Cafe Culture Magazine - Issue 25

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magazine APRIL 2008 ISSUE 25

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

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Caffè Culture 2008: Where business steams ahead 21st & 22nd MAY 2008 OLYMPIA LONDON Ensure your business continues to thrive with a visit to Caffè Culture 2008.

Keep abreast of the latest industry trends and innovations, source new products from over 200 international exhibitors and enjoy seminars and training workshops from the very best in the industry. Book your ticket now and watch your business steam ahead.

Register for FREE* admission today at

www.caffeculture.com *£15 on the door Media partners:

Partners:

UK CHAPTER

Organised by:

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS NEWS

ARTICLES

4

Licensing law is reviewed.

5

New UK barista champion is crowned.

6

Smoothie pledge.

33 Fresh from the bean – David Cooper on why you can’t beat an espresso machine.

FOOD & DRINK 08 16 Show preview and workshop programme.

FEATURES

Welcome!

Breakfast ideas and coffee machines preoccupy us in this issue, as well as that indulgent café beverage, hot chocolate.

Our congratulations go to Hugo Hercod for winning this year’s UK Barista Championship held at the recent Hotelympia exhibition (turn to page 35 to read about Hugo’s personal path to barista champion status).

We wish him well in the World Barista Championships to be held in Denmark in June.

We also take a sneak preview of the Food & Drink Expo (6 to 9 April, NEC, Birmingham) which will have a dedicated sandwich, snack and café area, and is the next exhibition of interest to the café sector prior to the third Caffè Culture show (21 and 22 May, Olympia, London).

10 Breakfast bonanza – capitalising on the first meal of the day.

20 Drinking chocolate – the importance of creating and promoting this indulgent café beverage.

35 Relishing the challenge – Hugo Hercod’s journey to becoming UK barista champion 2008.

REGULARS 38 Coffee Clinic – your maintenance queries answered.

39 New products.

40 Checkout.

42 Product listings.

28 Mean machines – a look at some versatile coffee machines.

Clare Benfield Editor Editor Clare Benfield, Tel: 01291 636336, Fax: 01291 630402 E-mail: clare@jandmgroup.co.uk Advertising Manager Paul Steer Tel: 01291 636333 Fax: 01291 630402 E-mail: paul@jandmgroup.co.uk Production Manager James English, Tel: 01291 636339, Fax: 01291 630402 E-mail: james@jandmgroup.co.uk Subscriptions and Customer Service Stephanie Mayo, Tel: 01291 636338 Fax: 01291 636338 E-mail: steph@jandmgroup.co.uk Editorial Address Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5DB Fax: 01291 636338 E-mail: cafe@jandmgroup.co.uk www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk Opinions expressed in Café Culture are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group Ltd or Café Culture. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. Café Culture is published by J&M Group Ltd. and supports Café Society. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the café industry. © 2007 J&M Group Ltd Paper used in the production of this publications is sourced from sustainable managed forests and the magazine is printed by The Manson Group, Hertfordshire When you have finished with this magazine please think of the environment.

DON’T MISS YOUR COPY. SUBSCRIBE NOW! CALL 01291 636338.

APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 3

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NEWS

Licensing law is reviewed A government review of the 24-hour licensing law (which allows premises to apply for late licenses to enable them to serve alcohol for longer during the course of a day), twelve months on from its introduction, would seem to suggest that, as yet, it is failing to encourage the adoption of continental style café culture in the UK. Instead, police resources are being further stretched, with drunken behaviour more likely to extend further into the night as people go home between four and five in the morning, as opposed to one and two. The government says that it has no plans to reverse the 24hour licensing laws. However, penalties for failing to comply with the law will be tightened up. For example, off licences found to be selling alcohol to the under-18s will be subject to a “two strikes” rule.

In response to the findings of a review into the Licensing Act 2003 in England and Wales, BII Chief Executive John McNamara commented: “In many ways the legislation has had a very positive effect on the industry and our customers. We have seen more partnership working and sharing of best practice between the police, local authorities and licensed retail outlets.

Some excellent examples of this are the increasingly successful Best Bar None scheme, National Pubwatch and other local initiatives such as the Safer Medway Partnership.

“Taking a bigger picture view, it’s unrealistic to expect one act to solve all our cultural issues around alcohol misuse. Besides, it’s important to remember that the act has only been in place for just over two years and it’s too soon to tell what the long-term impact will be.”

Since the new law was introduced, the main recipients of the licences are believed to have been hotels, although some additional 500 pubs and clubs have been granted them.

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Lavazza’s Brazilian acquisition avazza has signed a contract to acquire the Brazilian company Café Grão Nobre, known in the State of Rio by its Café Florença-branded products Lavazza has always had a special relationship with Brazil in terms of its coffee purchases with the company ranking number six in Europe in terms of volume with approximately 2.3 million bags of green coffee, and it importing approximately 50% of its yearly requirements from Brazil. This latest deal follows the company’s successful entry into the Indian market, and will strengthen the Lavazza Group through the addition of a company that is a leader in the vending and OCS sectors in the State of Rio (Café Grão Nobre, which employs a staff of 150, operates a roasting facility and recently entered the Ho.Re.Ca market).

Brazil is the world’s top producer of green coffee and offers constantly improving quality standards. It is also the number two consumer country in the

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world following the United States and has shown exponential growth of its internal consumption over the past few years.

Lavazza, a Turin-based company, says that it plans to invest €30 million in Brazil over the next three years to improve production facilities and sales structures and thereby strengthen its market position considerably.

“The acquisition in Brazil fits in with our strategy, which targets rapidly developing markets with considerable growth potential,” said Alberto Lavazza, the group’s vice president and chief executive officer in a statement. “We also have strong emotional ties to Brazil: it was where we bought our first bags of raw materials when the company was started. It is fair to say that were it not for Brazil, Lavazza might not even exist. This is another reason why we are especially pleased with this agreement, which allows us to expand our business and relationship with a country that has come to stand for coffee.”

Feel Good to plant trees Feel Good Drinks has teamed up with independent charity, Trees for Cities, for a national year long tree planting partnership in an initiative that will see the drinks company and the charity holding Feel Good Carnival Planting Days throughout the year.

“We think planting trees is a good thing to do, but we wanted our team and local communities to be able to get involved too, which is why Trees for Cities is a perfect partner for us,” explains Dave Wallwork, managing director and co-founder of the soft drinks company.

Trees for Cities is an independent charity that works to transform urban wasteland into green spaces by getting the local community involved in the tree planting and educating them on how to sustain the transformed green areas. As well as tree planting, each carnival planting day will include face painting, live music, football games and plenty of arts and crafts such as bird box making. On top of planting 1000 trees, Feel Good Drinks says that it will also be supporting the partnership with sampling, digital and PR activity.

Happy birthday Nescafé!

2008 marks the 70th birthday of perhaps the most famous brand of instant coffee, Nescafé. The colourful history of the “richer, smoother, tasting cup” started in 1930 when Food & Beverage Company, Nestlé, was challenged by the Brazilian government to create a coffee product that had all the rich flavour and aroma of ground fresh coffee, but that could be made by simply adding hot water.

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NEWS

New UK barista champion crowned he UK Barista Championship final was held in front of large crowds during the recent Hotelympia show at London’s ExCel. Following a record number of entrants competing at the six regional heats earlier in the year it was Hugo Hercod, owner of Relish Food and Drink, Wadebridge, Cornwall who took the title. The other semi-finalists were Barry Lawrenson (Roasters, Scarborough), Subi Tweed (Ground Espresso Bar, Belfast), Neli Petkova and Mariusz Meszek (both from Café Krem in Northern Ireland) and Sindy Kam Cheong (Ritazza, London).

Hugo is no stranger to the championship format, having competed in the national finals of the UK competition for the past three years. For his speciality drink, he created a layered signature drink of rose water syrup, Origin’s Fair Trade chocolate and a single espresso called Turkish Delight - all topped with a pink coconut and rose water flavoured foam. Now he has a few months to refine his signature drink before he faces his next challenge representing the UK at the 2008 World Barista Championship which will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in June.

Commenting on the UK Championshop, John Sherwood, executive co-ordinator of the UKBC said: “It was a great year with stronger than ever competitions throughout the regions. The inventiveness of the competitors with their signature drinks continues to amaze and the general standard goes up and up. There is real growth of interest within the industry

T Starbucks takes a coffee break Starbucks outlets across the US closed their doors for three hours recently in order for staff to take part in a mass barista training session focusing on quality, and which also involved retraining on how to make espressos.

Chairman Howard Schultz is said to be concerned about a decline in store transactions, so instigated a retraining programme, backed by in store material encouraging customers to speak up if the beverages they had ordered were not ‘perfect’.

As a result of the back to basics approach, Starbucks staff in the US will now be expected to engage with customers more by listening to them and chatting, taking action and acknowledging them more, as well as upping the quality level of the drinks they make and serve.

However, since the shutdown, accusations have been made by some industry observers that the training session was in fact purely a publicity stunt that has since backfired by sparking unwanted criticism over the nature of the quality of the coffee they serve, as well as other issues such as the cost of their beverages and working conditions of its staff. In a statement, Starbucks told Café Culture magazine that nothing similar had been decided yet for UK outlets.

CRS 2008 calls all cafés If you run a café or sandwich shop, then the Convenience Retailing Show (CRS), which is being held at the Birmingham NEC from 6 to 9 April 2008 as part of the Food & Drink Expo, will be a good place to visit for ideas.

Country Choice will be there with some new bread lines, plus a range of reduced fat sandwich fillings, as well as companies specialising in offering those profitable peripheral lines such as snacks and soft drinks - Bobby’s Foods, Julian Graves, Kettle Foods, Procter & Gamble with Pringles, and Sun Valley, plus Boost Drinks, Coca-Cola Enterprises, ProJuice and Spring Cool,

A regular finalist in the UK Barista Championship for the past three years, Hugo Hercod (third from right) has now secured the title. and budding baristi, and I was impressed that there was such a good feeling at the event with all the baristi helping and supporting each other.

“Our next event is the Caffè Culture show (21 and 22 May) when we will be holding three other championships namely Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits where the competitors have to make a perfect Irish coffee and another coffee and alcohol drink of their choice - and the Cup Tasting Competition. The three winners will also represent the UK at the World Championships in Copenhagen in June.”

To find out more about the SCAE UK, and how to enter these forthcoming competitions, visit www.scaeuk.com and www.scae.com. For Hugo Hercod’s personal take on the competition he won, turn to page 35.

Coffee Nation, Kenco, Simply Coffee and Tchibo. Other exhibitors of interest to cafés include Cakes for the Connoisseur, Holland’s Pies and Ice Cream World.

CRS will have a special Sandwich and Snack Café area where chefs and food technicians will host interactive demonstrations and give advice on how to boost profits. To register for free, visit www.cstoreshow.com.

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NEWS

Environmentally-

Caffe Latino’s ‘intelligent’ grinder

friendly sticks of milk We’re all familiar with powdered milk and milk that comes in a ‘jigger’, but now Single Source, a manufacturer of single serve portions for the foodservice market, has announced a 50% stake-holding in Dairystix Limited, creators of the ‘milk in a stick’ product, billed as the biggest innovation in the single milk portion sector since the 1960s.

“We are very excited to be involved with Dairystix,” said Single Source’s commercial director, Neil Goodwin. “This unique product offers both commercial and environmental advantages over the traditional “jigger” packaging that it is designed to replace.

Each stick takes up to 40% less space than its jigger rival and once empty leaves up to 50% less plastic packaging weight to be disposed of.”

Dairystix is currently available in farm assured fresh (ESL) and UHT formats in semiskimmed and whole milk that is additivefree, and is available in cases of 200.

Right: Dairystix - already a hit with Compass Catering and Tesco coffee shops nationwide.

affe Latino, an independent coffee house chain founded

by Mark Kiaie and Keith Whitehouse, has become the first UK coffee business to invest in Dalla Corte’s ‘intelligent’ grinder, the DC II GCS. The DC II GCS is the world’s first automatically controlled grinding system and guarantees consistent quality and perfect espresso extraction through its revolutionary monitoring method, say Dalla Corte. It works by maintaining a permanent connection to the

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espresso machine allowing constant monitoring of the quality of the coffee being ground. If the average extraction time varies from the required time set, the grinder will automatically adjust the grinder burrs to compensate.

“Such control ensures the consistent quality and coffee standard that Caffe Latino is known for,” says Mark Kiaie. “The DC II GCS is a great piece of technology that overcomes the problem inconsistent grind quality which most baristas face.”

“The ability to produce perfect espressos every time may sound clichéd but in this case it really is true - through innovative

technology that has been years in development, Dalla Corte has solved the big problem of inconsistent espresso quality and taste. This is great news for coffee shops who sometimes serve bitter tasting coffee due to their grinders being set incorrectly,” adds David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte Imports UK. Caffe Latino will install the DC II GC in all three of its current Yorkshire locations and will also roll out the grinder to future outlets (12 new franchises are planned to open in the next six months located throughout the UK from Maidstone to Manchester).

Smoothie pledge At his party’s spring conference, and in advance of the budget, Liberal Democrat shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable, suggested that tax should be raised on drinks with a high alcohol content and be used to cut VAT on healthy 100 per cent fruit juice from 17.5 per cent to five per cent, with the hope of encouraging more people to consume drinks such as smoothies.

Barnet’s café counter revolution!

A counter supplied by Moffat Catering Equipment is helping a London borough to change the way its staff work The London borough of Barnet is encouraging its staff to change the way they operate. By taking a more flexible approach (for example, using Wi-Fi and having less formal meeting areas), staff are being encouraged to modernise the way they work. In particular, the council’s Atrium, where the catering facilities are, is at the heart of the council’s new strategy and staff are being encouraged to use its café area to work and hold meetings, as well as for networking and relaxing.

Moffat Catering Equipment (who were FCSI Manufacturer of the Year in 2006 and LACA Supplier of the Year for 2007) redeveloped the area, using black granite for the counter top with a facia incorporating the borough’s official colour, teal. There are also two other counter areas - one for grab ‘n go foods, such as snacks and sandwiches, and the other for hot and cold meals.

“We’re delighted with the counter and it’s clearly a hit with our customers - since we opened, takings have increased every week,” says the council’s Teresa Goodall. “More people are using the facilities, including staff from other civic buildings.”

Left: Moffat Catering Equipment (www.ermoffat.co.uk) have helped redesign Barnet Council’s Atrium Café.

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NEWS

A VIP offer The company behind some of the UK’s most well know beverage brands, Nescafé, will once again be running a year long campaign in which foodservice purchasers of VIP tickets to their products various events are will have the on offer to caterers chance to win from Nescafé.

VIP tickets to various prestigious events such as Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix or the Golf Open.

“Our customers really embraced last year’s Britain’s Favourite Events promotion, with over 120,000 joining the scrum to win tickets,” said Martin Lines, marketing director for Nestlé FoodServices. “With extra events such as film premieres and tickets to the O2 added into the mix, this year’s promotion is set to be even more popular.”

To enter, you will need to purchase a promotional tin or box of stickpacks of Nescafé Original, Gold Blend, Cappuccino, Latte or Mocha and visit the www.nfspromotions.co.uk web site for further details. Entries will also be placed into monthly draws for the chance to win one of six iPod shuffles, four £25 Ticketmaster vouchers and ten £10 HMV vouchers.

Typhoo tea to go yphoo have launched a new On the Go Cup - a refreshing cup of Typhoo tea - for consumers who don’t have time to stop.

Typhoo’s innovative new solution features a Typhoo teabag in a double walled, premium branded paper cup, requiring tea drinkers to simply add hot water, milk and sugar as required. “As consumer lifestyles become busier and lunch breaks get shorter, Typhoo On the Go Cup is a perfect way for caterers and outlets to drive tea sales,” says Sue JonesSmithson, customer marketing manager for Typhoo.

Their new delivery mechanic has higher premium associations for the consumer and can command minimum 30p premium compared to plastic cups, say Typhoo. The bold full-colour branding and packaging allows for a clear ingredient list (which complies with EEC food packaging regulations), a nutrition declaration, allergy reference, best before dates and production codes for full product traceability. The 12oz cups also carry a “Hot Drink” warning and offer better insulation via a lid (for further information, visit www.typhoo.com).

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Typhoo tea now also comes in an on the go format.

New fresh-bake cookie brand The Otis-Spunkmayer fresh-bake cookie brand is now available exclusively in the UK from Delice De France.

The concept features three ranges - Supreme Indulgence (which includes preportioned cookie dough, a pre-set cookie oven and mold), Sweet Discovery (featuring varieties such as chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, strawberry and white chocolate macadamia) and Value Zone (designed for outlets with their own oven/kitchen facilities and catering staff).

All Otis Spunkmeyer product is delivered frozen, and there is also a range of optional extras such as branded cookie jars, display stands and wire racks to help create attractive displays to boost sales (www.otisspunkmeyer.co.uk).

Left: Join the cookie revolution with Otis Spunkmeyer’s fresh-bake cookie concept.

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NEWS

SHORTS Unfair trade?

Written by Marc Sidwell and published by The Adam Smith Institute (the UK’s independent innovator of free-market economic and social policies) Unfair Trade argues that for all its good intentions, Fairtrade is not fair. Guaranteeing certified farmers a minimum price for their goods can distort local markets leaving other farmers even worse off, claims the book.

Dr Ernesto Illy Dr Ernesto Illy, one of the biggest names in the world of espresso and coffee research and science, having founded a research laboratory responsible for the creation of many inventions and patents of benefit to the coffee industry at large, has died. In a statement, the company he had been the chairman of from 1963 to 2004 and honorary chairman of ever since, said that he had passed away in a hospital in Trieste, the city where Illy has its headquarters.

Strong support for lunch! lunch!, the contemporary food to go show taking place at the fashionable Old Billingsgate Market in Central London (2627 September 2008), has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the industry, according to the organisers, Diversified Business Communications. lunch! (www.lunchshow.co.uk) will target the increasingly image and quality orientated food to go market and is aimed at quality sandwich bars, juice bars, cafés and contract caterers.

Coffee and hotels lift gloom Premier Inn hotels and Costa owner, Whitbread, has seen rising room bookings and strong coffee sales despite the current economic gloom. Whitbread’s shares were the top performer in the FTSE 100 recently, after it reported solid sales growth and reassured the market that its full-year results were likely to meet expectations.

Costa coffee shops like-for-like sales grew by 6.3% as new store openings drove up business.

Museum founder dies Edward Bramah, founder of the Bramah Museum of Tea & Coffee, has died at the age of 76. After becoming a tea planter in 1950, he trained as a tea taster with Lyons before joining a coffee brokerage in Tanzania. He also worked with China to promote China tea in Britain. He then set up his own company called Bramah Tea & Coffee, eventually opening the museum in 1992.

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New guide to setting up a coffee shop Don Clarke, who started out as a shop fitter and interior designer before opening and running a series of fast food outlets and coffee shops, has written an easy to follow and comprehensive step-by-step account of how to set up and run a coffee shop profitably.

Each chapter deals with a specific topic, from the initial search for premises to expanding into a chain of shops. Aspiring coffee shop owners can now pick the brains of a highly successful coffee shop owner, who, with no previous experience in catering, reports that he was turning over half a million pounds a year before he retired.

Every aspect of the business is covered in the book, including whether to lease or buy premises, budgeting and writing a business plan to secure finance, health and safety requirements, insurance and licences, interior design, equipment - even down to the size and thickness of cup - recruiting staff, marketing and cleaning. "If I had the information, when I started, that I am providing you with now, I would have saved months of trial and error and many thousands of pounds!" says Don (whose book is available as a downloadable e-book via www.howtosetupacoffeeshop.co.uk).

American style muffins akeMark UK (www.bakemark.co. uk) has announced the addition of a range of American style muffins to its bake-off range which can be ready in only 20 minutes.

According to TNS Worldpanel figures, the retail market value of muffins is £58.5m and growing by 3.7% a year and with consumers increasingly looking for a fresh, oven baked taste, BakeMark says that it is targeting a booming market and catering for customers’ tastes while providing operators with a convenient, easy to use product. The range features five premium muffins such as Blueberry and Lemon & Poppy, and to target those health conscious customers there is a Reduced Fat Red Berry Muffin, full of summer

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Lemon poppy muffin - part of Bakemark’s new American style muffin range. fruit berries, but with 25% less fat.

“Bake-off is a very important and successful sector for BakeMark, and we endeavour to make it as easy for our customers as possible,” says Lisa Smith, BakeMark UK’s

marketing manager. “The products we provide are ideal for food service operators and bakers with busy outlets who are looking for convenient products that do not compromise on the freshly baked quality experience.”

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NEWS

US chain chooses UK designer The CADA Design Group has been appointed by premium food specialists Dean & Deluca to design a number of their new stores and cafés located in the US. Known for their commitment to culinary excellence, expert customer service and superior quality foods, Dean & Deluca tasked CADA Design Group with the challenge of taking the spirit of their premium brand to a new level and applying it to their new stores and cafés, including three in the brand’s home city of New York, as well as one in the premium retail outlet of Fashion Island in Newport Beach, California and at another outlet in Leawood, Kansas City.

Founding directors of CADA Design Group (www.cada.co.uk), David Callcott and David Anderson, have successfully cultivated an enviable reputation in both national and international markets for developing creative concepts that meet market expectations via an ability to create fresh thinking design solutions, having become well known in the field of brand design. “Our clients come to us for creative solutions based on sound experience,” comments David Callcott, founder director of CADA Design Group, “and we are really excited to be associated with a premium brand such as Dean & Deluca.”

From rainforests to wetlands

SPB Cymru has been working in partnership with the ethical coffee company Best Coffee Beans (www.bestcoffeebeans.co. uk) to ensure that the coffee they serve in their new Environmental Educational and Visitor centre at Newport Wetlands is as environmentally sound as the reserve itself.

The Newport Wetland centre opened on the 9 March and is a welcoming gateway into the beautiful reserve, with its mix of habitats and stunning wildlife, forming part of the vast low lying land which stretches along the northern edge of the River Severn between Cardiff

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and Chepstow.

At the heart of the centre will be the coffee shop, where visitors can relax with a unique triple certified espresso coffee supplied by Best Coffee Beans, and which is Soil Association certified, Fairtrade certified and Rainforest Alliance certified, making it good for visitors, good for coffee producers and good for the planet.

“We wanted to source products for our coffee shop which cause the minimum damage to the environment and fitted with the aims of our centre while still tasting great!” says the RSPB’s catering and retail manager, Daniel Baxter.

“This will be an ongoing priority across everything we source as we go forward.”

“This espresso is blended from beans produced by small farms in the rainforests of Honduras, Shade grown farms of Brazil and Papua New Guinea,” explains Best Coffee Beans director, Paul Siddall. “Just like Newport Wetlands, many of the farms grow their coffee amongst other trees and are a natural habitat for sometimes unique and rare wildlife.”

Caffè Culture seminar programme takes shape Having fast become the UK’s most comprehensive resource for the café and coffee bar market, Caffè Culture 2008 (21 and 22 May, Olympia, London), will this year bring together over 200 international exhibitors alongside a packed programme of talks, industry debates, practical demonstrations and workshops.

Russell Smith, author of How to Start a Successful Business and The Independent’s small business columnist, will provide expert advice on launching, surviving and thriving in one of the UK’s most competitive sectors. Key industry experts will offer an insight into achieving a competitive and sustainable edge through local sourcing, and Paul Allen, author of Your Ethical Business, will provide a complete guide to starting and operating a truly green and ethical café – from choosing suppliers, through to staffing and recycling policies. Visitors to the Caffè Business Theatre can also hear from the Institute of Hospitality, the founder of the hugely successful icafé, as well as a host of franchise experts who can offer advice about how to turn a successful business into a thriving franchise operation.

Creating a major new feature at the event, the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe’s (SCAE) stage will see the UK’s leading baristas test their Latte Art, Cupping and Coffee in Good Spirits skills, as they battle it out on a specially designed stage in front of a live audience to secure their place at the World Championships in Copenhagen in June. To register for free admission visit www.caffeculture.com, where SCAE Workshop places can also be booked.

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BREAKFAST

Breakfast bonanza Breakfast has yet to be fully exploited by cafés, perhaps because it requires outlets to think more strategically about what types of products they serve, how they promote them, and how they tempt customers into eating their breakfast out of home. However, busier lifestyles are inevitably leading to more out of home consumption, and the creation of some healthy and innovative breakfast products is providing profitable opportunities for cafés.

Important but under-capitalised?

Everybody knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, with studies showing that people who eat breakfast tend to be in better moods and demonstrate improved mental capabilities, compared to those who go without.

However, in today’s busy society, many consumers are looking for a quick fix that can be consumed on the move, as opposed to at home.

Recent market research from Mintel (Menu Formats, December 2007) shows that growth in demand for casual dining directly correlates to the continuing

popularity of cafés and coffee shops which are, in turn, responding by expanding their own food menus. In a sector which has historically dominated the breakfast occasion, this is crucial, especially when others (pubs, for example) are hunting for ways to maximise as yet untapped corners of the market.

However, according to further Mintel research (Breakfast Catering – UK, June 2007), caterers across the board are failing to offer consumers the right breakfast solutions in the out of home environment.

Heinz Foodservice (www.heinzfoodservice.co.uk), for instance, reports that it has identified the biggest challenge facing the foodservice industry to be a failure to appeal widely enough to consumers, with, according to Mintel, 52% of people saying they hadn’t eaten breakfast out of home in the last three months. And whilst Mintel’s breakfast research also shows that the good old English fry up is still the favoured

LEFT: Helping to contribute to the ‘fivea-day’, there’s Brakes Fresh Exotic Fruit Salad (naturally low in fat, it is made up of orange, mango, kiwi, honeydew melon, watermelon, pineapple and black grapes in a light syrup). breakfast out of home, with 56% of people enjoying one, other cooked options and hot rolls/sandwiches account for 15 and 14% of the market respectively. So, why are so few people eating these out of home on a regular basis?

Customisation According to Mintel’s Menu Formats, the future will need to be about customisation, grazing, time poor consumers, premiumisation and value for money, and it is these considerations, say Heinz, which are shaping their own product development in terms of creating the right offer and profit potential for outlets.

“The simple way to address these issues, as both Heinz Foodservice and Mintel research shows, is to initially tackle the fact that a whopping 36% of consumers find it more convenient to eat at

LEFT: Heinz Baked Beanz latest Eazy Pots come in individual portion packs of four (200g each), can be microwaved for speedy heating and help to minimise waste via their portion control.

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Bakehouse’s All Day Breakfast Croissant

Pret A Manger Pret A Manger, which specialises in sandwiches made using natural, preservative-free ingredients, famously distributing leftover food to charity at the end of the day to start afresh each morning, swears by Heinz Tomato Ketchup as a selling point of its All Day Breakfast which features free range egg mayonnaise, sausage, beech-smoked bacon, tomatoes, cress and seasoning on wholegrain bread.

Purchasing manager, Sarah Docherty, says that the infamous sauce, which Pret buys in 2ltr back of house bottles, was equally as important as each deliciously fresh ingredient. “We use Heinz because it is an iconic brand which we love here at Pret. It is made from simple, natural ingredients that anyone would have in their kitchen at home.

It is also not a challenging taste but acts as a great flavour enhancer in our sandwiches.”

home,” says Heinz brand manager, Tal Drori. “Not only are we able to offer great complementary products for breakfast time, we are now able to offer outlets guidance on how to deal with their customers. Our research has identified four key consumer types for foodservice outlets and what outlets can do to appeal to them to maximise their breakfast offering and profitability.”

Fuel stop Food is fuel and the cooked breakfast is part of this breakfaster’s daily routine. So, if your customer base is mostly male and blue collar, you should be offering a valuefor-money breakfast menu that includes trusted brands (for example, Heinz Beanz, HP sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup).

Grab and go These consumers lead busy lives and are extremely time poor, and because of this they regularly skip breakfast as a matter of course. The key to attracting these consumers, advise Heinz, is by offering convenient options breakfast options that they can take away with them, such as ready-prepared hot options like pre-cooked bacon that can be placed in the bread product of their choice in a speedy manner.

Healthy choice Healthy eating has now become mainstream, but for health orientated consumers a satisfying, yet guilt-free,

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breakfast can be hard to track down, particularly when looking for hot options.

Heinz say that their Heinz Beanz, for example, offers a good base for healthier breakfast options as they are available in original, Reduced Sugar and Salt and Weight Watchers versions. In the case of this particular product, caterers should be communicating to their customers that just one serving of Heinz Beanz can contribute to one of your ‘five-a-day’, help with sustained energy release, count towards a fifth of your recommended daily protein needs, as well as more than 40% of your recommended daily fibre needs Total treat At the opposite end of the scale from the healthy-minded consumer are those who like to treat themselves with a real slap-up breakfast, as a once-in-a-while indulgence.

This trend for premiumisation, embodied by hotels like Malmaison and the growing number of independent cafés, pubs and restaurants that are offering high quality local produce, means that mixing well known brand names like Heinz and HP with products with excellent provenance will see the consumer pay more for the experience.

Not so obvious selling points The good old English fry up is the favourite breakfast out of home, yet this British staple has yet to shake off its unhealthy stigma, a factor which might be putting off cafés from serving it. Not only

does offering a traditional English breakfast prove healthy for your profits, a hearty first meal of the day can prove healthy for customers compared to, say, a continental offering. A comparison of the fat content in a traditional English breakfast versus a Continental style menu is quite an eye opener.

English breakfast 2 rashers of bacon, 1 sausage, 1 fried egg, baked beans, 1 slice of white toast, mushrooms and 1 grilled tomato = 540kcals, 26.2g fat.

Continental style White chocolate and strawberry muffin and grand latte with whole milk = 843 kcals, 45.3g fat. Eileen Steinbock of Brakes has the following advice on the subject of the good old fry up: “There is no reason why health conscious consumers should miss out on the traditional English breakfast. By simply grilling, toasting and poaching, instead of frying, operators can reduce the fat content of a traditional fried English breakfast by up to 30%.”

Healthier Choices Sliced Wholemeal Loaf, Healthier Choices Baked Beans, Healthier Choices Pork Sausages, Cooked Scrambled Eggs, Rindless Back Bacon are just some of the breakfast ingredients from Brakes which can help to reduce the fat content of this popular meal (www.brake.co.uk).

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BREAKFAST

BUZZING BACON BUTTIE Ingredients 6-8 rashers rindless or unsmoked back/streaky bacon 4 thick slices fresh cut bread HP Sauce 10-12 cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons coriander 4 teaspoons olive oil (extra virgin) 1 teaspoon parmesan cheese Salt and ground black pepper Preparation Snip a few small cuts in the fat around each bacon rasher to stop it curling up. Fry on a medium heat and add a trickle of oil. Cook for around 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy and put on one slice of bread, then cover the other in slice in HP Sauce and put it sauce-side down in the pan. Soak up the juices (but not toast) while the other slice is warmed through by the bacon. To power up, add a twist of salsa using finely chopped tomatoes and coriander, mixing in some light oil, cheese, salt and ground pepper.

BELOW: Cereals in ready to serve pots, complete with spoons.

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Another selling point for serving English style, cooked breakfasts is the opportunity to promote the use of locally-sourced ingredients. Meat manufacturer and specialist food distributor, the Southover Food Company (www.southoverfoods.com), for example, says that it supplies Cooked Smoked Back Bacon, sourced in England from superior free-range pork and traditionally oak smoked at the company’s dedicated premises in East Sussex.

Southover say that they created this award-winning product as an alternative to raw bacon in order to provide a consistent, quality choice for busy cafés and catering outlets where space, time and facilities are at a premium. Just a short burst in the microwave is all it needs before it is ready to eat, so that its taste and texture maintained, say the company. Furthermore it costs the same, slice per slice, as raw bacon.

“Working closely with caterers, we are aware of potential space issues they may RIGHT, have,” says Steve Pearce, Southover’s Kate’s Cakes MD. “Our Cooked Smoked Back Bacon Granola bars and aims to solve this problem, offering a INSET, Kellogg’s tasty, cost effective choice for outlets Nutri-Grain wishing to add bacon to their menus. It’s Strawberry. a winner in terms of both taste and ease of use – and it makes the perfect bacon sandwich in seconds!’

Cereals and health bars The increasing demand for nutritional food, as well as convenience and portability in the out of home sector when it comes to breakfast food is responsible for change in the nature of many well known breakfast brands, making them particularly suited to the café sector as a direct result.

Cereal manufacturer, Kellogg’s, for example, has long been a brand seen on many breakfast tables across the land, but in response to our changing lifestyles many of their cereal products now come in portable bar formats, designed for impulse or on the move purchase.

Indeed, the company can

claim to be a champion of the healthier snacking category, leading the market with just over a 50 per cent share by offering seven out of the top ten selling cereal snacks.

“Today’s busy lifestyles means that consumers want convenient and often healthier items. Our range enables caterers to meet that demand, with leading brands that are also consumer favourites,” says Andy Phillips, foodservice marketing controller for Kellogg’s Foodservice Solutions (call 0800 783 6676).

Special K Bar is one of the UK’s best-sellers, offering consumers a healthier, yet tempting crunchy rice and wheat cereal snack, with tasty red fruit pieces and a delightful yoghurt flavoured topping. Special K Bliss Raspberry and Chocolate contains less than 90 calories and is a combination of cereal pieces and fruit on a bed of dark chocolate, or for those looking for

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ABOVE: Great Taste Award winning LoveDean Granola.

something a little more indulgent Crunchy Nut Chocolate Peanut Crisp is an ideal addition, a mix of peanut pieces and crispy cereal finished off with a delicious chocolate layer. Kellogg’s is also the company behind Nutri-Grain Soft Bake, a soft, golden baked crust, made from wheat and wholegrain oats Nutri-Grain Soft Bake and available in Strawberry, Apple, Blueberry, Cherry and Blackberry & Apple flavours. Nutri-Grain Elevenses Raisin, a moist combination of wheat, wholegrain oats, raisins and spices is also a popular choice amongst consumers, looking for a snack to enjoy when away from home.

Kellogg’s have gone even further, though, having recently launched their cereals in a ready to serve format called Twinpot To Go. Perfect for cafés without a sit down breakfast offering, as well as sandwich shops seeking to cash in on convenience, the Twinpot To Go includes a serving of cereal, milk and a disposable spoon - all contained in a ready to use bowl, and available in three well known brands (Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Crunchy Nut and Frosties).

As well as retailing well known brands, there are also up and coming products in

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the cereal sector for outlets to consider, not least granola bars, such as those supplied

by LoveDean (www.lovedeanlarder.com).

These type of products – with no added sugar, low GI Index, low in cholesterol, high in fibre, no trans fatty acids, no added salt, no artificial flavours - help to generate a point of differentiation for consumers seeking something new.

LoveDean granola is celebrating a double win after its second Great Taste Award and entry into London’s foodie haven, the Whole Foods Market, and says that it is aiming to spearhead a granola revolution in the UK. It was Lucy O’Donnell, founder of LoveDean, who tasted a delicious oat toasted cereal (granola) while on holiday in the Alps. It also proved to be a hit with her family, staving off their hunger until lunchtime. Lucy then set about recreating the same scrumptious mixture back home in the UK and has since won three awards since the product launched in 2005 (Gold at the Great Taste Award in 2005, Breakfast Champion of the South in 2006, and a second Gold Great Taste Award in 2007).

Currently, LoveDean can be found in Whole Foods Market, independent health food stores, delicatessens and online, and comes in four flavours - the Original No.1 Breakfast, No.2 Breakfast (made with cranberries), No.3 Breakfast (made with dates and apples) and No.1 Lite (35% less fat than the Original).

Yockenthwaite Farm, a remote hill farm in Upper Wharfedale , North Yorkshire, run

by Elizabeth and Stuart Hird, have also turned their hand to making granola cereal, after finding that it was proving to be very popular with their B&B guests. “It soon became clear that the granola’s popularity had created an opportunity for farm diversification, so we reluctantly closed the B&B business, and set about re-designing one of our the kitchens, which is now dedicated to producing our Yorkshire Dales granola,” says Elizabeth Hird.

The Yorkshire Dales Granola range is on the breakfast menu at many top notch

hotels across the Yorkshire Dales, and can also be found at North Yorkshire Farmers’ Markets, Food Festivals, Agricultural Shows, fairs, and also on a dedicated web site (www.yockenthwaitefarm.co.uk).

Beverages For millions of Brits, the most important meal of the day is not complete without a good cuppa and one in three cups of tea are consumed at breakfast. Breakfast servings offer huge potential for cafés and coffee shops and whether consumers choose a full English, a simple snack like toast or a more continental option, a cup of tea is often the preferred accompaniment.

“Fast casual dining is on the increase and breakfast time is no different,” observes Sue Jones-Smithson, customer marketing manager for Typhoo. “On average we each drink 15.5 cups of tea per week and Typhoo offers a comprehensive range of traditional and speciality teas to give consumers the perfect kick-start in the morning.

“A cup of tea has huge profit potential, so why not boost margins further by offering consumers a tasty cuppa as part of a package deal with your breakfast offering? Typhoo’s alternative tea range can be easily merchandised front of house and gives the perfect choice to suit all tastes.

Combined with innovative breakfast menu options, it is a good way to add value and draw consumers in at breakfast.”

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Kate’s Cakes latest Breakfast Muffin.

It is worth noting that speciality tea is the fastest growing tea segment, up 14% in the last year alone, with Typhoo offering three speciality teas - Assam, Earl Gray and English Breakfast - to the foodservice market, not currently available in retail, to enable outlets to give a tasty option at breakfast. Caterers can further widen their offering with a choice of fruity flavours from Typhoo’s London Fruit & Herb brand, and there is a decaf option too.

Although speciality and flavoured teas are on the increase, traditional black tea remains the nation’s most popular choice, accounting for over 70% of the tea market, report Typhoo. Tea sales need to be driven by good, front of house merchandising, such as by using merchandising units and a range of point of sale items (for further information visit www.typhoo.com).

Other beverages with strong appeal at breakfast time include healthy smoothies.

Sussex-based speciality food distributor Southover Food Company has recently added Fruit Hit Long Life Smoothies from the Natural Beverage Company to its product portfolio. Available from the Southover Food Company in 6 x 300ml servings, Fruit Hit Smoothies use aseptic packaging which means a longer shelf life without the need for preservatives.

BELOW: Grab and go iced coffee made from fresh milk.

Tea - a breakfast staple.

The Fruit Hit range is made from 100% real fruit with no added sugar or artificial additives, say the company. All of which is great news for the consumer as the refreshing sweetness comes from the fruit itself which is harvested when ripe, instead of from sugar. Being 99% fat free, a Fruit Hit Smoothie is also a healthy choice and comes in Mango & Orange, Pineapple & Passionfruit and Blueberry Blend. These new smoothies also claim to be the first range of smoothies in Europe to include products with Fairtrade ingredients, and to gain the approval of the Fairtrade Foundation, with each smoothie containing up to 80% Fairtrade content.

For a more continental style beverage choice, products such as Emmi Caffè Latte, will appeal to cafés. This attractively packaged beverage - a handy grabbable cup with a resealable lid - was launched in

Switzerland in 2004, and contains between 71 and 83 coffee beans, making it a good choice as a morning pick-me. It claims to be the only iced coffee made from fresh milk and real espresso coffee, whereas many competitor brands feature UHT milk and coffee flavourings. Emmi Caffè Latte is available in Caffè Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Light and Choco Latte flavours, and can retail for 99p.

“Consumers have become more demanding in their search for a convenient, refreshing, morning beverage.

The Emmi Caffè Latte range provides an energising breakfast accompaniment and can be easily consumed on-the-go, in a café or office environment,” says Laura Graham, brand manager for Emmi.

Bakery goods Many bakery goods are now available in redesigned and healthier formats with the

“Consumers have become more demanding in their search for a convenient, refreshing, morning beverage. The Emmi Caffè Latte range provides an energising breakfast accompaniment and can be easily consumed on-the-go, in a café or office environment.”

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Croissants and pain chocolate from Bakehouse make an indulgent breakfast treat. breakfast meal occasion in mind. The NPD department at Kate’s Cakes (www.katescakes.com) says that it has produced a nutritionally packed, individually wrapped Breakfast Muffin, designed to be the perfect breakfast on the go product to eat in a café, on the train, or at your desk.

The new muffin contains a well researched nutritious mix of bananas, pumpkin seeds, apricots, oats and honey, delivering flavour as well as health benefits. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, the key to proper body function and a healthy heart. Pumpkin seeds are rich in minerals and protein, and a good way to get both Omega 3 and 6, the essential fats needed for hormone balance, brain function and skin health. Apricots are a powerful antioxidant and a good source of fibre. Oats are an excellent source of protein, fibre and many nutrients, with honey being nature’s natural delicious alternative sweetener that’s also high in antiseptic and antibacterial qualities “We know that with the best will in the world, sometimes people don’t have the time to sit down to a healthy breakfast at home. We wanted to offer people a healthier option for breakfast alongside our many other ‘eat in’ and ‘grab and go’ products, one that helps provide all the nutrients, minerals and protein necessary to get the day off to a great start,” comments Steve Greenhalgh, MD at Kate’s Cakes.

“Responding to the trend for healthier living, we are working on a new lifestyle range that includes wheat free, dairy free

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and gluten free treats for those with food intolerances. We will also be launching a range of cereal bars in the spring to further add to the Kate’s Cakes’ Lifestyle range.”

As already identified by Heinz’s research, when it comes to bakery goods many café customers will be in search of no less than a ‘total treat’ by way of a breakfast snack, when nothing beats the aroma of classic French products such as freshly baked croissants, pain raisins or pain chocolates. Such items offer the chance for promotion alongside coffees and other beverages.

Produced near Lille in France, Bakehouse All-Butter Croissants are made to feature a traditional crescent shape with a rich, buttery taste and light, open texture that combines with crisp outer layers to give a truly authentic taste. An all-butter recipe and a unique method that replicates how an artisan baker would hand-make croissants from scratch that gives their AllButter Croissants their authentic flavour, say Bakehouse.

Resting the dough for a long time at a low temperature gives the croissant a light, dough structure with a rich buttery flavour, something that is not always found in other bake-off croissants, claim Bakehouse. The same dough as the AllButter Croissants is also used for Bakehouse Pain Raisin and Pain Chocolat, with the Pain Chocolat containing a liquid Belgian chocolate filling. Supplied frozen, Bakehouse’s All-Butter Croissant, is available in a 70g and 90g sizes, and like the Pain Chocolat and Pain Raisin, bake off in just 18 minutes.

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PREVIEW

A flavour of...

food and drink The UK's business to business festival of food and drink, Food & Drink Expo 2008, and its sister trade shows under the umbrella event Food & Drink World 2008, will take place at the NEC in Birmingham from the 6 to 9 April 2008.

Five shows in one On show will be some of the leading food and drink companies promoting everything from bakery products to ethnic foods and frozen/chilled foods to soft and alcoholic drinks, and comprising 1,300 exhibitors, 19 innovative features, eight inter-connecting halls and five trade shows Food & Drink Expo, Foodex Meatex, Convenience Retailing Show, Baking Industry Exhibition and International Forecourt and Fuel Equipment Show (IFFE).

11 regional food groups from around the UK will also have hundreds of locally-produced products on show, and the Soil Association’s Organic Village will be the hub for information on the latest in the organic market, including the slow food phenomenon and new products.

For the first time there will be a dedicated Sandwich, Snack & Café area as part of the Convenience Retailing Show, where it will be possible to sample the best food to go and meet the producers during interactive workshops

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FIVE SHOWS Food & Drink Expo Foodex Meatex 2008 Convenience Retailing Show Baking Industry Exhibition IFFE that will demonstrate how to maximise your profits in these rapidly growing markets.

Essential workshops given by industry specialists will also be on offer, specifically designed to enhance the business of independent retailers.

Whether you need advice about your business in general or advice about a specific department within your shop, the Information for Independent Retailers area of the show will be the place to visit for seminars and workshops that will be held throughout the four-day event.

What to see Coca-Cola Enterprises has introduced an easy-to-hold Coca-Cola Enterprises has introduced easy-to-hold ‘grip’ packaging on 500ml PET bottles of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke

Halls 6 & 20 Halls 17, 18 & 19 Halls 7 & 8 Hall 9 Hall 8

www.foodanddrinkexpo.com www.foodexmeatex.co.uk www.cstoreshow.com www.bakingindustryexhibition.co.uk www.forecourtshow.com

and Coke Zero.

Barefruit Products (Stand E210) say that smoothies don't come any healthier than their Puro range which claim a high vitamin content and fresh ingredients, as they’re made from natural whole fruit, freshly prepared by hand as opposed to processed purees and concentrates. As the fruit's vitamins are carefully protected under pressure, this also provides a 21 day shelf life.

Preservative and artificial colouring-free fudges, crumbly honeycomb and toffees made using unrefined Fairtrade sugar will be available for sampling on the Burnt Sugar (Stand C231) stand.

Pringles are available in two new singleserve formats: the Pringles pocket pack and

Rice Infusions Bite Size.

Country Choice will be exhibiting their new Bake n Bite Real Coffee & Doughnut concept and Tchibo Coffee International will be showing off its ‘next generation’ Fresco bean-to-cup coffee machine.

X-ice is a new ice pop from Spring Cool, which contains 60% fruit juice. It comes in orange and apple & blackcurrant flavours.

The Bottlegreen Drinks Co (Stand J129) will be showcasing their range of stylish soft drinks that they have been making since 1989, featuring an award winning range of cordials, lightly sparkling presses, still drinks and sorbets for an adult palate.

Holland’s Pies is using CRS to launch its new range of savoury slices which boast a 50:50 filling to pastry ratio.

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Crips (Stand M220), the crisps with almost four times less fat than traditional potato crisps, and with no artificial colours or preservatives, GM ingredients or MSG, will be showcased on the East Midlands Fine Foods stand. “We are very keen to introduce CRIPS to visitors and let them taste the difference for themselves,” says Crip’s Gareth Smith.

Following the announcement of its 70s themed stand at Food and Drink Expo, BakeMark UK (Stand M110) will have live music to accompany the tasting of their freshly baked new products in the form of The UK Bee Gees (a tribute band to the classic 1970s stars).

There will be a 70s theme to the BakeMark stand!

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PREVIEW

Workshops Sunday 6 April

Southover Food Company’s (Stand G228) extensive portfolio of over 3000 fine food products will be represented - their multi-award winning premium quality Southover Cooked Meats, the latest range of pies from the quirky pie and quiche producers, Higgidy, and the new Lifestyle range from Kate’s Cakes.

Sweet bakery and ingredients specialist Dawn Foods (Stand K28B) will be at the Baking Industry Exhibition, showing its new range of icings and fillings for the first time (specially designed in response to growing demand for more natural ingredients). And for those looking for an indulgent sweet bakery treat, Dawn say that they will be manufacturing

samples throughout the show.

New English Teas (Stand E230),a brand of speciality loose teas and tagged enveloped tea bags in traditional English designs of tins, caddies and cartons ideal for food & delicatessen businesses have some new launches for 2008, including new tin designs, selection packs, and classic tea blends.

11.00-11.20

Fresh thinking - Fresh drinking by Tchibo Coffee International

11.30-11.50

KEPAK - “Hot Snacking - The Emerging Category”

12.00-12.20

SPAR (UK) Ltd - “SPAR - East meets West”

12.30-12.50

Boost Drinks - “Energise your body and BOOST your sales”

13.00-13.20

GSK - “Be 100% Alert This Summer!”

13.30-13.50

BUNN-O-MATIC - “Increase your sales & profits with filter coffee”

14.00-14.20

Musgrave Retail Partners

14.30-14.50

Royal Tea Ltd - “Royal Chai - take a royal sip”

15.00-15.20

Northern Foods - Holland’s Pies - A range in savoury pastry slices

15.30-15.50

Coffee Nation - give your sales a lift

Monday 7 April

11.00-11.20

Fresh thinking - Fresh drinking by Tchibo Coffee International

11.30-11.50

Royal Tea Ltd - “Royal Chai - take a royal sip”

12.00-12.20

Northern Foods - “Holland’s Pies - A range in savoury pastry slices”

12.30-12.50

Boost Drinks - “Energise your body and BOOST your sales”

13.00-13.20

GSK - "Be 100% Alert This Summer!"

13.30-13.50

BUNN-O-MATIC - “Increase your sales & profits with filter coffee”

14.00-14.20

SPAR (UK) Ltd - “SPAR - East meets West”

14.30-14.50

Coffee Nation - give your sales a lift

Tuesday 8 April

magazine

11.00-11.20

Fresh thinking - Fresh drinking by Tchibo Coffee International

11.30-11.50

KEPAK - “Hot Snacking - The Emerging Category”

12.00-12.20

Northern Foods - Holland’s Pies - A range in savoury pastry slices

12.30-12.50

SPAR (UK) Ltd - “SPAR - East meets West”

13.00-13.20

GSK - "Be 100% Alert This Summer!"

13.30-13.50

BUNN-O-MATIC - “Increase your sales & profits with fi lter coffee”

14.00-14.20

Musgrave Retail Partners

14.30-14.50

Coffee Nation - give your sales a lift

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

Wednesday 9 April

Find yourself wanting more? Then click on to our new web site for a top up!

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk Visit NOW to find special offers and all the latest news

18 APRIL 2008

CAFÉ CULTURE

11.00-11.20

Fresh thinking - Fresh drinking by Tchibo Coffee International

11.30-11.50

Coffee Nation - give your sales a lift

12.00-12.20

Northern Foods - Holland’s Pies - A range in savoury pastry slices

12.30-12.50

SPAR (UK) Ltd - “SPAR - East meets West”

13.00-13.20

GSK - "Be 100% Alert This Summer!".

13.30-13.50

BUNN-O-MATIC - “Increase your sales & profits with filter coffee”

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HOT CHOCOLATE

COSTA’S DARK SIDE

Drinking

chocolate Espresso-style beverages, a taste for darker chocolate, and those indulgent extra toppings all currently characterise the nature of today’s hot chocolate drinks. As we highlight here, there’s a tempting section of chocolate drinks concepts to help cafés and coffee shops exploit the growing demand.

For the full hot chocolate experience, Brakes recommend serving with a large swirl of aerosol cream, mini marshmallows and a sprinkling of chocolate powder.

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As a result of some recent research carried out for Costa, the coffee shop chain report that customers do indeed prefer a more premium, dark chocolate product rather than sweet and milky. According to their research, customers preferred dark, rich and more premium chocolaty taste which is not milky.

The appearance of the drink was also important to the people they surveyed.

However, as might be expected, children preferred the ‘old version’ of chocolate drinks, favouring milkier and sweeter chocolate drinks. In response to their findings, Costa say that they now have a single premium hot chocolate drink offering - a richer, darker and less milky hot chocolate drink - as opposed to two different types of hot chocolate.

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FEATURE

DISPENSING

Pictured: Dip and sip - the future of hot chocolate drinks?

A new style Chocolate drinks concept companies such as Keylink Ltd (a UK supplier of chocolate ingredients and machinery to the chocolate industry) feel that the hot chocolate category has been neglected in recent times, with most outlets tending to offer a single, generally powder-based hot chocolate. However, with up and coming concepts such as their Ciocchino gaining wider interest, this state of affairs is changing.

According to research (Datalink 06), Keylink observe that whilst customers will still drink the well known, branded chocolate drinks out of home, they are actively seeking darker, Continental style drinking chocolates in a move driven by an awareness that dark chocolate can have many health benefits, and usually contains fewer calories than its milk chocolate counterpart.

Ciocchino (pronounced Choc-ee-no, www.keylink.org/ ciocchino), is a sipping chocolate drink, and was demonstrated at the recent Hotelympia exhibition. A combination of the finest real dark Cacao Barry chocolate, blended with a dairy whipping cream alternative, such as Millac Lite, it is warmed in

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If you are about to add a Continental style (a short, viscous product, high in cocoa solids) hot chocolate drink to your beverage menu, then chocolate dispensing machines such as the Ciocco from Marco Beverage Systems are ideal. Not only do they help with efficient dispensing, they also make an eye catching counter top display to create customer interest.

Ciocco is a compact, Italian-styled dispenser capable of accepting both powdered and liquid ingredients and is equally at home dispensing powdered chocolate mixed with either water or milk, say Marco. The machine mixes, heats and dispenses hot chocolate and has a removable five litre bowl, so at the end of each day any remaining product, if water-based, may be removed and refrigerated for re-use next day.

The machine itself is available in black, chrome or gold and takes just 20 minutes to bring product up to temperature. The temperature is variable using thermostatic control and the unit itself is very quiet in operation, using a standard 13 Amp power source.

“The UK taste for hot chocolate has been conditioned by vending style products. The continental way is a slightly bitter, more viscous product, drunk rather like an espresso coffee and in the same volume,” says Marco’s UK sales director, Chris York.

“This style of chocolate also lends itself to making quality Mochas with the freedom to add flavourings for that special touch. Our Ciocco machine is a simple way to heat and serve it.

We at Marco feel that this will be the next big beverage trend in this country.”

Keylink’s sleek, custom-designed Ciocchino dispenser. The result is a silky smooth, thick, decadent sipping chocolate. Served as a short, espressostyle shot of chocolate, Ciocchino was created to revive the continental-style of sipping chocolate. It can also be served as a dessert for customers who would not order a coffee or who don’t want a full dessert, or used for dipping, giving it great potential in a variety of outlets.

It comes in a choice of three very high grade dark chocolates from Cacao Barry Mi-Amere, a balanced and light dark chocolate with 58% cocoa solids, Guayaquil, a stronger dark chocolate with 64% cocoa solids, and Cuba, an extra bitter single origin chocolate with 70% cocoa solids. It can be served in trendylooking, disposable Ciocchino cups or in shot glasses for added drama.

Ciocchino’s preparation utilises a dispenser to which the ingredients are added and heated up in, and which can hold up to 40 x 70ml servings at the ideal temperature for the whole day. The one motion tap mechanism allows quick clean and easy serving with no training required, making it ideal for café bars or as an addition to a high tea menu. Unlike

other concepts, there is no investment and no contract, meaning that outlets can return their dispenser at no cost or penalty.

Developing market The potential of the hot chocolate drinks market is reflected by tea company, Twinings, who have recently made a name for themselves in the sector.

Whether customers are demanding something deeply indulgent or a healthy treat, Twinings (www.twiningsfs.co.uk) say that they have the answer for the out of home sector, as their chocolate drinks line up includes indulgent as well as lower calorie selections.

“Twinings Chocolate Indulgence is ideal for today’s out of home market which demands high quality, premium beverages,” says Andrea Stopher, senior trade marketing manager at Twinings.

“The Twinings brand is synonymous with quality and with consumers willing to pay that bit more for a premium product, Twinings luxury hot chocolate is the perfect addition to your winter beverage menu.”

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HOT CHOCOLATE

ABOVE: With indulgent and low calorie options, Twinings, say that they have the OOH market covered.

Twinings Chocolate Indulgence claims to have the highest chocolate content on the market and received very favourable coverage from The Times which described it as ‘velvety, with a hint of bitterness that you should demand from premium hot chocolate.’ Its secret? Not only is it made from real chocolate pieces and has an exceptional 65% chocolate content, say Twinings, but it also contains 61% cocoa solids, and can be made with steaming hot milk.

By contract, the Options range from Twinings features chocolate drinks without the calories. These are for more health conscious customers wishing to enjoy a winter warming hot chocolate, but who are keeping tabs on the calories.

“Options answers the growing demand for healthy products without compromising on taste,” adds Andrea Stopher. “Made with real Belgian chocolate they offer a full chocolaty flavour, but with just 40 calories per cup.

Supported by a heavy weight TV campaign earlier in the year and a bold new look, Options appeals to the female market looking for a chocolate hit without the guilt.”

Flavours in the Twinings range includes Belgian Chocolate, Mint Madness, Outrageous Orange or White Chocolate, as well as Tempting Coffee, Turkish Delight and Ooh La La Vanilla.

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Peppermint Magic A blend of chocolate, peppermint infusion and milk, smothered in thick cream and even more chocolate.

Peppermint infusion 200 ml milk 2 teaspoons Twinings Chocolate Indulgence Whipped cream for decoration Chocolate flake for decoration

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DISCOVER DETPAK’S EX TENSIVE RANGE OF QUALIT Y PRODUCTS

Indulgence Hot chocolate drinks have traditionally been popular with customers because they represent an opportunity for some ‘me’ time, when they can take some time out to enjoy an indulgent drink.

Particularly in the colder months, a hot chocolate with all the trimmings makes an ideal winter warmer. For operators, hot chocolate drinks provides an easy, profit-generating opportunity, with the prospect of charging a premium by simply adding popular toppings such as marshmallows, flakes and lots of whipped cream.

“Capitalising on indulgence, one of the key trends in foodservice, the hot chocolate category is continuing to increase in value and is currently worth £18.1 million, with latest figures showing a 28.3% year on year growth in the past year alone according to AC Nielsen research,” observes Martin Lines, marketing director for Nestlé FoodServices. “And as a hot beverage in demand it is important for cafés to offer the right, quality hot chocolate offering.”

Since its launch in 2005, Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate has been driving hot chocolate sales forward by offering a good sales opportunity for cafés to increase their profits associated with hot chocolate. The brand was recently announced as the winner of the 2008 Product of the Year ahead of 58 other products in the Hot Drinks Category (products which have displayed the winner’s logo of Product of the Year have enjoyed an average of a 10% uplift with 61 per cent of 16 - 34 year olds recognising the logo, according to TNS’s Product of the Year Awareness and Recognition Survey 2007).

During the colder months, an indulgent hot chocolate is often the drink of choice. However, according to the Project Sterling 2007 report, only 10% of caterers buying hot beverages in cash and carries have actively tried to increase their sales. With this in mind, Nestlé Professional says that it is offering café owners a helping hand to boost hot chocolate profits with a range of free eyecatching Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate point of sale material. Promotional materials such as table tent cards, stickers and posters can be an effective way of promoting a product to customers and prompting those all important additional impulse purchases.

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HOT CHOCOLATE Promotion pays In fact, say Nestlé Professional, their research has shown that for 70% of end users introducing POS and price offers, they have benefited from increased sales, such as Christine Murray of the Wem Treacle Mine in Shropshire.

When Christine introduced the Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate Shopping Spree promotion to the café last year, she had no idea just how high her profits would bubble or that she herself would be one of the lucky winners.

“We’re an old fashioned sweet shop and café in Shropshire,” explains Christine. “Because we are located on the hiking route between Land’s End to John OGroats in Scotland, we have a lot of walkers and cyclists stopping by to warm up with a hot beverage on their journey,

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as well as a regular clientele.

“We’re always looking for ways of improving the quality of our hot beverage offering and increasing profits in the café. So when we saw the Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate Shopping Spree promotion advertised at the wholesalers, we thought it would be a great opportunity to offer something extra to our customers. So we purchased some product and requested a POS kit direct from Nestlé Professional to advertise Aero to our customers.”

At the time, the café report that they were serving another leading brand, and that their sales of hot chocolate were consistent but low, so they decided to offer the Aero Instant variety alongside the existing brand to give their customers the choice.

“We couldn’t believe the

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Then get in to gear with Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate and you could win a fantastic brand new VW Beetle, courtesy of the bubblicious drink! This latest on-pack promotion is rewarding loyal end users with the opportunity to drive away a fabulous brand new car - all you have to do is simply purchase a promotional tin or pack of Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate sachets (visit www.nfspromotions.co.uk for details of how to enter).

To celebrate this promotion, Nestlé Professional is offering 10 Café Culture readers a FREE tin of Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate, plus a range of FREE eye-catching POS specifically designed to drive sales and get your profits to step up a gear. Simply send your contact details to Café Culture Aero Reader Offer, 8 Gay Street, Bath, BA1 2PH.

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results,” says Christine. “After running the Shopping Spree promotion our hot chocolate sales had doubled! The POS we displayed in the café helped to raise awareness of the promotion to the point where everybody who had a hot chocolate entered the prize draw. Our sales increased dramatically and given the choice of the two brands, Aero came out on top every time. In fact, many of our customers have now switched permanently to the brand, after buying a cup and entering the competition.”

Through the promotion,

three of the café’s regular customers had each won £10 shopping vouchers, even coming in to the café to thank the owners and have another mug of hot chocolate.

Christine was also a winner, receiving a call to say that she had won £50 shopping vouchers for herself.

Bigger brand Galaxy Hot Chocolate Bliss is now available in a new, bigger 2kg pack, available from cash and carry outlets and wholesalers across the UK. The new 2kg size tin contains an average of 111 servings and sells at £12 recommended wholesale price, advise its supplier, Aimia Foods.

Galaxy is one of the top choices for hot chocolate in the UK, being recognised by many consumers nationwide. In an Independent Consumer Research 2005 survey, 78% of consumers said that Galaxy hot chocolate was as good, or better, than their normal brand. This luxury hot chocolate product is aimed at adults, particularly females, who make impulsive purchases.

“There are a lot of hot chocolate products available in cash and carries, but few feel really special enough to service in premium catering establishments,” says Richard Cooper, Aimia’s brand manager. “Galaxy Bliss is a cut above, you can taste the real Galaxy chocolate and that makes a super indulgent, enjoyable drink that will really hit the spot in cafés. Chocolate needs to feel rich, dark, decadent - not thin and watery and we think Bliss hits the spot and that means you can maxim ise the menu price and the consumer satisfaction.”

Aimia also claim that Galaxy Bliss is easier to mix, quicker to serve and leaves no powdery dust or residue in the cup. There is no need to make a paste, say the company, as it dissolves quickly straight into milk. Aimia Foods also supplies Galaxy instant hot chocolate in 750g sachets for dispense machines, 1kg packs for vending, 1kg tins and 28g and 22g stick sachets to suit different sectors and demands.

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HOT CHOCOLATE Chocolate creativity One way to create a point of differentiation in your chocolate drinks when compared to the competition is to experiment with additional flavours.

German manufacturers, Schoppe & Schultz say that they have been creating recipes for chocolate drinks for over 40 years, and recommend that outlets consder a wider spectrum of flavours to deliver a really premium offering.

Known for their high quality bespoke private labels, offering recipes suitable for vending industry, wholesalers and catering trade plus luxury coffee shop environments, their chocolate drinks products are currently available from Parson’s Trading (www.parsonstrading.co.uk).

Packaged in single serve

sachets, combi tins, pillow packs and bulk bags, they are available as bespoke or under Schoppe & Schultz’s own house branded (Scho) labelling.

Also available from the same supplier (and also made by Schoppe & Schultz) is the thicker and creamy Choco Cream range of hot drinks in four variants – Dark, White, Mocca and Toffee.

Serving suggestions White Choc Espresso Add strong espresso coffee to the chocolate to create a combination of white chocolate and espresso merging together.

White Choc Flavours Add a range of flavours, such as caramel, amaretto, banana, cinnamon to make your own distinguished style.

Henry Howard finance is an established finance and leasing provider who specialise in providing funding solutions via suppliers, or direct to business customers in the coffee and beverage industry.

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COFFEE MACHINES

Mean machines

Below: Martin Lines of Nestlé Professional

Selecting the right coffee machine is as much about recognising your outlet’s own skill set and customer requirements, as it is about embracing the latest technology offered in a gleaming espresso machine says Martin Lines of Nestlé Professional (formerly Nestlé Foodservice). To help you decide, here we find out more about what some of the latest coffee machines can offer outlets.

Important choice The Allegra UK Coffee Shop Market 2007 report predicts that the value of the coffee shop market is set to continue to grow by 4.1% year on year, so your choice of beverage making machinery is a vital one, says Martin Lines, marketing director for Nestlé Professional, who is also quick to warn that an espresso machine might not be suitable for everyone.

“It’s clear our love affair of café culture is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Currently, nearly half of adults buy their favourite hot beverage in a coffee shop once a month, and a quarter purchases at least

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once a week, highlighting the opportunities and potential profits which still exist in the sector,” he observes.

“As a poor quality coffee will simply drive customers to a competitor’s outlet around the corner, it is therefore important to ensure your hot beverage offering is right.

When considering a hot beverage offer, it’s always worth talking to an expert initially, such as the Nescafé Coffee Company, as they can review the market opportunity and then advise the most suitable and financially viable solution for your outlet,” he advises.

“For many years, cappuccino was the

number one choice on the high street, but lattes have recently taken over as the most purchased coffee, demonstrating the importance of selecting a machine which can deliver a range of drinks. An outlet’s type of customer, number of cups a day and its spending power will to some extent dictate the type of machine and quality of coffee expected.”

Therefore, say Nestlé Professional, when looking at your coffee offering, there are two important considerations - the quality of the

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coffee and the beverage machine. Get either of these two wrong, and you are in danger of losing sales and repeat custom. Choosing a beverage machine can be complex and at first glance, there’s a baffling range on offer.

“I can’t stress how important it is to get the right one for your business - a shiny traditional barista style machine may look impressive to your customers behind the bar, but it isn’t the best solution for everyone,” Martin Lines warns. “Think about all the options before you buy anything and certainly speak to the experts.

Your customer base and expectations will to some extent dictate the type of machine most suitable for your café, but it’s also important to factor in other considerations such as space available and time and investment in staff training.”

With a range of options from simple, easy to operate push button soluble machines, to bean to cup and more traditional versions for barista trained staff, the Nescafé Coffee Company have an option to suit all.

Training and staff resource is also a key consideration when purchasing beverage equipment, the company point out. If staff turnover is high, or it is

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more cost-effective for customers to serve themselves, an easy to operate machine (such as the Nescafé Coffee Company’s Milano range), or an automated bean to cup option should be considered. Whilst if time and investment in staff training permits, then a barista operated machine offers customers the true café culture experience.

“Special consideration should be given to the impact the maintenance of the machine may have on staff time and expertise,” adds Martin Lines. “A regular cleaning schedule is often overlooked, yet incorrect cleaning can significantly reduce the quality and consistency of a coffee, impacting on customer satisfaction and jeopardising repeat purchases. So the ease of maintenance and the extent of training staff require to carry this out should therefore not be overlooked. With all this in mind, use your location to your advantage and couple this with a quality, consistent coffee offering, delivered by fully briefed staff and a slice of the café culture market is in reach.”

Café Bar are another machine supplier who can offer a range of coffee machines whether fresh brew and filter systems, incup coffees, bean to cup units, quality soluble machines or espresso machines.

The company’s latest new addition is the CMA-Planet espresso unit, which adds yet another choice to this one-stop-shop hot beverage supplier’s portfolio.

The CMA-Planet system is manufactured in the coffee capital of Treviso, Italy, and is a classic-looking espresso brewing machine available in a number of configurations to meet the demands of today’s drinks service - whether it’s a traditional coffee shop, or a full service food operation serving meals throughout the day, say the company.

Available in single, double, triple or quad brew versions, the operator can choose between automatic and semi-automatic modes. Semi-automatic systems function Below: Cafe Bar’s Planet SAE 2 in black.

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COFFEE MACHINES via a simple stop/start switch, which once activated by the operator, begins the brewing process, and once the coffee extraction is complete the process is manually stopped.

For high volume locations, the fully automatic CMA-Planet operates independently leaving the operator free to undertake other tasks. Once the brewing cycle is finished, the system automatically stops, ready for service. As well as producing espressos, the CMA-Planet can deliver cappuccinos, lattes and many other coffee favourites. It is manufactured in robust stainless steel with stylish black sides and base, and is only available from Café Bar (for more information call 0800 515446 or visit www.cafebar.co.uk).

Spreading demand As the coffee market in the UK continues to evolve, coffee shops have been a key driver in this evolution, with consumers becoming more knowledgeable about coffee as a direct result and demanding higher quality beverages as a matter of course. They are also prepared to pay more for these products. It’s no surprise then to learn that the coffee offering as seen in coffee shops is now being adopted in other segments of the out of home market too (this trend is also starting to impact upon the cost sector as well).

Mirroring the growing demand for higher quality coffee, there has been a significant shift in terms of premiumisation in vending situations, and operators in all sorts of catering sectors are now seeing the benefits of offering a more ‘premium’ style coffee in their vending machines, not only satisfying consumer expectations but realising increased sales and improved margins in the process. Self-service coffee dispensers, such as the Cafitesse C60 from Douwe Egberts, for example, can help give such out of home catering locations who might not normally specialise in coffee, speed, efficiency and a cheaper cost per cup for a premium style product.

The considerations to keep in mind when serving the vended out of home demand are access to reliable machines, cost-effective solutions which do not compromise on quality but rather maximise the opportunity, ease of use in self service, storage and training. Plus, with consumers increasingly demanding quality, efficiency and speed, constant development and improvement of equipment and product is crucial, and a willingness to offer staff training on such products is also vital.

With 12 master baristas on its development team and dedicated training facilities, Douwe Egberts says that it takes its out of home machine training for all its customers and staff seriously. It also works

Above: Douwe Egberts C60. closely with many customers on bespoke training and staff motivational programmes to ensure quality and standards are maintained. For the out of home sector in particular, wastage can be an issue, often coming down to poor staff training, whether due to not storing the coffee properly or failing to measure it out correctly.

The Cafitesse C60 is the newest member of the unique Cafitesse family to be

Espresso upgrade Rancilio, the Milan-based manufacturer of espresso machines, is upgrading its successful Classe 10 machine with a host of new and innovative features including Just4You - a programme of ‘animal-safe’ leather finishes which create a dramatic visual effect on the machine. In conjunction with sole UK importer, The Coffee Machine Company, Rancilio showcased a selection from the new Classe 10 USB range at the recent Hotelympia.

The Just4You programme offers caterers the opportunity to personalise their Classe 10 in striking style using a range of ‘leathers’ which Rancilio describes as Animal Safe (the Animal Safe mark certifies that all leathers used are exclusively synthetic and ecologically sound). That said, the finishes are visually indistinguishable from the real thing and offer caterers the chance to match the machine to their establishment décor and set themselves apart from their competitors (these finishes are available at an on cost of £995 per machine).

A selection of different finishes is combined with a choice of stitching styles and thread colours. Caterers may choose from Classic, Beyeri, Camberra and Reptile skins in ten skin/colour combinations. There are also four seam colours to choose from - Cream, Tobacco, Black and Red Sand and two different stitching styles are on offer - Linear or Crossed. The full choice may be viewed on the Company’s specially designed website (www.ranciliojust4you.com).

Other new features on the Classe 10 include the C lever, an innovative new ergonomic steam control, which minimises wrist stress; user-friendly group head handle design; Load & Show - a 240 x 64 pixel graphic display combined with new USB electronics for uploading images, logos and selling messages; a choice of four hot water temperatures, fully programmable in respect of volume and temperature for brewing tea or making americanos and an improved programmable automatic milk foaming device which the company is calling “iSteam”.

CMC’s sales manager, Bill Davy, believes that the new Just4You programme will really catch the imagination of caterers. “Lest there is any confusion, I’d like to make it quite clear that these are synthetic finishes. That said, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference from a few feet away. They not only look totally convincing, they are aesthetically stunning, and will certainly become a talking point in restaurants that choose the Just4You programme.”

Left: CMC’s reptile medium C10 machine.

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COFFEE MACHINES Tchibo’s latest bean to cup machine – Fresco – comes with a wealth of features, including the ability to monitor use and self diagnose any problems.

introduced by Douwe Egberts. Simple and easy to use, this machine delivers speciality coffee drinks made from real milk at the touch of a button and is ideal for outlets seeking a flexible coffee-making solution.

This easy to maintain, front-loading machine can either be plumbed directly into the mains water supply or use a 2.9 litre water tank and can use either a liquid roast or ground coffee. It can make a cappuccino in under 10 seconds and for as little as 20p per cup, say Douwe Egberts.

“Up until now small volume sites have shied away from machines like these because they have been seen as expensive and difficult to use and maintain,” says Paul Freeman, Douwe Egberts Out of Home marketing manager. “Instead, these sites offer instant vending machines, a kettle with a tin and a spoon, or nothing at all.

However, we feel that the Cafitesse C60 not only meets the growing consumer demand for quality speciality drinks, but offers a user-friendly solution and one which is cost effective.”

After its launch three years ago, Marco Beverage Systems is also now offering a self service option, having added self-service brewers to its Qwikbrew and Maxibrew ranges. These can be safely and simultaneously operated on one side in selfservice mode by customers, and by staff on the other. This new option is available on the Qwikbrew single and Twin models, as well as the high volume Maxibrew.

Marco say that their self-service brewers have been designed to fill a gap in the market for affordable, self-help coffee service equipment that serves quality filter coffee, whilst at the same time providing enhanced user safety. The company feel that these days, many customers who are looking for a decent, ‘regular’ cup of coffee are increasingly presented with a less than satisfying Americano from a bean-to-cup espresso machine. To date, say Marco, the only option for caterers looking to set up a self-service run has been to spend up to £10,000 for a portion controlled automatic bulk brewer, which is expensive and provides no significant water volume for tea.

Now, however, via the new Marco SelfService brewers, they have provided a solution to this dilemma which brews filter coffee to the high standards required by the SCAE’s Gold Cup award, as well as providing large volumes of hot water for tea from a single machine. In addition, point out Marco, a lower coffee dosage per cup than bean-tocup machines or automatics is required.

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The side of the machine facing the operator is fitted with traditional free flow Tomlinson style handles, so that staff may draw coffee at any time. The self-service side is a push and hold system, where coffee pours only for as long as the button is depressed. Together with the design feature of recessed cup stations, these represent important safety features to prevent customers from the possibility of being scalded whilst serving themselves with coffee. The push and hold configuration actually saves money too, say Marco, since it avoids customers topping up their cup with a second portion of coffee, which effectively wastes almost a full cup of coffee.

Standard features include full and half brew, as well as simultaneous brewing on twin urn models, a security lock, barrier rail and a secondary filter to prevent grounds overflow.

Many regular Marco patented features have been engineered into the new models - for example Aquaisolate (a safety feature that positively separates the water from the electrics). The style of the new machines follows sleek, modern lines and they are manufactured throughout from durable brushed stainless steel. Clients can also choose to have their own branding on the machines at a realistic cost.

Upgrading of machines in response to rising consumer expectations is also being seen in bean to cup technology, with Tchibo’s Coffee International having recently launched Fresco, described as “the next generation” in bean to cup coffee machines for the foodservice industry.

Fresco offers a comprehensive range of eight drinks, including hot chocolate, mocha, espresso and cappuccino. It offers a choice of three coffee brands - Vists, Piacetto Espresso and Tchibo, and has an under cabinet chilled milk chiller to enable the drinks to be made from fresh milk, an important aspect in today’s premium-led market. Other features incude a GSM (Global System for Communication) remote audit and faults system, as well as dual bean hoppers for different bean preferences.

There are two separate boilers - one for coffee (up to 90oC), and the other for steam (between 121oC and 126oC).

The machine is easy to operate, say Tchibo, and can also be used on a self-

service basis if required. All the drink selections can be programmed separately for the coffee gram throw and drinks volume (the machine has the potential to deliver 240 espressos and 150 cappuccinos per hour). Tea drinkers are not left out, with the machine able to deliver a shot of cold milk to a cup of tea, removing the requirement for UHT milk pots.

To keep track of sales and profits, the GSM feature can provide daily sales figures on each of the eight drinks lines, and also check that when in self-service mode, the drinks are being paid for. The GSM can also monitor whether or not the machine has been cleaned and keep a record of any technical issues that may have occurred (call 0845 600 8244 for more details).

To meet individual customer demands and requirements, Tchibo offer a variety of different options for customers and prospects to acquire a machine (these range from outright purchase of a machine to rentals, resulting in a tailor made package constructed for each customer). Rental packages are approx £220 per calendar month to outright purchase prices from £5000. Other options offered by Tchibo include Easy Purchase (hire purchase in effect) and FOL, where the customer gets the machine for free, paying for use through the coffee they purchase over a contracted period of time.

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ESPRESSO MACHINES

Fresh from the bean In the UK today the public expect a fresh gourmet coffee and the best way to make one is undoubtedly fresh from the bean. Traditionally the only way to produce such a cup of coffee was with a manually operated espresso machine, but with increasingly sophisticated automated machines appearing on the market, are the reasons for using a traditional machine as clear cut as they used to be? David Cooper, founder of coffee wholesaler Cooper’s Coffee and importer of Dalla Corte espresso machines, argues in favour of traditional machines.

Tradition Traditional espresso machines are, as the name suggests, evocative of original café culture and therefore have an edge in outlets seeking continental authenticity and panache. The sight alone of a professional machine is enough to transport you to a cafe in Italy, the natural birthplace of espresso, and this, combined with the sheer size (some machines are up to four foot long) guarantees a lot of ‘counter-presence’, giving you more clout than your competitors.

In fact, in my experience, the size of machine can actually affect your sales those with a large traditional machine are likely to be busier simply because customers perceive your business to be more professional than the one down the street with the smaller machine. Of course a traditional machine with several group heads will also allow you to be busier a machine with three group heads is big enough for two baristas and will allow you to produce up to six coffees at the same time - whereas with bean to cup machines, two is usually the most coffees that can be produced in one go.

Traditional machines also offer much more scope for additional revenues. As well as the classic espresso-based drinks, a traditional machine allows you to serve variations of espresso-based drinks such as iced lattes and flavoured cappuccinos.

Widening your product offering and catering to customers’ many different tastes and wishes is guaranteed to result in increased sales. In my experience, the total sales contribution from ingredients that we would sell over a period of five years is typically worth over £20,000 - revenue from ingredients that would simply not be

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achievable with a bean to cup machine.

Some people would argue that the cost of a traditional machine is too high and with an average price tag of £3,000, the initial outlay seems high, especially when you take into consideration that you also need to buy a grinder, knock-out box and various other accessories. However, when you look at the average life span of five to seven years, a traditional machine doesn’t seem like such a considerable investment for any coffee shop serious about serving good coffee. This, coupled with their reliability and long term service agreements available (Cooper’s Coffee for

example, offers extended warranties of four years) makes them a very good investment for any coffee shop serious about serving good coffee.

Care and skill One conspicuous problem with espresso making is the care and skill needed by staff to ensure that customers get a well made drink with adequate strength, aroma and body. Many people are put off by this and opt for a bean to cup system which they think does not need a skilled operator. The truth is that the ‘skill’ issue can be easily rectified however with a little investment

APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 33

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ESPRESSO MACHINES

Not for everyone in barista training.

Making coffee is not rocket science, but there are a few fundamental rules that apply and it is very important that staff receive the right training before they go anywhere near a coffee machine and grinder. With most machine suppliers offering free barista training there really is no excuse any more! Once mastered, a coffee can be made far more quickly than with a bean to cup machine - a skilled barista is capable of producing 100’s if not 1000’s of cups per day. Bean to cup coffee machines may have the advantage that they produce a consistent product but a well trained and skilled barista can always get a better cup of coffee using a traditional machine.

Many of the other weaknesses that traditional machines have suffered from consistency of product, no self serve option, labour intensive, energy efficiency, grinder waste, repair downtime, complacent manufacturer have also been addressed through the emergence of new technology.

For example, Dalla Corte has developed a highly accurate espresso machine that controls the temperature of an individual group head by one-tenth of a degree the machine is so precise that temperature fluctuations which can result in a bitter tasting coffee are totally prevented - it is proven that even slight variations of one degree centigrade can affect the quality of a cup of coffee. All machines increase in temperature by several degrees per hour during service and some literally end up serving espresso made with boiling water. The fact that each group head on the Dalla Corte is independent in terms of fresh water supply and heat control also means a big energy saving of 30%+ - because you can turn each group on or off independently depending on how busy you are. In Milan city, where there are over 450 Dalla Corte systems in use, some cafés have saved from €70 to €80 a month on energysaving alone.

Technology helps Hot water quality has also been addressed by Dalla Corte. The machine will automatically empty and refresh the

34 APRIL 2008

CAFÉ CULTURE

Despite the fact that traditional espresso machines are always the best option for making quality coffee, they simply are not the best solution for some outlets such as self service areas such as petrol stations where resource, space and speed is an issue.

For these types of outlets, particularly those with a self-service and high volume catering environments a good quality, well set up, bean-to-cup system is therefore a good compromise. The quality of coffee produced by these machines generally has less crema and taste than those made with a well set up traditional system.

These coffee machines require little staff training and whilst the drink is being produced operators can perform other tasks. One disadvantage of bean to cup systems is that as they are designed for specific volumes and they need a lot more service maintenance than traditional systems. 24/7 service back up is therefore crucial and periodic service will need to be carried out regularly.

The key is choosing the right kind of equipment to meet your needs. A good coffee machine distributor should always help you identify the best machine for your establishment. There’s no point in investing in a traditional machine if you don’t have the space or resources to train and employ quality staff to operate the machine.

Whatever system you opt for, don’t entertain cheap. In my experience, coffee shops see increased coffee sales when the quality of their coffee gets better, so buying in cheap equipment and cheap coffee and shying away from investing in the right equipment is a false economy. Things are cheap for a reason. As more and more people in the UK develop a taste for good quality coffee, the demand for better quality coffee will increase. If you want to keep up you will have no choice but to up your offering and that includes investing in the right equipment to give you a trouble free life of service and ensure consistently good beverages.

Dalla Corte 3 group Evolution Series and DC II GCS grinder.

contents of the boiler daily if required ensuring that water freshness is maximized for Americano and tea quality.

Innovative Dalla Corte technology has also addressed the key problem of the grinder, often blamed for poor quality espressos. Most grinders will need adjusting throughout the course of the day several times and the person responsible for this will need to take into consideration variables such as extraction time, freshness, moisture and humidity not an easy task. To overcome this, Dalla Corte has created an electronic control link between the espresso machine and grinder. The espresso machine measures the timing of every five shots pulled and, if the average extraction time varies from the required time set, the grinder will automatically adjust the grinder burrs to compensate. Such control ensures a

consistent quality and coffee standard, taking away the worry for independent coffee shops and larger brands who find it hard to control their grinder standards perfectly.

Electronic monitoring has also paved the way for more possibilities - coffee shops can now control their machines remotely, getting real-time performance data and being able to adjust the settings of each machine without leaving the office. Traditionally a common complaint for traditional machines has been the long service downtimes experienced but the new technology puts an end to this issue, making them a much more viable option for busy outlets that cannot afford to have their machine down for a long length of time. For example, on a Dalla Corte all tasks can be completed in 30 minutes or less and you can even change the main boiler whilst still serving coffee to the customers. A world’s first.

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Hugo Hercod and Sarah Townsend, founders of Relish Food & Drink in Cornwall.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB BERRY.

Relishing the challenge Five years ago, says Hugo Hercod, his life took a simple but dramatic turn for the better. After leaving a soul-destroying job, he spent six months in New Zealand, during which time he recalls drinking more unforgettable coffee and eating more good carrot cake than he’d ever eaten before. In his own words, here he tells us about his own personal journey to becoming this year’s UK barista champion. www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

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36 APRIL 2008

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Practice makes perfect At Relish I pull every shot as I would in competition, I try to dose perfectly, up a little, spill nothing, distribute like clockwork and flush religiously. For months I pulled every shot on manual, watching the flow for the first signs of paleness. This became unrealistic, as summer saw the traditional emmet invasion of Cornwall and Relish was hammered for seven hours a day. I had to resort to programming my Astoria autobuttons to short flush, longer flush and double shot. Tom lent me a Mahlkoenig grinder to get used to, and the difference in the coffee was startling.

I started practicing pouring hearts and ferns on my competition size cups. Every morning, once the grinder was set I’d make staff coffees before any customers.

Presented with pretty but tiny cups of not very hot cappuccino they were suitably unimpressed. “Can I have another, bigger, hotter one next?”

For my signature drink this year I wanted to be a little less real world and predictable with my flavours. In our deli we sell a fantastic range of unusual syrups, herbs, spices and flavourings. I set about tasting espresso combinations, from quince and asafoetida to white chocolate and lavender. I loved how flavours combined or clashed, dominated or wilted, became vile or sublime, changing the character of espresso with startling abruptness.

I found rosewater unusual but agreeable and decided to explore a Turkish delight themed drink. Having lived in Turkey and

SY OF TRIS TAN STEPHE

Café owner Sarah and I bought Relish Food & Drink in November 2006. In a mammoth effort we refurbished and opened in time for the Christmas shopping season. I now I had a

coffee machine of my own (an Astoria Gloria 2 group), customers to practice on, and a reason to compete beyond curiosity.

I had brashly based our logo on a fern believing I’d be able to get the hang of it in no time. Thankfully it pretty much proved the case, and latte art became our most obvious point of difference.

I was starting to get competent at pulling shots and pouring ferns, movements around a machine were now reflex. I could texture milk and had started to learn a bit about temperature control, dosing and distribution techniques. The internet became my reference library; forums, blogs and the generosity of those with the knowledge helping me improve my techniques in leaps and bounds.

Anyhow, I turned up at the St. Austell brewery for the South West heat of the 2007 championships, feeling prepared and confident. After a comfortable heat I came first and won a place in the final where I managed fourth behind James Hoffmann, Se Gorman and Edmund Buston. My strength was understanding the score sheets. I had tried to make a point about being a working barista making a living in a café, my signature drink being an easily assembled hazelnut mocha wouldn’t be out of place on a café menu.

Running a small café in a little market town consumes a lot of life. Sarah and I were regularly putting in 60 plus hour weeks, money was tight but it was working, our reputation was growing, and customers were travelling from all over Cornwall to try my coffee. I loved pulling shots and pouring ferns. I loved what I was learning, loved the feedback and status of ‘top barista’ and knew it was one important key to the future of our business.

With the news that James Hoffmann and Sé Gorman wouldn’t be competing this year, I knew I was capable of improving on my fourth place, and possibly winning. The South West heats were in November, I was favourite and this year I wanted to win rather than make a point, so I set about working on my techniques.

PHOTO CO URTE

Starting out Back in the UK I returned to my old employer in a different job. My first meeting was with an espresso fuelled character called Tom Sobey. His fledgling company, Origin Coffee, was just getting going, coffee was in his family and his vision was refreshing. We switched supplier to Origin immediately and I started to play with an espresso machine with a new sense of purpose. What was it about the way they made coffee in New Zealand that made it so much nicer?

A cloud with a silver lining soon came my way. Jamie Oliver, the Sainsbury advert’, was expanding his Fifteen brand and I was made redundant to make way for Fifteen Cornwall. I was given two months notice and abused every minute of it to make everyone I could a free coffee. With encouragement from Tom at Origin I first entered the UKBC in 2006. Origin were hosting it and struggling for competitors. At the time I was trying to buy a café with my partner, Sarah, a manager for Rick Stein’s empire in Padstow. The need to learn barista skills was there, the incentive to do well obvious.

I trained at Origin’s offices near Falmouth, a collection of passionate coffee people helping me to learn the skills necessary. I could pull a timed, measured shot. I could sort of texture milk in a hit and miss way, I couldn’t pour latte art for toffee. However, I could work through a routine, I knew what did and didn’t score points and I could mimic the baristas I’d seen on a DVD of the first WBC finals.

I turned up at the South West Regional heat at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, made coffee, came third behind Ed Buston and Danielle Hadley and miraculously scored enough points to scrape into the finals. It was thrilling, I’d learnt a huge amount about the peculiar world of the barista competition and met some great people, including a charming chap called James Hoffmann who was wearing a terrible suit and looking haggard after weeks on the road! He was incredibly knowledgeable and freaked me out with the Stockfleth move whilst showing me how to set the Mahlkoenig grinder…. I was bewitched with the ninja of it.

At the finals I was terrified. I got through my routine, fairly shambolically, and came eighth, beating two baristas who both suffered catastrophic routine breakdowns… who can forget Sé Gorman reaching for his milk jugs only to find they were 200 yards away!

NSON.

UK BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP 2008

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UK BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 Left: Hugo's winning Turkish Delight signature drink.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BAREFOOT MEDIA.

eaten a lot of lokum (the real thing), I knew what I had to achieve. Much messing around and some hideously over caffeinated evenings got some proportions sorted, and a few experiments with a Kisag gun gave a colourful, flavoured coconut foam topping.

For the regionals I mainly rehearsed in my head. I tried to write a few thoughts down but I’m not much good at learning words, though I admit Hamlet’s soliloquy is a party trick when I’m a little Brahms!

Hugo lifts the 2008 UK Barista Championship trophy.

www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

The regionals The evening before the regional Sarah and I ran through a table lay up at home. She camped it up beautifully with pink rose petals and a table runner, everything was polished to within an inch of its life and carefully wrapped and packed. Lists were checked off, bubble wrap and tea towels abounded, stress levels rose.

It was good to see so many familiar faces again and Cambourne College were brilliant with the setup and organisation.

On stage I go into my ‘zone’ that allows me to concentrate on what’s happening with the shots, what I need to do next etc. It’s very tiring and always a relief to get through. I did my heat as well as I could have wanted, nerves still playing their part.

Having learnt what was in my espresso blend in the hour before my heat, I forgot what was in my capp’ blend altogether, even though I recite it to my customers on a daily basis. I ran three seconds over time, didn’t clean up and my spiel was ropey but my shots were good and my signature worked.

Tristan, the bar manager of Fifteen Cornwall, was up next and was simply brilliant for a first timer, his cocktail competition experience clearly showing through. I thought he’d won but thankfully I scraped ahead of him! We both scored well over 700 points, which by historical standards meant we were both capable of placing high.

With so many weeks until the final and Christmas to contend with at Relish, the competition was forgotten. Finally in late January Tristan cajoled me into practising, we met up on three evenings and stared at score sheets and mumbled our way through routines with stopwatches. I wasn’t changing anything about my set or my drinks, just trying to iron out flaws and improve my score. Whilst I knew from expe-

rience what I needed to do, Tristan had it all to work out. His new signature drink was divine, but complex to prepare and time consuming to assemble, every run through pushing all the way to 15 minutes.

Too close for comfort should anything go wrong.

Final countdown My semi-final in London was a nightmare. I was making my cappuccinos first. I dosed, distributed and tamped as normal, flushing long to cool the head, then inserted and pressed go. I started counting as I filled my second portafilter, then it dawned on me my first shot had choked, no sign of espresso. Damn it! All the time, money, thought and effort to get here and this was how it was going to end. My second shot choked as well, I adjusted the grinder and started again. Now well behind time I just had to motor through my routine and hope.

I went nine seconds over, lots had gone wrong, I was totally gutted. The next day I watched a few of the Irish perform flawlessly and gave up hope, retiring to a hot bath before the finalists were announced.

Tristan texted me: Your through. I’m not.

A frantic unpacking, washing, polishing and ironing couple of hours followed before we headed to the Barista party at James and Anette’s new Square Mile Coffee Roasters. It was simultaneously a huge relief and daunting. I had another chance and I’d learnt a valuable lesson about pulling shots on stage.

My final went as well as I could have wished. I could have cheered when my first shot dripped seductively into the cups. My milk stretched perfectly, not a bubble in sight. I nailed two of four capp’ pours beautifully. My espressos weren’t great, my signature was served in a hurry, I mistimed shots, but I worked neatly, remembered my blends, got the job done.

Barista championships are a points game. Make good coffee to exacting standards, don’t drop technical points needlessly, talk the talk, and look the part. All of us on our day could have won, it was my day. I was blown away at winning and the memory will stick in my mind for a long while to come. The prizes are just great, the opportunity to represent the UK in Copenhagen, a huge honour. The fact it’s taken three years and a good few thousand pounds? Worth every minute and every penny.

I own a small café in a town with lots of small cafés. I make coffee using good beans and good milk and skills that have taken me years to learn. My customers know I make good coffee, The UK Barista Championship has both made me better at it and rewarded me for it, even when I wasn’t the winner.

APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 37

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MAINTENANCE

The Coffee Clinic Here, Glenn James of maintenance company Coffix, responds to some of your frequently asked questions and concerns about the day to day use and smooth running of coffee machines by offering some practical advice and guidance.

problem parts Q

I am a small outlet and have a two group Essika machine which is not running as well as it could at the moment because sourcing some parts for it is proving to be a challenge! I need the filter heads and seals, but can’t find them. What would you recommend outlets do in this situation? Can I use any alternative parts?

Glenn replies: Alternative parts (arrggghhhh!). The machine you've got is made by a company called Conti which make a whole range of machines. They aren't the most common machine in the UK, but you can get spares, especially the group gaskets, depending on which shower plates it has. Most engineering companies should be able to lay their hands on the parts for you. Alternative parts are a big no-no as you are dealing with boiling water and high pressures, and injuries are easily sustained through incorrect equipment parts being installed.

If you have a coffee machinerelated question that you would like answered, then why not email clare@jandmgroup.co.uk or write in with details of the name, location of your café and question to Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB and Café Culture magazine will endeavour to source an answer for you!

38 APRIL 2008

CAFÉ CULTURE

Calling the big bad wolf...

Q

I have a problem with my espresso coffee machine that hopefully you can help with? Each day when cleaning (back washing), it leaks from underneath. I have looked but am unable to spot where it’s coming from. It’s only about 0.5 litre through the day. Nothing appears when using it.

Three Little Pigs Coffee Co.

Three Little Pigs Coffee Co.

Glenn replies: Calling the Big Bad Wolf... This is one of the most common problems that customers have and is easy to rectify without an engineer even (heaven forbid!).

The waste pipe leading from your coffee machine has got a restriction in it between the machine and your drain outlet. It only over flows when back flushing as you’re pushing all the water back into the drain causing a back up of waste water where as during the day there is only a small amount exhausted in to the drain.

To clear up your problem remove the pipe from your machine’s waste container. This is normally situated under the drip tray on the front of the machine and is usually made of black plastic. I always advise our customers to run their waste pipes into a bucket then clear it every day as part of the cleaning procedure. You have a few options on how to clean the pipe out.

1) Soak the hose in boiling water and twist and bend it trying to dislodge the blockage.

2) If your hose isn't that long, try pushing something through it clearing out the blockage, or

3) Best of all, not. If your waste pipe runs behind counters, fridges or walls into your mains drain you may have to be the Big Bad Wolf and blow the blockage out! This isn't pleasant, but may be your only way. Be sure to wrap up around the end your blowing down as it tastes horrible (trust me).

4) A tip to keep your pipes clear is to include in your nightly cleaning procedure a step that makes you run a litre or so of boiling water straight down through the waste container. I hope this clears you problem.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Starters a hot tip for success From freezer to table via a quick trip to the oven, MKG Foods, the Midlands frozen food wholesaler, is expecting big things of its new Mediterranean Vegetable Tart. A cheese pastry filled with red onion confit and a creamy mornay sauce topped with Mediterranean vegetables and grated Cheddar, it’s ideal as a starter and can also be used as a main course meal centre.

Other new vegetarian ideas from MKG include Goats Cheese, Spinach and Red Onion Tarts and Roasted Tuscan Red Peppers. For seafood lovers there’s Individual Spicy Prawn Pots and Baked Seafood Cobblers. For cold service MKG offers thaw and serve Country style Pate en Croute and a Chicken Liver, Cranberry & Orange pate (Call 01922 453131 or visit www.mkgfoods.co.uk).

3G luxury tubs of Crayfish, Prawns and Kings Prawns 3G Food Service & Seafood Solutions, the specialist distributor of chilled and frozen foods to the food service sector, has introduced three new Luxury products to its Delicatessen range – Crayfish Tails in Brine, Cold Water Prawns in Brine and King Prawns in Brine.

These new additions come in easy to use 1.5kg (900g Dwt) round tubs and all three products offer flexible menu options for light snacks or salads, sandwiches, starters and main courses. Full details of all products, orders and special offers can be obtained by calling the 3G Customer Service Centre on 0870 850 5213 or by visiting www.3gfoodservice.co.uk.

Customers can also register online to regularly receive latest information, Product Guides and product updates.

Why not offer your customers something they really want – but with the extras they really need!

Fulcrum Health Limited is the exclusive UK and European distributor of a ground-breaking brew from America where technical innovation has allowed coffee beans to maintain their coffee taste, but be infused with a variety of natural supplements beneficial to health.

Called Spava, the coffee offers outlets a point of differentiation in competitive times, enabling customers to choose an everyday drink option made from beans infused with ingredients that may boost alertness, improve joint flexibility, strengthen the body’s immune system or even assist in promoting natural weight loss. The organically-grown line is available in four wellness varieties - Clarity, Flexibility, Immunity and Metabolism with a recommended retail price of £3.95 per 227g bag of ground beans (call 01480 869456 or visit www.fortifiedcoffee.com).

New products Teak colour No Wood® back by popular demand!

Andy Thornton’s No Wood® is back as part of their 2008 outdoor furniture range, including a new teak colour No Wood®, which looks just like solid timber. No Wood® is a combination of synthetic materials which looks almost identical to wood, making it ideal for cafés. No Wood® is maintenance-free and can easily be wiped clean. It does not crack, split or rot and has the added advantage of being eco-friendly.

The range comprises of a choice of six chairs with durable aluminium frames that are stackable for ease of storage. Matching No Wood® tables with a choice of round or square top are available (No Wood® proved so popular last year, say Andy Thornton, that they had to order extra stock to meet the anticipated demand).

To view the entire No Wood® range, or order/download your copy of Andy Thornton’s outdoor furniture 2008 brochure visit www.andythornton.com or call 01422 376000.

INTRODUCING THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SANDWICH, SNACK AND MOBILE SHOW! As far as the organisers are aware, this event will be the first Yorkshire sited catering exhibition aimed specifically at the Grab and Go catering sector this century, and the last chance for exhibitors to display and visitors to purchase new lines for the summer season.

Devised and organised by CooperWhite LLP, the show is to be staged at the Elsecar Heritage Centre on 21 and 22 May 2008 (a major first for the show will be the introduction of late night opening). Exhibitors will include savoury suppliers, sandwich fillings, business insurance specialists, catering equipment, delivery vehicles, coffee suppliers and chilled drinks (for further information, contact info@cooperwhite.co.uk or call Sandra White on 01350 727381).

APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 39

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CHECKOUT

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CHECKOUT

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APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 41

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INDEX

Index of members of the Café Society For enquiries about the Café Society telephone Steph on: 01291 636338 or E-mail steph@jandmgroup.co.uk

SUPPLIER MEMBERS Seda UK Ltd. Hawtin Park, Gellihaf Blackwood, Gwent NP12 2EU Contact: Mr John O’Brien Tel: 01443 811888 Fax: 01443 811899 john_obrien@sedagroup.org www.sedagroup.org INDEPENDENT RETAIL MEMBERS Bellini’s Limited Heanor Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8TG Contact: Peter Bellini Tel: 0115 932 0033 Fax: 0115 944 6760 Bon Viveur Central Business Exchange 460 Midsummer Boulevard Buckinghamshire,MK9 2EA Contact: Dominic Willmott Tel: 01908 673 900 Fax: 01908 673 800 bloodygoodcoffee@aol.com www.bon-viveur.com Cuppa-Cino 1 Boyle Farm Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT1 0TS Contact: Andrew Roberts Tel: 07801 749 122 cuppa.cino@virgin.net D Café Dixons Shopping Centre, Reepham Road, Hellesden, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 5PA Contact: Elizabeth Raven Tel: 01603 414 951 cafedixons@hotmail.com Esquires Coffee Houses Unit 1.1, 2-6 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AY Contact: Peter Kirton Tel: 0207 251 5166 Fax: 0207 251 5177 peter@esquirescoffee.co.uk

42 APRIL 2008

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Java the Hut 12 Plomer Green Lane High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP13 5TN Conatct: Georgina Hooker Tel: 01494 527 341 javasoxy@yahoo.co.uk Robertsons Limited 234 Brook Street Broughty Ferry Dundee DD5 2AH Contact: David Craig Tel: 01382 739 277 Fax: 01382 480 477 david.craig@btconnect.com www.robertsonsbutchers.co.uk

Sante Fe Coffee Company Unit 1a-1b Wolsey Place Shopping Centre Cowsey Way, Woking, Surrey GU21 6UX Contact: Gordon Henderson Tel: 01483 757 580 Fax: 01483 237 141 santafecoffeeco@tiscali.co.uk Solomon Grundy’s Unit 64-65 Tower Centre, Ballymena, N.Ireland BT43 6AF Contact: Jack Hutchinson Tel: 028 256 59602 Fax: 028 256 59606 Jack.hutchinson@btconnect.co m www.solomongrundys.com Yummy Mummy’s Coffee Shops 10 Queen Street, Southwell Nottinghamshire NG25 0AA Conatct: Charlotte Bond Tel: 01636 815597 lottebond@hotmail.com www.yummymummyscoffees hops.com

INDEPENDENTS 11a Café - Liverpool An Chovi – N.Yorkshire Andrews – Somerset Aroma Beverage Systems – S.Ireland BB’s Coffee & Muffins Ltd Bellini’s Limited - Ilkeston, Derbyshire Bens – Ballymena, N.Ireland Bewleys - Ireland Bizzy Lizzy’s Coffee Shop Basingstoke Blades - Northleach Bleen - Purley Blue Onion Limited - Wiltshire Bon Cuisine - Essex Bon Viveur - Milton Keynes Boswells Coffee Co. - Oxon Brunchmasters - Essex Café 67 - Norwich Café Blue - Essex Café Cayenne - Reading Café Chino - Manchester Café Connections Buckingham Café Java - Ireland Café Nero - London Café Roma UK – Essex Café Su - Glasgow Café Twocann - Swansea Caffe Chico - Redditch Cisco’s - Stirling Charter Coffee Houses Ltd Essex Chat Coffee House – N.Ireland Chocolate Falls Middlesborough Cinnamon Café - Windsor Cinnamon Square - Herts Costa Coffee Ltd - Dunstable Crown Coffee - Kent Cuppa-Cino - London Deans Pizzeria & Sandwich Bar - Coventry Delimakers Oy - Finland Dominique – W. Yorkshire Doneata’s Café - Staffordshire Esquires Coffee House Galway Esquires Coffee House Lisbun, Co Antrim Esquires Coffee House London Flavour - Cardiff Fresco’s - Bedford Fruitcakes - Northleach Garden Coffee & Sandwich Ltd - London Goodness to go - Woking

Java The Hut - High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire Koo Coffee - Derbyshire Let’s be Fair Café Northshields Lightbody - Hamilton Lunch - Truro Maids of Honour - St Helier, Jersey Mambocino - Middlesex Marmalades - Norwich Mrs Bumbles - Kent Murray’s Catering - Altricham Nails & Veils Ltd - Wiltshire Pepperpot – West Midlands Pickwicks Café - Somerset Premier Coffee - Surrey Restaurant Sorrento – Ballymena, N.Ireland Riverview Restaurant Coleraine, N.Ireland Robertson’s - Dundee Rosanto Coffee Bar Hertfordshire Ruth’s Café - Essex Saint Caffè - Birmingham Santa Fe Coffee Company Woking Surrey Select Service Partner London Shop on The Corner – Herts Soho Coffee Shops Ltd Cheltenham So Juicy - Glasgow Starvin Jacks - Swansea TFI Lunch – Brighton The Coffee Compass - West Sussex The Pantry - Peterborough Thyme Coffee Shop – N.Yorkshire Tiffins IOW Ltd – Isle of Wight The Deli Bar - London The Flying Coffee Company – Cambridge The Grill - Dorset The Hive Café - Dorset The Streat - Belfast Urban Coffee - London Urban Coffee - Accrington Urban Espresso - Bath Urban Espresso - Bristol Urban Fusions Wolverhampton Venetia’s - London Yoma - Southampton Yummy Mummy’s Coffee Shops - Nottinghamshire

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MARCH 2008

ʣȼHʎLɪʙLVɢ ʣ ʦʠɿʙȲʑUɡ Wɛ ʃȱɏ VʋQ ʏʨLɭɓ ʖQʏX Vʤʢɨ

AND RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF SANDWICH & SNACK NEWS MAGAZINE (on redemption of the form below only) visit our new

CAFE CULTURE is published six times a year and currently distributed at the promotional subscription price of £25 per annum (£45 outside the UK).

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I enclose a cheque for £25 (£45 outside the UK) Cheques should be payable to Café Society and returned to: Café Culture, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB or contact Stephanie Mayo on 01291 636338 or email on subscriptions@cafeculturemagazine.co.uk Alternatively, if you wish to pay by Credit Card, please enter your details below.

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International Sandwich & Snack News nternational Sandwich & Snack News magazine is the only magazine devoted to the Sandwich and Snack industry.

Published eight times a year and distributed on subscription of £55 per annum to all those involved in the sandwich industry.

International Sandwich & Snack News keeps you upto date with all the latest news and views. Each

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www.cafeculturemagazine.co.uk

issue includes company profiles, reviews, new products and withing the industry. There’s also free access to advice lines, and free access to information services on the internet for subscribers.

For further information about International Sandwich & Snack News call Steph on 01291 636 338 or visit the website www.sandwich.org.uk

TASTING THE LIFESTYLE OF THE CAFÉ SECTOR

APRIL 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 43

FC Cafe culture March08:Layout 1

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