Coffee - What if it was my job?

coffee

WHAT IF IT WAS MY JOB?

By amie henderson

Given the correct conditions, anything can grow. Take the coffee bean for instance. In tropical climates, with rich soils and ample sunshine, the coffea plant thrives, producing those beans that we all know and love in abundance. The same can be said of an idea. A seed is planted, it’s nurtured and supported, often through really difficult circumstances, until the time is right. And for Cafés Vorlaz, that time is now.

Conceptualised during France’s very first lockdown and perfected over the 12 months that followed, Cafés Vorlaz is a brand new speciality coffee house located right here in our valley. Sustainability is the cornerstone of this new brand - there’ll be zero waste from their packaging and local deliveries will be made using an electric vehicle. But where did the idea come from?

Tiff quit her job in a Brussels photography gallery to move to Morzine, alongside her partner Rod, who’d been working for a law firm. They enjoyed a perfect first winter season in our valley; long days on the mountain combined with working for AliKats Mountain Holidays as a chalet couple. Those were the days! Until they weren’t, and COVID closed our resorts on 15th March 2020.

Faced with the prospect of a rapid retreat to Brussels as European borders closed or locking down here in Morzine, Rod and Tiff decided to stay. They were already Amongst the COVID-chaos of spring and summer 2020, the trio made their first tentative steps into the world of coffee. They borrowed a roaster. They made contact with growers and suppliers. They taught themselves how to make consistent batches of roasted beans, relentlessly testing different formulas and permutations.

brewing their own speciality coffee mini project at the time and by coincidence, Al Judge of AliKats was doing the same. As luck would have it, the bubble they formed to see out those first eight weeks of confinement created the perfect conditions to combine their ideas and grow their new business. Temperatures were adjusted, timings adapted, the perfect conditions created. Cafés Vorlaz launches here in the Vallee d’Aulps this spring.

There’ll be three launch roasts to begin with - Antidote, Bluebird and Föhn, priced €9.50 per 250g of beans. Perhaps most excitingly, those signing up early will enjoy Pioneer Prices with a 15% discount for the lifetime of their subscription.

You’ll also discover Cafés Vorlaz in a growing number of cafes, hotels and restaurants locally, giving you the perfect opportunity to try before you subscribe!

Three launch roasts are now available to order at cafesvorlaz.com and you can follow the progress of the Vallee d’Aulps' first coffee on Instagram - @cafesvorlaz

THE ZERO PLASTIC challenge

Our local Carrefour stores in Morzine and St Jean d’Aulps have joined the global Carrefour mission to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025. This hugely inspiring and ambitious campaign has already removed more than 1,100 tones of plastic from Carrefour’s own branded products since 2019.

First for the chop will be plastic packaging on fresh fruit and vegetables, which we’re inclined to call the worstoffending and least necessary plastic packaging around. Already the brand has reduced plastic packaging on fruit and veg by 200 tonnes a year, completely eliminating it from its Bio brand. Next up, plastic bottles, for which Carrefour has a target of offering its juice, water and soda range in 50% recycled plastics by 2022. 80% of the Carrefour Bio range is already packaged in recyclable materials and it’s the first supermarket brand to offer a 100% recycled plastic bottle for its juice range. Last but not least, toiletries. Carrefour was the first brand to offer its own zero plastic solid shampoo, the bamboo toothbrush range has been a huge success and there’s an expanded range of cosmetics under the new Carrefour Soft Green brand.

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It’s really exciting to see such a huge commitment to innovation from Carrefour, who are clearly committed to reducing the environmental impact of their products.

We’ll follow this up with more facts and stats in our winter magazine. Vinyasa, Yin, Prenatal & Post Natal available @ Yoga Morzine Studio, overlooking Lake Montriond, or in your accommodation. +330604494232