February 2014
www.CoffeeTalk.com Vol. XXVII No. 2
Connect. Grow. Prosper!
Boost Up Your Blended Beverages See Coffee Fest Listings page 24
page 10
20
NAMA: A Brighter Future
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18
Phil Johnson: A Dramatic Display Can Pave the Way
HNCT, LLC 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070
The Voice of Linda Smithers
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CONNECT. GROW. PROSPER!
$4.75 Per Issue • Complimentary to Coffee Professionals
This Month:
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National Blood Donor Month January
National Creative Romance Month February
National Stress Awareness Month April
National Date Your Mate Month May
National Rose Month June
National Picnic Month August
National Square Dance Month September
National Apple Month October
Intimate Apparel Week November 4-8
And you were thinking Christmas and Valentine’s Day. In fact, anytime is right for red. Brighten your customer’s day and give them a lid that protects them and you from drips, spills and potentially costly mishaps. Contact us today and find out how easy it is to offer a safer, better performing lid for about the same price as the lids you’re using now.
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Contents
The View
10 12
The Voice - Dreams for our Industry
14
Roasters Rock
14 16
Connect. Grow. Prosper!
Boost Up Your Blended Beverages
Linda Smithers
12 The Voice of Linda Smithers
Balance in Coffee, Balance in Life
Coffee Chemistry Unlocking Coffee's Chemical Composition
Making Marketing Miracles Happen
16
NAMA: Emerging Leaders Network
18
The Last Mile
18 20 20
A Spark of Change for the Industry
Thoughts of a Master Barista
On the Shoulders of Giants
20 NAMA: A Brighter Future
Phil Johnson
Start-up Strategies NAMA: A Brighter Future NAMA Volunteer Medical Mission
22
Retailer/Roaster Profile
22
The Power of Good
24
18 Phil Johnson: A Dramatic Display Can Pave the Way
Booskerdoo
Is Coffee Good for You?
Coffee Fest - New York Listings
Who We are Phone: 206.686.7378, see extensions below
Owner
Publisher Kerri Goodman, ext 1 | 206.795.4471 kerri@coffeetalk.com
Editor/Feature Writer Jessica Tanski, ext 7 jessica@coffeetalk.com
Design
26
News Bites
28
Advertiser Index
Feature
Boost Up Your Blended Beverages
Print Design Marcus Fellbaum, ext 5 marcus@coffeetalk.com
Web Design Justin Goodman, ext 6 justin@coffeetalk.com
Administrative
Administrative Director John Newman, ext 4 john@coffeetalk.com
Researcher Libby Smith, ext 8 libby@coffeetalk.com
Mailing Info
Mail: HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070 Phone: 206.686.7378 Fax: 866.373.0392 Web: www.coffeetalk.com Disclaimer CoffeeTalk does not assume the responsibility for validity of claims made for advertised products and services. We reserve the right to reject any advertising. Although we support copyrights and trademarks, we generally do not include copyright and trademark symbols in our news stories and columns. Postmaster: Send address changes to HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070 Subscription: The cost of a subscription in the U.S. is $47.50 per year; in Canada, the cost
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Cover photo taken by Kerri Goodman at the Santa Elena Estate, Costa Rica, during the NAMA Medical Mission. See page 20 for our story.
is $72.00. Free to qualified industry professionals. Non-qualified requests may be rejected. Publisher reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions. For subscription inquiries, please call 206.686.7378 x1 or subscribe online at www.CoffeeTalk.com. Copyright Š 2014, HNCT, LLC, All Rights Reserved
February 2014
Professional Memberships
from crop to cup.
from field to table.
Coffee beans come from plants. So should your sweetener. Serve America’s best-selling natural zero-calorie sweetener* Available in 8 SKUs to fit your needs. Discover more at truvia.com/foodservice, contact your Cargill Truvia® foodservice representative, or call 1.855.855.2362 for more information.
*Source: AC Nielsen All Outlets, 52 weeks ending 24 Nov 2012
©2013 Cargill, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Truvia® and honestly sweet® are registered trademarks of the Truvia Company LLC.
The performance and consistency you get from Vitamix are unmatched. And once you get one, you’ll realize this secret ingredient could have saved you a lot of trouble over the years. So do yourself a favor and start now. You’ll be thanking yourself later. Let us help your business at commercial.vitamix.com.
The View
Kerri Goodman
W
hy? Why bother to read yet another industry magazine? Aren't you busy enough just trying to get through your never-ending in-box? You have deadlines, projects, trade-shows to book, employees to hire, train, fire. Sales goals to meet, production headaches, taxes! Why in the world would you take the time to stop and read yet another magazine? WHY? Because those who have the best information will be the economic champions. Keeping up-to-date on issues facing your company and the industry will help you to plan more effectively. Knowing about the latest technology can help you improve your efficiency. Knowing about the new and innovative products can give you the edge over your competition. Because all of us are forever students and part of being a professional is the continual learning process. Respect However the reality still exists, there is simply not enough time in the day. Thus CoffeeTalk provides fast, essential information that keeps you on top of the industry and products without all of the fluff that would waste your time. We have too much
Monthly Columns Now in CoffeeTalk
Retail Owners, Managers & Baristas
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Monthly Lead Feature
respect for our readers! Below you will find our new monthly columns and a quick overview of which are most appropriate to the various industry segments.
Our Lead Feature: Blended Beverages – Health is the name of the game this year and frozen and functional beverages may just be the healthiest option you can focus on for your bottom line retailers! • The Voice – 25 year industry veteran, Linda Smithers, shares her vision of the next necessary step for the future of our industry. • Coffee Chemistry – Joseph Rivera tells us the real purpose of caffeine. • Roasters Rock – Rocky Rhodes compares the people in our industry to a cup of coffee. See if you agree on his Q-Score. • NAMA Emerging Leaders – NAMA is leading the way on securing the future of their industry with focused collaboration between the established and next
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Marketing Miracles
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OCS Operators, Suppliers & NAMA Professionals
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The Last Mile: Thougts of a Master Barista
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Because you are so busy, here are the highlights on what you will find inside…
Coffee Chemistry
The Voice - Dreams for our Industry
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generations, something NCA and SCAA could learn from. Marketing Miracles – Mike Dabadie shows us “miracles” are up to us to create. The Last Mile: Thoughts of a Master Barista – Giorgio Milos reminds all of us we must connect the dots from what happens at the farm to the cup right in front of us and that no detail is too small. On the Shoulders of Giants – In the first of this series of articles we profile the individual responsible for turning gourmet coffee from a loss leader into a quality profit producer, forever changing our industry. Industry Giant, Phil Johnson. Startup Strategies – Greg Ubert shows how trying to save money in the wrong way will lose customers several times over. NAMA Medical Mission – An inspirational story of how a small group of volunteers brought a brighter future to the pickers on Santa Elena’s Costa Rica coffee farm. Retailer/Roaster Profile – This month Max Vershinin tells us Booskerdoo Coffee Company’s real secret to success. The Power of Good – Siri Khalsa brings powerful information for retailers and roasters to use in their marketing on the health benefits of coffee. All Coffee-
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The Power of Good: The Health Benefits of Coffee
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February Thought “Action is the real measure of intelligence.” — Napoleon Hill Remember the SCAA board elections are coming up. If you are a member take the time to learn about the candidates, issues, and make an informed decision that will help our association become the best it can be.
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Calendar March 2-4
International Restaurant & Foodservice Show
March 10-12
Boot Coffee Lab - Roast Profiling & Cupping
March 2-5
Ultimate Barista Challenge
March 13-15
Boot Coffee Lab - Advanced Roasting
March 5
Global Coffee Review Leaders Symposium
March 17-19
Boot Coffee Lab - Q-Grader Training
March 6-8
Café Asia and International Coffee & Tea Industry Expo
March 20-22
The NCA Annual Convention
March 7-9
Coffee Fest New York
March 31-April 3
EXPO Finefood
March 7-9
Latte Art Championship
March 7-9
DaVinci Gourmet Presents: America's Best Coffee House Compition
April 9-11
NAMA OneShow
March 7-9
America's Best Espresso Competition
April 7-9
Boot Coffee Lab - Roast Profiling & Cupping Boot Coffee Lab - Single Origins & Creating Blends
March 10-12
Midwest Foodservice Expo
April 10-11 April 24-27
26th Annual SCAA Event of the Year
8 February 2014
Boost Up Your Blended Beverages by Jessica Tanski
O
ne of the “hottest” trends currently trending is frozen and blended beverages. Yes, this does mean your favorite tall, double mocha Frappuccino with extra whip cream, as well as real-fruit smoothies, a coffee-alternative that some shops are now offering.
With 2014 already here, and many New Year’s resolutions dwindling in the back of many of our minds, health-conscious coffee drinkers and shops are on to something with these frozen and blended beverages. There are ways to boost your beloved chilly coffee beverages, and for those of you who own a shop providing your customers with these beverages, there are tactics and products that you can utilize to bring the boost into your shop and profits. Just Add A Scoop While coffee, tea, and real-fruit smoothies offer natural health benefits, like antioxidants, there are many additives that you can insert into your morning or afternoon routine to enhance your healthy lifestyle. By making small changes, they can yield large results. Add A Scoop offers a wide range of functional supplements that can be mixed into your favorite blended beverage to maximize the health benefits. Their products are kosher, vegetarian, GMO free, gluten free, and certified Halal. There are 18 different boosts that don’t have any taste. Therefore, it will not change the great taste of your beverage. The good thing about these powders is that you can add more than one. For example, you could add an energy boost with an antioxidant boost. David Gross, President of Add a Scoop Supplement-Boosts, says, “People want to promote health and this is an easy way to do it. In fact, the supplement market for 2013 was up by nine percent.”
Meyers claims that their profit margins for coffee shops wanting to infuse their shop with Frugen are almost as healthy as their drinks. Thousands of juice bars and coffee shops are opening up nation-wide, and Frugen provides an easy way for retaining consumers, while competing with new companies in the beverage industry. “We are new, we are innovative, and we are here to reinvigorate the café industry. As a relatively small, privately held company, customer service is our top priority. When you join the Frugen family, we will do everything in our power to help you succeed,” says Meyers. Tea Products Now Being Blended: With tea becoming a great contender for coffee, tea-based blended beverages make for a great coffee-alternative. Not to mention, tea offers a wide variety of health benefits for the healthconscious consumer and coffee shop.
Gross continues, “If merchants that are selling frozen beverages want to keep and attract new customers, one way to do it is to promote health.”
Stefanie Makagon, the Brand Manager for Teaja Office states, "Matcha is premium green tea powder from Japan and used for drinking as brewed tea or as an ingredient in recipes.”
By installing a program, like the one from Add A Scoop, it can boost your shop’s profits. The initial investment for Add A Scoop is about five or six cans of product. Merchants can charge customers by the scoop. No special equipment for Add A Scoop products is needed, and they offer free point of sale/marketing materials for merchants.
There are a myriad of health benefits one can gain from this tea. In fact, matcha tea’s health benefits exceed those of green tea. The reason for this is because you ingest the whole tealeaf, and not just the brewed water.
“You’re talking about a $100 investment to promote health to your customers and increase your sales,” says Gross.
“One glass of matcha is the equivalent of ten glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content,” says Makagon.
Liquid Flavor Weldon Flavorings adds a gourmet touch to all of your blended beverages. They offer 12 flavor choices to appeal to multiple different taste buds. All of their flavorings are 0 calories per serving, contain no artificial sweeteners, and are free of sugar. Therefore, these flavorings will add a boost to your shop’s blended beverages without all of the calories, carbohydrates, fats, and sodium. They are also Gluten-free and non-allergenic. Each bottle comes with a pre-measured pump. This allows for quick and accurate flavoring of each cup of blended goodness. Each 4oz bottle of flavoring flavors 118 8oz cups; this is more than three times as many servings as the competitors’ large bottles of flavored sugar free syrups. For shops looking to make Weldon their go-to for flavoring, you can utilize the Weldon Gourmet Flavor Station. It is a decorative wire caddy that sits on the counter. It comes with your choice of three flavors. Other than the caddy that keeps the counter clean an organized, there is no need for additional equipment. The start up costs is low, but yields a great satisfaction result. These flavorings by Weldon are ideal for office coffee service, coffee shops, drive-thrus, convenience stores, or any place where blended beverages are served! Feel the Frugen Difference A functional beverage is more than something you simply enjoy. It is a treat that performs a specific function. In the case of the Frugen Energy product line, it supplies several different antioxidants, vitamins, potent adaptogens, and metabolism increasing boosts of energy. “Frugen meets the health-conscious consumer’s demands for low-calorie drinks while providing a full spectrum of antioxidants and adaptogens to relive biological stress from toxic environments and regular cellular metabolism,” says Craig Meyers, co-founder of Frugen. “Our energy line helps active athletes and professionals stay one step ahead of their turbocharged schedules while ameliorating the effects of stress that can come with an on-the-go lifestyle.”
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“Other companies may put some caffeine or basic vitamins in a few of their smoothies, but we are the only company that is fully dedicated to exclusively delivering healthy and enjoyable drinks. We offer some of the most in-demand ingredients in the market today. Frugen could not be simpler to make, just add ice, milk, and blend,” says Meyers.
Frugen Energy is more than just a functional beverage for the common coffee drinker. These beverages specialize in more than just an afternoon pick-me-up. Frugen Functional Frappes help busy individuals keep up with their busy schedules and the on-the-go lifestyle that the United States lives. Not to mention, the groggy feeling that other energy drinks may provide is not a feeling one experiences when consuming a "Functional Frappe" by Frugen.
She explains that matcha pairs wonderfully with milk. Therefore, when you blend the tea together with milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and ice, it makes for a refreshing blended tea drink. It is something new and different than what other shops are offering. By consulting with various tea companies, you can get a competitive advantage over the other shops around you. Other frozen blended beverages that are made with tea is the popular frozen chai tea latte, and even a simple flavored iced tea. Tea is a huge trend in the industry currently, and it is jampacked with antioxidants and health benefits. Coffee shops, you can set yourself apart and gain a new customer base with offering the latest trends. Ice, Ice Baby! You cannot make your customer’s favorite frozen beverage if you do not have the right ice to make it flawless. There are different companies that you can turn to, to gain the necessary equipment to make an endless supply of frappes and smoothies. The following two ice companies can boost your blended beverages: Chewblet® Ice Follett’s Chewblet® ice is a softer, nugget-type ice. It blends much faster than the typical cubed ice. In fact, you can typically cut your blending time by about 50 percent utilizing nugget ice. Nugget ice also blends more thoroughly, leaving the beverage free of large ice chunks. Michael Rice, Director of Marketing at Follett Corporation says, “Chewblet® ice is great for iced coffee, iced tea, and soft drinks, all important offerings of a coffee shop. Customers prefer the softer nugget ice like Chewblet® ice by over 2:1 compared to hard, cube-type ice.” Rice continues, “They like the looks, the texture, and the chewability of the ice, especially at the end of the drink. Many will even go out of their way to get Chewblet® ice or buy more drinks because of the ice.” Chewblet® ice by Follett is compressed and extruded flakes. Because of its form, the ice breaks apart easier and will create lighter loads on the blender’s motor and blades, which extends the blender’s life. Ice machines by Follett use significantly less water and often use less energy to make the ice compared to machines that produce cubed ice.
February 2014
cont. on page 12
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Blended Beverages Allbee says, “The Stealth is the new standard for high-powered commercial blending. For power, automation, speed, and versatility, no other blender in the world is its match. Add to these Stealth's amazingly quiet operation, and you can see why no other blender is a better addition to any coffee shop's equipment line-up.”
Different Types for Different Needs Manitowoc offers eight different types of ice, from gourmet to crushed. Other types include flake, tubular nugget, nugget, regular, dice, and half dice. Each of these types of ice offers a different firmness and shape. Because of the diversity of the ice, a shop can pick and choose which type they feel would work best for their shop and customer preferences.
Overachieving undercounter
According to their website, “The shape of ice has everything to do with its intended purpose. Whether used in beverages, food presentation, or healthcare services, Manitowoc Ice offers eight different types of ice in order to satisfy the widest variety of uses.” Manitowoc offers undercounter machines, countertop machines, and even modular machines. Each of these units can be purchased based on the size of the area the ©2013 Ice machine needs to be stored and the daily ice production a shop willManitowoc produce.
All Rights Reserved
This company is the recipient of the 2013 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, and has four years of award winning excellence. By purchasing a unit by Manitowoc Foodservice, Overachieve_8.875x6.3125.indd 1 you are purchasing an energy-saving unit, which will reflect on your electric bill! Blend It Up Stealthily! While we all love our frappes and smoothies, they would not be possible if it wasn’t for equipment that makes the delicious beverages- the blender! “The Blendtec Stealth Blender is the most advanced and most powerful blender in the world, yet it is also the quietest. It blends ice, frozen coffee, and frozen fruit completely, making the smoothest, most delightful blended drinks, and does it at the same sound level as a normal conversation,” says Kevan Allbee Manager, Commercial Marketing at Blendtec. “That means coffee houses can add a whole new selection of frozen drink options, while NOT adding the disturbing noise of other less efficient blenders,” Allbee continued. The Stealth Blender has 42 pre-programmed mix and blend cycles, accessed on its capacitive touch screen controls. When a chain of stores needs to update blending cycles or add additional blending cycles, they can be programmed online, with the BlendWizard, and then saved into the Stealth blender via its USB port. This allows all of the stores to operate at the same level at the same time virtually anywhere in the world. Like all Blendtec blenders, the Stealth is built with the strongest motor in the industry. It has 3.8 peak horsepower and 1,800 watts of power. The patented Blendtec blade is cold forged steel, thicker than any other, and shaped for the most efficient blending action in the jar.
A Quiet Blend is a Good Blend Vitamix® commercial machines offer precision engineering, consistency, reliability, and an overall lower total cost of ownership over the life of the machine, with industry-leading Presenting NEO,™ the everywhere you need ice machine. warranties and fewer repairs and By providing increased levels in performance, intelligence and convenience, Manitowoc’s new replacements than competitors. ice machine offers an all-in-one solution to your undercounter ice cube needs. “The Quiet One® from Vitamix® not only creates optimal taste for Thirsty foritmore? Talk superior with Manitowoc® Ice. customers, also offers 1-920-682-0161 ManitowocIce.com/NEO value, exceptional|blending capabilities and outstanding noise reduction,” says Lisa Klein, vice president of Commercial Sales, Vitamix®. The Quiet One features the Vitamix Advance® container with a built-in dripless spout, to improve pouring, prevents messes, and reduces waste. Vitamix also uses a hardened, stainless steel blade for greater durability and longer life. “The Quiet One is able to produce consistent blends from drink-to-drink and store-to-store, ensuring customers will receive the same flavor and smooth texture each time they order a drink,” says Klein. The Quiet One has six program buttons with 34 optimized programs. Its automatic shut-off capabilities provide the operator with ease-of-use and consistent beverage preparation. The unit is also fully programmable for shop customization. Shop owners can create custom blending programs for signature drinks, smoothies, and blended coffees. Thanks to the machine’s cool-running motor, it can handle significant up-time, allowing coffee shops to maximize sales during peak hours. Klein says, “Today, coffee shops face an increased demand for unique and inventive drinks. But, expanding a drink menu and tapping into new, creative offerings can be easier with the right tools—including the right blending equipment.” The Quiet One from Vitamix® makes for excellent, and quiet, front of the house blending! The “Hottest” Trends Some of the hottest tends in the coffee and tea industry can be chilly in nature. There are a variety of solutions that can be made to make your favorite blended beverages healthier and a step in the right direction to boost your sales and boost your blended beverages. Flavorings, nugget ice, additives, functional frappes and nutritious boosts, and new blender technology are all ways that you can make small changes in your shop to appeal to new customers, revive existing customers, and take a competitive advantage over the other local shops. Which boost will you make?!
The Voice
Linda Smithers
Dreams for our Industry
T
hank you Kerri for the invitation to dream about our industry and hopefully provide some food for thought for other CoffeeTalk readers.
I have elected to focus on my vision on increasing the appreciation and consumption of coffee in North America. For the 25 plus years that I have been in the industry, the topic of the consumer manages to find its way to the table on a regular basis. Who would benefit from such an initiative? The answer is very simple, all of the stakeholders in the coffee chain, from producers to retailers. You may ask yourself, if a consumer-focused program would benefit the entire coffee chain, why isn’t there such a program? Some of the barriers to a consumer-focused program are: program ownership, management, scope, fear that one company would benefit more than another, cost, and how to pay for the program. In order to create a North American consumer-focused coffee marketing program, it is helpful to evaluate other successful industry marketing programs. One of the most internationally successful models of a consumer marketing comes from within our industry. The Colombian Coffee Federation’s Juan Valdez program was able to impact the coffee buying habit of millions, if not billions, of consumers. This was a focused initiative to create recognition of the entire country’s coffee production. The impact of their advertising has lived long after they discontinued the television and sports venue advertising. The California wine industry has faced complications with wine buyers who thought that good quality wine came only from France. The California Wine Association was formed, and they addressed the challenge of creating awareness of the fine quality wines produced in the state of California. The success of their program can be seen on menus throughout the United States and around the world.
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The success of Fair Trade/Trans Fair and its grass roots initative to get the consumer to purchase coffees far above market price is amazing. Unlike the previous two examples, Fair Trade’s primary goal was to increase the money being returned to the coffee producer during an extremely low market. An unexpected benefit was the increased awareness of coffee production and potentially increased consumption. The consumer demanded Fair Trade coffee after the program was launched.
These examples of consumer marketing by industry groups are a few of the many models we have to help guide this important effort. I would be remiss if two other consumer marketing models were not mentioned. The efforts of The Roaster Association in Norway and ABIC of Sao Paulo, Brazil, both industry groups, developed focused programs to increase consumption in their countries. The results were amazing. You can read more about both on the Internet. A common thread of successful industry consumer marketing is that the campaigns have a single focused message about a product or service. They are clear and uncomplicated, and all of the stakeholders benefit from the marketing. The program makes for more potential buyers. Individual companies are still responsible for marketing their company, products, and services. My vision is to form a working group of leaders dedicated to developing a plan for a consumer marketing program for North America. Every coffee association in North America should be invited to the table. An increased awareness and consumption of coffee will benefit the largest and the smallest of our importers/brokers, roasters, and retailers. The producer will have more opportunity for sales at all levels of quality. I believe a simple campaign, such as Got Milk, could be executed using the Internet and print media. My vision is to create a program that would add a total of no more than $0.015 per pound of coffee imported to North America. I believe creating an I Love Coffee, Drink Coffee, Got Coffee campaign is long overdue and doable! Linda Smithers has been in the coffee industry for 25 years. She began her coffee career as a roaster retailer in Akron, Ohio. She has served on the Board of Directors for SCAA, chaired several committees, and was the Association President in 1997-98, IWCA, Ground for Health. Linda has presented at more than 90 industry meetings and conventions about the world, works with Rainforest Alliance’s Cupping for Quality, and is an avid and skilled cupper. Currently, Linda is working Daterra Coffee, BR and responsible for marketing in North America.
February 2014
1/28/13 3:55 PM
Yes... It’s That Quiet. The Stealth from Blendtec is making a lot of noise in the Coffee House industry, yet it’s barely noticeable, even this close to your customers.
Blend at the sound of normal conversation Stealth is the quietest, yet most powerful blender in the world. So, go ahead...add spectacular and profitable blended drinks to your menu while never compromising the intimate atmosphere of your shop.
STEALTH by Blendtec
®
Listen for yourself... You need to see (and hear) the Stealth in action. You’ll be amazed at its simple, intuitive touch controls, its dozens of preprogrammed settings, and–most of all–how absolutely quiet it is blending ice, frozen fruit, and whatever else you toss in.
See the Stealth in action at CoffeeFest NYC/St. Louis/Portland, at SCAA and at NRA. Or, call 844-Blendtec to arrange an on-site demonstration.
www.blendtecsolutions.com
3.8
Peak HP
15
Amps
1800 Watts
300+ Blends/Daily
0
Conversations Disturbed
13
Coffee Chemistry
Unlocking Coffee’s Chemical Composition
E
veryday millions of people around the world begin their day religiously with a morning cup of coffee. Though today we easily identify coffee in its beverage form, it wasn’t always this way in the beginning. Throughout history, coffee has taken on several physical transformations, initially serving as an energy source when nomadic tribes combined coffee berries with animal fat as an early form of an energy bar. Later it was consumed as a tea, then wine, and finally to the beverage we’ve come to identify today. But how much of coffee’s chemical composition do we actually know? Fortunately, over the past half-century scientists have made significant progress, which has allowed them to unlock more than the 1,000 compounds found in roasted coffee. In this article of Coffee Science we’ll briefly discuss a family of compounds called ‘alkaloids,’ which serve an important role in coffee’s unique chemical composition. Caffeine For many, coffee drinking is simply a delivery medium for a potent alkaloid we have come to identify as caffeine, or otherwise known as 1,3,7 – trimethylxanthine. Although caffeine is typically associated with coffee, its production within the plant kingdom spans across numerous other plant species. Mate, for example, which is traditionally consumed in parts of Uruguay and Argentina, contains less than one percent by weight. Whereas, teas of Camellia sinesis, which originated in China, contain almost three times the concentration of caffeine than Arabica. But for humans, caffeine is very unique. Thus far, we are the only living forms on Earth that readily seek caffeine for both its stimulatory and psychological effects. For all other life forms, caffeine is a potent toxin capable of sterilization, phytotoxicity, and antifungal properties. As such, scientists believe that caffeine, with its intensely bitter taste, has evolved as a primitive defense mechanism in coffee ensuring its survival in the wild for thousands of years. It’s no surprise then, that the caffeine content of the more “robust” Robusta species is almost double that of the more delicate Arabica. The belief is that as insects attack the coffee cherry, they are deterred by the bitter taste of caffeine and simply move on to other crops. Trigonelline Another less known alkaloid that shadows in the light of caffeine is that of trigonelline. In Arabica coffee, trigonelline concentrations make up roughly 1 percent by weight with a slightly less concentration (0.7 percent) found its Robusta counterpart. Although its concentration is slightly less than that of caffeine, it plays a significant role in the development of important flavor compounds during roasting. But unlike that of caffeine, which survives the roasting process, trigonelline readily decomposes as temperatures approach 160°C (320°F). Model studies have
Plant Coffee bean Coffea Arabica Coffea robusta Tea
Camellia sinesis
Mate
Balance in Coffee In coffee, when learning how to score this attribute, we are told to assess how well the other attributes of flavor, aftertaste, acidity, and balance work together. If one of those attributes is overly dominant or unnecessarily draws your attention the coffee falls out of balance. The bigger the distraction, the lower the score. Imagine it this way; there are four kids on the playground and there are no adults around to prompt them. They decide to play together. There is a young kid and an older kid, a fat kid and a skinny kid, a dark haired kid and a blonde, a short kid and a tall kid. As they work out what game they will play or what activity they will undertake, a dynamic starts to occur. Often, the older, stronger, taller kid dictates what they will do and the others just go along because they don’t feel that they have a say. This group is dominated by one, but at least the other kids have decided to play. This would be slightly out of balance. Another example might be that the skinny kid teases the fat kid and makes him cry. The tall kid decides to take his ball and go home. This would be WAY out of balance! But what if all of the kids decided together that they would play soccer and they divided teams evenly and then went and had a great time. As an observer you watched “the group” play, rather than individual kids playing alone. THAT is balance. It is the same way with coffee. If you find yourself NOT paying attention to any one attribute and enjoying the coffee as a whole, the coffee is in balance. If it is balanced from hot to cool, score the attribute high! When looking at something outside of yourself, like coffee, it is easy to be objective about balance. It is even an attribute that can be calibrated and agreed upon amongst many cuppers. Making judgments about other things is something we do all the time. So why is it so hard to look inside ourselves or at our own lives and observe balance? Others will look at us and make judgments like, “That woman is a workaholic.” or “He only cares about money.” Balance in Life An observation was made that, “People in the coffee industry tend to be very balanced.” Let’s test that theory! First, we will have to define what balance is for a person in coffee. After consulting some self-help books and motivational speakers’ thoughts, the following are the areas of life to observe and find balance:
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1) Body/Health – Spending time to exercise, proper diet, and enough rest. 2) Mind/Education – Always be learning something new. 3) Soul/Faith – Doing something bigger than yourself that is a selfless act, bettering the world. 4) Relationships – Being an active builder of bonds with family, associates, and friends.
Caffeine Content (% wt)
Ethiopia Arabia
~ 1.2% ~ 2.2%
China
~3.5%
Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina
less than 0.7%
Another important byproduct produced during the decomposition of trigonelline is nicotinic acid, or vitamin B3, more commonly known as niacin. Depending on roasting conditions, niacin can increase up to ten times its initial concentration, providing anywhere between 1mg of niacin per cup for Americano-type coffees and roughly two to three times this concentration in espresso-type beverages. When one considers that most Americans consume about 3.2 cups of coffee per day, according to the NCA (2008), makes coffee an ample source of dietary niacin. So far that’s great news for people with an unbalanced diet, but there is another therapeutic benefit to coffee that is even more surprising. Recently, Italian scientists discovered that drinking coffee might lower our incidence of dental caries. According to researchers, trigonelline works by preventing the adhesion of mucus-like acid byproducts onto teeth, which would otherwise lead to dental caries. In the end, it looks like drinking a cup of coffee may not only keeps the doctor away, but the dentist too. Joseph A. Rivera holds a degree in food chemistry and was formerly the Director of Science & Technology at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). He’s the creator of the coffee science portal coffeechemistry.com and newly developed Coffee Science Certificate (CSC) program. He can be reached at jrivera@coffeechemistry.com
Balance in Coffee, Balance in Life
I
Country of Origin
shown that at 160°C, sixty percent of the initial trigonelline is decomposed, leading for the formation of carbon dioxide, water, and the development of a large class of aromatic compounds called pyridines. These heterocyclic compounds play an important role in flavor and are responsible for producing the sweet/caramel/earthy-like aromas commonly found in coffee.
Roasters Rock
n the SCAA/CQI cupping protocol there is an attribute that is perhaps undervalued and overlooked. What is interesting is that in life we often overlook this attribute as well.
Joseph Rivera
Rocky Rhodes
5) Finance/Wealth – Planning and executing on financial goals, retirement preparation. 6) Profession/Trade – Working at ‘your job’ and planning where that will lead you. Coffee people, like all people, tend to be good at certain areas of life and need work in others. (That is about as insightful as a fortune cookie.) But here is one observation of the people in our industry. In general: Body: On a scale of 1 to 10, coffee people are a 7.5. On the whole, we are healthier than average but those darned mochas, cookies, and muffins are too hard to resist. We are also fairly active and more apt to be running around than in front of a computer all day. Mind: Here we excel. Average is probably an 8.25. This is not so much the amount of higher education, but the energy that is put into learning about the world, social issues, business, and product development. It is also seen in specialized education such as barista certification, roaster certification, and Q-grader certification. Soul/Faith: Again, high marks for the industry at about an 8. Perhaps more than most other industries, coffee people are acutely aware of the interconnectedness of the supply chain and how actions can ripple. We drive innovations in recycling, composting, responsible land management, and community outreach. Regardless of religious beliefs, there is an understanding that by helping others we help ourselves. Relationships: Good, but not great, about a 7. Often coffee people are so driven and passionate about what they are doing that they forget to slow down and include others in their lives. While spreading the net wider in the communities and the world, it is easy to neglect family, and close friends. As an industry, we would be well served to spend more time here. Finance/Wealth: This area NEEDS improvement! The score is at a 6.5. Because we see the industry as favoring the consuming countries over the producing countries, we are often battling the feelings of guilt that we might ‘become wealthy’ in the industry. If everyone can get over this feeling of guilt and get to a place where we decide EVERYONE deserves to get what he or she want, then we will find a way to change the model. We deal in the second most consumed commodity in the world; there is wealth to go around. Profession/Trade: Excellent! 8.75. As an industry we also get the following concept: Quality changes everything! We strive to get better at our craft. We know we get to charge more for coffee that tastes better. It is this thing that often takes SO MUCH of our focus that we let the other areas slide. So, are we as an industry balanced? Yeah… pretty well. We would get a solid 8. If we were being Q-Graded, we would probably get an 85.75. That’s definitely above specialty grade, but we could be improved with a little more attention paid to the details. Rocky Rhodes is an 18 year coffee veteran, roaster, and Q-Grader Instructor, and his mission now is to transform the coffee supply chain and make sweeping differences in the lives of those that produce the green coffee. Rocky can be reached at rocky@INTLcoffeeConsulting.com as well as RockR@CoffeeLatinAmerica.com
February 2014
Photo by Trish Rothgeb
NAMA Emerging Leaders
A Spark of Change for the Industry
T
here is a certain positive spark that can be generated when you bring new technology and old wisdom together in the same place at the same time. A spark that can revolutionize something that is already good and makes it brilliant. A spark that can take something that may be so small but flourishes it into something worth bragging about.
Technology and industry traditions must be pieced together to advance. The tools that these two groups possess will generate greater profits when used together, than when used separately.
It is a powerful connection that needs to be made across the board in all professions and in all industries. However, The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) has already taken that first step into the right direction toward creating this spark.
About the Emerging Leaders Network The ELN holds meetings at the various industry conferences around the United States. They are able to collaborate together at these meetings even though they may live many states apart. They utilize their LinkedIn page that gives updates about the group in a matter of minutes. LinkedIn is used to funnel issues and keep up with changes and concerns that come up on a daily basis. The more you get involved the more valuable you become to the group.
CoffeeTalk is introducing a new series of articles for the 2014 year! They will feature the NAMA Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) that was launched in July of 2013. This group of individuals in the vending and refreshment services industry is a great example of the spark of change that needs to be instilled. They have the tools necessary to allow the vending and refreshment services industry to continue to grow for many years to come. Bridge the Generation Gap NAMA recognized that there is a generation gap in their industry. It is inevitable that when industry veterans retire, in any industry, that someone else is going to have to step up and take over. However, how will this be possible for the continuing success of that industry if the emerging industry leaders are not educated on the same level as the ones who are retiring or moving on? Education is key for this solution. A group, like the NAMA ELN, allows for a collaboration that is essential for the successful operations of the industry. New ideas from the next generation of industry leaders allows for a spark of transformation to be instilled to the ever changing economy and constant flow of different and innovative trends that are evolving every day. How can one progress and move forward when they are stuck in old routines and not simultaneously moving forward with the economy and world around it? It’s a Give and Take Relationship The emerging leaders and the industry veterans each have something that the other wants. The emerging leaders grew up in a time period jam-packed with various kinds of technologies everywhere they turn. Technologies today that are becoming more and more prevalent in sales and marketing, like social media for example. The industry veterans have the many years of experience and knowledge needed to further the life of an industry. You see, while the two generations standing alone may operate suitably for now, when you put them together and allow them to work together, it betters not only both of the generations, but the industry as a whole as well. An industry cannot thrive on one of these areas alone.
"Membership in NAMA's Emerging Leaders Network provides younger vending and refreshment services executives an opportunity to network with other NAMA members and influential industry leaders," said Paul Tullio of Gourmet Coffee Service in Anaheim, CA, and chair of the group. "It gives the next generation of industry leaders a platform to express their ideas and vision for the future of the industry." There are currently about 100 active members, and the numbers are growing. To be a member, you must be an already-existing member of NAMA and of the age of 40 or younger. These memberships are available at no cost. You can contact Roni Moore at NAMA or Paul Tullio for more information on how to become a member. Be the Spark in your Industry We understand that many of our readers are in the coffee and tea industry; however, it is important to highlight this NAMA ELN group and learn from them. Roasters, retailers, growers, and even service providers can learn from the ELN. If an industry wants to continue on, it must take the necessary steps to build up and better itself. Now, I’m not saying that it is going to be easy, and if I did, I would be lying; however, doesn’t the saying go: “nothing worth having in life comes easy”? The Emerging Leaders Network has started the spark to change their industry, but what about you? How are you going to bridge the gap in your industry? Have you thought about who is going to take over after you retire? Did you consider what pieces of knowledge that you want to pass down? Be inspired, be proactive, and be that spark to change your industry. Stay tuned for future articles about the NAMA ELN. Learn from them how to be a part of the change that you want to see in your passion and profession.
Marketing Miracles
Making Marketing Miracles Happen
T
he term “marketing miracles” is miraculous for marketing purposes. I get it. And for those who are not aware of it, the best selling book, Marketing Miracles, by Dan S. Kennedy is full of practical ideas, especially for those in sales.
But, there is nothing miraculous about marketing, or to be more precise, marketing miracles. That term is just an odd oxymoron for me. Why? Because while marketing can result in an amazing or unusual event, the word “miracle” implies that supernatural forces outside of our mortal control generate miracles. Or, perhaps the word signals that an unexpected and surprising result occurred, possibly exceeding our expectations because of something not planned. Marketing that achieves goals and fulfills the needs of the customer is thoughtful and deliberate, or at least it should be. As the English author, Sir Terry Pratchett, wrote, “Just because you can explain it doesn’t mean it’s not still a miracle.” In this inaugural article I want to put forth the principles that guide how marketing miracles happen. Because even if someone just by chance stumbled into a marketing miracle and can’t explain how it happened, my money is on the fact that one of the following five principles was in play. 1. Our decisions as humans have both rational and emotional components. Coffee is not just a product with its attributes of taste, smell, smoothness, caffeine, etc.; it delivers an experience. We consume coffee because of its product benefits, and these benefits fulfill powerful emotional needs such as socializing, being productive, reducing stress, and even fulfilling the desire for routine. Application: Align the benefits of your product with consumer benefits; persuade by reason, motivate by emotion.
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Jessica Tanski
2. Perceptions and experiences with products, services, or brands have both positive and negative dimensions. These perceptions will vary by your audience and by loyalty. A few years ago research was conducted on a national coffeehouse brand, and it revealed a strongly negative perception among infrequent coffee drinkers that its product had a bitter taste because of its roast profile. Despite having a wide selection of other choices and a strong, core loyal audience, the learning led to this company launching a blonde roast in order to convince these persuadable consumers to try a cup. Application: Leverage your positives and neutralize your negatives; know your loyalty continuum.
Mike Dabadie
3. The choices we make are affected by the context in which they are made. Everyday we make decisions and we are presented with choices. In the coffee category, these choices and decisions are made within day parts, occasions, locations, our personal needs, influences from others, and a host of other factors. Application: Market your brand to match the context or situation in which it is used or could be used. 4. Marketing and how we think about products is not linear. A consumer can go from being aware of your product to being loyal, even if they are not familiar with it. For example, how many people do you know always vote Democrat or Republican, but can they really explain why they are so loyal to these “brands”? Perhaps not all of them can do so, which demonstrates that they do not linearly move along some magical funnel from awareness to commitment. We see this often in coffee as well, where because of taste profiles or geographic pride, many people are loyal to certain brands despite not knowing that much about them. Application: Brands must quickly engage across multiple touch points and channels. 5. A marketing strategy is only as good as its results. Marketing should fulfill some larger objective and goal. Not all marketing campaigns are geared toward sales. Rather, sometimes the objective is to raise awareness. But eventually, that awareness should land sales and ultimately drive the business goal. Application: Measure results to confirm success and guide future efforts. I believe in miracles. After 45 years of discipline, regimentation, and education from Jesuit priests, Holy Cross brothers, and St. Joseph sisters, you can trust that I believe in miracles. But even miracles, and marketing miracles, happen for a reason. The principles detailed in this article shed light on how you the reader can cause a miracle in marketing. In future articles, we’ll use these principles and this framework to go in depth and illuminate how people, products, services, and brands made marketing miracles happen. Mike Dabadie is the founder of Heart+Mind Strategies, LLC, a research consultancy that continues to pioneer the use of personal-values insights and marketing. He can be reached at mdabadie@heartandmindstrategies.com.
February 2014
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The Last Mile
Thoughts of a Master Barista
A
s cliché as it may sound, coffee is in my blood. Some of my earliest and warmest memories are of my grandmother’s kitchen, a well-worn moka pot gently bubbling (which I would later discover isn’t a good thing!) on the stove, filling the room with rich and familiar aromas. My mother Silva worked her entire career in quality control at illy Caffé’s headquarters in Trieste, the Adriatic port city in northeastern Italy where coffee first entered Europe in the 16th century. Coffee was all around me, and I loved it. Therefore, becoming a barista was the natural thing to do, and a decision that pays rewards every single day; with every student who learns to create that perfect espresso, rich crema beautifully intact, and every smile on the faces of coffee lovers, their tongues painted with a little something that brings pure pleasure. I was honored when the owner of CoffeeTalk invited me to contribute a recurring column that gives the barista’s point of view on our industry. This kind of regular voice is vital in America; where baristas don’t enjoy the professional standing that baristi do in my home country, even though they have become a part of everyday life, everywhere, from cutting edge downtowns to suburban malls. I’ve spent almost four years as illy’s Master Barista for North America. The experience has been energizing. For one, I’ve gained immense appreciation and respect for the passionate community of baristas, café owners, hospitality executives, and others who make up the coffee profession in this country. There is an incredible desire to learn, innovate, delight, and take the craft of coffee to a higher place. It is a spirit that is last felt in my country in the 1930s and 1940s, when Italian-engineered refinements to espresso making (some pioneered by my company’s founder, Francesco Illy) gave rise to an era of rapid innovation and growth. You can find excellent coffee throughout much of Italy, a kind of birthright, like great burgers here in the United States, but you don’t find the energy that comes with, what might be called, the “young adulthood” phase that coffee in the U.S. is in today. Illy brought me to the U.S. for reasons that explain this column’s title: making sure that our coffee’s very last, most critical, transformational steps are handled properly. My company is maniacal (in the best of ways) about optimizing quality at every link along the coffee chain. We purchase beans directly from farmers on four continents who meet our high standards for quality, many of whom we educate on sustainable agronomical and business practices; teach and
Giorgio Milos
financially support ecologically-responsible processing, like the semi-washed method that we helped revive; roast and perform more than 100 quality checks at our one plant in Trieste; and package our coffee with inert gas to prolong its freshness. But none of it is any good if preparation is subpar, if that last mile isn’t walked in the right shoes. My main mission is to spread barista best practices, if you will, to make sure that every whole bean ground, every shot pulled, every Chemex poured, and every coffee drink created does justice to every step that came before and creates pleasure in the cup. I spend about half of my days on the road, visiting illy accounts of all varieties, from major resorts to corner cafes, diagnosing equipment, gauging knowledge, conducting on-site training, and teaching coffee beverage creation that connects the dots from what happens at the farm to the cup right in front of us. The idea is to provide a bigger picture of the understanding of coffee that puts into context every detail and action behind the bar, and indeed help baristas, managers, and owners see why no detail is too small. My goal is to bring that philosophy to life in ways that matter for loyal readers of CoffeeTalk. Whether you are a roaster, an equipment manufacturer, logistician, distributor, or cafe owner, I hope that seeing the world through a barista’s eye can help inform decision making, inspire innovation, or simply provide an occasional thought worth clipping and keeping. Topics will be as wide-ranging as coffee itself. One issue may bring practical advice on principles of beverage creation; the next, could be a bigger-picture take on the industry itself. I’ll write about dynamic baristas and other professionals that I meet on the road and at home in New York, with inspiring stories to share. And I won’t shy away from taking a stand. (Sneak preview: playing around with the classic formula for espresso preparation: not always a good idea!) I look forward to your comments and opinions, and I invite you to follow me on Twitter (@Giorgio_Milos) and at masterbarista.tumblr.com. Giorgio Milos is illy’s award-winning Master Barista and illy’s North American Barista in Residence who regularly ventures beyond the cup to study the biology and chemistry of the coffee bean, continually striving to master the beverage that is his passion and profession.
On the Shoulders of Giants Interviews with Coffee Industry Pioneers
Phil Johnson
A Dramatic Display Can Pave the Way
H
ow do you compete with giants in the supermarket coffee aisle? Phil Johnson learned that lesson early on in his career. In doing so, he brought gourmet coffee into the nation’s grocery stores and turned a loss leader item into a quality profit producer. The Early Years Johnson grew up the oldest of three children in Everett, Washington. After high school, he went to work at the nearby Scott Paper Company in the shipping department. “I couldn’t afford college at the time,” Johnson said, “So the Army made sense. The Army taught me discipline, leadership, responsibility, and convinced me that I had inner reserves.” After service, First Lieutenant Johnson moved back to Everett and started working for The Boeing Company on the first 747. While he recognized the high quality product that they were producing, he was not satisfied with the lack of opportunity to be rewarded for individual achievement in the workplace. With a strong work ethic, he felt that if he worked smarter and harder than the others, then he should be rewarded in kind. From this realization, he knew he wanted something more. Johnson’s cousin told him to consider sales. “Phil,” he said, “you look good, and you’ve got the gift of gab. In sales, you can get an expense account and car allowance.” Getting a Start Johnson started his consumer product sales career with Scott Paper and stayed with them for four years. He then went to work for Liggett & Myers Tobacco in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, but he was asked to move frequently and longed to return to Everett. Johnson explained that his cousin, who talked him into sales in the first place, then hired him into the grocery wholesale business. He worked for his cousin and then later decided to open his own food brokerage business. “The business did not work, but failing became a great teacher,” Johnson said. “When the business faltered, one of my clients, Good Host Foods, offered me a job selling coffee to restaurants.” Johnson’s life moved in a new direction. A New Opportunity Back in the late 70’s when Johnson started working for Good Host Foods, there was virtually no gourmet coffee at the supermarket level. Good Host’s main business was institutional coffee. Johnson wanted to get back involved in consumer product sales at the retail level by taking Good Host products and putting them into the retail stores; but how could he compete with the major national brands and the strong west coast regional brands? “Our company offered specialty coffees and sold it to specialty stores in 100 pound bags, so I asked myself, ‘How can gourmet brands compete in a pre-packaged marketplace?’” Johnson said.
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While researching the coffee aisle, he physically ran into a Hoodie nut display unit and the light bulb went off. Coffee could flow through gravity fed dispenser bins, the consumer could see the product, smell the product, and if the display unit was built properly, they could grind the product in the store to take home.
Johnson thought it was the only way he could compete and at the same time offer consumers a gourmet coffee product that heretofore was only available in specialty stores. Millstone Coffee was Born After a couple of years, Good Host elected to sell their only US branch, giving Johnson the opportunity to acquire from them the retail gourmet coffee business that he successfully developed for them. In 1981 he acquired the business, renamed it Millstone Coffee, and a new business was born. Johnson was sure there was a certain portion of the population that, if a gourmet coffee product were offered in a supermarket setting, sales would increase for the retailer and provide them with a profit margin that they weren’t receiving on national branded coffees, a product that had previously been a loss-leaders. The premise was that Millstone would supply and maintain the equipment at the store level, deliver the product at the store level, merchandise the product, keep the display unit clean, and ensure that the product was fresh. The only thing the retailer had to do was check the product in at the back door and check the product out to the consumer at the front door at a healthy profit. From Millstone Coffee to Cascade Coffee Millstone Coffee rode the specialty coffee wave from 1981 to 1995 when Johnson sold the company to Proctor & Gamble. At that time, the company was national in scope and was growing at about 30 percent per year. Upon selling the business to P&G, Johnson created Cascade Coffee and sold portions of it to his employees, who then ran the company. They signed a contract with P&G to produce product for them, and today, Cascade Coffee employs approximately 200 people and roasts coffee for some of the largest coffee companies in the United States. In the early years of Cascade’s development, Johnson stepped away from the business, learned how to grow coffee in Kona, and in the last few years, Johnson has rejoined the business, reuniting with the talented core team he attributes to the success of Millstone Coffee. Much to his delight, his son and his wife have joined the group in making Cascade Coffee one of the premiere contract manufacturers in the country. Johnson’s entry into the gourmet coffee business at the retail level led many consumers to discover the wonderful beverage of gourmet coffee. The category has changed dramatically since the inception of Johnson’s idea back in 1979. The consumer is now used to gourmet coffee and accepts it in a ground, pre-pack form that is readily available in supermarkets, in many varieties from many different manufacturers. Where in the early and mid-90’s, a supermarket would have eight to 16 feet of bulk dispenser units, they now have eight to 16 feet of pre-packed gourmet coffee. The business continues to evolve with the advent of single serve coffee that is still in its infancy. Through it all, Cascade Coffee’s commitment to quality and service keep them on the leading edge of a still growing industry. Phil Johnson, Founder Millstone Coffee, CEO, Cascade Coffee, Inc.
February 2014
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Start-up Strategies
Seven Strategies for a Successful Coffee-Shop Start-up
T
hinking of opening a coffee shop? As in any business, careful planning is vital to success. Here are some strategies to ensure that your coffee shop gets off to a sensational and profitable start.
Lead with location. As in most retail ventures, location can make or break your coffee shop. Search for a highly visible spot on the way to, or near, an area where prospective customers work, go to school, shop, or travel. This is because at least 60 percent of specialty coffee purchases occur in the morning. The best locations are on the side of the road because of morning traffic and the high traffic volume during morning rush hour. A large volume of pedestrian traffic is another positive location factor. Good locations often can be found in or near: • Downtown office buildings • Colleges and Universities • Tourist areas with a high volume of pedestrian traffic • Strip malls with high-volume traffic • Airports Location is so important that you may need to wait for the right spot to open up. The rent of your location should take up no more than 15 percent of your operating expenses in the first year. Think efficiency when arranging your shop. By speeding up the drink preparation and customer service, the ideal coffee bar layout can boost profits by 20 percent or more. People hate to wait, especially when they haven’t had their morning jolt of java yet. Set up equipment and ingredients within easy reach of the barista. Locate the cash register within two steps of the espresso machine. Your customers will marvel at how speedily and gracefully your baristas and cashiers fill their orders. Buy the best. Specialty coffee customers are passionate about the quality and origin of their coffee. One strategy to attract and keep customers is to gain a reputation for serving the best drinks in town. So don’t skimp on products or equipment. Any money saved by buying lowergrade beans or used equipment in the beginning will be lost several times over as customers leave your shop and don’t come back. The espresso machine is the heart of any coffee shop. Buy the best machine and learn how to maintain it properly. Remember, if the espresso machine goes down, so does your business!
Top-quality coffee beans, syrups, milk, and other ingredients are essential to your success. Rigorously taste-test the coffee you plan to serve and only order from roasters that guarantee quality and freshness. To keep inventory costs low, find suppliers who can deliver top-notch ingredients as you need them. Make marketing a priority. Too many coffee-shop owners think customers will appear as if by magic once they open their doors. In reality, marketing must be an ongoing priority. Marketing begins with prominent outdoor signage, your in-store menu, and point-of-purchase displays. You also need an online presence, such as a website or Facebook page that is updated regularly. You need to reach out to potential customers who will be driving or walking past your store. I discussed marketing techniques in the March and April 2013 issues of CoffeeTalk. Get hands-on training. Thorough training for both owners and baristas is one of the most critical factors in starting and running a successful coffee house. You’ll need in-depth instruction from experts covering everything from operating your equipment, to preparing drinks, and more. I reviewed training essentials in the June 2013 issue of CoffeeTalk. Wow customers with incredible service. Happy customers become loyal customers. These individuals make word-of-mouth recommendations that bring in new customers. Set the stage for outstanding service by hiring friendly and outgoing baristas and cashiers. Make sure you greet everyone who comes into your shop with a smile and a friendly wave or “hello.” One key to repeat business is to know what your customers want as they walk in the door. This makes customers feel special and increases the speed with which you can serve them. Of course, great customer service doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It’s integrally tied to all other facets of your coffee house, from store layout to equipment to staff training. Turn cleanliness into a competitive edge. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure your coffee shop remains first-date-ready throughout the day. Set up cleaning routines so that the parking lot remains litter-free, your glass windows sparkle, tables are quickly cleared and cleaned, and the restrooms are spotless. In many areas, your business may be subject to unannounced health inspections. Make sure you’re always prepared! Greg Ubert, founder and president of Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, has been roasting coffee in small batches since 1991 and has taught hundreds of business owners how to run successful independent coffee houses. Greg can be reached at greg@crimsoncup.com.
A Brighter Future
NAMA Volunteer Medical Mission
A
little girl, about the age of five, wearing a red sweater tattered with rips and painted with dirt, has a tummy ache. Sadly, this tummy ache is a familiar routine for her. She has not eaten for two days and has a look of pain and grief dancing upon her youthful face. When approached by an unfamiliar woman, she objects at first but allows the woman to help her. The little girl is handed a few small, round, pink discs of Pepto-Bismol to chew. Within an hour, a smile shined through the soil prints on her face; a piece of fruit, a granola bar, and a few cups of fresh water were consumed; and she was playing like a normal five year old. This was all made possible because of 13 volunteers and the generous donations of a few NAMA members. During the month of January, 13 individuals from all different backgrounds came together to make a difference in the lives of the coffee pickers and their children on the Santa Elena Estate in Costa Rica. Engineers, students, doctors, publishers, editors, friends, and now family, put their own lives on hold in the United States to volunteer to operate a mobile medical clinic for four days. Medical Mission for Santa Elena Children from all over the 750-acre farm came to have their health complications examined. Just a few shy faces showed up at first, but as the word got out, many more faces seemed to trickle in as the days went on. On the third day, the clinic saw 84 people, and by the end of the fourth day, a close to 200 people were examined. Nurse practitioner Cindy Elliott, of Abundant Health Family Practice, was very patient and gentle with the children. Some cases were mild; stomach aches due to their eating habits or muscle strains from carrying heavy loads. However, some cases were more severe; a ruptured ear infection and even a possible appendicitis. Do What You Do Best The other 12 volunteers put into practice what they know best. Britta Dieffenbach, a high school senior in Pennsylvania, plans to go to college to be a physician’s assistant or work in the medical field. In fact, she spent a week with Cindy at her practice in Arizona getting some hands-on experience in the field. Britta played a key role in taking down patient information and keeping track of what medicines were distributed. Britta said that “I wanted to go on the medical mission trip because I wanted to see a different side of the medical field. I knew we werent going to be doing anything in a clinic, we were going to the patients instead of the patients coming to us. Also, I thought it would be a fun, new adventure.” Britta’s mother, Sara Diffenbach, also took part in this medical mission. She and Kerri Goodman, owner of CoffeeTalk Media, captured and documented many photographs of the beautiful children and families on this farm and captivating their charm and personalities. Patricia Dasher was Cindy’s “right hand woman” on this trip. Also from Arizona and good friends, Patricia was Cindy’s “voice.” She translated for Cindy and alleviated any of the language barriers there may have been between the families and Cindy. Patricia gave these families a familiar tongue of interaction, which may have eased the foreignness, making them more willing to be helped and examined.
Jessica Tanski
Todd Elliot, NAMA’s 2013 Vending Operator of the Year, got the group of volunteers to where they needed to be. As simple of a task as that may seem to be, driving on the crazy roads of Costa Rica and in the mountains was not always nonchalant. Todd and Kelvin Dasher, a 15+ year locomotive engineer for Union Pacific Railroad, aided in the set up of equipment for the mobile clinic. Think Before You Drink Being my first time at coffee origin, I learned a lot about the culture, the coffee process, and more importantly, I learned much about myself. You do not realize what you have and how good you have it until you see others who are struggling. Many of these children, in these countries where coffee is grown, do not have a matching pair of shoes. They often go barefoot or sometimes just wear a single shoe on one foot. Clothing is shared amongst family members and toys are far and few between. Clean water is a luxury and often not within reach. Luz Marina Trujillo, a third-generation Columbian Coffee Farmer and owner of the farm said, "there are so many hands that touch that coffee bean." You see, when you're sitting on your porch drinking your morning cup of coffee, you need to think about where your coffee actually comes from. Without these individuals who pick the coffee and their families, your morning cup of coffee would not exist. Sustainability for coffee starts on the farm. Trujillo continues, “Here at Santa Elena, we are a family. It is a circle that cannot be broken.” She tells the group of volunteers, that because of the work we did, we are all a part of the Santa Elena family. Thank You Greatly On behalf of the group of volunteers and the Santa Elena family, we would like to thank those who donated money for supplies and other various contributions. Because of you, the many lives that were touched on the four-day medical mission were made possible. Thank you to our donors, Jim Gordon, Kelvin Dasher, Paul Schindelar, John Walker, Rodney Nester, Charles Schleyer, Scott & Mariellen Ekstrom, Abundant Health Family Practice, Gourmet Coffee Service Inc, Thomas & Sandra Elliott, Todd Elliott, Follett, and Vistar - Patrick Hagerty. Along with the soccer ball that was left behind, flashlights, t-shirts, additional medical supplies, a hope of a brighter future was also left behind. The individuals and their families, who interacted with us volunteers, unintentionally gave us a gift. They taught us to love fully and appreciate what we have. While we aided them with basic medical needs, something that to most Americans seems like a commodity, they gave us a gift that cannot be monetarily bought. This group, along with others, plans to return next year and hopes to help many more individuals on the Santa Elena Estate. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help make a difference to those that make our java-jolts possible.
Gail Fields and Tina Elliott helped gather the children to get a brief description of what problems the children had to prepare Cindy for further procedures. Not to mention, these two women always had the group laughing and in high spirits with their jokes and stories.
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Greg Ubert
Jason Marsden, Executive Pastor at the Alive Church based in Tucson, Arizona, and son Andrew Marsden attended the trip. Jason, Andrew, and Blake Elliott, son of Cindy and Todd Elliot, kept many of the children occupied while they were waiting to be seen by the doctor. A soccer ball was brought and was kicked around between the volunteers and the children on the farm. The ball was left behind for the children to play with in the future.
February 2014
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1/30/14 3:03 PM
Retailer/Roaster Profiles Booskerdoo – Isn’t It Just Awesome?! Booskerdoo Coffee Company 36 Beach Road, Suite 9, Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750 (732) 222-0729 James Caverly www.booskerdoo.com james@booskerdoo.com
H
ello everyone! Lets hear from the owner of Booskerdoo Coffee Company, James Cavelry! This super successful and super positive businessman is here with us today:
V. Great to be here with you James! How did the idea for Booskerdoo Coffee Company come along, and how did it develop? Was specialty coffee your first serious profession, or did you do something else before? C. Booskerdoo Fresh Roasted Coffee Company officially started in 2011 with our shop and roastery in Monmouth Beach, NJ. However, it really started in a tiny New York City apartment in 2009. I was 27 years old, and I was a freelance copywriter for a variety of advertising and marketing agencies. I had never liked coffee, even though I worked at Starbucks in college, until someone gave me good quality fresh roasted coffee. I drank it black and fell in love with it. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I started to obsess over finding fantastic coffee, but even in New York City, fresh roasted coffee was hard to find. I had read online that you could roast your own coffee in a basic oven with a pizza sheet. So I tried it. I had read it would be smoky. I cooked it into the second crack, and oh my goodness, black smoke filled the tiny apartment as if we had caught the whole building on fire. Luckily, my wife Amelia found it as hilarious as I did. We tried the coffee the next day and it was the best coffee we had ever had. It was a Colombia Supremo, nothing fancy. I realized then that a niche needed to be filled; fresh coffee made easily accessible to everyday coffee drinkers. I was not happy working in offices, the politics and the fluorescent lighting was melting my brain. So my wife and I scrounged up our savings and started a coffee company. I drank thousands of cups of coffee, researched like crazy, and roasted on a home roaster for a year. I had some friends of family who roasted professionally, so I drove to Brooklyn to learn from them. The best advice I received was to always taste what you roast and when it tastes great, do whatever you did again. My obsession continues today. V. What challenges did you face and how did you deal with them? C. Our biggest challenge is that we essentially operate three businesses: two cafes, wholesale, and online sales. It feels like we are herding cats sometimes. My to-do lists everyday are very long with a lot of little things to do. My head spins quite a lot. There are two things that I do to keep things moving smoothly: 1. I trust my employees. I give them responsibility and allow them to learn from mistakes to make the responsibility their own. 2. I will forever maintain the rule, that myself and our employees must focus on each customer, one at a time. No matter how much stuff I have to do, I must always take the time to give each customer the attention they need. No matter how large our company grows, this rule must never change. V. I love your awesome name, Booskerdoo! How did you come up with it? C. We wanted a name that had no definition because we wanted to give the name meaning. My wife was a Latin teacher in Harlem, so I had planned to sit down with her and find prefix and suffix options that had the emotional brand elements that we wanted to display. It didn't end up being that complicated. It ended up going like this: Amelia started calling me Boo, then Boosker,
Maxim Vershinin and then finally Booskerdoo. She randomly said one morning at breakfast, "You should call the coffee company Booskerdoo." I laughed at her, "Yeah right, that is kind of stupid," I said. About ten minutes later I brought the topic back up. "I can't get the name Booskerdoo out of my head... that is a really good name, lets use it." Our brand is about energy, positivity, and not taking ourselves too seriously. The prefix "boo" has energy, the suffix "doo" is very positive, and the name as a whole is a lot of fun and a bit silly. Amelia is a genius. V. What kind of advice/secrets would you give to those starting this kind of business now (both roasting and retail)? C. In retail, we focus on the idea that we don't sell coffee; we are in the business of making people happy. Coffee is just the conduit. My advice is to follow that belief. If you have great coffee, but your baristas are snobs, you will lose a lot of customers. If you have nice employees and great coffee, but your parking situation will piss customers off, you won't have a lot of business either. Any business is all about the root of human existence... happiness. As for roasting, I would suggest to anyone starting out to not believe everything that you read on the Internet. Read blogs and message boards, but try out what you read, and listen to the taste buds of yourself, employees, and customers. For example, to today's coffee connoisseurs and in all of their talk on the Internet, it says that light roasted coffee is the only coffee worth drinking. However, our two cafes and wholesale clients sell and purchase more dark roast than light roast coffee. To me, that disconnect says a lot. V. What is unique about you? What separates you from others? C. There are two points of difference that we focus on. One is literal and the other is emotional. Our literal point of difference is our focus on fresh coffee. We roast the same day that we mail it out, and we deliver to our wholesale clients in the same manner. In our cafes, we never sell anything that has been roasted more than 7 days old. We roast twice a week, so most of our coffee is between only one to four days young. We donate all expired coffee to our local Red Cross chapter. The emotional point of difference is best described in what reads on our crest, "fresh roasted coffee for all." We focus on inclusivity. We don't sneer at cafe customers who drink decaf or who have never heard of a macchiato. Like I mentioned before, we focus on making people happy, and that includes everyone. We work very hard to bring exceptionally good coffee to the everyday coffee drinker. We don't focus primarily on the coffee connoisseur, although they love our coffee too. We take a lot of pride when we turn the 7/11, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts drinkers into coffee lovers who can't drink anything else but Booskerdoo. V. What is your roaster’s brand and its capacity? C. We use a Diedrich IR-12. We love it. Diedrich claims you can roast up to 25 pounds at a time. However, for quality, we have found that we can't put more than 22 pounds into the machine. But that is our only complaint of the IR-12. As we look for a second roaster, we'll be buying Diedrich again. V. Anything else to say to our coffee community? C. I have just one thing left to say, “Coffee Rules.” Maxim Vershinin has been a columnist for CoffeeTalk for the last few years highlighting various roasters and retailers in the industry. He has lived in Peru for the last few years and is now furthering his education at Columbia University seeking a B.A. in economics.
The Power of Good
Health Benefits to Share with Your Customers
Siri Khalsa
Is Coffee Good for You?
A
ccording to the Mayo Clinic, the surprising answer is “yes.” They state, “For most people the health benefits outweigh the risks.” To quote Michael Downey, writing for Life Extension, “Research suggests that far from being a guilty pleasure that should be limited, coffee is an all natural and an inexpensive elixir.”
A meta-analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine combined data from over 450,000 people. Resulting statistics showed that every additional cup of caffeinated or decaf per day lowered the risk of diabetes by 5-10 percent. Meanwhile, “The Strong Heart Study” showed that those drinking 12 cups per day slashed their risk by 67 percent. (Not to worry, read on....)2
What does research reveal about coffee and health? Below you will see coffee in a new way. It's not the same old grind!
Heart Disease Coffee drinking is no longer thought to be a risk factor for the heart according to a 2008 article in the International Journal of Cardiology. Even blood pressure is not affected as previously thought. Compounds in coffee actually lower blood pressure over the long-term, while decreasing the risk of CVD and possibly stroke as well.
Coffee Chatter According to coffeeresearch.org, the average American coffee drinker imbibes a little over three cups of coffee every day. However, among both coffee drinkers and nondrinkers, many assume coffee intake should be limited. That attitude is changing. A growing body of research shows that, compared to nondrinkers, coffee drinkers are less likely to have type 2 diabetes, heart problems, strokes, certain cancers, Parkinson’s disease, dementia (including Alzheimer’s), or obesity. Not only does coffee confer amazing and totally unexpected health benefits, research suggests that these benefits increase with intake. For example, drinking just one cup of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee daily can decrease the risk of developing diabetes by 13 percent, while the real coffee addicts, those who consume up to 12 cups per day, slash their risk by as much as 67 percent! Just Got to Have Another Cup of Java? In 2012, the National Institutes of Health and AARP co-sponsored a study analyzing the relationship between coffee drinking and mortality. They found that people who drank any amount of coffee lived longer than those who drank no coffee at all. Similar results were revealed by a 22-year study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health. Those researchers stated, “The overall balance of risks and benefits of coffee consumption are on the side of benefits.” How Does Coffee Affect Diabetes? Among coffee’s many health perks, curtailing the development of type 2 diabetes is paramount. This disease is becoming a worldwide epidemic. In 2011, the International Diabetes Federation announced the estimated number of people afflicted is approaching 366 million! The real news is that heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely to develop diabetes as light or nondrinkers.
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According to Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, at the Harvard School of Public Health, coffee may contain ingredients that lower blood sugar.1 Furthermore, a coffee habit may increase your resting metabolism rate, also helping to keep diabetes at bay. His comments are based on 15 published studies, most of which show an association between coffee and the prevention of diabetes.
Although coffee raises blood pressure right after it is consumed, the body habituates over time so that this no longer happens. In fact, readings decreased after eight weeks of daily consumption. This is thought to be the result of a beneficial affect of coffee on the arteries. Just a cup of coffee inhibits blood thickening within an hour (regardless of caffeine content); decreases coronary calcification; reduces inflammation; and raises HDL (good cholesterol) levels. On the other hand, the Harvard health site reports that, “Two substances in coffee, kahweol and cafestol, raise cholesterol levels and paper filters capture these substances.” Also, researchers have found a link between cholesterol and decaffeinated coffee. Lastly, statistics from the famous Nurses’ Health Study indicate that for women, several cups of coffee on a daily basis results in a 20 percent lower risk of a stroke. There are 83,700 nurses enrolled in this study. The results are based on reported coffee intake and hold true whether women had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s. Next Time:
What Does Research Reveal About Coffee and Health? The Way Coffee Works
Footnotes: 1 Dr. Hu reported on the known and possible benefits of coffee in an interview with WebMD. 2 Zhang Y, Lee ET, Cowan LD, Fabsitz RR, Howard BV. Coffee consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in men and women with normal glucose tolerance: The Strong Heart Study. Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, 2011, June 21(6):418-23 Siri Khalsa is the editor of Nutrition News, and she has been writing for the publication for many years. She has the passion and dedication to educate readers on the health benefits on tea and coffee.
February 2014
mn The Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie, Stewart Brothers Coffee Museum, & CoffeeTalk
are proud to announce
An Elk Barbeque Dinner and Bluegrass Honoring the Pioneers of Specialty Coffee Celebrating traditions of the past alive in the present.
Sunday, April 27th, 2014 5:00PM–11PM
By invitation only Watch for more details
Extremely limited number of sponsorships available. Contact kerri@coffeetalk.com ASAP if you would like to be involved.
Want to support health and educational projects at origin through the Vashon Island Coffee Foundation? Product donations for our raffle gladly welcomed! Email Robin Pollard at robin.pollard5@gmail.com
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Please be sure to visit these CoffeeTalk Advertisers at Coffee Fest 1stPayPOS 360
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CoffeeTalk Media is the most reliable source of coffee business news and informational articles available in the world today. Make sure to keep your competitive edge with our free subscriptions at www.coffeetalk.com
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Blendtec 452
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Blendtec makes the world's finest blenders and blender accessories.
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Bloomfield Industries (314) 678-6336
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For over 80 years, Bloomfield has been committed to you, “our valued customers” in the manufacturing of our quality Coffee, TEA and Specialty Beverage equipment. See our ad on page 27
BriteVision 353 (415) 374-8119
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BriteVision provides colorful, eco-friendly cup sleeves. Come by our booth to learn how to grow sales or build your brand and image through cup sleeve marketing! See our ad on page 21
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One of the nation?s fastest growing packaging manufacturer, offering a wide variety of affordable high-quality packaging solutions for the specialty coffee and tea industries. Call us at (877) 722-5888 for a free quote! See our ad on page 29
PBFY Flexible Packaging
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Coffee Shop Manager Point-of-Sale is designed specifically for coffee shops. Great features including tablets, integrated online and mobile ordering, self-serve kiosks, and no-fee pre-paid cards and loyalty make CSM the perfect business partner for your shop. Flavor Right Foods Group (888) 464-3734
PBFY supplies a wide range of packaging products geared to better promote coffee, tea, & other specialty items. Increase brand awareness without breaking the budget with our hot stamp service! Perka Inc.
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Flavor Right is a private company specializing in non-dairy frozen whipped topping, icing and real whipped cream. We are proud to now be a well respected name across the globe and a market leader in product quality and innovation. See our ad on page 21
Handy Brew
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Come and experience the invention. Clever Method, Handy Brew for tea Method, and Handy Brew for coffee Method (Newly invented). See our ad on page 23
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Coffee Fest Trade Shows, classes, workshops, competitions and networking events have been driving the specialty coffee industry since 1992. For the best value, classes, workshops, networking events and competitions, mark you calendar and we will see you at Coffee Fest.
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ICT Coffee provides you exceptional green coffee priced efficiently. In every interaction with us we want you to experience a confidence and peace of mind that someone cares as much as you do about getting it right in things both big and small.
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Perka is a mobile app for neighborhood merchants that's as fast and familiar as an old-fashioned paper punch card. Reward regular customers with custom perks, learn their buying behavior, and get to know them by name. See our ad on page 3
uVu Lids
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The uVu Lid provides a safer and more secure customer coffee drinking experience than any other lid in the market today. See our ad on page 2
Vessel Drinkware
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oneVessel by Vessel Drinkware provides retailers with high-quality, reusable drinkware featuring lifestyle driven artwork to capture the attention of your customers. Please visit us at www.vesseldrinkware.com, or call (206) 763-0366 See our ad on page 19
White Coffee Corp. (800) 221-0140
See our ad on page 29
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White Coffee is a third-generation (established 1939) family-owned coffee roaster. SQF Food Certified, we offer Organic and sustainable Single Serve Coffees, customized foodservice blends/packaging, licensed retail brands, and brewing equipment. See our ad on page 30
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KOSHER, VEGETARIAN, & GMO FREE
February 2014
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NewsBites The Quiet One by Vitamix ® Vitamix ®, the world leader in high-performance blending equipment for home and commercial-use, offers The Quiet One®. A powerful, premium blender, The Quiet One provides dramatic sound reduction, exceptional blends for a consistently superior product, and significantly improved speed of service. Specifically created for coffee shops and high-end bars, it’s ideal for any front-of-thehouse environment thanks to its impressive sound reduction capabilities. The Quiet One® offers operators the ability to deliver a wide variety of superior blended beverages to their customers. “Through extensive research and gathering of feedback from the industry’s largest coffee-bar chains, we identified a need to preserve the integrity of the front-of-thehouse environment,” said Lisa Klein, vice president of Commercial Sales at Vitamix. “In response, Vitamix designed The Quiet One, an innovative, high-performance blender that has redefined the commercial blending category due to its dramatic sound reduction capabilities.” The Quiet One offers proven core technology that ensures exceptional and consistent performance that is synonymous with Vitamix products. Six program buttons with 34 optimized programs to choose from provide the operator with ease of use and consistent beverage preparation every time. The unit is also fully programmable to create custom blending programs for signature drinks, smoothies, and blended coffees. For more information on the Vitamix The Quiet One, visit vitamix.com Granbury Solutions Announces Primary Vendor Agreement with Touch Dynamic Granbury Solutions, a leading technology provider for restaurants and specialty retailer, names Touch Dynamic as the primary vendor for point-of-sale hardware and peripherals. Following a lengthy evaluation conducted by Granbury’s Solutions Management Group and senior executives, an agreement between the two companies has been reached clarifying the role Touch Dynamic will play in supplying hardware for point-ofsale systems and peripherals. “We have enjoyed a lengthy relationship with Touch Dynamic because of their commitment to providing great price, high quality and wide product selection to the growing hospitality market,” explained Tom Bronson, CEO of Granbury Solutions “We are confident that partnering with Touch Dynamic will allow us to continue to provide our clients with the very best technology hardware options available.” With over 13 years of experience manufacturing and supplying All-in-One touch terminals, small form factor PC’s, mobile POS, and other POS peripherals to niche markets, Touch Dynamic delivers highquality hardware to the hospitality industry. For more information, please visit www. granburyrs.com.
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Blendtec’s Tom Dickson Pledges $2 Million to Children’s Museum Tom Dickson, CEO of Blendtec, has donated $1
million and has committed an additional $1 million toward the construction of The Museum of Natural Curiosity, a $28.5 million children’s science museum scheduled to open in Utah in May. Thanksgiving Point Institute, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is spearheading the project, has recognized Dickson’s contribution by naming the museum’s education arm, The Dickson Academy of Curiosity. “This museum has an approach that fits my view of how people learn best. It will encourage children to explore, tinker, question, think out of the box, use their imagination, and see where it takes them. I’ve built a career by following that path and others can also,” Dickson said. “Now children in Utah will have a resource that fosters that kind of creative thinking by triggering their innate sense of curiosity.” Dickson’s involvement was inspired by the museum’s focus on hands-on learning, experimentation, and discovery, the same traits that led Dickson himself to become a serial inventor and businessman. The Dickson Academy of Curiosity will sponsor field trips, summer day camps, and ongoing interactive educational activities. More than 300,000 visitors are expected at the museum each year. For more information, please visit http://www.thanksgivingpoint.org/support/ museumofnaturalcuriosity. Follett Adds Carbonless Filters Follett Corporation has introduced a new carbonless filter to its water treatment solutions for ice machines and ice and water dispensers. The filter offers maximum protection against scale and biofilm. Carbonless water filters are a new and innovative solution that aids in maintaining machine chambers by allowing chlorine and chloramines from municipal water supply to pass though, helping to inhibit bacteria growth and biofilm in ice machines and dispensers. The high performance filtration system filters out parasitic cysts and dirt. The filter includes Agion® antimicrobial product protection to inhibit the growth of biofilm on the filters and enhance filter performance. The high capacity carbonless filter is certified to NSF Standard 42, particulate class I and NSF Standard 53, cyst reduction, with a rated capacity of 15,000 gallons to meet facilities high ice and water demands. It also contains a scale inhibitor for minimal build-up. According to Gary Gutman, Director of US Healthcare Sales, carbonless filters are another tool that Follett customers can use to assure optimum performance from their ice machines and dispensers. For more information, please visit www.follettice.com. Blendtec Announces Sponsorship of CoffeeFest 2014 Utah-based Blendtec manufactures several blender options for restaurants, coffee houses, and quick-serve shops. Blendtec has long fueled the frozen drink craze, supplying thousands of smoothie shops and ice cream stores throughout the world. Their Stealth blender is growing in popularity among coffee houses and small beverage shops. “We are very excited about our opportunity to get involved and help grow our side of the coffee service industry,” says Craig Taylor, Blendtec CEO. Introduced in 2012, the
Stealth blender is making a huge impact in commercial blending. Independently verified as the quietest blender on the market, the Stealth also boasts 3.8 peak horsepower and advanced, capacitive touch controls. In addition, the Stealth won the Kitchen Innovations award for 2013. “CoffeeFest is the perfect combination of tradition and innovation,” Taylor continues. “It’s where folks pause to take a look at where their coffee business is, and dream about where they want to take it. We hope blended options are part of those dreams, and that those options include Blendtec.” For more information, please visit www.blendtecsolutions.com. Daylight Mind Coffee Company’s School Launches First Course The recently opened Daylight Mind Coffee Company in Kailua-Kona is officially opening its coffee school with its debut class, Coffee: A crash course, February 24-26, 2014. This long awaited educational facility is the first of its kind in Hawaii and, possibly, the world. Unlike most coffee schools, Daylight Mind is located at a coffee growing origin. Thus, students are truly able to learn about coffee from seed, on the farm, to cup, in the café. The inaugural course is composed of ten individual classes covering ten different topics. Topics include the Hawaii coffee industry, introduction to brewing, and coffee and human health. Courses entail hands on experience to aid the students in learning. Daylight Mind Coffee Company, in addition to the school, offers a full service restaurant, a bakery, a coffee roastery, a coffee house, and event space. Daylight Mind hopes to be a haven for everyone who loves coffee, and especially those who want to learn just a bit more. For more information visit www.daylightmind.com. White Coffee and Joe DiMaggio, LLC Introduces Joltin’ Joe® A licensing arrangement between Joe DiMaggio, LLC and White Coffee Corporation has produced a winning lineup of specialty coffee blends and introduces Joltin’ Joe®, a new brand with an authentic American heritage. Joltin’ Joe teams with White Coffee to present three new blends, a Signature Medium Blend, a Signature Decaf, and an Espresso, delivering an accessible craft coffee that redefines smooth, elegant, clean, and balanced coffee with a hint of sweetness both approachable and complex. It’s made with a relentless focus on the best growers, the best beans, and the highest quality roasting curves. It’s roasted in small batches by hand to get the best flavor possible. “We set out to guarantee that Joltin’ Joe coffee lives up to its promise,” says Jonathan White, Executive Vice President of White Coffee Corporation. “We put 75 years of our experience to work, giving our all to creating Joltin’ Joe craft coffee roasts that deliver a new taste experience for consumers.” Joltin’ Joe coffee is available in whole bean and ground in 12 oz. bags and single-serve cups compatible with Keurig® machines. For more information, please visit www.whitecoffee.com.
February 2014
Gaviña Vanilla Cupcake Coffee Entice your customers with Gaviña’s newest addition, Vanilla Cupcake Coffee. Like fresh cake right out of the oven, its medium roast is accented with a sweet and buttery taste. Get your sample today and see why coffee lovers everywhere savor this rich and aromatic brew. Delicious served hot or cold! It is available in 5lb bags of whole bean or ground in 2.5oz ground portion packs. For more information, please visit www.gavina.com. Weldon Coffee Flavorings – Small Footprint Benefits OCS Operators Weldon Flavorings' small footprint benefits OCS Operators and their customers. These flavorings are easy to deliver in route trucks due to their size, and they take up less counter space in the customer's break-room. No extra equipment is needed to serve Flavored Coffee and a variety of Flavors can be served from a single pot of coffee. Decaf customers can also have their flavor of choice. They are completely free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, creamers, powders, and syrups, making them the perfect solution to serving flavored coffee, cappuccino, and lattes without all the calories, carbohydrates, fats, and sodium. They are also gluten-free and non-allergenic. Each bottle comes with a pre-measured pump, which allows for quick and accurate flavoring of each cup. Ideal for office coffee service, coffee shops, drive-thrus, convenience stores, or any place coffee is served. For more information please contact Weldon Flavorings at info@WeldonFlavorings.com or (502) 797-2937. Feel the Frügen Difference Frügen Frappes puts a spin on functional frappes and blended energy drinks! Their proprietary blend of vitamins, powerful antioxidants, superfruit extracts, and medicinal herbs, leaves the customer feeling energized and refreshed like no other frappe drink ever. Frügen meets the health-conscious consumer’s demands for low-calorie drinks, while providing a full spectrum of antioxidants and adaptogens to relive biological stress from toxic environments and regular cellular metabolism. “Our energy line helps active athletes and professionals stay one step ahead of their turbocharged schedules, while ameliorating the effects of stress that can come with an on-the-go lifestyle,” says Craig Meyers, CEO and Co-founder of Frügen Frappes. Frügen energy is the first ice blended energy drink that has more to offer than just good taste. They are very simple to make. More importantly, utilizing Frügen gives you a competitive advantage over your competitors, attracting new customers and boosting profits. “Nobody else in the market today offers a drink as functional as Frugen does, with the taste of a traditional iceblended beverage. Other companies may put some caffeine or basic vitamins in a few of their smoothies, but we are the only company that is fully dedicated to exclusively delivering healthy and enjoyable drinks,” says Meyers. For more information, please visit www.frugen.net.
The new Follett速 15 Series puts the right ice in your coffee
4 1 New 0 York 2 r nte e C avits March 7-9, 2014 Jacob J
e de ud Inccllu ts In ights hlligh iggh H Hi 200 200 EXHIBITION EXHIBITION BOOTHS BOOTHS 75 75 CLASSES CLASSES & & WORKSHOPS WORKSHOPS
1ST 1ST TIME TIME ATTENDEE ATTENDEE PROGRAM PROGRAM SOURCE SOURCE NEW NEW PRODUCTS PRODUCTS Register To Attend, Compete, Or Exhibit
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Or Call 800-232-0083
visit iceforcoffee.com 27
Advertisers Index
Company...........................................................................Phone................................................ Web................................................. Page............................CoffeeFest Booth# 1stPayPOS..................................................................................... (888) 638-7867......................................1stPayPOS.com.....................................30.................................................................... 360 Add a Scoop................................................................................ (415) 382-6535.......................................addascoop.com...................................24.................................................................... 434 Adulina Coffee Exporter, PLC................................................ 251114000000........................................adulinacoffee.com...............................31 Blendtec......................................................................................... (800) 253-6383.....................................commercial.blendtec.com................13, 30.............................................................. 452 Bloomfield Industries................................................................ (314) 678-6336.......................................wellsbloomfield.com..........................27.................................................................... 436 BriteVision..................................................................................... (415) 374-8119.........................................britevision.com.....................................21......................................................................353 Buhler Inc...................................................................................... (905) 754-8389......................................buhlergroup.com.................................29 Cablevey Conveyors.................................................................. (641) 673-8451........................................cablevey.com........................................25 Cascade Coffee, Inc.................................................................. (800) 995-9655.....................................cascadecoffee.com.............................25 Coffee Fest................................................................................... (800) 232-0083.....................................coffeefest.com......................................27.................................................................... 445 Coffee Shop Manager............................................................... (800) 750-3947.....................................coffeeshopmanager.com..................29.....................................................................327 CoffeeChemistry.com............................................................... (626) 872-4563......................................coffeechemistry.com.........................30 Costellini's..................................................................................... (877) 889-1866.......................................costellinis.com......................................28 Cropster/ColorTrack.................................................................. (530) 304-9025.....................................cropster.com.........................................15 Daterra Coffee............................................................................. 551937288010.........................................daterracoffee.com.br.........................25 Diedrich Manufacturing, Inc................................................... (208) 263-1276.......................................diedrichroasters.com.........................28 Espresso Me Services............................................................... (360) 213-0715........................................espressomeservice.com...................30 Flavor Right Foods Group...................................................... (888) 464-3734......................................flavorright.com.....................................21......................................................................328 Follett Corporation.................................................................... (800) 523-9361......................................follettice.com........................................27 Fres-co System USA, Inc......................................................... (215) 721-4600........................................fresco.com.............................................21 Frugen Frappes.......................................................................... (888) 882-5000.....................................frugen.net...............................................6 Handy Brew.................................................................................. 886227000000.....................................handybrew.com...................................23..................................................................... 419 InterContinental Coffee........................................................... (619) 338-8335.......................................ictcoffee.com........................................29.................................................................... 426 International Coffee Consulting........................................... (818) 347-1378.........................................intlcoffeeconsulting.com..................29 Java Jacket................................................................................... (800) 208-4128......................................javajacket.com......................................17, 30................................................................ 116 JavaSuits....................................................................................... (714) 240-1314.........................................javasuits.com........................................30 Kaffe Magnum Opus, Inc......................................................... (800) 652-5282......................................kmocoffee.com....................................19 Knutsen Coffees, Ltd................................................................ (800) 231-7764.......................................knutsencoffees.com...........................30 Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee................................................. (800) 387-9398.....................................realcup.com...........................................17 National Coffee Association of the U.S.A......................... (212) 766-4007.......................................ncausa.org..............................................29 Pack Plus....................................................................................... (909) 902-9929.....................................packplus.com........................................29..................................................................... 441 PBFY Flexible Packaging........................................................ (877) 224-7496.......................................pbfypkg.com.........................................24..................................................................... 418 Pentair-Everpure........................................................................ (800) 942-1153.......................................everpure.com........................................11 Perka Inc........................................................................................ (503) 427-1377........................................getperka.com........................................3.........................................................................125 Plitek............................................................................................... (847) 827-6680......................................plitek.com...............................................9 Pod Pack International, LTD................................................... (225) 752-1160........................................podpack.com........................................27 Scolari Engineering S.p.A./Texpak Inc............................... (856) 988-5533......................................scolarieng.com.....................................32 Service Ideas, Inc....................................................................... (800) 328-4493.....................................serviceideas.com.................................29, 30 Shore Measuring Systems....................................................... (217) 892-2544.......................................moisturetesters.com..........................28 Single Cup Accessories, Inc................................................... (855) 621-1222.........................................singlecupaccessories.com...............28 Stalkmarket Products (Asean Corporation).................... (503) 295-4977......................................stalkmarketproducts.com................29 TEAJA Office............................................................................... (778) 840-4832......................................teajaoffice.com.....................................27 The Coffee Trust......................................................................... (505) 670-9783......................................thecoffeetrust.org...............................29 The Truvia Company LLC........................................................ (855) 855-2362......................................truvia.com/foodservice....................5 Tightpac America inc............................................................... (888) 428-4448.....................................tightvac.com.........................................30 Ultimate Barista Challenge..................................................... (503) 232-1016........................................ultimatebaristachallenge.com........25 uVu Lids......................................................................................... (561) 674-9415........................................uvulids.com...........................................2....................................................................... 354 Vessel Drinkware........................................................................ (855) 883-7735.......................................vesseldrinkware.com..........................19......................................................................322 Vita-Mix Corporation................................................................ (800) 437-4654.....................................vitamix.com...........................................7 Weldon Flavorings..................................................................... (502) 797-2937......................................weldonflavorings.com.......................29 White Coffee Corp..................................................................... (800) 221-0140.......................................whitecoffee.com..................................30.......................................................................118
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Take your coffee roasting to a new level. Experience the innovation of the Roastmaster™20 for yourself. Schedule a private roasting trial today. www.buhlergroup.com T 763 847 9900
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Mix & Match different products within our line to create a unique set-up. Airpot + Display Stand
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SERVICE IDEAS, INC. 800-328-4493
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AllStar Tools POS
Blender
1stPayPOS 888-638-7867
Blendtec 1-800-BLENDTEC
www.1stPayPOS.com
blendtec.com/commercial
ESPRESSO MACHINES
Sleeves
Roasted Coffee
Espresso Me Service 877.215.0715 360.213.0715
Java Jacket 800.208.4128
www.javajacket.com
White Coffee Corp. 800.221.0140 718 204 7900
Espresso Me Service is your one stop for sales and service. We offer service on many types of commercial espresso machines and brewing equipment in Washington and Oregon.
Java Jacket provides the best insulation of all sleeves on the market. Protects customers from hot or cold to-go beverages, and provides a more grippable surface than other coffee sleeves.
White Coffee creates customized blends and packaging for industry leaders. Wide variety of varietals and flavors available. Exclusive licensee of Kahlua, Entenmann’s & MoonPie flavored coffees, Emeril’s and White Coffee’s Organic Single Serve Coffees. Fair Trade, Organic, Kosher, NSF certified.
www.espressomeservice.com
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The new Blendtec Stealth™ is the quietest, most advanced commercial blender in the world. With 42 preprogrammed blend cycles, capacitive touch controls and an online Blend Wizard™ programming tool, making the perfect blend has never been easier! Proudly Made in the USA
www.whitecoffee.com
Design / Furnishings
Air Pots
Vacuum Container
JavaSuits 714.240.1314
Service Ideas Incorporated 800.328.4493
Tightvac 888.42.TIGHT
Knutsen Coffees, Ltd. 800.231.7764
CoffeeChemistry.com 626.872.4563
Introducing the SignaAir Airpots: available with Glass or Stainless Vacuum Insulation, NSF Certification and feature snap-on flavor indicator tabs. Available in 1.9, 2.2, 2.5, 3 and 3.7 Liter capacities.
Tightvacs are the ultimate Coffee & Tea container! Our unique patented Tightvac closure system allows the gasses from the beans to escape – without letting oxygen back into the container. Tightvacs guarantee the smooth flavor your customers pay for.
Award winning purveyors of the finest green coffees in the world. Call us about our exclusive 100% Estate Grown Jamaican Blue Mountain grown at over 4,000 feet on a farm established over 200 years ago. Supplies EXTREMELY limited. Erna Knutsen, President & Founder.
COFFEE SCIENCE SEMINARS Our Coffee Science Certificate (CSC) program is the industry’s first and only program focused on exploring the chemistry in your cup. Topics include taste chemistry, sensory analysis, roasting chemistry, coffee quality and many others.
http://javasuits.com
Green Coffee Importers
www.tightvac.com
www.knutsencoffees.com
Training
coffeechemistry.com
www.serviceideas.com
Introducing JavaSuits a patented protective neoprene sleeve for Coffee Air-Pots. Shields new AirPots or conceals old dents, dings & scratches. All for less then half the cost of replacing. www.JavaSuits.com
30 February 2014