October 2014
www.CoffeeTalk.com Vol. XXVII No. 10
Connect. Grow. Prosper!
A Roaster's Secret Weapon See Coffee Fest Listings page 12
18
The Luxury of Coffee is not Kopi Luwak
Change Service Requested
14
Industry Icons: Rick Peyser, Life Long Industry K PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 178 Salem, OR
10
Coffee Fest's "America's Best Espresso" Challenge
CONNECT. GROW. PROSPER!
$4.75 Per Issue • Complimentary to Coffee Professionals
This Month:
See NCA Exhibitor Listings page 23
HNCT, LLC 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070
page 16
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The View
Contents
Involvement
10
Coffee Fest's "America's Best Espresso" Challenge
12
Coffee Fest Exhibitor Highlights
14
Shoulder of Giants: Industry Icons
16
A Roaster's Secret Weapon
18
Marketing Miracles
Consumer Education
14 Rick Peyser
The Luxury of Coffee is not Kopi Luwak
A Barista’s Case for Capsules
22
Scotland’s Little Coffee Jewel
26
10 America's Best Espresso
Rick Peyser, Life Long Industry K
20
24
Connect. Grow. Prosper!
Who Will Be the Best?
The Last Mile
Retailer/Roaster Profiles
18 The Luxury of Coffee is not Kopi Luwak
Roasters Rock
CoffeeTalk Virtual Roaster’s Challenge
Power of Good
Superfoods: Foods with Benefits
28 30
Who We are
Phone: 206.686.7378, see extensions below
Owner
NewsBites
Advertiser Index
Professional Memberships
Publisher Kerri Goodman, ext 1 kerri@coffeetalk.com
Administration Laurie Veatch, ext 4 laurie@coffeetalk.com
Editorial Staff Researcher Libby Smith, ext 8 libby@coffeetalk.com
Design
Print Design Marcus Fellbaum, ext 5 marcus@coffeetalk.com
Proofing Mark Moser, ext 9 mark@coffeetalk.com Web Design Justin Goodman, ext 6 justin@coffeetalk.com
Mailing Info
Feature
A Roaster's Secret Weapon
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 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 © 2014, HNCT, LLC, All Rights Reserved
4 October 2014
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The View
Kerri Goodman Involvement
E
ach and every month I experience a personal struggle: I have the privilege / chore of writing this article: a “love-hate” relationship. I dread doing it and love it when it is finished. It is not that it is that “hard” -- it is only about 800 words. My challenge is choosing the topic. It is a really good thing I have a monthly deadline. Otherwise, between my ADHD propensity to work on a million projects at the same time and my membership of the “procrastinators extraordinaire” club, I am not sure I would ever “finish” anything! So I am excited to have selected the topic of “Involvement” for this issue. Involvement comes in countless forms: being a member of a committee, a board, a class, a family, a neighborhood, an industry and the list goes on. In the spirit of involvement, (and a desire to engage my tween in a conversation that goes beyond the standard yes, no and I don’t remember) I asked my 12-year-old son Ryan, “What does involvement mean to you?” His response: “Involvement means being part of a group and the group can do things I couldn’t alone.” When I asked if being involved was a good thing for him, he said “Yes, I might learn something new. Also the group needs me and I could help accomplish something.” His answers were spot on and I believe true for all of us. All of us, as “members” of the coffee industry, have abundant opportunities to experience the benefits of being involved. Benefits of Being Involved • To grow both personally and professionally • To learn by being exposed to new ideas • To expand past our own personal viewpoints and see things from others’ point of view • To feel the emotional connection with other members and share in the sense of accomplishment in helping to improve our industry • Our businesses enjoy the side effect of having many more connections as a result of our involvement – networking is great for business
Important to remember, however, is that Involvement is a two-way street... there are groupto-individual dynamics as well as individualto-group dynamics. In the best-case scenario everyone benefits. Individuals feel connected, a part of something larger, like they have a voice. The “group” together accomplishes more than any individual could alone. Goals are met, and everyone walks away feeling better for the “involvement.” On the flip side, Ryan reminded me there is a potential downside to being involved – “I might annoy the other people in the group.” An important point as I have been guilty of this and future group involvement may become limited. My lesson learned: In my passion to “accomplish or improve something,” it is wise to not become so opinionated and/or “loud” that your membership in that or future groups is jeopardized. My apologies to some of my past groups. That being said, I am excited to have returned from the recent SCAA Leadership summit. Congratulations to SCAA on hosting the best ever SLS meetings where there was a real sense of professionalism, connection, and accomplishment. SCAA membership and volunteerism should be one of your first stops in your search for becoming involved! Just a few industry opportunities for involvement... CQI announced at the SLS meetings the launch of a gender initiative. If this new initiative is anything like their Women’s Leadership Program from ten years ago, I recommend women jump on the opportunity to be “involved.” Being a member of that group shaped my future; I would not be where I am today personally or professionally without having had that experience. Professional Competitions – There are a multitude of competitions and participation equals involvement! Be sure to see page 10 for the thoughts of the 17 finalists in the America’s Best Espresso Championship. Each individual there has grown from the experience. David Yake of
Calendar
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Tony’s Coffee’s comment struck me – “Even after 43 years of roasting, we’re still in awe of all that there is to learn about coffee.” Well-said David! May we all continue to be involved and learning! Create your own opportunity to involve your customers! Roasters and retailers who take the time to educate their customers are creating win-win scenarios where consumers are more willing to pay the “sustainable” price needed for producers to earn a living wage because they understand the complexity and value of the supply chain. Be sure to check out “A Roaster’s Secret Weapon” on page 16 to see a truly innovative tool for roasters to “involve” their customers in our industry with positive effects for the roasters, the consumers, and the producers! Finally, if I had to pick a single person that would be the personification for involvement, it would be Rick Peyser. It was his desire to be more “involved” that led him to an origin trip that would change his life and I believe our industry. As he says on page 14, “I learned about organic certified coffee, cupped it, met the farmers who grew it, visited their farms, and was introduced to their cooperatives. It was a life-changing experience for me.” That was 20 years ago and Rick has recently retired from an incredible career helping Keurig Green Mountain have positive impacts in their communities. But his involvement hasn’t stopped. In fact his schedule seems to be even more intense in his retirement. The explanation is easy. “We will prevail if we work together to face these challenges by investing now in long-term, sustainable solutions. I plan to remain very active in helping coffee farming families to develop the tools they need to succeed and thrive in an industry that is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges.” The opportunities for involvement go on and on, all you need to do is look around. The benefits speak for themselves. May we all follow Rick’s leadership and be involved!
For complete and updated show information visit our online calendar: http://magazine.coffeetalk.com/industry-calendar/
October 2-4
Canadian Automatic Merchandising Association Show, Toronto, Canada
October 11-12
Barista Workshop & Latte Art Throw Down, Jakarta, Indonesia
October 2-5
Expo Especiales Café de Colombia, Medellin, Colombia
October 12
Coffee Con New York, New York, NY USA
October 7-8
Specialty Coffee: Developing opportunities in the growing market, Basel, Switzerland
October 12-13
West Java, Jakarta, Indonesia
October 12-18
October 7-10
U.S. Regional Coffee Competition, Rancho Mirage, CA USA
Sumatra, Jakarta, Indonesia
October 13-17
3rd International Exhibition of Coffee, Tehran, Iran
October 8
Farmers Workshop, Jakarta, Indonesia
October 15-19
Xiamen International Tea Industry Fair, Xiamen, China
October 8-12
Indonesia Specialty Coffee Auction & Origin Tour, Jakarta Indonesia
October 17-19
Coffee Fest Portland, Portlad, OR USA
October 23-25
TriestEspresso Expo 2014, Trieste, Italy
October 23-27
Host, Milan, Italy
October 24-27
SIC International Coffee Exhibition, Shanghai, China
October 9-12
Let's Talk Coffee, Panama City, Panama
October 10-14
Anuga, Cologne, Germany
October 11
International Workshop towards International Coffee Day, Jakarta, Indonesia
October 2014
Coffee Fest's "America's Best Espresso" Challenge Who Will Be the Best? America’s Best Espresso Competition is held annually for three regions of the United States and Canada: West, Central and East. There are three winners recognized with trophies and cash awards at each regional competition. The top four finishers earn a spot in the bracket for the biannual tournament of champions that ultimately crowns the coffee roaster deemed to produce the Best Espresso in America. This exciting competition will take place during CoffeeFest in Portland, beginning at 1:10 pm on Saturday, October 18, 2014. A total of 17 roasters will pull their best shots to ultimately win the championship trophy. Blue Star Coffee Roasters (509) 997-BLUE (2583)........................................ bluestarcoffeeroasters.com Winner of America's Best Espresso at Coffee Fest in Seattle, 2012, Blue Star Coffee Roasters is pleased to be competing in the first bi-annual national competition in Portland. Quality is where we compete- we craft our coffee with intention, laser focused on flavor in the cup. We'll be competing with our Espresso Blend, best described as bold, sweet & beautiful. Perfectly balanced with sweet, rich round cocoa flavors and creamy body. A coffee lover's delight. Meg Donohue, co-owner 3 Twisp Airport Road, Twisp, Washington, United States Bold Bean Coffee Roasters (904) 254-0691................................................................boldbeancoffee.com For us it's all about the process. We are constantly refining everything we do from sourcing to roasting to brewing and serving. We have a passion for coffee and constant improvement. We are the best because every cup of Bold Bean that you have will be even more excellent than the last. Zack Burnett - Managing Partner Jacksonville, Florida, United States Bowen Island Roasting Co. Ltd (604) 562-0024.......................................................................bowencoffee.ca We have developed a very unique espresso that took home third place trophy in ABE Competition in Seattle Coffee Fest 2012. It consists of a five bean blend, slow roasted in micro batches...five beans, five countries, five temperatures, roasted separately, post-blended by hand. The end result is a profile that is very well balanced with hints of berries, caramel and cocoa...a rich full body, medium acidity with an extremely smooth finish that lingers, teasing the pallet, longing for more... Gino Rutigliano - Roastmaster British Columbia, Canada Bow Truss Coffee Roasters (312) 523-3915.........................................................................bowtruss.com Our drive, passion and dedication to coffee has helped Bow Truss see massive growth in just two short years. We live, breathe and love specialty coffee. Nothing makes us more proud that demonstrating our passion in this competition! Brian Frain, Director of Operations. Chicago, Illinois, United States Ceremony Coffee Roasters (410) 626-0011............................................................... ceremonycoffee.com We dial in at every level with every espresso, from sourcing to serving to starting the process over again. If that work sometimes presents coffee people think is the best, we're super humbled and honored. Ronnie Haas Annapolis, Maryland, United States
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Coffee Labs Roasters (914) 332-1479........................................................................coffeelabs.com Combined with 12 years roasting coffee & extension barista training & competition experience we always pull great shot. PS I am awesome!- Mike Love Mike Love Tarrytown, New York, United States Conduit Coffee Company (206) 351-2243.................................................................. conduitcoffee.com Conduit Coffee is honored to be considered one of the best roasters in America. We roast in small batches, deliver locally by bicycle, and strive to create exciting and exceptional roasts and blends. We see our company as a pathway for people to discover the elegant nuances of coffee and to connect consumers to sustainable agriculture and a unique local business. The Cloudwoman Project blend used in this competition is the outcome of careful sourcing and creative roasting to develop a bright and sweet espresso with a smooth and creamy body. Jesse Nelson, Founder & Roaster Seattle, Washington, United States Goshen Coffee Company (618) 659-0571................................................................... goshencoffee.com Coffee is our life at Goshen. How you do anything is how you do everything in life and we live this philosophy to the fullest extent in everything we do at Goshen Coffee. Argus Keppel- Roaster/greencoffee buyer/ warehouse manager Edwardsville, Illinois, United States Kuma Coffee (206) 384-6092..................................................................... kumacoffee.com We spend hundreds of hours a month sample roasting, sourcing, cupping and roast profiling so that the best coffees roasted to perfection reach our customers. Mark Barany - Owner Seattle, Washington, United States Olympia Coffee Roasters (360) 753-0066................................................................. olympiacoffee.com We think we have America's Best Espresso because of our careful attention to detail in every step of our process from sourcing coffee direct, to tracking, cupping and scoring every roast, to measuring and applying criteria to how we extract our espresso. Ultimately it is a combination of passion and discipline that drives us to create the most delicious espresso possible. Sam Schroeder Co-Owner Olympia, Washington, United States Red House Roasters Coffee (201) 293-5765......................................................................... rhrcoffee.com Beautiful coffee comes with great sacrifice from the producer to the roaster to the barista to the cup. All aspects must be indefatigably watched over like a baby. Then, you simply let the coffee speak for itself. Richard - Manager Union City, New Jersey, United States cont. on page 12 October 2014
azul
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This “small farm” is a lab where we test new innovation in producing and processing coffee. New and unusual varietals, processing methods and limitless experiments that yield unique small micro-lots we call Masterpieces.
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Best Espresso Resilient Coffee Roasters (509) 492-0212..................................................... resilientcoffeeroasters.com Our approach to roasting is unique due to not following the paths carved out before us. Rather we've spent countless hours creating our own style of roasting. We do however, approach each coffee with respect to its origin, harvesting, processing, handling, and roasting. While we may resemble many with our style and taste we are truly a one of a kind. We were born out of the necessity to be the best in our region and through may trials and failures we've proven to be Resilient. Wes Heyden Richland, Washington, United States Sump Coffee (917) 412-5670......................................................................sumpcoffee.com At Sump Coffee we roast all of our coffees light to preserve and accentuate a bean's source and the particulars of how a bean is processed and it's country of origin. This is our theory behind the way we do espresso as well, making precise measurements in our dose of coffee and mass of espresso, in order to give our best expression of what our coffee has to offer. Dylan Connell St Louis, Missouri, United States Sunergos Coffee (502) 409-1464........................................................www.sunergoscoffee.com As a grassroots company, we have spent the last ten years striving to serve our community excellent coffee here in Louisville. In that time we have seen the culture of our city explode with a passion and love for coffee. This competition is an overflow of that passion. We desire to bring the same amazing espresso experience to you that our customers experience in our shops every day. Kenny Smith 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Thirty-Thirty Coffee Co. (309) 713-2983...........................................................thirty-thirtycoffee.com We focus on the utmost quality in all things that we do. From our hospitality to our coffee and everything in between, we believe we have some of the best coffee and service available on the market. We are learning more everyday and are striving for excellence in everything we do. The espresso we are using for the competition is just a brief glimpse into the window of our company and we hope everyone enjoys what they see! Daniel Williamson (Co-Owner) Peoria, Illinois, United States Tony's Coffee (206) 972-1459......................................................................tonyscoffee.com I don't think anyone at Tony's would say we're the "Best Roaster in North America." However, we're certainly high on the list of roasters that are thrilled, and humbled, by the endless opportunities for exploration in our industry. Even after 43 years of roasting, we're still in awe of all that there is to learn about coffee. David Yake Bellingham, Washington, United States Victrola Coffee Roasters (253) 677-3793..................................................................victrolacoffee.com Our Streamline Espresso has always been the foundation of our coffee lineup at Victrola. We are competing with the espresso that all of our customers have come to know and love available at all our retail cafes as well as wholesale partner's cafes. We didn't want to "build" a "Superblend" for the competition, we wanted to compete with what we roast and brew every day. We believe excellence is a daily decision and we want to prove we do nothing less than our best every day. We also blend Natural, Pulp Natural, and Washed coffees in this blend to give respect to the process and care provided by our coffee farm partners. Is this America's Best Espresso? Espresso is meant to be balanced, memorable, and consistant. By that definition it is definitly our best! Joshua Boyt- Director of Sales & Marketing Seattle, Washington, United States
Please Make Sure to Visit these CoffeeFest Exhibitors ORGANIC • ETHICAL • DIRECTLY SOURCED
Asean/Stalkmarket 805 (503) 295-4977 stalkmarketproducts.com Stalkmarket is the leading supplier of 100% compostable plant-based coffee cups, lids, tableware, cutlery and food packaging. “Simple Elegance - 100% Compostable - It's all we do!” See our ad on page 31 Britevision 301 (415) 374-8119 britevision.com 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 Coffee Fest 604 (800) 232-0083 coffeefest.com 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. See our ad on page 27
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Coffee Shop Manager 300 (800) 750-3947 coffeeshopmanager.com Coffee Shop Manager Point-ofSale 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. See our ad on page 31 Costellini's 206 (877) 889-1866 costellinis.com A name to remember for a mocha you'll never forget. Premium Sauces and powders to delight your patrons taste buds and they will return for more. See our ad on page 19
Garden to Cup Organics LTD 224 (604) 781-7686 gardentocup.com Garden to Cup Organics is a wholesaler of award winning, directly sourced, organic loose leaf teas and herbal blends. We offer the highest quality products and service to help you grow your business. See our ad on page 27
Tightpac America Inc. 620 (888) 428-4448 tightvac.com Brands include - Coffeevac, Teavac - Patented Vacuum sealed system protects your Coffee & Tea every time you open and close the container. Simplicity that works! See our ad on page 30
Java Jacket 701 (800) 208-4128 javajacket.com The Original Green Coffee Sleeve. Comes in 100% Recycled Natural Kraft or White. Can be custom printed with your design. See our ad on page 17
UVu Lids 210 (855) 468-8883 uvulids.com 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
Perka 219 (503) 427-1377 getperka.com Perka is a mobile app for neighborhood merchants Espresso Me Service 824 that's as fast and familiar as (360) 213-0715 an old-fashioned paper punch card. Reward espressomeservice.com ™ regular customers with custom perks, learn Espresso Me Service is for pressurized canisters their buying behavior, and get to know them your one stop for sales and service. We offer service on • DELICIOUS TASTEby name. many types of commercial espresso machines • LONG SHELF LIFESee our ad on page 3 and brewing equipment in Washington• CONSISTENT and PRICING Rocket Man, Inc. 1017 Oregon. • MORE STABLE (866) 470-4150 rocketman.com THAN AEROSOL See our ad on page 30 Rocket Man Equipment Co. • PRE-SWEETENED is the leading producer of Flavor Right Foods Group 801 backpack beverage dispensing (888) 464-3734 flavorright.com equipment in the world. Flavor Right Simply See our ad on page 27 Whip Topping 888-464-3734 / FlavorRight.com designed for gas canister whippers is the newest innovation to the Flavor Right portfolio of toppings and icings. See our ad on page 27
Simply Whip Topping
October 2014
Vessel Drinkware 718 (855) 883-7735 vesseldrinkware.com 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 21 Walker Coffee Trading Company 422 (713) 780-7050 walkercoffee.com Shop around for your beans! Visit www.walkercoffee.com to see our green coffee offering lists. Our reputation stands out for our great quality of beans and excellent customer service. See our ad on page 15
On the Shoulders of Giants Industry Icons
Maura Keller
Rick Peyser, Life Long Industry K
T
hey say reading and coffee go hand-in-hand. For Rich Peyser, former director of social advocacy and supply chain community outreach at Green Mountain, earning a B.A. in English during 1972 led Peyser down the path—albeit indirectly—to the coffee industry.
“This stunned me, and when I returned I spoke with colleagues in the industry who worked in coffee for years and had traveled a lot. I wasn't alone in being surprised by this phenomenon known as ‘the thin months’ or ‘los meses flacos.’”
Upon graduating from Denison University in Granville, OH, Peyser followed his college love, Jan, to Vermont. After a few years, Peyser found himself occasionally visiting a shop owned by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), now Keurig Green Mountain. Before long, Peyser’s work was demanding a lot of travel, and with two young children at home, extensive travel was presenting some challenges.
After additional information from CIAT and subsequent meetings with members of their team, with farmers, cooperative leaders, and NGOs, they developed a plan to help farming families produce food on their small land holdings. The strategy was simple: provide small-scale farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to grow additional products with good returns, and farmers will have resources to meet their basic needs, and invest in their coffee.
“One day, I happened to see an advertisement in the Burlington Free Press for a mail order marketing director at Green Mountain,” Peyser says. “I applied, and soon started to develop the company's fledgling mail order business. I used the company's three retail stores to collect names to build a mailing list, segmented the list, and developed various mailings to generate mail orders or to encourage people to visit our stores,” A year later, Bill Fishbein, who had just founded Coffee Kids, came to GMCR to seek the company's support. “Up until Bill's visit, I had been totally focused on developing the business. Bill's visit, for the very first time, put a face on coffee for me. I quickly learned that there were people who grew this product, many of whom were facing challenges in meeting basic needs. Two years later, I joined 11 other employees on GMCR's first employee trip to origin—a tradition that continues to this day.” In Costa Rica, Peyser saw coffee growing, being processed, dried, sorted, but saw no poverty like that which was depicted in the Coffee Kids information. In 1993, GMCR became a publicly owned corporation and soon thereafter the company realized that it needed a director of public relations, and Peyser was asked if he would be interested in taking on this role. “I felt the need to reconcile the world of coffee I had seen in Costa Rica, a very advanced country, with the extreme poverty I saw in Coffee Kids' brochures. I used a week of vacation time to travel with a small group of people from the industry on a trip put together by Elan Organic Coffees to Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico. On this trip I learned about organic certified coffee, cupped it, met the farmers who grew it, visited their farms, and was introduced to their cooperatives. It was a life-changing experience for me, and I knew I wanted to return to this part of the world.” In his public relations role, Peyser worked hard to bring issues at origin to the company and to the public. He felt that if the public only knew how challenging it was to grow coffee, there would be a greater appreciation for the product, and the farming families who worked so hard to produce it. In 2006, the company asked Peyser if he would be interested in taking on a new role. For many years, GMCR had contributed 5% of its pre-tax earnings to projects in communities where it did business. About half of these funds were put in local domestic communities, while the balance was put to work in the coffee supply chain. “My role was to manage the company’s supply chain community outreach. I quickly accepted this position, which was a dream come true for me.”
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Before starting to invest in the company's supply chain, Peyser needed more information. In 2007, he traveled with CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) to conduct one-on-one interviews with small-scale farmers in Nicaragua. To Peyser’s surprise, every farmer he interviewed told him that they had three to four months of extreme scarcity of food in their home every year.
“This work requires time, has a longer-term and more sustainable impact than merely helping farmers invest in expanding their coffee production.” In 2013 alone, GMCR's programs helped improve the livelihoods of over 800,000 individuals in the company's supply chain. “My work at GMCR as director of social advocacy and supply chain community outreach has been my favorite role to date. Over the years I have also enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors of the SCAA and as its president, the Boards of Directors of Food4Farmers, Pueblo a Pueblo, Fundacion Ixil, Coffee Kids, and the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). “One of the greatest challenges I faced in my most recent role was helping senior management understand the importance of listening to farmers carefully to understand their needs, and to design programs from the ground-up that would benefit farmers, their families, and the company over the long-term. If it doesn't help farming families over the long term, then it is not a wise use of precious resources.” Peyser explains that Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has always been focused on innovation and growing its business, but doing so in a way that was good for its business, its employees, and for the communities where it works. The long-term commitment the company once had to invest five percent of its pre-tax earnings in community projects (local and supply chain), provided many benefits to these communities, and to the company itself. “The industry has taught me a tremendous amount. What has been most inspirational to me has been the tenacity and endurance of small-scale coffee farming families, who produce an amazing product in the face of incredible challenges, including the impacts of climate change, pests, la roya, as well as the lack of access to nutritious food, clean water, educational opportunities, and more.” Peyser believes that Keurig Green Mountain and many companies in the industry will continue to enjoy great success. At the same time, the industry is facing unprecedented impacts from challenges like climate change, youth migration from the coffeelands, and the symptoms of persistent poverty. “We will prevail if we work together to face these challenges by investing now in long-term, sustainable solutions. I plan to remain very active in helping coffee farming families develop the tools they need to succeed and thrive in an industry that is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges.” To see the full article visit magazine.coffeetalk.com/october14-lifelong-industry
October 2014
from crop to cup.
from field to table.
2015
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS GUIDE DON’T LET YOUR COMPANY BE LEFT OUT! Just visit yellowpages.coffeetalk.com to verify your company information — THAT’S IT!
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15
A Roaster's Secret Weapon Consumer Education
I
n the last decade, the Internet has fundamentally changed every single consumer-facing business. For most industries, innovation has been synonymous with obsolescence. But not coffee. You can’t email someone a delicious single origin cup. One could make the argument that single origin coffee itself is a disruptive innovation to the wine industry. It’s a classic case of the innovator’s dilemma. Despite its rich complexity, coffee is considered to be inferior to wine. It’s assumed that coffee will always be inferior to wine. But vineyards have farming down to an absolute science. Wine isn’t getting significantly better every year. Coffee farming is a whole different story. The industry is benefitting from a positive feedback loop where better farming produces better beans, which sell for higher prices and improve farming. That’s a powerful tailwind that will eventually close the gap between coffee and wine. Another tailwind is the consumer’s transition from a preference for tangible goods to a preference for experience. In the 60’s, if you wanted to be the cool guy, you needed a cool car in the garage. Now you need Facebook pictures of yourself running the Tough Mudder. When Howard Schultz first started telling people coffee is a 5-minute vacation, he probably sounded silly, or at least excessively romantic. Now that millennials share pictures of their coffee mugs as if they were coconuts on a beach, it’s clear Schultz was prescient. Nonetheless, the landscape is always shifting as new technology emerges. Social media is a mixed blessing. The dreaded 2-star Yelp review is a constant worry. Some coffee shops and roasters rely heavily on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and company blogs to get word out. Others are a bit more mysterious. Both strategies have merit. If you’re a roaster, social media presents particular challenges. Information travels extremely quickly, regardless of whether its good or bad, right or wrong. I come from the world of hedge funds, where you’re only as good as your last quarter’s performance. I see the same thing happening now in consumer industries like coffee. If you’re out there doing a great job every day, people will notice very quickly and open their wallets. If you relax and lean on your brand for support, it will erode. Angels’ Cup can help you proactively stay ahead of the curve. Angels’ Cup is a consumer-facing coffee tasting app and subscription service. The app allows users to record tasting notes, share notes with friends, and where available, compare notes to the roastmaster. The subscription service delivers 1 oz samples of single origin beans from top roasting companies. Together, the service presents a solution to three key problems roasters face every day: customer education, gathering feedback, and reaching new customers.
by Jeffrey Borack
Customer education is vital to the entire industry. If farmers grow better beans but nobody knows, the positive feedback loop breaks down. Angels’ Cup is making coffee education fun and accessible. It’s as easy as pulling out your phone and visiting a website. Most importantly, it incorporates social sharing features so that when people like a coffee they can tell their friends. But the key to educating consumers is still the roastmaster. People have never before been able to compare their tasting notes to the top people in the industry. Now they can. It’s a great way for roastmasters to open a dialogue with coffee drinkers, tell a story about the beans or the farmer who grew them, but most importantly help them learn to pick out the subtle characteristics that make each coffee unique. Gathering feedback has traditionally been very difficult. As a roaster, you can get feedback from other roasters or people you trust. But how representative is that of the opinion your customers will have? Customers might not have sophisticated palates, but nonetheless, they make purchasing decisions based on what happens in their mouths. If not as individuals, then as a collective group. Customers always seek quality. And finally, reaching new customers is extremely important. Angels’ Cup divides a pound of coffee sixteen ways. Customers then try the coffee and have the option to buy full bags. They also have the option to tell their friends about the ones they like most. Unlike Yelp, there are no bad reviews to worry about. Good tastings will be shared and bad tastings will be ignored. Sellthrough directly contributes to a roaster’s bottom line. There’s no way to lose.
Print and Apply Coffee Labels to Your Products.
Angels’ Cup was designed to help consumers. It’s inadvertently beneficial to roasters. Angels’ Cup might not survive the year, but the changes to the industry are inevitable. The spoils will go to the roasters most able to adapt. Jeffrey Borack is a former investment research analyst and now co-founder at Angel's Cup and can be reached at jborack@ angelstake.com
Watch a case study video at www.primeralabel.com/PeaceCoffee
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17
Marketing Miracles
The Luxury of Coffee is not Kopi Luwak
W
hat is luxury? Who are luxury shoppers? Are they just the ultra rich?
This year the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released data showing that the top 1% of income earners in the U.S. earned 47% of all income growth over the past three decades. Surveys also show that there is a growing divide in America between those accumulating wealth and those who are not. So even though there is a growing divide in income, actual spending continues to show strong demand for luxury brands, and outlays on those luxury brands have been increasing. The US Department of Commerce tracks consumer spending and data confirms that since the 2008 recession, spending overall - particularly on luxury goods - has been increasing across the board. But too often the media labels those with the highest incomes as luxury shoppers and, therefore, luxury purchases become defined based on income. No doubt that there are many luxury products and services outside the realm of reality for 99% of Americans, but that does not mean that consumers do not seek to indulge or reward themselves. We can clearly see that this is the case for coffee, and that there are growing sales and demand for luxury coffee experiences. It is estimated that luxury or specialty coffee sales range between 8-30% of all coffee sales, and as such the profit margins can be substantial. So, what exactly defines luxury and especially for the coffee category? There really is no universally accepted definition of luxury. But I offer the following as provided by Klaus Heine in The Concept of Luxury Brands because it hits on the more perceptual and emotive drivers of behavior: “Luxury is regarded as images, experience, and emotional bonds in the minds of consumers that comprise associations about a high level of price, quality, aesthetics, rarity and specialty.” As I have written before, luxury is also about exceeding expectations. Luxury is perceptual and defined from the point-of-view by the consumer especially at a more emotional level.
In a 2014 article submitted to the website, The Gate Worldwide1, the author suggests that there are eight characteristics consumers use to define luxury: rarity, excellence, expensiveness, timelessness, authenticity, tailored, pleasurable, and experience. The following are selected excerpts from the author and my comments regarding application to coffee that should be quite thought provoking: 1. Rarity: Luxury is not democratic. By definition, it’s exclusive, rare and limited. Luxury products aggressively restrict when, where and how they are made, sold and to whom. This controlled and limited availability adds to its desirability. In a category perceived as commodity based, there is excellent opportunity to communicate the unique rareness of coffee, even beyond Arabica or single origin.
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2. Excellence: Luxury never negotiates on quality. No concession is ever made on materials, craftsmanship or standards. Excellence is not fleeting or variable. It is earned and consistent. You know it when you taste a cup
Mike Dabadie
of coffee that exudes excellence; and many times it has nothing to do with the price you paid. 3. Expensiveness: Just because a product is expensive, does not mean it is a luxury product. But conversely, all luxury products are expensive. Expensiveness intensifies rarity and gives reason to believe that the product delivers on excellence. But expensiveness is also perceptual. 4. Timelessness: Luxury is timeless. It has a past. Even if manufactured through communications. It is also immortal because it leaves a lasting, indelible impression. The coffee industry has this going for it and its image. 5. Honest: Luxury is honest. It’s not synthetic or reproduced. It can’t be duplicated. It is simple. It does not try too hard. It attracts rather than shouts. 6. Tailored: Luxury feels bespoke even if it isn’t. Luxury instinctively knows what its perfect customers want often before they do. So good are luxury products at this magical skill that everything feels specifically designed, and ultimately, unique. From the barista that anticipates your drink order to today’s single serve system, consumers see that as tailored. 7. Pleasurable: Luxury is pleasurable whether rational (tactile) or as is often the case, emotional: possessing an object that elicits envy, status or power. The quest for personal satisfaction is intrinsic to any luxury product or service. Can anyone think of badge coffee brands that convey envy? 8. Experience: Luxury is an experience and not just an object. For the most part, it’s about the little things that leave an outsized impression. For me, experience is really about the memories and coffee is a memorable experience rooted in ritual. Across all of these eight items, coffee meets the test of solidly performing on each attribute. A Google search of “coffee” and “luxury” reveals disappointing results -- 99% of them focused only on coffee and price. So while the income gap in America is widening, consumers still want luxury products and experiences. This tells me that there is significant upside in the industry to push a luxury coffee experience based on the above eight attributes. Of course, this same Google search gave me pictures of the excrement from a civet. Not the kind of marketing on coffee luxury our industry wants to help define this lucrative space. 1 http://thegateworldwide.com/ny/2014/06/13/marketers-luxuryconsumers-must-agree-on-what-defines-luxury-the-8-characteristics-ofluxury-products/
Mike Dabadie is the founder of Heart+Mind Strategies, LLC, a research consultancy that continues to pioneer the use of personalvalues insights and marketing. He can be reached at mdabadie@ heartandmindstrategies.com. October 2014
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19
The Last Mile
Giorgio Milos
A BARISTA’S CASE FOR CAPSULES
O
K, I’ll admit it: I’m a huge fan of single-serve capsules. From Monday through Friday, that is. I’ll also argue that capsules are just the thing in certain professional settings.
There, that feels better. Let me explain. To say that my day doesn’t start until that first coffee would be a serious understatement. It-literally-does-not-start. I can barely turn a shower handle before espresso number one. But my hyper-trained taste buds come alive with the sound of the alarm, so settling for anything less than palatable isn’t an option. So happily, even one-twentieth awake, I’m able to hit the bulls-eye on my capsule system’s start button, and get the day rolling in less than a minute. The result is about 90 percent of the way to perfection, and that will more than do when time isn’t on your side. That capsule system sits alongside my ultra-high-end professional machine that gets the royal treatment, just as in a professional setting. That means 25 minutes to properly warm up, a few minutes more to recalibrate the grinder, properly tamp…you know the routine… then savor the phenomenal result. And then a few minutes more to clean the machine (yes, even after pulling just one shot; see last month’s column). This is a routine I absolutely love and embrace come the weekend, when time is counted in hours, not seconds.
For the lion’s share of restaurants, it’s really a no-brainer: capsules are the way to go for on-demand espressos and espresso-based drinks. I have long argued that baristas should join sommeliers on fine dining staffs, but that’s not likely to happen to any meaningful degree any time soon. Imagine a chilled-to-perfection glass of Sauvignon Blanc left out too long before reaching the table. Now picture a crema that sits too long, and the need becomes clear. Moreover, consider that coffee is often the last thing that comes to the table before the check; that final touch with power to color the entire dining experience, and influence tips.
For the lion’s share of restaurants, it’s really a no-brainer: capsules are the way to go for on-demand espressos and espresso-based drinks.
As you might imagine, I’m particular about my capsule system, and am partial to the iperEspresso system that my company makes, which uses a proprietary, two-stage method to form a beautiful, long lasting crema. Taste being a matter of choice, I begrudge no one’s choice of system, because if almost every single serve apparatus does one thing well, it is creating a consistent result every time. And more than anything, save for the most adventurous single origin bean hunters out there (you know who you are, and I love you for it), what people really want is the taste they know and love, time after time. Consistency is king. Which brings us back to the second and more provocative part of my opening statement, about capsules in professional environments. Ask yourself a question: is coffee the business you’re in, or does coffee play a supporting role? For café owners, that can be a judgment call, and a matter of whether your fans come first for (a), the sweet or savory, with coffee complementing the culinary, or (b), vice versa. And also (a), whether you have dedicated, well-trained baristas behind the counter, or (b), well-intended multi-taskers who do their best to get it right, with up and down results.
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Moving to capsules will give your staff more time to focus on steaming, and for the art-inclined, some latte art mastery. That said, even the best capsule systems don’t have wands that match traditional machines’ in creating that perfect leaf. But on balance, the benefits far outweigh that shortcoming.
If you answered (b) to either question, you might want to consider a capsule system, keeping focused on what people love most about your shop, while upping the ante on consistent coffee quality. The benefits extend to custom drinks, and the confidence of knowing that the key ingredient – the “Intel Inside” – will be right every time. Also, consider that a mere 10 percent of espressos are enjoyed on their own, the rest served with some kind of milk.
Some of the world’s finest restaurants have seen the light and converted, fully understanding the “consistency means quality” argument, and secondarily, for the efficiency that it introduces to coffee station operation. They also like fretting less over proper bean storage, and appreciate the inventory control that comes with capsules. Which raises discussion of the actual cost differential between capsules and beans not being as great as the nominal price difference. There is inevitable waste that comes with beans, in shots that need to get re-pulled and spillage of beans and ground coffee. That isn’t to say that capsules are the most economical solution, but that a bigger picture view is worth taking in overall decision-making about formats.
The best argument against capsules is of course the green one. While Keurig’s refillable “basket cups” for its consumer machines do well for the environment in eliminating plastic, and the coffee drinker in offering personalization by bean preference, they also negate some of single serve’s biggest benefits: preparation speed and consistency from cup-to-cup. Illy’s RENEW program for iperEspresso capsules has made sending spent capsules back effortless for subscription customers, with spent capsules’ contents going to compost and housings upcycled into park benches and other products. The industry as a whole is committed to finding standardized solutions, as reported in these pages, and for the good of all. So am I ready to put my conical grinder and favorite tamper on eBay? Not now, not ever. Though you might get a different answer if you ask at, say, 7 a.m. on a Tuesday. 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.
October 2014
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21
Retailer/Roaster Profiles Scotland’s Little Coffee Jewel MacBeans www.macbeans.com 2 Little Belmonst St, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB10 1JG +44 1224 624757 Ian Cukrowski macbeans@btconnect.com
T
oday we are in beautiful Aberdeen, Scotland chatting with Ian Cukrowski, the owner of successful MacBeans roastery and specialty store. Enjoy our interview with him below:
V. Please tell us, how does the independent coffee scene and feel in Scotland differ from that of Seattle, for example?
C. From what I saw on my trip to the SSCA this year I would say main difference between independent coffee shops in Scotland and Seattle and Vancouver is that we are still not offering as many single origins and we have yet to embrace the ‘Chemex’ hand filter method. Most still use espresso based coffee. V. Your store building is beautiful. What is its story and why is it special to you and your customers?
C. After 5 years trading in the original store, the building almost directly across the street came up for sale. Feeling I was limited with the small unit and with business steadily growing, I decided that rather than commit to another 5 year rental agreement I would sell my home and sink everything into buying 2 Little Belmont Street. The building is one of the oldest in Aberdeen. The exterior perfectly suits the ‘old style’ of the interior. Selling my home made me homeless and with the top 2 floors unsuitable for business use, I stripped everything out and built a small apartment for myself to live in. I now rent this part of the building out. V. Please tell us what difficulties you faced when creating your business and what tips you could give to those just starting now?
C. Like most businesses the biggest difficulty I faced in the beginning was cash flow. One should never underestimate how hard this can be. Whatever your initial projections are, cut them by at least 50%. Also, enthusiasm is essential for any new start, but don’t allow it to get in the way of realism. Do your homework and check your market, always expect the unexpected, be prepared to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life, reduce any loans as quickly as possible and don’t spend the profits on yourself until you have enough. Get to know your customers and keep smiling. V. Do you roast inside the store? What kind of roaster do you have? Please tell us how you got into roasting and if it was hard for you to pick up.
C. Currently we have a 5kg Joper (made in Portugal) that I bought new in 2010. It has 2 exhausts, which means I can roast and cool at the same time. The roaster is situated in the basement of the shop and operates 6 days a week. Average production is in the region of 100kgs/ day (220lbs). Having had other industry experience in ‘processes’ I took to roasting very easily as this was just another ‘process’ for me to learn. V. What makes you unique compared to other similar roasters in the area and others?
C. Macbeans are the only coffee roasters in Aberdeen, but our uniqueness doesn’t stop there. Scotland isn’t exactly overrun with independent coffee
Maxim Vershinin
roasters, there are probably only around about 12. What makes us unique amongst them is the amount of origins I have personally visited. So far I have been to Kenya, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brasil and Sumatra as well as the Swiss Water Process plant in Vancouver. Our customers love to hear about my experiences in these countries and to actually buy coffee from plantations and areas I have visited. Another thing that makes us unique is the range we sell not only our own blends and Ian at The Daterra Plantation in Brasil and at single origins, but different the Wahanna mill in Sumatra varietals from the same origin. This is where having a small roaster is really beneficial as all the coffee we stock never gets a chance to go stale. V. Finally, is there something else you would like to add, to be shared with our coffee community?
C. Having experienced other industries, I love being in the coffee business. From the growers to the drinkers it is full of the friendliest and most committed people anyone could wish to meet. Everyone I have met in the industry has such an immense pride in what they do in connection with this little amazing bean. In the last 25 years in the pursuit of coffee I have travelled more than I ever thought I would, and in doing so I have also had truly awesome experiences: A hot air balloon trip across the Masai Mara at dawn in Kenya, a Formula 1 race in Brasil, Scuba diving in Colombia, seeing wild Orangutan in Sumatra, and Deep sea fishing in Costa Rica. I have been humbled by the generosity of some of the poorest communities in the world. I have been treated as an equal and entertained by some of the biggest names in the industry. I am so proud to see how this industry has grown in the time I have been associated with it and how words like sustainable, ethical and fully traceable are now synonymous with the coffee industry. Thanks to coffee, I now have friends all over the world with whom I have laughed so much and so wish I could do so again. Money might make the world go round, but it’s coffee that really brings it together. For the full interview visit magazine.coffeetalk.com/october14-retailer-profile/ 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.
22 October 2014
The National Coffee Association wishes to thank its 2014 Coffee Summit sponsors and exhibitors for their support and participation. Coffee Network / Hencorp 7 (305) 925-4822 coffeenetwork.com CoffeeNetwork provides in-depth commentary from the leading experts, breaking news, key weather information, real time prices for all futures markets and charting with technical analysis tools. Miami, Illinois, United States Fres-co System USA, Inc. 11 (215) 721-4600 fresco.com Fresco Systems offers pre-made bags, customprinted rollstock, degassing valves, packaging machinery, pod equipment and service. Fres-co System USA has been the coffee industry’s packaging expert for over 30 years. Telford, Pennsylvania, United States Hartley Transportation LLC 1 (800) 427-8539 hartleytrans.com Hartley Transportation is a leader in green bean and processed coffee transportation. We offer competitive rates and can assist with your truckload, less than truckload and Intermodal-Rail shipments! Pembroke, New Hampshire, United States
Hood Packaging Corporation 2 (905) 637-5611 hoodpkg.com Hood Packaging For more than 50 years we have been a leader in the design and manufacture of packaging materials including flexible plastic, multiwall paper and woven polypropylene packaging. St-Leonard, United States Java Fresh LLC 9 JavaFresh LLC is introducing its unique, patent pending product that enables coffee to retain its fresh tasting flavor for hours after brewing. Centreville, Virginia, United States Lbp Manufacturing Inc. 8 (800) 545-6200 upshotsolution.com LBP Manufacturing, Inc ., a leader in packaging technology, recently launched the UpShot Solution ecofriendly, single-serve filters compatible with Keurig_/other brewers. Cicero, Illinois, United States
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23
Roasters Rock
CoffeeTalk Virtual Roaster’s Challenge
Rocky Rhodes
Announcing the Winner
T
he first CoffeeTalk Virtual Roaster’s Challenge is over and there is a clear winner! The challenge was called the MacGyver Challenge, published in the August CoffeeTalk. Submissions were entered for building a sample roaster while behind enemy lines with just a set of random items. Before we share the winning entry with you, an observation must be made about how a roaster’s brain works. It is a strange and wonderful place, a roasters brain. Unlike many brains, it operates in both the analytical and creative sides. (A working theory here is that the different sides are stimulated simultaneously with alcohol and caffeine… but it is just a theory!) As roasters we have to think like a mechanical engineer and figure out how efficiently we can add heat to coffee while maximizing the potential of sugar, acids, carbonization, odors etc. We also deal in time temperature graphs, production efficiencies, inventory controls and maintenance schedules. All of this exercises our Left side of the brain. We also have a romantic notion about the coffee and where it came from. We see potential in every bean that can be brought forth as something delicate or bold; pungent or floral; soft or harsh. We take time to find what the coffee is supposed to be when it is at its best and find a way to consistently get to that point. We use all of our senses to deduce the moment when the art of the coffee is complete. Very Right brain. So it should be no surprise that when we issued this challenge we would get dual- hemisphere-brain answers! And that is what we got from our winning submission. Quick challenge recap: Design and describe a sample roaster using a list of rudimentary tools and any of the following random items: A pocket knife: (Think Swiss Army knife.), a stick of chewing gum with a foil wrapper, 20 feet of string, a fully charged 9 volt battery, hair dryer (assume you have access to electricity), a roll of tin foil, a can of Extra Chunky beef stew, a camp stove with fuel, 2 rolls of duct tape, 1 broken refrigerator (all parts are there, it just stopped cooling last week), a pile of ¾ inch diameter sticks in 3 foot lengths, a smart phone with no reception or Wi-Fi (you can never get a signal when you need it), a cast iron skillet, 1 - 5qt pot, A deck of playing cards, a 9 iron – right handed – Ping, 1 Large towel, an umbrella, 10 empty Coke bottles, and four coconuts. Our winner: Mark Thompson of Brewing Bears Roasters in Dundee Oregon. He describes his business this way: We are a family run, farmer-centric, single origin specific, hand crafted coffee roaster in Dundee Oregon. We provide great Fairwagecoffee® that makes a difference. Our Roaster of choice is a 12lb US Roaster Corp Gas fired roaster. Here is Mark's both-sides-of-the-brain solution to our challenge. Thanks Mark! Great job!
24
In dangerous situations your best ally is caffeine. My first priority, roast and brew great coffee to get the juices going and if need be, win over the enemy. So… life, death or build a coffee roaster. I chose roaster. Swiss army knife opened can of beef stew, ate it then rinsed the can with coconut milk. Punctured several holes just shy of a coffee bean size in the bottom. A cast iron skillet was the base for my camp stove and placed an old refrigerator rack bent to make a elevated platform above the stove. Tin foil made a heat stove pipe, a special air induction tube to the side was held in place with string. A hair dryer attached with duct tape to the skillet forced heated air up through the bottom of the induction tube then up to the foil secured beef stew can. A foil chimney for chaff on top of the can a ¾ inch stick was used to stir the coffee for optimum color and roast consistency. A 1-5 quart pot to cool the beans and a hammer to pestle grind the beans before heating three milk of coconut, added grounds then using a Ping 9 iron frothed a coconut latte, settled grounds, towel potholder, then drank from foil cup, used a smart phone for a selfie, played cards shaded by an umbrella while awaiting rescuers. Packed 10 empty Coke bottles in my shirt to take home because, hey that’s $.50 in refunds. 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
October 2014
Photo by Trish Rothgeb
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25
The Power of Good
Superfoods: Foods With Benefits
Siri Khalsa
What Could be Lurking in your Favorite Café Snacks…
H
ippocrates had it right around 300 BC when he advised, “Make thy food thy medicine, and thy medicine thy food.” (We’re slow learners as a race, aren’t we?) Let’s discuss 10 superfoods. Traditionally defined, these foods have exceptional properties. A grocery list will follow, featuring the foods most frequently rated as “super”. In Europe, the word superfood lead to so much misleading hype that the European Union now permits the term only on products that provide credible scientific documentation to back up that claim. In the US, there are currently no legal standards for its use. - From Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris, 2012 Please note that although there is currently an exciting trend toward vegetarian (no flesh foods), vegan (no foods sourced from animals), and raw food diets, we list foods from both dairy and meat categories. 10 Really Super Foods These ten are the “pick of the litter” when it comes to uniquely nutritious foods. In alphabetical order, they are — Açaí berries Green Grasses & Algae Aloe vera Nutritional Yeast Bee products Soybeans Dark Chocolate Tea Eggs Whey Protein Açaí Berries: In 2012, Nutrition News named açaí berry the Most Super Berry with its antioxidant power (ORAC) of 102,700! This wonderful reddish purple berry comes from a palm tree native to South America (Euterpe oleracea). It has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. It also contains fiber and heart-healthy fats. Let’s put that in perspective: The next highest fruit is the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), which has a very high ORAC value of 16,062. (Blueberries’ ORAC is 4669.)
Eggs: Eggs are here because they are a perfect protein for humans. In fact, at one time, eggs were the standard for protein foods. Eggs are nutrient dense. One egg has 6-7 grams of protein, lots of vitamins and minerals, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin – all for 70 calories. Algae: called a perfect food, one that could be used to end world hunger. We are talking about spirulina, chlorella, and Klamath blue-green algae. Research has shown that these foods can increase our energy and stamina, heighten mental clarity, improve our ability to handle stress, enhance immunity, and give us a greater sense of well-being. Green Grasses: the foundational food for most land-based life. The grasses came to light as human nutrition with the curative work of the late Ann Wigmore who originally expelled wheat grass juice using a second hand meat grinder. In 1980, barley grass came on the market when Yoshihide Hagiwara, MD, pharmacist, and researcher discovered its health benefits. These two grasses have similar nutrients and benefits. However, only wheat grass is readily available as fresh juice. Nutritional Yeast: This great old school superfood is enjoying a comeback. Nutritional yeast is a protein and vitamin B12 boon for vegetarians and vegans. A complete protein, just one ounce of yeast flakes (about 2T) has only 79 calories but 14 grams of protein! (Compare with two eggs for 140 calories.) Rich in B-complex vitamins, it is one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin B12, essential for red blood cell production and nervous system health. Soybeans: Soybeans are so common that we don’t think of them as super. BUT, they are. This versatile bean is a complete protein and as such is the basis for many protein-rich foods. These include soy as beans, roasted soybean snacks, soy milk, soy protein, tofu, tempeh, and meat analogs (made from texturized soy protein).
Aloe Vera: Known as an external applicant for burns and other skin conditions, taken internally aloe vera can heal the intestines, support cholesterol management, and enhance immunity. Amazingly, only one percent of aloe is substantive. The remainder is water! That solid material contains over 75 different compounds, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, lignins, salicylic acid, antioxidants, and more. Bee Products: When we think of bees, most of us think of honey. There is amazing news about honey. A recent issue of Women’s Health Letter carried the following headline: “The Worse Your Diabetes, The More This Sweetener May Lower Your Blood Sugar”. Editor-author Nan Fuchs, PhD, reports that honey helps lower blood sugar. Dark Chocolate: The big news about chocolate hit in 2003 with research published by two prestigious science journals: Nature and JAMA. The article in Nature distinguished that only dark chocolate – not milk or white chocolate – raises antioxidant levels in the body.
Tea: What other beverage is so healthy – and inexpensive? Tea, especially green tea, has been highly praised for its health benefits, which are largely due to its high antioxidant content. Benefits for lovers of green, black, and oolong teas include a lowered risk for heart disease. These teas help block the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, increase HDL, and improve artery function. In addition, a Chinese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a 46-65% reduction in high blood pressure risk compared with non-tea drinkers. Whey Protein: Not just for body builders, whey protein is ranked #1 among protein substances for digestibility. That alone is enough to grant it superfood status. Of course whey protein comes from milk, but did you know that it is produced as a co-product of cheese making? Bon appetit. Siri Khalsa, Editor Nutrition News www.NutritionNews.com
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COFFEE FEST
PORTLAND October 17-19, 2014
OREGON CONVENTION CENTER
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Mark Your Calendars! Coffee Fest Atlanta: February 6-8, 2015 Coffee Fest Chicago: June 5-7, 2015 visit iceforcoffee.com 27
NewsBites FLEXICON to Double U.S. Headquarters Flexicon Corporation has broken ground for an expansion that will double the size of its US headquarters in Bethlehem, PA, announced President/CEO David Gill. The addition will allow the Steel Forming, Welding, Grinding/ Polishing and Blasting/Painting Departments to double in size, and the Electrical Controls Department to increase four-fold. For information contact Flexicon Corporation, 1- 888-353-9426, sales@flexicon.com, flexicon.com Coffee Fest Portland Introduces Nescafé Press Room Coffee Fest will be introducing their first press room sponsored by Nescafé at Coffee Fest Portland which is being held at the Oregon Convention Center on October 17-19. David Heilbrunn, show manager of Coffee Fest, commented, “Our exhibitors and the press have requested a place where they can converse and we are thrilled to be able to provide this for them with Nescafé as the host. To learn more about Coffee Fest please visit coffeefest.com. The Handpresso Portable Espresso Machine is Suited for Those Who Love a Good Espresso and Want to Enjoy it Anytime, Anywhere ! For backpackers, sports people or eco-friendly minds, the portable
fully manual espresso machine Handpresso hybrid - works with standard espresso pods or ground espresso coffee. For drivers, the 12V version of the machine with the Handpresso Auto plugs into a car cigarette lighter to prepare an espresso. Discover the fascinating and far more extensive Handpresso world at our website, handpresso.com.
and will donate personal household blenders to the first 50 chefs who register and fulfill their commitments to host events for the first time. Chefs who received Vitamix machines last year for hosting events and agree to host events again this year will receive dry grains containers. For more information, please visit vitamix.com or acfchefs.org/CCF.
Coffee Quality Institute Launches Gender Initiative The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) is spearheading a collaborative research initiative to better understand the effects of gender inequality on coffee production through a series of participatory workshops in four countries and an extensive literature review. CQI invites the industry to play a key role in this initiative by becoming a funding partner, or participating in an upcoming workshop. For more information about the initiative or the upcoming workshop in Colombia, please visit www.coffeeinstitute. org, or email Kim Hirshberg (khirshberg@coffeeinstitute.org).
Fall Favorite Returns to Weldon Flavorings!!! Cooler weather is just around the corner and Weldon Coffee Flavorings’ Fall Favorite, Pumpkin Spice, has returned to their product line with a new look. This popular, seasonal favorite has a very attractive new label, with the same great taste that is sure to grab a lot of attention from customers. Weldon Coffee Flavorings are pure liquid flavor completely free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, creamers, powders, and syrups. For more information please contact Weldon Flavorings at info@ WeldonFlavorings.com or (502) 797-2937.
VITAMIX Aims to Help Fight Childhood Obesity with Blender Donations to 50 Chefs To help reverse the disturbing trend of increasing obesity in children and adolescents, American Culinary Federation Education Foundation’s Chef & Child Foundation is encouraging chefs to host Childhood Nutrition Day awareness events throughout the month of October. Vitamix® has again partnered with the Foundation
PLITEK celebrates 20 years of ISO Standard Certification Last week, PLITEK celebrated 20 years of continuous ISO certification. ISO standard certification sets the framework for a well-managed, customer-focused, quality management system. PLITEK manufactures PLI-VALV® one-way degassing valves and valve applicator systems which enable coffee roasters to preserve the freshness and quality of their coffee. Plitek’s patented valves and valve applicators are the most
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efficient, reliable and cost effective solution for degassing freshly roasted coffee in its packaging. For more info, contact PLITEK at: sales@Plitek.com Rocket Man Equipment Rocket Man Equipment, the leading manufacturer of mobile backpack beverage dispensers, is proud to celebrate their 21st year in business with a special promotion for the month of October, 2014. The Rocket Man M1002 with Pump (recommended for coffee, tea and non-carbonated beverages) is $598.00, which includes FREE SHIPPING in the continental United States. Please use Promo Code RKT1149 for this exclusive offer. Visit us at booth #1017 at Coffee Fest Portland, October 17-19. Email: Bruce@Rocketman.com. Hawaii-Made Desserts Debut in Alaska Airlines First-Class Cabin Island Thyme Gourmet, caterers to Alaska Airlines, introduces a new line of desserts from Daylight Mind Coffee Company, a Kona artisan coffee roaster. Daylight Mind's locally sourced desserts will tempt Alaska Airlines' first-class passengers and complement Island Thyme Gourmet's meals. Desserts include their awardwinning Kona Coffee Espresso Opera Cake, a gluten-free, flourless, chocolate sponge cake with coffee buttercream and dark chocolate ganache, and a Sacher cake, made with local Macadamia nuts, chocolate butter cream, raspberry marmalade and ganache. For information on Daylight Mind Coffee Company, visit us online at DaylightMind.com
Advertisers Index
Company................................................................... Phone............................................Web.................................................... Page...... CoffeeFest Booth# 1stPayPOS.............................................................................(888) 638-7867................................ 1stPayPOS.com....................................... 30 Add A Scoop.......................................................................(415) 382-6535................................. addascoop.com...................................... 31 Asean/Stalkmarket............................................................(503) 295-4977................................ stalkmarketproducts.com................... 31............................................. 805 Bloomfield Industries........................................................(314) 678-6336................................. wellsbloomfield.com............................. 25 Britevision.............................................................................(415) 374-8119................................... britevision.com....................................... 21.............................................. 301 Buhler Inc..............................................................................(905) 754-8389............................... buhlergroup.com................................... 31 Cablevey Conveyors..........................................................(641) 673-8451.................................. cablevey.com........................................... 19 Cargill Inc / Truvia..............................................................(855) 855-2362................................ truvia.com/foodservice....................... 15 Cascade Coffee, Inc..........................................................(800) 995-9655............................... cascadecoffee.com............................... 25 Coffee Fest...........................................................................(800) 232-0083.............................. coffeefest.com........................................ 27............................................604 Coffee Shop Manager.......................................................(800) 750-3947............................... coffeeshopmanager.com.................... 31.............................................300 Costellini's.............................................................................(877) 889-1866................................. costellinis.com......................................... 19............................................. 206 Daterra Coffee.....................................................................+551937288010................................ daterracoffee.com.br............................ 11 E. K. Int'l Col, Ltd. / Handy Brew..................................+886 2 2720 6058 ext.11............... handybrew.com...................................... 17 Espresso Me Service.........................................................(360) 213-0715................................. espressomeservice.com...................... 30........................................... 824 Flavor Right Foods Group..............................................(888) 464-3734............................... flavorright.com....................................... 27............................................. 801 Follett Corporation............................................................(800) 523-9361................................ follettice.com........................................... 27 Fres-co System USA, Inc.................................................(215) 721-4600................................. fresco.com................................................ 7 Garden to Cup Organics LTD........................................(604) 781-7686................................ gardentocup.com.................................. 27............................................ 224 Global Customized Water...............................................(805) 484-1589................................ globalcustomizedwater.com............. 25 International Coffee Consulting Group......................(818) 347-1378.................................. intlcoffeeconsulting.com.................... 31 Java Jacket...........................................................................(800) 208-4128................................ javajacket.com........................................ 17.............................................. 701 Lbp Manufacturing Inc.....................................................(800) 545-6200.............................. upshotsolution.com.............................. 9 Mother Parker's Tea & Coffee Inc.................................(800) 387-9398............................... realcup.com............................................. 19 NAMA.....................................................................................(312) 346-0370................................ vending.org.............................................. 29 National Coffee Association Of U.s.a.........................(212) 766-4007................................ ncausa.org................................................ 23 PBFY Flexible Packaging................................................(877) 224-7496................................ pbfypkg.com........................................... 28 Perka.......................................................................................(503) 427-1377................................. getperka.com.......................................... 3............................................... 219 Plitek, Llc...............................................................................(847) 827-6680............................... plitek.com................................................. 13 Pod Pack International, Ltd............................................(225) 752-1160.................................. podpack.com........................................... 25 Primera Technology, Inc..................................................(800) 797-2772................................ primeralabel.com................................... 16 Rocket Man, Inc..................................................................(866) 470-4150................................ rocketman.com....................................... 27............................................1017 Service Ideas, Inc...............................................................(800) 328-4493............................... serviceideas.com................................... 31 Shore Measuring Systems...............................................(217) 892-2544................................. moisturetesters.com............................. 31 Single Cup Accessories, Inc...........................................(855) 621-1222.................................. singlecupaccessories.com.................. 31 State Farm............................................................................(844) 774-8060............................... statefarm.com......................................... 5 Texpak / Scolari Engineering S.p.a..............................(856) 988-5533................................ scolarieng.com........................................ 32 The Coffee Trust.................................................................(505) 670-9783............................... thecoffeetrust.org................................. 31 Tightpac America Inc.......................................................(888) 428-4448............................... tightvac.com............................................ 30........................................... 620 UVu Lids................................................................................(855) 468-8883............................... uvulids.com.............................................. 2............................................... 210 Vessel Drinkware................................................................(855) 883-7735................................ vesseldrinkware.com............................ 21.............................................. 718 Vita-Mix Corporation........................................................(800) 437-4654............................... vitamix.com.............................................. 6 Walker Coffee Trading Company.................................(713) 780-7050................................ walkercoffee.com................................... 15............................................. 422 Weldon Flavorings.............................................................(502) 797-2937................................ weldonflavorings.com.......................... 28
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Coffee Tech Support Line 818.347.1378
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