BeanScene magazine December 2021 by Prime Creative Media

DECEMBER 2021

A World-Class Coffee Magazine

Coffee’s sea change Access to specialty coffee, any time, any place

Hugh Kelly’s three-year WBC campaign

Coffee in the fast lane Industry push for training & education

The Naked Barista bares all 31

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DECEMBER 2021

contents UPFRONT

12 NEWS 14 STUFF ON THE SCENE INDUSTRY PROFILES

16 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Hugh Kelly gains global status with a new coffee species and extraction technique that could change the future of specialty coffee

20 CELEBRITY COOK

Donna Hay talks barista appreciation and the beauty of the European coffee scene

BARING IT ALL

Adrian Duquilla of The Naked Barista on why he chooses Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend every time

45 DOWN TO A TEA

rigin Tea’s focus on O connections with plantations, innovation, and meeting the needs of café customers

48 A CLEANER FOR ALL

Cafetto on achieving Halal certification and why the accreditation is important for the brand’s global growth

52 A PASSION PROJECT

Espressology GM Ged Ryan’s value for perfection and what customers really want in a postCOVID era 4

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MAKING A SPLASH WITH MALTRA

Maltra Food’s new range helps hospitality venues get creative with their summer menus

60 THE A-TEAM

How Grinders Coffee’s specialists have helped shape its comprehensive training program

FEATURE NEWS

62 GOING PRO

Will & Co on leading the crusade of coffee hubs in coastal towns and communities

SKILL BASE

25 COFFEE’S SEA CHANGE

29 COFFEE IN THE FAST LANE

How Container Concepts make the drive-through market easy and accessible

65 BREAKING BORDERS

aking face-to-face business a M reality at MICE2022

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

33 A NEW SPIN ON GRINDING

he high-precision etzMax T grinder with grind-by-weight technology

42 THE PICOPRESSO

Wacaco’s third generation portable espresso machine

TRAINING & EDUCATION

56 A NEW CRITERIA FOR COFFEE

ulti-time Australian Barista M Champion Craig Simon breaks down barriers to roasting

58 THRIVING TOGETHER

quilibrium Master Roasters E pivots its consulting sessions and thrives in an online space

Nestlé Professional on expanding its educational program and taking sustainability steps

70 TRAINING TACTICS

Suntory’s Liam Lever-Ford on easy cold coffee preparation

72 A BARISTA’S GUIDE TO DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

Vitasoy Ambassador Matthew Lewin on the versatility of plant-based milks

CAFÉ SCENE

COFFEE’S BEST FRIEND

CAFÉ SCENE

ESPRESSO YOURSELF

NZSCA

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

CMT’s John Colangeli explains the growing need for water filtration as water quality drops and cost of repairs rise

Around Australia & NZ Create Victor Vu’s festive hedgehog latte art design

The importance of communication through COVID Industry movements

The new black

vershoot o c e n e c S n Bea PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au ASSISTANT EDITOR Ethan Miller ethan.miller@primecreative.com.au

Will & Co Corner of Beach Road and Gould Street, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 www.willandco.com.au With warmer days approaching and Sydney’s lockdown lifting, we couldn’t think of a better way to represent our final cover of the year than with a beachside covershoot with Will & Co Coffee at its Bondi location. “We really wanted to celebrate Will & Co’s premium Specialty Pour Over Kits and highlight their versatility and convenience for coffee lovers – any time, any place, including on the beach after a surf,” says BeanScene Editor Sarah Baker. But rather than do the shoot in the Will & Co café and headquarters, we thought, ‘why not be ambitious and try our first location shoot?’ So, on a crisp spring morning at 7.30am, Will & Co Coffee Director Josh Passaro and photographer Jeff Mackay walked the 350 metres from the office to the foot of Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach. Working on location takes preparation. Josh came prepared with Will & Co’s Tanzania Honey Pot and Guatemala Dreamin’ Pour Over Kits, induction top for hot water, and his own surfboard as a prop, with Jeff left in charge of photography equipment and the task of how to best utilise the morning light in each frame. What he didn’t expect, was how busy Bondi Beach would be. “It was manic,” Jeff laughs. “It was a such beautiful day, restrictions had eased and everyone was out enjoying the morning sun in Bondi. It took a while to capture the right frame with so many people walking past and wanting to focus on the pour from the kettle and the bloom of the coffee, but still retaining a strong sense of the environment we were in.” Pouring coffee into a cup on the sand is harder than it looks, but with Josh’s help and use of his surfboard, Jeff says it actually provided the perfect stable surface for each pour. The team tried various angles and frames, capturing the entire filter brewing process and the rich, deep coffee colour accentuated in the use of glass cups, and contrasting blue bespoke cups made my local artist Catherine Field of Splendid Wren Ceramics. “Spending your Monday morning on a beach as a hand model isn’t a tough way to start the week,” Josh says. “Doing the shoot at Bondi kind of felt poignant because of the entire state coming out of lockdown, and the freedom and appreciation we have to be outdoors in a beautiful location with Coffee’s access to delicious specialty coffee, sea change which is what Will & Co is all about.” The end result is a cover image that represents everything we look forward to about summer – sun, sand, surf, and plenty of delicious coffee, available any time, any place. DECEMBER 2021

A World -Class Coffe e Magaz ine

Access to specialty coffee, any time, any place

Hugh Kelly’s three-y ear WBC campaign

Coffee in the fast lane

Industry push for training & education

beanscenemag.com.au

The Naked Barist a bares all

JOURNALIST Shanna Wong shanna.wong@primecreative.com.au ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey DESIGN Kerry Pert BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Courtney Walker courtney.walker@primecreative.com.au CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Zelda Tupicoff zelda.tupicoff@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS TEAM LEADER Janine Clements janine.clements@primecreative.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Mackay, Specialty Coffee Association, Luca Rinaldi and Michele Illuzzi, Chris Court CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Lewin, Liam Lever-Ford, Victor Vu, Emma McDougall, John Colangeli HEAD OFFICE Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 p: 03 9690 8766 f: 03 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.beanscenemagazine.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au BeanScene magazine is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher. ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. COPYRIGHT

BeanScene magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by Christine Clancy. All material in BeanScene magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in BeanScene magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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“It's the best almond milk I've had so far. Good flavour, well balanced and works perfectly with coffee." - Café Faduci

CONTRIBUTORS In each issue of BeanScene we profile a few of our talented contributors. Liam Lever-Ford is the Victorian Barista Trainer at Suntory Coffee Australia. Growing up in Melbourne, Liam found his way into the coffee industry after nearly a decade working in the city’s specialty coffee scene. His experience culminated in Liam joining the team at Suntory Coffee Australia. Liam has a passion for coffee culture and communication, and he has taken this passion with him on travels throughout Asia, Europe and America.

Matthew Lewin is the 2019 ASCA Vitasoy Barista Champion, and Vitasoy ambassador and coffee consultant. Matthew has worked in the coffee industry for the past 10 years, honing his barista skills and coffee knowledge. He won the 2018 Fushan Cup Barista Championship in China. Matthew is currently the Sales and Guest Roaster Manager for Ona Coffee, and heads up its Research and Development team.

John Colangeli founded Coffee Machine Technologies in 2005 and been in the industry for 15 years. During this time, John has provided a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the industry. Coffee Machine Technologies is a recognised independent service establishment now in Australia supplying and servicing a wide range of coffee roasters, coffee chain stores, independent cafés and corporate organisations Australia wide.

Victor Vu is the 2020 ASCA Australian Pauls Professional Latte Art Champion. Born in Vietnam, Victor worked for three years in hospitality before coming to Australia where he has spent the past six years perfecting his latte art skills. Victor won the 2018 Milklab Barista Battle, 2019 Victorian Breezey Masters, 2020 ASCA Southern Regional Latte Art Championship, and the National title. He is currently completing his hospitality studies and works at Ona Coffee Melbourne.

Emma McDougall is the Communication and Administration Coordinator for the NZSCA. After gaining a degree in hospitality management, Emma has worked in Sydney, Dublin, Auckland, London, and most recently, Wellington. She has owned and managed cafés and tech-judged the New Zealand Barista Championship in 2015 and 2016. Now, she gets to help run them. One of the greatest joys she gets from the coffee industry is watching young people progress through their coffee journey.

A word from the Editor

HOW SWEET IT IS

hey say you don’t miss what you don’t have, but it wasn’t until 22 October when Melbourne’s lockdown eased that I realised how much I had missed the company of friends and the connection that comes with socialising at your local café. For the first time in five months I heard laughter from groups of people gathered at tables around me. I watched friends give big bear hugs to those they had not seen for months and one table of customers clinked their coffees in cheers of finally returning to a sense of normalcy. If the past 18 months have taught us anything, it’s that joy can be found in the simplest of things. Just like the Olympics gave people joy during lockdown, this year’s World Coffee Championships in Milan mid-October was an example of what awaits us on the other side of restrictions. Despite watching from a far, I became invested in the livestream and the baristas’ pursuits of a world title and the chance to be called “the best in the business”. That honour was bestowed on Australia’s own Charlie Chu of Ona Coffee after successfully completing four perfect rounds of 8/8 in the World Cup Tasters Championship. Fellow Ona representative Hugh Kelly placed third in the World Barista Championship in a display of Coffea eugenioides – the popular new species on everyone’s radar – the potential of Liberia, and the possibilities of flavour when using a new technique called compound chilling (see page 14). Toby’s Estate’s Carlos Escobar placed fourth in the World Brewers Cup Championship, an incredible feat in his first world competition, highlighting his Colombian heritage and the power of storytelling to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. Indeed it is such stories that hook us in, force us to pay attention and have the power to influence our decision making for the better. It’s with this in mind that we present the final edition of BeanScene for 2021. Despite another challenging year for hospitality, I’ve been amazed by the support, generosity, and continuous quest to innovate and uphold quality in all sectors of the market. Coffee is a resilient industry. It has held on tight, dug deep, and emerged stronger for what it has endured. Thank you for riding the journey wish us. We look forward to writing a new chapter together in 2022, and finally hosting the World Coffee Championships in our own backyard at MICE2022.

SARAH BAKER Follow us on Twitter @BeanSceneEd ‘Like’ us on Facebook @BeanSceneCoffeeMag Follow us on Instagram @beanscenemag Follow us on LinkedIn @BeanSceneMag

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NEWS

DIEGO CAMPOS OF COLOMBIA CROWNED WORLD BARISTA CHAMPION Diego Campos of Amor Perfecto in Colombia has been crowned the 2021 World Barista Champion. Andrea Allen of the United States was runner up, Hugh Kelly of Ona Coffee in Australia placed third, Emi Fukahori of Switzerland placed fourth, Martin Shabaya of Kenya placed fifth, and Wojciech Tysler of Ireland placed sixth. Diego of Amor Perfecto dropped to his knees with the announcement made, draping the Colombian flag over his shoulders as he told the crowd, “I can’t believe this. This is for my country. I love my country. This is for you Colombia”. Diego is the first Colombian barista to make it to the World Barista Championship (WBC) final round. Federico Bolanos coached Diego, who also trained the 2019 World Barista Champion Jooyeon Jeon of South Korea. For his routine, Diego complemented his Eugenioides coffee from Finca Inmaculada with multi-sensory stimulation to enhance the tasting experience. Diego says his coffee, rescued from a genetics lab, was the “most surprising and fascinating coffee” he had ever tasted, produced at Finca

Las Nubes at 2000 metre above sea level with the high altitude slowing down the ripening of the cherries for a greater concentration of sugars, lipids and organic acids. “This makes the coffee taste phenomenal, with an unbelievable sweetness and mouthfeel, juicy acidity and tropical fruit flavours,” Diego noted in his presentation. This coffee had eight days of anaerobic fermentation and was dried to 11 per cent over rotating beds in a greenhouse with fans to slow down the drying process. For his espresso, Diego dosed 20 grams of coffee and pulled 48-gram shots with a set water temperature of 91°C – the same brewing parameters used for all his drink courses. Before scoring his espresso, Diego asked the judges to put down their scoresheets and use the tablet provided to play a set of instructions to stimulate all senses. It asked them to smell the dry ice cloud, touch the sphere in the espresso which added a slippery texture, use headphones to amplify the sweetness in the cup, and taste the espresso. He highlighted notes of sweetness like brown

sugar, cacao nibs, passionfruit, papaya, and tangerine with a hint of malt. For his milk-based course, Diego used 3.5 per cent whole dairy milk produced in Italy, which was frozen to reduce water and increase sugars, proteins, and fats for a more concentrated milk. It was heated at 50°C for sweetness. He highlighted flavours of buttered cookies, nougat, caramel, almond, cocoa, and a creamy and fluffy mouthfeel like melted ice cream. For his signature beverage, Diego added 12 grams of a frozen cherry reduction and 24 grams of a frozen pineapple and star fruit reduction to his cooled espresso. He homogenised the drink to mix all ingredients, and lastly added a 12-hour infused cold brew for final tasting notes of cocoa nibs, ripe mango, sweet passionfruit, peach, sugar cane and blackberry sweetness. “Our five senses allow us to experience the world around us and can improve what we enjoy, eat and drink. Let’s stimulate the sense of coffee consumers and elevate the experience of specialty coffee to be more special,” Diego said in his closing statement.

Image credit: Specialty Coffee Association, Luca Rinaldi and Michele Illuzzi.

The WBC finalists with 2021 World Barista Champion Diego Campos of Colombia.

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NEWS

Image credit: Specialty Coffee Association, Luca Rinaldi and Michele Illuzzi.

AUSTRALIA’S CHARLIE CHU WINS WORLD CUP TASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Australia’s Kyoungha “Charlie” Chu has won the World Cup Tasters Championship at Host Milan. The Australian Cup Tasters

Australia’s Charlie Chu is the 2021 World Cup Tasters Champion.

Champion of Ona Coffee scored a perfect 8/8 in the final round to secure his win in a time of three minutes and 20 seconds.

Charlie was ranked in fourth position leading into the Semi Finals round, taking a cautious seven minutes and 44 seconds to accurately guess all 8/8 coffees correctly. But it was Charlie’s accuracy that saw him enter the Final round, thanking team Ona and the Australian and Korean coffee community for their support before taking to the cupping table for the last time. “I am honoured to be here today, I couldn’t be happier,” Charlie said. With Charlie’s perfect 8/8 cups correctly identified in the final round, the Australian Champion became emotional as the moment of realisation kicked in, that he was now a world champion. Germany’s Dénes Rajmond won second place, South Korea’s Sang Min Ju placed fourth, and Costa Rica’s José Maria Gómez Mora placed fourth.

MATT WINTON OF SWITZERLAND WINS WORLD BREWERS CUP

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coffee prices. Chapter three highlighted Carlos’ competition coffee, a washed Geisha that had undergone anaerobic washed processing left in the tank twice for 360 hours, once in full cherry then with the mucilage, to highlight the coffee’s tropical fruit notes. Chapter four celebrated Carlos’ brewing technique of two equal pours of 100 grams of water at 88°C to 14 grams of coffee and bloomed for one minute and 30 seconds for a higher

extraction yield. Carlos invited the judges to write the last chapter of his story together, noting flavour notes of strawberry, red candied apple and hints of hibiscus flower before tasting. “I believe we all play an important part in the industry. My role as a storyteller is to bridge the gap between the producer and end consumer, only raising awareness of real coffee heroes together,” Carlos said in conclusion.

Matt Winton of Switzerland (third from left) is the 2021 World Brewers Cup Champion. Australia’s Carlos Escobar (far left) placed fourth.

Image credit: Specialty Coffee Association, Luca Rinaldi & Michele Illuzzi.

Switzerland’s Matt Winton has won the World Brewers Cup. Daiki Hatakeyama of Japan was runner up and Elika Liftee of the United States won third place. Australia’s Carlos Escobar of Toby’s Estate Coffee placed fourth in his first attempt at the world title, with Ply Pasarj of Canada placing fifth and Tomas Taussig of the Czech Republic placing sixth in the final round. “This is not a one person [win], it’s never about one person,” Matt told the crowd post-win. “It’s about everyone that has helped along the way, from the moment I first started drinking coffee through to my first coffee competition. Thank you to the producers, exporters and importers – everybody, thank you.” Australia’s Carlos Escobar expressed the same sentiment, sharing his fourth placing with Toby’s Estate’s coffee trainer Simon Gautherin back in Sydney. The son of a Colombian coffee farmer, Carlos continued the tradition of storytelling in his routine, sharing the story of his father who was forced to abandon coffee growing and switch to alternate crops. His second chapter talked about agronomist and Founder of Finca El Paraiso Diego Samuel, who is inspiring a whole new generation of coffee farmers with innovative fermentation techniques. Carlos said he had cultivated his own micro organisms and shared them with other farmers to help gain better

BONS OY.COM

STUFF ON THE SCENE

Stuff on the scene

LA RESERVA DE ¡TIERRA! COLOMBIA

La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Colombia contains coffee from the Meta region, where armed conflict interrupted coffee-growing for a long time. Today, the Lavazza Foundation supports more than 100 farming families to restore plantations, improve coffee quality and productivity and create sustainable work conditions. The result is this superior blend of washed Arabica coffee from the Colombian hills of Meta, Antioquia and Huila. Aromatic harmony and a smooth taste are exalted by the typical sweetness, with a refined acidity and rich body. It includes hints of tropical fruits combined with the scent of lime zest, jasmine flowers, and a sweet liqueur aftertaste. The roast is long, delicate and gentle, thanks to the traditional drum method which preserves aromas and guarantees a lingering flavour. For more information, visit www.lavazza.com.au/en_AU.html

MILLWRIGHT HAND GRINDER Precision personified, Criteria Coffee has exclusively introduced the newest in premium hand grinders from the expert craftspeople of Saint Anthony Industries. The Millwright guarantees consistency with dual precision shaft ball bearings retained in aluminium housing – guaranteeing perfect alignment during grinding. The Millwright conical burrs are high-quality Italian made 48-millimetre titanium coated, which deliver excellent coffee texture and mouthfeel, along with clean articulate flavours. The grind setting adjustment precisely locks, helping to determine your setting preference. With the added visual reminder of laser etched numbers on the burr face, particularly helpful when swapping between grind settings. The removable handle engages securely into the shaft making grinding effortless. Coupled with a lightweight aluminium casing in a smooth touch finish. For more information, visit www.criteriacoffee.com

NAKED SYRUPS Australian made, vegan-friendly, natural flavour enthusiast Naked Syrups is bringing an extra flavourful treat to dessert with its brand-new dessert sauces range. Widely used and loved for its beverage powders and flavourings, Naked Syrups has expanded its offering to cover – literally – ice cream, sundaes, frappes, waffles, and shakes. The new dessert sauces range comes in three flavours which are true to taste, offering “an authentic dessert experience that ignites memories and excites tastebuds”: Wild Strawberry, Chocolate, and Salty Caramel. All of the new dessert sauces flavours are gluten-free, with no artificial colours or flavours, and each one is crafted to find the perfect balance between sweetness and natural flavour. Naked Syrups says it is a stickler for taste, working with only the highest quality ingredients to meticulously craft each of the product ranges in single batches, ready to be used across a café menu to design high selling, customer-loving creations no matter the season. For more information, visit www.nakedsyrups.com.au or contact hello@nakedsyrups.com.au or 02 87113660

COLD WOLFF COLD BREW CANS Cold Wolff Cold Brew Cans from Wolff Coffee Roasters have been masterfully crafted for the busy coffee lover who doesn’t want to compromise on quality for a speedy brew. And why should you have to? Using the Wolff coffee people know and love – washed Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Mundo Novo from Chiapas, Mexico – Cold Wolff Cold Brew Cans are locally brewed using UV treated and tripled filter water to produce the perfect combination of fast, flavourful and bold cold brew. Available online as four packs of 330 millilitre cans and Master Cartons with 16 cans. For more information, visit wolffcoffeeroasters.com.au

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ARKADIA CHAI STICKY BLEND Arkadia Chai Sticky Blend is handcrafted and all natural. This wet Chai blend is made from 100 per cent pure Australian native honey and the finest Ceylon loose leaf black tea, combined with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and black pepper to create a truly distinctive taste. Perfect all year round, they can be enjoyed as a warming hot chai latte in the cooler seasons or served as a Sticky Chai cold brew in the warmer months. Available in a one-kilogram bag and now also available in 250-gram café retail packs for customers to purchase from their café and enjoy at home. For more information, contact sales@maltrafoods.com

ARKADIA 250-GRAM DRINKING CHOCOLATE Arkadia Drinking Chocolates are the perfect all-season indulgence. With nine specialty blends crafted for cafés, Arkadia now offers retail take-home packs available for cafés to sell to their customers. Available in six popular blends and packed in 250-gram boxes, it makes the perfect gift for customers to take home this festive season. These all-rounders deliver exceptional results hot or cold, allowing for #arkadiamoments all year round. For more information, contact sales@maltrafoods.com

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CHARACTER. STUNNING ITALIAN DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE MEETS MODERN FINISH.

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LONG WAY TO THE TOP Hugh Kelly of Ona Coffee has a long history in coffee competitions, first competing in and winning the ACT Barista Championship in 2012. He was the Australian Barista Champion in 2016, 2017, and 2020, and placed seventh, fifth, and third in the corresponding World Barista Championships.

Photo credit: Specialty Coffee Association, Luca Rinaldi and Michele Illuzzi.

fsgds

KNOWLEDGE LEADER

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Years in the making Hugh Kelly has achieved third place in the 2021 World Barista Champions, showcasing a new species of coffee and extraction technique that could change the future of specialty coffee.

t had been two and a half years since the last champion was crowned when the 2021 World Barista Championship (WBC) was held in October. But Ona Coffee’s Hugh Kelly had been preparing for the competition even longer. “It was August 7, 2015, when I first visited Julian Holguin at his Finca Inmaculada [coffee farm] in Colombia. Julian took us up to a little house on the mountain in amongst the coffee trees. There was a long wooden table for a cupping session. I remember there was this coffee in the middle of the table, unlike anything I’d tried before,” Hugh told the judges as he began his routine. “As I tasted it, it was unbelievably sweet. It reminded me of Stevia sweetener, which has this clean refined sweetness similar to icing sugar. The second time around the table, this coffee had completely changed. It turned savoury and vegetive, but I knew that sweetness and gentle acidity were the bones for an incredible espresso. So, I had to know more about this coffee and found out it was one of the first nonArabica species that I’d ever tried. It was Coffea eugenioides.” The most recent WBC had been rescheduled many times due to the global pandemic and travel restrictions. It was first meant to occur in Melbourne in 2020, it was later pushed to Athens in June 2021, before being moved to Italy from 22 to 26 October. Speaking to BeanScene ahead of the competition at Host Milano, Hugh says the extra months were not a problem, and just gave him more time to work with his coffees and perfect his routine. “I’ve never been so inspired by a path or direction and this is something that can make a huge difference. When you’re looking at one percenters in coffee making, the things that make tiny differences to taste that we put a big focus on, this is like a 50 percenter. It’s a paradigm shifting change and there are so many opportunities to explore,” he says. “For me, that’s what makes coffee exciting and gets me out of bed in the morning.”

Hugh has a long history in coffee competitions, first competing in and winning the ACT Barista Championship in 2012. He claimed his first national title in 2016, with a back-to-back win in 2017. Hugh reclaimed his title at the 2020 Australian Barista Championship, which was postponed to early 2021 due to COVID-19. On the world stage, Hugh has performed better in each competition, finishing seventh place in 2016, making the final round and coming in fifth in 2017, and achieving a podium finish of third at the 2021 WBC. “In the first one I was still finding my feet and it was a big learning opportunity on being organised and controlled. The second one was a little better, but it was still a bit chaotic and out of control in some key areas. I learnt from that as well,” Hugh says. “Not everyone has been able to travel, so it’s only the essentials that have come along but even that’s been an advantage. When you keep your core team tight and focused it runs like a well-oiled machine.” Hugh was joined in Italy by Ona Coffee Founder and 2015 World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic, Director of Coffee Sam Corra, and coach Pete Williams of the United Kingdom – who also trained 2017 World Barista Champion Dale Harris. Ona Coffee Melbourne’s Charlie Chu also travelled to Italy for the World Cup Tasters Championship, where he took the top spot. Hugh’s past WBC routines focused on making the most out of standard varietals and connecting specialty coffee to consumers. This time highlighting Coffea eugenioides, Hugh says he wanted to emphasise the need to look beyond how we think about coffee. “We haven’t really explored any of what coffee can offer when you look at it. There’s 124 species and we only drink one of them properly, in specialty coffee at least,” he says. “It’s a whole routine on exploration, finding potential, and really opening up the mind to how we can successfully work with this idea and create a new future in coffee.” Hugh first set out to understand why

Eugenioides cooled the way it did and discover a way to preserve those initial fruity flavours for longer. For his espresso coffee, Hugh used compound chilling, a technique developed with the Zurich University of Applied Science to brighten Eugenioides’ flavour profile by running the espresso over frozen metal rocks. “When you have a hot liquid like espresso, it loses those aromatic compounds into the air, but if you chill it immediately, those volatiles don’t get released and remain in the coffee,” Hugh explains. “I chose to rapidly chill the first 12 grams of the espresso, the portion where Eugenioides gives the majority of its fruity volatile compounds. With this method, we measured up to 40 per cent more of some of these compounds. The effect on Eugenioides is like walking into a dark room and turning the lights on.” Hugh described tasting notes of pink guava, pineapple, passionfruit, and Stevia, with a long sweet finish, like the sensation of eating a fresh white grape. While preparing his signature drinks, Hugh detailed the fermentation process behind the Eugenioides. The coffee’s savoury notes come from its microbes in the fermentation process, so he worked with Danish microbiologist Christian Hanson to select a species of naturally occuring non-Saccharomyces yeast that could help its fruity characteristics flourish. The yeast was added to a sealed tank of Eugenioides cherries for six days at 18°C, pushing the fermentation in the direction Hugh wanted. “I remember opening that tank at six days and it smelt unbelievable. It was like pure tropical fruit punch,” Hugh recalled. To highlight the potential of the coffee, Hugh used 90 per cent water and 10 per cent galaxy hops to distil its aromatic compounds without the savoury tannins. He added pineapple syrup, fructose syrup, and nitrous oxide to produce a drink with a taste profile of candied pinnacle, whipped cream texture, white peach, and orange marmalade, with a juicy acidity. For his milk-based beverages, Hugh used milk from Australian dairy supplier Riverina Fresh, a long partner and

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KNOWLEDGE LEADER

supporter of Hugh’s and Ona Coffee’s competition ventures. “We’ve worked with Riverina Fresh for years, in competition and our cafés, and all of our milk-based coffees are designed with their milk in mind,” Hugh says. “But we still blind tested about 60 different milks with the coffee to make sure we were making the best choice possible and it’s reassuring to know that, without even knowing it was them, their milk came out on top every time.” He paired the Eugenioides with another underutilised coffee species in Coffea liberica, to not lose its delicate fruit notes among the fats and sugars of the milk. This resulted in a milk coffee with tasting notes of ripe banana, caramel, whipped cream, fruity dark chocolate, and flambéed brandy. “Liberica has natural intensity – it’s big in flavour profile and is basically designed for fermentation. It has a thicker skin with more sugar, giving microorganisms a lot more food to build flavour in the bean,” Hugh says. “I worked with Jason Liew from My Liberica in Malaysia on this particular lot, and he told me Liberica is a declining industry. We have all overlooked this coffee for such a long time, but after tasting this lot, our chats are

just positives for the future.” Hugh tells BeanScene his work with Eugenioides and Liberica have made him realise just how little the coffee industry actually understands about and experiments with coffee. “Climate change, pests, and diseases are very real threats to coffee, and Arabica could just be wiped out. If you have access to different species, they could be resistant to things like changing temperatures or some can grow with almost no rainfall,” Hugh says. “On [Finca Inmaculada], the Eugenioides trees are healthier and producing higher yields than any of their Arabica varieties.” Hugh says exploring different varieties could change how we approach coffee, not only at origin but in the café as well. “When you get coffee with less harsh acids and bitterness, it opens up techniques with how much milk you use or how you roast your coffee, there’s so many new opportunities to make your coffee different,” Hugh says. “There’s been a lot of pressure in the industry to perform perfectly, as a barista or in terms of equipment, grinders, and machinery. If you’re working with a coffee that’s inherently sweet, rather than inherently bitter or acidic, it gives you a

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lot more leeway in the café, so you don’t have to hit ‘exactly 27 seconds’ for 300 coffees every day.” It could also make specialty coffee more approachable to the end consumer, a topic Hugh says has been at the forefront of the industry since it began. “If you think of different varieties of Arabica as being like red apples and green apples than this coffee is like stone fruits or grapes. It’s going to make it a lot easier for consumers to see the differences between coffees and the uniqueness they can bring,” Hugh says. With the 2022 WBC taking place in Melbourne, Hugh is unsure if he’ll compete again so soon, but either way he looks forward to seeing the coffee world descend on Australia. “Competition drives innovation and it gets people together, talking and collaborating. It’s easy to focus on the negatives, with businesses struggling, climate change, and all these things, but we need to have these things that bring people together and drives changes that move things forward,” Hugh says. “When you think about the number of people positively impacted by coffee competitions on a world scale, it’s mind-blowing.”

ND I MI CR O

Donna’s HayDay

PUBLISHING PHENOMENON Donna Hay is synonymous with accessible recipes and stunning photography. Donna’s simple and style-driven approach is reflected in her 26 awardwinning cookbooks. She has sold more than seven million copies worldwide, with the books translated into 10 languages.

Photography: Chris Court

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CELEBRITY COOK

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Donna Hay is a household name in kitchens across the country. The leading food editor and bestselling cookbook author talks to BeanScene about barista appreciation, the beauty of the European coffee scene, and making history with QR codes.

ike so many Australians who spent months in lockdown, Donna Hay has a newfound appreciation for her local barista. Thanks to the graband-go coffee phenomena that has become part of people’s daily exercise regimes, Donna says baristas have taken on a whole new role throughout the pandemic. “A good barista is worth their weight in gold. People didn’t see their friends in lockdown, but they saw their local barista. Our baristas have been through it all with us. They’ve taken on an unofficial psychologist role, checking in and asking if we’re OK as they hand over our latte,” Donna says. For her, that daily check-in came from local barista Sondra of hole-in-the-wall hot spot Bru Coffee in North Bondi, and Rocco of Rocco’s Café in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse. But much of the time, Donna craves a morning coffee from the Breville Oracle coffee machine sitting in her studio office. “People come to our studio for a meeting just so my colleague Hannah can make them a coffee – she’s very good. She’s also made some cold brew which is perfect to have with a splash of sparkling water in the warmer weather, and iced coffee in the afternoon as the days get longer,” Donna says. “We have a rule in the studio where you don’t count how many coffees you’ve had. It’s a day-by-day scenario and if people tell me I’ve had too much, I say ‘it’s just enough’.” Donna’s fascination with coffee didn’t develop until later in her career when she embarked on her first big trip to Europe. Immediately, she was mesmerised by the way it was celebrated like a scene out of a novel. “I remember thinking how chic the streetside Parisian cafés looked with all these beautiful men and women dressed up having coffee out of little espresso cups with little lumps of sugar in them. Then in Italy, people would be rushing to work but would still take a minute to stand at the bar and have a quick espresso. I was captivated by the style and beauty of it, as well as the aroma,” Donna says.

By Sarah Baker “I wanted to embrace the local culture and coffee drinking was definitely a part of that. After that trip I became obsessed with coffee – the ritual, technique, precision. There’s so much more to coffee than just sitting with beautiful Parisian women and men and chic Italian businessmen in suits in an espresso bar.” Donna says she can confidently find good coffee in most foreign cities she frequents for work, but when it comes to coffee quality, there’s no place like home. Donna’s Upside down Pavlova from One Pan Perfect.

“Coffee is just part of the Australian culture,” Donna says. “For some reason we have found many occasions to enjoy coffee: as a morning routine, straight before work, when we’re on the run, as part of our morning exercise regime, or to connect with friends – there’s so many reasons why we love it.” In Donna’s case, her coffee intake is high as she talks with BeanScene the day after launching her latest cookbook One Pan Perfect, dedicated to all-in-one meals that are easy and bursting with deliciousness. “This cookbook is really timely. We’ve seen a lot of people come to cooking that would have never of joined the tribe of cooking before [lockdown]. We call them the ‘zero to sourdoughers’ because maybe they went from a takeaway home delivery

service to making sourdough. So many people have found a love of cooking and want to continue but the fatigue of cooking in lockdown or when we’re busy means people want to create really simple, tasty meals. One Pan Perfect delivers all that with the ingredients mixing and simmering together in one pan,” Donna explains. “I’m the prime target audience for this book because I have two teenage boys that are always starving after I come home from a full day in the kitchen, so most of the recipes in this book have been tested by simply feeding my boys, including the Tray Tacos which we love.” The other prime audience is Generation Z who, like some of Donna’s colleagues, have admitted to not owning decent cake tins to Donna’s dismay. With them in mind, Donna has created fun recipes like an Upside-down Pavlova so there’s never any accidents in its transportation, and a Skillet Cake that’s baked in the fry pan. In an Australian first, the cookbook features more than 20 QR codes that brings Donna to the kitchen as a personal cooking coach through exclusive video content on set recipes. “We were always looking for ways to bring the books to life and now we have. Users just scan the code with their phone like they do when they ‘check-in’ and they see a video of me showing them tips and tricks. It’s like I’m cooking alongside you as an extra boost of confidence,” Donna says. “It’s really exciting and so easy because everyone knows how to use QR codes now – my mum included.” Donna grew up in a “vegetable forward household”. She credits her mother and grandparents as wonderful gardeners who ensured the family home was well stocked with an abundance of fresh produce. “My mum was ahead of her time. We had an alfalfa sprouter on top of the fridge and she would make many things from scratch, including her own yoghurt,” Donna says. “I grew up with a nice base understanding of healthy food and loved spending time in my grandparent’s garden when I was little. They had a huge vegetable garden with a big strawberry patch, and I would climb up the mulberry tree with a bucket.”

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CELEBRITY COOK

A bit too timid to take on a chef’s apprenticeship, Donna says she instead found a home economics degree at East Sydney College that attracted budding Australian designers. “It was such a creative place to learn. The course was half basic chefs skills with food writer skills and food science thrown in, which I found so fascinating,” Donna says. With few job prospects, Donna committed to breaking into the food writing industry with a motive she still swears by today. “I said to myself, work really, really super hard. Put your head down and go for it. Be the best you can, and that’s what I still do today,” she says. Donna was appointed food editor of Marie Claire when she was 25, at a time she says publishing was “exciting and opulent”. In 2001, she launched Donna Hay magazine, which remains the highestselling food publication on the app store in Australia. “The world was my oyster. I could touch on a classic, update it, create something inspired from your childhood with beautiful produce or go on a whimsical fantasy with an Alice in Wonderland theme,” Donna says. “My rule for each cover [image] was that people had to be able to identify what the

Donna is proud to enthuse the next generation of home cooks, but even more important, she says, will be learning to cook more sustainably. “When I look at food as a whole, it touches on so many climate change issues along [the food supply chain] from the minute a seed is planted to the raising of animals, chemicals used on crops, and how food is transported. There’s a lot of education to be done and a lot of recipes to be re-written to make an environmental shift,” she says. Change doesn’t bother Donna. She’s proven time throughout her career that she’s not afraid to challenge herself, whether that’s by planning Oprah Winfrey’s ‘Welcome to Sydney’ party or sailing in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. But when she’s in the kitchen, Donna is instantly reminded why she fell in love with food in the first place. “It’s like a mad science,” she says. “You can mix things together and it can be magical, it can be a huge disaster, which is also fun, but it’s that creative process that draws me back in day after day after day. I just love it.”

item was pretty quickly – and that it made your mouth water as soon as you looked at it.” Donna’s point of difference has always been the fact that she’s not a trained chef. As such, she’s always written recipes from a home cook point of view, even with the sharp rise in consumers’ advanced skillset, the high volume of cooking equipment they own, and interest in plating thanks to the MasterChef sensation. “My test kitchen only has domestic appliances in it because I know it’s what people are using at home. A chef might think chopping an onion is quick and easy but it may take someone at home 10 minutes. There’s lots of configurations that makes writing for home cooks a little bit different,” Donna says. Also different in 2021 was Donna’s approach to cooking tutorials. Each Thursday at 4:30pm she would host an online kid’s cooking class, which at one point received 12,000 registrations for Taco Thursday and Cook your Parents a Dinner Party class. “Watching kids cook is just hilarious and the messages we got from parents who were fatigued from home schooling saying it was the highlight of their week, was so heartwarming,” she says.

For more information, visit www.donnahay.com.au

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FEATURE NEWS

Coffee’s sea change Specialty coffee doesn’t just belong in the CBDs and innercity suburbs. A new movement is seeing coastal towns and communities become hubs of coffee and culture, and Will & Co is leading the crusade.

ustralia’s vibrant coffee culture has long been associated with the secret alleyways of our bustling cities and side streets of hip inner-city suburbs, but like with many aspects of everyday life, COVID-19 has seen that change dramatically. Cities became ghost towns as commuters began working from home and the suburban café scene flourished. Josh Passaro, Director of Bondi-based coffee roaster Will & Co, says the coastal community has seen a similar boom. “For a long time, coastal towns were viewed as sleepy getaways where you only go for beach holidays, but that’s changed a lot. Many businesses have realised they don’t need to have people work from an office in the city every day,” Josh says. “Over the past 12 to 18 months, we’ve seen a mass migration from the cities to coastal towns. It’s no longer just the older generation heading there to retire, it’s young families, creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs, creating an interesting dynamic and community.” As city dwellers migrate towards the coast, they bring their high expectations of coffee with them. “Coastal cafés definitely have a different vibe compared to those in the city. For a long time, they were viewed as not as progressive and more laid-back. That’s really transformed a lot over the last few years,” Josh says. “The level of coastal coffee, cafés, and hospitality venues has evolved. Bondi and Byron Bay are home to some of coffee’s most influential brands and people, transforming them into mini-creative hubs at the forefront of contemporary culture, and coffee plays a huge role in these communities.” But specialty coffee is nothing new to the coast and has been a part of these town since before the pandemic began. Will & Co has been catering to these communities since 2013, and Josh says like in many cases, COVID-19 has accelerated an existing trend rather than

Will & Co has seen a cultural shift in specialty coffee from the cities to the coast.

created a new one. “Will & Co was founded in the coastal community of Bondi by three mates, and we started off by supplying friends in the local area and collaborating with local artists. Will & Co was built around our local community, our first café was a popup above a surf store in Bondi and the support from locals was overwhelming” he says. “For us, Will & Co is a coastal lifestyle brand, and the special way we connect with the local community it is still a big part of who we are. Many of our café partners are located along the coast and we love working with these types of café owners.”

Josh says among the many people looking for a sea change are café owners and coffee professionals who have seen the success coastal cafés are having and would like to join the movement. “Cafés are the heart of coastal communities, the central point of connection for locals. One thing to be mindful of though, is the clientele are early risers. Everybody loves having their coffee down by the beach post swim or watching the sunrise,” Josh says. “That’s actually what we had that in mind when creating our Will & Co pour overs: having great filter coffee experiences anywhere and anytime, even on remote beaches and early

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FEATURE NEWS

Will & Co’s pour over kits were designed with early morning surf trips in mind.

morning surf trips.” Another tip Josh suggests is to take a different approach when designing and fitting out the café than you would in an urban area, keeping the space nice and open to take advantage of natural light and not get too hot in the summer. “Coastal cafés are more laidback when it comes to design. It’s important to be approachable and inclusive appeal to all demographics in the community. People head to the coast to relax and unwind – so they generally look for the same vibe in a café,” Josh says. “One of the themes we kept front and centre when designing our Bondi flagship was to make it a welcoming space for the community, filled with natural light and large roller doors to let the sea air in.”

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Will & Co opened its Bondi headquarters in late 2019, which Josh says was built with the local community in mind. “It was designed as a hybrid space – part concept store, micro roastery, café, workshop but also a place where locals could host events and talks. Our vision was brought to life by the amazing architectural team Alexander & Co. Operating the café reinforces our belief that coffee is the social fabric of a coastal community,” he explains. “We love that locals can pop their head in on the way to the beach, ask what we’re roasting, then grab a coffee or bag of it on the way back.” The café also provides Will & Co with a direct insight into consumer trends

and what connects with consumers in coastal cafés. While urban cafés have been considered more progressive for a long time, Josh says cold coffee is on area where beachside coffee shops take a clear lead. “Cold brew is a big seller. With the climate and temperature in these types of coastal towns, coming off the beach after two hours in the sun, you might not want a hot coffee, so it’s important for cafés to offer different kinds of beverages,” he says. “What’s really interesting is how the trend carries through not only summer but is consistent over winter as well. Coastal cafés have always done a great job of promoting cold coffee, whether that’s cold brew, interesting iced lattes, or tonics. They’ve also been good at providing healthier or lighter options, like turmeric lattes or health-based food menus.” The small town vibe of coastal communities can also provide an advantage when operating a small business. While less people may flow through the café during the morning rush, Josh says you see the same faces on a regular basis and it’s easy to connect with your regulars. “Locals like to support small businesses and form connections with their baristas. It helps to build really great relationships. I know quite a few coastal café owners that hang out with their customers on weekends,” he says. “Cafés are the heart of the coastal communities and act as central points for connection. You get to know the locals, who love seeing their café owners down on the beach or out and about.” Will & Co helps foster its own connections in the local community through sponsorships in local sporting clubs and swimming groups, as well as organisations like SurfAid, which aims to improve the lives of women and children in remote areas around the world. The roaster is also supporting the coastal coffee movement in particular through a six-part video series celebrating the great cafés bringing coffee to these communities, released in late-2021. “This year has been a pretty big one for us and next year will be even bigger. We’ve got quite a few initiatives we’re looking to kick off and look forward to working with more like-minded café partners on that journey,” Josh says. “I think this cultural shift will only continue, as more and more businesses and brands realise they don’t need people gathering in an office as Australians look for a lifestyle change.” For more information visit www.willandco.com.au

C A L L U S O R V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E TO F I N D O U T M O R E containerconcepts.com.au

Let there be lattes.

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FEATURE NEWS

Coffee in the fast lane

The drive-through coffee market is booming and an end-to-end solution from Container Concepts makes it easy and accessible to enter.

OVID-19 has changed many aspects of the coffee landscape, from the way cafés operate to how customers interact with them. Brett Bolwell, CEO of Barista Technology Australia, says people have grown more used to the speed, simplicity, and convenience of buying products and they expect the same from their coffee. “COVID has shifted the dynamics of how we do things and one of the things that has absolutely boomed during COVID is drive-through coffee. People are time poor and want their coffee quickly. They don’t want to have to find a park, get out and walk to the café, then wait once they’re there. The drivethrough is fast and gives the market what it wants,” Brett says. “I’ve been talking with several major coffee chains and all of their predictions and market feedback says that, for 2022 and beyond, we’re going to continue to see huge growth in drive-through.” Australia is often considered a trailblazer in the specialty coffee arena, but Brett suggests the drive-through is one area where the commercial coffee chains and markets like the United States and Europe are leading the charge. “There’s a big focus on drive-through in the United States and Europe. Two massive American coffee chains, Dutch Bros and Caribou Coffee, have registered for initial public offerings on the stock exchange thanks to the growth of their businesses,” Brett says. “Here in Australia, if you look at McDonald’s, Zaraffa’s, or any of the other leading coffee brands, you’ll see considerable volumes going out the drive-through window. At McDonald’s, drive-through accounts for 85 per cent of their coffee business – in some stores it’s more than 90 per cent. They’re even developing new concepts with a second or third additional drive-through lane to

The Australian drive-through market is predicted to grow in 2022.

cater for the growth.” Many of the businesses interested in the drive-through market are also looking towards pop-up or mobile café solutions, like modified shipping containers, to take advantage of the flexibility and scalability they offer. Brett says Barista Technology Australia was experiencing such high demand for its shipping container café fit-outs that it became necessary to launch them under their own brand umbrella, Container Concepts. “We built Container Concepts based on key conversations we’ve had with global quick service restaurants who laid out their big drive-through plans for the next two to three years, as well as independent business owners looking to enter the market,” he says.

“We knew we needed to put this service together properly and spent the last 18 months building the brand, finding the right partners, and getting the designs right. We’re able to offer an end-to-end solution, with a complete in-house design service, compliance and certification testing, equipment fit-out and advice, training if required, and even offer assistance in finding sites.” Barista Technology found building partners across Australia, from its home state of Queensland to New South Wales and as far as South and Western Australia. Victoria is the most recent state Container Concepts has extended its services to with Melbourne emerging from lockdown in late October. A shipping container café can be set up practically anywhere, alongside

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FEATURE NEWS

easy-to-install drive-through point of sale and ordering systems. A business could even utilise several shipping containers to expand their offering. Brett says one of the advantages of working with Container Concepts for a drive-through concept is that it can custom build the coffee shop to meet the customer’s wishes. “People might want a particularly style of drive-through, maybe with an additional shipping container for in-house or rooftop dining or dual lane capacity, and we can make pretty much any configuration work,” he says. “One of the most practical elements of the shipping container model is that it’s easily upgradeable. You can begin with something small, like a single 20-foot container, then as you start selling more than 400 to 500 coffees per day, you can simply add a second unit to take your capacity to more than 1000 per day. In a traditional café setting, it’s just not possible to physically grow your business in the same way because of all the costs, rebuilds, and compliances you have to go through.” Across the board, Brett says the shipping container café offers reduced costs and higher returns compared to conventional coffee shops, drive-throughs, and restaurants. “At the end of the day, the coffee industry is about making money, and

Shipping container cafés offer reduced costs and higher returns compared to conventional coffee shops.

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cafés are notoriously difficult to turn a profit because of high rental costs. If you find a good location in a carpark or main road facing area on private property, you can negotiate a short-term lease for a quarter the price of a typical rental space,” Brett says. “Unlike investing in a rental space, you’re not nailed down. You can test the waters of that location and if it works, build a business there. But if the spot isn’t right, you can pick up and move somewhere else.” Container Concepts also offers a faster speed to market, meaning business owners earn an earlier profit as well as a larger one compared to a brick-andmortar store. “For a typical drive-through store you’re investing at least $750,000 and one to two years of planning to get things underway,” Brett explains. “We can work together with the customer to pick a design, then we’ll handle compliances, fixtures, and fitting, and have a completed unit ready for them to use within 12 to 14 weeks, which is really amazing when you think about it.” While it’s the larger coffee chains that are leading the drive-through trend, Brett says this speed to market makes it a great solution for new business owners looking to get started in the coffee industry. It is then easy to either expand the current

site or open new locations as the business grows. “The bottom line is you’ve got a faster return on investment, so you’re going to make money much quicker,” Brett says. “We’ve partnered with Buddy Capital and a few other companies to finance these container cafés, so people can source a full end-to-end solution with the equipment they need, from coffee and bar to soft serve and drive-through ordering.” He adds the ability to set up a shipping container café in a high visibility and traffic area for a low cost is appealing to specialty coffee roasters and businesses looking to increase their exposure and brand recognition. “Businesses are looking for a more profitable and scalable solution than what was available in the past. Traditional retails spaces were hit hard by COVID and have been slow to recover. At the same time, our buying habits have changed and we want things faster, but we still don’t want to compromise on the quality for that,” Brett says. “When you combine the low costs, high capacity, and opportunity for growth in drive-through and container ship cafés, you’ve got all the factors of a successful coffee business.” For more information, visit baristatechnology.com.au

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

A new spin on grinding The high-precision etzMax grinder introduces grind-by-weight technology among a host of new features for conical burr grinders.

onical versus flat burrs is an age-old argument when it comes to coffee grinding. Until recently, however, only those on ‘team flat’ have had access to grind-byweight technology, bringing a new level of consistency to coffee grinding. Liechtenstein manufacturer Etzinger is looking to rebalance the debate with its etzMax conical burr grinders, available exclusively in Australia and New Zealand through Barista Group. “This is not your average grinder. It really is different to any other model, from the high-precision conical burrs to how it is built,” says Joe Chalhoub, General Manager of Barista Group. “It has a modular system, so if there’s any type of issue, within five minutes you can open it up, replace the part, and get

back to work. Cleaning is super simple and easy too because there aren’t six or seven components you have to unscrew and reattach. It only takes seconds to take it apart by the rotation burr mount and run the brush through to clean it.” The etzMax was designed by Christian Etzinger, who has applied his background as an aeronautical engineer to develop the high-precision burrs used in several well-known grinders. “It’s also unique how Etzinger manufactures its own burrs, which it has been doing for a long time,” Joe says. “The conical high-precision burrs are all about grinding while assuring maximum quality without wasting time or beans through low retention.” Etzinger’s etzJet grinding mechanism puts a new spin on the classic conical burr setup. The cone burr remains static

in the centre while the motor-powered ring burrs rotate around it, rather than the other way around, ensuring coffee grounds fall axially out of the grinder and into the portafilter. The cone burr connects directly to two adjustment rings, providing a fine degree of control over grind size. The macro ring features 16 steps of 0.1-millimetre tuning increments, while a second micro ring offers 10 additional demarcations of 0.01 millimetres for stepless fine tuning. Joe says etzJet is fast, precise, easily adjustable, and requires less cool down time than with typical AC motors. “The temperature inside the grinder affects the beans and the quality and consistency coming out. With etzJet, that’s just one less thing the barista has to worry about while

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

making coffee,” Joe says. The etzMax is available in three models either in grind-by-time or grindby-weight formats, with the latter using an Acaia-designed load cell sensor. EtzMax-light is a low-volume ondemand grinder recommend for home use or as a precise single origin or decaf grinder pulling up to 50 shots per day. The low retention and volume of the etzMax-light makes it ideal for single dosing, ensuring the coffee remains fresh even if used at home. Its burrs can also be easily swapped out for a set designed for filter coffee. “I’ve been using the grinder for my own coffee and for our experiments at Socratic Coffee for five years now. The etzMax was a little ahead of its time when it first came out, but the market had matured enough to see the value it has to offer,” Joe says. “Even home baristas are looking for high-precision coffee grinders. The single dose market has exploded, because even at home, people want that level of accuracy for brewing coffee.” The etzMax-M, which stands for “medium” has a slightly higher capacity at 15 kilograms per week, which Joe says is ideal for cafés regularly serving single origin or decaf coffees throughout the day. The etzMax-plus is a higher volume grinder at a recommend 40 kilograms per week capacity. The modular design allows for a special cooling system to

Barista Group is the exclusive distributor of the etzMax grinder in Australia.

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The etz-I hand grinder offers the same precision as the larger etzMax.

help it maintain low temperatures during rush hour. “We introduced the etzMax because we really wanted to offer grind-by-weight technology in a conical grinder. Our industry has advanced to the point that weighing your shots is the standard, and if you’re not willing to measure every dose you better have a grinder that does

it for you,” Joe says. The modular design of the etzMax even makes it possible to upgrade the grinder as business and demand grows. EtzMax fits nicely in Barista Group’s portfolio, complementing the flat-burr and higher capacity Markibar Izaga coffee grinder. “Whether you go flat or conical really comes down to preference and each has its own advantages. Flat burrs typically give you a more even grind distribution and higher clarity, while with conical, you get these explosive shots full of body and flavour, but they’re known to be less consistent with higher retention. The precision you see with etzMax really removes these problems,” Joe explains. “We’ve been talking with Etzinger for the past five years and every time they have a new product, they’ve sent it to us for evaluation. Our feedback is very important to them and it’s been great to watch the testing, results, and upgrades to the grinder.” Etzinger has also developed a manual hand grinder called the etz-I, offering the same precision seen in its electronic models in a smaller package. Barista Group will distribute the etz-I through its new domestic and filter coffee focused branch Brew & Berry. “As Barista Group has grown in Australia and New Zealand, we’ve taken on more innovative products that help to improve workflow and consistency in the café. We’re also receiving more enquiries for brewing equipment from the home market and want to meet that demand without changing the types of products Barista Group is known for,” Joe says. With a prospective launch date of 2 February 2022, Brew & Berry will offer high-quality barista tools from the likes of The Force Tamper, SSP burrs, and Titus Grinding, as well as the Steadfast brewing vessel. “The pandemic changed the whole coffee climate. People aren’t just making coffee at home, they’re spending more time online and on social media, and want to learn and delve into stuff like coffee,” Joe says. “If you look at the offerings from roasters across Australia, you can see the focus is more and more on filter coffee, and for the average user, learning to brew it at home is a much smaller investment than in a good grinder and espresso machine. Compared to when we started five or six years ago, there’s so much more demand from that market and I don’t see it slowing down.” For more information, visit www.baristagroup.com.au

INDUSTRY PROFILE

Baring it all Adrian Duquilla of Instagram account The Naked Barista talks about the rise of his social media presence and why he chooses Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend every time.

s the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens, and when many cafés were forced to close their doors to dine-in customers at the beginning of 2020 when COVID-19 arrived in Australia, a new door opened for Adrian Duquilla. “I’ve always had a passion for coffee and before COVID-19 hit, I would buy a cup every day from either my local café near home or my local work café in the city,” says Adrian. “It wasn’t until the lockdown — when I didn’t have access to either cafés — that I decided to try my hand at making coffee and buy my first coffee machine. The first one was a Rancilio Silvia V5.” Adrian started to document his coffee journey on Instagram. His initial posts focused on growing his coffee making skills, but the idea quickly evolved, and in May 2020, he launched coffee-focused Instagram account The Naked Barista. Unlike the name suggests, the page features no nudity, but rather aesthetic and informative coffee content from videos featuring brewing techniques and latte art to how-to’s with coffee gadgets and equipment. “The name was inspired by my favourite café in the city, and I thought it would generate a lot of attention, which has seemed to work because within the first three months the page just blew up,” says Adrian. The account, which now has more than 38,700 followers, is known for its high-quality video and photography content. Adrian believes what resonates with so many people is the clear tutorials designed for home baristas like himself. “I learned through asking people online and definitely pestered many of the Instagram accounts that I follow. I was so overwhelmed with how friendly the global coffee community is,” says Adrian. “I even had one person in the United

States who agreed to jump on a video call with me and walk me through some new latte art skills. It’s a good thing I have a big family to drink all the coffee I was producing during my learning days.” It was also through his Instagram page that Adrian was introduced to plantbased milk brand Califia Farms and its Oat Barista Blend. “I’d honestly never heard of oat milk before. When I had ordered alternative milk, it always used to be soy milk, so when Califia Farms reached out to me last year, I was very intrigued,” Adrian says. “The first time I used Califia Farms’ Oat Milk product, I was blown away because of how the oat milk textures. It stretches and foams like full-cream milk does, and when I posted a picture of the results online, I received a huge amount of positive feedback.” For Adrian, it’s also the consistency of quality. “Every time I froth the milk there’s no change in the end result because of

the high-quality oats Califia Farms uses,” he says. With a longer shelf life than dairy milk, Califia’s oat milk has no added sugar or GMO, and is vegan and kosher friendly. It was developed based on the everyday barista’s needs, including how well the milk textured to produce latte art. Adrian advises frothing Califia’s oat milk between 60°C to 65°C to create the optimum flavour and temperature for drinking. “I am also careful not to inject large chunks of air at once, and to keep the jug as still as possible to get a consistent whirling motion,” Adrian says. Another benefit of using Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend is its high resistance to splitting from the espresso. “This often occurs if the coffee is a light to medium roast. When it does, alternative milks can sometimes ‘break’ the crema,” says Adrian. “This means it will separate from the golden foam layer that lies on top of an

Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend is non-GMO, has no added sugar and is vegan and kosher friendly.

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“I DEFINITELY THINK OAT MILK’S POPULARITY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, WITH MORE PEOPLE REALISING HOW DELICIOUS AND CREAMY IT IS. I’VE ALREADY CONVERTED TWO-THIRDS OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS INTO BECOMING OAT MILK DRINKERS.” “I’ve already converted two-thirds of my family and friends into becoming oat milk drinkers.” With The Naked Barista Instagram account now well and truly established with a loyal following, Adrian is excited to take the next step in his coffee career and open his own café in 2022. “Until now I’ve been filming these videos in my renovated kitchen, and with The Naked Barista café

I’ll have more space for equipment and more skills to share, both online and in-person,” he says. “I’ve loved working with Califia Farms and having them with me on my Instagram journey. I can’t wait to convert more people to die-hard oat milk fans through my new café space.” For more information, visit www.califiafarms.com.au

Adrian Duquilla was introduced to Califia Farms through his Instagram account The Naked Barista.

espresso shot and results in poor latte art. This is because of the coffee’s acidity. However, with Califia’s oat milk it just glides on top and mixes smoothly.” With cold coffee beverages also surging in popularity, Adrian says the creaminess of Oat Barista Blend also makes it ideal for iced coffees. “My favourite recipe for an Iced Oat Milk Latte is a shot of espresso, 250 millilitres of Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend, and half a cup of ice,” Adrian says. “Alternatively, for a Matcha Oat Milk Latte, I’d recommend two-thirds a teaspoon of matcha powder dissolved in a bit of water with 250 millilitres of Oat Barista Blend, and half a cup of ice.” Adrian says oat milk has completely “changed the alternative milk market” because of its neutral flavour which complements coffee best. As such, he sees no sign its growth trajectory is slowing. “I definitely think oat milk’s popularity will continue to grow, with more people realising how delicious and creamy it is,” Adrian says.

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Califia Farms’ Oat Barista Blend has a high resistance to splitting from the espresso.

MISSION AGAINST EMISSIONS Single O sources coffees from all over the world, but when it came to the perfect oat milk to serve in its own cafés and recommend to customers, the answer was right on its doorstep.

from across the company, with people who already drank plantbased milks as well as traditional dairy drinkers to cast a wider net, and landed on The Alternative Dairy Co,” Tobias says.

“We’re not saints - there’s currently no way to avoid accruing thousands of shipping miles to get our coffees here. So, when you’ve got a quality product on your doorstep, it’s a way we can support local. We were looking for an oat milk provider that used a higher quantity of locally sourced ingredients, and from a supply chain perspective, with less emissions or ‘food miles’ that went into transporting the products. The Alternative Dairy Co came out on top,” says Tobias Aubrey-Poiner, Head Trainer at Single O.

“They’ve clearly spent a lot of time creating a product that is barista focused. It steams up, pours, and performs just like dairy. Most experienced baristas should be able to handle any dairy alternative, but that usability is crucial for those just starting out.”

“They’re just up the road on the Central Coast, so The Alternative Dairy is fairly local to us too. It means we can easily get on the phone or visit their production facility. That’s why we looked so closely at The Alternative Dairy Co initially and it was backed up by its quality and approach to sustainability.” Single O achieved carbon neutral status in April 2021, this involved an assessment of all the company’s emissions across the supply chain. The roaster then reduced what it could and offset the rest through investments in tree planting & ecosystem regeneration projects, via Green Fleet. This process encouraged the Surry Hills roaster to look closer at the products it’s using too. “We started offsetting our emissions by contributing to carbon capture projects but that wasn’t enough for us. We’re on a ‘Mission Against Emissions’. Climate change is threatening the future of specialty coffee; We’ve been highlighting this with our No Death to Coffee campaign, and as part of that, must continue to reduce our impact across the whole supply chain,” Tobias says. “The industry has a good understanding of the emissions it produces when it comes to the coffee, but when you look at dairy and dairy alternatives, and think about the high percentage of customers drinking milk-based coffees, it becomes a bit of an oversight. Moving to a locally produced oat milk was a no brainer.”

Finding and serving high-quality dairy alternatives has become increasingly important as more coffee drinkers turn to plant-based milks for their morning brew. “People are shifting from dairy to alternative milks and the demand is going up every week. It’s driven by a few things, but mainly it’s people being more diet conscious and environmentally aware,” Tobias says. “As a trainer, I’m on the ground a lot or out in customers’ cafés and am seeing oat milk open up plant-based milks as an option to more people who traditionally drink dairy. It’s a little bit more neutral tasting than previous options and that’s helping people make the change, which I’m witnessing across our wholesale network, even regionally.” Moving into 2022, Single O will continue to reduce its carbon footprint and The Alternative Dairy Co will play a part in that. “With New South Wales opening back up, we’ll be doing more events. Latte art competitions are always fun, but in the back of my mind is how wasteful they are with the amount of milk poured down the drain, which is lessened if you’re using an oat milk with a smaller footprint to begin with,” Tobias says. “With The Alternative Dairy Co so nearby, I’m excited to be able to work a lot more closely with them in 2022.”

Not only did The Alternative Dairy Co Barista Oat Milk perform best in terms of sustainability, Single O taste tested 12 different oat milks with all four of its blends – Reservoir, Killerbee, Paradox, and Yeehah! – and whilst there was some tough competition, it was the most consistent performer. “When it came down to it, we had to base our decision on the quality of the oat milk. We held over 70 blind testings with people

IN CAFÉ

altdairyco.com | singleo.com.au

FIRST CRACK

The Picopresso Wacaco’s third generation of portable espresso machines, the Picopresso, is raising the standard for espresso shots everywhere.

n less than a decade, the concept of portable espresso machines has completely changed. When Hugo Cailleton, Co-founder of transportable espresso machine manufacturer Wacaco, founded the brand in 2013, he says there were almost no options on the market. “I was working for a factory producing capsule espresso machines in China and because I was drinking a lot of capsule coffees at the time, I realised there weren’t many options for portable capsule espresso machines,” says Hugo. After several prototypes, Hugo hit the jackpot: a device with a hand-pumping function that could force water from a water chamber through the coffee grinds, thereby creating the perfect espresso. It was here the first Wacaco machine was created with the brand bringing the Minipresso to market in 2014. This was followed by the Nanopresso in 2017 and its latest model, the Picopresso, in 2021. While the Minipresso and Nanopresso are both compatible with ground coffee, Nespresso-compatible and Caffitaly pods, the Picopresso is designed specifically for ground coffee, making what Hugo describes as the most

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compact, “true baristastyle”, portable espresso machine. Curtis Arnold, Founder of Coffee Tools Supply and exclusive Australian distributor of Wacaco says this latest model is also the smallest size yet – fitting in the palm of the barista’s hand – and comes at an affordable price point while delivering high-quality double espresso shots. “Like the previous models, the Picopresso is mostly made of plastic, except for a 52-millimetre steel filter basket which can fit 18 grams of ground coffee,” says Curtis. “This makes it light and durable, and with this basket width, the coffee bed is similar in proportion to a regular espresso machine.” Hugo explains that this change in basket dimensions means a better brewing extraction, with water flowing more evenly over the puck, producing more depth of flavour. This allows the Picopresso to produce a double shot

The Picopresso is Wacaco’s smallest portable espresso machine.

of espresso that tastes as if it has been produced on a traditional, full-sized espresso machine. Weighing just 350 grams, the Picopresso comes with a steel portafilter and tamper, dosing ring, distribution tool, cleaning brush, and foldable dosing cup. Two additional rubber discs are included, which can be placed over the naked portafilter to funnel the espresso into a stream or used to catch drips postespresso making. “It also has an improved pumping function, so it requires less force, and gives the option for a naked portafilter which allows users to see the golden crema being pushed into the glass,” says Curtis. “This all comes packaged in a sturdy Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) hard case.” To make an espresso, the ground coffee is placed in the filter basket with a dosing ring. Users then swirl the provided distribution tool through the grinds to break up any clumps, before tamping and placing the shower screen on top. This is then screwed to the body of the Picopresso. The water chamber holds up to 90 millilitres of water. Once filled, the hand pump is used to push the water through the coffee grinds. While Hugo says the idea of a

portable coffee machine may be associated with quick and lower quality espresso shots, the Picopresso is changing this perception. “It is a barista-style portable espresso machine, which requires each barista to manually grind the coffee at a precise particle size, which in some cases, will require a good grinder,” says Hugo. “There are no shortcuts, and users will need to learn the precise tamping and pulling technique. It’s targeted at true coffee lovers who love the process of making coffee, and now, can do so on the go.” In 2022, Wacaco is set to release a matching grinder and scale to accompany the Picopresso. Other new inventions include the Cuppamoka, which is a portable pour-over, and a range of travel mugs. “Being there since day one as a distributor partner], it’s been amazing to see Wacaco expand and come into its own,” says Curtis. “I’m looking forward to seeing what else the team will create, and to see the Picopresso take off as people get back into their busy lives.” For more information, visit www.coffeetools.supply

Wacaco’s portable espresso machines function through a hand pumping motion.

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KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD L OV E D I N YO U R B U S I N E S S

The We Proudly Serve Starbucks™ programme offers your customers the unique taste of Starbucks premium beverages made with the same high quality 100% arabica beans you’ll find in Starbucks stores. Our range of barista-served, self-serve and brewed solutions focus on dayparts to drive footfall and increase visit frequency. An extensive range of coffeehouse favourites will bring a refreshing new offer to your customers.

For more information on how We Proudly Serve Starbucks™ can support your hot beverages offer please contact: Tel: 1800 20 30 50 Email: WPSStarbucks.ContactUs@au.nestle.com Web: www.nestleprofessional.com.au STARBUCKS and the Starbucks logo are used under license by Nestlé. © 2021 Starbucks Corporation.

INDUSTRY PROFILE

Down to a tea

Origin Tea maintains a leading position in the Australian tea market thanks to a focus on connections with plantations, innovation, and meeting the needs of its café customers.

any coffee and tea businesses say that supporting origin is at the heart of what they do, but for few it is as literal as Origin Tea. “We’re one of only a few tea companies in Australia who actually have their own operations at the source and direct relationships with plantations,” says Chris Seaton, Director of Origin Tea. “Our journey and experience in the tea industry actually began in origin. Our family owned tea plantations in Sri Lanka and we founded Origin Tea at home in Australia to add value to those farms.” Chris co-founded the family-owned Origin Tea with his brother Lawrence in 2012, seeing a gap in the market for a tea supplier with such strong ties abroad. “There wasn’t really a good brand out there that was able to provide traceability of where their teas come from, especially from a single origin like Sri Lanka,” Lawrence says. “A lot of teas are a blend of different

origins, so our focus on traceability and full control really sets us apart.” Origin Tea continues to source its tea from the family’s farms and other nearby affiliated plantations in Sri Lanka. All its tea from Sri Lanka bears the Lion Logo of Ceylon tea, a brand awarded to teas that meet the high quality standards set by the Sri Lanka Tea Board. Chris says people often don’t realise the diversity and quality that teas can offer. “There’s thousands of different grades of tea available worldwide and grading the different qualities of tea is just remarkable,” Chris says. “It can be challenging when someone thinks of tea as English Breakfast and that’s it. But we have a few champion cafés in our portfolio that demonstrate how if you really embrace tea, you can see the difference in style and performance when you’re willing to try something different.” Operating several cafés himself, Lawrence adds there are financial benefits to promoting a diverse tea offering.

“Many café owners don’t realise the profitability of tea compared to other beverages on the menu. To make a cup of tea using a teabag only costs 28 cents, and that can be sold on to a customer for about $4.50,” Lawrence explains. Origin Tea also works with many coffee roasters, who supply its tea on to their wholesale partners. Chris says stocking products like tea and chai, or even chocolate powders and alternative milks, allows a roaster to act as a one-stop shop for its café customers. “Australians consume a lot of caffeine every day, and consumers are becoming wary of that. Later on in the afternoon especially, they might look for alternatives to coffee with less caffeine, and tea is perfect for the late day pick-me-up,” he says. However, despite Origin Tea’s success over the past decade, Lawrence says the traditional black and green tea market is in decline, and that is why Origin Tea focuses on innovation to remain a leading tea

Origin Tea has released a series of Iced Tea syrups designed to meet the needs of cafés.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

From left: Origin Tea’s Ash Griffis and Lawrence Seaton, QLD Trade and Investment Minister Cameron Dick, and Origin Tea’s Chris Seaton, during a visit to discuss the company’s expansion plans in Australia.

brand in Australia. “Innovation is really needed in the tea space. While there’s a decline in traditional tea, the market for unique or interesting teas and products is growing. We’re seeing increasing demand for our sticky chai, elixirs, and other natural products,” Lawrence says. With all these product innovations, Origin Tea tries to maintain its connection to Sri Lanka. For instance, all the ingredients in its sticky chai are sourced from the country, using coconut nectar instead of honey to ensure the recipe is vegan and accessible. “Tea is such a unique product. Creating a new tea is like cooking in a commercial kitchen. You’ve got a whole lot of different ingredients available that you can really innovate with,” Lawrence says. “Our herbal Forest Berry tea, for example, includes hibiscus, apple, strawberry, and orange, just to name a few ingredients. There’s a lot you can do with tea, and we’re always looking to bring new products to market.” Origin Tea’s latest innovation for the café market is its Iced Tea Syrup range, making it quick and easy for a café to produce delicious iced tea drinks. “We’ve been working with café owners for nine years now, and feedback we receive from many of them is it’s a fastpaced environment and they find it difficult to brew large amounts of tea then clean up afterwards,” Chris says. “With the Iced Tea Syrup, we’ve brewed the tea for them and put it in a bottle. To make an iced tea on a hot summer day, the café just needs to add ice and water or soda water, stir it, and out the door the customer goes.” The Iced Tea Syrup range was released following a successful trial in summer 2020 which saw the syrups quickly sell out. Lawrence says the wide release for 2021 summer has received an even better response. “It’s been amazing. Our top four

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comments from customers have been that it’s just so easy to use, tastes natural, that it’s low in sugar compared to other iced teas in the marketplace, and the biggest thing is that it only takes 15 seconds to make, which is great for takeaway revenue,” Lawrence says. “Each bottle contains enough syrup for 38 iced teas, with a cost per serve of 80 cents, which if you’re onselling for $5.50 or $6 makes it a hugely profitable product for many cafés.” The Iced Tea Syrups come in four flavours: Sneaky Peach, Lemon Zest, Mango Magic, and Tropical Kiss, adding many additions to a café’s menu going beyond just iced tea. “We got together with different bartenders from all around Australia to create different recipes for cocktails and mocktails using the Iced Tea Syrups that we can share with cafés to add to their menus,” Chris says. “One of the great things about iced tea or another beverage you can make with it, is that it’s competing with bottled iced teas and other beverages in the supermarket fridge, not the other drinks you serve in a

café, so adding iced tea to the menu won’t eat into the sales of other items.” With the majority of iced tea currently consumed in single-use plastic bottles, Chris adds that transitioning to serving syrupbased options could have a huge impact on the amount of waste leaving the café. “We aim to make sure our packaging and all of the material we’re using is as close to 100 per cent sustainably sourced as possible. All of our tea bags are biodegradable and we’re looking at making all our packaging part of the RedCycle recycling program,” Chris says. “We’ll also continue to look at international trends and the markets overseas for new products to create even more excitement around tea.” Lawrence says the café industry can expect even more new projects from Origin Tea in 2022, and like the Iced Tea Syrups, will continue to have their needs in mind. “We’re very proud of our customer service and relationships with the businesses that serve our tea. A lot of our product innovations are based on discussions with our customers, taking their feedback onboard, and taking that to the R&D team,” Lawrence says. “That way, we know we’re developing something that suits the environment and can continue to be leaders in tea innovation.” For more information, visit origintea.com.au

Chris and Lawrence Seaton founded Origin Tea to add value to their family’s tea plantations in Sri Lanka.

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MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE EXPO 27 - 30 SEPTEMBER 2022 MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE WWW.INTERNATIONALCOFFEEEXPO.COM

Host of the 2022 World Coffee Championships

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

A cleaner for all

Cafetto shares the process it underwent to achieve Halal certification and why this accreditation is important for the brand’s global growth.

or many consumers, certifications are not only a sign of product quality but representative of brand excellence. This holds true for coffee cleaning manufacturer Cafetto, who recently achieved its Halal certification from the

Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia Inc (SICHMA), a Halal certification recognised on a global level. SICHMA is a not-for-profit with the goal to promote halal food and the institution of halal, having founded the Australian Halal Certifiers Alliance and the World Halal Food Council.

“We wanted to adequately respond to the needs of the Muslim community and offer products that are compliant with Halal Standards in many countries,” says Christine Song, General Manager of Cafetto. Several religious and governmental organisations have also recognised and endorsed SICHMA across countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand, alongside bodies such as the Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology and the Gulf Corporation Councils Accreditation Centre. Cafetto now has 20 products that comply with internationally recognised Halal standards. These include Cafetto’s: Traditional Espresso Cleaners: EVO, Espresso Clean, and Tevo Mini Tablet. Automatic Espresso Cleaners: E29 Tablet, N10 Tablet, S15 Tablet, T32 Tablet, and T60 Tablet. Milk Cleaners: MFC Blue, MFC Green, MFC Red, MFC Tabs Blue, MFC Tabs White 4.0, and T90 Tablet. Descalers: LOD Green, Organic Descaler, Renew Descaler, and Restore Descaler. Machine and Equipment Cleaners: Clean Bean Tablet and Grinder Clean.

Cafetto received its Halal certification from the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia Inc.

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“The first step Cafetto underwent was to apply and fulfil its raw material checklist, which captures everything that goes into its materials and packaging,” says Ahmed Ibrahim Alzoubi, SICHMA’s Technical and Quality Assurance Manager. “Our technical team composed of two technologists, two microbiologists, chemical engineers, and packaging specialists reviewed each aspect, upholding the highest international Halal standards, in line with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).” As a globally accredited practice, the ISO covers international standards and guidelines for certifying bodies, ensuring principles such as integrity, impartiality, and confidentially are upheld.

Cafetto now has 20 products that comply with internationally recognised Halal standards.

“All our technicians have done excessive training in these global Halal Certification standards and have an expansive knowledge of chemistry from studying at Australian universities,” says Ahmed. “After this, we then conducted an on-site audit of Cafetto’s factory which covered both Halal specifications and ensured the company was operating with high levels of food safety and quality.” The scope of the Halal certification inspection covered documentation, auditing of raw materials, processing, handling, distribution of products, clean and safe equipment use, operational cleanliness, food safety, packaging, and more, ensuring complete quality across Cafetto’s products. Once completed and approved, SICHMA passed its findings to another committee, consisting of Sharia experts, or individuals who studied Islam law, and food science and technology specialists. This committee then independently assessed and approved Cafetto’s accreditation. “Cafetto now has a Halal policy, much like a quality policy, which ensures management protects the Halal integrity and reflects the brand’s commitment to the certification,” says Ahmed. “[Cafetto] is a unique client as it is the first time SICHMA has certified cleaning products for coffee machines, and I predict this will open them to many new markets.” The Halal accreditation joins Cafetto’s portfolio of environmental and food safety certifications, with the brand saying it is proud to be certified by globally recognised independent industry bodies. “Today, many customers have high awareness regarding the ingredients of the cleaning and sanitation products they use, and we see the importance of this aspect continuously increasing,” says Christine. “We predict the global market of Halal-compliant products is expected to grow in the upcoming years significantly.” For more information, visit www.cafetto.com

WATER WORKS

John Colangeli is the Founder of Coffee Machine Technologies

Coffee’s best friend Coffee Machine Technologies Founder John Colangeli on the growing need for water filtration as water quality drops and machine technology and cost of repairs rise.

e have several elements that are necessary to create the perfect espresso, the “foundation” of all espresso machine-based beverages. But without one element you can’t build a solid foundation, this element is quality water. Increased awareness of good coffee is water filtration and now more important than ever. If we have water that is altered in taste by any means, how does the café expect to achieve the highest standard for service and taste? Not too many years ago, the market was very unsophisticated when it came to water filtration. It was just “another expense” and water filtration wasn’t considered necessary to a café. Many cafés were using basic sediment control filters or overseas sand filters, which softened the already soft Melbourne water. Around the same time, at Coffee Machine Technologies (CMT) we were starting to see an increase in scale build up in coffee machines. Inadequate water filtration can lead to product failure. Most coffee machines will suffer breakdowns within the heating circuit or the water hydraulic circuit when scale forms. Without good filtration, a grain of salt or dirt can block the internal passages or the restrictors in the group heads, which ultimately results in a loss of water flow. Block the flow then everything behind it works harder as a result, again leading to component or machine failure. The water filtration options we had available weren’t in line with modern water technology and didn’t meet the needs of cafés, so we needed to move ahead to improve the coffee machines longevity.

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Coffee Machine Technologies Tech Bar/Viper Steamer creates quality silky textured milk.

BRITA was also looking to develop an Australia-wide water filter dealer network and identified CMT as among the largest independent service companies in Melbourne (our consumption of filters per week was the same quantity that a coffee company would order in six months!) BRITA was able to provide a quality yet economical solution for us and our growing CMT client base. The introduction of the BRITA C150 allowed us to blend the already soft water, but still use the high properties of sediment and carbon control all housed in the one filter. BRITA and CMT also developed the BRITA C50 to work particularly well in areas with soft water, and for most innercity cafés, that was more than enough to control scale build up and eliminate external taste from the water. Our clients saw the immediate economic benefit in terms of service and maintenance. As time progressed, they

also started to see water as one of the critical elements to produce the perfect espresso, the foundation of all espresso beverages. A common misconception I hear is that “our water is good, so why do I spend this money to filter it?” Back in the day, our data and sales showed us that the water filter was only really needed to remove sediment and for taste control. But as the technology and our taste for coffee have improved, the machines have become more sophisticated, and the water quality has reduced as water table levels drop. The water filter as we know it today needs to work harder to ensure the best taste and the best protection for the equipment. If we were to not evolve water filter technology, then our current day machines would suffer far more breakdowns and higher operating costs. CMT’s Viper Steamer and TechBar are fine examples of the high-end technology now available in the coffee

Good filtration allows the machine or steamer to provide the best quality of steam.

market, able to deliver quality steam so the barista can produce high-quality silky textured milk. Generating the steam to texture milk is when the water in the boiler reaches its highest temperature, making it one of the primary causes of limescale build-up, so for an independent steamer like the Viper, adequate water filtration is critical. When we introduced the Viper Steamer and Tech-Bar technologies to market back in 2015, we already knew that the BRITA filter will be required to maintain the steam boiler and protect it against scale build up, which leads to poor water conditions and boiler component failure. Good filtration allows the machine or steamer to provide the best quality of steam. If the water isn’t clean, fresh, and at the highest level or quality, then steam isn’t at its purest form. As the boiler reduces with containments and size, then steam is limited and an increase in solid water or condensation is introduced, thus reducing milk texturing opportunities and quality. Apart from the removal of water contaminants, boiler integrity is fundamental. If the boiler is serving steam and hot water, any reduction or internal build up within the boiler will make the whole system work harder and reduce efficiency. A reduction in efficiency means that capacity is reduced, quality is compromised and ultimately our product brand valve is decreased. In perfect combination with BRITA, we can ensure reliable options Australia wide, delivering quality hot water and steam without any short- or long-term issues on the equipment, both for texturing milk and hot water supply for the perfect long black or tea. Over the years working closely with BRITA, we have formed a strong bond and supplier relationship. BRITA is an integral business partner to CMT not

only offering water filter solutions and supply but working with CMT on our charity and local community events. Together, we have donated money and support to various kids sporting groups and clubs. Ultimately, the brand on the filter isn’t the only thing that matters. you need to work closely with the filter supplier to ensure it’s doing the job of preventing failure. Partnering with the correct service provider allows for peace of mind for the operator. The brand or style of coffee machine used isn’t what’s important either. We look at the environment, location, and, most importantly, the water conditions. Some locations will require more frequent changes as the conditions are more harsh, other less so based on the

water evaluation. As the range from BRITA can accommodate all environments, our regional partners and customers can customise the filter to find the best solution. The blending of water allows for a safe and controlled environment. BRITA also supplies various sizes, which allows the café to invest in a larger filter that may only require one change per year as opposed to two or three times for a smaller filter. With the quick release head, the café owner can change their own filter at any time without a technician. This means they don’t have to wait for a scheduled service, they can effectively change it if the occasion arises or is required. Moving forward, the coffee industry we will be more reliant on automation and total water conditioning. As the water quality reduces, we will need to look at Reverse Osmosis systems which will allow for total contaminant removal and then re-mineralising of the water to achieve a constant and safe water level. These systems will monitor the water levels, let us know the correct pH levels and even adjust the water levels all through our phones or devices. Water isn’t just water anymore. It’s a topic as complex as the equipment and the beans themselves producing that end cup. BRITA knows water, for more information, visit www.brita.com.au or coffeemachinetechnologies.com.au

CMT works closely with its clients to ensure they receive the correct water filtration.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

A passion project General Manager of Espressology Ged Ryan talks to BeanScene about the value of perfection and what customers really want in a post-COVID era.

hen Ged Ryan started work as a barista the day after he finished his Higher School Certificate in October 2000, it was simply a means to fund his Schoolies trip to the Gold Coast the following month. But what he soon discovered, was that his casual induction into coffee couldn’t have fallen into better hands. “My father had a silent share in a café that was owned by family friend and industry icon Instaurator [Founder of private label roaster Espressology] and Paul Jackson from Danes Specialty Coffee. The way I got taught how to make coffee was very meticulous. If [store manager] Phil St Clare Hobbs didn’t like how we extracted the espresso shot or made the foam on top of the coffee, it didn’t go out to clients,” Ged recalls. “Perfection was everything, and at age 18 it was a steep learning curve, but something that’s stayed with me ever since.” It followed Ged as he “dabbled” with barista competitions between 2001 and 2002, where he says his espresso and milk-based beverages were always “consistently perfect” because of the environment where he was taught. His signature drink however, was “terrible” – a simple piccolo latte that Ged says wouldn’t be comparable to the standard served in today’s World Barista Championship (WBC). Placing a respectable seventh signalled an early end to Ged’s competition career. He took a hiatus from coffee and travelled the world before pursuing work as a chartered accountant. After a few years in corporate tax, Ged saw Instaurator again at an annual luncheon. He expressed his fatigue with accounting and, just like that, was offered the role as Espressology General Manager on the spot. One month into his role, Ged went to the 2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo. There, he attended one of the Coffee Logic Specialty Coffee Associationcertified training courses run by Sasha Jade

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Ged Ryan is the General Manager of Espressology.

of Fat Poppy Coffee Roasters. It was Ged’s first cupping experience and he was blown away by Sasha’s cupping knowledge and ability to articulate flavour characteristics. It was this discovery of flavour that helped transition Ged from a world of spreadsheets into coffee exploration. “I wanted to learn everything.

Instaurator took me under his wing and taught me how to run a business. I also picked up a lot of people skills from Rob Murrell, our Client Services Director. I tried to learn from those that had better skills than me in different areas,” Ged says. “Instaurator really is right. Espressology is an entrepreneur factory

and I’m surrounded by some of the leaders in the industry.” Pre-COVID-19, Ged was spread across all parts of the Espressology business, working on the factory floor to uphold quality control standards, dabbling in sales and bookkeeping, but more than anything, he enjoys meeting with existing and prospective clients. “I love spending time with our clients and developing ideas to better suit their needs or services. I am really confident that with the doors to hospitality back open, life will get back to normal and we’ll continue doing the things we do well – talking to people, collaborating and discovering what the next big thing around corner is,” Ged says. “Being an accountant by trade, I used to see clients as dollars on an invoice, but through my time with Espressology I’ve learned that it’s about so much more. It’s about relationships and I often put myself in my customer’s shoes to see if I can deliver what they’re asking for.” Most recently, Ged says customers have become more inquisitive on where their coffee is coming from rather than just how it tastes. “People are wanting to know if the coffee is grown and sourced ethically, but without doubt the biggest thing people ask is if our packaging is sustainable, which is something I’m personally passionate about. For three years I’ve been trying to solve it, and finally the other day I did. We’ve managed to solve compostable packaging for our high-volume packing machine with suppliers we met at Austpack in 2018. Now we can supply it quite easily and quickly,” Ged says. “What I would like to do is supply a box of coffee to a café and say, ‘everything from the box in, is compostable, including the coffee bags and the shipping sticker’. There’s no reason these items can’t be compostable and break down within weeks or a couple of months.” The biggest barrier to compostable packaging in the past, Ged says, is its price, which has traditionally been four times more expensive than standard packaging. However, with a product now proven to be effective, and sustainability a key focus for many businesses, Ged says customers won’t be able to say “no”. As well as packaging prices, Ged says conversations around global coffee prices continue, with the price hovering around USD$2.00 per pound at the time of print, and is likely to rise even further. “The international protocol around price regulation hasn’t changed in about 13 years. To absorb the price high as an importer and roaster, I do think consumers will have to start paying 50 cents to one dollar more for their daily latte, otherwise

Ged Ryan has watched Espressology grow in size and expand its services since he joined the company in 2013.

it’s just not sustainable,” Ged says. That’s not all that’s changed. In the past year, Ged notes a trend back towards medium style roasts, heavily branded packaging, digital printing, growth in ecommerce sales, and single bag orders, which have all forced Espressology to adapt to market changes. “The coffee industry is constantly evolving and if you don’t keep up to date with it, you’re going to be left behind. You have to keep an open mind,” Ged says. “What’s been great to see is the evolution of Espressology and the expansion of our services. Back in 2013 we just put coffee in a bag. Now, we make all kinds of products for different parts of the industry. We have clients that have their product in Woolies so we work with distribution centres, wholesale customers, we do drop-shipping, and offer our range of up to 60 product stock-keeping units to 20 to 30 brands that each have their own unique product and way of doing business. Being able to manage that volume and their different needs is probably one of our biggest successes.” The other, Ged says, is Espressology’s transfer of knowledge. The company started with one operator in its factory. Now, there are five working in production who all know how to roast and use Espressology’s range of equipment. “Getting the coffee knowledge out of Instaurator and into the guys pushing the buttons has been the biggest difference,” Ged says. He doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty on the factory floor, but when new coffees arrive, Ged still finds enjoyment in tasting Espressology’s latest addition to its Single Origin program, or a new

blend carefully curated for a customer. His fascination with flavour brings back memories of the elite coffees Paul Bassett would present at regular cupping sessions in his early days at Espressology. “Looking back, we were spoilt for choice. Paul spent astronomical amounts of money on his coffees and when he swapped one of the origins out, we couldn’t wait to taste the replacement. Most people would serve these coffees as a single origin for espresso or filter, and we were putting them in blends,” Ged says. Thanks to his elite induction into specialty coffee, Ged can’t go past the beauty of an Ethiopian natural processed coffee. At home, he has an espresso machine he never uses. Instead, he prefers his little hand grinder, V60, and makes a filter coffee each morning. “I sit on the deck with my coffee and watch the sun come up with my dog. It’s my daily ritual,” Ged says. On reflection, Ged sometimes misses working behind a coffee bar, but not the physical practice of making coffee. Rather, it’s the interaction and connection with people he’s most fond of, and what he’s missed most during Sydney’s 2021 lockdown. “I love that coffee allows me to meet new people, form relationships, and travel all over Australia,” he says. I can’t wait to reignite this passion and continue talking with people about their love for coffee, what’s new on the market, and how we at Espressology can make coffee visions a reality.” For more information, visit www.espressology.com

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Making a splash with Maltra

Maltra Foods on how its new summer range is meeting the needs of Australian hospitality businesses post-COVID, while helping them get creative with their menus and stay relevant to market trends.

emaining one step ahead of the pack not only requires innovation and awareness, but creativity. Maltra Foods, through its Arkadia brand, is one such company who is supporting hospitality venues in this pursuit with its new range of

powdered and liquid bases for food and beverages. “Our products are really diverse and can be combined in any number of ways to create a menu like no other,” says Nathan Alfrey, Maltra Foods’ Brand Manager. “Every venue has their own way of

Maltra Foods’ liquid and powder products can be mixed to create a gourmet menu.

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doing things and their own ethos, so we want to make it as easy as possible for venues to make sure they stand out.” Maltra Foods is one of Australia’s largest food-grade powder and liquid manufacturers, founded in Melbourne in 1997. Beginning with a focus on powdered drinking chocolate, the family-run business has since expanded its product range to a complete menu offering, including syrups, frappes, smoothies, milkshake toppings, and dessert sauces that are exported to more than 20 countries across the world. “We’re 100 per cent Australian owned and create all our products domestically,” says Nathan. “We’re seeing more and more distributors and venues value locallymade products as we emerge from COVID, especially with how difficult international shipping has become.” This includes every area across Maltra Foods’ supply chain, from its ingredients such as its locally-grown sugar to its Australian blown bottles, labels, and cartons. “There’s also the team working their socks off at Maltra’s liquids manufacturing plant in Queensland who control the quality process and finished product to make sure it is the best product possible for the local market,” says Nathan. “The whole supply chain wins when you source locally.” One product that has seen great demand is Maltra Foods’ Chocolate Sauce. “This is perfect for Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) or cafés as it comes in a convenient two-litre pump bottle and can be used with hot and cold drinks or as a dessert topping,” he says. “Our powdered chocolate range, is huge with cocoa levels ranging between 20 to 65 per cent and options for single-

origin cocoa blends that are Fairtrade and Organic certified.” Maltra Foods’ chocolate range can also be used to meet special dietary requirements with gluten free and vegan friendly options. While helping venues to differentiate themselves, Maltra Foods’ products still meet market demands, including Natural Flavours and Natural Colours. “QSRs have been under the microscope for years with building pressure to improve their nutritional values on their menus and remove additives,” Nathan says. “Being able to promote their beverages with no artificial colours or flavours is an excellent way for them to keep up with modern consumer demands and stay relevant.” This push for higher nutrients is also reflected in Maltra Foods’ Real fruit Smoothie bases where cafés can choose from products that contain between 40 to 60 per cent fruit content. “These products remove the hassle for preparing, storing, and in some cases, freezing fresh fruit, as well as the mess and waste this process creates,” he says. “It meets the needs of people looking to add more fruit to their diet while they’re on the go, and is perfect for conveniencebased foodservice venues.” Consisting of almost 30 flavours, Maltra Foods’ syrup portfolio helps clients to get creative with their menu, with options from watermelon and passionfruit to macadamia and gingerbread, salted caramel and butterscotch. These can be combined in countless offerings from spritzers like strawberry and coconut, to frappes such as matcha and mocha, or combining syrups with traditional café menu items

Maltra Foods is helping venues meet consumer needs post-COVID-19.

like coffee or chocolate drinks. The brand’s newest addition includes organic tea-based syrups in black tea, lemon, and peach flavour, which is designed to meets the growing demand for tea in cold formats, driven by younger consumers’ changing tastes and pop culture trends. “It’s perfect for cafés and QSRs looking to offer refreshing summer drinks, from cocktails to spritzers to any cold milk combination,” Nathan says. Using these syrups requires minimal training and can be used by low-skilled staff, which is handy for venues who employ younger staff. “Any business today will tell you that finding good quality, experienced staff is incredibly hard due to the border closures and people leaving the industry. Being able to simplify the process of making cold beverages makes life easier for these businesses,” he says. Younger consumers have also been driving demand for cold brew beverages with Market Research Future, an international market research company, predicting the global industry value to reach $877 million by 2027. “Adding a dash of flavoured syrup to cold brews helps make them more appealing to these customers who want a caffeine hit but like the added

The brand’s products are suitable for any venue from quick service restaurants to cafés.

sweetness,” says Nathan. “While vanilla and caramel are classic choices, with Maltra Foods offering we’ve seen a growing demand for flavours like lychee, coconut, and strawberry.” As businesses push to recover from COVID-19, earning high margins also becomes important. With 30 millilitres of Maltra Foods’ syrups able to be converted into a six-dollar beverage by adding ice, water, and a garnish, the rise of soda taps and Spritzers also means even greater cost savings for venues. With a multitude of liquid and powder options, Maltra Foods has no plans to stop growing, with the brand already predicting to expand its syrup portfolio to 45 flavours in 2022. “We work hard with our sales and R&D team to find the highest quality ingredients and craft the best recipes. We don’t have the same heritage as some of the European imports, so we have to be better and different, which is why we offer something for everyone under Maltra Foods,” says Nathan. “Maltra Foods is known for its taste and we stand by that with all our new summer beverage bases. Put simply, if it doesn’t taste as good or better than the market leaders, we don’t put our name to it.” For more information, visit www.maltrafoods.com and www.arkadiabeverages.com.au

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TRAINING & EDUCATION FEATURE

A new criteria for coffee

Through roastery for hire Criteria Coffee, multi-time Barista Champion Craig Simon is breaking down barriers to roasting your own coffee and sharing his deep knowledge with the industry.

ith three Australian Barista Championships and almost two decades of experience in coffee under his belt, Craig Simon felt the need to share what he knew with the industry. But he couldn’t do that to his fullest abilities under the traditional wholesale coffee supply model. “I wanted to empower people to make their own product that celebrates what they think is great coffee.” Craig and his wife Andrea founded Criteria Coffee in 2018, a collaborative coffee roastery for hire and education space in Port Melbourne, where café owners and coffee professionals can learn to roast their

own coffee and build their own brands with expert assistance throughout the entire process. “Our co-roasting community are all extremely passionate about their coffee program and join for many different reasons. Some come for the immersive experience of crafting their own coffee, others move into roasting for the financial benefits of managing their own supply. We’ve also seen members join to reward and retain staff by providing extra skills and professional development well beyond the café bar,” Craig explains. “The roastery has created a wonderful community of like-minded people, all excited about coffee. We have a lot of fun supporting each other, and our

Criteria Coffee’s Sensory Skilling Workshop helps students build the knowledge they need to pass Q Grader certification.

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achievements are collectively celebrated. Everyone’s coffee quality is the best version of what they set out to achieve”. Co-roasting, like the services Criteria Coffee offers, is a growing trend in the coffee industry, which Craig says is due to people wanting to learn more about coffee. But it hasn’t always been that way. “When I started in coffee, the only way to learn to roast coffee was to get job in a roastery and positions didn’t come up often. If you were lucky enough to get a job even then, for a long time you’re just copying the Head Roaster’s production requirements. There are more people now holding classes and teaching these ideas, but roasting is such and artisanal craft or apprenticeshiptype skill you need to experience doing it to become good at it,” Craig says. “Roasting collaboratively provides an overview of the whole coffee business, beyond the practical skills of blending and roasting coffee. It involves learning the whole skillset, from coffee sourcing and planning for forward contracting to cost assessment of blends versus single origins and making sure you’re making smart business decisions.” In a coffee scene as competitive as Melbourne’s, Craig says there’s no opportunity to come out of the gate with an inferior product and learn on your customers. “It’s important that people feel comfortable and confident they’re making great coffee straight away, so we won’t let them fail and are there to guide them until they no longer need it,” Craig says. Whether it’s Craig or another skilled member of the team, Criteria Coffee always has a trained and experienced staff member onsite to help its members roast. Creating their own coffee brand has proven successful for Criteria Coffee’s members. Craig says they have all seen their sales increase significantly, even those that were already established with high volumes. “It’s a powerful feeling for the customer

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Craig Simon founded Criteria Coffee to share his roasting knowledge with the wider community.

to receive something from someone that they have crafted themselves,” Craig says. “One of the very few silver linings out of COVID has been people upping their home coffee consumption, the value of retail coffee is immense. It increases the average spend, drives the relationship with the customer, and requires less overhead and work from your staff. Branding your own coffee for sale, also shows your customers just how dedicated you are to your product.” As a manufacturing business, Criteria Coffee has stayed open for its roasting members throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, also taking this time to further enhance the sites roasting capacity with the installation of a second Diedrich IR12 roaster and acquisition of a Diedrich IR24. “Setting up a roastery carries a lot of expenses, but like a chef hiring a dark kitchen, or a designer renting a hot desk, our co-roasting members only pay for their raw materials and time spent on the roaster. It’s an extremely cost-effective way to access state-of-the-art equipment, with mentorship provided to those who need it,” Craig says. When Criteria isn’t helping others to roast their own superior product, the roastery produces its own range, Criteria Coffee by Craig. “Education really drives the roastery, but the space also represents my own vision of what ‘quality coffee’ can be. Demand for our retail and wholesale supply has organically grown during the pandemic, which is exciting as we’re getting to share our own coffee with consumers and opening another dialogue around how to make a great tasting

beverage,” Craig says. However, the business was forced to put its public workshops and classes on hold. Craig looks forward to bringing these back when allowed in 2022, if not by the end of the year. Criteria Coffee’s programs include a two-day Introduction to Roasting, which Craig says provides an opportunity to talk about the science and physics of roasting, while being as practical as possible. “Usually, it’s the first time they’ve ever roasted and on day one, they seem bewildered. The thing I find most enjoyable is to watch those light bulbs flick on by the end of the last day as the muscle memory starts to work for them and they recognise they can do it,” Craig says. “You’re not going to become a master roaster over two days, but it’s a great starting point to build your knowledge, skillset, and CV before diving deeper into the world of coffee.” Craig achieved Australia’s first Q-Grade Instructor qualification in 2015 and, when travel is allowed, hosts Q Grading Certification courses at licensed sensory labs across Australia. He also used his knowledge of coffee cupping and tasting to develop a Sensory Skilling Workshop where students can refine their sensory knowledge of coffee. “Coffee is a tricky medium for tasting because there are so many flavour compounds that without guidance can be difficult to initially assess. I’ve designed the Sensory Skilling Workshop around a very thorough set of skills that prepare you to sit the Q Grading course, but it’s also useful if you want to structure your own quality control program or build professional

coffee assessment skills,” Craig says. Alongside these longer courses, Craig will reinstitute the Knowledge Series, free one-hour workshops providing snippets of the longer courses or insight into the world of coffee roasting. “It started as a way of sharing knowledge while inviting new people into the space, covering points people would otherwise find difficult to understand if someone was interested in roasting for themselves but wasn’t committed to the idea,” Craig says. “Coffee is a shared experience. You almost always have a coffee with someone, whether you’re catching up with friends at a café, for a business meeting, or on a date. The free workshops help create that communal aspect of coffee, with many people connecting, learning together, and discovering if they want to learn more about coffee.” Craig says he has been lucky to learn from many people in the coffee industry who have been generous with their knowledge as he travelled to origin and barista competitions. “In my previous life as a musician, like many other skills there was an unwritten rule, if you master the instrument, you have an obligation to share that knowledge as completely as possible, so the language can grow and continue. When I reached the same level of achievement in coffee, I wanted to do the same, pay it forward, so here we are at Criteria,” Craig says. For more information, visit www.criteriacoffee.com

CRAIG’S CRITERIA: 2012, 1st place Victoria Cup Tasters Championships. 2013, 3rd place Australian Cup Tasters Championships. 2012, 2014, 2018 1st place Australian Barista Championships. 2014, 4th place World Barista Championships 2018, 7th place World Barista Championships 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 1st place Victorian Barista Championships 2016-2019 WBC Sensory Judge 2019, 2020 Head Australian Roasters Guild 2019, 2021 Head Judge Australian Coffee Roasting Championships Q-Grade Instructor SCA Lead Instructor Diedrich Roasters Education Ambassador De’Longhi Australia Brand Ambassador

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TRAINING & EDUCATION FEATURE

Thriving together Roastress Coops, also known as Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters, talks about pivoting her consulting sessions, thriving in an online space, and fostering a supportive roasting community.

hen cafés closed their doors to dine-in customers at the beginning of the pandemic due to state-wide lockdowns, so too did coffee training centres, which not only affected baristas but those behind the scenes: the roasters. Training is something Anne Cooper has always been passionate about throughout her 27 years of experience in the coffee industry. Initially honing her skills training baristas, for the past six years Anne has been coaching roasters of all levels through her Melbourne-based business Equilibrium Master Roasters (EQMR). EQMR offers roasting education in the form of a two-day comprehensive roasting course, private online consulting sessions, and a combination of private roasting consultation and training at client venues. “My focus is to give my clients a clear idea of what’s involved in roasting and explain a lot of the ‘whys’ behind the process, from novices who have never had formal training to advanced roasters who want to ensure they are on the right track,” says Anne. Having roasted with a range of both commercial and specialty companies across Brisbane, Melbourne, and New York, alongside regularly travelling to Brazil to provide consulting and training, Anne’s wealth of experience and consistent, proven results from her pupils are what differentiates her training programs. “My two-day comprehensive roasting course covers all areas from green bean evaluation to how to operate and manage roasting machinery to understanding roast profiles, production cupping and more. We do strategic roasting exercises like using the same coffee bean and roasting it to three different roast profiles,” says Anne. Initially designed for groups of six each month, Anne’s roasting course has evolved, now running every week with a maximum of two people per class. Anne says these smaller classes allows her pupils maximum, practical hands-on time on the

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Anne Cooper founded Equilibrium Master Roasters in 2015 to share her roasting knowledge and support the roasting community.

roasting equipment, a greater ability to ask more questions, and the opportunity to get the best possible overall experience in the craft and skill of roasting coffee. While these sessions had to be paused during Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdowns, Anne was able to pivot her consultation and training sessions online. Previously, these sessions would see Anne and her clients working together in person, walking through their roasting process, examining the final coffee product, troubleshooting, and defining solutions. “Due to COVID, I had to learn more about digital platforms and communicating

effectively online,” says Anne. “I based my sessions around what would create the greatest engagement and value.” To achieve this, Anne would ask clients to send her samples of their coffee before the session where she would then taste and calibrate to the roaster’s prescribed flavours and, where needed, would troubleshoot any unwanted characteristics. “This information framed the sessions, so when we engaged online, we could be targeted and strategic with our conversation, and start talking about the important things right away,” says Anne. Through the use of shared screens,

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Anne says it was like she was still roasting with her clients in-person. “Because roasting is a loud process, my online consulting sessions definitely had more yelling than an in-person class,” says Anne laughing. “Regardless though, I found that these virtual sessions had the same, positive responses as an in-person session would. When roasters saw the immediate results, they really loved the online process.” These virtual sessions have also allowed Anne to discover a world of international roasters who, without COVID-19, wouldn’t have known about her services. “Now I’ve got all these great roasting buddies across the globe that I’m excited to visit once we’re allowed to travel again,” she says. Anne says virtual consulting has not only saved her travel time and expenses, but the time of her roasting clients who are often time-poor themselves. “I definitely plan to continue offering these online sessions post-COVID as it’s shown us that there’s another way to do consulting. Previously, roasters would reach out to me and I’d be booked out for a period travelling to them, but now with these digital platforms roasters can easily just jump online and get solutions superfast,” says Anne. “Sometimes all a roaster wants to know is if they’re on the right track and having someone neutral, like myself, to give good, solid advice that is practical and industryrelevant is really helpful.” Anne’s drive to best support the industry also extends to creating a community, having formed an EQMR Networking Group available to all EQMR clients across Australia and internationally. “Every Sunday during COVID I started holding a session called Sunday Roast where we could all jump online and ask questions and share articles or anything new with other members,” says Anne. “This created an opportunity for people to stay engaged with each other and maintain some routine.” This goal was also carried across to EQMR’s annual roasting event, Thrive, which ran virtually for the first time this year on the 16 and 17 October. “I’ve done it every year since 2017, and even though we were in lockdown, I still wanted to provide producers, roasters, and everyone in between an opportunity to network, attend discussions, and get involved in workshops,” says Anne. Discussions ranged from sourcing and buying green coffee in a pandemic to examining new roaster-trader buying platforms, business costs, and recent roasting innovations. “This year, in particular, I wanted to

Equilibrium Master Roasters offers a range of private online and in-person consulting and training.

only focus on our Australian industry and how we’re looking to the future. With all the challenges in the world at the moment a lot of roasters still seemed to have an ‘it’ll be alright’ attitude so I thought we needed to come together to discuss how things have changed, share our experiences and provide solutions,” Anne says. Having been instrumental in coffee events and training courses within the Specialty Coffee Association’s Roasters Guild, Anne is no newcomer to running events. “I loved holding the panel discussion with the producers and green bean traders, and especially loved talking to Howe Farming and Crater Mountain Coffee which grows Australia’s highest altitude coffee,” says Anne. Howe Farming and Crater Mountain Coffee also generously sent out samples for Thrive attendees to taste and give feedback on. “Attendees also cupped and discussed a set of strategically roasted samples each representing a particular roast profile,” says Anne. “I thought it was important to include this profiling and sensory aspect, even remotely, as roasters often struggle with

tasting, assessing, and communicating their roast profiles, so it provided another level of unique engagement.” For Anne, the goal of Thrive has remained the same despite this year’s online format. “Roasters can sometimes get stuck in their own bubble, and don’t always have the opportunity to reach out and consult or network with other roasters and ask questions,” Anne says. “For me, the annual EQMR event and my consulting and training services have always been about providing a platform that supports the roasting community by expanding roasting knowledge and providing solutions through networking and practical interaction.” Already, post lockdown, Anne’s two-day comprehensive roasting course has begun filling up, with the master roastress ready and rearing to get back into hands-on roasting, supporting the roasting community, and thriving together out of COVID. For a 20 per cent discount on EQMR’s two-day roasting course use the promo code BSCENE20 or for more information, visit www.eqmr.com.au.

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TRAINING & EDUCATION FEATURE

Each Grinders training session is catered to the individual attendee’s needs and skill level.

The A-Team

As one of Australia’s leading coffee roasters, Grinders Coffee prides itself on the extensive crop to cup coffee education and training program it offers to its customers.

passion for the coffee industry, a wealth of knowledge, and the drive to see their customers succeed are all elements that bind Grinders Coffee and their team of specialists. The bespoke program offers a tiered training that meets the needs of their customers, from building their confidence and knowledge with equipment to helping create recipes and latte art that impress and amaze. The customer is at the heart of Grinders’ training specialists who focus on building strong and lasting partnerships with customers and are commited to delivering the highest quality coffee with passion and expertise. The course is centred around engaging and connecting through the language of coffee, while doing better for the planet. The team of specialists include Grinders Coffee Brand Ambassador, Jonathan ‘Jono’ Goldthorpe, Senior coffee specialist Glenn Bailey, Alec Zeta, and Dale Pollard, who all bring a wealth of knowledge and industry experience to the new program.

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“In early 2020, we evaluated our training program based on customer feedback and input from our sales team and our baristas,” says Glenn Bailey, Senior Coffee Specialist for South Australia, Northern Territory, and Western Australia. “We wanted to really maximise the time we, as coffee specialists, have with each client, and meet our customers’ and cafes’ current demands.” Grinders’ new training program offers in class or in venue training and features shorter sessions that are broken down into Fundamental, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. When hosted at each Grinders’ state training centre, the classes are aligned to each state government COVID rules and restrictions. Lasting four hours, the Fundamental session focuses on building the customer’s confidence, covering the crop to cup journey, different areas of the coffee station, and the process behind making coffee. The 2.5-hour Intermediate session looks at honing attendees’ skills, focusing more in-depth on the coffee station, managing orders in a busy café,

and latte art training. “We also added training for workflow and operational speed, which makes the session also suited for shift leaders, supervisors, and head baristas, who have the fundamental skills set and the ability to coach others,” says Glenn. The Advanced session, which is also 2.5 hours, aims to polish the barista’s skills, examining the science behind coffee flavour, perfecting latte art, and machine maintenance. Each class is designed for only four pupils, ensuring trainers can tailor the session and focus on each barista. Grinders now offers an Onsite Training, which are 45 minutes to onehour sessions at a customer’s venue, focusing on refining core skill sets in a limited class of three baristas. “Being in the industry for 18 years, you realise the impact a single barista can have on a cup of coffee and the overall café experience. My passion in this industry is seeing people grow their cafés and sustain their business,” says Glenn. “I enjoy teaching venues how to maximise revenue out of a bag of coffee and I particularly love onsite training and

TRAINING & EDUCATION

getting into someone’s space, improving the way they function and playing around with their equipment.” Another coffee specialist who shares the love for on-site training is Alec Zeta, Grinders’ Coffee Specialist of Victoria. “Coffee is one of those things where hands-on training is so beneficial. I had the same experience many baristas had during COVID, where they were trying to learn about coffee online. This is how I started when I first moved to Australia from the Philippines,” says Alec. When Alec first arrived, he says he was amazed by the coffee culture, coming from a place where a Starbucks Frappe was the pinnacle of coffee culture. Since then, Alec’s career has exploded, having worked in almost every area of the coffee supply chain from head barista to roasting and quality control to green bean buying, which saw him travel to India to visit one of the world’s best Robusta producers. Alec then progressed to a Director of Coffee at Red Star Company, tying his coffee knowledge with learning the logistics of transporting coffee globally. “And after learning all of this, I realised I wanted to pass this industry knowledge on. In 2018 I found an opportunity at Grinders to really influence the way people make coffee,” says Alec. “Coming from a place where English wasn’t my first language, it was hard to understand coffee right away. I’ve kept this in mind with my teaching, making sure it’s relatable and accessible.” As such, Grinders’ training sessions are a minimum 70 per cent practical to ensure a hands-on learning

experience. Alec says he often has latte art smackdowns at the end of his Intermediate and Advanced classes to add a bit of fun. “For me, the most rewarding aspect is seeing my customers progress. I’ve had students who used to just wait tables, and because of their interest and investment into coffee, their coffee career has taken off,” says Alec. Further up the coast in New South Wales, State Coffee Specialist and Grinders Coffee Ambassador Jonathan Goldthorpe says the long-term relationship he achieves with his clients is why he is passionate about training. “I’m very social and love the connections you build and being able to help people and businesses succeed. I really love when I visit their cafés and get so much positive feedback on how they’ve improved their quality,” says Jono. “With our new program, the smaller classes mean I can build a strong connection with each person, and really tailor it to them.” Before joining Grinders, Jono worked at cafés across Sydney, London, Venice, and Warsaw, which he says helped develop his strong love for the industry. After returning to Sydney, Jono heard about the position at Grinders and hasn’t looked back. “Over the past several years I’ve also done a lot of work with the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA), managing staff on that platform and being involved in the competition,” he says. “I believe being on the ‘frontline’ really allows you to see the best coffee

Grinders Coffee has revamped its training program based on customer feedback and input from its sales team and baristas.

standards and see how people are pushing the boundaries, which translates into what I teach.” For Dale Pollard, Grinders’ Queensland Coffee Specialist, the ability to be what he describes as a “social chameleon” is crucial when it comes to coffee training. “You need to be able to gauge people and know how to interact with them to get the best results. I’ve trained lots of different age brackets and personalities across different regions, and with the limited time, you really want to help them get the best results,” he says. “Having all worked in hospitality roles, our team is able to do this, personalising each experience and helping our customers get the best out of their coffee.” Dale says his analytical approach has helped elevate his coffee skills. “I really liked the depth of the industry and the feeling of trying to crack a code. I’m passionate about the science side of coffee, of controlling the brew and roasting times down to a tee,” he says. Dale’s teaching journey began with Grinders. He was working for a café that used Grinders’ beans and attended a class where an old Grinders’ trainer exposed him to specialty coffee. “It was like she handed me thread to pull on and it has never stopped going. For me it was like my moment of ‘genesis’. I still have the sticky note on the homework she gave me along with the task to check out Barista Hustle, which is a fantastic website by Matt Perger.” After continuing his journey in the specialty coffee industry, working across countless cafés in Queensland’s CBD, Dale returned to Grinders, splitting his time between coaching, and making coffee before taking the position as Coffee Specialist. “I really like the idea of coming full circle and returning to the place which ignited my love for coffee,” says Dale. “This is what makes training so meaningful for me; when I see people that come in with an appetite to sink their teeth into the industry. I love the idea that I can be the one to push them to have their genesis.” With the past 24 months a struggle for many cafés across Australia, Grinders’ training specialists are looking forward to equipping and elevating staff capabilities with Grinders’ new training program that ultimately aims to build a stronger industry together. For more information, visit www.grinderscoffee.com.au

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TRAINING & EDUCATION FEATURE

Professionals in education

Joanna “Jo” Yuen, National Barista Trainer at Nestlé Professional talks about the company’s expanding virtual customer educational program and the importance of a hands-on touch.

Joanna “Jo” Yuen is the National Barista Trainer at Nestlé Professional.

ccording to the International Coffee Organization, world coffee consumption has grown from 120.4 million bags in 2006 to a staggering 167.26 million bags in 2021. “Global consumption, however, isn’t the only thing that has changed in the coffee industry over the past 15 years,” says Joanna “Jo” Yuen, National Barista Trainer at Nestlé Professional. “When I started as a barista 15 years ago, the attitude with coffee education was ‘just go with the flow and as long as the coffee looks okay, people can’t tell the difference’,” says Jo. “Some café operators actually believed coffee tasted

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better after being refrigerated.” She says these days are long gone, with the average consumer more knowledgeable about coffee bean quality, flavour, and origin. “Customers have higher expectations for their daily cup of coffee, which means that baristas have to constantly be refining their offerings and skills,” says Jo. To aid this constant development is Nestlé Professional’s three-module coffee training course catering to basic to advanced barista skills. “Each session covers both the conceptual and practical aspects of coffee. For example, we teach the complete bean to cup journey and key trends within the coffee landscape,” says Jo.

“In terms of practical coffee making skills, we look at how to deliver a consistently great cup of coffee through teaching extraction standards, different brewing methods, best milk texturing techniques, latte art, and more.” The program includes a sensory training module, which focuses on how the post-harvest process develops and influences the end flavour of coffee, and how to identify some of its 850 aromatic flavours. Attendees can come back, retake courses, or expand into new skill levels, with students earning a certificate upon completion of the three modules. “We provide this to any of our customers who want to expand their skills as part of our drive to best support our customer’s businesses. Pre-COVID I even used to fly to our customers’ sites to deliver the training, as we believe customers learn best in their own environment,” says Jo. “I love teaching coffee and being able to share my knowledge and passion with budding baristas. These people I’m training will be the next generation of coffee leaders and knowing that I helped by imparting some of my passion and skill to them is extremely rewarding.” This training, along with additional webinars, is also provided to the Nestlé Professional in-house team, covering the key coffee bean brands, The Roaster Guy, Buondi, and Nescafé. This ensures every level of the organisation has a thorough understanding of its coffee products, source of origin and sustainability certification. “Especially when New South Wales was in lockdown, I worked closely with the wider Nestlé Professional state beverage and commercial teams to ensure that they received the same education. This meant that they could then successfully deliver the training to our customers in non-lockdown states,” says Jo.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

“From New Zealand to regional mining sites in Western Australia, we wanted to ensure our clients, which include accommodation, travel and leisure, bakeries, cafés, pubs and clubs, as well as businesses in the education sector, were all receiving the support and training they needed.” With COVID-19 limiting in-person training, Jo says Nestlé Professional had to pivot its classes and communication methods to suit an online space. “We offered virtual training sessions, and had a range of barista training videos, available to customers upon request, which are still easily accessible on our webpage, along with clientspecific materials which are tailored by our account managers,” says Jo. To keep engagement high, Jo began every session with a quiz to boost her customers’ energy levels. “Each session was based on interactive learning exercises to grow sensory skills using common items at home. The training session also included videos to make it as interactive as possible, especially during post-training in the Q&A session,” says Jo. While COVID-19 has taught trainers how to be more tech savvy and adaptable to digital teaching, Jo says coffee still remains a practical skill. “I believe our resources will continue to provide budding baristas with good foundational knowledge before practical training, however, training will always need the professional in-person touch,” says Jo. “I’m so excited to teach all our customers in a hands-on learning environment again.” For Jo, using her bubbly personality to make each class personal and engaging is another way Nestlé Professional distinguishes its training classes. “We really drive customer engagement and product inspiration in our classes. We don’t just want to teach, we want to inspire creativity and help our customers with recipe development,” says Jo. “With more than 150 years of experience in food and beverages, we are constantly exploring and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.” With summer now upon us, Jo says it’s the perfect time for customers to expand their cold beverage offerings, with a chilled and refreshing alternative to hot coffee. The unique Nescafé Nitro Cold brew system — which dispenses a shot of nitrogen at the flick of a switch — provides an option to serve both nitro and pure cold brew from one machine. To meet customer demand for new and classic drink’s flavours, Jo says that

Nestlé Professional has recently launched Milo, in a shelf-stable liquid concentrate format, as part of its commercial cold dispenser CoolPro. Milo joins a range of other popular flavours such as Nestea lemon, Sjora, and Nescafé Ice, all available at the touch of a button. “Our extensive range of beverage services cater for all customer needs, from our fully automated push button self-serve machine, to bean to cup solutions and the growing demand for cold beverages,” says Jo. “Once we have supplied customers with these beverage solutions, our next job is always to educate and direct them how to best use them.” Embedded in Nestlé Professional’s coffee training program is the importance of sustainable and ethical sourcing of coffee beans, including information on Nestlé’s dedicated originproducing regions. This ties in with Nestle’s overarching plan to support growing communities by supporting its farmers to produce sustainable crops and improve product traceability for the consumer. Already, Nestlé Professional’s whole roasted bean range is sourced from Rainforest Alliance beans and is roasted locally in Gympie, Queensland. Its Nescafé Blend 43 coffee is also 100 per cent sustainably sourced under 4C certification. Nestlé Professional’s sustainability focus it part of a wider Nestlé Net Zero Roadmap, which aims to halve Nestle’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“We have created a three-stage plan which will see us first accelerate our sustainable sourcing, manufacturing and packaging efforts, propelling more of our brands to become carbon neutral by 2025. Our next step will involve us globally investing in new technologies and making fundamental changes to our products and businesses by 2030. We’re also taking steps to achieve a regenerative food system at scale with advanced agricultural techniques,” says Scott Stuckmann, General Manager, Nestlé Professional Oceania. As part of Nestlé’s Net Zero Roadmap, by 2025 the company has committed to sustainably source all its coffee and cocoa, redesign its packaging to reduce virgin plastic globally by one third and source 100 per cent renewable electricity at all sites, globally. “More than 60 per cent of the energy used by our Gympie factory comes from renewable sources, including used coffee grounds. This kind of circular innovation is a great example of sustainability in action,” says Scott. Nestlé Professional is focused on achieving the milestones set out in its roadmap and continuing to educate and support its customers on sustainability initiatives. “I think if we all do our part, we can achieve real change both within our business and our supply chain. We can also help educate and inspire our customers to embrace a more sustainable way of doing business,” says Jo. For more information, visit www.nestleprofessional.com.au

Nestlé plans to source 100 per cent sustainable coffee by 2025.

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MICE2022

Breaking borders With border restrictions finally easing, MICE2022 will fill the Australian and international coffee industry’s desire to meet face to face again.

t’s been almost three years since the entire Australian coffee industry last gathered under the one roof at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo in (MICE) 2019. Since early 2020, the national community has been kept apart by tight border restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, they’ve also limited people’s ability to connect and do business in person. “State borders are finally easing after

Cafetto will return to MICE2022, showcasing its Organic range and market leading position.

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two years, and MICE2022 will be our chance to come together as an Australian coffee industry,” says MICE2022 Show Director Lauren Winterbottom. “The past couple of years have been really tough for hospitality, with restrictions and uncertainty coming and going, and MICE is here to support those businesses to get back to it, make big sales, and network.” Western and South Australia in particular have been shut off from the east coast. Josephine McKay-Engdahl,

Director of the WA-based Moccamaster Australia, says the easing of border restrictions will make it easier to meet with customers they have not seen for a long time. “There will be more of a sense of connection – nothing takes the place of meeting and communicating with people in person,” she says. “It will be really good to be in Melbourne and it will be great to be involved at MICE2022 to showcase our products and to connect with our customers and friends in the coffee industry.” At the event, taking place from 27 to 30 September, Moccamaster will use the opportunity to see old and new customers, showcase different models and some new Moccamaster products, and further spread the word about Moccamaster and filter coffee. “For the wider industry it will be a forum for renewed connections, much needed confidence and the reality that there will be new ways of doing business post-COVID,” Josephine says. “The event greatly contributes to the community aspect of the industry as it is nationally recognised where a large majority of players in the coffee industry meet – this adds to the community vibe.” MICE2022 will also play host to the 2022 World Barista Championship (WBC) and World Brewers Cup, drawing an additional layer of international attention. For the past two years, Australians have not only been shut off to each other, but to the rest of the world. For the SA-based Cafetto, reopened borders will mean a chance to reconnect across the globe. “[Travel restrictions have] created

The 2022 Melbourne International Coffee Expo will take place from 27 to 30 September.

a thirst to stay connected and meet in person that Zoom or Teams cannot replace totally. It’s created more awareness that tradeshows or events are

very meaningful to stay in touch with customers, new products, and market trends,” says Christine Song, General Manager of Cafetto.

eveloped in conjuction with the BeanScene magazine website, The Long & Short of It news EDM is dedicated to keeping the coffee industry abreast of the latest relevant news as it breaks, in addition to providing an electronic interface for the viewing of BeanScene magazine content. To keep up to date with fresh, informative and relevant content, register your details at www.beanscenemag.com.au

“As Australians could not travel at all up to this point, MICE will be a place where we get to meet and connect again to keep our business relationships going. Finally, we get to meet people, and another WBC in Australia is exciting.” Cafetto has already begun planning what it will present at MICE2022, with a focus on its Organic range, market leading position, and steps it has taken towards sustainability. “I hope the year 2022 will be a better one, with us being able to meet people from all over the world at different tradeshows and an improved situation with shipping so we can offer better service to our customers,” Christine says. Lauren says MICE2022 is already receiving strong interest from the both the Australian and global coffee community, with exhibition space quickly running out. “The next MICE has been a long time coming, but it’s going to be worth the wait,” she says. Limited exhibition space is still available for MICE2022. For more information visit internationalcoffeeexpo.com or contact internationalcoffeeexpo@ primecreative.com.au

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CAFÉ SCENE

Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co focuses on involving clients and retail customers in the roasting process.

The Roastery has seen a growing demand for single origin and micro-lot coffees.

THE ROASTERY – VANGUARD SPECIALTY COFFEE CO 49 Vogel Street, Dunedin, New Zealand 9016 Open Monday to Friday 7am – 4pm, Saturday 8:30am – 3:30pm To overcome the challenges presented by COVID, a business needs to remain flexible and innovative, and this is exactly what Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co has done, not only surviving, but thriving during the pandemic. “We moved to our new space in the heritage precinct of Dunedin Central, just two blocks from our old venue after the first lockdown. We realised with our previous license and space limitations we wouldn’t be able to open for months at a time due to COVID,” says Jason Moore, Director of Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co. “With this new venue, we’ve shifted to a different business model which has allowed us to operate in a much faster way that actually involves our clients and customers.” What Jason is referring to, is the open L shape space which allows both roasting clients and retail customers to walk around, learn, and interact with the full roasting process. “This creates a two-way interaction and really fosters a relationship between client

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and roaster,” says Jason. “We’re currently the only fully specialty coffee company to offer this.” At Vanguard, each specialty coffee blend is sourced directly from farmers in Brazil and Colombia, and categorised by farm lots and farmer names during retail sale. “Having this traceability and information about who the farmer is and how the coffee was grown is important in educating the end consumer,” says Jason. “It’s also important for us to have this direct relationship with the producers, where we can find out how much they are actually

In Vanguard’s retail area, each specialty coffee blend is categorised by farm lots and farmer names.

being paid and call them directly on Zoom. We also try to buy from the same farmers year in and year out, so they have a reliable source of income which is key in creating a more sustainable coffee industry.“ Vanguard’s newest café space has also installed a Vortx EcoFilter to remove the smoke and roast smell sustainably, and offers better infrastructure for roasting, such as two pallet doors for easy coffee bean deliveries. Besides its roasting facilities, the Vanguard café has a retail shelf on the front, with a corner for coffee catchups and a cabinet offering a selection of cakes and pastries alongside its coffees. “We offer the standard espresso-based beverages, two daily micro-lot batch brews, and a filter flight which allows customers to try different types of filter coffees,” says Jason. “While we initially saw great demand for its light to medium roasted coffee, we’re now selling more single origin and microlot coffees, which really shows a greater appreciation and awareness for specialty coffees, which is fantastic.” As part of the specialty coffee experience, Vanguard also offers a barista breakfas’: a tasting board of coffees which include a single origin espresso, flat white, and filter coffee, allowing customers to try a variety of coffee styles. “Since we’ve started pushing new ideas like this, we’ve seen a dozen new cafés jump on board, and it’s been really great to see this change and growth in New Zealand’s coffee scene,” says Jason. This ethos to continually evolve and innovate can be found in the brand’s name itself. “I had been looking at a lot of companies and what their name stood for, and I thought vanguard, like a group of people leading the way with innovation and I wanted to focus on and really embody it as a focal point,” says Jason. “It was a way to refer back to my values and remind myself to keep moving forward.” While Jason’s hopes to visit his Colombian producers and partners were dashed this year, he still remains positive for 2022, looking forward developing deeper connections on the ground and contributing to New Zealand’s coffee scene.

ARC COFFEE STORE 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 Open Monday to Friday 7am — 2pm, Saturday to Sunday 8am —12pm Located in the heart of Canberra’s business and entertainment precinct, Arc Coffee Store is a place where good food and coffee marry tasteful interior design. As the fifth venture of Canberra based roaster, Red Brick Coffee, the new space opened in January 2021 and already has been nominated in the 2021 Eat Drink Design Awards. “Madeline, Red Brick Coffee’s General Manager, and I have a huge interest in design, and it’s one of the things we love about what we do, the fact we get to design and open creative and visually appealing spaces,” says Tim Manning, Founder of Red Brick Coffee. “We’re honoured to have been able to work with so many great designers. For example, with Arc we worked with a local architecture firm called Capezio Copeland and had our furniture custom built by Tom Skeehan and Skeehan Studio.” With a warm palette of red, pink and brass tones, the space features curved surfaces and marbled floors, with a custom

PASTURE OF BALMORAL 51 The Esplanade, Mosman, New South Wales 2088 Open Sunday to Thursday 6:30am – 4pm and Friday to Saturday 6:30am —10pm TJ Viljoen has had an unusual retirement. Having left his position as CEO for the Asia Pacific region of an international company, TJ decided it was time to open a restaurant with his wife Lizelle. For three years, they have successfully built and run Pasture of Balmoral: a sustainable and peaceful “safe haven” for customers in the coastal suburb of Mosman. The name “pasture” is inspired by the duo’s African heritage, with pasture meaning a place of rest and peace — a feeling the beachside café embodies. “We always had this vision to create a sustainable restaurant that works with local producers and suppliers,” says TJ. “I think human connection is one of the most important things in life, and hospitality really allows you to create these relationships.” The café focuses on traceability in every ingredient. “For example, our eggs are all

Arc Coffee Store has a custom white four Group La Marzocco KB90 machine as its centre piece.

white four Group La Marzocco KB90 machine as the centre piece. Behind the scenes, Tim says Arc is also Red Brick Coffee’s first café with a full kitchen. “We’re really excited to re-open for a full dine-in serve and work with the chefs to further develop a menu that pairs with our coffee to create a unique dining experience,” says Tim. “We have always looked for really high-quality products in everything we do from sourcing our coffee to the pastries we serve in our store. We love knowing where all our products come from, and being able to trace from farm to café.” This is why Red Brick Coffee has partnered with Riverina Fresh milk over other milk suppliers. “Being locally sourced from a select group of dedicated farms, Riverina Fresh gives us the confidence in both the product

quality and consistent performance of their milk in coffee,” says Tim. “We serve this alongside the four coffee blends that we roast over in Curtin.” Tim says the most popular coffee blend served is the Coffee Coffee blend, which is Red Brick Coffee’s take on the classic espresso blend. Staying true to its roasting namesake, Arc was inspired by Red Brick Coffee’s original home, which Tim says was literally a red-brick café in the suburbs of Canberra. “It had a really warm, welcoming environment and we wanted to take this feeling and incorporate it in the city precinct,” says Tim. “It was a fun challenge trying to match the two together. I think we’ve done really well as its beautifully designed and still retains that warmth while showcasing what Canberra is all about.”

free-range sourced from the Kangaroo Valley in Sydney, our garlic comes from a small business who grows them in the Blue Mountain area, and our meats and veggies we can directly trace back to the farm and the producers,” says TJ. This same standard is applied to Pasture of Balmoral’s coffee, which is why TJ chose Will & Co as its roaster. “When we were looking for coffee suppliers, we wanted to know the faces we were working with, where the coffee was coming from, and if the farmers were being treated fairly,” says TJ. “Through customer recommendations we heard about Will & Co, and after our team, including myself, our baristas, and our regular customers, did a blind sampling test, they were the decisive winner.” TJ says what has distinguished the Sydney based coffee is its hint of sweet flavours. The roaster’s most popular blend at Pasture of Balmoral is the Eight-O-Eight, which is described as finely balanced with sweet floral aroma, crisp acidity, and a caramel finish. “We have a wide demographic from older generations to young parents and we found that this

flavour best suited everyone’s taste preferences,” says TJ. “Our customer base is mostly Mosman locals and we’ve really become a classic neighbourhood joint.”

Pasture of Balmoral is a sustainable and peaceful safe haven for customers.

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CAFÉ SCENE BLUE ZONE WELLBEING KITCHEN Pasadena Foodland 20 Fiveash Drive, Pasadena, South Australia, 5042 Open Monday to Friday 7am – 9pm, Saturday 7am – 5pm, and Sunday 8:30am – 3:30pm While specialty coffee and supermarkets aren’t always associated together, Blue Zone Wellbeing Kitchen at Pasadena Foodland is changing this perception serving specialty coffee by Paradox Coffee Roasters. Offering both a café and “coffee supermarket” concept, Blue Zone is located within Pasadena Foodland and offers seating space for 20 people, which head barista Thanh Luu says is perfect for those seeking an expertly brewed coffee and a healthy bite to eat. Unlike store-bought coffee, customers can also have a two-way interaction with the baristas on the specialty coffee they are purchasing, including its flavour notes, how to best brew this coffee, and more. “We’re trying to make specialty coffee more approachable and accessible with this concept,” says Thanh. “This is supported by our Slayer espresso machine, on which we can vary extraction times, conduct brew profiling, and lower espresso extraction temperatures to manipulate the end coffee taste.”

BISSEL B. 111 Bridge Road, Richmond, Victoria 3121 Open Monday to Friday 7am – 3pm, Saturday 8am – 3pm, and Sunday 8am – 2pm Bissel B. is a community driven café that offers New-York inspired bagels.

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Blue Zone Wellbeing Kitchen and Paradox Coffee Roasters are making specialty coffee more accessible.

Thanh says this helps Blue Zone bring out the best of each coffee while tailoring its flavour profile to meet customers’ requests. “We source our coffee from Paradox Coffee Roasters, who do a fantastic job, particularly with single origin coffees by bringing out the terroir’s natural flavours in their roasts,” says Vanessa Luu, Head Barista at Pasadena’s sibling café, Frewville Foodland. “We were first introduced to Paradox Coffee Roasters through Slayer, and after six to eight months of trying countless beans and long nights shaking with caffeine, we chose Paradox because of its amazing flavour profiles.” Part of Blue Zone’s specialised service is related to its baristas’ enthusiasm and wealth

of knowledge. Working in her parents’ bakery since she was 14, Vanessa grew up with a coffee machine. Thanh has been in the coffee industry for more than 25 years and has also worked internationally in all areas of the supply chain from bean to cup. “At Blue Zone, we ultimately want to introduce more single origins and cold drip, and get people really excited and educated about coffee,” says Thanh. “This is all in line with the Chapley family — owners of Pasadena and Frewville Foodland —and their vision to be the best supermarket in the world and introduce people that have never experienced this quality of coffee, to start that conversation and to change the coffee culture.”

New York has captured the hearts and minds of many around the world, including that of Jessica Kurban, Owner of Bissel B. café which offers New-York inspired bagels. “The idea for Bissel B. was born on a family trip to New York City in 2019. My brother loves visiting New York and has many friends there, so my dad and I decided to join him on this trip,” says Jessica. “I fell in love with the city, the people, the vibe, and of course the bagels, and when we returned, we struggled to find a place that could fill that craving for the perfect bagel.” Jessica says she saw the café as an opportunity to recreate those feelings and community spirit in Australia, using her wealth of experience from growing up in the hospitality industry. “The word bissel is Yiddish for ‘A little bit’, because we wanted to offer something to everyone,” says Jessica. “We chose the Yiddish language because even though our inspiration is New York, we wanted to pay homage to the bagel’s traditional Jewish heritage and credit where it came from.” Its bagels, whose names are inspired by different areas of New York, are

served alongside North Melbourne’s Small Batch Roasting Co coffee beans with its Candyman Espresso Blend popular option among customers. “For alternate milk drinkers we offer Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend, which is loved for its creaminess and how beautiful it looks as latte art,” says Jessica. “Our signature drink, the Oat Milk Matcha Latte works perfectly with Califia Farms’ oat milk, and the texture is unlike any of the other oat milks we’ve tried – and we’ve tested a lot.” Jessica says it was the sense of community that café has built, along with its tasty bagels and beverages which has made it a local favourite. “Even during lockdowns, it was great to provide a place where people could come for a while and enjoy themselves. Even something as simple as giving them a cookie or a complimentary coffee on the house could really brighten someone’s day,” says Jessica. “It’s been so rewarding to see the connections we’ve made with customers, and even though we’ve grown quicky we’ve managed to maintain a beautiful relationship with all our regulars.” In 2022, Bissel B.’s community is set to get even bigger with the brand planning to open a new store in Melbourne.

Gerrard uses his heightened senses of taste and smell to create unique chocolate flavours.

CHOCOLATE MOMENTS 42-60 Albert Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000 Open Monday to Friday 7am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 4pm Born with congenital blindness, Gerrard Gosens has lived an extraordinary life, from climbing Mount Everest to performing the salsa on Dancing with the Stars to receiving the Order of Australia medal in 2012. Gerrard is also a master chocolatier who, together with wife Heather Gosens, opened Chocolate Moments café more than a decade ago. “We named the café this because we believe that there’s a moment for chocolate in everyone’s lives, whether it’s a celebration, a thank you, or a way to let someone know you’re thinking about them,” Gerrard says. Gerrard’s chocolates aren’t like any others. Using his heightened senses of taste and smell, he is able to create unique flavours inspired by Australia’s local produce. Some flavours on offer include caramel macadamia, strawberry cream, and lemon myrtle. As a three-time Paralympian, preCOVID Gerrard regularly travelled across Australia to compete, which has allowed

him to source this fresh produce for his chocolates. “For example, when I went down to Tasmania to compete, there was a raspberry farm between Devonport and Launceston which is where we picked up some fresh raspberries,” Gerrard says. “Or when I visited western Queensland, there was a number of beehives I’d pick up honey from and

recently, when I went up to Kingaroy in North Queensland, I bought some cumquat jam. I’m always looking at different flavours and ways we can support different Australian regions.” Buying local is an important value to Gerrard, and while raw products such as cocoa and coffee are hard to source within Australia, he ensures they are bought from Fairtrade certified producers and roasted by Queensland-based coffee roaster Montville. Montville’s Sunshine Coast blend is one of the café’s most popular blends, featuring notes of buttery chocolate, caramel, and almonds. “Another really popular coffee blend is the premium Peruvian coffee blend from Café Femenino. This is a really great all-female run project which gives women land rights to sell this coffee,” says Gerrard. “Supporting sustainability not only in Australia, but in every part of the supply chain is something that is very important to our business.” As summer rolls around, Chocolate Moments is expanding its cold drink selection to include iced coffee and chocolate beverages, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails such as Espresso Martinis. Besides providing a chocolate experience like no other, Gerrard says each Chocolate Moment customer receives a high-level of customer service, with the café boasting a relaxing, rustic aesthetic made of natural timber and wood. “Some of the chairs in our chocolate store are stump from trees; all our furniture has been made from the bush, in line with our ethos to support local,” says Gerrard. “For us it’s about that community and the atmosphere, not only having something that is home grown but making sure we’re supporting one another.”

Gerrard and Heather Gosens opened Chocolate Moments café more than a decade ago.

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TRAINING TACTICS

Liam Lever-Ford is the Victorian Barista Trainer at Suntory Coffee.

Cold brew calling Suntory Barista Trainer Liam Lever-Ford takes a deep dive into cold brew coffee variations and how they can be easily prepped and presented on a café menu to capture a new wave of drinkers in the summer months ahead.

s hot coffee sales drop in the warmer months, it’s important to be prepared with a cold coffee offering to offset the loss and bring in new customers. Let’s talk about the different varieties of cold coffee beverages that are easy to prepare on your café menu. A classic iced coffee An iced latte – espresso served over milk and ice – is the basis for the traditional offering. The addition of ice cream creates the iced coffee and chocolate sauce helps create an iced mocha. These timeless drinks look great and require minimal

supplies, nothing more than a tub of ice-cream and tall glasses. Going one step further, here are four cost-effective ways to add modern cold coffee additions to your menu. Cold Brew The origins of cold brew can be traced back to the 1600s when the Japanese combined methods learned from Dutch traders with their own traditions of cold brewing tea. Cold brew spread across Asia, Europe, and the United States, but it wasn’t until after 2010 that cold filter beverages really started to trend and be seen as a common addition to

café menus. Cold brew can be brewed to drink immediately as is or over ice, or can be brewed as a concentrate depending on the brew ratio. Cold brew is made by grinding coffee very coarsely, then steeping the liquid in room temperature or cold water for extended periods of time. It’s easy to pre-make cold brew in large batches for fast service time in busy peak times. The method requires eight to 24 hours of brewing time, so forwarding planning and preparation is key before adding this beverage to your daily coffee menu. Cold brew provides a flavour that

Cold brew coffee can increase sweetness while decreasing bitterness and acidity.

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is smooth and can increase sweetness while decreasing bitterness and acidity. This may dim the flavour profile of very bright and fruity African beans, but it is often seen to enhance chocolate and nutty flavours. Let’s talk brew ratios – the amount of water used for the weight of coffee. If we take 100 grams of coffee as an example, using one litre of water, it would give us a standard brew ratio of 1:10, one part coffee to 10 parts water. If we used a 1:5 ratio, one part coffee to five parts water, we will get a much more concentrated brew that will shine when diluted with water or milk. Cold brew ratios typically range from 1:5 to 1:15 depending on the desired strength. There are many commercial cold brew makers on the market at a wide range of price points, starting at as little as $30 and rising. Brewers offer different volume capacities ranging from 500 millilitres to 75 litres or more. Many of the commercial brewers are fantastic and at the higher price points can include sleek stainless-steel designs, refrigerated lines, and nitrogen infusion that creates an even smoother taste and a velvety mouthfeel, which has become popular under the name “nitro cold brew”. Cold brew can also be made with nothing more than coffee, water, paper coffee filters, and a container big enough to hold your desired volume.

use some good tonic. Lets’ make one: Materials • Tonic water • Cold brew • Orange

Cold Brew method Materials • A large container • Paper coffee filter • 100g of coarsely ground coffee (similar to a pour over or filter grind size) • 1L of water (filtered water will make a difference, tap water can still produce delicious brews)

Flash brewing/Japanese iced filter Japanese iced filter coffee or flash brewing is a variation of a classic filter drip brewing in which a portion of the brew water is used in the form of ice in the brewing vessel. This is a great way to enhance the current filter offering for summer. It also has the benefit of not requiring any equipment beyond what is needed to make a hot pour over. It simply uses hot water to extract a lot of flavour, while brewing over ice locks in flavour and flash chills the coffee.

Method 1. Add desired brew ratio of coffee and water to container 2. Place in fridge to brew for eight to 24 hours (eight hours is a great starting point, experiment from there) 3. Pour through paper filter such as a V60 or a Chemex filter to remove grounds (remember to rinse the filter beforehand) 4. Store in fridge for seven to 10 days 5. To serve, pour the cold filter coffee over ice in a glass or takeaway cup, or topped with milk. Alternatively, bottle it and display it in the fridge or a container of ice on your benchtop. Tonic cold brew Cold brew can also be used as a base for cocktails and creative coffee beverages. The espresso tonic is becoming increasingly popular, but make sure you

Method 1. Fill glass with ice 2. Add two parts tonic water 3. Add one part cold brew 4. Garnish with an orange slice.

Method 1. Pre wet paper filter 2. Add 25g of coffee to paper filter 3. Add 125g ice to large glass or carafe 4. Pour 20 to 25g of hot water (96°C) in a circular motion fully wetting the ground coffee. Allow to steep for 30 seconds 5. Pour remaining hot water up to 275g 6. Swirl or stir until ice has fully dissolved 7. Serve over additional ice

The timeless iced coffee with espresso and milk is a simple introduction to your cold coffee menu this summer.

Materials • Drip coffee maker • Large glass or glass carafe (a Chemex pour over coffeemaker combines the first two items) • Kettle • Paper filter • Scales • Water • Ice • Delicious filter coffee Ingredients: Ratio = (1:16) • 25g coffee at a medium-fine grind or ground for drip coffee • 125g ice • 275ml water

Iced batch brew Brewing a large amount of filter coffee at once, referred to as batch brewing, is a great way to reduce service times on filter coffees. In warmer months, refrigerating these batch brews can provide an easy and delicious offering. There’s no need to alter your recipe but be aware that batch brewed coffee should be consumed within one to three hours of brewing. Having a delicious cold coffee offering on your menu is one thing, but it’s also important that your customers know about it. If coffee cold is new to your café, it’ll be a new concept to your customers also, so finding ways to promote it via signage, updated menus or encouraging taste testing is key to influencing a new demographic of cold brew coffee customers. Cold coffees offer a huge amount of opportunity for social media coverage as well, so don’t forget to show off your cold brew creations and watch sales rise. Find the offering that works best for your café. Experiment to get your brews where you want them. Push and support your offering, make sure to have takeaway options, and be prepared in terms of expected volume so you don’t sell out in an hour on a hot, sunny day.

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Matthew Lewin is the 2019 ASCA Vitasoy Barista Champion and Café Ambassador for Vitasoy.

A barista’s guide to dairy alternatives: beyond coffee Vitasoy Café Ambassador and 2019 Australian Barista Champion Matthew Lewin discusses the versatility plant-based milks bring to a café, and how to bring the best out of your café staples. *For each recipe, make sure you crack the lid and shake your plant milk to create a good consistent flavour with every pour.

ULTIMATE HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients: Small = 15g hot chocolate powder, 110ml Vitasoy Café for Baristas Almond Milk Large = double above Whisk the powder into milk until mostly dissolved, steam to 60-65°C, and dust with chocolate shavings or chocolate powder.

ULTIMATE MOCHA

Ingredients: 1-2 shots espresso (depending on strength), Ultimate hot chocolate recipe but made with Vitasoy Café for Baristas Oat Milk instead Method: Place espresso at base of vessel, pour over the hot chocolate, and dust with chocolate.

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hristmas is just around the corner, and this ‘presents’ an opportunity when it comes to seasonal beverages. Temporary items on the menu are great for promoting on social media and create a need for the customer to visit you soon so they don’t miss out. I’ve come up with a special latte recipe capturing some of the classic Christmas flavours, while still keeping the coffee front and centre (see Spiced Christmas iced coffee recipe). But Australia’s Christmas is more ‘fun in the sun’ than the ‘winter wonderland’ you’d experience in the Northern Hemisphere, so I’ve also come up with a plant-based coffee milkshake using many of the same ingredients and flavour notes. This one might be a bit more appealing when you’re out and about on a 30°C-plus summer day (see the Coffee, hazelnut, chocolate and panela syrup milkshake recipe). As much as we all love our coffee, it’s only one part of what makes a successful café. With the bar for coffee so high across Australia, a strong and creative food and drinks offering is a great way to create a point of difference. There are so many options you can choose from to fill out your menu, but there’s three things you need to

keep in mind. One – any food or beverage you offer needs to be the highest quality possible. Two – you want the items on your menu to be inclusive; each item doesn’t need to appeal to all customers, but you need something for everyone. Three – especially if you’re working in a smaller coffee bar, you want to be smart with how you use ingredients to save on costs and space. That’s why plant-based milks fit so naturally into a café. Vitasoy’s Café for Baristas range is tailored to work with coffee for a while now, but even before then, plant milks had a place in the café for use in smoothies, other beverages, and breakfast recipes, and these are areas they still perform wonderfully. Every morning, I have a bowl of bircher muesli with Vitasoy Café for Baristas Almond Milk and it’s such a simple recipe you could add to most cafés. There are plenty of suppliers who can provide premixed bircher muesli, and after that it’s simple to add a bit of plant milk, so even a small espresso bar can offer a brunch or breakfast option. Thinking about the beverages you’d find in a café other than coffee, the first things that come to mind are probably your hot chocolates and chai lattes. You could even have something like a mocha

ULTIMATE CHAI

Ingredients: 25g raja chai syrup, 180ml Vitasoy Café for Baristas Soy Milk Combine and texture to 6065°c, then dust with spiced cinnamon powder.

Soy milk has a flavour profile that complements a chai latte.

or dirty chai that combine these with coffee for the best of both worlds. In past columns, I’ve talked about how different types of coffee pair best with different plant milks, and the same applies for ancillary beverages. However, with there being such a strong focus on tailoring dairy alternatives to coffee, I think this is a topic the industry hasn’t explored as deeply as we should have. So with the team at Ona Coffee Melbourne, I began doing my own trialling and tasting of drinks with different dairy alternatives to find the perfect marriage for each beverage. I’ve said many times Vitasoy Café for Baristas Almond Milk pairs best with chocolatey coffees, so it should come as no surprise that we found it to be the ideal plant-based milk to partner with hot chocolates. Those almond and chocolate notes just sing when you put them together. Oat milk worked well, but didn’t necessarily elevate the hot chocolate in the same way almond did. In our experience, soy milk just didn’t vibe with hot chocolate as well as almond or oat. (See Ultimate Hot Chocolate recipe.) PRO TIP: use a whisk to pre-blend your chocolate powder into the plant-based milk, prior to steaming for a better texture and flavour in the cup. For the chai latte, an increasingly popular café staple, we had the exact opposite result. Almond was just a bit too much when combined with the more complex chai flavours. Oat was a good blank canvas for the drink, but when the Vitasoy Café for Baristas Soy Milk brings the texture and chai carries the spice, it takes the beverage to a whole new level. (See Ultimate Chai recipe.) The mix of tea and spices – like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and clove to name a few – we associate with chai came from India, but they are all flavours common in other Asian countries like China, where soy milk originated. Soy milk has been paired with these spices

Matthew Lewin suggests using almond milk for the ultimate hot chocolate.

and ingredients for centuries, so it’s not hard to imagine why they would still work together in a modern café. When it comes to a dirty chai or mocha, oat milk really shines. Oat milk is my personal plant milk of choice when it comes to coffee, because its neutrality allows the coffee to shine through. The same neutrality is what you want out of a plant milk when you’re blending these types of drinks with coffee, which creates an even more complex flavour profile. (See Ultimate Mocha recipe.) Of course, these are just suggestions of how you could use dairy alternatives to bring the best out of your ancillary products. The right barista, recipe, and ratios will make any combination taste delicious, and I recommend every barista test and trial what works for them. Another bit of experimentation you could really play around with is creating entirely new beverages. Health-centric and plant-based green smoothies are also becoming more and more popular, especially with the weather heating up, and it’s an easy way to add something original to the menu. Whether it’s a daily addition to the diet, more of a weekend thing, or something for after exercise, a smoothie is a great way to get your greens in. I’ve put together my own green smoothie recipe using a mix of Vitasoy Café for Baristas oat and almond milk that also highlights some native Australia ingredients. It’s absolutely delicious and serves as a great addition to any café menu or inspiration for your own creation. Plant-based milks offer a huge amount of versatility to the café, and it just takes a little creativity to unlock their full potential.

SPICED CHRISTMAS ICED COFFEE

Ingredients: 1-2 shots of espresso, cold glass, ice, Vitasoy Café for Baristas Oat Milk. Christmas syrup (house made): 100g raisin, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, orange peel, 1 cardamom pod, 100g Demerara or panela sugar, 200ml water blend until smooth, empty into pan & simmer until aromatic and flavours combined into harmony of taste, plus syrup consistently achieved Pull your shots, one or two depending on desired strength. Add ice and 15ml to 30ml of Christmas syrup. Fill with 110ml to 220ml of oat milk, then dust with cinnamon sugar and use an aromatic cinnamon stick to stir.

COFFEE, HAZELNUT, CHOCOLATE & PANELA SYRUP MILKSHAKE

Ingredients: Double espresso, one scoop Vanilla ice cream, 200ml Vitasoy Café for Baristas Almond Milk, one tea spoon chocolate powder, 25ml Panela syrup (50/50 water/ sugar heat dissolve), roasted hazelnut crumb. Blend all until smooth, coat the inner glass rim with a bit of panela sugar, finish with roasted crushed hazelnuts.

For more information, visit vitasoycafe.com.au, or contact your local distributor or the Bega Dairy and Drinks Customer Service team on 1800 000 570.

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ESPRESSO YOURSELF

Victor Vu of Ona Coffee Melbourne is the 2020 ASCA Australian Pauls Professional Latte Art Champion

Christmas Hedgehog Victor Vu presents a festive hedgehog design inspired by a World Latte Art Champion.

o cap off a really big year, I thought I’d share with you my fun take on the hedgehog design originated by 2018 World Latte Art Champion Irvine Quek from Malaysia. Irvine has been a big inspiration to me on my latte art journey, and his cute and fun design is something I used to practice while building my latte art technique. After repeatedly pouring this pattern, I began to add my own little flourishes to give the hedgehog a greater sense of character. The leaves and berries create more detail in the cup and give a sense of scale, so the design begins to tell a story. It’s not just a hedgehog but a small hedgehog out for lunch looking for some fruit. The hat is like a cherry on top, giving the pattern a ‘jolly’ vibe that’s

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just right to practice over Christmas. The design may look complicated, but for any skilled barista it’s easier to pour than many of the patterns you’d see at a latte art championship. To create the design, you need a good understanding of swaying and dragging when pouring, spacing, and awareness of how your pour fills the cup, and how to drop only small amounts of foam when creating the fruits or berries. This makes it perfect for a barista who has mastered their basic patterns and want to move onto something that will impress any customer or co-worker. So, get practicing, and while you do, think of elements you can add or change to make the design your own. That’s how every competitor in the World Latte Art Championship got started, and maybe one day you’ll be there too.

1. Build your base with the handle at three o’clock.

3. On the right side of the cup, pour a curved 10-leaf rosetta ending just below the handle. This is the hedgehog’s spines.

5. Below the two new rosettas, pour a perpendicular, straight nine-leaf rosetta to act as the ground.

7. Above the head and spines, pour a small trianglelike shape to form a hat.

2. Starting from nine o’clock, pour a 10-leaf rosetta up the side of the cup. Pour a second 10-leaf rosetta from the same starting point pointing downwards.

4. Within the curve of that rosetta, pour a seven-leaf rosetta, but pull through on the right side rather than through the centre forming the back.

6. In a single pour, drag a small foot then turning up along the back, looping above the back to form the face and eye, pulling up for a snout, then turning back down and jutting out about halfway down the line to form an arm.

8. Drop a few small amounts of foam between the leaves and the hedgehog’s arm for the berries.

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NZSCA

Emma McDougall is the Communications and Administration Co-ordinator of the NZSCA.

Community connection

NZSCA on the importance of communication through COVID-19 in the coffee industry.

he New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association has been mindful of the “pandemic effect” which created many obstacles, such as the severing of connection. It’s been a business minefield as we navigate new landscapes of lockdown, separation of bubbles, level changes, social distancing, masks, border controls, and a rampant infection that kills. Prior to our August 2021 level four lockdown, NZSCA member companies had been building business cases around trading legalities should we reach another lockdown. Previous foresight had seen us save all important government links and discussions. This would prove fortuitous. A relatively “new normal” Tuesday in mid-August saw the NZ Cup Tasters Championship for 2021 sell out. Several people who missed out contacted us but “be in to win” has always been the catch cry. In the past, a small selection of tickets had been available right up to the day, but this year was something different. We’d opened the tickets a few weeks before and they were slurped up faster than an 8/8 final round. Full of fresh ideas so the community can get to know our entrants, our Instagram campaign introducing cuppers along with some information about them (two tastes and a lie). Support is crucial to competitors. It takes a lot to enter a competition. This campaign was a great way to recognise the competitors and, in turn, for them to get their friends, whanau, and companies supporting them too. That night we were plunged into level four and it looked less likely that the planned September events were going to

go ahead. Even the scheduled Latte Art workshop which was due to be held online the next night was moved. The shock of an abrupt lockdown where attendees’ heads might not be in the right learning space physically or mentally meant that we postponed it a week. During the first lockdown of March 2020, we acknowledged that information is gold. Unfortunately, the information keeps changing as do the “goal posts” with the Delta variant, however, community safety remains paramount. Rather than add to the noise of another email avalanche, we adapted a cautious approach to see how the levels would develop. Often our decisions cannot be made in a snap due to so many parties being involved. Once the Auckland levels changed, we would know more about when the events could be rescheduled. We also created an email with the business links previously mentioned and simply asked “are you ok?” Connections through online creative outlets like the Ultimate Fluffy challenge, the Christmas-Chino, and the Catto-Chino have seen people smiling in a world where hospitality is struggling. Worldwide interest saw some really cool cats come in. Engagement on social media was fun and our judges loved seeing all the cool cats and kittens. Success of the online Latte Art workshop and planning the next one for Barista will hopefully create another way to reach our people interested in education about championships. A great learning experience for all, we are excited to be creating an online workshop complete with goodie tasting bags for attendees. This event will potentially go ahead in

January. At a board level, we have continued to have regular online meetings. Rather than every three months, we’ve been able to shorten this time between meetings with increased quality and quantity involving less travel time and expense. Our weekly WIPs with gentle agendas have kept everyone in the loop. From AGM feedback, the new communications subcommittee has boosted the messaging. The mission of this group is to help spread the message of “there’s a lot in that cup”. As such, there’s been an increased interest from the media with attention from all the major media outlets. This clear messaging of what variables are in the cup is now reaching the consumer so they understand why their daily luxury brew costs what it does and possibly why we could be paying more. Mental Health Awareness week and International Coffee Day were recognised in October. The simple messaging of korero (chat) over a coffee, sums up what we are all about. What better way to connect with someone in the disconnect than sharing coffee? At time of print, the NZ Cup Tasters Championship and Meadow Fresh NZ Latte Art Championship are planned to be held in early March 2022. We can’t wait to meet our community in person for a coffee and a chat. Stay safe, be kind, drink NZ coffee. For more information on the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association, or to join, visit www.nzsca.org

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the move BeanScene celebrates the latest industry appointments in the Australian coffee landscape.

DAVID LAGANA National Business Development Manager at Tiger Coffee David is excited to move towards a National role with Tiger Coffee, with the resources and tools to focus on growth in the Southern Hemisphere. “I feel very motivated in presenting the benefits of the elite technology and elite services that Tiger Coffee Oceania offers,” David says. With almost 20 years in both sales and marketing roles within the coffee industry, David brings a wealth of knowledge to share within the wider Tiger Group of companies. He says the key to the success of building a better, stronger Tiger Coffee will be his ability to work closely with his Tiger teammates in other countries within the Oceania region. The sales focus is growing as is the marketing contribution, without compromising the service and maintenance DNA that has established Tiger Coffee as one of the elite support businesses for super automatic coffee machines in Australia and New Zealand, and very soon, all of the Pacific. 78

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ADAM CARR – FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, HIGHPRESSO Adam has founded Highpresso Pty Ltd to help the broader coffee industry through consulting and IP development. His particular focus is in combining rigorous technical know-how with commercial outcomes. He is currently deciphering optimal milk properties for coffee with a dairy company, helping craft a café sustainability roadmap with a local government council, and assisting the development of next generation coffee technology with an innovative start-up. In between jobs, he is developing novel IP to make quality coffee accessible to aficionados everywhere

MANGALA DE SILVA – OPERATIONS MANAGER, GRIFFITHS BROS COFFEE ROASTERS An Australian icon since 1879, Griffiths Bros Coffee Roasters has welcomed Mangala De Silva to the team who comes to the business with more than 15 years in operations management. Mangala’s strategic thinking, hands-on approach and love of strong coffee will be key in overseeing and mentoring the Griffiths Bros Coffee operations team as they drive innovative, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing as the business continues to fuel nation’s love affair of coffee.

DUANE SORENSON – GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ST ALI Duane Sorenson, Founder of Stumptown Coffee Roasters has joined ST. ALi as Global Creative Director. Considered one of the pioneers and founders of the third wave coffee movement, Sorenson began Stumptown in Portland, Oregon in 1999, selling for an undisclosed sum to Peet’s Coffee & Tea in 2015. Duane has more than 30 years of experience as barista, roaster and green coffee buyer. “Duane is single-handedly the most creative and forward thinking coffee professional in the world,” says St ALi’s Salvatore Malatesta. “Duane has graciously agreed to come on board as Global Creative Director and will work across all facets of the business from ensuring our green bean sourcing remains best in category, to new territories and much more.” Duane says he is excited to join St ALi and “continue to make dreams come true”.

If you have taken on a new role in a prominent coffee business, or if you would like to promote your exciting new hire, send details of the career news alongside a high-res photo to Ethan Miller at ethan.miller@primecreative.com.au

Whether you own three cafés or run a chain – we focus on roasting coffee to your custom specifications, so you can focus on building your business.

BeanScene magazine December 2021

Articles inside

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

NZSCA

A BARISTA’S GUIDE TO DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

TRAINING TACTICS

ESPRESSO YOURSELF

CAFÉ SCENE

GOING PRO

THE A-TEAM

THRIVING TOGETHER

A PASSION PROJECT

A CLEANER FOR ALL

MAKING A SPLASH WITH MALTRA

COFFEE’S BEST FRIEND

A NEW CRITERIA FOR COFFEE

DOWN TO A TEA

COFFEE’S SEA CHANGE

BARING IT ALL

THE PICOPRESSO

A NEW SPIN ON GRINDING

COFFEE IN THE FAST LANE

CELEBRITY COOK

YEARS IN THE MAKING

NEWS