Major coffee and hospitality brands found Global Coffee Institute.

Costa Coffee, Eversys, Alpro, JDE, Nestlé, Matthew Algie, Gruppo Cimbali and Brita are among the prominent coffee and hospitality businesses creating a powerful shared platform to tackle major industry issues, including Covid 19, sustainability, diversity, and staffing. The global coffee shop market has enjoyed rapid growth over the last two decades. With more at stake than ever in today’s fast-moving business environment, the Global Coffee Institute (GCI) says that it has mobilised some of the world’s foremost hospitality and foodservice businesses to tackle the most important issues facing the industry.

GCI is an independent organisation representing coffee shop and food-to-go segments around the world. Together, members will share a powerful and united industry voice and benefit from deep insight, thought leadership, strategic guidance and critical business intelligence.

Supported by World Coffee Portal’s 23-years’ industry expertise, GCI will be providing a platform for organisations to shape the future of the global hospitality industry and forge stronger business outcomes and says that its mission is to provide a powerful independent voice for every corner of the global coffee industry in shaping a sustainable and profitable future. Together, businesses will share best practice, inform key policy and generate new business opportunities across key areas including vision leadership, skills and career development, climate change and sustainability, technology advances, supply chain and logistics, consumer and societal trends affecting the coffee industry, fair, equal and best business practice, business risks and the longterm Covid 19 impact.

Adrian Cook, UK & Ireland chief operating officer at Costa Coffee said: “As we emerge stronger from the Covid 19 pandemic, we remain focused on adapting to new consumer trends, habits and expectations. Across our industry we see many growth opportunities and potential headwinds that require clear thinking and insight to help us continue to delight our consumers. As such, we’re excited to join the GCI, which will provide us with a wealth of insight and experience that we can use to serve even more cups of great coffee, to more people, more often.”

Kamal Bengougam, group director business development and marketing at Eversys said “I was incredibly excited to hear about Jeffrey’s vision to create a united platform for the global coffee and hospitality industry. Today, I am delighted the Global Coffee Institute has realised this vision and even more delighted that Eversys is an integral part of this bold new initiative.”

Commenting on the GCI’s mission to ensure businesses can thrive in a new era of hospitality excellence. Jeffrey Young, CEO and founder, Allegra Group added: “After nearly 25 years working in the coffee sector, I am proud to announce the launch of the Global Coffee Institute, in association with World Coffee Portal and some of the most progressive brands from our sector.

“In times of profound change and vast opportunity, never has it been so important for our industry to have access to independent, authoritative research and analysis, along with the sharing of industry knowledge for the benefit of our entire industry.”

Aimia Foods help operators whizz up a vegan beverage menu

In a bid to help operators expand their beverage offering and to tap into the ever-growing vegan demands, Aimia Foods has created a menu of vegan drinks recipes that operators can easily create with the help of Iglooh.

Within the vegan recipe collection, operators can find step by step instructions for creating an array of on-trend, plant-based beverages such as a Iglooh’s Strawberry Oat Smoothie, Double Chocolate Dream Shake and Drink Me Chai Iced Latte – drinks which would have once been a “distant dream” for those following special diets, feels Karen Green, marketing manager at Aimia Foods.

“Not so long ago, drinks such as milkshakes and frappes would have simply been a distant dream for vegan diners. Fortunately, Iglooh - the vegan base mix - is able to turn that dream into a reality for thousands across the UK, whilst making it easier than ever before for caterers to put great tasting options on the menu,” said Karen Green.

With a fast-growing market of milk alternatives, Iglooh, the dairy-free vanilla basepowder can be mixed with any dairy-free milk to provide frappes, smoothies and milkshakes.