COFFEE “Rombouts’ 120-year history of working with coffee farmers from around the globe has enabled us to source and roast origins and blends that are in keeping with the latest taste profile trends in the UK coffee market. With brighter and sweeter notes in the cup, the lighter roast coffees that we are producing are less bitter than darker roasts, and let consumers really taste the coffee’s flavours. “Independents in particular are both leading the way and listening to their customers much more in terms of what taste profiles are the preferred choice and are using this information to choose new coffees to serve. Over the past five years, customers are asking more questions about the coffees; where they come from, how they are processed and how we roast them.” Rombouts work closely with Lee Valley VeloPark and White Water Centre as their coffee partner and have helped to create and develop a number of cafés and coffee outlets with them. “We have assisted by upgrading their existing equipment, where necessary and helped to ensure the most appropriate coffee equipment has been supplied for new or refurbished sites,” explains Simon Remmer. “We have supplied a full range of equipment from traditional, bean to cup and batch brewers and have been able to assist them in developing their coffee offer across the sites. The partnership ensures they benefit from our barista training programme and receive regular and ad hoc coffee audits, to help monitor their high standards. There is also a regular programme to develop and promote seasonal drinks throughout the year. The equipment service is covered through our service and maintenance plan, which combines preventative maintenance, breakdown cover and all the relevant legislative work required of a large organisation.” When it comes to sourcing their coffee, the special relationships that Rombouts have with a number of farms and cooperatives that they work with around the world is something that they feel very strongly about as a brand. “One of our favourite coffees is from Laos,” says Simon Remmer. “We saw an opportunity to work in partnership with farmers from the Bolaven Plateau region to create something special following a trip to the country back in 2009. “Much of the coffee was a wet processed Typica variety, but there was not much of it and it was fairly inconsistent in quality and the farmers had difficulties selling the harvest in that particular year. We decided to invest
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and take a long-term view by purchasing the entire harvest, which has led to a flourishing partnership between us and the farmers through the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative [CPC]. “As an established well-known brand in the industry, we have always prided ourselves on the quality of coffee we supply. Innovation, passion and knowledge are things that the Rombouts family has based its business on over 120 years and we hope this will see us through the next 120 years.” Grind control “The rise of a social and mobile generation continues to impact on coffee shops as customers prioritise the whole coffee experience over pounds and pence. The impact of this growing group is being felt across the category as consumers expect attractive coffee shop décor, knowledgeable baristas and a broad, up to date menu that incorporates ethically sourced ingredients,” says Mark Veale, brand manager for catering equipment brand, Santos. “However important these elements are though, the most effective way to gain the best possible reputation and ensure repeat business is to serve a really good cup of coffee, and whichever beans operators choose, they must be treated with care. The (CN012) Santos Coffee Grinder from Nisbets, for example, is a commercial machine that uses highly resistant horizontal axis grinding disks which transform prime coffee beans into a high quality coarse or fine grind as desired, including Turkish, espresso and French Press, ensuring every single customer’s coffee tastes perfect, whatever the choice of bean. “This cleverly designed stainless steel unit has a high 14kg per hour output and its simple design dispenses the coffee directly, ensuring no coffee is left in the chute. With hands-free operation, quality coffee is provided for customers in the minimal time and without any wasted product. Supplied by one of the world’s finest coffee grinding specialists, the Santos Coffee Grinder also has a five-year motor warranty for peace of mind.” The demand for a better coffee quality is rising continuously throughout the international industry. Therefore, the ability to detect any slight difference within the coffee’s aroma profile becomes crucial for everyone striving to set and to keep up with new quality standards. Visitors to the recent World of Coffee in Budapest were able to experience Ditting’s latest launch in this regard – the 804 Lab Sweet coffee grinder. This device, which can be used in the retail environment, is the result of a
collaboration between Ditting’s engineers in Switzerland and international coffee professionals, combining both technical expertise and comprehensive experiences within the ultimate tool for laboratory grinding. Grinding the roasted beans into particles with a more uniform size enables a more even extraction, say Ditting. The consistently even grinding of lighter roasts with a lower solubility, produces cups with lower bitterness, more sweetness and with an overall more intense taste experience. Therefore, the grinder plays an important role, especially when developing a premium roast in the laboratory. Ditting’s 804 Lab Sweet features 80mm cast steel grinding discs for a higher higher extraction rates and more sweetness, as well as a longer lifetime. Its wide grinding range means it is suited to any brewing method, including ultrafine grinding opportunities. Its premium design features a stainless steel and black body, combined with a small footprint. An optimized knocker means precise dosing, close to zero residues in the spout and noise reduction through special buffering, point out Ditting, and the machine’s convenient and intuitive handling means easy setting with the detailed scale and an adjustable and foldable drop leaf.
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