Cafe Culture Magazine - Issue 51

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magazine JULY 2012 ISSUE 51

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

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Welcome!

CONTENTS

The Café Society Awards luncheon took place on 24 May 2012 at the Roof Gardens in Kensington, London, managing to enjoy some hot sunny weather before the seemingly never-ending rain set in!

Our congratulations go to all the winners (turn to page 16 for full details), and our thanks go to this year’s sponsors (Café Bronte and Bel UK), the judges and this year’s guest speaker (Kaffeine’s Peter Dore-Smith), as well as to all those who attended the event.

In this issue, as usual we report on some of the latest news from the sector, review the Caffè Culture show, and look ahead to lunch! and the Speciality and Fine Food Show. In addition, we profile some innovative ‘to go’ packaging developments and showcase some well designed cafés.

NEWS

FEATURES

4 World of coffee celebrated and rewarded.

26 Coffee plus – product growth areas of interest to cafés.

Clare Benfield - Editor

5 Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood takes UK title.

6 Lavazza announces partnership with Little Chef.

10 New CEO joins Cafédirect.

EVENT REVIEWS 16 Café Society Awards luncheon 2012 30 Caffè Culture 2012

Editor Clare Benfield, Tel: 01291 636336, E-mail: clare@jandmgroup.co.uk Advertising Manager Paul Steer Tel: 01291 636342 E-mail: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk Production Manager Jayson Berry, Tel: 01291 636339, E-mail: jayson@jandmgroup.co.uk Subscriptions and Customer Service Tony Lorimer, Tel: 01291 636333 E-mail: tony@cafesociety.org.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

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

ARTICLES

36 Brand designs – café design advice to help you stand out from the crowd.

40 Convenience counts – food-driven, ‘to go’ packaging.

PROFILES 32 Dive in! – the National Diving Centre’s View Café.

48 The KeepCup Story - the re-usable, barista standard cup.

20 Hospitable cafés – Kaffeine’s Peter DoreSmith’s presentation to the Café Society Awards.

REGULARS

EVENT PREVIEWS

50 Barista talk – your barista questions answered.

22 lunch! 2012

52 New products.

34 The Speciality and Fine Food Show 2012

53 Coffee Clinic – your maintenance questions answered.

55 Checkout.

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 3

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NEWS Love Coffee debut at Stratford International in time for the Olympics

Sweet taste of success - front from left, Adrian Maxwell with daughter Rebecca Maxwell, sales manager John McGinnell, and members of the manufacturing team.

Coffee machine manufacturer toasts unprecedented growth Birmingham-based manufacturer, Fracino, has powered up sales by 17.5% over the last 12 months to post its highest ever turnover - the fourth consecutive year that the UK’s award-winning manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines has achieved double digit growth.

Founded in 1963, the family-run business based in Aston sells over 3,000 coffee machines annually and has rocketed to a £3.5million turnover this year, driven by consistent growth which includes a 10.9% sales boost in 2010.

The last 12 months have seen a series of milestones, report the manufacturer, who have expanded to a new purpose-built headquarters next to its existing premises and invested over £1million in cutting edge machinery.

Fracino says that it is further expanding its global export reach which now spans every continent and export sales now make up 25% of the total turnover. Its distributor base now exceeds 700.

“Our year-end sales are a real credit to the hard work, drive and dedication of our team. It’s not just our UK sales that have increased; we’ve also extended our exporting reach to 15 new countries in the last 12 months. We’re upbeat about sustaining our powerful track record over the next 12 months,” said Adrian Maxwell, Fracino’s MD.

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Love Coffee, the successful coffee chain with 18 stores across the UK, has taken its first London premises at Stratford International through Davis Coffer Lyons on behalf of landlords High Speed 1 Ltd. The operator, which took over 13 BB's Coffee & Muffins stores in 2009, has taken a 10 year lease at Unit B within Stratford International, comprising 1,263 sq ft and will become the first coffee outlet at the station when it opens in time for the London Olympics next month.

Alice Keown, associate director within Davis Coffer Lyons’ Development Leasing team, said: “This summer, Stratford International will play a crucial role in

supporting the high volumes of visitors to the Olympic Park and we are really pleased that Love Coffee is enhancing the offer available to travellers.

“Having taken over much of the BB's franchise and substantially grown its own portfolio, Love Coffee is certainly a brand to watch as the UK’s coffee market continues to increase its dominance in the leisure sector.”

Stratford International is located in the middle of the Olympic Park, adjacent to Stratford City - the largest single mixeduse urban regeneration project in Europe which includes Westfield Shopping Centre.

World of coffee celebrated and rewarded The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe's (SCAE) World of Coffee 2012 ended on a very high note with the announcement of the 2012 World Barista Champion - Raul Rodas from Guatemala.

Europe’s largest coffee industry event grand finale - the World Barista Championship - brought together 50 competitors from 50 countries around the world who competed in a series of rounds until only six had the chance of winning the much-coveted world title. In second place came Fabrizio Sención Ramírez of Mexico, and in thirs was Colin Harmon from Ireland (the UK’s Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood came sixth).

Three further world championships were hosted during SCAE World of Coffee, Vienna 2012, including the World Brewers Cup, the World Cup Tasters Championship, and the Cezve/Ibrik Championship. This year also saw an introductory event, the Coffee Roasting Challenge – the pre-cursor to the 2013 World Coffee Roasting Championship, a competitive event designed to feature the talent and skill of individuals involved in the artisan craft of roasting speciality coffee.

The four day SCAE World of Coffee event took place in the Messe Wien Convention Centre, Vienna (12-15 June) and launched with SCAE's first ever Business of Coffee conference on Tuesday (12th June) hosted at the Hotel Imperial and chaired by Gary McGann of Beyond the Bean and a SCAE board member. The speakers included John Jones (Pro-Intal Consulting), Karsten Ranitzsch (Nestlé-Nespresso S.A.), Lindsey Bolger, Keurig (K-Cups), Steven Gojak (Cleveland Research), Gavin MaClennan (Starwood Hotels), Fritz Storm (Coffee Design and former World Barista Champion), Luis Fernando Samper (Colombian Coffee Growers Federation) and

Paul Stack (Marco Beverages and SCAE's Gold Cup Research).

The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe also staged several awards ceremonies over the four days including the SCAE New Product of the Show Awards (sponsored by Truvia), SCAE Awards for Excellence (sponsored by BUNN), and the SCAE Photography Competition Awards (sponsored by Blue Mountain Coffee (Europe) Ltd).

David Veal, executive director of the SCAE announced at the show that SCAE World of Coffee 2013 will take place in the spectacular location of Nice on the Cote d’Azure, France. The WCE also announced that they will be bringing the World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, World Cup Tasters Championship and the brand new World Coffee Roasting Championship to the SCAE World of Coffee, Nice 2013 (events used by the WCE to engage the speciality coffee community and promote coffee excellence and quality worldwide – for more information and details of this year’s competition winners, visit www.worldcoffeeevents.org).

Raul Rodas from Guatemala, celebrates becoming the SCAE’s World Barista Champion 2012.

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NEWS

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood takes UK title The SCAE UK Chapter held both the semifinal and final rounds of the UK Barista Championship at the London Coffee Festival on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 April 2012 during which the 20 top scoring baristas from the six regional heats performed their routines in front of four sensory judges, two technical judges, one head judge, a packed spectator arena, and an international audience via the live video stream.

To evaluate all 20 competitors in one day, two teams of judges were in rotation.

During their performance the competitor prepared and served four espressos, four cappuccinos and four non-alcoholic espresso-based signature drinks. With a requirement to take at least two sips of each drink type placed before them, each judge consumed quite a large amount of coffee!

An emotionally charged finalists’ announcement revealed that three of the six finalists were newcomers to the UKBC, not having competed in this event before, and therefore the final would decide who would win the Best Newcomer prize category (sponsored by Union Hand Roasted).

The six finalists were Maxwell ColonnaDashwood, James Bailey, Howard Barwick, Mark Lamberton, Dale Harris and Dan Fellows, who ran through their routine once again in front of a well-calibrated team, which included three World Coffee Events certified judges.

SCAE UK Organising Committee member, Glenn Watson, said: “We made the right choice holding the UKBC Final at

The UK’s Barista Champion 2012, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, who went on to compete in the World Barista Championships. the London Coffee Festival. We were overwhelmed by the interest shown by consumers and industry professionals alike, creating great exposure for our sponsors and chosen charity, Coffee Kids.

During the semi-final and finals it was standing room only. We would particularly like to thank all of the volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly, and to all baristas and their supporters for making this the best UKBC yet.”

The scores for the top six this year were quite tightly bunched with only one point separating fifth and sixth places and

three points separating third and fourth, making it impossible to predict the result from the sidelines. The certificates for Best Espresso and Best Signature Drink were awarded to James Bailey. Best Cappuccino was awarded to Maxwell ColonnaDashwood. James Bailey was announced Best Newcomer and will be invited to attend a trip to a producing country with roasted coffee supplier Union HandRoasted.

Speaking after being crowned 2012 UK Barista Champion, Maxwell ColonnaDashwood said: “Everything we do at our coffee shop (Colonna and Smalls in Bath) is aimed at enthusing our customers about coffee. I’m now in a very privileged position and hope to continue to enthuse and engage with people and make great coffee, which I love to do. I would like to thank the previous UK barista champions for setting such a high standard and will do my best to uphold the tradition of driving awareness.”

Maxwell used two different coffees roasted by Cornwall-based Origin Coffee Roasters. For his cappuccinos he used Lambari, a pulped-natural from Brazil, which tasted of peanut brittle and fudge.

The espresso and signature drinks were made with Sacof Rolindo, a Rwandan Cup of Excellence coffee. The signature drink was prepared using ruby grapefruit with sparkling water, resulting in reduced acidity and brought out caramel and hops flavours. This was mixed with a root licorice and star anise to add more tart, sharp, fruity notes, and accentuated the weight and length of finish.

ICO appoints Andrea Illy Andrea Illy, chairman and CEO of illycaffè, has been appointed chairman of the Promotion and Market Development Committee of the ICO (International Coffee Organization), one of most highly regarded inter-governmental coffee organisations, which gathers exporting and importing countries with the purpose of supporting and developing the industry by means of international cooperation.

For the past 20 years Andrea Illy has always been committing himself to the coffee industry, first of all in his family’s company – present in more than 140 countries – and since 1999 as a member of the Associazione Scientifica Internazionale del Caffè (ASIC), of which

he acts as chairman today.

The aim of the new program developed by Andrea Illy is to strengthen ICO’s role in promoting coffee according to a new perception of this beverage, not simply a commodity any more, but through a process of enhancement and diversification that involves to engage a broader network of stakeholders, made of coffee growers, roasters, institutions, and retailers.

Andrea Illy’s new plan is aimed at improving and spreading the culture of coffee, by enhancing its qualities, its beneficial effects, and the importance of a sustainable approach all along the productive chain. At the same time, coffee producers, especially from

Andrea Illy, who has been appointed chairman of the Promotion and Market Development Committee of the ICO. emerging countries, will have to be supported by programs meant to improve their economic growth, by training coffee growers and by cooperating with institutions and non- governmental organizations that deal with agriculture.

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 5

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NEWS Costa Express and Shell UK announce long-term contract win Costa Express and Shell UK have announced a long-term partnership to install Costa Express self-serve coffee bars in more than 550 Shell forecourts in the UK. Shell is one of the largest forecourt operators in the UK and this latest partnership consolidates Costa Express’ position in this market. The long-term nature of the agreement will also support the extensive investment in technology, promotional support and customer service that will drive footfall, hot drinks sales and profitability for Shell.

Costa Express was chosen as Shell’s new partner for the strength of the Costa brand, the choice of high street quality products and its user-friendly touch screen technology. In-house engineering support and the advanced telemetry systems within Costa Express machines will also help to maximise hot drinks sales ensuring proactive monitoring, preventative maintenance and category management at every site.

Shell’s decision to partner with Costa Express is closely aligned with the launch earlier this year of Shell’s new ‘Deli 2 Go’ shop format, which the Costa Express offer will be an integral part of in many locations.

Scott Martin, managing director of Costa Express commented: “The partnership with Shell, with its high profile, large network of forecourts, is a real endorsement of the Costa Express brand and our plans for expansion. Motorists will now be able to enjoy the nation’s favourite coffee shop brand in Shell locations all over the UK. “Costa Express offers a quick, convenient way to grab a range of speciality coffee and hot chocolate products on the go and will complement Shell’s ‘Deli 2 Go’ format.”

David Wood, marketing manager of Shell UK Retail added: “We understand how important great food and coffee on the move is for customers today and bringing Costa Express to their daily commute is another big step towards establishing Shell as their preferred choice.”

6 JULY 2012

CAFÉ CULTURE

Lavazza announces partnership with Little Chef Lavazza, the authentic Italian espresso brand, has joined forces with newly rebranded roadside restaurant, Little Chef, to offer its premium credentials and quality coffee to motorists across the 90 UK sites.

As of 24 July 2012, all Little Chef sites will be offering the iconic Italian coffee brand, served by baristas who have all received a high level of training at the Lavazza Training Centre. Customers will be treated to the iconic sight and sound of Lavazza being lovingly prepared with the unmistakeable aroma and taste of authentic Italian coffee in a cup.

Coffee has become an undisputed retail heavyweight over the last ten years and with consumers becoming more and more coffee conscious, Little Chef saw the demand for premium coffee. Forming a relationship with an iconic brand such as Lavazza will ensure the roadside restaurants are able to offer their customers a quality coffee experience without compromise.

Little Chef already serves four million cups of tea each year so this is a big opportunity for Lavazza as they sit alongside Taylors/Yorkshire Tea as the tea supplier and Cadbury’s as the hot chocolate provider. The partnership also enables Little Chef to

position its business as the first choice, hot beverage and quality food-on-the-move stop for motorists with its new premium coffee offering.

“The partnership with Little Chef sees the marriage of two iconic brands, one Italian and one British, giving customers access to the authentic Italian coffee experience while on the go. Lavazza’s credentials as Italy’s favourite coffee will enable Little Chef to become a coffee destination for motorists on-the-move,” commented Barry Kither, sales and marketing director at Lavazza, on the announcement.

Little Chef Chairman Graham Sims added: “It’s true to say that customers pretty much have access to quality coffee on every corner of every UK high street today. What was missing is really great coffee whilst travelling on our A-roads. This changes that.

“Consumers want first rate beverage products and we will now serve it up to them, just like the best on any high street.

Lavazza is a major player in the food and drink market and we now offer a product that is sourced and made by the bean sourcing experts. If you’re going to offer quality coffee, it might as well be Italian quality coffee, they are after all famous for it.”

Brita survey reveals tea service in cafés is off the boil When it comes to making the best brew only 1% of consumers believe a café makes the perfect cup, putting out of home tea drinking establishments behind friends, family and even work colleagues, according to One Poll research conducted by water filtration specialist Brita, who has quizzed consumers across the UK on their tea drinking habits.

Anthony Spruce, sales director at BRITA Professional, commented: “Consumers still prefer to drink tea at home because they are not getting their preferred tea drinking experience in cafés and coffee shops. Almost a quarter of consumers we surveyed are put off drinking tea out of home because they have nowhere to put their used tea bag, and operators are turning consumers off by not asking how they would like their tea served (15%).

“While we can’t help with the service, we can help operators get the taste, smell and appearance of their tea right. Water makes up 99% of black drinks and our filters ensure the flavours and aromas of each infusion can develop, adding to the drinking experience and encouraging customers to come back for more. They also

According to Brita, who work in partnership with operators and machine manufacturers to fit water filters which remove scale and impurities that can affect taste, the average Brit drinks four cups of tea per day. eliminate the tannin film that is often found on the surface of tea, making it visually more appealing to the consumer.”

Black tea is Britain’s favourite (55%), with English Breakfast (62%) and Earl Grey (13%) topping the list. One to two minutes is the optimum brewing time (47%), and 72% of consumers surveyed add milk to their tea. Over half of Brits (54%) are sweet enough, opting for no sugar, whereas 24% take one sugar in their tea.

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NEWS

Sales of latte and cappuccino up 9% following re-launch Sales of latte and cappuccino at Starbucks in the UK have risen by more than 9% compared to the same period a year ago, report the chain, following a relaunch which saw the company add an extra shot of Fairtrade espresso to its most popular drinks at no extra cost.

10,000 baristas also learned to steam milk in a new way, making it smoother and more velvety, with the new latte rolled in March in a campaign which invited more than 350,000 customers to try it for free.

Recent independent research shows that the new latte from Starbucks came out on top on aroma, appearance and recommendation in comparison to the company’s largest competitor, claim the company

(the blind tests by research company, Fresh Minds Ltd, revealed that people who rated themselves “discerning coffee drinkers” preferred the Starbucks Latte by 66% to 29%).

Other highlights of the period included baristas and customers getting to know each other better with baristas wearing their names on their aprons for the first time and also asking customers for their names.

Comedian and Starbucks customer, Jimmy Carr, worked as a barista for a day to learn how to make the new latte.

A print and digital advertising campaign featuring real Starbucks baristas from across the UK explained the skill behind making great coffee and a London apprenticeship

Soho Coffee opens at third Butlins site Food-led coffee retailer, Soho Coffee Co., has opened its third Butlins outlet at the new Wave Hotel & Apartments at the Bognor Regis Resort.

Soho Coffee Co. opened on 2 July 2012 in the brand new £25million Wave Hotel & Apartments at Butlins Bognor Regis, effectively giving Butlins a Soho Coffee Co. at each of their beachside resorts, having already been successful in full store formats at Butlins Minehead and Skegness). This is a unique footprint model for SOHO Coffee Co. being their first within a hotel, and it is open from 8am until bar closing, fulfilling a busy food and coffee demand especially in the daytimes.

Butlins first selected Soho Coffee Co. in 2010 as a trading partner for their innovative proposition of great hot and cold food, organic and Fairtrade coffee and excellent service standards. Wave offers 215 rooms and 29 self-catering apartments with most having balconies and sea views, a high-tech 3D gaming room, Kindle Library and iPad check-in desks.

Mike Crowther, head of operations at Butlins, commented: “We’re very pleased with the experience Soho Coffee Co. has given our guests at both Minehead and Skegness and we were delighted to be able to incorporate the Soho café concept into our new Wave Hotel at Bognor Regis.”

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CAFÉ CULTURE

programme was launched to offer skills and careers in the capital with Starbucks now planning to offer 250 extra seasonal posts this summer in London, as it expects many stores to be busier than ever before during the Olympics.

Kris Engskov, Starbucks UK & Ireland managing director, said: “There’s no doubt that British customers are under real pressure right now, so offering more value when it’s needed most has proved very popular.

That means giving an extra shot at no extra cost, not charging extra for being 100% Fairtrade or only using the best Arabica beans. We can see that the changes have struck a chord, and the independent research gives us more confidence that

we have made the right changes to suit customers’ tastes here in the UK and Ireland.”

“The campaign was our biggest yet and the extra sales of latte and cappuccino is one clear measure of success. It also generated tremendous buzz in every type of media and made Starbucks part of the national conversation for weeks. But it doesn’t stop there – the changes we’ve made are differentiating Starbucks in a crowded market and that gives us a long-lasting benefit. We are getting to know our customers better by exchanging names and we ‘re making lattes and cappuccinos in a new way, which customers here strongly prefer,” added Ian Cranna, Starbucks UK and Ireland VP of marketing.

Gourmet hotdog and coffee shop takes on big players at Xscape Award-winning Yorkshire café brand, Primo’s Gourmet Hotdogs, is taking on multinational food giants with the opening of its second branch at Xscape Entertainment Centre, Yorkshire.

Primo’s was established in Leeds in 2010 and its shop in the Corn Exchange has become renowned for its hotdogs, deli style snacks and quality coffee offering.

Primo’s reports that it has enjoyed significant success, satisfying thousands of customers, and recently winning an Oliver award for the Best Fast Food in Leeds. Its coffee offering is as just as well known as its reputation for great hot dogs, with a menu of bespoke speciality coffees including the Banana Latte and the new Nutella Cappuccino. It also offers its own fine blend of ground coffee to take away, so customers can recreate the Primo’s taste at home.

Taking inspiration from around the world, Nick Julian, the brains behind Primo’s, has worked hard to keep the menu original and diverse and regularly travels to the US to see which trends are emerging in the home of the hotdog, as well as to find new deli-inspired additions to the menu (such as a new range of Cubano sandwiches) which help keep Primo’s ahead of its competitors.

The opening of the new branch at Xscape Yorkshire is a milestone for Primo’s, positioning the brand next to

some of the biggest names in foodservice, alongside the likes of Starbucks, Pizza Express, TGI Fridays and Nando’s.

Nick Julian, owner of Primo’s Gourmet Hotdogs says: “To open at Xscape alongside the likes of Starbucks and so many big names in foodservice is a great opportunity for the Primo’s brand. So far, by offering a completely different menu and experience to other cafés, we have grown and maintained a great customer base in Leeds, something we hope to replicate further into Yorkshire and beyond.”

Nick Julian also hopes that the Xscape expansion will pave the way for the opening of other branches and plans to sign up to the Apprentice Scheme to help equip young people with business and career skills through Primo’s.

Inside the new Primo’s at Xscape, Yorkshire.

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NEWS

Coffee shop’s new recruits are full of beans!

A coffee shop in Galashiels has given a fair trade to ten previously long-term unemployed people after joining forces with local employment specialist, Ingeus.

The new recruits have been given the life-changing opportunities by contract catering group Elior, which operates Fontanella and the staff café at Tesco on Paton Street. Its work with employability services provider Ingeus to recruit long-term unemployed people has proven so successful that it is now rolling out to other Elior sites in the area. It has also already seen one local resident not only get back into work, but promptly recruited to a supervisory position.

Sarah Logan, from Galashiels, was unemployed for seven years after taking time out to nurse her then-seriously ill son and was delighted to be offered a customer service role at Elior just three days after being referred to Ingeus, and has quickly progressed to become a supervisor in the

Left to right, Moira Wilson, Sarah Logan and Paul Gailley at Fontanella in Galashiels. me. It all happened so quickly.

Tesco staff café.

It’s been totally life-changing For many years, however, getting back to work and I can’t Sarah struggled to even get a believe I’ve been promoted response to job applications, already!” despite having a wealth of past Ingeus Employer Partnership work experience. “I applied for Coordinator, Moira Wilson, gave hundreds of jobs but got Sarah Logan the initial nowhere,” explained Sarah interview and, seeing her Logan. “Employers can’t judge potential, was able to your personality from an online recommend her to Elior. form, but that’s where Ingeus “Moira knew the qualities came to my rescue. we were looking for in our new “On my first visit to Ingeus recruits and saved me so much we rewrote my CV to highlight time, money and hassle by premore of my skills, then they interviewing the applicants,” told me about the Elior said catering manager, Paul vacancies and recommended

‘Licence to work’ in coffee endorsed In what is claimed to be a first for the coffee industry, the Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS) has endorsed United Coffee UK & Ireland’s barista training as part of its ‘Licence to Work’ programme, which aims to improve front of house service in the hospitality industry through entry level training.

The one day course will educate trainees about the origins of coffee, how to produce a great shot of espresso, how to texture milk to a rich creamy consistency as well as the skills to sell more coffee.

Once the training has been completed, coffee employees will be more commercially aware and know how deliver a great coffee experience to the consumer and will be awarded a ‘Licence to Work’ certification to prove it.

Elaine Higginson, managing director of United Coffee UK & Ireland commented: “A great barista is someone who can serve great coffee and loves their customers. Our barista training is aimed

at passionate coffee people who want to develop their skills so they can get the best out of their coffee machines and beans to sell more coffee.”

Sophie Roberts-Brown, executive director, Academy of Food and Wine Service added: “We’ve worked with Elaine and her team of experts to get all of their knowledge and experience into a structured training programme to develop the ‘Licence to Work in Coffee Service’.

This training is a must for anyone currently working as a barista that’s had no, or very limited training, or anyone considering starting a career in coffee.”

The training is accessible to anyone who works in coffee shops, bars, restaurants, hotel, pubs, or other outlets serving a range of espresso-based drinks, through the AFWS, and the Licence to Work in Coffee Service is also one of the added value benefits for members of United Coffee UK & Ireland’s customer insight club for the coffee industry, named ‘all about u’.

Gailley, who is also a master trainer of the Elior group’s ‘eXperience’ customer service programme.

“Elior has a strong customer service focus and so finding the right staff is vital. It is important that we give opportunities to local unemployed people and it’s been great to see everyone’s confidence grow and personalities shine as they settle in. Sarah, and the other Ingeus recruits, are a real credit to the team.”

Ingeus provides a free-ofcharge service to employers of all sizes and industries to recruit unemployed people.

From providing CVs for single vacancies, to handling the full recruitment process for a new operation or chain, the service is tailored to employers’ requirements and is totally feefree. It has 14 offices, including Galashiels, across Scotland and over the past five years has helped more than 15,000 previously unemployed Scottish people back into work (www.ingeus.co.uk /employers).

New CEO joins Cafédirect Cafédirect, on of the UK’s leading Fairtrade coffee brands, has announced the arrival of new CEO, John Steel as of July 2, 2012.

John Steel brings a wealth of FMCG experience to Cafédirect, ranging from leading brands like KitKat and Cadbury to fast growing premium brands including Loyd Grossman to sustainable challenger brands such as Cornish Sea Salt.

"Cafédirect is such an inspiring company both in terms of the mission of the business and the people and I'm delighted to be joining the team. It offers a combination of outstanding sustainability credentials with a genuinely high quality range of products and I'm really excited by the powerful business potential that this offers,” commented John Steel on his appointment.

John Steel replaces former CEO, Anne MacCaig, who left the company last summer, and will take over from Richard Scanlon, interim acting chief executive and finance director.

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 9

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NEWS

Wicked Coffee wins it wings!

The Wicked Coffee Company is celebrating securing its biggest client to date with the news that it has been selected by international facilities company ISS to provide coffee services to 25,000 Royal Air Force personnel around the UK. The business will be worth around £350,000 in its first year and includes barista training for ISS staff, as well as the supply of beverages and equipment, say the Yorkshire-based company that has also recently renewed its ongoing agreement with the National Union of Student Services Ltd (NUSSL) to supply beverages, snacks and equipment for a further three years (students in 85 UK universities are now drinking Wicked Coffee).

These latest successes come during a year in which the Wicked Coffee Company has seen its sales grow by over 20% despite ongoing tough economic conditions.

“We are absolutely delighted to have been given the opportunity to supply the fantastic men and women of the RAF with their daily caffeine boost!” said managing director Fergus Walsh, who attributes Wicked Coffee’s ongoing success to the fact that the company provides very high levels of customer service. “Of course we aren’t the only company that can supply good coffee, but whilst many of our competitors have been reducing their service levels during the current economic climate, we

Fergus Walsh, managing director of the Wicked Coffee Company. are continually developing and strengthening our support structure to add value to our business offering. We simply have a great team dedicated to pleasing our customers!”

New frappe bases from Monin

CSM UK say that they are one of the first companies to bring these American-style treats over to the UK.

New indulgent cookies launched CSM UK have announce the launch of a new range of indulgent cookies, and the culmination of their years of expertise making delicious cookies with a unique recipe that uses the very best ingredients Readi-Bake Indulgent Cookies, say the company, designed to make them an exceptionally moreish treat for café customers.

Readi-Bake Indulgent Cookies contain real Belgian chocolate chunks, and can be simply baked from frozen, available in Milk Chocolate and Triple Chocolate formats. With minimal preparation time they are perfect for busy bakers or food retailers with limited baking equipment, suggest CSAM (the bake from frozen concept meaning there is minimal wastage).

These 80g cookies are a ‘big eat’, and bang on trend with their American soft and chewy texture, large enough to share, or perfect for an all for me treat, the real chocolate hit gives that taste of luxury for those customers who appreciate the finer things in life.

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Monin has launched a range of frappe bases, making it easy to create a wide choice of popular contemporary drinks, including smoothies, frozen coffees, frappés and cocktails, in just a few seconds, claim the brand.

Le Frappé de Monin is made to a specially designed formula to achieve the perfect balanced drink once mixed with Monin flavours, ice and water or milk.

James Coston, Monin UK brand ambassador, said: “Le Frappé de Monin collection complements Monin’s range of syrups, sauces, fruit mixes and liqueurs, making it easy to create frappé drinks with a smooth and creamy texture and enhanced aromas. Drinks made with Le Frappé de Monin are well-balanced and not too sweet, even when flavoured with syrups.”

The range comprises traditional favourites Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee, plus Yoghurt and Non-Dairy. Le Frappé de Monin is made with carefully selected

Monin say that its new range is versatile and flexible, suitable for shakes, mochas, smoothies and cocktails, or even ice cream. ingredients to match premium quality standards and offers a convenient and cost-effective product to meets the growing trend for frozen drinks.

The five flavours are available in convenient 1.36kg canisters with measuring scoops, have a shelf life of two years and remain in good condition 60 days after opening. Each ready-to-use canister has a re-sealable cap and contains more than 40 servings (Monin recommends using two scoops per drink or just one if combined with a Monin flavoured syrup or fruit mix).

New energy drink signs up Professor Green Relentless Energy Drink has announced music superstar Professor Green as its new brand ambassador throughout 2012, and say that the UK rapper will be working with them on several exciting promotional projects this year.

2011 saw Professor Green secure his first number one single with the highly personal Read All About It, which featured Emeli Sande plus the release of the now Double Gold-selling At Your Inconvenience album. Blending credibility with commercial appeal, he also secured live TV performances on the X Factor (he was the first rapper to perform on the show) and

then Later With Jools in the same week with the year ending on a high with him supporting Coldplay on their European arena tour.

Professsor Green and Relentless Energy Drink both share a dedication to their art, are both defiant in the face of compromise, and both live life to the full in a truly no half measures way, claim the new drinks brand.

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NEWS

Kenco Millicano now available out of home Kenco Millicano which has already made a name for itself in the instant coffee category in retail is now available out of home.

This innovative new product combines a blend of premium freezedried instant coffee with finely-milled roast and ground coffee beans, delivering a taste that is closer to roast and ground but with the convenience of an instant, explain its creators, Kenco Professional (www.kencoprofessional.co.uk).

This new segment of super premium coffee – ‘wholebean instant’ - has really driven incremental growth not only for Kenco, but also the pure soluble category in total, say the company and its availability in the Away From Home

category now creates an opportunity for operators to greatly enhance the taste and quality of coffee offering, without compromise to convenience, and with the benefit of lower operational cost than bean to cup.

Kenco Millicano will be available to operators in 300g vending bags for use in free standing and table top dispense machines and comes with a support bundle of branded cups and decals and fascias (Kenco Millicano also forms part of the new 12oz Kenco2Go range).

Zoe Williams, marketing manager at Kenco Professional said: “Kenco Millicano offers all the benefits of our standard freeze dried instant coffee sustainability, quality and convenience that our consumers already love, and

Podule blasts off with a 150 machine order!

British designers of the Xen-550 drinks vending machine say that they are delighted with the response to their latest innovation, the Podule - a new way for employers to dispense a full range of hot and cold beverage ingredients to their guests and staff – after receiving an order for 150.

When a UK based aerospace manufacturer was searching for something new and innovative to replace their aging fleet of traditional vending machines, they asked their catering consultancy Rutland Catering Services for suggestions. There followed an extensive search reaching as far as Australia before they discovered Podule right here in the UK. Managing director of Rutland catering services, Colin Bremner, said: “Our client challenged us to find a sophisticated yet low cost way of dispensing more than two million cups of tea coffee milk sugar and chocolate to its three thousand staff.

After an extensive search we found Podule, and after some on site trials the system was chosen for all three our clients manufacturing locations.

“The Podule system provides all the options our client required and yet is very compact. We asked Pod drinks to design a wall mounted solution. Pod Drinks were happy to oblige, so now have a system that takes up no counter space at all.

Podule ingredient dispensing is also used in conjunction with the clients existing wall mounted water boilers to provide a radical new way to dispense hot drinks to

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staff. In addition to the Podule, we sourced for our client thermal mugs eliminating forever the millions of plastic cups every year that were consumed and thrown away.

“Podule has no moving parts relying on magnetism to dispense ingredients straight from the factory sealed ingredient pods directly into the customers cup or mug. There are multiple benefits ranging from simplicity hygiene zero maintenance costs and a drink cost which is typically 40% less than current in cup costs.”

Martin Barry Marks, designer of the Podule, added: “We are delighted with this order with one innovative British manufacturer providing a solution to another. We see the Podule as the perfect answer for companies who want a low cost yet smart alternative to traditional vending machines with all their associated problems and costs. We have received enquiries for Podule from many EU countries and there is a bright future for the podule with lots of exciting new variants in the pipeline for all types of applications.”

Xen-550 drinks vending machine company’s latest innovation, the Podule.

adds in more whole bean taste to give a smoother, full bodied mouth feel. It’s our closest thing to ‘proper’ coffee in an instant.

“Already, Kenco Millicano has seen huge success in the retail market, and is now worth more than £13 million. Our new product designed specifically for away from home operators is ideal for premium workplace, private healthcare, and small to medium leisure sites/hotels.”

Inside Peter Andre’s coffee shop venture – the New York Coffee Club in East Grinstead.

When Valera met Peter!

In its latest project, catering equipment company, Valera, have just supplied the serve-over and bar counters for the New York Coffee Club, a brand new coffee shop in East Grinstead owned by none other than the television celebrity, Peter Andre.

The hot new venue is a family venture for Peter and his brother, Danny, and from its brightly coloured premises on the busy West Sussex high street it is offering ‘bright lights and flat whites’ and ‘fuel for the city’ among other things, in fact, everything you might find on a New York sidewalk.

The £20,000 plus budget for counters allowed Valera to fit the sleek Amphora range with its smooth, white lacquered curved sides and stylish curved glass display tops. The delicate sheen of the rounded counter fronts brings a touch of glamour to the brightly coloured surroundings, say Valera, providing a focal point for customers, particularly when the glass cabinets are stocked with cupcakes, muffins and other New York-style goodies.

The Andre brothers are hoping that the New York Coffee Club will be such a hit that a national roll-out will be on the cards, maybe even a European one. Valera, meanwhile, who orchestrated the entire shop design and fit, hopes that the Amphora range will also play a part in its success.

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NEWS

Aberdeen’s Caber Coffee launches ‘coffee with conscience’ Aberdeen-based beverage supplier Caber Coffee has announced the launch of a new and exclusive Fairtrade range of coffee, tea and hot chocolate products.

Named Ethyco and styled as ‘coffee with conscience’, the range not only benefits growers around the world, it also supports local projects in the UK by re-investing 2% of sales into social enterprise projects, making it a product unique to the marketplace with no other beverage range offering this level of social responsibility, claim Caber.

For many years the Fairtrade brand has been a recognisable mark in the UK beverage market, guaranteeing farmers a price set above that of the commodity market with the intention of benefiting the lives and communities in third world and developing countries. Caber says its Ethyco takes this a step further by donating the 2% every six months to projects with a socio-economic or environmental focus via their partners Social Enterprise Scotland. One charity to already benefit is The Foyer in Aberdeen who work to

Suki launch fine China teas Suki Tea, the award winning boutique blender, has launched two new gourmet teas from China as part of its focus on the afternoon market in hotels and cafés.

The company, based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is introducing customers in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland to Fair Trade Organic White Monkey Tea and Organic Oolong Oriental Beauty, both sourced from growers in China.

Both are fine teas and being included in Suki’s existing Afternoon Tea package launched earlier in the year to meet the growing demand from upmarket outlets for richly flavoured alternatives to coffee.

“The Organic White Monkey and Organic Oolong teas offer delicate flavours like fine wines,” said Suki Tea director, Anne Rooney. “White Monkey is a very subtle and fruity white tea, like a fine muscadet, while Oolong - a cross between green and black - has a much stronger, robust and nut-like flavour. They are being introduced to meet and encourage the growing demand from customers for quality tea particularly in the afternoons.

“Consumers are becoming much more discerning and knowledgeable about fine teas. This trend has led us to develop and now to extend our package approach for high-end hotels and restaurants

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Tea Experience unveils new retail pouches

prevent and alleviate youth homelessness and unemployment.

“We are delighted to be bringing such a unique brand to the North East and to the UK. With ethical purchasing on the increase, and the growing focus on Corporate Social Responsibility, our customers like to know that what they are paying is going to benefit those who have actually grown the products,” commented managing director Findlay Leask.

“And what we have done is take that one step further, giving our customers further satisfaction by donating 2% of sales to local charities so that our customers in the UK can actually see the difference this brand is making and how powerful a collaborative, global effort can be. People often think that Fairtrade means less taste and that is simply not the case – the feedback we have had so far about the quality and taste of these products is extremely positive.”

Oscar Woolley, managing director of Suki Tea, lends a hand in picking leaves for the new teas.

throughout the British Isles. This is our equivalent of a wine list and we’ve produced menus for customers detailing the unique characteristics of the gourmet teas that we recommend for a relaxing afternoon.”

The company, which sells its products in Japan, Europe and Africa, selects its range of gourmet teas from leading growers in China, India and Tanzania and blends and packages the teas in Belfast.

Formed in 2005 by Oscar Woolley and Anne Rooney, Suki Tea employs 12 people and also has flourishing online sales markets. Its clients include Jamie Oliver’s 15 Restaurant in Cornwall, Rick Stein’s Restaurant in Padstow, Gallery Yumeori in Tokyo, the Intercontinental Hotel in Warsaw, Patisserie Valerie in London and Bourbon Cafe in Rwanda and the Barbican Centre in London.

Yorkshire online speciality tea company, the Tea Experience, has launched a new range of artisan Flowering Tea Blooms available in pouches aimed at the independent retail market.

The Doncaster business is seeing growth and demand for its popular loose tea blooms online and is now moving into the retail arena with a line up of seven retail pouches (170 x 110mm), each containing four top grade flowering tea blooms of the same variety, including Flying Snow, Jasmine Arch, Jasmine Fairy, Red Aramanth, Sweet Osmanthus and Dragon’s Eye. A mixed selection pouch offering Dragon’s Eye, Jasmine Fairy, Sweet Osmanthus and Flying Snow is also available.

Skilfully handmade to order by an award winning artisan producer in China, the high quality silver needle green tea not only tastes good, but offers a floral finale too, claim the company. With a light and delicate taste, the tea offers a whispered hint of the flowers (the Chinese believe that the flowers may also have health benefits, in the same way we drink flower teas in the UK, so combining this with known benefits of green tea this is a refreshing and healthy drink).

Packaging and design for the new retail tea range was developed by Sheffield Hallam University’s creative design agency, Design Futures, and incorporates The Tea Experience branding and an individual colourway for each bloom type for product differentiation and eye-catching shelf display. A retail sales display box, to hold five pouches, has also been created for the company.

“We have seen good growth online since our launch and recognise that there is a place for our speciality loose teas in the retail market, particularly within the independent sector, where high quality and differentiation is paramount. We are already in talks with independent retailers who are interested in our new range, so feel confident that they will be well received,” commented Ann Davis, the Tea Experience’s founder.

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NEWS

Gourmet Classic aims for third wave coffee drinkers Gourmet Classic, a specialist supplier of cooking wines and alcohol, says that it is set to capitalise on third wave premium coffee drinkers with a new range of flavoured syrups and brandies aimed at the out of home sector.

Inspired by authentic Italian recipes from the Montebello region in Northern Italy, Gourmet Classic’s new Monte Bello coffee shots use only the finest ingredients to deliver a uniquely spirited twist to traditional coffee, say the company.

The syrups use specially sourced natural ingredients to create an extra flavour dimension. Options available include Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, Amaretto, Cinnamon,

Chocolate and Mint, all based on classic Italian recipes which are popular across Europe. For those who enjoy an extra special kick, Monte Bello’s Coffee Brandies contain 5% abv and are strictly for adults. These refined fruit Brandies have been carefully blended to deliver the ultimate coffee experience and include flavours such as Kirsch, Peach, Plumb, Pear William, Strawberry and Calvados, say the company.

“Adding a shot of syrup or brandy allows the consumer to personalise their coffee to make it just the way they like it,” said Jody Frost, marketing director for Gourmet Classic.

“In the out of home market, quality and

SHORTS Seamless change at Denny’s Uniforms Nick Jubert, managing director of Denny’s Uniforms “liked the business so much – he bought the company.” With continuous growth over the last 16 years in family ownership, Nick says that he is now taking Denny’s to a new chapter in its 170 year history.

Along with sales director, Dominic Green, the staff in London’s Soho and city shops and the Leatherhead HQ and distribution centre, they will continue the same concentration of supplying the hospitality market with well priced uniforms from stock after the family voted to sell their shareholding.

Tea trialling Boutique tea brand, Bellevue, says that it revived National Tea Week (2 to 8 July 2012) in the UK. The aim of the week was to get everyone to widen their tea horizons and try different varieties from the healing and hayfever prevention powers of Rooibos to the soothing and fragrant Darjeeling or flavonoid rich Green, there is a variety to suit every taste, and Bellevue have been encouraging consumers to experiment more.

New de-scaling product The Swiss-based supplier of de-scaling products, durgol, has launched durgol swiss espresso - a new decalcifying product designed to remove limescale from all makes and models of coffee machines. Available now, it effectively cleans and descales all types of coffee machines including fully automatic, semi-automatic, manual and 'coffee pod' machines, say the company (www.durgol.co.uk).

Distributors sought Limini Coffee say that they are now looking for distributors.

There are no set up costs, and training will be provided by Limini. All the distributor needs to do is look after the customer, say the company, by ensuring that they are happy and by being there to help with barista skills and any other problems that might occur. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for anybody who loves coffee and loves people,” says Limini’s Youri Vlag. “It means you don't have to worry about stock, developing coffees, deliveries and most of all, paperwork!”

Almondy receives halal approval Swedish baker Almondy has received halal certification for its range of almond-based tårta, enabling operators to cater for the UK’s two million muslims – the third largest muslim community in Western Europe. Approved by the Islamic Information Society the certificate means that Almondy contains no haram ingredients and is fit for Muslim consumption, making the cake the ideal sweet offering to tap into a market worth more than £700m in the UK alone, say the bakers.

innovation is the key. We are aiming this product at the growing number of third wave premium coffee drinkers who have moved on from the standard coffee offer and crave a unique drinking experience. Just adding a shot of Monte Bello will really bring the drink alive with an added injection of flavour, it’s just what these third wave coffee lovers are looking for.”

Offering excellent profit margins of around 55% by return, Monte Bello Syrups and Coffee Brandies are also an excellent way to add a point of difference to the speciality coffee menu, point out the firm, and the range is available in 70cl bottles and does not require a licence to stock (www.gourmetclassic.com).

A new breed of bean to cup vending machine European vending machine manufacturer, Jofemar, has announced the launch of a new bean-to-cup vendor, the Coffeemar 546G, a new 500 cup unit incorporating a pressurised valve, and the only system on the market to do so, claim the makers.

Crucially, it ensures the correct water pressure throughout the brew process, optimising extraction from first to last drop. Another key feature of this advanced machine, aimed at delivering a perfect cup of coffee, is the selfregulating grinder mechanism, where the burrs automatically adjust to ensure an even and consistent grind. The machine also offers a broad menu of speciality coffees (cappuccino, latte, Americano etc.), 20 product selections in all with five different sugar level options on each.

In developing the machine, Jofemar says that it has strived to make life simpler for the service engineer, too. Mindful of how difficult it can be to access the machine from behind, it has designed access to all electrical and electronic components from the front as well as the rear, making it possible to service and repair the machine without moving it – a considerable boon on compact sites and where the machine is placed against a wall.

Aesthetically, the 546G has been designed in neutral colours so that it will complement any type of décor.

Built from high grade steel and rust-treated, it is fitted with a vandal-proof lock with concealed crowbar resistant door.

New on the 546G is the ability to control two optional slave units from the machine’s selection panel and payment module. Customers may choose to add on Jofemar’s Vision E-S or Vision E-S Plus satellite units, vending all manner of snacks and confectionery as well as high value, delicate and non-food items. The unit is complete with Jofemar’s awardwinning J2000 5-tube change-giver as standard for connection to Executive or MDB protocols.

Options include water tank kit, telemetry modem, cashless payment and water filter.

Jofemar’s latest bean to cup vending machine.

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 15

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Awards 2012 Sponsored by Café Brontë and Bel UK, the Café Society trade association hosted its annual Café Society Awards with a luncheon held at the Roof Gardens in Kensington, London on the 24 May 2012. The event enjoyed some hot, sunny weather and was attended by more than a hundred key people from across the UK and European coffee business.

The business of hospitality As the previous year’s winner of the overall Café Society Award (given to an individual or organisation considered by the judges to have been exceptionally influential in shaping the café market in the UK), Kaffeine’s Peter Dore-Smith was invited to address the audience.

Talking about his own experiences of running a successful coffee business that has gone on to be closely observed with interest by others, including the chains, he stressed the importance of staff retention, training and hospitality by providing an informative and insightful look at the recent changes and challenges the industry is dealing with (turn to page 20 for a full account).

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The Café Society would like to thank sponsors Bel UK and Café Brontë and all those who took part in the judging process, particularly Simon Stenning of Allegra Strategies, Marco Arrigo of Euro Food Brands and Michelle Young of Foodservice Support Ltd.

The Café Society Award This was awarded to Gerry Ford of Caffè Nero in recognition of his exceptional influence in shaping the café market in the UK.

Paul Ettinger of Caffè Nero receiving the award on behalf of Gerry Ford.

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AWARDS

The New ProductAward

The Café Innovation Award

This award aims to encourage the development of products (including equipment) for the market. This year the award was sub-divided into two categories.

This award aims to encourage innovation in the market and is open to everyone in the market including retailers and suppliers.

Paul Eagles of Kokoa.

Winner: Kokoa Collection Hot Chocolate Range Food and Beverage category

Short listed: Sweet Freedom (Sugar Substitute) Taylerson’s Syrups (Low Energy Pasteurisation Syrups) Tri-Star Packaging (Artisan Range) Handmade Cake Company (New Wrapped Sponge Bar)

Sandro Roppa of Fratelli Roppa.

Winner: Fratelli Roppa - Brasilena Chilled Coffee

Mary Cooley of Delice de France.

Highly commended: Delice de France (Wrapped to Go Range) Short listed: Green Cauldron Coffee (Single Origin and Quarter Jack Coffee) Caffè Nero (Hot Porridge)

The Café DesignAward This award aims to encourage good design practices in the sector.

Mark Kent of Estro Café at Debenhams.

Winner: Estro Café at Debenhams, Newbury

Product and Equipment category

From left to right, Sally Gabbitas (Tri-Star), Steve Campbell (Anson) and Kevin Curran (Tri-Star).

Winner: Tri-Star Packaging - Artisan Range Short listed: The Coffee Machine Company (Rancilio Xcelcius Temperature Profiling Device) La Marzocco (Strada EP Coffee Machine) Toasty Products (MKII Auto Grill) Taskmaestro (Software Programme for retail outlets)

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Peter Kirton of Esquires Coffee being presented with the Gold Award by Clare Benfield, editor of Café Culture magazine.

A Gold Award was presented to Esquires.

Short listed: Bubbleology (Rupert Street, Soho) Workshop Coffee Company (Clerkenwell Road, London) M & S Tasting Café (Stratford City Development, London) Artisan (Upper Richmond Street, Putney) Coffee#1 (Roman Walk, Exeter) Rhode Island Coffee (Spindles Centre, Oldham)

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 17

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AWARDS

The Café/Coffee Bar Chain Award Sponsored by Bel UK 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.

The Independent Café/Coffee Bar Award Sponsored by Café Brontë This award aims to recognise the work being done by entrepreneurs in the industry to develop successful independent café/coffee bar concepts across the UK and has been sub-divided into two categories.

Camilla Deane of Bel UK (far left) with Sarah Hill (centre) and Jo Hamilton of Coffee#1.

Winner: Coffee #1

The Independent category

Short listed: Rhode Island Coffee Esquires Boston Tea Party Costa Caffè Nero

James Dickson (right) and Tim Williams of the Workshop Coffee Company.

Winner: Workshop Coffee Company, London

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

From left to right, Simon Law and Sarah Quenault of the Handmade Cake Company.

Winner: Handmade Cake Company New Wrapped Sponge Bar Range

From left to right, Bev Seymour (Green Cauldron Coffee House), Peter Dore-Smith and Amy Newman (Kaffeine), Amy Coles (Café Bronte) and Magda Woloszyn (Artisan).

Gold Awards were also awarded to Kaffeine (London), Artisan (London) and Green Cauldron Coffee House (Liverpool).

Debbie Melhuish of Costa.

Short listed: Koo Café (Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield) Yew Tree Café (Wootton Wawen)

The Chain Development category Highly commended: Costa Chicken Fajita Hot Wrap Highly commended: Brakes La Boulangerie Coffee Shop Range Short listed: Natura Amore (Torta Gabriella) Delice de France (Gourmand Range)

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From left to right, Alison Kibler and Karen Graney of Greggs.

Winner: Greggs Moment, Newcastle.

Short listed: M & S Tasting (Stratford City Development, London) Caffe Pausa (Dunelm Mill, Reading) Estro Café (Debenhams, Newbury)

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JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 19

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OPINION

Hospitable

cafés

In speaking about his own successful and award-winning café in London – Kaffeine – this year’s guest speaker at the Café Society Awards, Peter Dore-Smith, highlighted several issues that are of increasing importance to the sector as a whole, culminating in what he believes should be a greater focus on, and valuing of, hospitality.

Flattered Peter Dore-Smith talked initially about how Kaffeine now attracts regular groups of visitors, sometimes two and three times a day, all coming in to sample the menu and observe, and take notes.

“They come in groups. We can see them outside our front window. They stand and point, take photos, and come inside eventually and order one of everything to be taken to the table, and dissect the food,” he revealed. “It’s incredibly flattering though. And I keep getting reminded by my staff not to get upset, because it’s a big honour to be copied, and so we are truly flattered by it.

“And it’s not just me it happens to. It’s important though, and we encourage it and I go over to people and say hello, and encourage my staff to do the same because if we have the time we invite them to come over to the espresso machine. We talk, discuss, and find out where they’re from because we, personally, want to make an impression. I want people to go away from my business saying that Kaffeine was one

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of the best places they went to when they went to London and did their tour.”

He went on to explain that he felt such visits and interest were very positive and a sign in particular of what has taken place over the past year.

“It means that people are going out, seeing what’s successful and trying to implement it in their own places, and it means that people are wanting to improve. When I was out taking notes, I did exactly the same thing. For example, I went to Fernandez & Wells at 7.30am, Flat White, Taylor Street and Gwilym’s on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and that was in 2007/8,” he recalled.

“A month a go, I went on a tour and did eight places in one day, but could have done another eight the day after, and eight the day after that…

That’s what I’ve seen happen over the past year. There are some amazing improvements amazing coffee, different brew methods, food and alcohol, different roasters, different beans. Big warehouse type spaces, all very industrial,

metal and brick, some with a lot of investment behind them, others with a very small amount of investment, but what’s truly independent?

That’s what I ask. Someone like myself who’s put his own money in behind it.”

Copy cat culture?

Observing that the chains had also been taking a keen interest in developments, Peter Dore-Smith jokingly asked the gathered audience if they had noticed how many brick walls – fake or otherwise! – there were in chains such as Pret, these days. “It makes you wonder where these ideas came from!” he humoured. “But it shows the level of interest, companies spending a lot of money these days in the UK and investing heavily in the future.

“For me as an independent, small business, that’s fantastic because it means that people are recognising that there’s a good opportunity for cafés and this industry in the UK. So maybe I’m on the right path.

“There are also the ones

who are taking notes, improving themselves and improving the industry, but this can be a little bit of down side, all this note-taking, potentially you might say

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OPINION

bottles, guest espressos etc.

It’s exciting because Melbourne is a great place to be, but also a little bit boring – ‘oh, it’s the same old place again’, even though they’re all individual. So where does that leave us here in London?”

copying. I went to Melbourne at Christmas and noticed that so many places have the same design touches, community tables, all doing their own roasting, medicine type

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Value of a good barista “We’ve all seen the quick rise of café culture in the UK, especially in London over the last three years,” Peter DoreSmith continued. “Media coverage, the consumers, they’ve demanded it and we are supplying it, and this will continue. We continue to have more openings.

“At the moment, 80% of my staff want to open their own café. So many people want to do it, so there are going to be more and more openings.

We’ll continue to have more competition, especially for the better staff, so another question that’s around at the moment is how much is a good barista worth? The

minimum wage is currently around £6.30 per hour, but what is a good barista worth?

What’s a good chef worth?

And to me, personally, what’s a good server worth?

Someone who serves food and looks after my customers.

So eight, nine, ten pounds an hour, is that what it’s going to get to? And then what will happen to the cost of the cup to the customer? Is it going to go up?”

Another current ‘hot topic’ to the industry, felt Peter Dore-Smith, was training and retention of staff.

“Hospitality is my background and has always been the problem, and it’s going to be the same here in the UK too, trying to keep that same level going. Perhaps this will mean that the quality will drop and there will be places that open and customers will go in there expecting a certain level of quality and they won’t get it. Maybe this will happen in places without a reputation because for me, the staff who are going to work for me come and work for Kaffeine that has a reputation, so I’m very lucky.

I know there are others who have that same benefit. Some places will survive and thrive, but unfortunately others will be opened by people who perceive that the glamour and fast cash of the coffee industry is going to be amazing for them, and it’s not.

So maybe these people will fall by the wayside.”

Future “I am often asked what is the future for cafés in London.

Flate whites, coffees and brewing? Will all these cafés and note-taking lead to places continually looking the same?

Probably. It’s happening in Melbourne effectively, and probably they’ll have all the same similarities because they can only do so much.

There are only so many types of machines, so many roasters , but what I’m hoping for is an improvement in each one so that the industry and consumer will get a better end product,” he told the Awards.

“My goal is to be one of the best cafés in the UK, but how do we do that with the limited space we have, and with so many others improving and opening? The future I hope for is where I can go into any hospitality establishment where everything is perfect from the food, wine and coffee to the service and décor.

“Another future I hope for is where I can go into any B&B or restaurant and be able to have a different espresso, yet perfect brew method, so that people are putting effort into all, not just a certain part, of their hospitality business.

“These new openings, and the social media sites talk, awards ceremonies and festivals show that there is a great opportunity for London overall and in fact the UK. It’s really going to continue and push and grow towards an amazing reputation for all things hospitality.”

Hospitality “It’s not just about cafés, but hospitality as a whole and we’re part of the way there,” said Peter Dore-Smith.

“All the recent happenings over the past year are a great contribution towards that. I want to live in a city that has the reputation of being the food capital of the world, and I want to own a business that’s in the food capital of the world and where I can go out and socialise in this type of well thought out environment where operators are professionals, where they know what they want, know what they’re doing and they put a life time of experience and effort into their business.

“At the end of the day, I am also a customer, so I want to be able to go out and experience that as a customer too by going to places that truly define the word ‘hospitable’, and the industry that we’re in, that’s really what it’s all about.

“If what’s been happening in the past year alone is any indication I think we’re on a fantastic path, and we’re in for a very exciting time indeed.”

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 21

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PREVIEW

Latest innovations at lunch!

Having already sold out of all available exhibition space at its new three-floor venue – the Business Design Centre in Islington, London - lunch! will be celebrating its fifth anniversary edition with an unprecedented 228 companies.

A must-see Taking place on 20 and 21 September 2012, lunch! is now firmly established as the premier event for the out of home food and drink industry and provides the best opportunity of the year for thousands of professional buyers to source the best choice of products, services, technologies and equipment that could revolutionise their business. “lunch! is an essential date in my diary,” says foods buyer Andrew Sherick from Marks & Spencer. “It’s a great opportunity to see what’s new, as well as meet some truly innovative suppliers. Each year the show gets bigger and better.”

It is this focus on innovation

– frequently cited by buyers as a key draw for attending – that has helped fuel the show’s rapid growth in visitor numbers since its launch event four years ago.

2011 was a momentous year for the event, culminating in a 41% increase in total attendance (4310 in 2011 compared to 3115 in 2010), 87% more international visitors, plus a 42% rise in exhibitor numbers.

Whilst 2012 has already heralded the announcement of a sold out show (over four months before opening day) and a third consecutive nomination for a Best UK Trade Show Award (an accolade which lunch! has now won for two years running) at the exhibition industry’s equivalent to the Oscars – the AEO Excellence Awards.

· Single products –at wholesale prices · Free delivery on orders over £40, only £3.99 if under · Clear pricing, great website, gift packs and lots of lovely extras to check out!

· Visit our website for our great FREE gift offer

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CAFÉ CULTURE

Emerging and niche Remaining faithful to its boutique marketplace beginnings, lunch! 2012 will feature a healthy mix of emerging start-ups and niche, speciality producers exhibiting alongside a host of renowned industry names.

There’ll be plenty of opportunity for visitors to talk ‘innovation’ with some of this industry’s best known suppliers, including Firefly Tonics, Delice de France, Discovery Foods, the independent coffee roaster Matthew Algie, the Food Doctor, Cornish pasty specialists Crantock Bakery, interior designers and furnishers ABDA Design, Café Deli Wholesale, Tudor Tea & Coffee, Orexis Fresh Foods, Luscombe Organic Drinks, Pidy, Cheese Cellar, Exquisite Handmade Cakes, catering disposables specialist Kavis, chilled distribution company Simple Simon Foods, Tri-Star Packaging, EPOS

systems company Mobo Innovations, independent foodservice supplier kff, label specialists Planglow, Sabert Europe, More Food supplied by Southover Food Company and Italian espresso specialist Kimbo UK. “We look forward to lunch!” explains Angus McKenzie, managing director at Kimbo UK, which is exhibiting for its fourth year running. “It has a boutique feel but perhaps most significantly you can tell by the face of visitors that they are enjoying the show.”

“The decision to exhibit at lunch! this year was based on hearing some good reports from visitors using phrases such as ‘vibrant’ and ‘stimulating’ – it is many years since we have heard a UK foodservice show described in that manner!” adds first time exhibitor Dena Elderfield, development manager at Equip Line.

Ginsters, Dr.Oetker (UK), Cheese Cellar, Café Deli Wholesale, basket ware supplier Gadsby, food packaging specialist Reynards, The Fresh Olive Company, The Beach Food Company (winner of The Best of The Best Award in the 2011 British Street Food finals), healthy snacks supplier Conscious Food, PGI Nonwovens BV (suppliers of

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PREVIEW Chicopee food and service wipes), Glorious Foods, Carrs Foods International, and H.J. Heinz Foodservice -who’ll be unveiling an exciting new product at this year’s show - are just some of the new exhibitors making their debut at lunch!

2012.

“We are delighted to be hosting a stand at lunch!,” says Chris Taylor, national account manager at Heinz Foodservice.

“The show is a great platform for Heinz to speak to our customers face to face to find out what they think of our products and what more we can do support their businesses.

Our team of foodservice experts will be on-hand to share insights, tips and answer any questions about how Heinz products can help them to drive sales.”

Bigger venue The most noticeable difference for the event’s fifth year anniversary is of course the new, larger venue, with the Business Design Centre in Islington accommodating more exhibitors, bigger stands, and much more maneuverability around the busy show floor.

The Innovation Zone is another growth area, which has doubled in size to showcase 48 exhibitors and is now right at the front of show. Specifically designed to promote companies within their first few years of trading, the lunch! Innovation Zone offers a unique proposition for smaller artisan suppliers and emerging start ups looking to increase their brand awareness.

Attending buyers meanwhile benefit from seeing a wealth of cutting-edge new product developments before they reach their competitor's shelves.

Events It’s not just the exhibitors at lunch! that promises to draw in the crowds however. The popular British Smoothie Championship, the Innovation Challenge Live!, and an unmissable lineup of Keynotes (developed in close consultation with the British Sandwich Association) are all back on the menu for 2012.

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Innovation Zone participants for 2012 include the following Botanical Drinks Co, creators of Lull – a sparkling fruit and botanical relaxation drink Pourtoi Artisan Chocolatiers Tea Nation Terrafertil Swiss-based Brand Stand, with its Organic Meltdown chocolate Oloves Natural Olive snacks NISI’S Artisan Bakery The Chocolate Brownie Co Dessert developers Lucy Wager Foods Mune, who recently added Mune Healthy Water and Mune Healthy Water Revive to its daily immune boost range.

ProperCorn, with its gourmet flavoured popcorn range Go Coco Coconut Water

programme that they’ve come to expect, without having to split their time between two theatres.

One of lunch!’s most exciting – and entertaining – show features the British Smoothie Championships (also sponsored

by Magrini) sees smoothie baristas from all across the UK competing live for the title of the nation’s best. Taking place on the second day of the show, Friday 21 September, the entry form is now available to complete on the show’s web site.

Competition also remains at the fore of this year’s lunch!

Innovation Challenge Live!, which celebrates truly innovative ideas in the food-togo sector. This live session on the first day of the show will offer a unique opportunity for visiting buyers to see participating exhibitors ‘pitch’ their new product innovations and ideas live to an illustrious panel of industry judges. Often the first port of call for buyers looking for the next big seller being launched on to the

market, all new products entered into the awards will be on display in the Innovation Challenge Showcase throughout the show.

“I visited lunch! 2011 to find one or two new innovations and came away with an array of new and exciting products,” says Mark Parfait, head of food operation at Sodexo Prestige.

“If you only go to one trade show [this] year then lunch! has to be it.”

To register free in advance, visit www.lunchshow.co.uk (and quote priority code LUN12CC where prompted).

Peter Popples Popcorn 100% pure fruit snacks supplier Annie’s – Food You Trust Taste The Med, with its new Chillesa dip Serbian Natural Foods, UK distributor of Foodland’s natural fruit juices, preserves and spreads Trumi, with its vegetarian, healthy snack bars Gluten and wheat free artisan bakers WAGfree Awfully Posh Snacks, creators of award-winning pork crackling Specialist tea brand CharBrew British charcuterie snack supplier Serious Pig Packaging company P4CK Design.

Now taking place in one focal Working lunch! Theatre (sponsored by Magrini), visitors can enjoy the quality education

JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 23

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EnhancE your capabilitiEs ranke Coffee Systems started in the UK market five years ago. The brand has always been represented in the UK before but never in a direct capacity. Focusing on supplying Bean to Cup (B2C) machines into the hospitality, cafĂŠ and food to go markets, the company has made impressive progress to become one of the major B2C suppliers. 2011 was an incredible year for Franke with sales up 25% on the previous year and 2012 is looking even stronger .

A major plus has been the huge progress made in recent times in the capabilities of the Franke B2C machines. The machines have always had Swiss high build quality and the software that runs the machines has markedly increased in sophistication over the years.

A big part of what our machines can offer is consistency across the day.

Franke coffee machines produce consistent results no

F

matter who is operating the machine and provide operators with peace of mind that the customer is always going to get the product they are expecting.

Franke coffee machines can now produce everything you could ever want from a hot beverage system with up to 230 different drinks on some machines, including flavoured drinks using syrups, all automatically produced at the touch of a button. R & D is always on going and the company has a roadmap of machine development up to 2016.

In the last two years the company has placed greater emphasis on the milk management capabilities and cleaning times of the machines. On some of the larger machines, cleaning times can now be as low as eight minutes, adding up to huge efficiency savings for

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sites requiring high daily outputs. Some Franke machines can now produce hot milk, cold milk and cold foam.

Another advantage is you do not need specially trained staff to operate our products.

Even the best barista can have an off day and there is a considerable cost involved in training and retaining the services of a good barista.

Franke machines can be placed in a wide variety of sites and be used by all the staff right from the word go with consistency achieved at the push a button. Our machines also deliver big advantages in terms of foot print, taking up much less counter space than a traditional machine.

Many of the large high street operators are seeing the advantages with many now operating fully automatic machines for their coffee menus. Thus, reaping the benefits of less training and a more consistent product.

Other motivations for the high street operator is the amount of waste generated in terms of coffee grinds by the

“Franke coffee machines can now produce everything you could ever want from a hot beverage system with up to 230 different drinks on some machines, including flavoured drinks using syrups, all automatically produced at the touch of a button.” traditional approach as there is no wasteage with automated machines.

The Franke approach not only delivers more consistency at a high standard and because of the automatic steam functionality of many of the machines, the customer still feels they are getting a ‘hand-made’ product and that part of the experience is not lost.

The Pura has done particularly well with the advantages of its highresolution 5.7in colour display, the ability to deliver up to 32 products and 150—200 cup capacity per day. The Spectra has also proven very popular,

offering three basic models, three operating units as well as other options and add-ons for greater flexibility.

Reliable and capable machines is only half of the Franke story. The company prides itself on its ability to deliver the best and most knowledgeable service and support in the market. The company employs all of its service engineers direct, all of whom are manufacturer trained as well as having a good knowledge of the coffee ingredient itself.

Our service performance makes for impressive reading, we cure 99% of faults on the first call, as our engineers are

equipped with a very large inventory of spare parts.

Franke operate four hour, eight hour and twenty four hour response contracts, depending on the customer’s needs.

The major growth has come from securing major national high street accounts with Burger King, KFC,and McDonalds to name a few.

Franke have the range of equipment and capabilities to ensure that whoever the client is the machine can be built to meet the expectations of the menu offered and to ensure the service reliability.

Ultimately, anyone can sell a box. What Franke do is offer so much more. We supply a fully rounded service that includes great products, best in the business support and a genuine understanding of what the client needs to produce in order to keep their customers happy.

Franke continue to develop the service delivery and know that the machines will continue to improve, so over time, we are confident that the Franke offering will only get even stronger.

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CAFE FAYRE

Coffeeplus For outlets to generate strong customer appeal, it’s long been widely accepted by the sector’s researchers and businesses alike that offering additional beverages and food items, in addition to good coffee, is essential to remaining competitive. Here, we take a look at some of the ways in which outlets can tap into the growth areas for other products suited to the café world.

Beverage opportunities Research has shown that over the last 12 months, 72% of children and 56% of all adults have drunk flavoured milk (Relish, Flavoured Milk Survey, November 2011). A firm favourite for children and young adult men alike, the flavoured milk market continues to grow +11.4% in value and +5.7% in volume year on year (Nielsen Scantrack, 52 weeks 26.11.11).

The consumption of milk per capita is in decline

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compared to flavoured milk and milkshakes which are in growth, especially on the go where time poor adults demand value for money, high quality, convenience products.

Flavoured milks have exploded with an array of new entrants into the market (from 16 in 2010, to an estimated 30 for 2012), significantly improving the choice for the on-the-move consumer. The flavoured milk category continues to outperform the total soft drinks market growing at

+11.4% value and is forecast to further grow by 6.1% this year according to Mintel’s Milk, Cream Report 2011).

This is good news for outlets who can capitalise on sales by ensuring that they are stocking products such as the Yazoo range of flavoured milks (chocolate, strawberry and banana), and particularly if they display them within the impulse chiller section (the Yazoo brand already holds a significant 51% share of the impulse market, according to

the Nielsen Scantrack data).

With a £2 million marketing campaign planned, including a new TV advertisement, outdoor, advertising and social media campaign, awareness of Yazoo is likely to be boosted even further. Retailers can also benefit from the fact that Yazoo can be stored at ambient temperatures for up to three months.

Flavoured milk has evolved considerably over the last year and can be sub-categorised into confectionary, cold hot

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CAFE FAYRE drinks, traditional, thick shakes and vitamin enriched, with each category meeting a consumer need, say the brand, who feel that future opportunities still exist within this sector, targeting consumption occasions as well as ongoing support of healthier lifestyles.

Yazoo comes in a 475ml hits for to go consumers, as well as one litre ‘fridge friendly’ options. The 200ml packs are ideal for lunchboxes, and their recent packaging makeover is further helping to ensure real stand-out in the chiller cabinet, say the company.

On the dairy-free front, it’s worth noting that independent coffee shop operators are increasingly stocking soya in a bid to offer consumers a truly healthy, sustainable option the growing popularity of soya milk in the coffee shop trade having been highlighted by Alpro’s recent success at the London Coffee Festival.

The company report that their stand attracted a huge amount of attention during which a total of 1,900 Alproccino and Alprolatte samples were distributed to the crowds.

“We had a great response at the London Coffee Festival this spring. When we first attended the event, people were not too sure why a soya brand was exhibiting. This year, however, there was a really positive reaction and it was evident that more and more coffee shop owners are already stocking, or looking to stock, soya. It really is growing very rapidly in popularity,” says John Allaway, commercial director at Alpro.

Paul Meikle-Janney, founder and managing director of

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Coffee Community, is a big believer in the future of soya.

“A few years ago, soya was only really available in very specialist coffee shops, but now it is becoming a standard part of the offer,” he says.

“Any metropolitan coffee shop would be remiss not to offer soya as an option, as people are drinking more and more coffee but are also looking at ways to make their coffee habit a bit healthier.”

Alpro’s coffee shop sales have enjoyed sustained double-digit growth over the last three years, report the company, as soya becomes increasingly popular among consumers looking for healthier, more environmentfriendly alternatives (an 8oz soyaccino being created using 80 litres less water from crop to cup than an equivalentsized cappuccino made using dairy, claim Alpro).

The swap to soya is on trend, as consumers are increasingly starting to cut down on meat and dairy foods and make healthier, plantbased choices. In fact, four out of 10 consumers are eating more vegetables, fruits and plant-based foods than they were a year ago according to research commissioned by

RedShift Research (March 2012) in a survey of over 2,300 UK adults The plant-based non-dairy market (not including goat milk or lactose-reduced cow milk) is now worth £132 million according to AC Nielsen panel data (March 2012). Soya dominates the dairy-free category, with 88% of value share (AC Nielsen, 52 weeks ending 29 October 2011), and meaning it can offer some distinct commercial advantages for coffee shop operators for out-of-home usage, claim the brand.

Alpro For Professionals soya milk is perfect for baristas as it does not curdle and contains natural protein, known to enhance workability for the barista and making it ideal for latte art and creating impressive foams.

“There are currently more than 25 million soya drinks served in coffee shops across the UK every year,” adds John Allaway. “We believe that the popularity of soya-based coffees is part of the wider trend of plant-based eating, which has become a hot topic as consumers become more aware of the impact their food choices have on the environment and their health.”

Coffee with soya milk is more sensitive to heat and as a result should not be steamed over 65 degrees, to ensure its flavour and texture is maintained.

“By abiding by this steaming rule, you guarantee a creamy, silky ‘Alproccino’ or ‘Alprolatte’ that not only tastes great, but is really healthy too, as it is naturally lower in saturated fat and has fewer calories than a coffee with dairy milk,” suggests John Allaway.

The Austrian drinks company, Pago, says that it’s on a mission to excite the taste buds of the nation with its range of premium fruit juice flavours, having brought out the Pago 330ml PET range for this summer in an array of flavours designed to tempt consumer taste buds to try something different.

The brand has already been creating a recognisable niche for itself by trading on its health appeal with its 100% natural and no artificial colourings, preservatives, sweeteners or flavourings message, and is sold in the convenience and snack sector on its long shelf life, its taste test appeal and profit margin opportunity. As a premium fruit juice, Pago can offer a very competitive retail and promotion price, claim the company, delivering high cash margin across a wide range of stand-out flavours.

“Despite the UK’s high consumption of juice, we remain a very conservative nation in our choice of fruit juices, with the majority of the volume in orange and apple.

Whilst our taste for international food has grown, we haven’t really caught up in our choice of juice flavours,” reveals Marvin Henshaw, UK country manager for Pago.

“During the summer it’s the right time to excite the palates of our customers and consumers with our incredible range. So how about setting up a juice bar section in your soft drinks area, or a promoting a fruit juice of the month? I’m not saying that we

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should banish volume and value, but let’s improve our retail proposition. There’s an opportunity in the premium juice drink category to provide real soft drink choice for consumers with attractive retail margins for operators.”

The eight flavours include Orange, Orange-Carrot-Lemon (ACE), Lemon Lime, Multivitimin Red, Pineapple, Multivitimin Tropical, Cloudy Apple and Peach and are available in the distinctive green 330ml bottle. Pago fruit juices are available through various trade drinks wholesalers in the UK (further details of the range, stockists and contacts can be found at www.pagofruitjuice.co.uk). illy issimo – the ready-todrink coffee-based beverage developed through a collaboration between illycaffè and the Coca-Cola Company – has announced that it is to introduce a new larger, resealable bottle format for its most popular Cappuccino and Latte Macchiato variants.

The new 250ml HDPE plastic bottles are designed to appeal to on-the-go thirtysomething’s with a love of Italian heritage and quality food and drink, say the company.

The bottle artwork has been designed to communicate the product’s ‘fresh’ and ‘indulgent’ credentials. The chilled coffee range is all-natural, made with

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illy’s unique 100% arabica coffee blend, and no added preservatives, artificial colours, aromas or flavours (the two 250ml variants will have an RRP of £1.79 per bottle).

The canned formats of illy issimo (Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and Espresso) will continue, with a new Mochaccino variant also added to the range as of this month.

The Mochaccino (with an RRP of £1.69) is the first iced coffee made with Domori cocoa, the same cocoa in eight-time Golden Chocolate Award winning Domori Chocolate.

With existing listings in multiples, illy issimo will be heavily supported through the convenience channel during the summer months with a street sampling and outdoor advertising campaign planned.

The coffee company has also produced a range of ‘disruptive’ POS material for use in stores. illy says that it is also investing heavily in social during the remainder of 2012 and issimo is being supported through a campaign that will collect and collate people’s experience of the ‘cold hot’ drink across the 17 global markets where it is sampled and sold.

The cold hot category continued to grow in 2011 and the pack redesign is timed to ensure illy continues to

standout in a highly competitive market (cold hot drinks are now the fastest growing sub-category in the soft drinks market place - in 2011, market value went up by 45% and volumes increased by 24% according to Britvic Soft Drinks Report 2012).

“The new design and pack format makes a statement to the marketplace that reflects illy’s image and core values. It will attract new customers without alienating existing issimo drinkers,” said Stephen Barlow, managing director of illy importer and distributor Euro Food Brands. “The resealable bottle will offer discerning coffee aficionados both great taste and great convenience.”

Popular and versatile Café customers grabbing a coffee to-go are, of course, prime candidates to which operators can up-sell a snack, but you need to make sure your offering attracts their attention and is tempting enough to persuade them to make a purchase. Portability is a key factor in the to-go market, explaining why handheld items such as

sandwiches, wraps and paninis fit the bill perfectly.

Adrian Coulter, business development chef for dairy

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product company, Kerry Foodservice (www.kerryfoodservice.co.uk), comments: “Wraps, for example, are the ultimate hand-held snack. Structurally stronger than bread, the flatbread wrap can hold a multitude of hot or cold fillings and is well suited to eating onthe-move or whilst working.

“While the Californian-style cold wrap has shared a chiller shelf with traditional sandwiches for quite a few years now, the hot wrap is a more recent development and offers a convenient alternative to the likes of pasties, hot dogs and burgers.”

The range of fillings for wraps is endless, but cheese remains a safe bet, lending itself in particular to numerous flavour combinations whether used cold or hot. What’s more, it is also a firm favourite with UK consumers, as Anthony Wilkinson, foodservice marketing manager for Kerry Foodservice confirms. “In research carried out by the British Sandwich Association (BSA) and Kantar, cheese was found to be the second most popular filling, second only to chicken

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(www.lovesarnies.co.uk). Given its variety of uses, caterers need a cheese that will provide quality tasting, attractive food that appeals to a broad variety of tastes,” he says.

A recent independent study carried out on behalf of Kerry Foodservice also found that cafés are among the most likely catering outlets to use pre-grated cheese in their fillings and that appearance, flavour and oil issues are all important attributes of a cheese used for hot snacks.

Kerrymaid Grated, therefore, has been developed for caterers wanting an accessible, mild tasting sandwich, wrap or panini filling (just one 2kg bag of Kerrymaid Mild Grated can fill 50 sandwiches and melts more evenly than other standard cheddars, leading to less oil out and giving a more visually appealing dish, claim the company).

In addition, Kerrymaid Pizza Grate is ideal for hot wraps and paninis, delivering consistent quality with good stretch and melt properties, say the company (similar to the Kerrymaid Grated, the Pizza Grate has also been developed not to leave an oily residue).

The Kerrymaid range also includes Kerrymaid Original Slices which are made with Irish cheese and suitable for use in paninis, toasties and baguettes, advise the company. Their easy-peel qualities help to speed up service back-of-house and when melted will also help to give structure to a snack item, improving the appearance and convenience for the consumer, point out Kerrymaid.

“Cafés need to ensure that their grab and go offering reflects current trends and provides quality tasting and great looking food with wide customer appeal,” says Anthony Wilkinson. “The unique characteristics of the Kerrymaid dairy solutions range, such as superior melt quality and no oiling out, can help make for a more visually appealing menu item.”

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REVIEW

Caffè Culture delivers Caffè Culture (16 and 17 May 2012, Olympia, London) once again proved to be a popular port of call for many in the industry, with a record attendance of 4,662 visitors and over 230 exhibitors in attendance over the two days – one of the highest numbers of exhibitors since the event launched in 2006, and a 5% increase in visitors numbers year-on-year (the highest attendance being in 2010 when the event was co-located with the World Barista Championships).

Pivotal role “Caffè Culture is now operating in an extremely busy market place with a whole host of coffee based events having popped up within the last few years. We are however delighted that the industry’s original and best trade event continues to deliver exactly what it set out to do – the most comprehensive resource for UK café and coffee bar businesses,” said event director, Elliot Gard, commenting on the on-going popularity of the show.

“We have had phenomenal feedback from both exhibitors and visitors who recognise that Caffè Culture offers a unique opportunity to gain vital support, business information and access to a fantastic range of international suppliers. We had developed a number of different initiatives this year to provide the core audience of café bar owners and managers with the business support needed to ensure they continue to survive and thrive despite tough trading conditions on the high street.

“We are delighted to know

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Nestlé Professional’s Viaggi machine. that Caffè Culture continues to play a pivotal role in the industry’s calendar, providing a much-needed opportunity for the whole community to come together to network, share ideas and do business.”

New products Visitors who came to this year’s event met with suppliers of thousands of products and services specifically designed for the café bar market, as well as enjoying free access to a firstclass programme of seminars with the Caffè Business Theatre.

Nestlé Professional demonstrated its Viaggi machine, which was launched to the UK market earlier this year, having originally been rolled out in France back in 2010. With design input from Cimbali, the machine has been developed to deliver an extensive range of authentic hot or over-ice espresso-based speciality drinks and chocolate-based beverages at the touch of a button, and comes complete Nelson’s smallest Advantage 400 dishwasher made its debut at the show.

with an integrated cleaning system that should appeal to foodservice operators.

A founder exhibitor and ever-present at Caffè Culture, the Drury Tea & Coffee Company, showcased its successful pyramid teabag range and speciality coffees.

Associate company, and sole UK importer of Rancilio espresso machines and Ceado grinders, the Coffee Machine Company, shared the stand, showcasing new products from each, including the versatility of Rancilio’s new Classe 9 Xcelsius.

The German manufacturer of quality hot drinks

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REVIEW dispensers, vending machines and product merchandisers, Sielaff, demonstrated its latest product introduction, the Piacere Touch, a touch screen version of its best selling bean-to-cup machine. Also on the stand was the innovative self-service coffee bar, Barista Uno. The Swedish bakers, Almondy, celebrated their 30th birthday at the show with their range of popular almond biscuit-based tårta taking centre stage, the brand having achieved cult status amongst some consumers.

The vending machine manufacturer, Jofemar, announced the launch of a new bean-to-cup vendor, the Coffeemar 546G which incorporates a pressurised valve, the only system on the market to do so. Crucially, it ensures the correct water pressure throughout the brew process, thereby optimising extraction from first to last drop, say the company.

Nelson’s latest Advantage 400 dishwasher was on display. This 400mm machine is the smallest in the Advantage range, providing the ultimate solution for applications where space is at a premium, not least cafés, and also claims to be the quietest machine in its class, making it well suited for citing behind a café counter.

The new St Pierre Brioche to Go range of individually wrapped, traditional French bakery featured on the Carrs Foods stand, complimenting the firm’s existing portfolio of authentic brioche, crêpes, waffles and part-baked breads.

Smooth, aromatic coffee and rich, indulgent cake are two of life’s great pleasures and now these luxurious flavours can be combined to create delicious dessert drinks, using Monin Black Forest syrup, which the brand launched at the show.

Practical insight New for 2012 was the Caffè Culture Taste Experience

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Next year Organised by Upper Street Events, Caffè Culture 2013 will take place at Olympia, London on 15 and 16 May 2013 (for more information visit www.caffeculture.com). which offered advice and support on everything from ensuring that visitors were up to date on the latest in barista skills and techniques through to how to go about choosing the right teas,

coffees and chocolates for their businesses.

The event also teamed up with the Coffee Boys to create a one-day Marketing Masterclass where Johnny Richardson and Hugh

Gilmartin explained 50 separate step-by-step techniques that can be used to increase sales.

Feedback from the oneday session was extremely positive with attendee Barry Hampson, owner of Nuvo on Cannon Street, commenting: “I was impressed by their passion, knowledge, ingenuity and, above all, a cast iron certainty (backed up with empirical evidence) that their techniques really do work. I am really pleased I made the time to attend.”

Exhibitors also had a rewarding event. Commenting on his company’s attendance, Andrew Tucker, MD of Sanremo UK said: “We have had an excellent reception to our range of coffee machines at this year’s Caffè Culture.

We were very impressed with the quality of the visitors including serious buyers who wanted to see the machines first hand for themselves, and are now keen to get them into action.”

First time exhibitor, Mark Taylor of Filbert’s Fine Food Ltd from Dorset, added: “We had a spectacularly busy show. Visitors were of a superb quality – it was a very focused event and very well attended by key decision makers.”

Margaret Johnson, national account manager at Wenlock Spring, commented: “Caffé Culture 2012 has been a fantastic show for us. The quality of visitors has been excellent with local and national distributors and operators from across the coffee sector.”

“The show has once again been a delivered for exhibitors and visitors, with thousands of new business relationships forged. We have already seen 40% of exhibitors rebook their stands for 2013 and are very much looking forward to further developing the event and continuing to grow CaffeCulture.com, ensuring Caffè Culture’s continued relevance and success,” concluded Elliot Gard.

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CAFES WITH A DIFFERENCE

Dive in!

Located just outside Chepstow, within range of Bristol, is the National Diving and Activity Centre (www.ndac.co.uk) which saw the Easter opening of a new café and bar called Café View – a venue that is now proving to be very popular with regular divers as well as locals opting to remain firmly on dry land but still enjoy the countryside location and impressive view across the centre’s quarry.

Upgrade Occupying a 55 acre site, the National Diving and Activity Centre can claim to be the UK’s deepest inland diving centre and is aimed at beginners and seasoned divers alike. It has a fresh water quarry at its heart, offering divers excellent visibility and depths of up to 80 metres, and featuring plenty of underwater attractions to explore along the way - everything from military vehicles, planes and helicopters to a gnome colony! There’s also the opportunity to see plant life and fresh water fish such as trout (the last water quality test revealed the water there to be almost on a par with tap water).

Diving activity has been taking place there for ten years or more, and the centre is also used by the army and police for their training exercises, but it is only since 2006, under the ownership and business vision of Darren Bryce and his wife, Kaye, when the centre has really started to be developed.

The latest additions are its café and 19 wooden ‘wigwams’ - small, but amply equipped chalet-type accommodation ‘pods’ that allow visitors to stay overnight and enjoy a longer visit. And with Darren Bryce soon to leave the army after thirty plus years, it seems certain that there will be more additions to come as his plans take shape. Currently, they are working to finish a 700 metre zip wire ride that will run across the quarry and are also considering a 3G swing. There is also the future possibility of holding film screenings there via an outdoor cinema.

At weekends, the centre is at its busiest, with the quarry invariably being the first port of call for divers if other, off shore, locations are blown out. Typically, it can see up to 300 people at the site, not all of whom will be divers, but taking part in other activities, or simply enjoying exploring the site.

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All day food offering Originally, the food offering on site centred around a limited, but popular, ‘burger van’.

Now, a £250,000 investment in the upgrade and architect-designed re-fit of two amalgamated Portacabins that had been being used as an art studio for a college resulted in a much larger and highly contemporary-looking hospitality venue complete with a fully stocked bar, a communal eating and drinking area or canteen, as well as a brightly furnished statement lounge section to relax in.

Arguably, some of the design features such as the communal canteen-style eating concept in addition to individual chairs and tables that have been deployed, might be viewed as the preserve of trendy city venues, but some thought has gone into Café View, such as its ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ floor areas – basically wet suit areas and non-wet suit areas respectively designated by green flooring and blue flooring. Add to this wooden decking with a large, Continental style outside seating area (a strict no smoking area) and a pleasant view across the water (blankets and cushions are available to customers on colder days), and on a sunny day Café View becomes a very popular and pleasant place to be.

The café caters for a wide variety of different people and meal occasions throughout the day and is open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am until 10pm, with food served until eight. On Fridays and at the weekend, it is open later in the evening, until 11pm. At the weekend, the café also opens early, from 7am, to suit those divers seeking to be able to make the most of their day by organising several dives in one visit.

Needless to say, these opening hours have also started to appeal to locals seeking an alternative venue for afternoon tea or an evening meal, and the café’s

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CAFES WITH A DIFFERENCE location means that in terms of immediate competition, there’s very little, apart from the odd local pub and a roadside burger van.

Other types of customers have been drawn in too. For example, there’s room in the large car park for lorry drivers to be able to park up and call in, and business travellers are now dropping by, using the café’s smart surroundings and nice atmosphere as an ideal place in which to meet up with colleagues.

The café’s facilities, and not least its food menu, also mean that large groups of people can be catered for, such as those on training course and team building exercises (the centre is used by professional football and rugby teams, for example), the communal dining area meaning that groups can ‘bench it’. The venue also lends itself to the holding of celebratory events, such as birthday parties and even wedding receptions.

People coming in for a coffee in the afternoon, or drink at the bar in the early evening, often decide to stay on for a meal.

During the day, the café is self-service, whereas in the evenings a counter service is available, and diners are furnished with a tablecloth, wrapped cutlery and condiments. Due to the self-serve requirement during the day, coffee and a range of other beverages are provided via an automatic bean to cup machine.

The café is manned by a team of up to 10 people and its food - which Wigwam occupiers receive a 10% discount on upon production of their key - is split across the day with drinks and snacks available at all times. Everything is freshly cooked and prepared by a team of chefs covering three shifts, the nature of the menu having been

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somewhat influenced by what types of food were popular in the original ‘burger van’ set-up, as well as the chefs’ own understanding of what their customers, and in particular divers, like to eat.

A breakfast menu served until 11am (a ‘six item’ breakfast chosen from sausage, egg, mushroom, bacon, beans, toast, tomatoes, fried bread, black pudding and hash browns costs £3.95). The lunch menu is served from 11am until 5.30pm offering mains such as freshly made baguettes and sandwiches as well as curry and chilli, with the evening menu being served after 6pm (mains include steak and ale pie, scampi, beef goulash and rump steak). Their afternoon tea service which has proved popular with older locals and created repeat custom features a selection of freshly made finger sandwiches and cakes served with a pot of tea or coffee, priced at £6.95 for two people.

The challenge at the moment, it seems, is in communicating the existence and nature of this new destination to potential new customers who have yet to learn of its presence, particularly in terms of the evening trade – the aim being to ensure that there is trade right across the day, long after the divers and other users have gone home.

“Monday to Wednesday is a quieter part of the week,” reports Ken Sutherland, who manages the café and is himself a diver and says that if you can dive here, you can dive anywhere. “We are trying to encourage and attract a younger element and have come up with ideas such as a curry and a pint nights.

“Given enough notice, we can also cater for special events, with one customer having booked up her 40th birthday party with us for 100 guests. We have also received enquiries about holding wedding receptions, christenings and barbeques, so there is lots of potential, and we are getting great feedback about the café. The divers themselves are also using diving web sites to pass on their comments to the diving community who are coming to appreciate the café.”

Being so close to a busy main road such as the A48, there are limitations on the nature and frequency of advertising boards and signs that can be erected, with extensive planning permission costs having already been incurred in order to facilitate a new entrance there. However, it’s still early days, and word is spreading, and with events such as the Chepstow Festival looming and a new housing development underway (the Severn Quay), there is no doubt that this café will soon become a destination outlet for more and more people, and be well placed for future success.

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PREVIEW

A celebration of artisan produce ver the past few years, speciality and artisan food has become increasingly popular as consumers seek out interesting, innovative products. Speciality & Fine Food Fair (2-4 September 2012, Olympia, London) is at the heart of this gourmet renaissance as it gives caterers and food service buyers the chance to find and produce exciting and ‘never before seen’ menu options that really get people talking.

O

Fine Food Forum Speciality & Fine Food Fair will open its doors once again to key buyers from the world of speciality food so they can see what local, regional and international suppliers have to offer in terms of new artisan products. Set to be bigger than ever before, the exhibition will bring together more than 600 of the most exciting names in speciality food and drink, making it the place to source products on a scale not possible anywhere else in the UK. Each year, a huge number of professional and budding chefs descend upon Speciality & Fine Food Fair not only to source quality produce, but also to learn from their peers at the dynamic Fine Food Forum.

Known to be one of the most popular attractions at the

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exhibition, the Fine Food Forum gives visitors the chance to pick up ideas and tips from a host of top chefs, who take it in turns to give themed demonstrations and field discussion around flavour trends, menu design and sourcing quality ingredients.

With sessions running throughout the three day exhibition, the line up includes Nick Sandler (creative chef at Pret a Manger), acclaimed Irish chef, Catherine Fulvio, Dennis Mwakulua of Lexington Catering, the London Marriot Hotel’s Executive Chef and vice chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Christopher Basten, as well as award winning patissier and chocolatier Will Torrent, who will wow the crowds with a demonstration on Barry Callebaut Chocolate. Cooking entrepreneur Sophie Wright and Masterchef winners Shelina Pemalloo, Dhruv Baker and Mat Follas will also be in attendance.

Speciality & Fine Food Fair Small Business Forum By nature, artisan, regional and speciality food companies and restaurants tend to be quite small. From the customer’s perspective, this is often seen as a benefit as they appreciate the personal thought and attention that goes into the business and what it produces. However, when it comes to the owner, it

can mean less resource and expertise to help with expansion plans.

To help small or medium sized businesses and restaurants get ahead of the competition, the Speciality & Fine Food Fair Small Business Forum provides case studies, solutions and practical advice on a wide range of topics from a series of experts, such as how to tackle tricky business issues, key trends in food and drink, technicalities behind manufacture and processing, creating a striking window and store display to understanding how to make social media both beneficial and successful.

The seminars are free of charge and run on a first come first served basis. This year, the Forum will play host to a hand picked selection of speakers, from food industry expert Jane Milton and MD of Cotswold Fayre Ltd, Paul Hargreaves, to Lisa Hewish, food techonolgist at Rogue Foodies Ltd. For visitors looking for one to one advice, there is also the opportunity to book a session with these industry experts in the Business Mentoring Centre.

These free of charge 30 minute sessions will provide useful opportunities whether tackling marketing, finance, HR, online, social media, supplier relationships or logistics.

Learn from the experts at the Fine Food Forum.

Products As well as the jam packed programme of events, Speciality & Fine Food Fair is primarily an occasion to discover, try and buy new and exciting products from over 600 exhibitors.

Making their first appearance at the show are Chocanana (Stand 026), Good Heavens!

(Stand 638), Pepper & Stew Ltd (Stand 036) and Empire Foodbrokers (Stand 610).

Positioned as a healthy alternative to ice-cream, the range of chocolate covered frozen bananas by Choconana are hand dipped in Belgium chocolate, whether it’s dark, milk or white, before being topped with a choice of toppings, from salted peanuts

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PREVIEW no doubt display a magnificent array of olive oils, cheese, meze and olives.

Also likely to excite with new product displays is exquisite green tea company Choi Time (Stand 1156), who have delighted visitors in the past with their award winning hand rolled Jasmine Green Tea Pearls and Damask Rose Tea Buds, as well as Bon Bons Ltd (Stand 876) with its traditional sweets, handcrafted chocolates and speciality liquorice.

to sugar sprinkles.

Sticking to the sweet theme, Good Heavens! is a drinking yoghurt company with a difference. Always taking time to make products carefully, slowly and in small batches, each bottle and pot is filled with the finest, natural ingredients and contains over 25% of an adult’s calcium RDA. From sweet to savoury, Pepper & Stew Ltd has responded to the current trend for African cuisine by giving consumers a convenient way to make authentic dishes at home.

The range includes Jollof Rice, Egusi Stew, Palm Nut Stew and African Fish sauces, with all products gluten, dairy and MSG free to ensure there is something for everyone.

Empire Foodbrokers is one of the UK’s most respected

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distibutors of quality foods from America, Asia and Europe.

Responsible for bringing the likes of Marshmallow Fluff, Mrs Elswood Pickles, No-No Flatbreads and Wonka Candy to our shores, Empire Foodbrokers is looking forward to unveiling some exciting new ranges at the show.

Returning to Speciality & Fine Food Fair this year is Villanova Food Ltd (Stand 1030), which imports quality Italian foods such as award-winning Parmesans and products from its artisan charcuterie range, as well as Joe & Steph’s Gourmet Popcorn (Stand 445), who will be showcasing their irresitable range of exciting flavours, including Strawberry Cheesecake, Green Pea & Wasabi and French Goat’s Cheese with Malabar Black Pepper.

In addition to this, the organisers of Speciality & Fine Food Fair are pleased to welcome back The Bay Tree Food Company (Stand 875) with its range of relishes, chutneys, pickles and jellys, as well as authentic Greek food importers Odysea Ltd (Stand 917), who will

Chocolate galore Running alongside the main exhibition will be the Speciality Chocolate Fair - the UK’s only trade event dedicated to fine and artisan chocolate, and taking place in the Grand Hall.

Providing a platform to showcase luxury and gourmet chocolate to over an estimated 5,700 visitors from delis, independent retailers, restaurants, hotels, caterers, wholesalers and distributers, the Fair attracts top buyers from restaurants, such as The Fat Duck, to foodservice organisations, such as Compass Group UK. First-time exhibitors in 2012 include popular Fairtrade chocolate brand Divine (Stand 474), Welsh chocolatiers Cocoa Magic (Stand 181) and, from across the channel, Belgium company Noble Chocolates (Stand 272), who all mix excellence and passion to produce some of the best chocolates in the world.

Not forgetting the familiar faces, online sweet shop Hope & Greenwood (Stand 580) will make a return with an exciting new range of products, along with the award winning Rococo Chocolates (Stand 375) and Willie’s Cacao (Stand 373), who will give visitors a taste of the exotic with chocolate from Venezuala to Madagasca.

New to the programme this year is the UK Chocolate

The Speciality & Fine Food Fair will open at Olympia on Sunday, 2 September 2012, running until Tuesday, 4 September. You can register for your free visitor badge and learn more about the fair at www.specialityandfinefoodfairs.co.uk.

Masters Finals - an initiative by Barry Callebaut and Carma®. In a bid to be crowned National Chocolate Master, chocolate artisans and pastry chefs will descend on the fair to showcase their creations. The winner will then go on to compete in the World Chocolate Masters in Paris, which has a reputation as the most challenging chocolate contest in the world.

Great Taste Awards Speciality & Fine Food Fair also brings together the finalists of the Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste Awards and Olives et Al’s Deli of the Year.

The Great Taste Awards are seen as the benchmark for fine food in the UK. With over 6,000 entries from around 1,300 companies, each product is blind-tasted by 300 experts at various locations around the country, before being whittled down into smaller groups to be judged a second and third time.

With all finalists on display at Speciality & Fine Food Fair, the products will be awarded one, two or three gold stars on the second day of the exhibition.

From over 300 nominations, Olives Et Al has just announced the regional finalists of the annual Deli of the Year, having received more than 12,000 nominations. Judged first by a panel of independent food and retail experts, the 10 finalists will be visited by a team of two judges, who will announce their decision on the 3rd September at Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

Commenting on Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2012, event manager Soraya Gadelrab said: “To ensure Speciality & Fine Food Fair continues to grow, we always try and build on the success of the year before, which is why we have added more features to the programme and invited fresh and inspiring speakers to demonstrate.

“From the Fine Food and Small Business Forums, to the fantastic range of exhibitors and UK Chocolate Masters Finals, we believe there is something for everyone at this year’s Speciality Fine Food Fair, which really has become a not to miss event for those in the industry.”

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DESIGN

Brand designs

With the number of coffee shops increasing three-fold in the last decade and 57% of UK consumers regularly drinking and eating in their favoured coffee shop, according to the market researchers, Mintel, it is important for independent café operators of all types to seek out ways in which to stand out from the crowd of branded chains.

Design trends It is fair to say that a new wave of fast casual restaurants is redefining the experience of affordable dining with a powerful combination of technology, sustainability and extreme customisation, all influences which existing and would-be café operators ignore at their peril.

Today’s consumers are increasingly looking for an added benefit to their food – not only does it have to taste good, but the environment they sit in to eat it must make them feel good too, and it is these trends and requirements that are now making their strong presence felt in the wider café and café bar environment.

Conran Contracts, the trade arm of the Conran Shop has been working on some exciting new projects including Bengal Warehouse and Shield House, having also recently provided all the furniture for the public spaces at Westfield Stratford.

Max Pilbeam, head of Conran Contracts (www.conranshop contracts.co.uk), who has been working with Ben Masterton-

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Smith on the award winning Byron restaurants, as well as the leading-edge interiors for some of the most exciting names in UK gastronomy right now (recent projects include Soho House Berlin, Tom’s Kitchen, Kitchen Italia and Moro), invited Ben to comment on the design trends which he feels are now impacting upon the sector as a whole.

Hi-tech bespoke “The ability to make small batches of customised products or materials as people increasingly want to use uniqueness to help define their brand and stand out from the crowd. It may be a famous chair in a new colour, a custom tile design or wallpaper. It’s not a trend as such but more about developing the ability to engage in collaborative designs with manufacturers,” says Ben Masterton-Smith.

“At the same time, it’s a great opportunity to collaborate with younger designers and manufacturers – for example, we have recently been making custom lights for the Byron

restaurant schemes as we were unable to find lights that fit our design intent. Some of the designs we have commissioned are amazing and I’m sure they will be put into production as a result.”

Reclaimed materials “Still very much in play, but the narrative is moving far beyond a ‘friendly’ industrial look that is quickly becoming ubiquitous to something more interesting and unique,” says Ben MastertonSmith. “Craft and industrial techniques will be combined with creative new ways of addressing ideas of reusing, reducing and recycling. Again, unique products, collaborations and concepts that use reclaimed materials that have a beautiful, polished raw aesthetic will be in evidence with many surface treatments and interesting material juxtapositions.”

Colour customisation “Colour will be everywhere and the bolder the better. When using colour, customisation is key to an interesting look whether it be spraying our entire

duct runs and catering equipment in RAL colours or custom coloured tile glazes.”

‘Five rules’ “When designing an interior for a restaurant or bar, no matter what your budget, I have five rules - explore all the options, make physical models (the computer is great but it can’t think for you!), understand what you/the client actually requires within the space from a practical point of view, use your imagination and experiment and go bold,” argues Ben Masterton-Smith.

“People often end up using spaces in very unexpected ways which turns an ordinary space into an extraordinary space - a watered down version of what you had imagined isn’t going to cut it.”

Inspiration “I love bars and restaurants that get better with age, from the classic French Bistro such as Chartier to beaten up English caffs, Eel and Pie shops, and of course the classic London pub.

Ultimately, inspiration comes

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DESIGN

from everywhere – from the New York subway to Chinese street markets. I am heavily influenced

by Japan – especially designers such as Masamichi Katayama, Jun Aoki, Sanaa and Super Potato.”

Point of sale impact From quality of product and service, to the design of the interiors, everything in an independent café needs to reflect its unique brand and proposition, and the point of sale kit chosen by the

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establishment can play a big part in this, argues Debra Jamieson, sales and marketing director at UK Point of Sale (www.ukpos.com).

Established in 1989 and with its head office in Stockport, UK Point of Sale Group Limited (UK POS) has been manufacturing point of sale products for nearly 25 years and says that it is continually adapting to changing market trends when it comes to working with retailers to market their offers. Its best selling products include acrylic

free-standing poster holders and snap frames. Already a preferred partner to some of the biggest names in supermarket, department store and highstreet retailing, it offers over 3,000 products the majority of which are made in the UK at the company’s own manufacturing facility and available for next day, nationwide delivery.

“The clientele of a café can vary widely, from couples and friends, to businessmen and women conducting interviews so the look and feel of the space needs to inspire a culture that suits everyone,” says Debra Jamieson.

“The cafés and coffee shops that we work with always make use of an effective and hardworking point of sale kit, which works throughout the store to maintain the unique identity and culture of the establishment, whilst influencing the shopper and diner. It also allows the retailer to give the consumer information about the product, price and any special offers.”

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DESIGN Undoubtedly, recent trends in point of sale show that establishments want to create a traditional look through the use of wooden accessories, including chalkboards, observe UK Point of Sale.

“The focus on local and organic produce has come to the forefront over the past year and point of sale design has evolved to reflect this,” reports Debra Jamieson. “Combined with the importance of creating a relaxed and traditional environment means that the popularity of items like chalkboards are going from strength to strength. This surge in popularity has cemented their place as a key item in the point of sale kit.”

Inside a café, table top chalkboards and framed chalk wallboards can offer establishments a flexible but fashionable point of sale solution, which can be updated to reflect new menu items or prices, suggest the company.

For example, any limited edition products are easily added to the offering, but just as easily taken away, due to the flexibility of the boards, and something as simple as using coloured chalk pens or creative handwriting can set your café apart from the others on the high street.

Outdoor point of sale is also a key part of the branding process and so outlets will often use a wooden chalk ‘A’ board outside on the pavement, which will reflect the interior décor of the café. With well-known brands and chains opening an outlet on every street corner, it can sometimes be difficult for independents to differentiate themselves on the high street and encourage customers into the shop. This is where outdoor point of sale can really make the difference to footfall, feel UK Point of Sale – the ‘A’ board will grab shoppers’ attention and therefore is definitely an item to add to the essential point of sale kit.

It’s also essential to take care of your POS products, advise UK Point of Sale.

“From our experience of working with the hospitality sector including large national

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The interior of the Arrow Farm Shop in Steetley, Worksop. and international chains as well as independent outlets, nothing is more off-putting than seeing dreary promotional posters stuck to the wall using sticky tape or an old worn and torn ‘A’ board sat outside the front of the store looking unloved,” warns Debra Jamieson.

“Point of sale should look clean, streamlined and, most importantly, professionally consistent to draw customers in.

This can easily be achieved by investing in new POS materials and print. First impressions are often the ‘deal breaker’ so make the most of your store’s appearance.”

In addition, barrier systems can be an essential part of the POS set up for any café owner, feel the company, as they can be used in-store or outside as a way of providing a stylish look to a queue or outdoor seating area. Many barrier systems can be branded with the shop logo and name to increase curb appeal, which in turn can boost footfall and therefore lead to an increase in sales. Again, the branding is easily updateable providing a flexible system, which can be updated seasonally or if the logo, name or general branding is changed.

Out of town cafés Garden centres and farms have become popular locations for cafés, often turning them into destination outlets in their own right, whether their visitors are there to buy anything, or not.

Consequently, an impressive number of well designed cafés can now be seen at farms and garden centres (the estimated value of garden centre catering during 2011 was just short of a

quarter of a billion pounds according to a recent survey conducted by the Horticultural Trade Association).

Catering Design Group (CDG, www.cateringdesign.co.uk), a restaurant and commercial catering design company established in 1990 and with experience across the retail, leisure, education and business and sectors, recently helped design and build a high end Farm Shop with supporting butchery, restaurant and kitchen at the popular and family-owned Arrow Farm in Steetley in Worksop. The brief was to create three very distinct zones, with the farm and its simple, honest values being at the very heart.

Designs for the layout and display units in the farm shop had to showcase to customers the fresh, home grown produce from the farm, together with the locally-sourced, home-made British produce the farm stocks from local producers. As all the meat is supplied by renowned family-run business, Hambletons, it was also important for the butchery area to display the large selection of quality meats and cheeses on offer in an eye-catching way.

Working with the same values as the farm shop, the restaurant space was divided into zones with soft seating areas located by a traditionally styled wood burning stove and again at the opposite end to take in the fantastic views of the surrounding fields. Farm house style chairs and tables were used throughout, complemented by natural tones of woven fabrics with vibrant red check and dog tooth.

Stunning, hand-made oak rafts have been suspended from the restaurant ceiling to create a striking visual impact on entering. The rafts are in keeping with the rustic nature of the farm and were commissioned as pieces of artwork to frame and enclose the vast space. A state-of-the-art kitchen supports the restaurant where a team of in-house chefs have the facility to cater for up to 90 covers across the breakfast, lunch and dinner services.

“There is a growing trend towards consumers supporting local farms, safe in the knowledge that they’ll be able to enjoy good, fresh, locally sourced produce,” says Philip Howard, Catering Design Group’s managing director.

“In turn, farmers are capitalising on the huge success of farmers markets and television programmes such as River Cottage to make good use of old barns and outbuildings.

Arrow Farm was a fantastic project and challenge for CDG. We took a steel shell measuring 648m and turned it into three very distinctive zones, adding texture colour and warmth with the values of the farm at its heart.”

George Blagg, joint owner of Arrow Farm Shop, adds: “In 1991 we opened Arrow Farm Shop, which was a small farm shop in an old barn. As its popularity grew, we wanted to be able to provide a more extensive offering with dining facilities for our customers, whilst also promoting more local producers.

“What Catering Design Group has achieved is fantastic.

They’ve transformed a huge metal framed steel building into a warm, contemporary farm shop and restaurant environment, which has received amazing feedback from our customers. We’ve been able to proudly show off our fabulous produce in the farm shop with the excellent use of space and beautiful display units. The restaurant space is very popular and we receive many comments about the lovely oak rafts. Since opening just three months ago,

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Pieri’s in Greenock has created an eye-catching brand and boosted its sales with an ice cream focus. sales have increased which we are naturally delighted about.”

Ice cream advantage Sandro Formisano, chairman of catering equipment supplier New Concept Glasgow, believes that building a strong brand for an independent coffee house is crucial, and is also keen to point out that, as yet, premium, Continental style ice cream bars have yet to be fully exploited in the UK’s café sector.

“You have to go to the expense of doing it properly,” says Sandro Formisano. “You have to invest properly so that people take you seriously. You are competing against the big boys, but you can win hands down with quality. The biggest coffee shop brands ensure that all their outlets look very similar, and in my opinion this is where smaller business can make their mark.

“A lot of your branding will come from using branded products but you can create your own brand through your fittings too,” he explains.

“Modular bars, for example, can offer at least 40 different combinations and finishes, so your coffee shop won’t look the same as anyone else’s. You can also, of course, choose to stock different products. A proper patisserie case, for example, will really set you apart, especially if you offer home baking and more choice.

“One of the biggest emerging markets is in ice cream. Have you ever been to Italy and seen

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a coffee house that doesn’t serve ice cream? Europe is getting smaller! We’ve worked with several coffee shops recently who have decided to put much more focus on their ice cream offering. Dolce Vita in Oban, for example, is doing a roaring trade. They were running out of ice cream at one point because they were totally outperforming expectations.

“Pieri’s has also just opened in Greenock in the last couple of months. It’s a traditional coffee shop with a 24-flavour ice cream cabinet, and reports that it has been absolutely mobbed!”

Other New Concept customers, like Sant’Angelo’s in Wetherby, report that they have also seen demand for ice cream out-strip that for cakes and other baking products, suggesting that it is an underdeveloped market but with great profit margins. It also seems that the weather has nothing to do with sales (the highest ice cream sales in Europe are to be found in Denmark, claim New Concept).

“I think service is the other area where an independent coffee shop can beat the big boys hands down,” Sandro Formisano concludes. “If you instil that feeling of ownership and concentrate on quality, you’ll build a very strong brand.

The margin is there to beat the multiples on price and still offer very high quality. In private enterprise you have to have your own idea and create your own niche.”

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PACKAGING

Convenience

counts In both retail shopping and out of home foodservice environments, consumers are expecting to be able to purchase and consume their food in convenient, ‘to go’ formats that are functional and environmentally-friendly. Most of the well known packaging companies are reporting a significant increase in demand for these types of products, warning that outlets choosing not to cater for this increasing trend risk losing out to those who do.

Food driven Food packaging will need to adapt over the next decade to the gathering shopping trend of ‘food to go’, urge packaging company, Linpac, as retailers, fast food outlets and food services adapt to new demands from consumers. As part of what it calls its ‘Fresh Thinking philosophy’, the company reports that it has identified a rising demand for food to go from consumers where the distinction between a restaurant meal, take-away and in-store convenience food becomes blurred.

The company says that it has already identified a crosspollination of services between the food service sector and retailers. The sandwich, once the sole preserve and staple of the corner café or high-end Pret A Manger, for example, is now freely available in most supermarkets, with the same now being true of hot food to go.

“This means that fresh convenience is becoming a

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key battleground between retailers and foodservice operators, often blurring the distinction between the two.

Focusing on fresh convenience is fast becoming a priority for many companies as it enables them to differentiate their offer outside of the more standardised ambient grocery ranges and tap in to consumers’ growing concern about the healthfulness, wellness, and animal welfare aspects of their food,” says Megan Ashcroft, European foodservice marketing manager at Linpac.

Therefore, one product that Linpac are working on (due to be launched later this year) allows consumers to pick and mix different food items to create their perfect meal.

Comprised of interlocking containers in varying sizes, the solution is ideal for combining salads, pastas, cooked meats, toppings and sauces, feel the company. The style is also suitable for creating a complete starter, main and dessert

New Leaf range.

Peros has recently launched a new range of environmentallyfriendly disposable foodservice products including cups, dinnerware and food containers. combination.

A more sophisticated alternative to the New Leaf salad box which the company launched in the summer of 2010 following demands for an environmentally sound packaging solution for fresh salad contents, the latest boxes will be made from recyclable rPET and offer excellent levels of product presentation. An added feature of corner ribs will boost product strength, increasing protection to the salad contents and a hinged lid will prevents leaks and help to maintain freshness.

“The New Leaf range came about after significant investment from Linpac both in terms of capital investment and in the time we spent talking to our customers

about their requirements and the need of the consumer. It was designed in direct response to the needs of customers who repeatedly stated that strength, presentation and recyclable properties were key factors for food to go packaging,” says Megan Ashcroft.

“People are leading increasingly busy lifestyles, both at work and at home, with more and more demands being made on their time.

Consumers are looking for quick and easy meals and snacks that can be eaten on the move or at their desk.

Many fresh prepared foods are packaged specifically to meet this demand for flexible and ‘on the move’ eating. For example, ready-to-eat salad meals come with a plastic fork

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PACKAGING and fresh prepared fruits are pre-cut into bite-size pieces.”

And, it’s a growing market.

According to PIRA (Printing Industry Research Association) 2011 figures, the European chilled and deli food market generated total revenues of ¤145.3 billion in 2010 with a compound annual growth rate of 2.8% for the period spanning 2006-2010 (in Europe the fastest growing markets are forecast to be France, Germany and the UK, say PIRA).

Linpac cites several existing and emerging retailers who are already thriving in this area. In The Netherlands, Ahold’s AH To Go store focuses on convenience and quality. Products are located according to convenience and speed of consumption, with fresher and more convenience-based items closer to the till or entrance. And back in 2006 in the US, the convenience store 7 Eleven introduced the ‘Munch Range’ - fresh food for those on the go. This range offers convenience to customers via some 50 products, including sandwiches, fruit salads, juices, muffins and gourmet pies. The introduction of Munch had an immediate impact with sandwich and fruit salad sales at the chain increasing by around 50%, report Linpac.

“We expect this trend to roll out across Europe at a fast rate – it is a major change in food retailing and food services and will present the food packaging industry with fresh challenges and opportunities,” adds Megan Ashcroft.

Environmentally aware “Given that growth for the retail coffee sector is driven by food sales as evidenced by recent Allegra Strategies research, it’s vital that packaging manufacturers help drive that growth through creating new and innovative packaging formats that boost sales, as well as meet concerns to reduce packaging.

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That sounds like a tall order, but with understanding and insight it can be a reality,” says Tony Waters, managing director Solo Cup Europe.

“Reducing overall packaging, meeting sustainable targets and producing a creative format were the key drivers behind our new Olivine® plus press & dress® cold food containers.

These are made from up to 50% post-consumer rPET and feature a revolutionary, design registered device – cementing our role as a leading innovator of creative new formats for food on the move.

“We’ve followed that launch with a further innovation, applying the press & dress® technology to our UltraClear tumblers. These tumblers create a whole host of new menu options using the ‘press, dress and enjoy’ mechanism. Both of these innovations reduce the amounts of packaging required by operations by combining two menu items in one packaging format.

UltraClear plus press & dress® tumblers also make a great on-shelf statement, making your menu items looks good. They are easy to hold and carry out and one lid fits various tumblers – cutting down on storage space. It’s creative thinking like this and really understanding operator requirements that make our new solutions real winners.”

More information on both Olivine® plus press & dress® cold food containers and UltraClear plus press & dress® can be found at www.solocupeurop.co.uk (call 01480 459413 for samples).

Environmentally friendly packaging is also a good way of backing your ethical credentials, say Peros (www.peros.co.uk), an independent distributor of Fairtrade beverages and snacks to the foodservice sector.

“The humble paper cup has been with us for over 100 years and, for a relatively mature market, sales are still growing steadily,” says James

Roberts, joint managing director of Peros. “Reports suggest that the overall foodservice disposables market is set to increase globally by nearly 5% per annum, and this could be greater in specific areas such as cups because of the continuing strength of the take-out sector.

“Interestingly, other reports indicate that three in four consumers consider it important for companies to offer sustainable packaging, giving foodservice operators an opportunity to stand out based on these credentials.

There is a growing range of environmentally-friendly food and drink packaging options available for foodservice operators, including cups with lids for hot and cold beverages, hot beverage sleeves, plates, knives, forks, spoons and teaspoons, food and soup containers with lids, burger and food boxes, food portion pots, deli containers with lids, salad bowls, salad boxes, baguette trays and napkins.”

So if you’re offering ethically-traded beverages, or organic soup, for example, then it would seem a natural step to serve these in environmentally-friendly cups and lids to make sure the ethical/sustainable integrity of your offering is complete and carried right through to the end product, suggest Peros.

Indeed, product value can be enhanced by ensuring environmentally-friendly containers are offered feel the company. These single-use products can be biodegradable, compostable, recyclable and sustainable, and are made from annually renewable and sustainable resources including polylactic acid (PLA, made from corn starch), fibre from non-wood sources such as sugar cane, reeds and bamboo, and cellulose and limestone.

A new generation of reusable, eco-friendly take-out food containers has been launched by G.E.T., a

The Eco-Takeout. melamine and plastic foodservice table top and display dinnerware company.

The Eco-Takeouts™ range is a green alternative to disposable containers designed to help reduce waste, save on supply costs and minimise environmental impact, say the company and are aimed at busy, high volume foodservice environments such as colleges, universities, hospitals and staff restaurants. The Eco-Takeouts are available in a range of sizes and can be used for hot or cold food.

Break resistant and also designed for use in a commercial dishwasher, EcoTakeouts are lightweight, durable and stackable for easy storage and maximum operator efficiency. Made from 100% BPA-free polypropylene, they are also microwave safe for reheating, re-usable hundreds of times, and recyclable.

“As the newest addition to our range of foodservice products, the Eco-Takeouts are creative and sustainable solutions for food on the move operators and customers alike,” says Lynn Johnson,

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PACKAGING saving us money.”

Available in translucent jade or clear, in single, two or three compartments, the EcoTakeouts can also be customised or bespoke branded to communicate the operator’s key messages and logom, say GET (www.ecotakeouts.com). The firm was established in the US and over the last 25 years has become an award-winning company with a solid reputation for creativity, innovation and quality, with a UK operation based in Nottingham.

managing director of G.E.T. UK. “Each year, millions of disposable containers end up in landfill after only one use.

The Eco-Takeouts have been developed to help operators reduce supply costs through re-use, and minimise their impact on the environment,” she adds.

In busy ‘food to go’ environments, the EcoTakeouts offer an innovative solution to transporting takeaway food. Meals can be purchased and either eaten ‘on the spot’ or taken away for re-heating. The containers are then returned to the cafeteria for washing.

Catering manager, Howard Cartledge, is already using a range of Eco-Takeouts in the staff restaurant at North Manchester Hospital.

“Hospitals are constantly striving to cut costs and meet sustainability targets,” he says. “Eco-Takeouts have proved to be extremely popular, and feedback from our customers is that they like the idea of a re-usable alternative. Eco-Takeouts are great for hot and cold food, as they are more robust than polystyrene – and they’re

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Cups International Paper Foodservice has announced that it is extending its ecotainer® product range with the introduction of a 6oz cup.

Made from renewable resources and requiring less energy to produce than a traditional paper cup, the 6oz model forms part of the company’s hot cup selection, which includes sizes from 4oz to 20oz, and has already been made available to a selection of the company’s customers in the UK. As one of the first global packaging companies in the industry to offer environmental products with the ecotainer® product range, International Paper (www.ipfoodservice.co.uk) has seen its products go from strength to strength in the UK as customer demand for an environmentally responsible option has increased.

Sales and marketing director for International Paper Foodservice, Mike Gardner comments: “We’re making many of the ecotainer hot cups in the UK now which is a bonus for our eco-friendly customers who are concerned with how the products they buy are transported.

“The 6oz cup is currently made solely in the UK and we believe that it is the only one of its size and type on sale at the moment. We are anticipating that the majority of our sales will come from the travel sector as this unique

cup reflects the sizing of cups stocked on planes and trains.”

International Paper’s ecotainer® product line consists of hot cups, cold cups, food containers and lids all made from fully renewable resources. The inner linings are made from Ingeo® biopolymer, a plant-based material made by Natureworks, LLC and fibre sourced from sustainably managed forests that meet the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®(SFI®) standards of the USA. International Paper has recently produced an awardwinning information booklet, The Little Green Book, which is promoted as ‘all you need to know about the paper and paper-based packaging industry’. It sets out to clarify some of the myths surrounding the industry in relation to its impact on the environment whilst, at the same time, giving you some ‘I didn’t know that’ facts.

KeepCup, the first barista

standard reusable cup, sponsored the recent World Barista Championships 2012 in Vienna, Austria, observing that increasingly, the coffee industry as a whole is looking at its environmental and ethical footprint. By environmentally sourcing their beans, looking after the interests of coffee producers, and making the finest brews in the world, speciality coffee is already demonstrating a

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PACKAGING clear commitment to quality over quantity. KeepCup say that they are helping to extend this sense of responsibility to the end user, by providing the first reusable commuter cup into which speciality coffee can be made.

KeepCup is about making re-use easy and demanding a reduction in the 500 billion disposable cups relegated to landfill around the world on an annual basis. The artisan coffee community have been integral to the success of KeepCup in providing support and endorsement for the behaviour change from discard to reuse.

Abigail Forsyth, KeepCup co-founder and CEO commented: “The World Barista Championships really underscore KeepCup’s ties to artisan roasters and baristas.

“KeepCup is designed from the point of view of a barista so it does not compromise the integrity of espresso coffee.

For this we have earned the endorsement of some of the world’s best roasters. Profits from the sale of SCAE branded KeepCups will be given to Coffee Kids.”

So far, KeepCup has supplied Seven Seeds, Campos Coffee (Australia), Taylor Street Baristas, Prufrock Coffee (UK), Papa Palheta (Singapore), Coffee Supreme (New Zealand), Tim Wendelboe, Solberg and Hansen (Norway), Coffee Common, Cognoscenti Coffee, Joe Coffee (US), Te Aro Roasted and Parlour Coffee (Canada).

Award winning Tri-Star has scooped yet another top prize for its Artisan packaging range winning this year’s New Product Award at the prestigious Café Society Awards, with judges praising the Artisan packs for rusticstyle sandwiches as “a particularly innovative product that displayed the sandwiches to their best advantage and yet was ‘user friendly’, making the sandwich easily accessible.”

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The Artisan range was created specifically in conjunction with leading packaging manufacturer Anson for the hand-made, square-cut bloomer-style of sandwich that is currently all the rage in cafés, delis and discerning retailers up and down the country.

This latest success comes just a week after the Artisan range also won Sandwich Product of the Year at the British Sandwich Association Awards – and just two months after Tri-Star won a brace of accolades at this year’s Foodservice Packaging Association Awards.

The new Artisan range comprises two innovative pack designs – the ‘Bloomer U’ and the ‘Bloomer 2’. The Artisan Bloomer U is a flat structure with sides that click upwards to form a U-shape. This nextgeneration pack can be flowwrapped, wrapped with polysheet or simply bagged. It protects the product while in transit and on display and ensures it is highly visible at all times. The design of the Artisan Bloomer U also helps guarantee that the sandwich stays in great shape and that it is easy to pick up and put down, say Tri-Star, making it ideal for eating at the office desk or grazing in the park.

The Artisan Bloomer 2, meanwhile, is an off-the shelf pack boasting two cavities that are the perfect shape and size for square-cut sandwiches. User-friendly, the Artisan Bloomer 2 is designed to be bagged but can also be flow-wrapped.

“Rustic and bloomer-style sandwiches have caught on like wildfire, proving that it really is hip to be square.

Consumers love the way they look, feel and taste – and are often willing to pay a premium for them, adding value to the operator,” says Kevin Curran, managing director of Tri-Star Packaging.

“However, to maximise sales of rustic sandwiches, it’s very important to sell them in the right kind of packaging.

The Artisan Bloomer U and 2

Tri-Star’s award-winning Artisan range taps into the trend for bloomer sandwiches. packs are the perfect partners for rustic sandwiches. They’re superb quality, they look great and they offer outstanding levels of user-friendliness. It’s a winning combination that we believe will help outlets of all sizes to maximise their sales.”

Also part of the Tri-Star line up their patent-pending Deli Pot Topper, designed so that the pot can be filled with the main ingredient, while the lid – or topper – is filled with a further ingredient to be added when the customer is ready to eat the product.

There are hundreds of possible recipe combinations for the Deli Pot Topper, say TriStar, including hummus and crudités, shaker salads, strawberries and cream, yoghurt and granola, and fruit and nuts. The topper itself is manufactured so that it can fit neatly on to five different sizes of pot in the Deli Pot Topper range, from 230ml to 470ml, enabling complete flexibility and portion control.

The Deli Pot Topper has other benefits, including a compact design that allows easy handling and excellent merchandising opportunities, and a recessed lid panel that results in secure shelf stacking. Further, the Deli Pot Topper is manufactured in crystal clear recycled PET that contains a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste.

“The great advantage of the fantastic Deli Pot Topper is that it ensures, at the point of consumption, the customer is eating the product when it’s in peak condition. The Deli Pot Topper can help you make sure your products are always as fresh and tasty as the

moment they were made,” says Kevin Curran. “As well as offering great functionality and performance, the new Deli Pot Topper, with its superb environmental credentials, is a real step forward in terms of recycled food-grade packaging.”

Vegware (www.vegware. com), who claim to be the UK’s first and only completely compostable food packaging firm, has been highly commended at the BCE Environmental Leadership Awards. The governmentbacked BCE Award is Vegware’s third win this year, after Green Company of the Year 2012 and a Footprint Award for Innovation in Packaging, just some of the 16 accolades the Edinburghbased SME has won since 2009. Sir John Armitt, chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, and WRAP director, Marcus Gover, presented the BCE Award in a prestigious ceremony in London.

Huhtamaki’s Celebration 2012 range.

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PACKAGING certification for our full range of eco catering disposables,” says Joe Frankel, founder and managing director.

Stackable Deli Pots from Tri-Star.

Director of Zero Waste Scotland, Iain Gulland, recommended Vegware for the award, concluding: “Not only are Vegware passionate about their product and the environment, they are also passionate about their customers helping the environment too. There is clear evidence that Vegware

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are ‘more than just a business’ and are really engaging with their customers, staff and local community to affect positive environmental change.”

Vegware’s certified compostable disposables can be recycled into nutrient-rich fertiliser or renewable energy, diverting it from expensive

landfill. The company says that it is also launching a new zero waste initiative, the Food Waste Network – a new free service that match makes any UK organisation with their ideal food waste recycling service, enabling them to go green and save money (April’s rise in landfill tax has made landfill by far the most expensive destination for UK waste).

Vegware have increased their turnover tenfold since 2008-9, with their recent listing with Brakes has enabling them to have a greater reach to caterers across the UK. “Vegware is driving greater transparency and cutting through the confusion between terms like ‘degradable’, ‘biodegradable’ and ‘compostable’. Only compostable packaging can break down quickly enough to be included in food waste recycling. We are unique in backing up our claims with third-party compostability

Innovation The Smart Lid (www.smartlid.com), a disposable colour changing coffee lid, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with a Swedish based firm GroupOne Solutions who have a dedicated sales team to introduce the Smart Lid to the foodservice industry in Sweden, but with online sales available in the coming months.

The Smart Lid is the only hot beverage packaging to offer a visual indication of the contents, claim its makers, changing in colour from a dark colour to a bright red with the application of heat and in turn offering the significant selling benefit of showing those who first pick up the hot beverage whether or not the lid is securely attached properly to the cup.

“Our European expansion continues with the planned introduction of the Smart Lid into the first Scandinavian country,” says Nick Bayss, managing director of Smart Lid Systems. “With this area of Europe having some of the highest consumption of coffee we are enthusiastic about our technologies’ adoption by the Swedish market.”

Smart Lid Systems (Australia) has already signed exclusive distribution to companies covering over 30 nations, and there are likely to be further announcements in the forthcoming months as additional distribution plans for Europe are finalised.

The comapny is a multiaward winning Sydney-based product development company who for the past 10 years have been collaborating with Australia’s largest foodservice plastics manufacturer to research and develop a colour changing disposable coffee lid. It is manufactured with PS, is FDA & EU Direct food-contact

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PACKAGING

Packaging innovations in coffee Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 34 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations and is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (www.sonoco.com). Here, Sean Cairns, general manager of Sonoco Consumer Products, Europe, outlines some of the company’s packaging innovations in the coffee market.

Coffee is a booming business in the UK. According to an ICM survey, more than 72% of the population now drinks coffee regularly. As a result, its manufacturers are perpetually seeking ever more innovative, practical and appealing solutions in which to package and display their products.

Many brands are switching from the more ‘conventional’ materials used to package coffee products to a rigid paper can design, which can deliver considerable benefits in a number of key areas, whilst affording the same levels of product protection to coffee.

Rigid paperboard is significantly more lightweight than the alternative materials used in coffee packaging, making transport of the products easier and less costly. In spite of its relatively low weight, a rigid paper can does not lose out in terms of strength. It is durable and robust, with the added benefit of being flexible enough to better absorb impacts and shocks, offering enhanced protection to the coffee both in transit and at its end destination.

The innovative design of a rigid paper can enable it to deliver optimum freshness - a high-barrier liner and membrane on the can protects the coffee by locking out both oxygen and moisture. In addition, for fresh, bean or ground varieties of coffee, sophisticated packs can be supplied incorporating vented closures, which allow for the product to de-gas without losing flavour.

The rigid paper can is also designed to offer increased ease of use and safety to the end user, with no sharp edges (Sonoco’s innovative valved and tabbed Ultraseal membrane closure, for example, is particularly sophisticated, and easy to open and re-close).

The flexibility of the can’s design also provides manufacturers with the potential for competitive advantage. In Sonoco’s case, we can supply bespoke packaging solutions to fit various shelf-life and filling process needs, customising the construction and labelling of the can to meet each company’s unique requirements. Coffee manufacturers can then draw from diverse packaging expertise to

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create their ideal solution. For example, the height of the can is easily adjusted without incurring any cost for new tools, and many manufacturers have taken advantage of this flexibility in order to adjust product volume, to run trade promotions for instance. It is also possible to add or remove barriers dependent on the product being packaged, an option that is simply not available with the more conventional packaging materials.

Sonoco’s technical teams have also become more expert in helping companies convert from traditional materials to a rigid paper can solution and assisting the coffee producer in developing a seamless filling system transition plan. For manufacturers of freshly roasted coffee, on-site implementation is also available to help smooth the transition from vacuum sealing to a nitrogen flushing system. The team can help specify and source filling equipment, and quickly and cost effectively meet supply chain needs.

Several coffee manufacturers around the world have now successfully converted their products from other modes of packaging to a rigid paper can design, particularly in the US. One such success story is Maxwell House, the Kraft Foods brand that supplies a range of coffee products. Kraft Foods decided to explore packaging alternatives to the more ‘traditional’ containers that it was previously using for Maxwell House brand coffee and approached Sonoco to provide an innovative solution.

The priorities in the new packaging design were to deliver cost savings and improve sustainability, whilst maintaining the highest standards of functionality and appearance.

Thus, we made every component of the sophisticated new rigid paper design.

The spiral-wound can was created from 100% recycled paperboard and included a high-barrier liner to maintain excellent quality and freshness in the coffee. Our patented Ultraseal membrane closure - developed for non-processed applications such as coffee acted as a hermetic seal, but also featured a valve for releasing built-up pressure that can occur in coffee packaging. The can’s overcap was made using our patent-pending Sealclick® plastic closure technology, which resulted in a lid that tightly resealed with an audible snap when pressure was applied. And to help differentiate the aesthetic appearance of the new Maxwell House can, we used a state-of-the-art gravure cylinder engraving operations and rotogravure presses to create an eye-catching label for the packaging (the smooth surface of the can proved ideal for displaying the newly designed Maxwell House graphics).

compliant, Bisphenol A (BPA) Free, CFC Free, carries a Recycle ‘6’ Symbol and is manufactured in a HACCP and ISO 9001:2000 certified production facility (visit www.smartlid.com /news_media.htm for some images and product videos).

Good branding “It’s not just what’s on the inside that counts any more when it comes to food and drink. We’re all looking to our packaging to work harder for us, to promote the brand and bring repeat business. By simply branding your cups and packaging you are immediately accessing a free form of advertising. Wherever that cup, container or bag is carried, your name or product name is being seen as the consumer inadvertently promotes your wares. In any form of retail, it’s a nobrainer,” reminds IP Foodservice’s Mike Gardner.

“Your food containers, cups and packaging can also play a key role in fostering brand loyalty and bringing the customers back. We are seeing more and more creative thinking and savvy marketing from our clients.

Promotions can be added to beverage cups or food containers to create a more interactive experience with a brand and an audience can be incentivised to buy again.

“For example, the peel and reveal incentive is a popular promotion that appeals to the consumer in the same manner as a scratch card and provides instant involvement and satisfaction. While outwardly rewarding the customer, the promotion is effectively driving business and encouraging brand loyalty. It ensures a return visit, if only to collect on a win.”

The UK based foodservice packaging manufacturer, Huhtamaki (www.foodservice.huhtamaki. co.uk), has made available its brand new range of limited edition Celebration2012 double wall paper hot cups in time for the Olympic Games.

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PACKAGING Featuring a unique, vibrant and contemporary stock design which captures key sporting events and iconic London landmarks to commemorate this celebratory year, the new Celebration2012 cups will help to make your customers feel closer to the year’s events, say the company.

Well insulated to retain heat effectively and be comfortable to hold, the new Celebration2012 hot cups are just thing for those looking to improve the quality of their beverage service, and there is no need to ‘double-cup’ or use sleeves, say Huhtamaki, in turn reducing the amount of stock required as well as the

amount of waste.

They are available in 8/9oz, 10/12oz, 12/14oz and 16oz sizes and can be fitted with a sip-thru lid to prevent spillages for customers on the move, and for customers carrying multiple beverages, they can be served in two or four-cup Strongholder carry trays.

The Celebration2012 range also includes paper cold cups in 12oz, 16oz and 22oz sizes and rPET CE-marked tumblers in half pint-to-line and pint-toline varieties (17cm Chinet® plates and 10/12oz BioWare paper hot cups will also be made available as part of the new range, on request, say Huhtamaki).

Packaging Innovations London 2012 Seasonal concepts, chocolate printing, sustainable packaging and creative solutions will all be on display at Packaging Innovations London, taking place on the 4 and 5 October 2012 at the Business Design Centre, London.

Patriotic packaging is definitely the trend for 2012, but if you are looking for something a little more unusual to celebrate the seasons, Leeways Packaging Services (Stand J9) might have the answer. Leeways will be showcasing a number of new seasonal products - from their multi-cavity pumpkin cupcake pack, to their new party foods and convenience selection packs. One of their new innovative designs is the end-of-aisle pallet display tray - this unique design provides an easy, stackable, palletised solution which is extremely efficient for layout, transport and storage.

Innovia Films (Stand VG16) will be demonstrating their new compostable coffee packaging solution - 'Econic'® coffee bags. These coffee bags have been specifically developed by New Zealand converter, Convex Plastics, using Innovia Films’ compostable, cellulose-based material, NatureFlex™.

Robin Dearnley, sales manager for Australia and New Zealand at Innovia Films, says: “Achieving success with partners such as Convex means that our NatureFlex™ films are well positioned to provide solutions to converters and brand owners.

Especially those seeking to meet consumer demand for packaging made from renewable resources.”

The next time you open a packet of cereal, build a flat pack chest of drawers or swig on a soft drink, a tiny little part of what you are doing may be all down to Beardow Adams (Stand F1).

This company makes ‘hot melt adhesives’, which stick almost anything together from labels on jars and

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bottles, to wood panels and car trims. It develops and manufactures products specifically to meet customer needs.

Fancy something sweet? Chocart London (Stand H5) have conjured up a whole new meaning to brand communication. For the very first time, they will be exhibiting their unique and delicious concept – printing on chocolate! Using a unique and secret process, white chocolate is used to create unbelievably high-resolution and detailed photographs, illustrations and text on 70% Belgian dark chocolate.

The Sherwood Press Group (stand J5) will be demonstrating Pura®, which represents a major advance in printedpackaging technology. The Pura® brand is the Group’s sustainable packaging method that combines innovation in 2D/3D design with carbon reduction and waste minimisation in both material and processes.

Graham Garrod, managing director at the Sherwood Press Group, comments: “We’re continually striving to find the balance between environmentally sustainable packaging and packaging which is fit for purpose, economically viable and aesthetically pleasing. Through our Pura® packaging optimisation process we can assess, propose, re-engineer new, or existing packaging, moving away from unsustainable substrates or practices, to a more responsible end product.

Combining this process with our aqueous barrier coating, specifically developed for the ‘on the go’ food packaging market, we provide our customers with a truly 'green' product.”

One of the companies displaying its latest packaging innovations at the show will be Visican (Stand VG1) who have just launched a range of card and plastic containers. Innovations in their cardboard range include two-piece tubes and telescopic tubes, which are

manufactured from recycled board with water based adhesives.

The two-piece tubes have a base with a protruding spigot allowing a lid to slide over creating a butt jointed container. The telescopic tubes have an inner base tube and a slightly larger diameter lid sliding over the top. These are ideal where one tube is needed to accommodate products of various lengths.

Visican have also introduced ring pull closures on both their card and plastic ranges. These containers are supplied with the ring pull seamed on to the top of the tube and a selflocking, clip-in base to close the bottom once packed. They are ideal for retail, mailing, promotion and a multitude of other applications.

Packaging Innovations will be divided into four main areas – the Brand & Design Village, Luxury Packaging, Packaging Innovations and Contract Pack. With over 150 top companies from across the globe already signed to exhibit, it looks set to be a huge success, and promises to be a real highlight for both London and the packaging industry. For further information visit www.easyFairs.com/PILONDON, or call 0208 843 8804.

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The

KeepCup story Worldwide, it is estimated that over 500 billion disposable cups are discarded annually, with over 98% ending up in landfill. Abigail Forsyth of KeepCup, however. is helping to tackle the environmental cost of this wastage via the broadening popularity of KeepCup - a re-usable, barista standard cup which started out in Australia in 2009, and which is now making its presence felt here, having most recently been introduced to Marks and Spencer.

Mother of invention “My journey began back in 1982 when I was an eleven year old. I sold sandwiches at my father’s business and I had a dispute with my mother over who should bear the cost of the cling film for wrapping the sandwiches. She argued it should be deducted from my profits.

Over 80% of all packaging is used in the food industry,” says Abigail Forsyth, CEO of KeepCup. “Twenty years later, my brother and I created Bluebag cafés in Melbourne’s Central Business District. Concerned about the rise of the disposable cup and its cost to the environment, we looked to

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purchase and resell re-usable cups.

Not only were existing options unsuitable for speciality coffee, they hadn’t won the hearts of consumers.

“Ceramic mugs were heavy, breakable, needing to be heated prior to filling and impossible to dose correctly with milk and coffee.

Thermoses were bulky, unattractive and invariably the coffee shot had to be poured into the thermos destroying the crema on the coffee shot. Further to this, both options were made of composite materials, making them difficult to recycle at the end of life.”

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PROFILE Abigail Forsyth recalls that originally the tooling and set up costs to manufacture their own product were daunting, and that they agonised over the question of whether people could be bothered washing it.

“My moment of clarity came when I was heating the milk in my daughter’s sippy cup one morning. Imagine if I gave her milk in a disposable cup and then disposed of it? That idea seemed so wasteful, yet I did it with coffee twice a day! This moment was the call to action,” she recalls.

Sustainable “Sustainability is intrinsically linked to usability, and we believe, quality.

Usability was paramount, both from behind the coffee machine and from a customer perspective. Rigorous sustainability credentials were essential,” Abigail Forsyth explains.

“We needed a product that would overcome the inertia between intention and action. We needed a product with strong visual appeal and the capacity to individualise. Receiving grants from Design Victoria and the City of Melbourne, as well as selling of the prototype, gave us financial confidence.”

Key features Lightweight, portable, unbreakable, a variety of KeepCup designs and colours now exists, but all have been designed to be sleek and neat in design, departing only slightly from the silhouette of the disposable cup (there is comfort in the familiar, feels Abigail Forsyth).

Easily washed in warm soapy water, or in the top drawer of a dishwasher, KeepCups also fit under the group heads of espresso machines and are microwave

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safe. They are made from polypropylene (food safe and BPA free) and are pleasant to drink from with the lid on or off.

Since the its launch back in June 2009, the KeepCup has been recognised for the merits of its design. It was a finalist in the City of London Sustainable City Awards 2010 and short listed for the Australian International Design Awards 2010. It was also one of the 132 exhibits selected at European BIO 22, and a finalist in the BIO Industrial Design Awards 2010. It featured on the cover of www.core77.com (one of the world’s biggest and most popular industrial design sites).

In 2009, Simon Lockrey from the Centre for Design at RMIT completed a Symapro Life Cycle Analysis which has independently verified the maker’s sustainability claims. Research conducted

by Canadian chemist, Dr Martin Hocking, found that the break-even energy requirement to manufacture a reusable plastic cup versus a paper cup over a lifetime use was just 17 uses.

Since then, KeepCup report that they have sold over 1.5 million KeepCups, and in the process users have helped divert billions of disposable cups from landfill, with KeepCups now being sold in 32 countries around the world.

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JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 49

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BARISTA TALK

Youri Vlag of training company and coffee supplier, Limini Coffee (www.liminicoffee.co.uk), tackles some of your questions and queries about your own barista skills, and offers some top tips to help you make high quality beverages. This month, he discusses the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between some of the most popular milky drinks.

Latte, caffe latte, cappuccino, latte macchiato… What does it all mean?

Pretty much all those names are Italian words. Espresso coffee started in Italy which is why you often see signs featuring the words “Italian coffee served here” (even though some people think that these words mean the coffee is from Italy).

We can explain most of the meanings of the actual words, but I think it is more important to explain the differences.

Please keep in mind that there is no standard as such. There is no coffee standards book that needs to be followed.

No judge walking around coffee shops handing out penalties for not doing it 'right'. It is your coffee business, and so you can serve the drink however you feel like it. Competitions have rules of course, especially for the espresso and the cappuccino.

The two most popular drinks are the cappuccino and the latte. Latte can mean many things though! Cappuccino is usually a mixture of espresso, milk and foam.

Some say it's a third of each. Personally, I think that doesn't add up as most people will serve cappuccino in at least a 6oz cup which means it would have 2oz of espresso, quite strong. A 12oz cappuccino would then have 4oz of espresso...

Cappuccino Some people like a ‘dry’ cappuccino which means it has lots of foam, maybe half the cup. Others prefer a ‘wet’ cappuccino, meaning it has less foam and more milk.

At Limini, we believe that a cappuccino should be a mixture of espresso, milk and foam from the start to the finish. This means the foam needs to be very silky and smooth and should stay on top of the drink

If you have a barista-related query that you would like answered, then please email clare@jandmgroup.co.uk, or write in with details of your 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 a reply for you!

50 JULY 2012

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Barista talk

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for a long time. Texturing the milk correctly is therefore very important. We also think that a cappuccino should not be milky you want to taste the coffee. The cup size is very important too as it determines the ratio between milk and espresso (we serve cappuccinos in 6oz cups).

It is said that a cappuccino should not be made too hot. In a way we agree with that although the customer is the one drinking it, so if a particular customer prefers it hotter, we will serve it hotter.

A cappuccino should have a certain look about it. Traditionally, this is foam in the centre with a full circle of crema around the cup. Most people expect to see foam on top of the drink. It is possible, though, to pour a cappuccino with lots of foam without actually seeing the foam on top; just a brown top. But it is better when the customer actually sees some foam. A complete white top is not recommended either as it looks like a cup of foam.

Latte art on top of a cappuccino? Sure,

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why not! It makes the drink look nice, you still have white in the centre and brown on the edges. You can pour latte art and still get a great depth of foam. It takes a bit of practicing but we think it is worth it.

Chocolate sprinkles? If the customer wants it, then yes, but we recommend you ask. Chocolate sprinkles were added traditionally to take away the bitterness.

But if you serve coffee correctly with quality beans then there will be no bitterness and probably no need for chocolate sprinkles.

What about the latte?

Latte simply means milk in Italian. So latte is not actually a coffee drink. That's also why you call it latte art, milk art. Some baristas get upset about the term latte art and prefer to call it milk patterns.

Most people expect a latte or caffe latte to be milkier than a cappuccino. A slightly larger cup is therefore ideal although you could also use different techniques for making the caffe latte milkier. The caffe latte often has less foam than a cappuccino and is usually served in a taller cup or glass.

A caffe latte is effectively an espresso with milk. In Italy, a caffe is an espresso and latte is milk, ideally served with latte art on top and not too much foam.

A latte macchiato is slightly different.

Macchiato means “marked” or “stained”. A latte macchiato is milk marked with an espresso. It has the same ingredients as a caffe latte but it is made and looks different. A good latte macchiato is served in a tall glass and has distinctive layers between the foam, espresso and milk with the foam on top, espresso below the foam and milk at the bottom. It is quite an appealing drink although make sure you tell the customer to stir before drinking otherwise they get the coffee first.

There are of course other variations such as the flat white and the cortado.

Many coffee shops have their own creations as well, and there are even shops out there who prefer to not give the drinks any names at all as they believe this takes a lot of confusion away. We have seen menus with simply espresso and milk and the size of the drink. This could be good as it allows the barista to ask the customer how they like their drink.

The important thing is to serve the drink the way you feel is best so you can be proud of your creations. Do not worry so much about standards, but do remember the general idea behind the drink in order not too confuse your customer too much.

And make sure the drink tastes as good as it looks!

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NEW PRODUCTS

International Paper leads for celebration Celebration has worked with International Paper Foodservice for a long time stocking a range of products from International Paper’s ecotainer® product range. The trading relationship with the global company started by importing full containers directly from IP’s USA factories but, as IP invested heavily by establishing a factory in the UK, more and more products are now being supplied from here.

International Paper’s ecotainer® product line consists of hot cups, cold cups, food containers and lids all made from fully renewable resources.

The inner linings are made from Ingeo™ biopolymer, a plantbased material and fibre sourced from sustainably managed forests that meet the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®(SFI®) standards of the USA (call 01606 552537, or visit www.ipfoodservice.co.uk).

Prime Minister celebrates Diamond Jubilee with Cups from the Paper Cup Company Nigel Evans, the MP for the Ribble Valley presented 1,000 printed cups to David Cameron for the Diamond Jubilee street party held at Downing Street.

The Paper Cup Company donated the cups to be used for Downing Streets festivities. They were custom made with the 'Made in Britain' logo on the cups and printed at the Paper Cup Company's new manufacturing unit in Lancashire.

Mark Woodward from the Paper Cup Company received a letter from the prime minister, David

Cameron, saying: “I am writing to thank you for generously supplying the special Diamond Jubilee cups for our Diamond Jubilee street party which Nigel Evans MP recently delivered to Downing Street.”

Call 01200 449900, or visit www.thepapercup company.co.uk.

QED supplies Italian-style coffee shop system to Collegelands in Glasgow Quality Equipment Distributors (QED) is a leading distributor of coffee shop display systems and associated food service equipment, supplying coffee shops, restaurants and leisure facilities throughout the UK and recently designed and installed a new modular coffee shop system for the catering suite at Collegelands (a major new commercial development in Glasgow city centre).

The coffee shop system was

commissioned by Encore Hospitality Services, part of the Cordia Group, in

Victor’s Caribbean carvery odyssey Victor Manufacturing, the leading manufacturer of Britishmade bespoke and ready made counters and serveries, has designed its Caribbean range to be the most versatile range of standard modular countering available to operators today.

Now, based on the proven Caribbean bains marie counter, Victor has turned the Gastronorm configuration through 90 degrees allowing for two rows of GN1/1 containers to be accommodated in the unit. The unit is completed with a large capacity hot cupboard beneath

52 JULY 2012

CAFÉ CULTURE

and a heated plate dispenser to one end. By using a combination of carvery inserts, tiled inserts and Gastronorm containers, assisted-service of meat from the back row and self-service of vegetables from the front row is simple to achieve (call 01274 722125 or visit www.victoronline.co.uk).

partnership with Glasgow City Council.

They selected the Italian made Deblasi ‘Zen’ range, an ultra-contemporary style in keeping with the modernity of the Collegelands environment and comprising modular bars and counters, together with a drop-in central refrigerated serve-over counter and matching back bar shelving and storage (call 0141 779 9503, or visit www.qualityequipment.co.uk).

Snowbird adds spice to its sausage range In response to customer demand for an innovative and spicy sausage, Vion Snowbird foods’ new product development team has added spicy tomato chutney to high quality chopped pork to create their latest offering.

Now part of the company’s award-winning Gourmet range, the fully cooked and frozen Pork & Tomato Chutney Sausage is in a natural casing and contains more than 80% high quality British pork. In addition to tomato chutney, flavourings include onion, garlic, basil, black pepper,

chilli and selected other herbs and spices.

The new sausages are available in a variety of sizes from cocktails upwards.

They can be microwaved or oven baked from frozen (call 020 8805 9222 or visit www.snowbirdfoods.co.uk).

C

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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!

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.

Question Can you please explain to me why an engineer has come into our café and pretty much condemned our espresso machine (£895 to repair), but also said that we needed a water softener to prevent the damage from happening again. But when we showed him that we had a spare water softener that we could use, he said it wasn’t the correct type of softener and that it may be illegal to use? We use the same type of softener on our glass washer and it seems to work perfectly well on that as we fill it up each week with salt as required. I’m confused and worried that this engineer is just trying to either overcharge us, or sell us a new machine that we don’t really need.

Petra, Camden Town.

Answer Wow! That’s an expensive quote, but as I don’t know what they are charging you for, or the type of machine it’s hard for me to say they are trying to overcharge you.

If it’s scaled up, then yes, this type of repair is

Question We have just taken over a café/restaurant in the north of England. We have been offered an espresso machine but I’m not sure if it’s the best option for our café. The machine we have had offered is a semi-automatic two group machine with only one button above each group. Our café has quite a few staff and the turnover of staff is quite high. Would you suggest we get this machine, or a fully automatic two group (as I have used these previously and found them better for consistency)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Jane Smalls, Harrogate.

normally the most expensive type of repair as there is a lot of workshop work to prepare and re-assemble the machine after the de-scaling process. Your engineer is completely correct saying that you should be using a water softener though and to get it changed at least once a year, depending on the water usage of the machine. I normally suggest putting a water meter on the water softener which then indicates how much water the machine has used.

As for using the salt regenerating softener, it’s currently a grey area in the industry due to the sodium levels in the water having to be checked each time you add salt, as there is a maximum sodium level in water that you can serve to customers legally. My own advice would be to follow the engineer’s advice, and install what I suspect would be a CTU (calcium treatment unit) as these use calcium and not sodium to filter the water. They are also sealed units so when a certain amount of water goes through the softener you get the unit changed. This is normally at either six monthly intervals, or annually, depending on the size of the softener.

Question I am opening up a café in Birmingham shortly, and saw the recent UK Barista Championships. I'm a tad sceptical that I need a proper barista? I’m setting up in the city centre of Birmingham, and would just like some advice.

Anton, Solihull.

Competitions such as the World Barista Championships recently held in Vienna, are the places to see some of the best baristas in action.

Answer The better the barista, the better coffee and the better the chance of success in your business! Use a good machine/grinder, good beans and a good barista, and you'll be on the way to having a very good business. I can’t re-iterate enough that if you go for a cheap option on any of these, you will only succeed in bringing down the quality of the coffee that you are serving.

Answer I would always say to use a fully auto if you have a large staff turnover as it is difficult to control the consistency of the measures if you have inexperienced baristas.

These types of machines allow you to programme the amount of coffee for single and double shots, so is easier to use and explain for your staff. If you have a permanent barista then I would suggest you keep the semi-, as they should know how to control the shots and a lot of baristas swear by the manual type of machine.

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JULY 2012 CAFÉ CULTURE 53

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INDEX

Café Society Suppliers Index Beyond the Bean Ltd. Unit 6, Cala Trading Estate Ashton Vale Road, Ashton Vale Bristol BS3 2HA Contact: Paul Maxwell Tel: 0117 953 3522 Fax: 0117 953 3422 Email: info@beyondthebean.com Web: www.beyondthebean.com Café Boutique 25 Dale Road, Stanton by Dale Derbyshire DE7 4QF Contact: Greg Campher Tel: 0800 028 3175 Fax: 0800 471 5205 Email: hello@cafeboutique.co.uk Web: www.ipanemaespresso.co.uk Coffix Unit 25 Hill Lane Close, Markfield Leicester LE67 9PY Contact: Glenn James Tel: 01530 242800 Mobile: 07790 402144 Email: info@coffix.com Web: www.coffix.com

Edgcumbe Tea and Coffee Co Ltd. Wicks House, Ford Lane, Arundel West Sussex BN18 0DF Contact: Alice Rendle Tel: 01243 555775 Email: sales@edgcumbes.co.uk Web: www.edgcumbes.co.uk

Rapido Coffee Services The Garden House, Sugnall Eccleshall, Stafford, Staffordshire ST21 6NF Contact: David Wiggins Tel: 01785 851348 Fax: 01785 859388 Email: sales@cappuccino-rapido.com Web: www.cappuccino-rapido.com

Erlenbacher Backwaren gmbh Wasserweg 39, 64521 Groß-Gerau GERMANY Tel: +49 6152 / 803-0 Fax: +49 6152 / 803-347 Email: erlenbacher@de.nestle.com Web: www.erlenbacher.com

Sugar & Spice The Old Bakehouse, Bakers Yard Ardington OX12 8PS Contact: Martin Popple Tel: 01235 835194 Fax: 01235 862212 Email: info@sugarandspicebakery.co.uk Web: www.sugarandspicebakery.co.uk

London School of Coffee 2 Princeton Mews, London KT2 6PT Contact: Gayle Reed Tel: 0208 4397 981 Email: info@londonschoolofcoffee.com Web: www.londonschoolofcoffee.com

Technomic Inc. Knowledge Center, 300 S Riverside Plaza, Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois IL 60606 Contact: Patrick Noone Tel: +01 205 991 1234 Fax: +01 205 980 3770 Email: pnoone@technomic.com Web: www.technomic.com

Nelson Catering Equipment Unit 1, Rowley Industrial Park Acton, London W3 8BH Contact: John Nelson Tel: 0208 993 6199 Email: john@nelsoncatering.co.uk Web: www.nelsondishwashers.co.uk

United Coffee 2 Bradbourne Drive , Tilbrook Milton Keynes MK7 8AT Contact: Elaine Higginson Tel: 01908 275 520 Fax: 01908 648 444 Email: info@firstchoicecoffee.com Web: www.unitedcoffeeuk.com

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