Cafe Culture Magazine - Issue 36

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magazine FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE 36

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

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Welcome!

CONTENTS

We start 2010 with a look at how best to serve and promote teas, and hear more about how some coffee making machines have been designed to make café life a little easier. With the second Café+ show taking place at CRS in Birmingham (NEC, 21-24 March), we also take a sneak preview of some products likely to be on show there. Simon Morley from WiFi provider, PolkaSpots, guides us through what needs to be done to turn your café into a ‘hotspot’, and we report on a new ‘green’ roastery concept that has now arrived in the UK - Loring Smart Roast.

This month also sees the relaunch of the Café Society Awards (25 February 2010, the Blueprint Café, the Design Museum, London), and we look forward to seeing you there!

Clare Benfield - Editor Editor Clare Benfield, Tel: 01291 636336, E-mail: clare@jandmgroup.co.uk Advertising Manager Paul Steer Tel: 01291 636333 E-mail: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk Production Manager Jayson Berry, Tel: 01291 636344, E-mail: jayson@jandmgroup.co.uk Subscriptions and Customer Service Suskia Bollen, Tel: 01291 636338 E-mail: suskia@jandmgroup.co.uk Editorial Address Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5DB Fax: 01291 630402 E-mail: cafe@jandmgroup.co.uk www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk Opinions expressed in Café Culture are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group Ltd or Café Culture. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. Café Culture is published by J&M Group Ltd. and supports Café Society. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the café industry. © 2009 J&M Group Ltd

NEWS 4 Festival aims to get jobseekers to work.

5 Strong Christmas sales boost the UK performance of Starbucks.

6 Cost of running a small shop set to rise.

7 New Year offer.

EVENT PREVIEW 10 Café Society Awards 2010 preview.

28 Wot No Wi-Fi? – what you need to know to get started

ARTICLES 26 Green roaster broadens choice – Loring Smart Roast’s ‘green’ coffee roasting option.

32 Resilient despite the recession – Allegra’s café sector latest.

36 Independent appeal – artisan style syrups made in Malmesbury.

12 Café+ 2010 preview.

REGULARS FEATURES 14 Tea tips – how to make the most of your tea menu.

20 Coffee made easy – coffee machines to help with the daily grind.

38 Coffee clinic – your maintenance questions answered.

40 New products.

42 Product listings.

43 Checkout.

DON’T MISS YOUR COPY. SUBSCRIBE NOW! CALL 01291 636338. www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

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NEWS

Festival aims to get jobseekers into work The organisers of the Bath Coffee Festival have joined forces with Smart Training & Recruitment and the Metropolitan Kimbo Coffee Company to offer an apprenticeship programme for six jobseekers in the Bath area with the selected group to be given free barista training and the opportunity to work towards a recognised industry qualification.

The intensive, hands-on training will take place ahead of the Bath Coffee Festival in Bath on 15 and 16 May 2010 and candidates will work towards the prestigious City and Guilds VRQ in Barista Skills from the Beverage Service Association and Level 2 NVQs in fields such as Food and Drink Service.

“This is an excellent initiative to help jobseekers achieve highly regarded qualifications and get into employment,” said Hilary Faulkner of Smart Training & Recruitment. “As experts in the hospitality sector we

Angus McKenzie feels that the coffee sector can be overlooked when it comes to acknowledging its employment potential.

know there are plenty of good opportunities for candidates with the right qualifications. Employers also

Consumers ready to consider 1% fat milk, say FSA Research published by the Food Standards Agency to coincide with the launch of the second phase of its saturated fat campaign suggests that people who regularly use semi-skimmed milk would be happy to switch to drinking 1% fat milk.

“In the 1970s full-fat milk was very much the norm, but since then we have seen a decisive shift to semi-skimmed, which now outsells full-fat by quite a margin,” said Dr Clair Baynton, Head of Nutrition at the FSA. “Our research shows that people are prepared to consider switching to 1% fat milk and those who regularly use semi-skimmed like the taste as much. We tend to use milk on a daily basis so this small step will make a big contribution to reducing our saturated fat.”

“1% fat milk still gives us the important nutritional benefits of milk, including calcium, protein, minerals and vitamins, but with half the fat of semi. Something that simple but beneficial has got to be worth trying!”

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The FSA’s research involved an athome trial period (about five days) with households substituting semi-skimmed for 1% fat milk and found that while 56% were able to taste a difference, 94% or more found it to be an acceptable alternative across a range of uses, including in hot drinks, on cereal, as a drink on its own, in milkshakes and in cooking.

The Metropolitan Coffee Company’s Angus McKenzie told Café Culture that he feels that rather than the café sector becoming overly worried about consumers drinking less and/or lower fat milk, operators should in actual fact be concentrating on making sure that the drinks they do serve are of the highest quality possible. Consumers could then appreciate other less milky drinks such as macchiatos, for example. At the time of going to press, Starbucks and Costa had no comment to make on the FSA’s findings.

benefit from such highly relevant training, yet small businesses often don’t realise they can benefit from government grants for this.”

Angus McKenzie, of the Metropolitan Kimbo Coffee Company added: “We are pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile initiative. The coffee industry is often overlooked as a place to work but suitably qualified candidates can have very fulfilling careers. Our training will give the right people the break they need.”

To apply for the apprenticeship scheme or for further details on providing work experience or employment for qualified / qualifying baristas call Hilary Faulkner on 07795 490 550 (for other aspects of the festival see www.bathcoffeefestival.co.uk or call (0117) 929 1900).

Waitrose chooses First Choice Coffee First Choice Coffee has been selected by the supermarket chain, Waitrose, to supply and install its Black&White bean-to-cup coffee equipment across all Waitrose cafés.

The move was taken after Waitrose reviewed its existing offer in a bid to improve coffee quality and the reliability of its equipment. “Our Swiss-manufactured, award-winning equipment offers the very best in cutting-edge technology,” said Elaine Higginson, managing director of First Choice. “The operator can rest assured that every cup of coffee will be of consistently high quality. Our commitment to service and after-sales support is what makes First Choice unique – our service plans ensure that equipment remains reliable for its entire life-cycle and our team has an unrivalled passion for quality coffee.”

The First Choice team report that they are currently installing the semi-automatic Black&White CTS in the 60 Waitrose café sites with the equipment producing baristastandard espresso shots at the touch of a button. Every site will be trained to handfinish drinks with textured milk to create a creamy dense foam.

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NEWS

Strong Christmas sales boost the UK performance of Starbucks An exceptionally busy Christmas period has helped Starbucks in the UK record its sixth straight month of likefor-like sales growth, report the global coffee chain.

The UK figures have been released as Starbucks reported global earnings for Q1, showing a strong performance in the three months to December 2009.

UK comparative store sales (like-for-like) rose by 3.9% during the period with sales improving strongly in December at 6%.The amount of money spent by each customer is rising too, despite an emphasis on value with Starbucks Card holders getting free shots and syrups.

Christmas drinks proved to be a big hit and stores were exceptionally busy, say the chain (for example, they sold 20% more Gingerbread and Toffee Nut Lattes than last year - 1.5m Christmas drinks in total). The number of customers in each store has also risen, and now exceeds two million a week. Sales in London have shown a significant improvement after being hit by the recession last year and through their (RED) partnership in the UK, they have already made a contribution to the Global Fund equivalent to over 350,000 daily doses of antiretroviral treatment, report the company.

Employee of the month?

Nescafé® Gold Blend® which claims to be the nation’s favourite premium coffee is launching its brand new Employee of the Month competition this February, designed to help boost sales throughout 2010.

Businesses will not only profit from this high impact campaign and increased brand awareness with improved coffee sales, say the brand, but employers can get involved and enter too.

The campaign will identify and reward someone outstanding in a workplace, and who deserves special recognition. Monthly winners can enjoy a host of rewards such as a meal for two worth £100, or a tin of Nescafé Gold Blend and some Quality Street chocolates to share with colleagues. Entering is simple – log on to www.goldblendemployee.co.uk for more information (terms and conditions are available online). The eventual accolade of Employee of the Year will also be up for grabs with the chance to win a unique experience in a VIP box at an event at The O2 arena along with 17 of their colleagues, plus £200 to spend as the winner wishes. In addition, they will receive a year’s supply of coffee and chocolates for their team.

“Taking advantage of a campaign like Employee of the Month can help boost premium coffee sales significantly,” says Martin Lines, marketing director, Nestlé Professional®. “In the same way that treating staff to a great quality coffee can show they are appreciated, this competition will help boost staff happiness and encourage employee motivation.”

The improving performance is as a result of a number of measures to give customers more reasons to visit our stores, feel the chain who highlight the introduction of 100% Fairtrade espresso in all lattes, cappuccinos, americanos and mochas, as well as the launch of new store designs and innovation with the new Flat White coffee as being key drivers for consumers to visit. A new food range including new salads and paninis, and a wider choice for breakfast, free Wi-Fi, free espresso shots and syrups for Starbucks Card holders have also helped.

“Customers have a lot of

choice and are rightly becoming more demanding, but they’re also looking for the best quality coffee,” said Darcy Willson-Rymer, UK managing director for Starbucks. “That’s good news for a company whose entire focus is on sourcing the highest quality ethical beans. I’m pleased that the big investment we are making in the UK business is finding favour with customers, but we do expect 2010 to remain challenging and we’re taking nothing for granted.”

Celebrating the sandwich Plans are underway for a celebration of that most British of snacks – the sandwich - to be held in, of course, Sandwich in Kent.

Pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants in the historic seaside town will all be vying to create The Ultimate Sandwich in a weekend event for all the family that will feature street entertainment and a giant firework spectacular.

The event, to be held on Saturday and Sunday (8 and 9 May 2010) will be the curtain-raiser to British Sandwich Week, an annual festival raising the profile of all good things ‘twixt two slices of bread.

“Once upon a time, people used to refer to ‘the humble sandwich’ – but not any more,” says Alex Sullivan, a director of Wow

Factory Events which is staging The Ultimate Sandwich event. “Today, consumers demand imaginative fillings in the finest breads. Our competitors will show just want can be done to make the sandwich exciting eating at any time of the day.”

Wow Factory Events say that they are currently in sponsorship negotiations with some of Britain’s top bread and ingredients manufacturers, outlining a weekend which is targeted to attract more than 20,000 visitors sampling Britain’s best butties and watching cookery and bread making demonstrations, street theatre and a £45,000 firework demonstration staged as part of the British National Fireworks Championship.

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NEWS

Cost of running a small shop set to rise

Ravifruit’s purees should offer outlets a multitude of beverage uses.

Keylink takes on Ravifruit Keylink takes on RavifruitKeylink Ltd has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Ravifruit in England and Wales with the new agreement seeing the launch of Ravifruit ambient fruit purees which offer café owners a simple but effective means of making fruit smoothies, say the company.

France-based Ravifruit supplies top-of-the-range, high quality fruit products to the global food industry and its ambient fruit purees have become widely recognised. A 100% natural product, Ravifruit comprises 90% fruit and 10% sugar (to act as a preservative and flavour enhancer), and has no added colours, flavour or preservatives.

Ravifruit’s range of 17 ambient fruit purees come in convenient 1 litre Elopak cartons and have a 12 month shelf life. The ideal storage conditions are at below 15°C and flavours include raspberry, mango, passionfruit, white peach, mandarin and many more. They do not tie up valuable freezer space and, once opened, can be refrigerated for three days. Unlike frozen fruit purees there is no need for lengthy defrosting because the Ravifruit ambient purees are ready to use instantly, point out Keylink.

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According to the latest findings from the Business Inflation Guide (BIG) from More Th>n Business (and developed in conjunction with Warwick Business), inflation for small business shop owners (with café owners mentioned in particular) has risen by 0.5%, indicating signs of growth in the economy.

However, at the same time, small shop owners are being warned to keep a tight rein on cash flow in the New Year because the cost of running a small business is predicted to rise sharply on the back of rising commodity prices, according to the latest findings of the guide.

Falls in gas costs were offset by increases in other expenditure items including labour costs and a range of services costs, say BIG, and over the year as a whole costs for small business shops remain 2.0% lower than a year earlier due to deflation in late 2008 and early 2009. In Britain overall, the guide showed that fuel costs had jumped by 3.42%, while raw material prices rose by 1.57% over the three month period.

Meanwhile, gas prices had fallen by fell by almost 17%, and labour costs dropped by 0.22%. The overall impact meant manufacturing firms’ costs rose by 0.63%, while service firms saw a 0.55% rise over the quarter.

“The results should come as good news to independent small shop owners. The figures are a clear sign that growth is returning to the economy. However, the predicted sharp rise in commodity prices as

we go into is likely to raise the cost of running a small shop, perhaps more than market demand,” said Mike Bowman, head of More Th>n Business. “As a result, it’s important that small shop owners manage cash flow carefully as suppliers begin to push prices up again as markets revive. Small shop owners with a heavy dependence on heating, lighting and fuel are expected to experience the sharpest rise in costs.”

“We expect small business costs to rise sharply at least until Easter, when we predict prices will reach the same level as they were before the recession,” added Stephen Roper, professor of enterprise at the Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, at Warwick Business School. “While costs are on the up, the disappearance of deflation means markets are strengthening and consumer spending is growing. This all suggests we are now beyond the crisis, but small shop owners must keep an eye on cash flow.’’

Regionally, northern England, with its heavy dependence on manufacturing, saw the biggest rise in costs across Britain, jumping 0.8%. Elsewhere, BIG recorded a rise in inflation of 0.5% in southern England, 0.5% in the Midlands and Wales and 0.5% in Scotland. Micro-firms (those with less than 10 employees) experienced price rises of around 0.6%, the same as the national average, but faired better over the year with costs down 2.6% compared to a year ago. To view the Business Inflation Guide visit www.morethanbusiness.com/BIG.

Significant moves for Sovereign Sovereign, a supplier to the food to go market, have made two significant moves for 2010 that the company feel sure will help maintain their position as one of the most well known independent national distributors in the UK. They have just completed a move to new larger premises in a move that doubles the size of their warehouse to 66,000 square feet in Dunstable from which to run their storage and logistic operation.

Sovereign have also recently appointed a new regional sales manager for the north. Mike Traynor brings with him over 20 years of experience in the food to go and packaging industry and will introduce the company to many new opportunities

in the region.

"With the combination of our new space and strengthened sales team I am more confident than ever that we have the perfect springboard in place to see significant growth for the company entering the next decade,” said Sovereign’s Barbara Feldman.

Since they were founded in the early 90’s Sovereign have always exhibited at Hotelympia and say that this year will be no exception. In conjunction with this year’s show they are launching their new catalogue in which all the latest products will be featured (see Sovereign's extensive range of food packaging on stand S2302 at Hotelympia 2010 at Excel 28 February – 4 March 2010, www.e-2go.net).

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NEWS

Starbucks serve a 100% Fairtrade certified flat white

Dalla Corte machines at climate change conference The Italian espresso machine manufacturer, Dalla Corte’s Evolution Series, was selected as the main espresso system for the UN climate change conference, COP15, that took place recently in Copenhagen.

COP15 which ran from 7-18 December 2009 selected the recently launched dc pro espresso machine for its extreme energy saving qualities with machines being installed by Dalla Corte’s Danish distributor, Kontra, in the three bars at the Bella Conference Centre for conference’s duration and according to Kontra, 3,500 shots of espresso were served every day of the conference, prepared by more than 40 baristas.

Bella Center, who hosted the event joint with the Danish Foreign Ministry and the UN, had put a strong emphasis on having high quality foods and beverages at the event in order to ensure the best possible atmosphere in which to conduct the negotiations. Due to this, Kontra was chosen to operate three coffee shops in the Lounge and walkthrough area.

Kontra also developed a special COP15 espresso blend and a COP15 Drip coffee blend which was served during the 13 day event by more than 30 baristas. The 4 Dalla Corte Evolution was installed and produced roughly 30.000 espresso based coffees. Additionally some 20,000 drip coffees were served.

Dalla Corte machines were centre stage in the cafés at the recent COP15.

Once quite a rare beverage in the UK, as of early 2010, the flat white will be widely available at Starbucks.

Starbucks report that some of their customers in the West End of London, and in particular the Soho district, had been asking for a ‘new’ drink – the flat white – and so the company decided to teach their baristas how to make it so that they could offer these customers the specific style of coffee they wanted.

They then decided to offer this latest addition to their customers not just in Soho, but throughout the UK and Ireland, with this drink being the first major addition to their UK and Ireland espresso-based drink line-up since they entered the UK market in 1998, say the company.

The Starbucks Flat White is a small strong coffee made with two shots of 100% Fairtrade certified espresso in an 8 fl oz cup topped with creamy,

steamed whole-milk. The milk is given a velvety texture by being stretched and spun, which allows the espresso shot to rise through the milk. Patterns or foam art can be made in the top of the cup with the contrasting colours of the coffee and milk. Flat whites have become increasingly popular in cities throughout the UK in recent times, although its origins are in Australia and New Zealand.

“This is much more than just a new drink for Starbucks,” said Darcy Willson-Rymer, managing director, Starbucks UK and Ireland. “It’s about us listening and responding to our customers at the same time as highlighting the superior quality of Starbucks Fairtrade espresso and the skill and artistry of our baristas. We’re proud to bring the Flat White, first and foremost, to our customers in Soho who have led the demand for this intense and creamy coffee.”

New Year offer Rombouts Coffee GB Ltd has started 2010 by offering 25% off its espresso A range of special offer es packages with appeal to all types of espresso machine packag come o als l wil s out mb outlets, whether you are in search of Ro m fro ded a stylish espresso machine for your with 48 Rombouts-bran s. cer hotel, restaurant or café, or just want cups and sau a hard-working machine able to meet the demands of your day-to-day catering service, say the firm.

A choice of three specialist packages is available, comprising a selection of some of the best known espresso equipment on the market, coupled with Rombouts’ own expert service and water treatment plan. Full barista training also included. machine and Santos 40A Silence Espresso The Premium Espresso Package includes Grinder and knockout draw. The Rombouts the La Spaziale S5 EK 2 Group Traditional Essential Espresso Package will include the Espresso machine and a Mahlkönig K30 ES Fracino Bambino 2 Group Traditional Grind-On-Demand Grinder and knockout Espresso Machine and Fracino Model T drawer. Rombouts’ Professional Espresso Espresso Grinder and knockout draw (for Package will comprise the La Spaziale more information visit Special 2 Group Traditional Espresso www.rombouts.co.uk).

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SHORTS ■ Kraft to takeover Cadbury The US food company, Kraft, is poised to takeover Cadbury after agreeing a new offer of an increased bid for its shares. Shareholders are expected to receive 10 pence per share in a deal that will offer 840 pence per share and value the company at £11.5 billion.

■ Food report slammed The government’s Food 2030 report has been slammed by campaigners for failing to tackle the unsustainable nature of our food and farming system. The report is recommending only “soft” measures (such as wasting less food), and avoids tough issues such as reducing children’s consumption of junk food by, for example, properly protecting children from junk food marketing, claim the campaigners.

■ British Pie Week is coming!

The organisers of British Pie Week (1-7 March, 2010), in association with Jus-Rol Professional, is back for its third year of festivities and calling on all pie fans and pie serving outlets to get involved by putting pies at the top of their menu this March. There is still time for chefs to enter the Face of British Pie Week competition, and Jus-Rol Professional says that it is also on the hunt for Britain’s best pub pie (visit www.britishpieweek.co.uk for more information).

■ New vending products catalogue A new 88-page Abbeychart catalogue details over 10,000 ‘big name’ vending products under six broad categories (vending components, water and soft drinks, fittings and accessories, refrigeration, hygiene and cleaning).

Abbeychart’s new ABC low-cost filters and Abbeytap faucets are also detailed, as are its refurbishment services and its E-shop for online ordering. Major manufacturers supplied include Brita, 3M, Everpure, Omnipure, Ascaso, John Guest, Bioguard and Totton Pumps.

Deli of the Year is sought Olives Et Al is launching a new competition to find The Deli of the Year 2010 and it’s not just delis that can enter, say the company.

Any shop which has the ‘deli attitude’ is invited to enter so it’s possible the winner could be a farm shop, a village store with a lively deli atmosphere, or a corner shop or café that prides itself on its deli range. The Deli of the Year Awards are being officially launched by Olives Et Al during Purple Love Week which takes place from Saturday, February 13th until Sunday 21st February.

“We are using our annual Purple Love Week to launch the Award as we feel it’s high time that there was an event that celebrated the Deli Attitude,” says Giles Henschel of Olives Et Al. “This is easily explained! You know this kind of place immediately when you walk in – it’s likely to smell of spices and roast coffee, of cheeses and garlic, of fresh bread, olives, pickles and pies.The search is on!”

The place that best captures the ‘Deli Attitude’ will be a shop that has lined its shelves and counter with food chosen with great care and

almost an obsessive determination to offer customers the very best flavours, variety and quality available, feel Olive Et Al. Plus, the shop will need to be run with enthusiasm and warmth – a place where people want to return again and again.

“This is not about the best looking or the smartest deli or farm shop – it’s about a real sense of pride in giving customers an experience, one which they will want to repeat, and above all a feeling that the food has been chosen by someone who understands food and has a great attitude to it,” adds Giles Henschel.

The competition will run until the end of June and then a panel of respected judges will shortlist and visit the finalists. The winner’s prize will be an invitation to a stunning olive growing area of Spain to take part in a very special olive harvest and to learn more about olives from the experts on the ground, there will be a feast and an opportunity for the winner to bottle their own ‘first pressing’ olive oil. To enter the Deli of the Year competition visit www.olivesetal.co.uk or call 01258 474300.

■ Type 2 diabetes risk lowered People who drink tea and coffee have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, say researchers in Archives of Internal Medicine.

Interestingly, the protection may not necessarily be down to the caffeine content as decaffeinated coffee was found to have the greatest ‘protective’ effect, say the researchers who analysed 18 separate studies involving nearly 500,000 people. Drinking three or four cups of coffee or tea a day is believed to cut the risk by a fifth or more, say the scientists.

Is your café also home to an impressive deli? If so, Olive Et Al want to hear from you.

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NEWS

Has to be

Heinz café A retro pop-up café dedicated to the serving of Heinz baked beans on toast opened in Shoreditch, east London, for four days after researchers identified baked beans to be one of the nation’s favourite comfort foods.

Inside the café, the comfort food theme was backed up with customers being served by ‘mums’ and ‘dads’ staff, and childrens’ paintings were on the wall, and all of the temporary café’s revenue (collected from charging just 50 pence per portion of baked beans on toast) are being donated to Help A London Child, “We wanted to provide a comforting taste of home,” said John Alderman, marketing manager for Heinz Beanz.

“Heinz has been fuelling the nation for generations, but this is the first time we’ve created our own café at a time and place where it’s needed most.”

Heinz baked beans on toast was the only item on the menu at the brand’s pop-up café in London recently.

The company’s research that studied over 14,000 people revealed that 80% of those employed work overtime, that overwork caused 69% to skip meal times, with 68% admitting

Scottish heat winners The Scottish Heat of the SCAE UK Barista Championship has been won by Jonathan Sharp, owner of the Kilimanjaro Coffee House in Edinburgh.

The heat was held on Tuesday 26th January at the Centre of Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow. Jonathan, a finalist in last year’s competition, impressed the judges particularly with his cappuccinos made with his single origin coffee from Gerbicho Rogicha in Sidamo Ethiopia. The espresso melted into the rich milk of the cappuccino giving it a slight marmalade flavour. He emphasised this flavour when constructing his Signature Drink which also drew the highest marks of the day from the judges. The drink was made with orange peel, cream and chocolate along with his espresso.

The runner up was Megan Barker from Artisan Roast, also in Edinburgh. Megan took the top score for her espresso which she roast herself in the cafe (Artisan roast all their coffees on site in the café). The blend was a mixture of a Brazilian Yellow Bourbon with Sumatra Mandheling. Her signature drink was a macchiato style drink adding lime zest to

her espresso, picking out the citrus notes of the Brazilian coffee, with white chocolate to emphasise the rich body of the Sumatran beans.

Edinburgh’s Jonathan Sharp, owner of the Kilimanjaro Coffee House in Edinburgh, triumphed in the Scottish heat.

to missing home comforts. Other comfort food favourites were found to be sausages and mash, tomato soup, chicken and mushroom pie and macaroni cheese.

World Barista Championships The World Barista Championships will be held this year at Olympia (23-25 June) at the Caffè Culture show (www.caffeculture.co.uk) with the very best in barista skills to be on show as finalists compete for the prestigious title.

The competition, created by the SCAE back in 2000, has now become a major event, attracting competitors from over 40 countries around the world. Each competitor in the final is a national champion, with each acting as an important role model for other baristas in their countries by inspiring them to strive for excellence.

The championship therefore not only gives recognition to the best but is a useful tool in promoting the whole concept of quality, as well as stressing the importance of quality at every stage in the marketing chain (for further information about entering, visit www.worldbaristachampionship.com).

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The Café Society Award This award will be given annually to an individual or organisation considered by the judges to have been exceptionally influential in shaping the café market in the UK. The Café Innovation Award This award aims to encourage innovation in the market, either by operators or suppliers.

The judges in this category will be looking for successful innovation that has been influential across the market.

The Café Design of the Year Award This award aims to encourage good design practices in the sector bearing in mind the importance that the atmosphere of an outlet can have on its success.

The judges in this category will be looking for good practical design that sets new standards.

New Product of the Year Award This award aims to encourage the development of products (including drinks and equipment but excluding food) for the market.

The Café Food Award This award aims to encourage the innovation and development of food products specifically for the Café Society market.

Café/Coffee Bar Chain of the Year This award aims to recognise the work being done by leading operators to set standards and drive the market in terms of innovation, standards and consumer satisfaction.

Café/Coffee Bar Independent of the Year This award aims to recognise the work being done by entrepreneurs in the industry to develop successful independent café/coffee bars.

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Awards 2010 In these challenging times, it is all too easy to let standards slip and to put innovation and creativity on a back burner - yet the long term future and integrity of the café market depends on us all maintaining the high standards and reputation that the industry has achieved to date.

The relaunch of the Café Society Awards in 2010 is intended to encourage good practice, innovation and standards by recognising those who continue to push the boundaries and lead the way in promoting all aspects of the Café Society in the UK.

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CAFÉ SOCIETY AWARDS 2010

Join us for the

The Café Society Awards 2010 Luncheon at the Blueprint Café, Shad Thames, London on Thursday 25th February When seven awards will be presented by Professor Jonathan Morris

Director of the Cappuccino Conquests research project.

Tickets

(including lunch and win e)

£130 + VAT Tables £1250 + VAT

The seven award categories are: • The Café Society Award • The Café Innovation Award • The Café Design of the Year Award • The Café Food Award • New Product of the Year Award • Café/Coffee Bar Chain of the Year • Café/Coffee Bar Independent of the Year

BOOKING FORM I would like to book ..................places/tables at The Café Society Annual Awards Luncheon at the Blueprint Café on Thursday 25th February 2010 at a cost of £130 + VAT per person (£1250 + VAT for a table of 10) including luncheon and wine. All bookings must be accompanied by the appropriate remittance. Cheques can be made out The Café Society. For Credit Card payments please complete the form below. No refunds can be made if cancellations are made within 20 days of the event and any cancellations before this time will be subject to a 25% cancellation charge.

Contact Name: ............................................................................................................................................................................................

Business Name:..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Address: :.................................................................................................................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................Post Code: .......................................................

Tel. No. : .........................................................................................Email: : ................................................................................................

Credit Card Payments: Type of card (Visa/Mastercard) ..................................................................................................................................................................

Card Number: .............................................................................................................................................................................................

Security code (last 3 digits on back of card)............................................................Expiry date ………………………………………………………………

Name on card: ............................................................................................................................................................................................

Signed by:...............................................................................................................................................Date:...........................................

Please send to: Pam Sainsbury, The Café Society, Association House, 18c Street Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB. Fax 01291 630402

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Whether you are new to the coffee and food-to-go markets and looking for inspiration, or you already have an offer, but want to improve it, then Cafe+ @CRS (the Convenience Retailing Show), now in its second year, will be the first major coffee sector focused exhibition of 2010 to visit (NEC, Birmingham, 21-24 March 2010).

Comprehensive Café+ and Café+Live are co-located with no fewer than seven other exhibitions: Food & Drink Expo, Foodex, Baking Industry Exhibition, Convenience Retailing Show, International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment Show, Off Licence Show and the brand new Food & Drink Logistics Show, giving visitors a comprehensive overview of the food & drink supply chain.

Big name suppliers will be on hand to talk about how they can help convenience store and café owners make their operations more profitable, say the show’s organisers and visitors will get to see the latest products and equipment and also be able to take advantage of some exclusive show deals. Café Society, Coffee Nation, Coffee Treats, Simply Coffee and Tchibo will all be in attendance.

Café+ Live In addition, there will be the Café+ Live area where visitors will be able to hear first hand some of the big success stories in the foodto-go and coffee arena.

“Café+Live 2010 really does have something for everyone – whether you are just starting out in food- and drink-to-go or

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CAFÉ CULTURE

whether you want to enhance your existing offer. And the best thing about all this – in these straightened times – is that it’s all free,” says the show’s director, Matthew Butler.

“We’ve lined up some of the biggest names in the market – people like Costa and Pret – to share their expertise with retailers and coffee shop operators. We guarantee that visitors will walk away armed with information and tips on how to make their offer more profitable and how to make it more relevant to today’s demanding consumers.”

Sunday, March 21 The theme for Café+ Live is Coffee from Convenience to Café. This kicks off with market research company Him! talking about the branded versus unbranded offer, plus its Top 10 list of do’s and don’ts. The coffee firm, Melitta, will then talk about the bean-to-cup solution, followed by Café Torelli sharing its barista solution.

Other presentations of note include one from Technical Foodservices on the all-important issue of health and safety plus The London Tea Company

getting retailers and café owners to think about their tea offer.

One presentation that should not be missed is from New Zealander Matthew Clark, one-half of the team behind the Sacred café chain. With its top-notch locations, Sacred really is a success story and retailers, and coffee shop owners can hear that story from the horse’s mouth at Café+Live.

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FEATURE

EXHIBITOR LIST

Jersey Dairy says that it will be proud to present its award-winning range at Food & Drink Expo (Jersey Dairy Luxury Ice Cream, Soft Mix Ice Creams, cheese, butters, Luxury Yogurts, creams and crème fraiche).

Café+ Live’s first day will wrap up with a presentation from Foods for Life and a lively panel debate on ‘coffee and customers’.

Monday, March 22 This will be no less an eventful day, but this time focuses on sandwiches. Research company Him! will once again set the scene with a look at the sandwich market and buying behaviour. Then supplier Greencore will look at solutions for small and medium stores. There’ll be another talk on health and safety plus a panel debate on sales and profitability.

Cuisine de France will look at the latest baked goods, Market Fresh will discuss ‘fresh ideas for food on the move’, and Electrolux will cover equipment and the day’s programme will finish with a presentation from top high street chain Pret a Manger on delivering the perfect fresh sandwich offer.

Tuesday March 23 Tuesday will cover product ranges and daypart planning. Him! will once again share its research while AlproSoya will look at the role of soya milk in hot beverages. Costa will then look at the growing breakfast occasion and share tips on driving innovation and raising standards.

After lunch, a manager from Cilantro will share their success story; Nestlé will advise visitors on how to improve their impulse snack offer; and Love Smoothies will look at the best way to deliver these healthy treats.

Wednesday March 24 At the time of going to press, the programme for the final day has not quite been finalised but will include an enlightening presentation from Jill Willis from Taste UK on how to make the most of being an independent operator.

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

3 Rock C280 5 Hour Energy C279 Advertabox Ltd D304 AHT Cooling Systems G270 Alpine Refrigeration D270 Angelo Costa International Ltd H261 Arla Foods UK H281 Association of Convenience Stores D298 Bargain Booze Ltd E280 Bobby's Foods Plc G311 Bonds Confectionery Ltd C303 Boost Drinks Ltd F309 Box Technologies E270 Bradley McGurk H291 Broadland Wineries E321E Buzz Sweets F298 Caffe Society H299 Cakes for the Connoisseur H310 California Air Freshener Co G300 Capital Cooling H280 Cardgroup Greetings Ltd D300 Carrs Food International Ltd H287 Cash Bases F271 Cathedral Products UK Ltd A273 CBE Software Ltd G290 ChoicesUK E303

Christie + Co E299 Coffee Nation G288 Coffee Treats H309 Coldco Refrigeration Ltd D279 Confex Ltd G310 Convenience Store E290 Costco Wholesale Ltd H289 Crunk Energy Drink B274A CumminsAllison Ltd D296 D & D Bevco F283 DCI Marketing Europe/ Commercial Zone Products C270 Diageo GB E321F Drinkmaster Ltd B270 Drinks & Food E321D E Jordon (Refrigeration) Ltd E278 Easi-Pac J258 Easy-Fill Ltd A279 epay H274 Euro Wholesale Ltd E309 Federation of Wholesale Distributors E297 Future Products A277 Gamucci Ltd E311A Garland Coupon Services D302 Gawith Hoggarth C298 Ginsters J278 Global Brands Ltd F313

Global Trading UK Ltd F293 H Weston and Sons Ltd E321G H.C. Slingsby F291 Hamelins Paper Brands C291 Hell Energy UK Ltd B280 Highgate & Davenports Brewery F314 Hovis Bakeries C281 illoom Balloons Limited G296 Isklar E318 J&J Confectionery Ltd G312 Landmark Wholesale Ltd F281 Let's Pizza D288 Licensing Matters Ltd F316 Loomis Group UK H260 LP Marketing E302 Magic Carbon UK Ltd B278 Malibu Corporation Ltd H279 Marsan D280 Mil-tek (GB) Ltd J248 Mobberley Eggs Ltd H285 Money Transfer International (UK) Ltd F295 Musgrave Retail Partners GB F279 Mykal Industries Limited C300 Nabco Group B279 Nacarat Ltd F303

Navarra Retail Systems F290 Nicocig F315 North Star Promotions C288 Note Machine D273 OCB Papers (UK) Ltd C299 Off Licence Live F310 Off Licence News E308 Omnicash/ Omniplus Ltd A271 OzMo Entertainment Group F299 Parkgate Sports G318 Pataks H290 PK Cell UK Ltd B272 PLD Services Ltd E291 Plex Displays Ltd H318 Pork Farms F289 Poundzone H278 Promo Branding Ltd H320 Pussy Drinks Limited E311 Raa (UK) Limited E305 Ralawise Limited H267 Recruit Retail Services Plc G279 Reposs Ltd E301 Richard Bear UK Ltd F273 RIPS International Ltd G319 Robert Wiseman Dairies D301 S & R Tradelink Ltd F300

Scan Coin B271 Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK Ltd D290 Screenprint Doncaster Limited G280 SCT Ltd B274 Simply Coffee H251 Surecam Ltd G302 Take More Make More E279 Tchibo Coffee International H271 The Cleaning Consultancy J280 The Original Poster Company C301 The Retail Data Partnership D303 Torex F270 UK Security Company H269 Unilever UK H250 Upsilon Ltd G298 Varta Consumer Batteries F280 Viva Beverages D281 Voltz Distribution UK Ltd B278A Walkers Snacks Ltd H300 Warburtons Limited E281 Whyte and Mackay Ltd E300 Williams Refrigeration/ Falcon Foodservice Equipment F285 Y P Electronics Ltd H259 Yaleriver Ltd F301

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 13

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TEA

Tea tips

■ Café du Monde’s one person ceramic teapot with strainer.

With lattes, cappuccinos and smoothies having been such runaway successes in British café culture over the past decade, you could be forgiven for thinking that some beverage suppliers might not be paying as close attention to their tea offering as perhaps they should. Not so, as the tea information and serving tips advice provided here by several suppliers confirms.

Tea too Café du Monde, for instance, has been established in the beverage service industry for 20 years, having first started out supplying cafetière systems and quickly expanding into a broad range of alternative beverage systems including traditional espresso machines, bean-to-cup, bulk brew systems and bedroom beverage service products. The company’s tea partner is Newby Teas, and they distribute a broad range of teas, teabags, speciality teas, fruit teas and green teas under the respected Newby name.

“Along with coffee, tea probably makes the greatest gross margin of any product on the menu, certainly in percentage terms. The cost of ingredients is generally less than 10 pence per pot, which should then retail for a minimum of £1.80,” says Café du Monde’s sales director, Mike Osborne who feels that the obvious answer to promoting teas is to offer a selection of tea types. Some establishments do, in fact, construct a full tea menu, but for many businesses, it is more manageable to focus on offering a selection of five or six different teas, he advises.

“This should include English Breakfast and Earl Grey. Then why not add herbal and fruit teas which are selling well at the moment. Popular choices from amongst the Newby Tea range, for whom we are the preferred distributor in this sector, are Camomile which is reputed to promote restful sleep, Peppermint which many feel aids digestion, and Berry - good as a tonic.

Also selling well are green teas for their antioxidant properties and the champagne of teas, Darjeeling,” he reveals.

It is also increasingly important for altruistic and commercial reasons to add one or more fair trade teas, feel Café du Monde. Although the fundamental reasons for fair trade tea are the same as coffee, it does not seem to have caught the public’s imagination in quite the same way as fair trade coffee, and because of the narrow range of teas that have so far been certified, it would be difficult to construct a menu made up exclusively of fair trade teas.

However, feels Mike Osborne, there are other ethically traded teas to choose from.

“Newby Teas, for example, is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) which has recently announced a major collaboration with the international conservation organisation, Rainforest Alliance, that will further their vision of an industry-wide commitment to sustainable ■ The Newby range and right, Newby’s strawberry and mango tea.

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CAFÉ CULTURE

agriculture,” explains Mike Osborne. “The move will streamline the Rainforest Alliance certification process and complement the monitoring work the ETP undertakes against its own standard. It will see many tea producers make the necessary improvements to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification, thus helping brands meet consumer demand for certified products.”

Tea, agree many of the sector’s suppliers, can also be used to promote the sale of other lines. The introduction of an afternoon tea to a café’s menu automatically promotes the sale of cakes, scones and savoury accompaniments. It is also possible to consider food pairings and make suggestions to that effect on the menu, just as you might do with wine. For example, suggest Café du Monde, Lapsang Souchong goes very well with smoked salmon, whereas Darjeeling pairs nicely with scones and cream teas.

“Everyone talks about the ‘theatre’ of coffee making and with the hiss and puff of a traditional espresso machine, that is certainly true, but what about the largely forgotten ceremony of tea making?” reminds Mike Osborne. “If you pay a bit of attention to the presentation of your tea, you are likely to be able to premium price it. There are very few outlets who can get away with dunking a teabag into a mug these days.

And certainly don’t put milk in first with the teabag, it will never infuse properly!

“So why not use fresh leaf tea and serve in a proper china tea cup? instead

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TEA

of a coffee cup? The delicacy of china complements the taste of tea and adds a certain style to proceedings. For preference, serve leaf tea rather than bags and provide a tea strainer and a pot of hot water to refresh the brew for a second cup. Always, always add fresh milk served in a jug. It is taboo to offer milk in a jigger, even if it’s not UHT. There is a false perception that leaf tea is more expensive than teabags. In fact, they cost about the same. If anything, leaf tea is generally cheaper. Also, do serve tea in a ceramic teapot. It looks and tastes so much better than stainless steel. Yes, stainless is convenient, but the lids seldom fit, and the metal is only stainless as far as rust is concerned, and it seems to be a magnet for tea tannin stains!” concludes Mike Osborne.

Getting it right Making a good cup of tea is relatively simple, but many people get it wrong, tea is such a personal drink and is easily ruined by tea being left to brew for too long or too little, equally by adding too much milk.

Without exception it is essential to serve tea so that the customer has full control over the brewing process and can add milk and sugar to taste. Everyone has their own idea of the perfect cup, so giving the customer control over making the tea is paramount and will help you create a top tea service.

“Ensure you have the right brewing temperature for your tea, 95-98 oc for your mainstream and speciality teas and 70-75 oc for green teas. Too hot and you will damage

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

the leaves which will make the tea taste bitter!” says Andrea Stopher, senior customer marketing manager – foodservice, Twinings.

“Always serve milk or lemon and sugar separately so your customer can add to taste – everyone has a different idea of what makes the perfect cup of tea. Style and theatre also add to the ‘experience’ of a premium tea service by improving the quality of presentation. Ensure that your teas are served to reflect their special status and price, by serving in clean, stylish crockery.

This is essential for premium, speciality and loose teas.”

Speciality teas are often compared to fine wines, so outlets need ensure that their staff understand the individual tastes and flavours that speciality teas offer, enabling them to make recommendations and to serve them correctly, point out Twinings, who are also encouraging cafés to create the ultimate tea experience by offering a range of loose teas, thereby reviving the ceremony and tradition of tea, and making your customer’s tea experience one they can’t recreate at home.

When it comes to brewing teas the temperature of your water varies from tea to tea, say Twinings. For more delicate teas such as green tea, boiling water is too harsh on the leaf and brings out the bitter tannin taste rather than the soft, sweeter character of the leaf. Ideally café operators need to have two stills set at different temperatures one at 95-98oc for their mainstream and speciality teas and the other at 70-75oc for Green teas. If you have the time, staff training is essential to understand the teas and experience the difference between the two brewing temperatures, for example if brewing a Twinings Pure Green tea at 90oc and another at 7ooc – you will quickly understand the difference in taste and therefore the difference in taste experience for your customers. If there is only one still set at boiling, then Twinings recommend that staff are trained to allow water to cool before pouring onto the leaf - a thermometer is an essential piece of catering equipment!

After carefully brewing the tea it is the finishing touches that make tea such an experience, such as the stylish crockery, the milk jugs, the slices of lemon and the food accompaniments.

Consumers in general are becoming more discerning and are looking for different kinds of teas, expanding their repertoire

as they become more adventurous in their tastes. By offering a menu pairing different teas with food, caterers can create an experience on a par with food and wine pairing, encouraging customers to trade up to a meal or snack with their tea and appreciate the tea with food that will complement it.

Visitors to www.twiningsfs.co.uk can tap into Twinings’ expertise with the Out of Home Advice section where there are hints and tips on how to drive profits, choose a core range for your business, deliver the perfect out of home experience, as well as promote your hot beverages through stylish point of sale and merchandise.

Consumer requirements Although there are many ways for cafés to make the most of tea on a drinks menu, outlets really need to know what consumers are after, assert Country Range who have recently launched a foodservice brand of Rainforest Alliance tea.

“The taste is obviously key to success, but there are other things brewing in customers’ minds. Fair trade, for example,” says Martin Ward, Country Range brand manager. “Consumers would like to see more ethically sourced teas on menus. In fact, 34% of customers are looking for this option in cafés, restaurants and pubs, 25% while travelling and 23% when they are staying in a hotel according to Mintel’s Tea and Herbal Tea (February 2009) report.

“While you might think thast the recession would have stopped people from buying fair trade, this is not the case, with Allegra’s recent Eating Out Review showing that an estimated quarter of British consumers were purchasing fair trade in January 2009. On top of this, 92% of consumers are willing to pay more for a product perceived to be ethical, according to Feel Research’s 2008 analysis. Tea is very much part of this debate, and in comparison with coffee, tea is also in a favourable position to gain from the growing consumer concern regarding the harmful effects of a

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 15

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TEA high caffeine intake,” adds Martin Ward.

“Why not then promote the proven health benefits of tea to consumers? Tea is proven to rehydrate the body and contains theanine, helping the mind to focus, making it the perfect early morning drink following a night’s sleep. A common misconception amongst consumers is that a cup of coffee will wake them up for the day, but too much caffeine can have a negative effect on the body. A cup of tea typically contains 50% less caffeine than coffee so it is a gentler alternative for first thing.

To better compete with coffee, tea would benefit from the revival of a tea drinking ritual, Martin Ward also feels. “Turning tea drinking into an ‘experience’ in the style of on-trade coffee could help revive the old appreciation of taking one’s time to brew a pot of tea. Why not try to recreate the experience of sitting down in a soft leather sofa for a latte or a cappuccino in a trendily decorated coffee house with a relaxing atmosphere, wi-fi and free newspapers?” he suggests.

“Point of sale front of house such as branded tent cards, tags on teabags etc are also important for consumers to know what they are drinking, and if you can provide literature to raise awareness of the benefits of ethically sourced products, even better.”

To cater to consumer demand for ethically sourced products, Country Range launched its 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ tea, and source it from one of the world’s first Rainforest Alliance Certified™ tea estates, thus enabling them to offer a premium blend of Kenyan tea with the assurance that it comes 100% from sustainably managed farms. Needless to say, this also provides an enhanced margin opportunity for caterers, with, as we have

READER OFFER! To celebrate the launch of its new tea, Country Range is giving one reader the opportunity to receive £50 of gift vouchers to indulge in ‘all things tea’ at www.cupoftea.uk.com. For the chance to win, email countryrange@foodservicemarketing.co.uk quoting “Café Culture” and “CRG cup of tea” in the subject line (for more information on Country Range, visit www.countryrange.co.uk).

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already heard, consumers being willing to pay more for a product that is perceived to be ethical.

To earn the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal of approval, farms must meet comprehensive standards that help farmers learn and apply more sustainable farming practices, ensuring workers are treated with respect and the environment is protected. So to enable caterers to communicate they are serving a 100% ethically sourced product, this new tea is supported by attractive table talkers and other point of sale materials. It is currently available in cases of 2 x 1100 teabags and also in boxes of 250 attractively wrapped individual string tag teabags, designed for placing front of house.

“The beginning of the year is also traditionally the time when your customers will embark on fresh health regimes, start New Year resolutions, and generally think more about what they are eating and drinking. For the caterer this brings with it many opportunities, not least within the beverage arena,” reminds Peter Haigh, brand development manager, Tetley GB (www.tetleyforcaterers.co.uk).

To gear up for this health-related purchasing, Tetley suggest making sure that you have a full range of teas on offer to give your customers the choice and variety that they will be looking for. Decaf tea, for example, is already in over 10% of households, but only limited venues out of home tend to stock it, so stocking it can put you a step ahead of the competition.

■ Decaf tea is not as widely available out of home as outlets might think, so is worth stocking, say Tetley.

Likewise with Redbush - the fastest growing speciality tea, naturally caffeine free, as hydrating as water and rich in antioxidants.

“Green teas too are increasing their share of the market and Tetley’s Green Tea with Lemon is the best selling flavoured variety and is a light and refreshing introduction to the category, with broad consumer appeal,” says Peter Haigh. “Once you have got the tea in stock, make sure that you tell your customers about it. Tetley has a full range of point of sale items, many of which are available free and will help to encourage trial. It is well known that customers are more likely to experiment with different blends when out of home, and so letting your customers know you have a new and exciting range of teas could be the difference between getting that extra sale.”

A sales booster for many outlets is offering a dedicated takeaway tea service, Tetley having developed a convenient On The Go solution to make offering this service one simple process. The Tetley On The Go case contains 300 Tetley Drawstring tea bags, accompanied by 300 Tetley branded double wall cups and non-spill ‘sip lids’ – all in one easy to store and easy to use package. All the operator has to do is add the milk and water. Having recently sold over two million cups in 2009, the On The Go Case is obviously already proving to be a popular solution with caterers throughout the UK.

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T E A S O F O U T S T A N D I N G Q U A L I T Y. D E D I C A T E D T O T A S T E .

UK Distributor · www.theancillariesstore.co.uk · UCD Ltd, Unit 1 Sheerland Farm · Pluckley, Kent TN27 0PN · Tel; 01233840296 email; sales@ucd.uk.com

Quality Mugs personalised with your brand.

Just arrived in stock the Ceramic Coffeeto-go mug! A great way to cut down the daily use of paper & plastic cups!

Also new in - The Diner Mug - a great retro looking earthenware mug.

Large choice of cups, mugs and tableware - we also offer complimentary products like textiles and confectionery.

The Mugstore, Centurion House, Centurion Way, Farington, Preston PR25 3GR Phone: 0845 481 8092 | Fax: 0845 481 8099 | Email: sales@mugstore.co.uk

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TEA Guide to World Teas If you are struggling to just get to grips with even some of the basics of different types of tea, they you might be interested to learn that towards the end of last year Lincat produced a brief, six-page Guide to World Teas which contains brewing tips and tasting notes for some of the world’s greatest tea varieties, together with details of a tea which sells for over £100 per pot!

Designed to help caterers to look again at their menus, the guide offers practical advice on how to boost sales of hot beverages and increase profit margins.

Developed in consultation with Ben Poole, of Imperial Teas, Lincoln, it was also published to mark the launch of Lincat’s innovative range of FilterFlow automatic water boilers, with built-in water filtration and the Guide to World Teas is available as a free download from Lincat’s FilterFlow web site (www.filterflow.co.uk).

“The message of Lincat’s Guide to World Teas is clear. Great tasting tea can be sold at a premium and a good hot drinks offer will drive food sales,” says Nick McDonald, marketing director of Lincat Ltd. “It’s clear too that the most important ingredient for a really good cup of tea is freshly filtered water, which is free from taint and odour and brewed at the correct temperature. Our FilterFlow water boilers, with in-built water filtration and adjustable temperature control, deliver just that.

“FilterFlow’s in-built filtration system prevents damaging scale build up which can seriously compromise performance of over time. With a conventional boiler it is necessary to plumb a separate filter upstream of the unit. However this can be unattractive and it certainly adds to the cost.

So by eliminating the need for a separate filtration unit, our new FilterFlow system is also convenient, reliable and cost effective.”

There are four FilterFlow models in Lincat’s range, each featuring comprehensive onboard diagnostics with an easy to read LCD panel which shows the operational status of the boiler and reminds users when to order a new filter and when exactly to change it. The filter cartridge

is as easy to change as a light bulb, say Lincat, with no need to disconnect the water supply, or seek the help of a service engineer or plumber (www.lincat.co.uk).

Teas with a difference Outlets on the look-out for teas with a difference should have no problem in sourcing something to suit. As well as buying from foodservice suppliers, it is, of course, also possible to source some very distinctive teas with consumer appeal from retail outlets too.

UCD have announced the launch of TE – Teahouse Exclusives (www.theancillariesstore.co.uk) - and say that it is an exciting time to be launching these teas in the UK and full of possibilities.

TE say that they are aiming to stand for exquisite quality and delightful taste creations by offering tea specialities and presentation that will fascinate tea drinkers, from the noble Darjeeling with its finely mellow taste, to the various dry-spicy Ceylon harvests and extraordinary compositions of camomile, fruit, herb and blossoms with mild fruity aromas.

The TE Luxury teabags are also manufactured from a composite fleece fabric which is extracted from corn flour. Being biodegradable – right up to the hand-woven cords which are made from pure cotton – the teabags are especially environmentallyfriendly. A powerfully-diffusing style bag, it lets the loose tea have room to unfold, enabling it to impart a strong flavour in glasses and pots of up to 400ml, say UCD, and the different Teahouse Exclusive tea varieties, flowers are often added to the rough-cut tea, giving colour and offering an unusual feast for the eyes. One magical TE arrangement, for example, is the “Passion” variety, which fascinates with a touch of soft green tea, flavoursome fruits and fragrant lilac and pink-coloured blossoms.

For St Valentine's Day this year, Bellevue tea will send a tea gift to your Valentine for only £2, and all you need to do is give them

the name and UK address of the lucky lady or gentleman and they will, in turn, send them a tea wallet – anonymously, or together with a personal message - mailed in a red envelope to arrive in time for Sunday 14th February, and in the spirit of spreading friendship and romance amongst tea lovers everywhere, Bellevue tea (www.bellevue-tea.co.uk) say that they will be running this offer during the first 14 days of February.

“Giving tea is a thoughtful gesture - it's like handing someone a tea break and a peaceful pause perhaps to contemplate the sender,” says Clare Jones, founder of Bellevue tea. “I'm happy to say that our blends are enjoyed by the most discerning tea drinkers and this Valentine's Day we want to spread the Bellevue tea love-bug around.”

Bellevue tea launched in 2008 when Clare Jones (wife of a lifelong tea trader) saw the need for a convenient and high quality tea, for what she described as “every-day drinking”. Using their years of experience they decided to source some of the best teas and present them in the string and tag format to ensure a great tasting, good quality cup of tea every time. Bellevue tea is already stocked by Harrods and independent outlets up and down the UK, and is also available to buy on-line. Its range features five distinctive, premium brews, carefully sourced from Sri Lanka, Kenya and South Africa – Earl Grey, Breakfast, rooibos, Ceylon and sencha.

This winter, Make Us A Brew will be encouraging male tea drinkers to dabble with something a little different via their latest Organic Mint & Chilli tea that is, they say “geared at blokes who like a genuine hot beverage hit at whatever time of the day it’s required”. Make Us A Brew relies on the taste buds of DJ/cartoonist Mr Scruff whose aim it to make memorable flavours that really ‘hit the spot’, and as such are not weak, or insipid in flavour in any way, claim the company. Could this be a tea that delivers full-bodied zing?

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Tea quality Derek Horton is the senior tea buyer and blender responsible for creating the Country Range blend and has 32 years’ experience in the industry. His job sees him travelling all over the world to tea estates in China, Kenya, Sri Lanka and India, and he says that the advent of the Rainforest Alliance10 has made his work even more rewarding.

“I stumbled into this job by accident really,” he explains. “I started off as a ‘batch boy’ making tea for the bosses to taste. I learnt on the job and, when my bosses retired, I took over from them. It’s quite a specialist job and it takes a long time to accumulate the knowledge.”

In his office, Derek Horton reports that he tastes some 500 and 800 cups of tea every day. “It’s a bit like winetasting, we sip and spit,” he says. “We are sent samples and we taste and value the tea, then buy what we want at auction. People don’t realise that each blend is unique, and that we blend between 20 and 25 different teas together.

Each time the blend has different components. After all, tea is grown and is affected by things such as

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weather, but the end result has to be the same. Our job is to match different teas to get the same colour and flavour profile.

“So we are constantly looking at weather patterns; if there’s a lot of rain there will be more crop, but the quality will go down. Every seven days, the top two leaves are plucked. You can go to the same estate and each week the tea might taste different to the last because it is a natural product. There are subtle differences which are affected by climate.”

Water quality How important is water quality to a good cuppa?

Extremely, according to Derek Horton.

“As a cup of tea comprises over 99% water, it makes the quality of the water critical to the flavour of the tea,” he cautions. “The best water for making a cup of tea is low in mineral content, free of contamination and additives and high in oxygen content.

The presence of these factors can all influence the taste of tea, so a good test is to try the water before you use it to make your brew. If the water tastes good, it's safe to use. If the water is tainted in any way, best not to use it.

“Many tap water suppliers use chlorine to kill bacteria.

So, although your tea will be bacteria free, the presence of chlorine can adversely affect the quality of the infusion.

Chlorine combined with mineral and chemical deposits can also significantly affect a tea drinker’s health. It's always best to remove chlorine and other chemicals as well as sediment from the water you are planning to use.

If you are really serious about making a perfect cup of tea, you can check with your local

water supplier to find out what your water contains. This is called a local water quality analysis.”

As might be expected, Derek Horton strongly advises against reusing water in your kettle that has already been pre-boiled – this is not a good idea if you are after the perfect cup of tea.

“Most experts agree that you should never re-boil previously boiled water, or boil the water for too long,” he says. “As water boils, oxygen is driven out and the more it boils, the less oxygen stays in the water. Water that has already been boiled - like the water that usually sits in your kettle - contains much less oxygen than fresh water. Tea made with water that has depleted oxygen content loses its crisp, fresh taste.”

What about water temperature?

“There’s quite a lot of snobbery about tea,” says Derek Horton. “I know people who wouldn’t touch a teabag.

But, whether you use teabags, or loose tea, the key is to use fresh boiling water. If it has already boiled, the oxygen has gone, taking the top notes and colour of the tea off.

“Oxygen plays an important role in making a cup of tea because it helps to release the best flavours of tea. The essential oils in black tea that are responsible for much of the taste will only be released in boiling water. But, if the water is boiled for too long and the oxygen content is depleted, the result is that the essential oils cannot bind to the water molecules,” he explains.

Derek Horton tea tasting.

“Therefore, it is essential to get the best balance between heat and oxygen for a delicious cuppa. Aeration is particularly important when brewing fine teas. It is very easy to over boil water if you are using an electric kettle. If you are using fine or rare teas, it is worth investing in a traditional kettle, the only sure way to observe and control boiling of water. Also, never use water from the hot tap as this will already be low in oxygen.”

So, what’s the secret behind making a great cup of tea?

“There are a number of other factors (aside from water) that will affect the taste of your tea,” says Derek Horton.

“These include water temperature, the mineral content of the water used and the presence of sufficient oxygen in the water. How I make my perfect cuppa is by brewing according to taste. I brew for six minutes, then I add the milk because I like to see the colour of the tea first.”

And what makes the perfect blend?

“There is no right and wrong,” admits Derek. “Everyone has their own personal tastes and preferences. I make up my own little unique blend to drink at home.”

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 19

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COFFEE MACHINES

Coffee

made easy

Haven’t got the time to become a highly skilled barista? Got a café that’s about to open at any moment, but still no coffee machine to practice on? Suffering from a high staff turnover when it comes to keeping hold of your outlet’s barista skills?

Any one of these reasons, plus a whole host of others, could be why you need to make your coffee making as easy as possible! Here, we learn more about some coffee machines and their bolt-on additions that are helping to keep things simple.

Problems solved “We recognise that while the craft of producing quality coffee is an art form, there are parts of the sector where extensive training isn’t an option,” says John Cook, sales director for Fracino. “To remedy this, we have ensured that our product range caters for both ends of the market while always guaranteeing quality manufacturing, innovation and design.”

Fracino is the UK’s only manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines with a ■ The thermosyphonic brew block heating system in Fracino’s Cybercino ensures a stable temperature without the need for thermostats or cartridge heaters.

portfolio that includes traditional machines, bean-to-cup, roasters and grinders. The Birmingham-based company combines its award winning innovation with ease of use and has created a series of machines suitable for all coffee baristas regardless of their expertise, it says, including the Romano and Cybercino.

The traditional Romano machine is available with either two steam arms or the innovative fast froth system which simplifies the foaming and frothing of the milk. Replacing one of the steam arms, the system makes the preparation of milk as simple as pushing two buttons, say Fracino. The first selects whether the milk should be foamed or frothed, while the second button starts the process. Thus, this simple system can remove the labour element and promote consistency.

Taking ease of use to another level, while maintaining a quality crema, the Cybercino is a bean-to-cup machine that, once again, makes producing traditional coffee as easy as pushing a button, point out Fracino. For one thing, the Cybercino’s solid brass, thermosyphonic brew block heating system ensures a stable temperature without the need for thermostats or cartridge heaters, and pre-infusion satisfies the hardened coffee connoisseur by extracting coffee in the same way as traditional espresso

■ Inside Dalla Corte espresso machines are various features to help make the user’s life that bit easier. but exceptionally quickly and with great ease of use, claim the company.

Other features include an LCD display showing management information through its push-button automation, making it suitable for busy working environments.

The milk tube also features a pinch valve so that milk is immediately available for each new drink and ensures that the same amount of frothed or foamed milk is added to each coffee.

David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s Coffee agrees, that not all in the coffee sector have the necessary skill, or time, to become as proficient as they might wish when it comes to espresso machines. However, Dalla Corte, he says, have devised several features and options of note to make an apparently highly sophisticated espresso machine do much

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■ The B&W Cool is a bean-to-cup machine with touch screen control. of the thinking for the user.

For example, the latest Dalla Corte Evolution Series monitors 100% of all electronic parameters resulting in optimum extraction and taste. Whereas before input was required from baristas to control the machine and set the parameters, the Evolution now does the hard work, say Cooper’s, leaving the operator free to concentrate on serving customers.

“Temperature fluctuations within the group head often cause bitter tasting coffee, but Dalla Corte machines control the temperature of an individual group head by one-tenth of a degree – the machine is so precise that every single brewing unit can be assigned a separate brew temperature, thus preventing temperature fluctuations and burnt coffee,” says David Cooper on the topic of the machine’s Direct Temperature Control System (DTCS).

“The parameters of each separate brewing unit can also be set and run independently from one another. This is extremely advantageous during quieter times as any of the brewing units can be switched off to minimise power consumption. In the case of failure of one unit, it also means that the machine can continue to operate without any constraints.”

An Online Control System (electronic monitoring) has also led the way for ease of use with these machines. By using a computer with an Internet connection, coffee shops can now control every parameter of the machine through its OCS (Online Control System), meaning that product quality and real-time performance data can be monitored and adjusted remotely from anywhere in the world. This technology reduces maintenance costs and puts an end to the long service downtimes; a common complaint with traditional espresso machines for busy outlets. On a Dalla Corte, all tasks can be completed in 30 minutes or less and even the main boiler can be changed while still serving coffee. A world first, claims David Cooper.

“If the water in the boiler is not emptied and refreshed regularly, it will compromise the quality of Americanos and tea, but many outlets either forget to do this task or simply do not have the time,” he adds. “The Dalla Corte does the job for you, automatically emptying and refreshing the contents of the boiler daily if required, ensuring that water freshness

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is maximized.”

Setting the grinder has long been a key problem for baristas and incorrectly set grinders are often the cause for poor quality espressos, say Cooper’s.

Most grinders will need adjusting throughout the course of the day and the person responsible will need to take into consideration variables such as extraction time, freshness, moisture and humidity.

However, this is often difficult to assess for inexperienced baristas. To overcome this, Dalla Corte has created an electronic control link between the espresso machine and grinder, report Cooper’s.

“The espresso machine measures the timing of every five shots pulled and, if the average extraction time varies from the required time set, the grinder will automatically adjust the grinder burrs to compensate,” explains David Cooper.

“Such control ensures a consistent quality and coffee standard, taking away the worry for independent coffee shops and larger brands who find it hard to control their grinder standards perfectly. Another common problem for baristas is overheating the milk which results in loss of flavour. Dalla Corte has solved this automatically controlling milk texturing to an accuracy of one degree centigrade so that an operator can have almost total automation. The steam will turn off automatically at a set temperature – for example, 65oc - preventing over-heating.”

“Consistency is crucial to any operator, whether it’s an independent or part of a group. The Black&White Cool is the new addition to our Black&White range and offers operators practical, high performance automatic bean-to-cup equipment by providing operators with large volumes of consistent barista-quality coffee at the touch of a button,” says

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COFFEE MACHINES

■ The OptiFresh Bean machine.

Elaine Higginson, managing director of First Choice Coffee.

First Choice Coffee says it launched the unique Black&White Cool bean-to-cup machine to the market after in-depth research into operators’ needs and substantial investment into new technology. The machine operates from cold milk, providing operators with baristaquality textured, rich, creamy foam at the touch of a button.

Touch screen control operates in realtime with ‘smart’ buttons to provide information to operators as it is needed.

The monitor can also be tailored to display branding specific to the site and there is an opportunity to extend the beverages menu as cold milk is dispensed for speciality coffees and chilled summer drinks that can be flavoured with syrups.

Other ‘ease of operation’ features include efficient energy use, an automatic cleaning function for hassle-free maintenance, a compact design (35cm wide) and a modular design making service easy.

“The Black&White Cool provides operators with a reliable, high performance bean-to-cup machine that is easy to use and produces premium coffee based on authentic espresso-based recipes, without the need for a barista.

Free training for all operational staff is supplied with the machine, so that there is no requirement for specialist staff to serve coffee,” adds Elaine Higginson.

“The touch screen display provides operator prompts, enhancing functionality and ease of use. This makes it simple to ensure consistency in the cup across

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outlets. We have already received excellent feedback from customers who realise the commercial benefits associated with the drink quality that the machine produces. McDonald’s, for example, has just launched the Black & White Cool.”

Also new to the market is The OptiFresh Bean - the latest vending machine in the wide range of Animo coffee equipment, allowing users to make a high quality cup of fresh coffee at the touch of a button.

The OptiFresh coffee machine grinds the coffee beans freshly per consumption and the brewing unit uses a permanent filter instead of a paper filter. This means that no disposable filter roll is necessary, making frequent changing of the filter paper and waste removal unnecessary. The permanent filter can be removed and cleaned easily.

In addition to ‘regular’ coffee, the OptiFresh Bean also offers a wide range of coffee varieties. The OptiFresh Bean can quickly serve a delicious cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and also Wiener Melange or coffee chocolate. Available in four models, it has up to four canisters for ingredients (the more canisters, the more types of drinks are possible) with the user making their own selection of ingredients and drink settings.

Integrated maintenance programmes and clear key symbols also help to make the OptiFresh Bean very user-friendly and easy to maintain. The messages in the text display clearly guide the user through the required procedures. The OptiFresh can also indicate when the drip tray or waste tray is full and has an automatic cleaning program and descale indicator.

‘Magic’ wands Since 2003, the well known Italian espresso machine manufacturer, Rancilio, has been developing automatic steam wands. Its latest version - the mark 2 iSteam - is so sophisticated, the textured milk it produces may even be used to make lattè art. Sole UK importer of Rancilio equipment, The Coffee Machine Company, believes that this is the first automatic frother able to make such a claim.

Rancilio’s original auto frother was introduced to great acclaim some four years ago, and now known as iSteam, it produces textured foam that is truly indistinguishable from manually textured milk, claim the company. Additionally, hygiene on the new wand is much simpler as it can be purged at the touch of a button, then wiped over with a damp cloth (the new wand is fitted as an option on Rancilio Classe 10 and Classe 8 espresso machines). iSteam offers total control over the

texturing of milk without detracting from the ‘theatre’ of coffee making and since the quality of foam is high, it is often preferred by skilled baristas and novices alike. For this reason, and also for reasons of cost and reliability, Rancilio traditional machines are now regularly being selected over bean-to-cup machines, feel the company.

The new ‘mark two’ wand is heat insulated for safety and is totally programmable. It is supplied with a choice of air valve depending on the bubble size required. The menu on the operating panel controls the temperature and density of foam and there are individual programmes for cappuccino and lattè. Such versatility means that the drink may be tailored to individual preferences. All staff need to do is fill the jug with milk, press the button for cappuccino or lattè, and iSteam does the rest. The jug does not need monitoring, since it cuts out automatically when the desired temperature is reached, meaning that staff can be getting on with other tasks whilst the milk is being frothed.

“We are not aware of any other automatic frothing device that can produce textured milk of a quality that will produce lattè art,” says CMC Sales Manager, Bill Davy. “Because the quality is now so good, it will appeal to novices and experienced baristas alike. Trainee baristas will learn just what textured milk should be like and skilled staff will welcome the option to rely on it at busy times.” iSteam is fitted as standard to the Rancilio Classe 10 machine. When fitted as an option on the Classe 8, it has a list price of £375.

Along similar, milk-focused lines, Melitta’s patented Alpha milk-jet helps to ensure barista style coffee automatically.

The stylish, fully automatic, Cafina Alpha ■ Teknomat UK Ltd’s Elegance 2 Group High Group espresso machine.

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■ The Melitta Cafina Alpha machine. coffee speciality coffee machine features a low (580cm), sleek design in a matt silver finish (although any colour is available on request) giving it a highly contemporary profile while its triple level, touch screen control panel, complete with animated, illustrated commands, also means that every process is completely self explanatory and that, consequently, the machine is ultra simple to operate. There is menu availability for 15 speciality coffees (selected by the operator), each available in three sizes.

In particular, the Alpha’s patented MilkJet is a device which will produce foamed, steam aerated, heated and cold milk in any combination, quantity and order together with as many shots or strength of espresso required. This means that the

Alpha is capable of being programmed to make some of the more unusual, Antipodean, barista style coffees that are now making their way into the UK, such as the Flat White, say Melitta.

Milk is held in a refrigerated module and only drawn, heated, aerated and foamed as required, ensuring ultimate freshness. An important and unique feature of the Alpha, point out Melitta, is that two types of fresh milk can be accommodated so that full fat and skimmed can be offered to attract a wider spread of customers. This feature can be further explored to allow operators to provide other, more unusual, milk options such as soya milk for the increasingly high number of lactose intolerant consumers.

The Alpha is fitted with two four litre refrigerated containers or, if only one type of milk is required, a single nine litre container – significantly larger than that of any other manufacturer, claim the company.

The Cafina Alpha has been HACCP tested and certified and Cafina coffee machines are globally unique in holding this certification, say Melitta, which is given in recognition of the scrupulous, fully automatic milk cleaning and hygiene programmes. The machine requires no more than the insertion of a cleaning tablet from the operator – and will even signal when this is required – and, for additional hygiene security, will not function until cleaning is completed. The modular design includes a remote, refrigerated milk container and a matching cup warmer.

Teknomat UK Ltd’s new Elegance range

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COFFEE MACHINES ■ The iSteam facility on the Rancilio Classe 10 machine.

has recently been upgraded with some advanced features, including the replacement of the traditional cone shaped steam nozzle with a more modern looking and better functioning shape designed to make milk frothing straightforward.

“This new nozzle enables the barista to create the vortex required to perfectly texture milk for cappuccino and lattes – it really makes the task that much simpler,” says Teknomat UK Ltd’s managing director, Mike Graham.

The Elegance range is available in one, two and three group models, some with built-in grinders (to find out more visit www.teknomat.co.uk or call 01844 339 828).

Vended equivalent Westomatic, a UK vending manufacturer, claims that it has designed a hot beverage machine that produces coffee to rival traditional espresso machines, and without the need for expensive training.

The Prelude is the perfect halfway house between traditional high maintenance espresso machines and cheaper basic coffee machines, say the company, being a robust machine designed for the catering environment, complete with a large boiler, large ingredient canisters and cup capacity and long-life parts.

Available in metallic silver or urban red paint finishes, the Prelude uses a unique

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CAFÉ CULTURE

low pressure brewer, designed by the company here in the UK, whereas many traditional espresso machines use more complicated high pressure brewers that require specialist barista training.

“Our low pressure brewer has proved that you no longer need to use complicated high pressure brewers to produce a punchy espresso,” says Westomatic’s marketing manager, Mark Rhodes. “Operating at just 0.4 bar, as opposed to a typical espresso machine which operates at 9 – 11 bar, clients will find the Prelude easy to use, delivering a great cup of espresso, at the touch of a button. The Prelude is low maintenance and very easy to clean compared with traditional high pressure machines.”

In addition to its unique brewer, the Prelude uses ingredient ‘pulsing’ which, say Westomatic, has enabled them to develop a range of premium café style drinks, including macchiato and mochaccino. Pulsing ensures that ingredients are introduced little by little, mixing them to the perfect consistency with no clogging or lumps, especially important when delivering the increasingly popular 9oz and 12oz drink sizes.

Consistency is also important when producing a textured ‘foamed cap’ for the perfect cappuccino or that signature latte drink.

An essential part of delivering coffee shop quality drinks is to offer choice, say Westomatic (www.westomatic.com) who

point out that their Prelude can produce 7oz, 9oz or 12oz drink measures and for sites wishing to provide an authentic ‘coffee2go’ experience for their customers, they come with integral sip lid dispensers for that ‘must have’ coffee-to-go accessory.

In addition, the Prelude can serve up hot chocolate and the all important freshly brewed cup of tea. Also available for the machine is the Coffee Tower - a custombuilt unit to house the Prelude, 12oz cups and sip lid dispenser that has eye-catching consumer focused graphics.

As for trends in 2010, Westomatic’s Mark Rhodes predicts that 12oz cups with sip lids will continue to be a good money making opportunity, with speciality drinks such as mochacinnos and Americanos driving prices up. “Cafés averaging 300 12oz cups per week at a vend price of £1.00 per cup could make a profit of over £260 per week and café’s able to charge a premium price of £1.50 - £2.00 per cup could generate significantly more,” he says.

Mark Rhodes also believes that healthy vending will be a key driver as consumers become more concerned about issues such as hydrogenated fats and trans fats, saying: “At Westomatic we believe that consumers should be offered healthy vending options as standard. We work closely with ingredient manufacturers to create virtually fat free café style hot beverages with no HVOs or transfats, that deliver coffee shop taste without the guilt.”

■ Westomatic’s desktop Prelude machine.

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Organised by

Contacts, cost savings, new products and inspiration

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Confirmed speakers include – Greencore, Costa, Market Fresh, PepsiCo, HIM and Sacred Café.

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COFFEE ROASTING

Green roaster broadens choice The official European launch of the Loring Smart Roast – which claims to be the world’s greenest coffee roaster - took place towards the end of last year hosted by James Gourmet Coffee in Ross on Wye (the location of the first Smart Roaster in Europe). The event offered those in the coffee business a chance to see roasting demonstrations of both filter and espresso coffees, tasting demonstrations, and have a chance to roast their own coffees on Loring’s Kestral coffee roaster.

European presence The Loring Smart Roast is being launched across Europe by Steve Penk and Chris Glossop of Smart Roast Europe (www.smartroasteurope.com), who are already well known in the industry as being the driving force behind La Spaziale in the UK. Steve Penk is also currently Vice President of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) and the current Chair of the World Barista Championships, and sees no conflict of interest arising between this new venture and his existing ones due to the fact that the roasting venture should run along hand in hand, helped by regular visits abroad in his various capacities.

In establishing and growing their current business over many years, Steve Penk and Chris Glossop point out that they have set out to work like-minded professionals who are dedicated to improve the quality of artisan coffee in the UK, something that they believe their range of La Spaziale traditional espresso machines and Mahlkönig grinders are helping baristas to do.

“We have always tried to supply the best possible equipment and work with devoted professionals who have a passion for excellence,” says Steve Penk. “Our training and education programme has successfully supported our aims, allowing our customers to achieve their highest quality.

The Smart Roast fits in with this ‘excellence’ strategy very well. It provides the tools to monitor and manipulate the roasting process precisely and consistently to get the best flavour out of every coffee bean and satisfies environmental concerns as well,” he adds.

The Smart Roast itself has already

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achieved growing acceptance across the USA and in Japan by some of the world’s most respected roasters, but the European market has, so far, been slower to catch on.

“This is partly due to the dominance of some of the long-established European roasting machine manufacturers,” says Steve Penk. “They make excellent, traditional machines and have an established dealer network. They have become a first-choice for businesses investing in new roasting equipment, but that’s really because there has only been one choice. The Smart Roast in Europe changes everything. It’s a great opportunity for roasters to think differently about taste, technology and the environment. The Smart Roast challenges the status quo, and allows roasters a greater choice in the way they go about their business,” he explains.

“For the Smart Roast we’re not only looking for direct customers - we’re also looking for partners in strategic locations across Europe to assist with the sales, distribution and support of the machine. We get great back-up from the manufacturers in the USA, and the machine is a great deal simpler to operate and maintain than traditional equipment, but we will also need to build local distribution networks.”

In the UK, from where Steve, Chris and their team will co-ordinate the European network, there will be a working demonstration of the machine and its capabilities.

“We are proud to enlist the help of James Gourmet Coffee, a long-time customer of ours, who is as committed to raising standards in UK coffee as we are.

We will be able to bring potential customers to this facility where they will be able to witness the machine being put through its paces by one of the country’s leading artisan roasters,” says Steve Penk.

Why so green?

The Smart Roast features a unique hybrid roasting technology that, claim its manufacturers, cuts greenhouse gas usage by up to 80%, lowers emissions and reduces oxygen during the roast. These advantages over traditional roasters bring about faster returns on investment, a more environmentally-friendly operation, as well as a cleaner, brighter cup of coffee.

■ From left to right - Mark Loring Ludwig (inventor of the Loring Smart Roast), Steve Penk (Smart Roast Europe), Chris Glossop (Smart Roast Europe) and Ron Kleist (Smart Roast USA) at the European launch.

Developed in the USA, the Loring Smart Roast concept centres around a new style of roasting using patented technology that eliminates the need for an afterburner which has traditionally been used to burnoff particulates in the exhaust to achieve cleaner emissions. However, this has resulted in high energy usage and wasted heat in the exhaust gases, and meaning an expensive, environmentally damaging and inefficient solution. The afterburner, used industry-wide, often uses six times as much fuel as the bean roasting process itself, claim Loring Smart Roast Europe.

The company’s Kestrel S35 is a 35kg batch roaster and is the first model to feature the Smart Roast hybrid technology, and by eliminating the afterburner is already offering its customers huge reductions in CO2 emissions, as well as dramatic fuel cost savings, say Loring Smart Roast Europe. In tests carried out by the US parent company, customers have been able to reduce CO2 emissions by over 100 tonnes and cut gas fuel costs by 80% savings which can help pay for the roaster in just a few years as well as reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint. In addition, they also point out that grants or tax concessions may be available for companies investing in such energy-saving equipment.

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COFFEE ROASTING

How does it work?

The heat used for roasting is created by a single, pre-mix burner in the cyclone and flows into the roasting drum where the green coffee is tumbled with rotating paddles. During the roasting process air circulates out to the cyclone to be reheated. In the cyclone the smoke is incinerated, the chaff is spun out and the hot, clean air circulates back into the roasting chamber. It is this patented method of incinerating the process smoke and re-circulating the hot air that brings about the increased fuel efficiency and leads to the clean, smoke-free roasting process. As a result cleaner, cooler air is exhausted into the atmosphere benefiting the local environment and requiring lesscomplicated ducting.

Another benefit of the re-circulating system is that the quench water spray can be situated in a position to spray into the cyclone and not into the roaster drum. The water flashes to vapour before returning to the drum so no water contacts the beans directly. This works very well to quench the roast progress and knock down much of the residual smoke present in the system at the end of the roast cycle. In this way much less smoke is handled through the cooler, say Loring Smart Roast.

The Smart Roaster also provides the tools to monitor and manipulate the roasting to get the best flavour out of every coffee bean. Additionally, the heating technology creates a semi-inert, reduced oxygen environment within the drum that results in a cleaner tasting cup with good high notes, claim the company.

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The roasting process is computer controlled via a touch-screen interface. A number of temperature probes have live, on-screen displays which can be matched against static profiles, and temperatures can be digitally controlled in 1% increments so that roasting can be fine-tuned according to taste preferences. The computer can also capture burner recipes and roast profiles from batches roasted using artisan techniques so successful outcomes can be repeated accurately. An unlimited number of recipes and profiles can be created, saved and modified.

Comprehensive information about batches is stored and can be emailed to the roaster immediately after each batch is completed (batch number, product name, drop temperature, roast time, end-point temperature and the time since crack). It also holds notes typed in on the roaster screen or from any networked or remoteaccess PC. The nature of the Smart Roast technology also means that the roaster is easy to use and virtually maintenance-free with the cyclone itself, where the roast air is recycled, and the roaster stack, operating at incinerator temperatures, never require cleaning, claim Loring Smart Roast Europe.

The cooler screen and paddle can be disassembled quickly, enabling removal of the cooler screen. This can then be taken away for cleaning and replaced by a second screen if required to facilitate almost continuous roasting and the cooler ducting between fan and tray also comes apart easily for cleaning via the quickrelease duct clamps.

A close-coupled, removable chaff collector is integral to the design of the Kestrel S35 and features automated fire protection controls and spring loaded castors for easy cleaning. For bean handling there is an optional, roving green bean vacuum loader. This stainless steel unit, which can lift 35kg of beans in 35 seconds, has an integrated digital weighing scale, a magnetic tramp-metal grate and pneumatic tyres. Despite its featurepacked credentials, the Kestrel S35 offers a small footprint for a 35kg roaster and is not easily affected by ambient temperature or humidity, making placement easier.

couple of roasters who were using the system and whose opinion I valued. We also tasted a lot of coffee. After the research, we felt we could roast better coffee on the Smart Roaster than on our previous machine. After 16 months I’m quite happy with our decision - we’re roasting better tasting coffee now and, as we continue to learn more about the roaster’s capabilities, I feel our coffee will get even better.”

Equator Estate Coffees & Teas also uses a Smart Roaster. “The result you get is a cleaner cup, a brighter cup and a more uniform cup,” says David Pohl, head roaster. “The heating element is very easy on the coffee so it doesn’t scorch the coffee or tip the coffee - the result is a very clean cup. We love the computer system because it’s very easy to use, we can very consistently roast the same coffee, the same blend, the same espresso, the same single-origin time and time again.”

The well-known and respected Mark Inman of Taylor Maid Farms (and the current past president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America) has also been using a Smart Roaster for a number of years. “Our company’s mission is to be environmentally and socially progressive, to be committed to sustainable quality - all while remaining profitable,” he explains.

“The Smart Roaster fits this strategy perfectly. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it is also controllable and consistent enough to roast the rarest of our coffees to the highest taste standards.”

■ Peter James in front of the newly installed Loring Smart Roast coffee roaster at James Gourmet Coffee in Ross on Wye.

Taste For the artisan roaster the primary reason for selecting one machine over another will be the ability to influence taste in the roasting process.

“As a company we wanted to push our green, sustainable credentials - as well as roast better coffee,” says Terry Patano of the Doma Coffee Roasting Company in Idaho, who has been using the Smart Roaster for over a year. “I spoke to a

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 27

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WI-FI

Millions of people are now walking around with Wi-Fi equipped mobile ‘phones and laptops. We can now work anywhere, keep in touch with friends, write blogs, emails and tweet, but what are the benefits to cafés and coffee shops, and what do operators need to think about before turning their premises into a hotspot? Simon Morley of Wi-Fi provider, PolkaSpots, explains.

Don’t miss out!

The benefits of installing a Wi-Fi Hotspot in your business are many. A Wi-Fi Hotspot is guaranteed to attract both the casual passer-by (as long as you advertise the fact that you have Wi-Fi), the business person looking for meeting space, and your regulars. Install a Wi-Fi Hotspot and attract all types of different customers: it’s that simple.

However, there are downsides, and if you’re thinking of doing this in the near future, then my advice would be to make sure that you do it properly, and do it sooner than you intended because you could well be losing out on business. Why, you may ask. Well, on average 15 people a day should use the service – enough time for a coffee, cake and chat – and if these customers spend on average £3.50, that’s an additional £52.50 per day, or over £1,200 per month!

28 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

There’s a lot to think about before you decide to install your first Wi-Fi Hotspot, but the good news is that there are dozens of ways you can make sure your Wi-Fi Hotspot is a success.

Make yourself comfortable Before you get started, there’s no point in installing a Hotspot if you don’t have any good seating. One of the perks of my job is that I get to know all the best Hotspots!

I have two favourite places that I use weekly because they have power to charge my laptop, comfortable seats and good coffee. And, of course, they also have fast, free Wi-Fi! DIY or go commercial?

The next problem is always whether you do it yourself, or use a commercial supplier of Wi-Fi Hotspots. Don’t be fooled into believing that all the Wi-Fi Hotspot

companies will do a good job for you.

Most of them are using the same kit you can buy off the shelf yourself, and some might also tie you into lengthy contracts that could turn out to be unnecessary, so just ask before you commit.

Another issue to consider is often the business size and quality of customer support. Will a company with 30,000 customers or more be able to spare the time to help you when your customer can’t get online at lunchtime? You need to make sure that you actually get the service you’re forking out for.

Nothing is free, so watch out for the ones giving it all away. You might be offered a free Hotspot box, but again, what service can you expect if you haven’t paid for it? Free services also tend to be subsidised by advertising on the login screens. Watch out: this screen could be advertising your business instead.

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WI-FI It’s not all bad and there are plenty of Wi-Fi Hotspot companies out there who can provide you with a high quality service that’s secure, reliable and fully supported, providing a service that you can rely on to attract customers and generate you business. What’s more, if they’re using a decent system, they’ll be able to control the connection and prevent abuse.

If you decide to do it yourself, then make sure you know what you’re doing, or get someone that does, to sort it out.

There are even some solutions out there that allow you to generate Internet Voucher Codes and create login screens.

Whether it’s worth investing the time learning and managing this is up to you.

If you’re doing it yourself, you can do it very cheaply now – just don’t make the common mistake of giving your own network key out. You don’t want your own data compromised. What’s more, if you put a password on the network, make sure it’s WPA2 encrypted – you can break into a WEP network in less than 10 minutes; a WPA(1) network is more complex, but still possible. Don’t stick the password on the wall, and please change it everyday!

Every day, I can report that businesses

switch to PolkaSpots after months of problems with their own setup or, more seriously, their network had been broken into, or a customer had downloaded illegal software or movies.

We recently signed up a pub chain after they tried to do it themselves. After only a few months giving out their

network password, their ISP had fined them on numerous occasions for overusage, but the most serious issue was dozens of people hanging around all day.

They now offer their customers a one hour Internet Voucher when they buy something, solving all the problems completely.

Café Culture

ON LINE Café Culture magazine can now be accessed on-line at www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

magazine JANUARY 2010 ISSUE 36

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

Notice to Subscribers/Members In future you will receive an email alert as soon as each issue is finished and goes on-line – this means that you will be able to view the magazine on-line days before you receive your hard copy in the post.

You will also shortly be able to access back issues on line.

For further information call Suskia on 01291 www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

636338

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 29

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WI-FI locations install a second broadband line for backup purposes – if their business relies on it, it’s not just an added expense.

The biggest problem we suffer from on a support perspective is the end-user and their equipment. We’re always around to help them with their problems by ‘phone, however sometimes the problems are impossible to sort out. For this reason, we always recommend that a laptop or mobile phone with a Wi-Fi card is kept on site, just to prove the connection’s working. In our case, we provide a next day (same day in London) replacement service should our customers get stuck. Typically our equipment may not be installed in an ideal location - next to a sink, for instance, and accidents happen.

Broadband options Most people still assume that you have to have BT broadband if you have a BT telephone line. You don’t. If you’re going to be providing a public Wireless Hotspot, don’t just get the cheapest deal on the market. You will need a business service with unlimited data allowance otherwise you might be fined for over use. Call around a few business broadband suppliers or find a Wireless Hotpot Company that provides a bundled service.

Free Wi-Fi Free Wi-Fi is definitely where we’re heading, but its sudden explosion has caused some problems.

A regular café, with around 15 people a day using Wi-Fi, can usually get away with an unrestricted free Wi-Fi that’s regulated by means of Internet Vouchers.

The problem comes with busier cafés. A business-grade broadband line might only support 15 simultaneous users - in busy locations, we’ve seen 30 or more people trying to use the Wi-Fi Service (unsuccessfully). Whilst we carefully regulate each user’s connection speed, this amount of users causes the connection to stop working completely, and people start complaining. The only way to address this is to install more broadband lines and more equipment – adding expense and complexity.

A truck stop we operate in Dover had

30 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

a bizarre problem recently with their WiFi service causing a minor pile up. Their Hotspot had been installed in the café, but the signal reached a couple of parking spaces. This caused a massive increase in demand for these spaces and the truckers were all fighting to get there first!

Network abuse You need to be sure your Wi-Fi Hotspot isn’t being used and abused by all your neighbours. If you’re choosing a Wi-Fi Hotspot company, choose one that restricts access to your customers only.

You could be sharing your network and not even know. The UK’s largest WiFi provider recently rolled out 500,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots across the UK. They’ve achieved this by ‘upgrading’ their existing broadband customers’ modems so they broadcast a public network. If you happen to use their service, you’re probably already sharing your home or office broadband, unawares. You can turn this off, just look through your router’s settings.

Keeping your customers happy Sometimes things go wrong, that’s just the nature of technology. On a daily basis, the biggest issues our customers have are broadband faults – usually quick to fix, they can drag on for a while, and are sometimes hard to diagnose. We always recommend that large and busy

EU Regulations There are certain laws you have to adhere to if you’re offering public Internet access at your business. As a Wireless ISP, we have to adhere to them, but so do you if you’ve gone down the do it yourself route.

The problem is that even the EU is struggling to define what we have to do in order to comply with their regulations.

We are obliged to retain records for 12 months on all communications that have happened on our network. This means emails sent, web sites visited, IP addresses and more. The problem is, we’re not allowed to keep this data, as it violates the data protection/retention acts. We are only allowed to do this upon government intervention. In fact, PolkaSpots was one of the first to implement this technology in the UK and is still one of the few that can actually do this today.

Get your Wi-Fi right and you can’t fail to attract customers, and hopefully this article has helped you to identify what you need to know.

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that something extra As a Café Society member you can benefit from preferential rates on Barclaycard payment terminals – including contactless technology – and save £150 on the joining fee.

Whether you choose our award-winning contactless technology or one of our other payment terminals, the whole range is designed to: •Speed up transactions •Generate extra income for your business •Make life easier for you.

And as a Café Society member you can also take advantage of: •Waived joining fees •Discounts on minimum billing and terminal rental •Reduced merchant service charges on card transactions.

To take advantage of this deal simply call 0800 046 6808.

payment acceptance Barclaycard is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England. Registered No. 1026167.

Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

Cafe and Restaurant Design Menu Planning

Project Managing

Troubleshooting

Contact: spencerparsley@gmail.com

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JANUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 31

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ALLEGRA REPORT

Resilient

despite the recession Change came to the coffee shop sector in the UK during 2009, with some well known names either ceasing trading, cutting back on, or selling up, their outlets. However, according to Allegra Strategies’ now regular, and dedicated study of the current branded coffee shop market in the UK (published at the close of 2009 and summarised here), it’s a resilient sector on the brink of further, potentially independent-inspired development.

Allegra’s key findings Allegra’s main findings were informed by some 148 interviews that were conducted with CEOs, managing directors, senior managers and store managers of some of the major industry players. They also visited some 165 outlets across London and the regions, and reviewed the trade’s press and company financial account data.

1. The total UK coffee shop market, including branded chains, independents and non-specialist operators, is estimated to total more than 11,000 outlets as at the end of 2009.

2. The UK branded coffee shop market in particular is estimated to stand at 4,158 outlets, with a turnover of £1.63 billion in 2009, and coffee-focused chains outweighing food focused ones by a ratio of 3:1.

3. Growth of 258 stores in the branded coffee chain segment halved in 2009 compared to 2008 (going from 12.6% to 6.6%).

4. Sales growth has slowed significantly from 15.0% in 2008 to 6.2% in 2009.

5. The UK’s regions were the major driver of growth, highlighting how widespread coffee culture has become.

6. A number of weaker operators (including BB’s Coffee & Muffins, Coffee

32 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

Republic, O’Briens and Tchibo) failed during 2009, highlighting the importance of strong brands and operational excellence with 59% of coffee industry leaders surveyed reporting a like for like decline in trading over the 3-6 months to October 2009.

7. The current UK economic downturn impacted on trading performance overall in 2009, with operators noticing reduced consumer frequency of visits and decline in like for like sales and selectively lowering prices.

8. Trading has been challenging for most UK coffee shop players but the best brands achieved positive comparable store sales growth during 2009 (circa 12% like for like growth in 2009).

9. Even though retail spending was reduced in 2009 and GDP declined by an estimated -4.8%, consumers did not cease spending on coffee, preferring to trade down to lower ticket options rather than give up their coffee treat.

Consumer behaviour findings For its consumer research, Allegra conducted nearly five thousand in-depth interviews (3137 interviews with coffee consumers inside coffee shops across a wide variety of branded coffee chains and locations in 19 cities and towns throughout

the UK, and 1859 coffee and beverage drinking focused online surveys).

It is evident from Allegra’s findings that UK consumers are continuing to visit coffee shops, despite the recession, with some 64% of consumers interviewed saying that they had visited a coffee shop at least once a week in 2009 (compared to 67% in 2008).

53% of the consumers surveyed stated that they had been visiting coffee shops with the same frequency as in the previous year, although fewer people claimed to have visited on a daily basis in 2009 as they did in 2008.

It was also evident from their study that coffee shops are more than just a location to drink coffee and eat in. Indeed, they are important hubs for socialising, a place to relax and read, as well as a place for business meetings. A convenient location is

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ALLEGRA REPORT Patterns of consumption Latte remains the most popular espressobased beverage, followed by cappuccino, say Allegra, and, interestingly, consumers were found to be purchasing food less frequently from coffee shops in 2009 than they did in 2008. Coffee shops are, of course, traditionally perceived as being destination outlets for coffee and although 21% of consumers will purchase food with their beverage, in the survey 32% said that they preferred not to do so.

Perhaps this has something to do with the perceived quality of the food being served, pricing levels, or consumers could have decided that they don’t mind reining in their café food purchases during a recession, but not their take-out coffee that is their real reason for visiting in the first place. 53% of consumers interviewed by Allegra said that they had been purchasing their takeaway coffees at about the same level as they were doing during 2008.

■ The UK’s cafés are about far more than just a place in which to enjoy coffee, with Caffè Nero being ranked the highest in terms of coming top in the most number of KPIs (key performance indicators).

still the prime reason for choosing a coffee shop, Allegra confirmed in their report, followed by the quality of the coffee being served.

Economic climate Allegra’s research into the impact of the current slowdown in the economy suggests very little for branded outlets to worry about, with coffee buying and café culture obviously so well entrenched in British society that even when people are looking to cut back, they do not necessarily stop buying what, for many, has plainly become a staple. Indeed, many consumers admitted to Allegra that coffee is either habitual or an important treat, and not something they are about to give up, and their feedback from industry leaders was that they are anticipating improvements in the economy over the next 18 months.

The recession was found not to have greatly affected the visiting frequency for 51% of consumers surveyed, Allegra report, but they did find that it had influenced what they term a “modest”, but still significant, 19% of them. Unsurprisingly, the report found that consumers are continuing to be price conscious, with 42% stating that the price of coffee affects their visiting frequency compared to 40% in 2008. Average spend was found to be slightly down on the 2008

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

figure (£3.50 as opposed to £3.59) and, for the first time in its UK history, Starbucks lowered its prices below the £2 premium price benchmark, with Costa also reducing its prices.

Branded chains are favoured 72% of consumers interviewed described themselves as “mainly visiting their favourite coffee shop” during 2009, with brand awareness itself found to have increased by 8% in 2009. Starbucks is the most recognised coffee shop brand (93% of the sample), followed by Costa Coffee (92%), Caffè Nero (84%), then M&SCafé (74%).

Within these top three branded chains, however, it was Caffè Nero who were ranked highest overall by Key Performance Indicators. The coffee chain achieved an impressive first place in seven out of 10

Store numbers – the key players Coffee-focused operators

London

Regional Total

Share of segment Total (December 2009)

Costa Coffee

230

770

1,000

32.4%

Starbucks Coffee Company

314

403

717

23.2%

Caffè Nero

160

250

410

13.3%

Caffè Ritazza

19

164

183

5.9% 4.3%

BB’s Coffee & Muffins Total segment

10

123

133

908

2,183

3,091

Growth in 2009: 7.6% Food-focused operators

London

Pret A Manger

145

Pumpkin O'Brien's

Regional Total

Share of segment Total (December 2009)

50

195

18.3%

10

116

126

11.8%

0

109

109

10.2%

Greggs (Bakers Oven)

0

118

118

11.1%

EAT

82

18

100

9.4%

Total segment

441

626

1,067

Growth in 2009: 4.0%

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 33

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ALLEGRA REPORT

Europe as a whole Project Café9 Europe - Allegra Strategies’ additional study on the European branded coffee shop market – was also published recently, with a focus on the growth of branded chains across 22 countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UK).

324 in-depth interviews with industry leaders, including CEOs and managing directors of the major coffee chains, key suppliers, industry associations and other industry participants were conducted, say Allegra, backed by desk research including trade press, company financial information and online data sources.

Market size and growth The European branded coffee shop market now exceeds 9,000 outlets, having grown by 9% for the year and at a greater rate than industry executives expected, adding over 700 outlets in the last 12 months.

The UK has the most developed branded coffee shop market with a 40% share of the total European market. Germany and Spain are both well established markets, with 1,302 and 882 branded outlets respectively. The fastest growing markets in terms of outlets, report Allegra, are Romania, Belgium and Poland.

Global economic downturn The recent global economic recession has slowed growth in coffee shop markets throughout most of Europe as consumers cut back on spending and seek value for money, report Allegra, although the top 20 branded coffee chains in Europe have continued to

experience growth, just at a slower rate.

Only four European coffee chains have shown a decline in store numbers, Allegra found, with most operators identifying the economic downturn and its associated trends of low consumer confidence and increased costs as a key current business challenge. Coffee shop markets in the Republic of Ireland, Spain and Portugal are the worst affected countries, Allegra noted, with stagnating or contracting markets.

Key players in Europe McDonald’s McCafé was found to be growing at the fastest rate across Europe, Allegra discovered, making it the market leader in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary and Italy, but it was Starbucks Coffee Company who continued to be the leading chain across Europe in 2009, trading from more than 1,180 outlets. However, other major branded players increasingly having a profile across Europe include Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Caffè Ritazza and Segafredo Zanetti Espresso.

Market dynamics and trends Independents continue to dominate over branded coffee shops in most European countries, report Allegra, and a significant number of European coffee shop markets are defined by a traditional coffee culture, creating a challenging environment for branded concepts. Departure from traditional cafés is unlikely, Allegra feel from their latest survey, but there is notable growth in consumer demand for ‘new style’ coffee shops and takeaway coffee, say the researchers.

KPIs (coffee quality, atmosphere, value for money, speed of service, friendly service, food quality and cleanliness), whereas Starbucks was ranked first in three out of 10 KPIs (ethical practices, convenient location and food choice).

The future Allegra predicts CAGR of 7.0% growth of branded outlets over the next three years as the economy begins to recover and strong brands retain their market share.

Long term prospects remain good, they predict, with the market expected to exceed 5000 outlets and sales of £2 billion by 2012.

The researchers also say that they believe that a changing dynamics is in force, with polarised competitive influences around artisanal high quality coffee from the niche independents, and low prices from non specialists and quick service restaurants having a significant impact on the branded coffee chain segment.

“The UK coffee shop industry is on the threshold of some very exciting times.

After demonstrating resilience in the recent recession, branded coffee chains are poised for continued growth as coffee culture becomes fully entrenched in modern UK lifestyle,” says Allegra’s MD, Jeffrey Young.

“The rise of artisanal independents and the new ‘Third Wave’ of coffee culture is having a huge impact on what the major branded chains are doing in their businesses to create the necessary authenticity required by today’s sophisticated and savvy consumers. We will see much better ‘crafted’ coffee emerging as a result and also much better environments, this is great news for British consumers and will help to sustain the long term vibrancy of the sector.”

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Specification 120A: 240v Single phase 12/24 cup capacity

Conveniently and automatically brews 12 or 24 cups of rich, fullbodied coffee at a time into a 36-cup Satellite Server. Plugs into conventional 230v wall socket. A brew-ready light signals when water temperature is ready for the next brewing cycle. Timer can also be set to brew 24 cups at a time without refilling the brew basket

Manufactured Manuf fa actured in th the he EU EU..

(We are manufacturers NOT importers).

(W We ar e manuf factur a ers NO OT import ers).

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John Redfearn Enterprises (UK) Ltd 132 Beach Green, Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5YA

Tel: 01273 887744 Fax: 01273 887755 Mob: 07932 101788

john@john-redfearn.com www.john-redfearn.com

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JANUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 35

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SYRUPS

Independent appeal ■ John Taylerson, who started Malmesbury Syrups in 2007.

Artisan remit In 2007 John Taylerson started Malmesbury Syrups from scratch. Fitting out a new building to provide the facilities to produce flavoured syrups, John Taylerson used local spring water and sourced all the ingredients from contacts acquired from a career spent working in food and drink.

The difference was, however, that Malmesbury Syrups produce on a countryside estate on the edge of the Cotswolds, and their syrups have been created to offer a truly artisan type product. Using an old fashioned system for pasteurisation, for example, means the ingredients are picked for flavour rather than cost.

Taste the difference? Well, it seems that awards for the flavours would seem to confirm that people like the quality. John Lewis Food Halls report that they have just

36 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

extended the range and is placing them next to the coffee aisle, although the progress has been challenging.

Malmesbury Syrups supplied Whittard of Chelsea until the Icelandic banking crisis overtook them, but since then, Amazon.co.uk and the company’s own web site has more than replaced the retailers.

Coffee shop supplier Although the intention was always there to supply coffee shops, making a product suitable for them was the challenge, says John Taylerson, in terms of coming up with a range that would be viable.

“It has taken time but not only have we managed it, we seem to attract exactly the kind of coffee shops who want to set themselves apart from the big chains,” he says.

Plainly, the big chains are an attractive

The growth in flavoured coffees appears to know no limits – in fact more companies are springing up to meet the demand. As Café Culture heard, one enterprising company in the West has taken a different route to meeting the demand.

market, but after the Whittard experience John Taylerson is understandably reluctant to be seduced by big customers.

“We are small and innovative,” he explains. “We are able to produce and adapt products to meet customers’ needs.”

John Taylerson says that he particularly enjoys the new product development aspect of the business, with a new Chai flavour that has been developed by talking directly to local and London coffee shops.

Having coffee shops as different as Street Coffee in London to Jackdaws in Malmesbury means the new flavours are tried and tested.

“Fashions change and flavours reflect fashion. The last year or two was all about Ginger. Now it’s all about Chai, and a spiced Chai that flavours coffee makes a great latte is just what coffee shops want,” he oberves.

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SYRUPS

Festival focus What next? Well, new flavours and formats are being worked on, say the company, with Christmas 2010 products being furiously developed following the success of 2009. New customers are coming on and Malmesbury Syrups is also booked to appear on a major retailers’ shelves in April, so the taste for flavoured coffees is driving on.

Having weathered the worst of the banking crisis and developed the on-line business John Taylerson is very optimistic about the future, so long as he is allowed time to spend time developing new flavours and products.

Malmesbury Syrups is a headline of the UK’s first coffee festival which takes place in Bath on 15 and 16 May. The Bath Coffee Festival 2010 will be a two day outdoor event celebrating everything Independent effort Consumers’ tastes are changing too, note the company. By starting from scratch, John Taylerson would say that he would be the first to admit that finding a route to market has not been easy however. In 2009, Malmesbury Syrups went online and was surprised by how quickly consumers were finding and buying their products. John Taylerson also believes that the coffee shop culture is now extending to the home.

“After all, if you enjoyed a flavoured coffee in your working day, then why not at home as well? Branding is key as consumers do associate the branding and the quality of the products on offer in coffee shops with the coffee shops themselves. I receive calls from independent coffee shops who order Malmesbury Syrups because they want to be different,” says John Taylerson. “The new independents seem to invest time and effort to offer new products and nicer, more personal surrounds than the chains. In contrast, the older shops often don’t update their offer. Quality and customer satisfaction are the proven ways of being competitive.

Costs are easily recoverable if the quality is there and that applies not just to syrups but furniture, food and staff. I wouldn’t dream of telling a coffee shop owner how to run their business, but it’s very noticeable who is being successful and who isn’t. The independents that invest in their businesses are doing well.”

No surprise then that John Taylerson is not convinced by some of the regular chains and their attitudes. “Costs have got to be controlled but quality is not a cost, it’s an ingredient. As soon as price becomes the deciding factor you know everyone is wasting their time,” he says.

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

related to coffee and will be an opportunity for the coffee industry to showcase and sell their products, as well as educate consumers about the fine art of coffee making, and John Taylerson thinks that the event will be big and offers the chance to really enthuse consumers.

“Whilst it will be of interest to the trade, it will be the consumers who the festival will be aimed at. They will have a chance to meet the producers and manufactures of the coffee, equipment and all that goes with it,” he says.

The main exhibiting area will be in the centre of Bath and will hold around 100 exhibitors, while other events and venues hosting coffee related activity will be located around the City. The festival programme will include expert barista sessions, roasting master classes, latte art The economies of scale that the ubiquitous Costa, and the other majors have, makes them vulnerable to changing tastes, he feels, likening them to Tesco and their ilk.

“There’s nothing wrong with being Tesco, if that’s what you want to be. One homogenous chain of coffee shops will be fine for the tourists, but regular customers want a relationship that can evolve,” he asserts. “Tastes, flavours, seasons and service are the battle ground that independents can fight on. Sourcing from this country is also proving a competitive advantage.”

demonstrations, as well as educational talks, films about coffee and music from the coffee growing regions.

John Taylerson also thinks that coffee culture could be as interesting to consumers as cooking and celebrity chefs, and whilst not as big scale wise, definitely of interest so far as explaining all things coffee. After all, with coffee machines becoming popular inhome learning to use them is useful.

Flavours have a role to play in that and cross over with cooking too, and John Taylerson feels that is where Malmesbury Syrups really scores.

John Taylerson suggests even if ‘made in England’ isn’t a compelling argument then ‘not made in Euro zone’ might be given the impact currency has had in the last couple of years. The currency is now making Euro zone products more expensive and home produced more competitive, he feels. So whilst Malmesbury Syrups will always cost that bit more than the competition, the gap is decreasing thanks to currency and at least the shops that source locally will feel different to foreign visitors now Britain is becoming a cheaper destination, he believes.

■ Jackdaws’ coffee shop in Malmesbury use the Malmesbury Syrups range to flavour their coffees.

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C

FE OF E

C

The Coffee Clinic

Here, Glenn James of maintenance company Coffix (www.coffix.com), responds to some of your frequently asked questions and concerns about the day to day use and smooth running of coffee machines by offering some practical advice and guidance.

IC LIN

I own a coffee mobile cart and in the recent cold spell of weather we found that our coffee machine froze up a few times in the morning. We have had engineers out to sort it out, but is there anything that we can do to stop this happening on a regular basis? We most recently had a major leak from the machine due to a split pipe caused as a result of the expansion of the water when it had turned to ice.

Q

If you have a coffee machine-related question that you would like answered, then why not email clare@jandmgroup.co.uk or write in with details of the name, location of your café and question to Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB and Café Culture magazine will endeavour to source an answer for you!

Move to Australia, it’s a great country and it’s more likely to melt than freeze your machine!! You do have to be very careful to protect your machine from the frost as it can, as you have found out, be detrimental to the machine. If possible, my first suggestion would be to park up your cart in the likes of a garage or a large enough shed as this will insulate it directly from the frost.

I have heard of quite a few ways people do insulate, so you could possibly try one of these ways. First of all, try wrapping it up each night with towels or something similar. Second, leave it on if you were expecting a bitterly cold night and you had the possibility to do that. Third and this sounds the best way as a few of our customers are doing this now - is to buy, or make, a machine cover that fits over the top and sides made from polystyrene as this is one of the best insulating materials available.

A

We are currently in the final process of finishing our new café, but unfortunately we didn’t expect the cost of finishing it off to be to so high. We haven't bought our coffee machine yet and we’re now thinking of getting a second hand machine or a reconditioned machine.

What would you advise as this is our first café that we have undertaken.

Rose Crisfield, Manchester

machines. We can offer a few pieces of advice with purchasing these, as listed below.

Please, please, please, don’t buy one off of ebay!! In the present economic climate a lot of café owners and restaurants are looking at easy ways to save money and if they have to change coffee machines a lot are buying either second hand off ebay or other buying sites. We have had a lot of new customers ringing us up asking about faults with machines they have just bought on ebay or other buying sites, or through other businesses that are getting rid of their

5. Ask for a warranty if you are buying through a business especially on a re-conditioned machine.

Q

A

38 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

1. Always verify, or ask, to see the machine working.

2. Check that it doesn’t leak.

3. Check that the pressure gauges on the machine work.

4. Ask whether it has included, or has been attached to, a water softening system.

My second piece of advice is to do with your setting up of the café. As you are building a café and coffee will hopefully be your biggest market, you should have sorted out the best machine and especially the best grinder you could afford, or allowed for it in your original budget, and then

STOP PRESS Coffix has announced that it is a founding member of the newly formed Association of Independent Espresso Engineers (AIEE), a cooperative of independant engineers with an extensive wealth of experience in almost every kind of coffee machine.

The association says that it has searched far and wide to get the best engineering companies to join so as to be able to offer the best service available (www.aiee.org.uk).

budgeted the rest of your café spend.

In any café the coffee machine and grinder are the most vital pieces of equipment, this alone can make or break a café from being average to being the best in your town. I have said this many times, and will say it again and that is YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Good luck with your new venture, and I hope that everything goes well!

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I enclose a cheque for £28 (£45 outside the UK). Cheques should be payable to Café Society and returned to: Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB or contact Suskia Bollen on 01291 636338 or email on subscriptions@cafeculturemagazine.co.uk Alternatively, if you wish to pay by credit card, please enter your details below.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Boost breakfast sales – with V*Go Caterers can boost their breakfast sales with a new brand - V*Go, a unique range of porridge pots, delivering a new way of serving breakfast for customers ‘on-thego’. Produced by Kerry Foodservice, the range of V*Go porridge pots comes in three different flavours - Porridge, Porridge with Golden Syrup and Porridge with Dried Fruits.

All are available as ‘Just Add Water’ and ‘Just Add Milk’ variants and each product comes in a custom-made porridge pot, that can be eaten directly out of whilst ‘on-the-go’ or stationary. “With the breakfast market in growth, instant porridge is already valued at £64 million – making V*Go the perfect products for caterers looking to boost their breakfast

sales,” says Adrian Coulter, food development manager for Kerry Foodservice (call 0800 9173571 or visit www.kerryfoodservice.co.uk).

Newproducts Association of Independent Espresso Engineers formed With a need for a national network of highly motivated and passionate local espresso engineers, the Association of Independent Espresso Engineers (AIEE) has been formed.

This network of engineers will allow both the coffee industry and end users to easily find engineers via their web site. All members have a wealth of knowledge honed over many years of providing quality customer driven engineering services.

UK wide, they represent local service workshops nationwide and their engineers, as well as access to thousands of spare parts. Their members have been specially selected for their skills and abilities to provide all aspects of technical service for most mainstream machines that are placed in the market today. Equally, the network can provide impartial advice, and provide valuable information that isn’t sales driven. For more information, or to find your local engineer, visit www.aiee.org.uk.

Alastair Salvesen awarded C.B.E. Alastair Salvesen, who was awarded the C.B.E. in the New Year’s Honours List for services to the arts and charity in Scotland, has been a leading figure in the UK seafood industry for nearly thirty years.

He joined Dawnfresh Seafoods in Whitehaven, Cumbria thirty years ago and in 1983 led a management buyout (from Christian Salvesen), later building a Seafood Centre of Excellence in Bothwell Park, Lanarkshire, at a cost of nearly £9m.

Over time the Dawnfresh coating business involving scampi and fish cakes has grown and the company now supplies 40% of the breaded and battered scampi sold in the UK and, following the recent acquisition of Scot Trout, is responsible for more than 80% of the farmed rainbow trout sold on the home market.

A former president of the British Frozen Food Federation, Mr. Salvesen has also served as chairman of the Shellfish Committee of the UK Association of Frozen Food Producers and is on the council of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain.

Tel: 01698 810008.

Risk-free sushi for caterers A low risk, frozen alternative to manufactured chilled sushi is now available for UK caterers. Microwaveable frozen sushi can be prepared to order as it can be served fresh within ten minutes of being removed from a freezer.

Two pack sizes are available (36 and 28 pieces). The former is packed six pieces per tray and the pack includes both chop sticks and sauces.

The 28 pack comprises four Nigiri (rice

40 FEBRUARY 2010

CAFÉ CULTURE

ball) salmon, four Nigiri Prawn, four Nigiri Surimi, eight Maki (rice, single topping and seaweed wrap) Cucumber and eight Yellow Radish). A third pack (of wrapped chicken parcels) will be launched soon.

Available through Winsford, Cheshirebased sales agency Nicco Foods, the products are manufactured in a multimillion Euro, state-of-the-art factory in Northern Europe.

Tel. 01606 594946.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Costa Coffee Franchise owner selects future proof EPoS Simon Vardy, owner of nine Costa Coffee franchise stores across Greater Manchester and Cheshire, has selected Toshiba hardware with Datasym.POS software, implemented by WRS Systems, as its electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) system for improved customer service and management efficiencies.

WRS and Datasym worked closely with Costa Coffee’s Franchise Association to design a tailored solution to meet the needs of the franchisee, but also one which would be approved by the Costa Coffee chain.

Simon now has remote access to live data enabling him to remotely monitor the

Making food faster

performance of any of the nine sites.

Fingerprint ‘sign-on’ at the Toshiba POS terminals ensures staff can not sign on using another staff member’s card, whilst CCTV cameras mean that transactions at the till can be easily monitored.

Datasym’s back-office “Stockade” software provides full stock control, resulting in greater stock reliability, accuracy and operational efficiencies. For example, Yield Reports are used to identify whether the correct level of stock is being ordered. www.toshibatec-eu.com

Unibake adds the French touch to fast food The French Hotdog Baguette™ from Unibake is said to be a new innovation for the UK food-to-go market.

This fully baked baguette, with the centre already taken out, simply needs to be defrosted, and then heated through briefly in a Panini grill or oven until warm and crispy. It is

then ready to add a choice of dressing and a hot

frankfurter or sausage.

For the operator the product gives great convenience while for the consumer the crispy French bread provides a satisfying eating experience, with no messy drips or chance of the filling falling out.

It can also be used for other hot fillings.

Tel: 01908 281 999.

“The ability to react swiftly during periods of peak demand, whilst continuing to deliver consistently high standards of cooked food quality, are crucial factors for the success of food service operations,” says BKI Europe/APW Wyott’s national sales manager, Gary Thacker, who believes his company’s griddles deliver the performance to meet these requirements.

The company’s countertop griddles are widely specified for quick service restaurants throughout North America and, although relatively new to the European market, are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Their Champion range of gas griddles have high performance burners for fast start up to optimum temperature and swift cooking of a variety of food. The “S” shape burners deliver heat capacities ranging from 11Kw (37,500 BTU) for the 460mm width model to 29.3Kw (100,000 BTU) for the 1220mm width model (call 0870 9904242 or visit www.bkideas.co.uk).

RECIPE IDEA

Parma ham, ricotta, fig, nectarine and maple syrup open sandwich Ingredients 1 loaf ciabatta bread, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 225g (8oz) ricotta cheese, 2-3 fresh or semi-dried figs, sliced, 1 ripe nectarine or peach, pitted and thinly sliced, 4 teaspoons maple syrup or clear honey, Freshly ground black pepper, to season, 8-12 slices Parma ham Method 1. Slice the ciabatta loaf in half horizontally, then cut each piece in two. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then spread ricotta cheese generously over each piece.

2. Arrange the figs and nectarine or peach slices on top of the ricotta, then drizzle one teaspoon of maple syrup or honey over the fruit. Season with a little freshly ground black pepper.

3. Fold two or three slices of Parma ham on top of each open sandwich, then serve at once.

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

Serves four

Cook’s tip: Try using a ripe pear instead of a nectarine or peach.

FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 41

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INDEX

Index of members of the Café Society For enquiries about the Café Society telephone Suskia on: 01291 636338 or E-mail suskia@jandmgroup.co.uk

INDEPENDENT RETAIL MEMBERS Bon Viveur Central Business Exchange 460 Midsummer Boulevard Buckinghamshire,MK9 2EA Contact: Dominic Willmott Tel: 01908 673 900 Fax: 01908 673 800 bloodygoodcoffee@aol.com www.bon-viveur.com Cuppa-Cino Limited 1 Boyle Farm Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0TS Contact: Andrew Roberts Tel: 07801 749 122 cuppa.cino@bt.internet.com D Café Dixons Shopping Centre, Reepham Road, Hellesden, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 5PA Contact: Elizabeth Raven Tel: 01603 414 951 cafedixons@hotmail.com Esquires Coffee Houses Unit 1.1 2-6 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AY Contact: Peter Kirton Tel: 0207 251 5166 Fax: 0207 251 5177 peter@esquirescoffee.co.uk Fresha 23 Bittern Road Sowton Industrial Estate Exeter, EX2 7XQ Contact: Ms Jo Hill Tel: 01392 447701 Fax: 01392 447702 Email: kitchen@fresha.org iCafe 223 Great Western Road Glasgow G4 9EB Contact: Mr Umer Ashraf Tel: 01727 733258 info@icafe.uk.com

Orient Express 24 Bridge Street Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1BY Contact: Saisunee Pettitt Tel: 01225 867333 mail@thaibarn.co.uk Springhead Park Cafe Ltd Oulton Lane Rothwell, Leeds LS26 0DY Contact: Mr John Philbin Tel: 0113 2822948 Fax: 0113 2823038 Email john@fuzz.wannadoo.co.uk

INDEPENDENTS An Chovi – N.Yorkshire Aroma Beverage Systems – S.Ireland Autobar UK Ltd - Leicestershire B.C.W. Limited – Bedford Bean For Coffee – Wakefield Bean Here – Beds Bean Loved - Skipton Bellini’s Limited - Ilkeston, Derbyshire Bens – Ballymena, N.Ireland Bevans Coffee Shop - Somerset Bewleys – Ireland Bite Café - Devon Bizzy Lizzy’s Coffee Shop – Basingstoke Blackmhor Ltd - Glasgow Blades - Northleach Blue Onion Limited - Wiltshire Bon Viveur - Milton Keynes Boswells Coffee Co. – Oxon Brand Reminders - Wiltshire Café 4U - Co. Antrim Café 67 – Norfolk Café Amore - Bristol Café Cars - Cardiff Café Chino - Manchester Café Connections – Buckingham Café Gabrielle - Co. Durham Café Java - Ireland Café Nero - London Café Roma UK – Essex Café Su - Glasgow Café Twocann - Swansea Caffe Latino – Sheffield Calcutt Café – Swansea Carpuccino – Bath

Carrs Foods Ltd - Manchester Case Works - Hull Cisco’s - Stirling Chat Coffee House – N.Ireland Chives Café & Deli - Somerset Cinnamon Café – Windsor Cision UK Limited - London CJ’s – Snaith, East Yorkshire Coffee 2 – West Midlands Coffee Mocha - Salisbury Coffee Square Ltd – Bedford Coffix - Leicester Condor Ferries – Dorset Mr Steven Cossey Costa Coffee Ltd – Dunstable Costs Coffee Crossover Café - Birmingham Crown Coffee - Kent Cuppa-Cino – London D P E Enterprise Ltd - Worcester Dean’s Pizzeria & Sandwich Bar - Coventry Delimakers Oy – Finland Domenic Casuscelli – Ireland Double Shot Coffee - Essex Ms W Ellison – West Sussex Esquires Coffee House - Galway Esquires Coffee House - Lisbun, Co Antrim Esquires Coffee House - London Ferndale Garden Centre Dronfield Fernz (Café) – Worthing First Choice Coffee Ltd – Milton Keynes Flavour – Cardiff Flying Egg Café - Middlesex Fruitcakes – Northleach Gold & Silver Workshop Guernsey Glebe Street - East Dunbartonshire Glynn Hopkins – Brislington Steve Gannon - Kent Grain D’Orr - Lincolnshire Greggs Plc – Newcastle-uponTyne Homes4u – Lancashire Java Brothers Ltd - Leeds Java The Hut - High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire Josiah’s Lounge – London Christopher Kimble – Glasgow Kates Cakes - London Koo Coffee – Derbyshire Lavazza Coffee UK - Middlesex Lightbody - Hamilton Maids of Honour - St Helier, Jersey Mr Abdul Majid - Birmingham Mackillops Homemade – Derbyshire Mambocino – Middlesex Marimba World Chocolate Ltd Suffolk

Marmalades - Norwich McLeish Brothers- Dundee Mister Woods Café – Northshields Monty’s Bakehouse – Mulmar Food Service Hertfordshire Murray’s Catering - Altrincham Premier Coffee – Surrey Presswatch Media – London Rapid Retail - Gloucestershire Restaurant Sorrento – Ballymena, N.Ireland Riverview Restaurant Coleraine, N.Ireland Rokos Frangos - London Ruth’s Café – Essex SCA Hygiene Products Bedfordshire S M Coffee - Stanmore Saint Caffè - Birmingham Santa Fe Coffee Company Woking Surrey Select Service Partner - London Slice - Essex Soho Coffee Shops Ltd Cheltenham Starvin Jacks - Swansea Sugar Qube – Glasgow Martin Talbot – West Midlands Tamra – London Tastes Catering - London The Knitted Café – North Yorkshire TFI Lunch – Brighton The Coffee Compass - West Sussex The Conservatory - W Yorkshire The Flying Coffee Company – Cambridge The Hive Café - Dorset The Little Cup Cake Co. Ltd – Huntingdon The Olive Grove – N. Ireland The Streat – Belfast Tiffins IOW Ltd – Isle of Wight Natalie Tirimo - London Toutpre’s Tout Pre’t - Brussels Urban Coffee - London Urban Coffee - Accrington Urban Espresso - Bath Vendability Limited – Co Meath Venetia’s - London Mr N Warren - Derby Whiteley’s Garden Centre Coffee Shop Woolf Limited - Essex Xpress Coffee UK Buckinghamshire Yummy Mummy’s Coffee Shops - Nottinghamshire Zucchero - Bristol

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FEBRUARY 2010 CAFÉ CULTURE 43

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