafés that incorporate film into their businesses, to find out how they operate and whether their film themes have improved their profitability.

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The Blend July/August 2017 29

12/07/2017 12:12

FEATURE

COFFEE BOX

HASTINGS

LAURA GROVE, MANAGER When did the business first open?

We opened in July 2014.

What range of films do you show in the café?

We mostly show child-friendly films, such as Brave and Up, on Saturday afternoons, along with several Christmas films around the season. We’ve hosted numerous film nights for adults with specific themes – such as the Eighties – which have proven to be quite successful.

Which films are most successful and why?

Family-friendly films have proved to be the most popular, as they fit well with our family orientation here at Coffee Box. What do you serve during your film showings?

Great speciality coffee, a range of hot and cold drinks and a host of different food offerings, as well as discounted children’s afterschool treats midweek.

How much does a showing increase your trade?

As we’re located quite far away from any major high street, Coffee Box is more of a destination than a convenient stop-off.

This means that showing films brings in high volumes of people – it’s typically around 200 each time, so our trade increases drastically. We find that people become frequent customers after they have attended one showing, because they become aware of our location.

What is the company’s USP? As we’re a flat level venue, we can accommodate pushchairs and those with disabilities easily. Showing great films that bring families together, as well as hosting other regular events such as over-fifties yoga, gives us a prominent presence in the local community.

30 The Blend July/August 2017

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PATCHWORK CAFÉ ISLE OF MAN RICH ASHCROFT, JOINT OWNER What sort of films do you show?

When selecting films, we try to avoid blockbuster features – we prefer to show British films, or films that are linked to the Isle of Man. We show a broad range, but we try to detach our choices from our own personal preferences and put on films that the clientele in our local area will enjoy.

What kinds of films are most successful for you and why?

As our market is mostly a retired community, we go for movies with familiar actresses such as Judi Dench or Maggie Smith. We find that films that leave our customers feeling uplifted are far more popular, as it makes them far more inclined to visit again and leave generous tips – with a tested increase of 150%.

Do you serve anything different during film showings?

For the attendees of our cinema club, we always serve a three course meal, providing four upmarket dishes per course that we don’t offer during the day. Our customers tell us that this makes attending the film nights more of an event. We serve both the starters and main courses before commencing the films.

We then take a short interval – often comically timed with the movie – and serve dessert, along with Lavazza Supa Crema and Lavazza Tierra coffee, before resuming.

To what extent does the cinema club make the business more profitable?

We run the cinema club because we thoroughly enjoy it, but we do manage to make a profit from it once all costs are taken into account. Through doing the cinema club, we’ve become far more prominent in the local community, which improves our business further.

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12/07/2017 12:12

FEATURE

SUBTITLES CAFÉ WONDERLAND LONDON CAFÉ NOTTINGHAM LUKAS TVARDA, CO-OWNER

How have you incorporated Czech films into your café?

We showcase old film posters from the Czech Republic all around the cafe, including titles such as Jaws, Midnight Cowboy and Easy Rider. These Czech versions all have completely different artwork to the more familiar western posters, giving them a unique edge and a degree of intrigue. We also run showings of lesser-known films from the Czech Republic, with subtitles for our viewers who are not fluent in the language – hence our name, Subtitles. While our customers are waiting for their order, they can browse our records and look through our film posters, which is a fantastic way to keep them entertained.

What inspired the Czech film theme?

I’ve worked in the London coffee industry for several years and wanted to set up something of my own. To give the café a more unique angle, I decided to display original Czech cinema posters from films around the world, which I have been collecting for the past 15 years.

What do you serve that is specifically centred around the Czech Republic?

We offer niche drinks, such as mineral water from the forests of the Czech Republic. We also sell Czech cola, which is made from herbs and honey instead of sugar. We source honey from local beekeepers for coffee sweetener, and serve coffee from our local Ozone Roasters, which has proved to be an enormous success.

Has theming your café around Czech films improved trade for the business?

People have visited us from around the world, having heard what we’re doing via our social media and website. Czech animated films are incredibly popular in countries such as Japan and Scandinavia, so we get a large amount of business from natives of those nations.

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ASH HUDSON, OWNER When did the business open?

1 December 2016.

How have you incorporated Alice in Wonderland into your café?

The whole café is fully decorated in the film’s style, with ornate mirrors all over the walls and a ceiling painted to look like the sky, as well as pictures and objects floating all around. We have live actors who come in and play characters from the film during busy trading times – interacting with our customers, keeping them entertained and bringing the film to life.

What inspired the Alice in Wonderland theme?

I used to be in the watch-repairing business and then decided to attend performance school, which further inspired me. I have a real love for the film as well, which led me to combine everything together when starting Wonderland Café.

What do you serve that is specifically centred around Alice in Wonderland?

Our entire menu is tailored specifically around the film, with offerings such as Toad Down the Hole, Scone of Hearts and Afternoon Tea. Has theming your café around Alice in Wonderland improved trade for the business?

Definitely, as we’re targeting an untapped market of people who love the film. The industry in our area is quite saturated, so by having this unique style, we’re able to stand out. People travel from afar to visit the café, occasionally dressed in outfits from the film!

The Blend July/August 2017 31

12/07/2017 12:13

FEATURE Mokoko

REGIONAL FOCUS

BATH TIME 32 The Blend July/August 2017

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12/07/2017 12:29

FEATURE Picnic

The Cheeky Bean

Mokoko

B

ath might be steeped in Roman history, but when it comes to coffee the city has its eyes firmly fixed on the future. Some of the UK’s key players in speciality coffee call this city home, and while the big chains are prominent, the independents stick together and create a welcoming community feel. The Blend spoke to Ana Maria Soto Soto at Cascara, Daf Jones at Mokoko, Amanda Harvey at The Cheeky Bean and Rachael Hutchinson at Picnic Coffee to find out about the city’s coffee scene.

In the beginning Before these businesses were set up, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood of Colonna & Small’s had already set the bar for high quality speciality coffee in the city, while Jonathan Prestidge from Repack Espresso was the industry’s favourite for tips and knowledge. Seeing that there was potential for Bath to become a hub for coffee lovers, and wanting to be part of the movement, Ana founded Cascara in 2015.

Mokoko, which also has an outlet in Bristol, was set up in 2014 by Jake Harris, who wanted

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to deliver a simple, relaxed and uncomplicated experience, making speciality coffee accessible to everybody rather than being a status symbol. “It’s not the classic coffee house, it’s something a little different – approachable, with a cleaner aesthetic,” says Daf. Amanda set up The Cheeky Bean with Steve Piper in 2016, wanting to start a festival business that served good coffee and food.

They decided to start with a shop, to help them get to know the coffee industry before going on to travel around serving at UK festivals.

Picnic Coffee was opened in 2013 by Tim and Kate Starks, who set up the business together after deciding they wanted to take their careers in a different direction. They aimed to create a more relaxed coffee house, where people could go regardless of their level of coffee knowledge.

Clientele Bath’s coffee shop clientele is largely made up of students, businesspeople and tourists; many people tend to be loyal to one particular shop.

“We get a great mix,” says Ana. “We don’t have a huge amount of table space, so we don’t get a

lot of business meetings or study groups – but besides that, we cater for anyone who enjoys a more relaxed approach to café culture.”

Picnic does get the business types coming in, and even offers a discount for those who work in a local office block. “We get a lot of business people and students in the week,” says Rachael. “People sit and work on their laptops, or come in on their way to work. At the weekends it’s different – anyone and everyone.”

Situated slightly further out of the city centre, The Cheeky Bean is a community coffee shop; it is patronised by local people and builders, and even those who are just waiting for the bus outside. Amanda suggests that people choosing to drink less alcohol is one reason why the UK’s coffee industry is thriving. “Friends will meet up for a coffee now, instead of going out and getting really drunk,” she tells us. The Cheeky Bean really seems to have become part of the fabric of the local community: Amanda is on a first-name basis with many of her customers, and often knows their order. “The interaction is great, and people are really loyal and friendly,” she says. ➝

The Blend July/August 2017 33

12/07/2017 12:29

FEATURE

Picnic

Mokoko also has a loyal following,. “We’re fortunate in that we have regulars who come back every single day, sometimes two or three times. They come in for a chat or just to take a bit of time out of their day.”

Current scene Bath’s independent coffee shops are going from strength to strength, and while it’s difficult not to notice the amount of larger coffee chains that have a presence in the city, Ana doesn’t necessarily see this as a negative thing: “The marketing gurus are clearly seeing that Bath is the place to be. Also, there’s a real sense of camaraderie among the smaller independent speciality coffee shops, driving quality and passion.”

Amanda describes Bath’s coffee scene as “vibrant, flamboyant and continuing to grow”.

There’s no competitiveness between the city’s independent coffee shops; each shop has its own niche, and baristas will go to each other’s establishments to share industry knowledge and like-minded conversation. “It’s nice to

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be in an industry where everyone shares the same passion and wants to talk about it,” says Amanda. “We help each other out. As we’re a little further out, I’m always happy to recommend a place in town.

“Everyone should be able to enjoy coffee wherever they go – it’s not cheap, and if you’re going to spend the money then the barista should be trained and it should taste good.”

Looking forward The coffee scene in Bath is only set to grow, with consumers showing more interest in the process of coffeemaking and the quality of what they’re drinking. Manual brewing methods are becoming popular, and the need to cater for various diets, such as vegan and glutenfree, is becoming more widely recognised.

At Cascara, innovation is key. “People are starting to look for something a little better than ‘just a coffee’,” says Ana. “Bath is very much catering for this, and I don’t think any of us see that changing. As long as we all continue to innovate and search for something

beyond the same thing that customers had yesterday, we’re going to be just fine.”

Mokoko will continue to offer its handpoured filter coffee from its brew bar. “Handfiltered coffee is a love of ours and although it is labour-intensive, we think the time taken really pays off in the cup,” he tells us. When it comes to the industry more widely, he sees the future as competitive: “It’ll be very interesting to see what it’s like in a few years – speciality coffee is starting to become a benchmark standard, rather than a rare find. I think if you serve your customers well and offer a fantastic standard of product then you don’t need gimmicks to be successful.”

At Picnic, the emphasis is on moving forward to meet the demand of the customer and feed their interest. “Customers are becoming increasingly interested in various brewing methods, and interest in alternative milks and vegan options is also growing rapidly,” Rachael forecasts. “People are learning more about coffee, and it’s nice that they’ve started to choose the independents over the chains.”

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:30

FEATURE

The Cheeky Bean The Cheeky Bean

The Cheeky Bean

“THERE’S A REAL SENSE OF CAMARADERIE AMONG THE SMALLER INDEPENDENT SPECIALITY COFFEE SHOPS, DRIVING QUALITY AND PASSION”

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The Blend July/August 2017 35

12/07/2017 12:30

Ads_JulAug.indd 5

12/07/2017 09:42

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

THE BLEND SPECIAL Many believe the consumer craze for the massproduced fizzy drink is over. More and more people are seeking healthier alternatives: products that have provenance and personality, and which won’t break the bank. The Blend explores this brave new world...

FOLKINGTON’S p38 www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

I RAPSCALLION ETC p39 I LATEST PRODUCTS p40 The Blend July/August 2017 37

12/07/2017 11:39

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

Paul Bendit, founder of Folkington’s, explains why provenance pays for a soft drink brand, and the benefits of – literally – drawing consumers a map of where their fruit comes from

LIVING LOCAL

T

he inspiration for Folkington’s came about when Paul Bendit was walking his dog in Folkington Wood on the South Downs. He explains that he had been trying to think of a way to make fruit juice more interesting, and saw that the consumer was increasingly interested in provenance.

“I thought it would be really interesting to start a range of fruit juices and drinks that were based around sourcing the same variety of fruit from the same growers, and depending on local fruit as much as possible,” he said. “We actually have a little map on all of our bottles that tells you where the fruit comes from, and even the variety that we use for our drinks.”

Keeping it local Folkington’s prides itself on sustainability, and produces the same juice from the same growers year in, year out. The brand

“THE COFFEE SHOP MARKET LIKES HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS THAT AREN’T AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE”

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was the first of its kind in the fruit juice and drinks market, and the business idea has proved very successful. Paul explains that a lot of people don’t realise fruit is similar to wine, in that the taste differs depending on where it’s planted.

He decided to apply the principles of winemaking to fruit juice, and ensure they found the best, most interesting varieties for their drinks.

Folkington’s drinks are supplied to coffee shops across the UK and Europe, as well as countries in the Far and Middle East.

The brand has always supplied to coffee shops and describes itself as a coffee shop, pub and restaurant business.

“We find that the coffee shop market likes to have high quality products, and they like to see products that aren’t available everywhere,” says Paul. “We give them a single serve option that you can’t get everywhere, and which gives them a chance to make money on our product. If a coffee shop is trying to upscale its offering to customers, we’ve got the fruit juice for that.”

The summer option One of the stand-out factors of Folkington’s is its traditional packaging. Paul told us that people are very complimentary of the design and that it works well in coffee shops, standing out on the shelf and making for a great display.

Folkington’s also works well as an alternative to hot drinks.

Paul explained: “When the sun shines, the rule of thumb is that people want a cold drink, so we see an increase in volume over the summer – and obviously when it does get warm, that gets magnified. If you’re not someone who likes caffeine and you don’t want tea or coffee then it’s a nice option to have; similarly, if you’ve got children it’s nice to get them a soft drink, and it’s always great to know you’ve got something that’s free of additives and preservatives and is completely natural.”

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 11:51

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

Gregor Leckie, founder of Rapscallion ETC, tells The Blend about his journey into raw soda, and explains why coffee shops should do their bit to reduce waste

“

Rapscallion ETC started when I came back to Scotland after being away for five years,” Gregor says. “I felt that the industry was missing something that was ethically strong but also had that Scottish irreverence to it – something that was fun and pushed boundaries.”

Rapscallion ETC trades as a ‘raw soda’ company, an idea that Gregor developed after spending over a decade in the drinks industry. It aims to produce soda that doesn’t come with the guilt of other sugary carbonated drinks. The company’s offerings contain no preservatives or additives, and if there is added sugar, it’s raw organic cane sugar. Everything is produced by hand at The Glasgow Collective, a coworking space in the city.

“The production process is quite lengthy and delicate, but it changes depending on what fruit I use,” says Gregor. “In terms of methods, I cold-infuse a blend of fruit and spices in water, and blend again with cold-pressed juice.”

Locally sourced Rapscallion places emphasis on locally sourced produce, and Gregor has developed good relationships with suppliers in and around Glasgow; recently, he’s been going to meet the producers at the source. “In the beginning I was concerned with where the fruit was coming from, who was handling it and how it was being stored before it came to me,” he tells us. “Now I’m at a stage where I can go out and source products myself. In the warm months I can do more Scottish single-origin sodas, using raspberries from Arbroath and strawberries from Fife. In the winter I can use Ayrshire beetroot, which creates an exciting, earthy soda.”

RAW PRIDE Environmentally sound Rapscallion soda is only available in refillable kegs, in order to generate as little waste as possible. The amount of waste in the food and drink industry is something that is important to Gregor both personally and from a business perspective, and he hopes to highlight the issue nationwide.

Gregor is working towards having a circular economy that produces little waste; he describes the wider industry as being “a long way off” from where it should be. After using the fruit for infusion, he vacuum-seals it and delivers it to local cafes for baking. Anything that’s past its best goes to an allotment in Glasgow where it can be used by growers.

When it comes to coffee shop owners who want their establishments to be more waste conscious, Gregor believes that a few small changes can help. He admits that the issue of recycling coffee cups has been a problem for a while now, but feels that if recyclable, biodegradable or compostable coffee cups had more exposure, more shops would use them.

“The demand for a more environmentally friendly cup needs to come from the consumer before the business can really address the issue,” he says. “I have to admit it’s a hard game, and it’s hard that the onus is always on us as business owners, but it only takes a few of the best independent cafés to set the precedent and demand better. A handful of the bigger suppliers and manufacturers could make the change and have a huge positive impact.

”

“I’M AT A STAGE WHERE I CAN SOURCE PRODUCTS MYSELF – I CAN USE RASPBERRIES FROM ARBROATH AND STRAWBERRIES FROM FIFE”

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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The Blend July/August 2017 39

12/07/2017 12:31

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

LATEST PRODUCTS

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS BEST IN A CAN Cawston Press Sparkling Rhubarb and Apple Flavours & notes: Apple and tart rhubarb Can size: 33cl Price: 99p www.cawstonpress.com

BEST WITH NO REFINED SUGAR Just Bee Lemon & Green Tea Honey Water Flavours & notes: Natural, fruit infused spring water drinks, made with real fruits and a drop of honey Carton size: 33cl Price: £1.69 www.justbeedrinks.co.uk

BEST NATURAL ALTERNATIVE Tapped Trees Bilberry & Lingonberry Organic Birch Water Flavours & notes: Delicate fruity sweetness Carton size: 25cl Price: £30 per 12 cartons www.tappedtrees.com

BEST FRUIT BLENDS Chegworth Valley Juice selection Flavours & notes: A range of options including apple, pear and orange Bottle size: 25cl Price: £1.80 www.chegworthvalley.com

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BEST SMOOTHIE Frobishers Pineapple, Banana & Passionfruit Smoothie Flavours & notes: The initial sweet pineapple notes are followed by soft and creamy banana, with a sharp passionfruit kick at the end Bottle size: 25cl Price: £2 www.frobishers.com

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 11:36

ARTISAN SOFT DRINKS

BEST BRITISH MADE Dalston Cola Co. Honestly Made Lemonade Flavours & notes: Crisp and refreshing, made from real Sicilian lemons Can size: 33cl Price: £1.19 www.dalstonscola.co.uk

BEST IN A CARTON Cawston Press Brilliant Beetroot Flavours & notes: Natural beetroot sweetness and apple Carton size: 33cl Price: From £1.49 www.cawstonpress.com

BEST HIGH PROTEIN DRINK Savse Protein Punch Flavours & notes: Coconut, pineapple, lime, vanilla and whey protein Bottle size: 25cl Price: £2.99 www.savse.co.uk

BEST BOTANICAL Fentimans Rose Lemonade Flavours & notes: Botanically brewed with a ginger root base, refreshing Spanish lemon juice and rose oil, which adds delicate floral notes Bottle size: 27.5cl Price: £1.19 www.fentimans.com

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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BEST IN A BOTTLE Lovely Drinks Handcrafted English Pear Juice Flavours & notes: Rich, full-flavoured and naturally sweet Bottle size: 25cl Price: £18.95 per 24 bottles www.lovelydrinks.co.uk

BEST CARBONATED DRINK Orchard Pig Deeply Rooted Flavours & notes: Sparkling ginger and chilli with fennel twist Bottle size: 25cl Price: Approx. £1.25 www.orchardpig.co.uk

The Blend July/August 2017 41

12/07/2017 11:37

ESPRESSO MACHINES

OWNER’S CHOICE

ESPRESSO MACHINES LA MARZOCCO LINEA Simone Guerini, 80 Stone Café “We recently changed our espresso machine to a La Marzocco Linea, having previously used a vintage Faema E61 from 1963. We decided to make this change because the La Marzocco gives a far more consistent product with exceptional temperature control, and the machine can keep up with demand during peak trading hours. The design of the machine makes it very easy to use, without an overcrowded display; this also makes the machines far easier to clean. As the design is familiar and relatively simple I can go about fixing the machine myself, should I have any problems with it. An additional benefit of this machine is that it is easy to get custom-plated, meaning that it fits very well with the aesthetic of the shop.”

CONTI MONTE CARLO 3-GROUP Mark Whittaker, Blend “We use the Monte Carlo 3-group, Conti’s flagship machine. It’s sturdy and delivers great pressure and steam, which makes milk foaming easy. Heated group heads mean the coffee is always up to temperature, and the shot timers and volume counters make sure our coffee shots are consistent. It looks great on the counter – we’ve had ours custom-painted to fit in with our décor. We love it!”

KEES VAN DER WESTEN MIRAGE Samuel Binstead, Upshot Espresso “Since we retired our beloved vintage Faema E61 we’ve been working on the Kees Van Der Westen Mirage. We chose the Mirage as it echoed what we loved so much about the Faema – a focus on build quality, a strong and recognisable aesthetic, and quite simply the fact that it uses the same E61 group head system. The machine’s design (and the fact that we have clear side panels so you can see the inner workings) never fails to spark up conversation from intrigued customers, which is always a great gateway to coffee education and appreciation. For our baristas, the machine stays wonderfully stable throughout service and is nothing but a joy to brew on – plus its low profile helps to break down barriers between barista and customer.”

42 The Blend July/August 2017

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LA CIMBALI S30 Deyvi Sidi-Sarfati, Mandira “Our café has a minimalist design, so the La Cimbali S30 machine is perfect for us. As it’s an automatic machine, we don’t need a barista to monitor the coffee production, so our efficiency is vastly increased – staff can be preparing food while the coffee is made. The automated machine means that we get a far more consistent coffee, but there is still the theatrical element of frothing the milk and adding it to the final product.”

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:04

STRATEGIC RETAIL & BRAND GROUP

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12/07/2017 09:44

HOT CHOCOLATE

LATEST PRODUCTS

HOT CHOCOLATE KOKOA COLLECTION LTD Kokoa Collection Hot Chocolate Melt each tablet into hot milk and whisk.

Price: £15.50 per kg www.kokoacollection.co.uk

DIVINE CHOCOLATE Divine Drinking Chocolate Best when whisked with hot milk and served straight away.

Price: £3.85 per 400g www.divinechocolate.com/uk

GUITTARD CHOCOLATE COMPANY Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate Combine four tablespoons with a cup of milk in a saucepan. Whisk constantly until hot but not boiling, and serve immediately.

Price: £7.69 per 284g www.guittard.com

CFW – CATERING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES Sephra Belgian Drinking Chocolate Either mix with freshly steamed milk or pre-mix and pour directly from a Sephra Hot Chocolate Dispenser.

Price: Milk and Dark £6.99 per kg, White £7.99 per kg www.cfw.co.uk

44 The Blend July/August 2017

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12/07/2017 12:05

WILLIE’S CACAO Chulucanas Hot Chocolate, Peruvian Single Estate 50% Dark Chocolate Best mixed with hot milk and quickly whisked – 20g of hot chocolate with 200ml of whole milk.

Price: £9 per kg www.williescacao.com

PIP’S REAL HOT CHOCOLATE CO Hot Chocolate Coins Add hot water to form a paste before adding steamed milk. Can also be made with cold milk to make a cooler, or combined with a shot to make a hot-choctail.

Price: From £12 per kg www.pipsformilk.co.uk VALRHONA Celaya Makes for great hot and cold drinks, or even in cocktails.

Price: Approx. £8.50 per kg www.valrhona.com

HOT CHOCOLATE

HANS SLOANE Pure Chocolate Beads Best prepared with 200ml of milk and 25g of chocolate beads, steamed together and poured down the side of a warm glass.

Price: £45 starter pack for new customers, comprising 3 x 1kg Barista packs, 1 x 900g jar of chocolate beads, a Scoop, Whisk and POS. www.sirhanssloane.com

MONTEZUMA’S Organic Drinking Chocolate Add one shot to a cup of hot milk, allow to fully dissolve and stir vigorously for several minutes.

Price: £6.99 per 300g www.montezumas.co.uk

COCO-LISIOUS Gourmet Hot Choccy Pour 25g of hot chocolate into a cup with one ounce of water, then whisk in milk steamed to 170°F. Price: £13 per 1.5kg www.thefrothshop.co.uk

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

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The Blend July/August 2017 45

12/07/2017 12:06

MEET THE ROASTER

MEET THE ROASTER

The Blend talks to Chloe Brooks, founder of Finders Keepers Coffee, to discuss setting up, single-origin coffee and plans for the future

FINDERS KEEPERS

F

inders Keepers Coffee was set up in the summer of 2016, a culmination of Chloe Brooks’ links to the speciality coffee industry, her travels to the coffee’s origin in Brazil’s Cerrado Mineiro region, and her childhood friendship with head roaster Michael Uhlig, who is a National Roasting Champion and certified Q-grader.

Using a Loring Kestrel S35 roaster, Chloe and Michael worked together to create a special singleorigin coffee, intending to fill a particular niche for independent coffee shops and delicatessens.

“Our first coffee, Piri Reis, is a single-origin omniroast that we created to work well as both an espresso and filter coffee,” Chloe tells us. “We also offer an organic decaffeinated coffee from Peru. In time, we hope to grow the business and expand our offering with a focus on what our customers need.”

Open to all The Piri Reis roast originates from the San Rafael farming community in Cerrado Mineiro, and has a sweet taste that is typical of this growing area. Part of the Alto Paranaiba Region, Cerrado Mineiro is the first area in Brazil to have been certified with a Protected Geographical Indication, meaning that products from this region are traditionally grown in order to acquire specific properties.

“A marvellous combination of factors makes coffee from this area highly sought after by coffee connoisseurs,” Chloe explains. “The semi-tropical climate and high altitude, with a dry winter and a hot, wet summer, creates the ideal terroir for growing coffee. Its steep, mountainous slopes are prized farmland and are renowned for their rich, fertile volcanic soil, which imparts an exotic flavour to the beans.”

Finders Keepers Coffee aims to provide the best possible speciality coffee at an affordable price point. Chloe’s experience with various aspects of the speciality coffee industry has taught her that many small independent coffee shops struggle with the large financial investment that is often required to work with speciality coffee roasters. Finders

46 The Blend July/August 2017

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“WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE. WE WANT TO PROMOTE SPECIALITY COFFEE AS AN INDUSTRY AND HELP CAFÉS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS IT” Keepers keeps costs down by not having a large roastery available for visits or grand training rooms, and this saving is passed onto customers. “I want to make speciality coffee more accessible, and one way to do that is to enable the small independents to access fantastic speciality coffee without having to overcome unnecessary hurdles.”

Finders Keepers offers professional training in its customers’ own cafés, using the business’s own machinery and specifically tailored to the needs of its baristas. They can also advise on and supply any equipment needed.

Organic growth Chloe says that she and the whole team at Finders Keepers Coffee have been overwhelmed by the popularity of their product. “We’re excited about the future. We really want to promote speciality coffee as an industry and help cafés who have not been able to access it, perhaps due to the financial hurdles or lack of knowledge. We will stick to our plan to grow organically, gradually bringing in new coffees and experimenting with coffees for other brew methods. We are currently working on a colddrip recipe, which will be available shortly.”

CONTACT Chloe Brooks Founder 020 3633 466 info@finderskeeperscoffee.co.uk 7A Whatman Road, SE23 1EY www.finderskeeperscoffee.co.uk

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:07

CoffeeSafe

Improving Efficiencies ary iggett - Technical irector, Cimbali says “Everyone involved has benefitted from this intelligent, cloud-based system.

CoffeeSafe has provided a much more resourceful was for our PSSR Examiners to produce examination reports, in turn allowing more efficient delivery to our customers. The time and cost savings we’ve made as a result of these efficiencies have enabled us to employ more engineers and subsequently expand the business.”

A CoffeeSafe partnership is the answer. ot eu to o e e o e to e o Quote: BLEND3

out ou

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12/07/2017 09:47

TRADING WITH

trading with

SHANE SAUNDERS The Blend speaks to Shane Saunders about El-Hoddo, a new coffee concept from The Froth Group

“WHEN SMALL COMPANIES SELL TO OTHER SMALL COMPANIES, IT KEEPS THEIR BRANDS STRONG AND SERVICE QUALITY HIGH. EVERYONE WINS”

Can you tell us about El Hoddo?

The team behind El-Hoddo has been working as wholesalers and coffee shop specialists and coffee suppliers since 2004; El-Hoddo is a brand we developed for the retail market to give coffee shops a cool vibe and help them stand out against competitors. We wanted to make a tasty coffee that would serve a frothy flat white every time, at an affordable price point. We also provide support and backup to help coffee shops increase their sales.

Creative director, El-Hoddo

What is your current marketing strategy?

We love social media, and 90% of our advertising is done across social media platforms. We will do the same for our clients as part of our offer, helping them with points of sale, menu design, loyalty cards and barista support. Ongoing involvement is key, to make sure cafés can smash their daily targets.

What is The Froth Shop?

The Froth Shop is our website, housing all our products and services. We are a buying

What sort of coffee do you provide?

We sell freshly roasted Arabica beans, filter coffee and freeze-dried coffee, all roasted in small batches. We work with the Rainforest Alliance and a fantastic roaster, and our coffee comes in three blends.

organization, so we can offer ‘one order, one

What is your company ethos?

We like to have a lot of fun – we want our customers to enjoy the value and experience.

We feel small businesses should buy from small businesses, to get great support, service and prices. The more a café sells, the more it buys, and it’s our duty to roll up our sleeves and support the coffee shop industry. We don’t like ‘catch-you-out’ pricing, so we don’t do it. We want to sell a great product with great service – nice and simple.

Why ‘El-Hoddo’?

The name El-Hoddo is influenced by three

delivery’ for our products. This helps with cash flow, keeping waste down. The Froth Shop also offers marketing support and franchising – we think it is a completely innovative way to work alongside coffee shops.

things: our love of South America, our old roaster in Huddersfield (nickname ‘Hoddo’), and some words of wisdom from Del Boy – he says that putting ‘El’ in front of anything makes it sound glamorous.

How is El Hoddo looking to expand?

We’re looking to expand through franchised wholesaling to coffee shops and coffee vans, while also continuing to provide

CONTACT

Where does the company’s understanding of the market come from?

We have supplied over 150 coffee shops

other products, equipment and services.

with products, equipment and marketing,

service quality high. Everyone wins.

When small companies sell to other small companies, it keeps their brands strong and

and also went into franchising and product development, organically becoming a buying company. Because of this, we have a very good

Facebook @El-Hoddo-Coffee

understanding of how a shop works, from

Website www.thefrothshop.co.uk

landlord negations to seasonal promotions.

48 The Blend July/August 2017

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www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 15:26

TRADING WITH

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk www.theblendmagazine.com

Trading With.indd 49

The TheBlend BlendJuly/August July/August2017 201749 49

12/07/2017 15:27

PEOPLE

“THE LITTLE

” INTERVIEW We gain a small insight into the people who make up our industry. To take part email joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com

CHARLES MEYRICK Supervisor Espresso Bar @ The National Theatre

Best moment in your career so far?

Last winter I managed to convince our management that having a seasonal coffee menu was a good idea. The coffees I developed went down very well and helped

Head barista Foundation Coffee House Best moment in your career so far?

Being given the opportunity to represent Foundation and Origin Coffee Roasters on a stand at this year’s London Coffee Festival.

Little Interview.indd 50

Most inspirational coffee shop?

There’s a great place up in North London near Angel called KHP Coffee House. So much attention has been paid to each little detail and you can tell the owner knows his stuff. It’s exactly how I’d like to do it!

Favourite sandwich filling?

If it’s remotely acceptable in

HANNAH MITCHELL

50 The Blend July/August 2017

Favourite coffee-based beverage?

These days it’s an Algerianstyle cardamom coffee. It’s such a clean, refreshing drink.

Trends in the industry in the next five years?

I’m expecting a lot more canned coffee and nitrocoffee bars, to the point that we will find it exceedingly underwhelming.

Favourite coffee region?

I don’t like too much acidity to my coffee – a hot cup of Java suits me.

Favourite coffee region?

Africa – Kenya in particular.

vindicate my personal vision for the place.

Favourite coffee-based beverage?

The ‘Flat White Russian’ we created and served at the London Coffee Festival (come in and give it a try).

a sandwich, it goes in mine.

The only rule is good quality bread; it has to be a fresh, crusty loaf.

Karaoke song of choice?

If they had it, Disorder by Joy Division.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Johnny Depp. He’s a good over-the-top character actor and he needs the work right now, so he can’t be too picky.

Favourite sporting memory?

As an Arsenal fan, memory is really all I have to look fondly on – my favourite goal was from Thierry Henry against Liverpool in 2004.

What’s top of your bucket list?

Escape. I’d like to travel all over America by train, but I think Michael Portillo has beaten me to that.

Most inspirational coffee shop?

Foundation.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Me.

Trends in the industry in the next five years?

Robots. Not really, but with the technological advancements that are being introduced, we’re soon going to struggle to find a bad cup of coffee.

Favourite sporting memory?

Competing in the ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships in Istanbul.

Favourite sandwich filling?

Cheese. All of the cheeses.

Karaoke song of choice?

Don McClean’s American Pie. An eight minute extravaganza!

What’s top of your bucket list?

To one day own my own successful coffee business!

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

12/07/2017 12:02

PEOPLE

Favourite sandwich filling?

Depends on the degree of hunger! My go to is ham and cheese.

CHRIS STEMMAN Executive director British Coffee Association Favourite coffee region?

Central America – Salvador and Guatemala.

Best moment in your career so far?

Meeting Ronald Reagan at a drinks convention in Atlanta.

Favourite coffee-based beverage?

Straight filter coffee.

Most inspirational coffee shop?

Peet’s in San Francisco in the Eighties.

Trends in the industry in the next five years?

I think the quality of coffee will continue to increase, and I also think there will be much more of an emphasis on sustainability.

Favourite sporting memory?

London 2012 – Greg Rutherford winning gold.

What’s top of your bucket list?

A road trip along Route 66.

MAX DODD

Managing director

Editorial Assistant

The Wicked Coffee Co

The Blend

Trends in the industry in the next five years?

Greater quality and convenience.

Favourite sandwich filling?

Chicken Caesar.

Favourite coffee region?

East Africa.

Karaoke song of choice?

Mr. Blue Sky by ELO.

Best moment in your career so far?

Launching The Wicked Coffee Company.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Tom Hanks.

Favourite coffee-based beverage?

Kenya Peaberry.

Favourite sporting memory?

Riding in the Megavalanche Downhill race on Alpe D’Huez.

Most inspirational coffee shop?

Spring Espresso in York.

What’s top of your bucket list?

Visiting India.

Little Interview.indd 51

Who would play you in a film of your life?

William Stemman (my son!).

FERGUS WALSH

F

www.theblendmagazine.co.uk

Karaoke song of choice?

I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

Favourite coffee region?

Ethiopia.

Best moment in your career so far?

Becoming part of The Blend’s editorial team, of course.

Favourite coffee-based beverage?

Cold-brew, gin and tonic.

Most inspirational coffee shop?

Marwood in Brighton.

Trends in the industry in the next five years?

Nap pods appearing in coffee shops.

Favourite sandwich filling?

Bacon – what else?

Karaoke song of choice?

A horrific rendition of Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

I’ll flatter myself by saying Bradley Cooper.

Favourite sporting memory?

Winning MVP of my scholarship basketball team.

What’s top of your bucket list?

Bull running in Pamplona.

The Blend July/August 2017 51

12/07/2017 12:03

helping shops grow

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Since working with Loyale we have grown our email list to over 1,500 customers and grown our revenue almost 80%!!

We were also recently voted as one of London’s best cafés by the Telegraph and Londonist!

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John @ Bean & Hop

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13/07/2017 14:00