October 2012

October 2012 Vol. XXV No. 10

www.CoffeeTalk.com

See NCA Exhibitor Listings Page 24

Top Roaster Concerns page 10

Expanding into Grocery

18

Technology to Improve Your Bottom Line

22

Rocky Rhodes

Change Service Requested

14

HNCT, LLC 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070

Coffee Packaging Freshness

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$4.75 Per Issue • Complimentary to Coffee Professionals

This Month:

Contents

8

The View

10

Top Roaster Concerns

12

Coffee Packaging Freshness

12

Nitrogen Flushing to Extend Freshness

14

Expanding into Grocery:

16

Letters to Editor

18

Technology to Improve Your Bottom Line

20

Retailer Profile

22

10 Top Roaster Concerns

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Klatch Coffee - America’s Best Coffeehous

Rocky Rhodes

The Coffee Maker Made Me Look Bad

24

NCA Listings

26

News Bites

28

Advertiser Index

12 Coffee Packaging Freshness

14 Expanding into Grocery

Who We are Owners

CEO/Publisher/Advertising Director Kerri Goodman-Small, ext 1 | 877.426.6410 | 206.795.4471 kerri@coffeetalk.com Editor-in-Chief Miles Small, ext 2 | 206.795.2835 miles@coffeetalk.com

Professional Memberships

International Development Rocky Rhodes, 818.347.1378 rocky@coffeetalk.com Bill Kaprelian, ext 7 bill@coffeetalk.com

Design

Print Design Marcus Fellbaum, ext 5 marcus@coffeetalk.com Web Design Justin Goodman, ext 6 justin@coffeetalk.com

Administrative

Administrative Director, Accounting, Subscriptions Sandra Hundacker, ext 4 sandra@coffeetalk.com

Mailing Info

Feature

Top Roaster Concerns 4

Mail: HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070 Phone: 206.686.7378 Fax: 866.373.0392 Web: www.coffeetalk.com

Disclaimer CoffeeTalk does not assume the responsibility for validity of claims made for

advertised products and services. We reserve the right to reject any advertising.

Although we support copyrights and trademarks, we generally do not include copyright and trademark symbols in our news stories and columns.

Circulation: CoffeeTalk (ISSN 1084-2551) is mailed monthly (10 times per year) with combined June/July and November/December issues, also bonus mailing/distribution for Education Guides and foodservice/hospitality and coffee conventions/shows throughout the year.

Postmaster: Send address changes to HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070 Subscription: The cost of a subscription in the U.S. is $47.50 per year; in Canada, the cost is $72.00. Free to qualified industry professionals. Nonqualified requests may be rejected. Publisher reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions. For subscription inquiries, please call 206.686.7378 or subscribe online at www.CoffeeTalk.com.

Copyright Š 2012, HNCT, LLC, All Rights Reserved

October 2012

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Origin Tour 2013 Costa Rica Arrive Feb 6th Origin Tour Depart 2013 Feb 10th Costa Rica Origin L Tour

Learn Visit Secrets & Romance of Specialty Coffee From Crop to Cup in Exotic Setting www.namacoffeeservice.org for more info.

Arrive Feb 6th

Depart Feb 10th

earn the language of coffee flavors in an opportunity of a lifetime! The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) invites you to spend an exotic five days in Costa Rica on its first County of Origin Coffee Tour, NAMA Director, Coffee and Water Service, Roger Stewart NCE5, CCS, announced today.

“CoffeeTalk is proud to be working with NAMA on their first ever Coffee Origin Trip in 2013,” said Kerri Goodman-Small, Owner and Visit Publisher of the magazine and an organizer of this fabulous journey.

www.namacoffeeservice.org “Having for moreattended info. the NAMA Coffee, Tea & Water Show and seen how keen the

interest is from the OCS and Vending industries on coffee quality, this trip offers the perfect opportunity to gain an appreciation of the complexity of specialty coffee. This amazing five days in Costa Rica will change forever participants’ view of coffee and increase their ability to market their product in a way never before possible to them,” she added.

Tarrazu Cloud Forest with exclusive Q&A session owners Jim Stewart (Founder SBC) and Luz Marina Trujillo Stewart • February 8th • Spend the day on the leading Scientific Coffee Farm and Laboratory • Hand-on Cupping and Aroma Training • Farm - Hosted Lunch • Group Dinner with Farmers February 9th • • Optional Tour Day, choose from 6 exciting adventures Closing Reception • February• 6th 10thCocktail Reception • February & Welcome • Arrive Return to San Jose Airport and depart for home • February• 7th • Continental Breakfast and Morning Education The Journey of Coffee from Crop to Cup • Afternoon tour of Santa Elena Farm and Beneficio in the Tarrazu Cloud Forest with exclusive Q&A session with owners Jim Stewart (Founder SBC) and Luz Marina Trujillo Stewart • February 8th • Spend the day on the leading Scientific Coffee Farm and Laboratory • Hand-on Cupping and Aroma Training • Farm - Hosted Lunch • Group Dinner with Farmers February 9th • • Optional Tour Day, choose from 6 exciting adventures* • Closing Reception • February 10th • Return to San Jose Airport and depart for home

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The trip will begin with a welcome reception on arrival Feb. 6, and departure • February 6th forCocktail Feb. 10. Reception During the five & Welcome • Arrive scheduled days participants will tour a beautiful • February 7th coffee Breakfast plantation,and visit Morning a leading Education scientific • Continental coffee farm, get hands-on experience The Journey of Coffee from Crop to Cup on the growing harvesting of specialty tour of and Santa Elena Farm and Beneficio in the • Afternoon andForest attend awith groupexclusive dinner with Tarrazucoffee, Cloud Q&A session with coffee growers.

There is ample time ownersthe Jim Stewart (Founder SBC) scheduled to soak Stewart up the local culture and enjoy a beautiful beach-side resort. and Luz Marina Trujillo Adventures including golf, deep sea fishing, and zip line, nature, rafting, and • February 8th scheduled. the day onare the leading Scientific Coffee Farm • Spendsnorkeling

and Laboratory “This adventure guaranteed to be a life-changing event that you will never Cupping andisAroma Training • Hand-on In Lunch addition to understanding and communicating the value of specialty Hosted • Farm -forget.

Dinner towith yourFarmers buyers, you will come back energized and your passion for the • Group coffee February 9th coffee industry will be rekindled,” included Stewart.

• • Optional Tour Day, choose from 6 exciting adventures* Reception • Closing Tour cost includes all lodging, airport transfers, transportation, at least two meals • February a10th day, farm tours and cocktail receptions. For more information and to book your to San Jose Airport and depart for home • Returnreservation, visit www.namacoffeeservice.org.

NAMA, founded in 1936, is the National Automatic Merchandising Association representing the $42 billion vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries.

With more than 1800 member companies – including many of the world’s most recognized brands – NAMA provides advocacy, education and research for its membership.

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The View C

offeeTalk has been accused of advocating “class warfare” over the past few weeks. Our belief that Robusta does not belong in Specialty Coffee seems to have brought out the dark side of some folks. This notion is of course patently absurd. However, if you mean by “class warfare” my contention that we should stick to our guns and support the growers who have dedicated themselves to a path of continuous improvement in order to support the 17% of coffees sold in consuming countries that can be classed as Specialty, then yes, I am advocating class warfare, just as we as an industry have done for the last 40 years to differentiate our industry from “commercial” coffee.

Diligent removal of defects in order to approach a ‘Zero Defect’ score does not change the significantly higher CGA (chlorogenic acid) percentage and the resultant impact on flavor, there is no pixie dust here. Botany and genetics are sciences, not whimsy. It is disingenuous to imply that the flavor profile of the species has been altered or that some Robusta grows in such pristine and wild conditions that its fundamental genetic chemistry has been altered for the better. No, it continues to demonstrate the same profiles as Ted Lingle, Dr. Illy, Ken Davids, Dan Cox, and so many others have written - rubbery, woody, harsh, unbalanced bitter, and astringent (The Coffee Cupper’s Handbook; Fourth Edition and others).

Robusta coffee is typically harvested as naturals. The only way that defects can be detected is through visual examination after the pulp has been dried and removed -- in other words, at the dry mills. The impoverished farmers are long out of the picture before the mill begins to sort the coffees for defects. Removal of defects beyond current market standards costs the processor a great deal for which they will have to charge a substantial premium to the roasters.

This now advances two issues. Dry mills are not going to pay farmers more for their coffee. Any belief to the contrary is naïve. All the value-added in premium Robustas is incurred at the processor level, not the farms, and therefore naturally any increased price should be elemental to the mill’s compensation. The farmers are delivering the same coffee they always have. Nothing has changed except the increased labor costs of the mill owner. Second, who will be the buyers for this enhanced Robusta?

Specialty roasters will certainly not embrace the taste of premium Robusta, especially because it will have to be mitigated with premium Arabica in order to present an improved product that will still be perceived as inferior to a 100% Arabica product.

Commercial roasters have no motivation to alter their current blends toward a more expensive Robusta bean. Commercial roasters have a trained consumer base that is unlikely to respond positively to a higher price point. So, faced with rejection by specialty roasters and dismissal by commercial roasters, why would countries of origin pursue development of premium Robusta for sale in the United States? One thought? Countries are jumping on this bandwagon because government agencies and international development agencies such as USAID, UN-ITC, UNESCO, and others are pushing millions in grants to private contractors and countries to attempt to recreate the success of the “Q” program in Robusta producing countries.

Robusta – Part Deux

Where are the benefits?

• The farmers will not be paid more for their Robusta coffees because all the improvements to the quality take place at the mill level after the growers have delivered.

• There is unlikely to be willing and eager market makers in the US commercial coffee universe, if premium Robusta sells at a substantially higher differential to the LIFFE Robusta market.

• Specialty roasters are unlikely to embrace Robusta for fear of losing their wholesale customers to local competition.

• Specialty coffee and especially the Specialty Coffee Association of America will likely lose one more level of credibility and generate more confusion as to its purpose.

So, who wins then?

• Commercial coffee roasters who can now declare “Super Premium Robusta” in their blends with no method of verification.

• A hoard of new international “R Graders” will find employment at beneficios and cooperatives in Robusta producing countries.

• Private “schools” certified and paid by CQI, and in a year or so, the SCAA, will spring up to train and certify international “R Graders.”

• Consultants and contractors who have seized on the potential opportunity to train a new class of coffee graders and set up “certified” labs in a new group of countries through the support of UN-ITC, USAID, and other development funding agencies grant dollars.

There are simply not enough words to convey my admiration for many of the most vocal advocates for Robusta coffees and for what they have done for millions of people worldwide. Their contributions to coffee businesses and coffee science are extraordinary. However, on this issue, I think they are reaching for a governmental gold ring without regard for the consequences. I realize that contracts are the lifeblood of many a consultant in our business and essentially are the only means of support, but pursuing the “R Grader” program is, in my opinion, purely opportunistic. It appalls me to be part of a club that would admit a new member not because of their qualities, or because of their potential contribution to the greater well being, but simply because the club can make a whole lot of money.

Bye-Bye Ashley As many of you know already, this issue will be Ashley Prentice’s last for CoffeeTalk as a member of the staff, at least for a while. Ashley has been with us for a little over a year and during that time she has made a deep impression on people from all segments of coffee. She is off to Italy now to attend the University in Trieste. She received the first scholarship given to an American to pursue a Masters Degree in Coffee through the University of Udine (UNIUD) and illy Caffe. This is an extraordinary opportunity and we are so proud of Ashley and her accomplishments but we will miss her deeply.

While away, Ashley intends to continue writing for CoffeeTalk and journal her experiences in Trieste.

Calendar

8

Oct. 2-3 Oct. 4-6 Oct. 10-12

World Tea East - Philadelphia, PA

Oct. 21-27 Oct. 21-25 Oct. 25-27 Oct. 30-Nov. 2

SCAA Coffee Science Origin Trip 2012 - Brasilia

Nov. 3-4

Tea Festival Atlantic City - Atlantic City, NJ

7 EspaçoCaféBrasil - International Coffee Fair - São Paulo, Brazil NCA Coffee Summit 2012 - Philadelphia, PA

NAMA's Executive Development Program - Michigan State University Trieste Espresso Expo - Trieste, Italy International Coffee and Tea Festival - Dubai, UAE

Nov. 6-11 Nov. 11-16 Nov. 22-25 Dec. 14 2013 Feb. 15-17 Mar. 14-16 Mar. 21-23 October 2012

SinterCafé - San José, Costa Rica Association for Coffee Science - San Jose, Costa Rica 11th Seoul Int'l Café Show - Seoul, Korea Green Coffee Association Annual Holiday Party - New York, NY

World Tea & Coffee Expo - Mumbai, India Café Asia and International Coffee & Tea Industry Expo (CA/ICT) - Marina Bay Sands, Singapore NCA Convention - San Francisco, CA

Top Roaster Concerns

by Miles Small

C

offeeTalk recently conducted one of our “snapshot” surveys to our Specialty Roaster and Roaster/Retailer community and asked, “How important are a group of topics to you and your business?” The answers we received were often a surprise and unexpected.

In the included graph, you notice that there are four potential answers to each of the possible issues. If you add the bars from each issue, they equal 100% of the roasters who responded.

already placed the necessary technology and QC controls in place such that this is no longer a worry.

One trend that we have noted and seems to be backed up by the responders is the apparent decline of focus on social and environmental issues as the more pressing needs of ensuring business sustainability rise to the forefront.

Amongst roasters and roasters/retailers, the national economy seems to have trumped issues beyond their immediate ability to affect. Focus has shifted to competitive pricing and undercutting within their region, the impact of rising in-home consumption (particularly the rise of single serve systems and brewers) and distribution of their own products. Although this was not specifically addressed in the scope of this survey, on the significant number of concerned responses associated with distribution of roasted coffee, one can infer that this is a result of uncertainty about fuel costs, product and business liability, operation and maintenance of vehicles, and similar operational exposures.

One area that should be of concern to all us pundits who think that if we think it is a big deal, then everyone must feel that way, is the significantly low level of concern about Acrylamides (potentially carcinogenic compounds developed through the roasting process and out-gassed into the environment) amongst specialty roasters. Apparently, this idea is only of interest to legislators, lawyers, and activists (so far).

The second part of the survey also delivered some interesting results. We asked the same respondents if they were actively shopping for new green coffee suppliers and how many they currently carried as vendors. As shown in the pie chart, the largest segment of roasters do business with only 2 or 3 importers but a substantial majority are actively looking for more vendors.

The reason for this is beyond the scope of this limited survey but it certainly raised some potential opportunities for increased sales by importers.

Clearly, the point of greatest concern is the price of green coffee. Even though the price of coffee has fallen more than 50% from its peak, this would indicate that there is not a lot of confidence amongst the roasters that the price has stabilized and will be low for the long haul. Since green coffee is the single largest non-capital expenditure a roaster makes and the purchase of green coffee is essential to his or her business model, this weak confidence by inference, will affect other decisions such as new equipment purchases, market expansion, hiring, and new credit shopping. A typical reaction to this may be that roasters can be expected to examine their blends in order to reduce costs.

This interpretation is supported by the another top concern – the economy – that draws high levels of concern and is aligned with the general population’s opinion on the length of time needed for the economy to return to post 2007 levels. These concerns are most likely also reflected in the low level of concern about credit and financing since by extrapolation most roasters think that getting new credit anytime soon seems unlikely.

Expanding sales is of huge concern with more than 80% of respondents either somewhat or hugely concerned about expanding sales and this may be coupled with the dramatic concern about consumer price sensitivity and sustaining consumer interest in paying for quality.

One surprise was the 10% of the responders who are completely unconcerned about quality control and maintaining consistency. One has to assume that the question was misinterpreted or that these respondents simply have

10

Summary –

With any survey of this limited scope, it is chancy to be too definitive in extrapolating conclusions; however there does seem to be some potential trends. Based on our interpretation of the information provided, it would seem that our industry in the roaster segment continues to express uncertainty about the economy and the behaviors of consumers of higher priced products. This coupled with uncertainty about the future price of green coffee, stability of supply chains (possibly including credit with vendors), and business operations issues, will likely lead toward 2013 being a year of flat growth with minimal reinvestment. Since the lynchpin in this conclusion is uncertainty about the general economy and the future price of green coffee, if either or both of these factors should stabilize favorably in the coming year, then this survey showed no reason why the concern levels will remain high.

If economic circumstances in the general population shift toward positives, then we expect that restraints on demand for reinvestment will ease.

October 2012

Coffee Packaging Freshness

by Ashley Prentice

Y

ou roast this amazing coffee, and then what?

How do you preserve the freshness and make the flavor last? Will your customers have a good experience with your coffee three weeks down the road? As you may know, like other perishable products, the loss or gain of oxygen and carbon dioxide can rob coffee of its flavor and aromatic characteristics.

External aromas and odors can also add undesirable flavors, ultimately degrading the quality of the beans.

Freshness is an essential factor when referring to roasted coffee quality since it will have an effect on the taste of coffee and therefore customer satisfaction.

Bearing in mind that packaging is what protects coffee from external gases, selecting the right type will have a direct effect on the preservation of quality and freshness. According to Mark Howley, Chairman and CEO of Pacific Bag (PBI), “Coffee is adversely affected by oxidative rancidity. It is generally believed coffee taste will degrade within 10-14 days after roasting if coffee is exposed to oxygen. Packaging has a huge impact or effect on quality if distribution time extends beyond a week or so.” Moreover, according to Coffee Analysts “The rate of coffee staling will depend upon the amount of contact with oxygen. Conditions of heat and added moisture will accelerate staling. Moisture-resistant sealed packaging with a minimum of oxygen content is the key to coffee shelf life.”1 For this reason, if your goal is increasing shelf life, some essential factors to take into consideration are: the materials of the packaging, the type of valve, and degassing.

Materials – Select Wisely Packaging materials vary from metal cans to paper tin tie through polyester, or aluminum foil bags. According to Joy Weedon, Marketing and Sales Manager at Pack Plus Converting Corp, “Our packaging ranges from low-barrier to high-barrier material depending on the shelf life one requires. For instance, tin tie paper bags are used mainly for everyday at the shop while higherbarrier foil packaging allows roasters to pre-pack coffee for display on the retail shelf whether at their own shop or at the local grocery store.”

According to Chris Burger, Coffee Market Manager at Fres-co System USA, Inc. “The key to fresh coffee is using the correct barrier materials for the desired shelflife. The typical retail bag requires a layer of thin aluminum to prevent oxygen from entering into the bags.”

In addition, Weedon adds, “Foil material is an effective barrier against mainly light, oxygen and moisture and is the preferred choice of many coffee roasters.” The packaging material should be selected taking into account the shelf life you desire. Ask yourself: Will the coffee be sold at your shop or in grocery stores? What is the usual turnover of inventory? Will the material be resistant to endure all the handling involved in the logistics?

period of time before packaging, valves allow you to package your roasted coffee right away. The main purpose of a valve is to allow these gases to escape, without allowing any external gases, such as oxygen, to come in.

Multiple factors should be taken into account when selecting valves. According to Burger, “It is critical to understand the performance of the valve selected.

Where is it made? What is the opening and closing pressure? What is the failure rate? Many times a bag can be a leaker directly through the valve causing coffee to stale in weeks.”

According to Nick Greco, Global Segment Manager at Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions, “Flexis technology has several advantages over conventional hard valve technology. Flexis valves allow for up to a 30 percent increase in application throughput and a 30 percent – 50 percent product purchase advantage over hard valves. Plus, they offer exceptional performance characteristics. Tests conducted in conjunction with a major university show that the valves maintain less than 2 percent residual oxygen for 24 months, equaling the reliability of hard button valves.”

Gas Flushing Modified Atmospheric Packaging (M.A.P.), also known as Nitrogen or Gas Flushing, refers to a process where a roaster, within a few hours of roasting, evacuates the bag of all oxygen, flushes it with inert gas such as nitrogen to fill the voids that used to be taken up by air, and then thermally seals the bag. This process is recommended when considering expansion into grocery stores since increasing shelf life and preserving quality are a priority.

According to Burger, “There have been many studies that show coffee that has been gas flushed remains fresher longer as compared to coffee that has not been gas flushed. Many believe that simply putting fresh coffee into a bag and sealing it will give 6 months plus of shelf life. The issue is the oxygen in the coffee bag at time of sealing will start to stale the coffee and shorten the shelf life.”

Considering that it is recommended to have no more than 3% oxygen content in the package1, it is important to select wisely when purchasing and selecting packaging materials and methods. If you are only planning to sell your roasted coffee in your stores, tin tie paper bags can be the most cost-effective option. However, if your primary purpose is increasing shelf life, you will need to take into account the usage of a high-barrier material, effective valves, and Nitrogen Flushing methods to increase the preserve the quality and flavor of the beans.

1 Coffee Analysts, Coffee Packaging and Shelf life, March 29th 2011, Retrieved September 24, 2012.

From http://www.coffeeanalysts.com/2011/03/ coffee-packaging-and-shelf-life/

Degassing – Just Let It Out

12

Nitrogen Flushing and Extending Freshness

By Karl Seidel - Cablevey

Ahhh… chemistry! In these days of political revelry combined with good old-fashioned religion I never tire of hearing opinions based on…nothing but hot air. It is interesting, then, to hear about nitrogen displacing oxygen while processing and packaging coffee – ground coffee in particular.

A few percentage points of oxygen one way or the other can kill a human. Yet displacing oxygen with nitrogen in a sealed bag can increase the life of your coffee – for a good while. Based on talking with Chris Honeyman & Jay Isais at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, “oxygen is the biggest degrader to food.”

At sea level there are normal states of oxygen at 21%, nitrogen at 78% and the leftover 1% is Argon. You will notice it’s harder to breathe that oxygen at higher altitudes and you’ll get the bends without enough oxygen when you’re scuba diving. What you want to consider is what happens to your roasted coffee after it leaves your place and gets to a customer’s location. This is because that is where they open the bag and get the aromaeffect. If your coffee is stale – and ground coffee stales more quickly than whole bean coffee – that is what your customer will remember!

I was curious about how the nitrogen gets in the bag and has the stated effect of keeping the coffee from staling because I know when the coffee empties out of conveyors it lands someplace – a silo or other way-station before getting bagged. The idea is to get it someplace, then let it rest and off-gas. After this point, the nitrogen is injected into the process.

Typically, the nitrogen is going to be injected from below to force the oxygen up and out of the beans before they are put in a bag. This is the tricky part – the oxygen can be sucked out while adding a blast of nitrogen – and sometimes this occurs by keeping the coffee sealed in a smaller area/chamber while it gets into the bag.

At this point, an epic battle ensues. Once the bag is sealed the oxygen is still in there but the Carbon Dioxide from the off-gassing and the nitrogen “flush” is displacing the oxygen using a combination of the heavier weight of the two inert gases. Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide fight it out and the oxygen is pushed out through the one-way valve in the bag you typically use for packaging ground coffee. Phew!

At the end of all this sucking and blowing, and getting the coffee into the bags, how much of the 21% of oxygen has been displaced by the nitrogen? Good question!

The goal is all but 2 to 3%... and that seems to be the standard roasters shoot for in this process.

Whole bean coffee is a less contentious struggle and knocking the nitrogen down to single digits is OK. Most roasters big enough to be doing a nitrogen flush will consider three basic methods. The first uses cylinders that are portable which will last for a couple of days and need regular replacement. The next size up company will use a bulk tank that is filled as often as needed by a nitrogen-carrying truck. And if you are the right size (bigger) you will get yourself a nitrogen-generator/ compressor and scrub the air to make it yourself! In the end, all of these methods will extend the shelf life of your coffee creating longer selling cycles.

Packaging Resource Guide Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions www.des.averydennison.com 440.878.7130 Fres-co System USA, Inc. www.fresco.com

Valves After roasting, coffee releases CO2, up to 1000 cc per pound. Fresh whole beans will release gases for several weeks after roasting. While many roasters might allow their coffee to de-gas in storage by letting it sit for a

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Expanding into Grocery

by Todd El iot , President and CEO – Tony’s Coffee

S

o, you are dying to get into the grocery business. And why not? Think of all that great exposure. It is like having free billboards and retails stores without employees. You roast it, they sell it. What could be easier?

They should post a big sign on the grocery buyer’s door like the ones at amusement parks – “WARNING: THIS RIDE IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WITH A HEART CONDITION.” Doing business with grocery stores can be a roller-coaster ride. If you decide to get on, be prepared for soaring highs and violent drops that might just put your stomach in your throat.

Our company has been roasting coffee in the Northwest since 1971 and I have personally been in the business 20 years. I have seen my share of the peaks - customers happily greeting our tidy display of freshly rotated product - and valleys - the dreaded DSC (“discontinued”) tag on our grinder - of being in the grocery business.

In the spirit of learning from our mistakes, I offer you some of the land mines we have stepped on and some of the things we just did not understand out of the gate. I have omitted names to protect the innocent, or guilty, as the case may be.

Damage to your reputation as a “grocery brand” For many reasons - some real, some imagined - the upper tier of coffee roasters don’t have much of a presence on grocery store shelves. The common perception (deserved or not) is that great quality coffee is not found in the grocery store. Ergo, if you are found in a grocery store, well, then you must not be great quality. We would love some help carrying the “there is high quality coffee in grocery stores” banner ‘cause it is getting pretty heavy.

Start up costs

14

If Benjamin Franklin had been a vendor to grocery stores, his famous quote would have been “In this world, nothing is certain except death and ad fees.” They come in all shapes and sizes, but rest assured you will pay “rent” for that space on the coffee aisle. They go by names like “Set up fee” or “stocking fee” (payment for introducing a new item), “shelving fee” or “free fill” (payment or product for new product placement), “equipment load” (rent on a fixture), “bill back” (pre-arranged % for the “house”), “rebate” or “off invoice” (price reduction rebated on each lb. sold), “promotional program” or “ad dollars” (money to support the stores advertising budget), “spill credits” (compensation for lost, spilled or stolen product), “buy backs” (credit for returned/expired product). Grocery stores are not in the business of taking a risk on selling your product. They want a guaranteed sale, a healthy margin, and you to support their advertising budget. Shelf space is their primary asset and use of that space is not free. Oh, and it’s helpful to keep in mind that in most stores, the competition for that rent and October 2012

Tea

advertising is usually a large, publically traded company with a massive marketing budget.

Freshness issues

It could be worse. We could be selling freshsqueezed orange juice or fresh fish. We are all aware of the importance of freshness. We might not agree exactly on the actual shelf life of our product, and packaging can change the equation dramatically. But we all know the clock is ticking.

Finding the appropriate balance of frequency of deliveries and volume of those deliveries is tricky business. At what volume does it makes financial sense to make a delivery to an individual store?

How often does that store move that break-even volume? If it is a couple weeks or more, your product is not going to be fresh. Using third party distribution can be a good answer, if you have significant volume and your pricing can support the additional distribution costs.

a/R and Bankruptcy

Grocery stores generally require that you provide them with credit, unsecured business credit.

Many string out vendors – turning 30 days into 45, or 60 into 90. Often despite appearances, grocery stores are struggling financially. Some inevitably can and do fail. In the past couple of years, we have had two multiple store, longstanding, high-end grocery chains suddenly file for bankruptcy. We do our best to keep track of our receivables and not let customers get too far away from us. But with high volume, multiple stores, even 30 days of sales can add up fast.

The K-Cup invasion

Finally, there are well funded national brands who are betting heavy on the growth of the convenience-driven K-Cup brewing method. In the past couple of years, a significant percentage of the coffee aisle has been converted to supporting K-Cup products. Does it have staying power? Will bulk and pre-pack coffee sales be a thing of the past? Something to consider.

After all that, we do continue to concentrate on the grocery segment. We do have some wonderful and mutually profitable relationships with grocery stores. The key is in finding and nurturing strategic partnerships with stores whose customers actually value what you sell. Stores whose management understands that a company like Tony’s does not have the marketing dollars like the national brands. When we can work out a healthy promotional program, find the right balance of margin/price/pull through; it can be worth getting back in line to ride the roller coaster again. Just remember to take your blood pressure medicine.

15

Letters to the Editor Robusta

Last month The View focused on the movement to certify some Robusta coffees as Specialty and to develop a certification curriculum for training “R Graders.”

The editorial generated quite a lot of interest and conversation. Here are a couple of letters we received on the subject. We are glad the conversation is started and continuing.

It was with great interest and an “amen” that I read Miles recent editorial “Specialty Robustas” now being categorized within the coffee industry. It was with even greater amazement I read the letters to the editor rebutting his position or supporting this new category.

I believe the first 30 years of the new specialty coffee revolution 1980-2010 the industry was able to slowly convince consumers that there were significant differences between these two species of coffees. Robustas stayed in the arena of low quality filler coffees used in commercial blends & in soluble coffees while 100% Arabicas were being elevated as having finer more delicate and complex flavors and thus could be sold as straights or in creating high end blends. Arabicas are worth the additional price. As this new category grew at the expense of the commercial roasters some big guys actually started switching to 100% Arabicas even if they were of low quality.

Now the introduction of Specialty Robustas? What’s the point? The consumer is going to be more confused as the big guys have all the advertising dollars and what do you think the message will be? Specialty Robustas have finally arrived! The definition of being a specialty Robusta is centered around the number of DEFECTS allowed whereas specialty coffee allows NONE. End of discussion. It is about the taste folks, that’s what we’re selling!

If the real issue is how as an industry do we assist Robusta farmers I’ll participate in this discussion. All coffee farmers are at the mercy of forces outside their control. Trying to convince the consumer of this new category based on the number of defects is not the way however.

I believe for every truly acceptable tasting Robusta there are 100 foul tasting ones…is this worth the effort or risk to our industry?

Let’s have compassion for the farmer but not piss up a rope at the same time!

Old guy Dan Cox

Dear Miles, Dr. Steiman (Shawn Steinam, PhD) just pointed out the article to me that you wrote in the last issue of CoffeeTalk about Robusta. You have one of the sharpest wits in our industry, I value your opinion and our friendship, which is why I was so surprised to read your wholesale dismissal of CQI’s R Coffee system. I share your same concerns about oversupply and sacrificing quality for price discounting, but I believe a movement to improve Robusta farming and separate a Fine Robusta class of coffee will make conditions better for all, not worse. Please accept this message as my rebuttal, which you are welcome to publish in your magazine.

So strong are my convictions about Robusta’s place in the future of specialty coffee that the Symposium presentation proposal I submitted this year is titled, “Why Specialty Coffee Needs Robusta to Survive,” -- melodramatic, I know, but I also happen to believe it to be true. My argument supporting Fine Robusta is in three areas: Scientific: You already know that Robusta is a heartier species than Arabica (weather, pest resistance, disease, higher production yield), but the hidden advantage is in its genetic diversity. Robusta is a cross pollinating species, which unlike Arabica means that it has the ability to evolve and adapt on its own to a wide range of conditions and develop highly localized gene pools. In addition to being able to recover from whatever plagues and ecological disasters are thrown at them in future generations, this also means that unique characteristics exist among small plant populations somewhere in the world that we have never tasted.

For example, in Uganda earlier this year I cupped Robusta coffee collected from a remote area of forest floor that had, without exaggeration, sweetness on-par or higher than the sweetest Arabica sample I have cupped. The sample was horribly defective because of its processing but the sweetness was undeniable; these trees had so well adapted to their undisturbed growing conditions that they had become completely harmonious with the surrounding environment. Ever see the “good milk comes from happy cows,” commercials for the California Milk Advisory Board? There is some truth in advertising.

Characteristics like these are almost completely uncategorized in Robusta families around the globe. I stumbled upon this vacuum of coffee information a few years ago when researching what cultivars produced the coffee a client of mine was purchasing from the Island of Flores in Indonesia. The answer: “we don’t know.” It’s all labeled Robusta and nobody has ever taken the time to catalog the subspecies of plants and their characteristics on Flores -- and that’s just one island. We really have no idea of what’s out there or what it can do for us tomorrow.

Market: Ask anyone what they know about Robusta and they’ll tell you “it’s bad.” They’re generally right, but mostly because of the number of defects allowed in a typical LIFFE contract. Commercial Robusta contracts allow somewhere between 400 to 500 defects per sample, roughly 10 times the allowable number for an Arabica ‘C’ contract. Can you imagine what commercial grade coffee would taste like with 10 times its current defects? I’ll give you a hint: it tastes like what we think of average Robusta.

Market standards aside, without a specialty coffee market for Robusta, there is no incentive for farmers to improve or even to employ reasonable standards for cultivation and processing care beyond those that enhance quantity of production. In fact, Robusta farmers today are caught in a race to the bottom of quality, where those who produce their products cheapest receive the highest profits, those who improve quality lose money.

Your article asserts that increased use of Robusta coffees by large-scale roasters will lead to increased planting and an oversupply of coffee that will cause a crash of all coffee commodity value but I simply do not see how separating a new specialty or Fine Robusta market, as the R Coffee system is intended, will cause this to happen.

Could your same argument not also be used for specialty Arabica coffee? Why haven’t selling prices from El Injerto coffee led to overplanting and an oversupply of Arabica coffee and consequent market crash? How is what CQI is doing with Robusta any different than what was done a few decades ago with Arabica?

Our reality is that quality improves value, which leads to increased consumption and subsequent demand. Sure, there will no doubt be extremes on both ends as the pendulum of supply and demand makes is unpredictable orbit, but I see the emergence of Fine Robusta as a stabilizing force rather than a destructive one.

Take for example the situation we saw in Colombia just a few years back, where price differentials spiked to historic levels on low production of commodity Arabica coffee. Rather than homogenizing specialty coffee lots for the sole purpose of meeting futures contract obligations, would it not have been better to offer a suitable alternative of good quality Fine Robusta (perhaps even an improvement to commodity Arabica) to the physical market to relieve price pressure? Right now there is no such substitute, so the entire industry and its specialty coffee remain at risk.

Humanity: Robusta farmers are the most impoverished in the coffee world because their coffees have not enjoyed the same price premiums as their Arabica counterparts due to the market issues addressed above. As we have seen in Arabica cultivation, improvements in Robusta quality and value will lead to higher income, improved living conditions and political stability in coffee farming areas, though with its same challenges. Furthermore, we must not forget about the impact of climate change and population growth on all coffee farming that is robbing communities of their cash crop. As weather patterns change and land available for Arabica farming shrinks, Robusta farming is sometimes the only feasible way for coffee farmers to continue doing what they know and have done for generations. With worldwide consumption projected to continue increasing, I believe that it is far better to keep coffee farmers farming coffee rather than see them abandon a way of life in favor of, for example, growing rubber trees.

You are absolutely correct that there has been a substantial interest by coffee buyers in Robusta this year and I agree that interest is being sparked by financial motives, but unlike the position of your article, I do not believe that the specialty coffee industry is teetering atop a slippery slope of quality compromises. Quite the opposite, I see that the sustained surge in Arabica ‘C’ market pricing is just the catalyst that we need for the specialty coffee roasters of North America and elsewhere to recognize that there is another area of coffee with vast potential that is completely unexplored and another population of coffee workers largely ignored. We can pretend that our association is called the Specialty Arabica Association of America, but by doing so, we will be limiting our own potential to evolve.

I’d like you to experience these coffees yourself in person and am pleased to offer you or Kerri a seat at the upcoming R Grader course in Long Beach (Sept. 24-28) at no charge. Understanding that this is short notice and also may conflict with plans at the Coffee Fest show in Seattle the prior weekend, I’m happy to let the offer stand for any of my future R Grader courses where we have availability. Again, I deeply respect your opinion and look forward to your response. Please write back or call me anytime to discuss.

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Sincerely, Andrew Hetzel

October 2012

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Technology to Improve Your Bottom Line

by Maxim Vershinin

C

offee Retailers, you know it is extremely competitive out there. You need every tool available to make the difference between profit and just barely making it. This month we talk with three companies who provide essential technology that help you make that difference. First, we explore an exciting new option for roasters/retailers to package their own coffees for the ever-expanding K-cup market and home consumption. Then we talk with two companies who provide an absolutely essential tool to track current sales, employee success, and to even expand market share: Point of Sale systems.

K-cups sales continue to rapidly rise as single-serve options become more and more popular with consumers. The K-cup system is an easy and fast solution for the modern, time-deprived consumer who isn’t willing to devote extra time to learn how to prepare a good cup of coffee at home and/or wait in line in a shop. Up until now, consumers didn’t have much of a choice as far as what coffee they can have in their K-cup packs. You couldn’t just purchase a K-cup pack filled up with the coffee from your neighborhood coffeehouse/roastery. Guess what roasters and consumers, now you can! LBP now offers the “Upshot Solution™” which you can purchase to fill up with your very own coffee and sell to anyone. I sat down with LBP’s CEO Matthew Cook to ask him some questions about this new product.

V. How did you get the idea to produce UpShot filters?

C. Like many of LBP’s innovative products, the UpShot Solution™ came largely from the needs of our current customers in the coffee industry. Many wanted to capitalize on the booming single-serve market. We developed a format that satisfies the desire for quality, speed, control, flexibility and sustainability. The UpShot Solution – an eco-friendly, single-serve filter paired with a flexible production model -- is the outcome of those efforts.

V. What are the key features and benefits of using UpShot Solutions™ filters?

C. The UpShot filters are distinguishable next to others in the market for a number of reasons. First, the UpShot filters are compatible with Keurig® and other single-serve brewers, making it convenient for the millions of consumers who already own these brewers.

Additionally, our filters are made from a proprietary mesh that allows consumers to both see and smell their coffee or tea from the moment they open the seal —enhancing the sensory experience. When we were designing the UpShot Solution™, sustainability was another key component. The UpShot single-serve format offers a fully recyclable life cycle and is made from 100% polypropylene (resign identification code #5).

18

V. How do customers get new packaging equipment and can they retrofit the existing equipment?

C. The UpShot Solution™ has many recommended equipment solutions for low and high volume roasters, and options include new and retrofitted systems. We offer engineering and services to help the client choose the best equipment to align with their needs. All equipment solutions provide hands-on control over

production and speed-to-market. Customers can get in touch with our team by completing the contact form at www.upshotsolution.com.

V. What is your primary target market?

C. The UpShot Solution is a turnkey process that satisfies the needs of many businesses, from roasters to brands, hospitality chains, foodservice, and office coffee service.

POS – The Key to Operational and Marketing Intelligence And now let’s get to two fine POS systems currently available at the market: ShopKeep and Coffee Shop Manager. First up, Jason Richelson, the CEO of ShopKeep.

ShopKeep iPad based POS is generating lots of buzz by providing low-cost POS solutions to small business owners around the country. We have got to ask Jason some questions.

V. How did the idea to create ShopKeep come along?

R. I started ShopKeep because I was a retailer myself, and I was getting fed up with my POS. I started having problems with my server and database, and I was getting frustrated because I couldn’t access sales reports or other information from my locations. Then the last straw was when my database stopped because it was full. Everything we were doing was cloud-based, so I wanted to find a cloud-based POS system in 2008.

There weren’t any available, so I decided to create my own.

V. Why do you charge a monthly fee to your customers?

R. We charge a monthly fee because we host the data for retailers and give seven day-a-week support. With us, retailers always have a technical support phone number to call and we manage the server and database. We store data, back it up, maintian it, and make sure it is secure; - we take all that responsibility off the shoulders of the retailer. It is a very different model. When retailers go and buy a POS from someone else, they will pay around $2,000 for a computer, printer and cash drawer, $1000 $1500 for software and usually around $500 - $1000 for training. Once all that is done, they are on their own. If they want support after they have installed it, they end up paying extra. Most other POS system companies charge around $150 an hour for support.

V. How do you convince business owners to switch?

R. If they are not looking to switch we are not calling them. We don’t call people to sell; they call us. They see our advertising and find us online. They don’t even have to talk to us if they don’t want to. They can do it all themselves. They just download it to their iPad, sign up online and are set. Generally if someone already has a POS system, they are not going to switch very soon. But if someone is opening a new store, it would be silly to spend the money to get a 20 year old technology.

V. Does the additional hardware (printer, cash register, etc.) have to be a specific brand and model or can a business owner use some of their existing hardware?

R. As far as most of the additional hardware goes, retailers have to use the one that we specify and we

October 2012

do this because we want to make sure that everything will work as it should. However, they can adapt their existing cash register. They can also buy the hardware required somehwere else, but ideally we want them to buy from us to avoid setbacks. Retailers can buy the entire package with just one click on our website.

CoffeeShopManager -- Another Essential Tool We also have the pleasure of speaking with Duessa Holscher, Marketing Director CoffeeShopManager - one of the leading and largest POS system manufacturers.

V. Why Coffee Shop Manager is a great investment?

H. Well, there are many different reasons. It helps you track sales and employees, improves your accuracy, makes it easier for customers to order, offers mulpitple reward systems and generally just makes things more organized and smooth. Our system was designed for a coffeehouse business from the ground up, so we know what we are doing.

V. What kind of reward system options does CoffeeShopManager offer?

H. You can have prepaid gift and loyalty cards at your store, so you can reward your customers. We work with several companies which custom designs the cards for a particular shop and all the data gets handled by Coffee Shop Manager. Customers don’t even need to the actual have cards with them at the time of purchase.

If someone went for a run for example, and forgot their wallet with the loyalty card in it, the barista can use Coffee Shop Manager to pull up all of the customer’s info and serve them their morning latte.

V. What kind of technical support do you provide?

H. We provide full support including remote support, meaning that we can connect to our customer’s POS system remotely through a simple internet connection and fix everything that needs to be fixed.

V. Do you offer any portable POS options?

H. Yes, we now have two tablet options that are becoming popular. We offer two different choices - one of them is HP Windows based tablet oriented mainly towards the retailer’s employees when they walk around the shop taking orders. It provides similar functionality to our original POS system. The other flavor of the tablet we offer is oriented mainly towards customer self-service and runs on the iPad. So if you wanted to set up a kiosk in your shop where people can just self-order their drinks instead of waiting in line for a barista, it would be a great option for your business.

For more information on these profit building solutions be sure to visit their websites.

LBP – Upshot Solution™ - www.upshotsolution.com ShopKeep – www.shopkeep.com/coffeetalk Coffee Shop Manager – www.coffeeshopmanager.com

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Retailer Profile: Klatch Coffee – America’s Best Coffeehouse

by Maxim Vershinin Klatch Coffee Inc. 1848 W. 11th Street Suite A Upland, CA 91786 877-4-KLATCH mike@klatchroasting.com

I

love to be back in Cali to do our cafe/roaster profile. This time it is Klatch coffee company, which just picked up the America’s Best Coffeehouse award at the Seattle Coffee Fest. Meet the company owner Mike Perry who is here with us today.

V. Hi Mike! Congratulations on your victory!

You must be really excited. Tell us about the competition.

P. Hello Max! Yup, we just came back from CoffeeFest where our shop from San Dimas just got awarded America’s Best Coffeehouse title. It was a great competition because you got a team of three baristas working together in unison in the same environment as they do on a daily basis in a regular coffee house and the judges have to see how the baristas can handle it. That was really fun!

Some great, reputable companies were in it with us - Heart out of Portland, and Dog River Coffee from Hood River, so competing with these strong companies was really exciting and coming out on top was a great accomplishment for all of us.

V. Why do you think you won?

P. Being a roaster, I would like to think it was our coffee. (Laughs) However, I know that the other coffees from our competitors were good as well, and I think ultimately it just came down to the barista techniques that Heather (Heather Perry is a two-time US Barista Champion and placed second in the 2007 World Barista Championship) has learned and applied over the years. She teaches all of our crew, and for all of them being able to work together, dealing with different situations, having fun and loving what they are doing just payed off. That is why we won.

V. Excellent! Congratulations from all of us here at CoffeeTalk. So, now, please tell us about the history of your company, how did you get started?

P. I got into coffee business by accident. Back in 1991, I sold my first business - a construction company. So I suddenly had a pile of money in the bank and didn’t know what to do with it. I dropped out of college when I was 18, and regretted it since then, so I decided to go back to college and get my degree. I enrolled full time at University of California Riverside to get my biochemical engineering degree.

Then going to school and not working and having wife and kids, one thing that I found out is that if you don’t work you actually spend more money. Then I realized what I thought was a pile of money was almost gone, and my wife and I decided to open up a coffee shop to support ourselves. So we opened Rancho Klatch in a historical old winery building in Rancho Cucamonga. We immediately fell in love with what we were doing in the coffee business and even though I graduated from the university and had multiple job offers, my heart was really in the coffee industry.

We have never looked elsewhere since.

V. How and when did you start roasting?

P. In the beginning I was actually buying coffee from different roasters. Today you hear about this popular multi-roaster thing and I was doing that back in 1997. Because I found out that some roasters are good at one thing and some are good at another, it made me think it would be a good idea to roast my own to reach consistency and quality that are acceptable for me. So then, coincidentally around that time, my friend told me that he just bought a company, and it had a Diedrich roaster in it. We made a deal that I could use that machine to roast all of my coffee for free, and in exchange I had to roast some coffee for him.

At that time, 1996-97, there were no schools - nowhere to learn roasting, so I was applying what I learned in engineering. I started plotting and developing my own profiles, and I would plot every variable imaginable and then taste every single roast to see what worked and what

20 October 2012

didn’t. I developed a system of experimentation and cupped the results to find what was really good for our company. Then I decided that it was time to get my own roaster, and we got a 25 kilo Diedrich roaster. We put it in our shop in San Dimas. Little by little, people started to come asking us to roast for them and to sell them some coffee. We have been cruising ever since, and in 2007 we bought our own building where we now roast all of our coffee.

V. Why is your company called “Klatch”?

P. When we started out we called it Coffee Klatch.

Coffee Klatch means coffee and conversation or coffee and gossip. It is what we wanted it to be about when we started out - a place where you can have a great coffee and great conversation. A few years ago, we changed it to just Klatch, where coffee is the conversation - people talking about the coffee. This little twist emphasizes that coffee is what people talk about now here in Klatch.

V. Your whole team’s victories, your coffee and stories are really inspiring for those who are just now starting in the coffee industry . What word of advice could you give to new and future coffee business entrepreneurs?

P. Unless you own a business, you really have no idea how much work is involved. We worked as much as 70 to 80 hours per week, and many things didn’t work right in the beginning. For us it wasn’t that bad, because we didn’t have to go to work, we got to go to work. We love what we do, and I think if you love what you do, the work is enjoyable. So I think if anyone is thinking about getting into business they want to make sure that they love the coffee and this industry.

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21

The Coffee Maker Made Me Look Bad! This is why you need the Beverage Equipment Service Technician (B.E.S.T) Training

by Rocky Rhodes

photo: Trish Rothgeb

T

he only quality rating that REALLY matters is the

just the ‘office blend’. If you have a coffee house that brews something different every day, you

one the consumer gives as they put the cup to

should get a brewer that can adjust brewing styles to match the coffee.

their lips. The rest of our quality controls are just

milestones on the way to this moment. Our industry follows

Many times, the company that is selling the coffee is also supplying the equipment to brew it. But

the coffee cherry from the farmers hand until it gets into the

whether you supplied the equipment or not, the customer will look to you when something goes

bag. We even rate the way a professional barista produces

wrong. You need to be prepared to not only keep it running, but operating properly to extract

the final product. But we miss the being able to control the

the brew that you will not be around to supervise. Otherwise you may find yourself saying, “The

majority of the consumed final product – the brewed cup.

coffee maker made me look bad!”

It has long been said that you have to do the best work you

GOOD NEWS! The B.E.S.T. program is back! That is the Beverage Equipment Service Technician

can to preserve the integrity of the ‘quality supply chain’. If

training program designed to put qualified, certified technicians in the field to repair the ever

you don’t do your job well, then it eliminates all of the hard

increasingly complex brewers. It was started as a joint project of El Camino College and the

work that came before your interaction with the coffee. This

SCAA over a decade ago to put service professionals in the field that would understand the

is only half-true; your responsibility should include one

importance of a properly functioning coffee brewer. (And water tower, and espresso machine…)

step before your job and one step after. Here are a couple of Due to several reasons, including the economy, the class has not been offered for a while. That

examples:

is until now! Apffels Beverage Academy in conjunction with Cerritos College is revamping the •

•

If you are an exporter of coffee, you should reach backward to your suppliers and teach

classes and updating some of the materials. Amir Hashemi, Director of Training and Support for

quality practices. The more you can tell them what quality means to you, the more likely it

Wilbur Curtis Company, will be teaching the week long course. He says, “The specialty Industry

is that they will produce it for you. Especially if you pay them more for it! If you are paying

often neglects education about brewing equipment. Brewing equipment classes often say nothing

more for it then you certainly want to look forward and ensure that the shipping companies

about proper extraction. In this class the two worlds intersect. The technicians get the basics of

and importers you are dealing with understand how to care for the coffee to preserve that

coffee brewing and how that affects taste in the cup. They can then understand the importance of

quality.

the new pulse brewers and programmable recipes in machines.”

If you are a coffee house owner, you want to let your roaster know what they are doing both right and wrong to affect quality. After all, you are probably paying a premium for getting

Darryl Blunk, CEO at Apffels Beverage Academy looks at it this way, “In a perfect world all the

the blend that is just right for your shop and style. You will also make darn sure that the

outside service company’s technicians that work on coffee, tea, cocoa, and espresso machines

barista pulls a great shot every time or does not serve it.

would be certified much like any other contractor to provide quality service. As part of the process the technician is entrusted with calibrating the machine to deliver the appropriate recipe

But who is responsible for those other end users; the consumers who just grab a cup of coffee and

or flavor profile. However, in many cases this technician has limited education in the product.

make the judgment of ‘this is great’ or ‘this sucks’ that will stick with your brand for a long time?

So much labor and love is put into the coffee supply chain process from farm to client why

In order to answer that we should examine who they are and then assign responsibility.

wouldn’t you insure the beverage is correctly brewed at the final stage? This is where the B.E.S.T program fits in. Making sure specialty coffee remains special, even if we are not around to serve

Independent Restaurants

Drip coffee – Quality important

Chain Restaurants

Drip coffee –Quality somewhat important

Coffee Houses (that don’t roast)

Some Drip, some Hand Pour – Quality important

Office Break Rooms

Drip coffee – Price most important

Gas Stations

Drip coffee – Price most important

Convenience Stores

Drip coffee – Price most important

Hotels

Drip coffee – Quality somewhat important

People at home

Some drip, some single serve, Value important

the end product.”

Even if you have your own experienced technicians, this would be a smart course for them to attend because they will gain a richness and depth in the training that makes them not only machine techs, but coffee professionals.

Now you can extend your reach of quality control a little further to the end users that make the coffee without your supervision. The right equipment, running properly, should get that user to declare’ “This is Great Coffee”.

There are obviously other niches but one can get the idea from this chart how to categorize the customer type and the quality expected. The important question for them is this: Who is in

Upcoming B.E.S.T. Classes

charge of making sure they brew the coffee correctly?

Mon-Fri, 10/22 – 10/26, 8:00am-5:00pm Mon-Fri, 11/12 – 11/16, 8:00am-5:00pm

In most cases the company roasting the coffee will have a direct relationship to the end user.

Other times a broker could be used to sell the coffee and service the account. Either way, if you are selling the coffee, YOU have the obligation to help your customer produce the best product

Location: Apffels Beverage Academy

possible. You have two areas in which to deal with quality at this level: Training and Equipment.

12115 Pacific Street, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 (Free parking at Apffels)

Training your customer to brew correctly is often a difficult task. For most of the groups listed above there is not a professional on staff that is in charge of brewing coffee. It could be an office

Instructor: Amir Hashemi, Director Technical

assistant, waiter, or mechanic. You still have to get them to do the basics of proper throw weight

Training & Support, Wilbur Curtis Co. Inc.

of coffee, cleanliness, and freshness. Often this person is in a high turnover position and the

Sign up: www.cerritoscommunityed.com

person you train today could be gone tomorrow. This is where you need to get some help from

or 562-860-2451 x 2521

your equipment.

22

Equipment that is used in these installations is crucial to success. If you are dealing with a subtle

Rocky can be reached at rocky@INTLcoffeeConsulting.com

aroma, high acid, single varietal you want a brewer that will extract the coffee differently than

October 2012

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Booth# 11

(515) 733-1400 www.ampkcorp.com American Packaging is a flexible packaging converter specializing in 10-color Flexographic and Rotogravure printing, multi-ply Extrusion and Adhesive laminated specifications for rollstock, lidding, and preformed pouch applications.

(440) 878-7130 www.des.averydennison.com Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions new Flexis™ Air for Coffee pre-oiled one-way degassing valve offers up to 30 percent – 50 percent cost advantage over hard button degassing valves and up to 30 percent faster application speed than hard button valves. Low-profile valve design conforms to package contours.

See our ad on page 13

Pacific Bag, Inc.

Booth# 3

(800) 562-2247 www.pacificbag.com PBi has been a packaging resource to specialty coffee for over 25 years with quality product, outstanding service, and continued commitment to the coffee industry. PBi offers stock and custom printed flexible packages; such as rollstock laminations, gusseted bags and stand-up pouches, one-way valves for coffee packaging, specialty tins and more.

See our ad on page 29

Plitek

Booth# 10

(800) 966-1250 www.plitek.com PLITEK manufactures PLI-VALV® one-way degassing valves and valve applicators.

Our patented valves and valve applicators are the most efficient, reliable, and cost effective solution for degassing freshly roasted coffee in its packaging.

Coffee Network

Booth# 7

PrintPack

Booth# 2

Fres-co System USA, Inc.

Booth# 1

Roastar

Booth# 6

Hartley Transportation

Booth# 9

StaeviaLife USA

Booth# 5

UpShot Solution by LBP

Booth# 8

(305) 808-9868 www.coffeenetwork.com CoffeeNetwork provides in-depth commentary from the leading experts, breaking news, key weather information, real time prices for all futures markets and charting with technical analysis tools. All the critical, timely information you need at your fingertips from any internet connection to make fast and intelligent decisions.

(215) 721-4600 www.fresco.com Supplying Customers with pre-made bags, custom-printed rollstock, degassing valves, packaging machinery, pod equipment and service. Fres-co System USA has been the coffee industry’s packaging expert for over 30 years.

See our ad on page 9 (603) 228-9400 www.hartleytrans.com Hartley Transportation is a leader in green bean and processed coffee transportation. We are able to service your shipment at a competitive rate, along with a premier level of service and would love the opportunity to assist with any of your truckload, less than truckload and Intermodal-Rail shipments!

(404) 460-7000 www.printpack.com Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Atlanta, GA, USA, Printpack is a privately-held manufacturer of flexible and specialty rigid packaging.

Employing 4,220 associates worldwide, the company operates 28 manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Poland and China.

(866) 516-7247 www.roastar.com Roastar is the coffee industry’s first and only manufacturer focused on quick turn, short run coffee packaging. Based in Wisconsin, Roastar utilizes digital print technology to produce fully customized coffee packaging in just 7 days.

(215) 450-3082 www.stevialife.com SteviaLife USA is a company focused on improving the quality of life of their clients.

Introducing Stevia to the market is the way to ensure a healthier life for people, from young children to adults. Not only to sweeten products but to help cure many diseases that not eating properly is deriving too.

(800) 545-6200 www.upshotsolution.com LBP Manufacturing, Inc., a leader in packaging technology, recently launched the UpShot™ Solution – eco-friendly, single-serve filters compatible with Keurig®/ other brewers. Paired with a flexible production model, the UpShot Solution helps roasters, brands and retailers take part in the booming single-serve beverage market. Get your customized solution at table #8!

See our ad on page 11

COFFEE SUMMIT 2012 SPONSORS

Industry vendors...We have somethIng for you.

Download the 2013 Media Kit and receive a free $500 Ad Credit. magazine.coffeetalk.com/free-ad-credit

24 October 2012

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25

NewsBites Finum TEA CONTROL ™ 0.8 The red dot design awarded 0.8 liter Tea Control™ is now available in three new ravishing colors and enables you to enjoy tea at just any strength you desire from first cup to last. Made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass it is ideal for loose leaf tea and tea bags. Its filter is made out of BpA-free Tritan™ copolyester and since it includes a patented brew control mechanism, it does not have to be removed. Brew and serve wherever you are! Controls the brewing at any desired point. Keeps your tea tasty & hot! For more information visit www.finum.com.

CHATTA: The Coffee Industry’s ‘next chai’ GoodDrinks, the specialty coffee industry’s first complete line of high-fructose corn syrup free products, has expanded its line to include the coffee industry’s hottest new beverage: Chatta, an indulgent yet refreshing drink inspired by the Hispanic classic beverage Horchata. The rice-based, dairy-free drink includes complex vanilla and cinnamon notes and has traditionally been served cold. Chatta, however, has been specially formulated to be enjoyed year round either served blended or steamed.

With every case of GoodDrinks purchased, the company will provide a family of four with clean drinking water for a week. To learn more about GoodDrinks, including information on how to purchase GoodDrinks, visit www.getgoodrinks.com.

Java Jacket produces the Hep-C Awareness Java Jacket.

The goal of the Hep-C Awareness Java Jackets, is to create increased Hep-C Awareness for this Horrible and Deadly disease. The Hep-C Awareness Java Jackets will be available “FREE” to Independent Coffee Shops and Independent Retail Coffee Outlets in the U.S. Shipping and handling costs are “Not Included.” Limit 1 case per location!

The Hep-C Awareness Java Jackets are available in a limited quantity, and are on a first come-first serve basis. To receive your “FREE” case of Hep-C Awareness Java Jackets, contact Jon Whiteside at jdwhiteside1959@gmail.com.727.424.9234 Hep-C Facts: • 1 in 12+ people in World are infected with Viral Hepatitis!

• The Hepatitis-C Virus infects over 170 Million people Worldwide!

• If you were born between 1945 - 1965, you should be tested. Your chance of infection is Greater!

• Hep-C is the major cause of Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer!

• Hep-C is a Silent Killer!

• Hep-C Kills more adults in the U.S than Hiv/Aids.

Wired Wyatt’s Announces Caffeinated Maple Syrup Wired Wyatt’s, the creators of the Wired Waffle, announced the debut of the world’s first Caffeinated Maple Syrup that adds the caffeine content of the leading energy drink in each serving. “Our caffeinated maple syrup is the perfect breakfast addition,” says Wired Wyatt’s Founder Roger Sullivan.

“This is simply the evolution of breakfast and functional food at its finest.” Wired Wyatt’s Caffeinated Maple Syrup is 100% all natural and contains no preservatives. Made in the United States, this energy supplement is also gluten free. “Consumers will be able to “wire up” their regular boring breakfast to get them going in the morning,” stated Amy Sullivan, Co Founder and Operations Manager. “It is also pretty darn good to bake with!” Wired Wyatt’s LLC is a Washington company that creates energized foods. The Company also owns Wired Waffles, a convenient, on the go snack waffle equivalent to the leading 2.5oz energy shot.

They specialize in combining all natural ingredients to make great tasting functional foods, while dedicating 10% of all profits to make a real difference in the World. For more information, visit wiredwaffles.com.

26

Low-Cost, Low-Profile Pre-oiled Avery Dennison Coffee Valves Apply Faster Than Hard Button Valves A new low-profile pre-oiled degassing valve that applies faster and performs equal to hard button valves is available from Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions.

Avery Dennison Flexis® Air for coffee valves offer up to 30 percent – 50 percent cost advantage over hard button valves and apply up to 30 percent faster than hard button valves. The low-profile design conforms to a package’s contours.

The valves can be printed and supplied as metalized or clear. Brand owners have the freedom to integrate the valve into the overall package in a variety of package locations, including the gussets, where the package is tucked in along its sides. “Graphic designers no longer need to work around areas typically occupied by hard button valves,” says Nick Greco, Global Segment Manager, Designed and Engineered Solutions. “The package’s prime upper real estate can be free for branding and key product and customer information.”

Pod Pack International Expands Staffing Due to the exciting developments in single cup brewing opportunities, Pod Pack is pleased to announce several new additions to its sales force. Dan Ragan, National Sales Manager, who joined the company 15 months ago, leads the sales force. Dan can be reached at dragan@podpack. com or 571-228-4331. Tracy Clark has recently been appointed Southwest Regional Sales Manager based out of Texas. He can be reached at tclark@ podpack.com or 214-282-2659. Dick Black recently joined Pod Pack and has been appointed to be Southeast Regional Sales Manager based in Atlanta, GA. Dick can be reached at dblack@podpack.com or 770-3293501. Kevin Gundermann has recently accepted the Western Regional Sales Manager position. Kevin is based out of Southern California and can be reached at kgundermann@ podpack.com or 951-733-6174. Lisa Sundstrom comes to us from Boston where she will manage our Northeast Territory. Lisa can be reached at lsundstrom@podpack. com or 617-462-6030. The sales force is supported by our customer service department, headed by Mandy Steward, Customer Service Manager. She is assisted by Kelly Walker.

They can be contacted at Sales@PodPack.com or 225-7521160. Additionally, Mark Modenbach joined the company in February as Plant Manager. Mark can be reached at mmodenbach@podpack.com or 225-752-1110.

Spiroflow to Raise Funds for Grounds for Health Spiroflow Systems, Inc. announces a program to support Grounds for Health, an organization dedicated to establishing sustainable cervical cancer prevention programs in developing countries. Spiroflow provides material handling and conveyors to the coffee industry. Plans are to donate a percentage of their coffeerelated sales to Grounds for Health.

“When we learned of the great work Grounds for Health is doing we wanted to be a part of it,” stated Spiroflow CEO, Jeffrey Dudas. “As an industry supporter, we join many of our customers in this effort. Now, when our customers invest in our coffee handling solutions they will join us in supporting Grounds for Health.” August Burns, Executive Director of Grounds for Health, noted, “We are

thrilled to have a company such as Spiroflow join with us to combat the challenges of cervical cancer. Women at the height of their productivity may contract this preventable disease needlessly.” To learn more about Spiroflow, visit spiroflowsystems.com LBP launches a NEW Gusseted Container Portfolio LBP Manufacturing, Inc. presents a new gusseted container portfolio creatively designed to meet operators’ packaging needs for both cold and warm food storage. These easy to open, lock, carry, and stack containers have been constructed to ensure that contents securely reach their intended destinations in the same state in which their journeys began. Available in five different sizes with vents, these tight closure containers ensure quality control and prevent leaks, sogginess, and heat loss. For more information, visit www.lbpmfg.com.

Weldon Coffee Flavorings’ – Best Kept Secret ! ! !

Weldon Coffee Flavorings are completely sugar free and contain no artificial sweeteners of any kind. So your next question is “but how do they sweeten Weldon Coffee Flavorings”.

The answer is always the same “they are not sweet and contain no sweeteners of any kind”. That is the ‘Best Kept Secret’ of Weldon Flavorings. Even when they tell potential customers that their Flavorings are not sweet they still keep asking how they are sweetened. Flavored coffee drinkers have become so accustomed to being served their coffee flavored with syrups they just can’t believe that Weldon Coffee Flavorings are not sweetened. So if your looking for unsweetened coffee flavorings….look no further.

Weldon Coffee Flavorings are sugar free and contain no artificial sweeteners which allows each customer to add their condiments of choice!! For more information please contact Weldon Flavorings at 502-797-2937 or visit them online at info@WeldonFlavorings.com ShopKeep POS Helps Coffee Shop Owners Make Smarter Business Decisions Seattle Coffee Fest marked the third successful showing of ShopKeep POS at Coffee Fest this year. Coffee shops across the country are now using the innovative iPad point of sale system in their stores to manage and grow their business. While the company is based in NYC, ShopKeep POS now boasts several large, popular merchants in the Seattle area and Richelson says that base is growing substantially because of their presence at these type of events. Watch how ShopKeep POS helps merchants grow their business in this video of Ike Escava, co-owner of The Bean, a small chain of coffee shops in NYC. The ShopKeep POS iPad app rings sales, processes credit cards and mobile payments, prints and emails receipts, and prints orders remotely to the kitchen. Manage inventory and customers and view ClearInsight™ reports from any web browser. Plus, access real-time sales and more remotely via a smartphone. Sign up now at ShopKeep.com or call us today at 800-820-9814.

Do you know the 10 Essential Keys to roasting profitability?* Recognized for more than 30 years of expertise in every facet of the coffee roasting industry, the Diedrich name is synonymous with excellence. We offer Integrated Roasting System Design & Installation to create complete solutions for all sizes of roasting businesses: Industrial Roasters 25kg through 350kg In-Store Roasters 2.5kg, 5kg and 12kg Every Diedrich roaster is a handcrafted, industrial work-of-art blending cutting edge technology with innovative engineering concepts.

"Bridging the art and science of coffee roasting"

Diedrich Manufacturing, Inc. (877) 263-1276 diedrichroasters.com October 2012

*Call us to find out!

Featured Roaster OctOber cr-25

Delight your customers.

The GFB is a delicious & healthy option that is vegan, gluten-free, and high in protein.

Delight yourself.

For many cafes and coffee shops, The GFB is a new source of revenue since it does not cannibalize existing product sales.

Easy.

Order by text/phone/email - all orders ship in 24 hours.

Contact us for samples and wholesale pricing. coffeeshop@theglutenfreebar.com 773.304.8496

theglutenfreebar.com

Introducing the new standard for single-serve espresso •18+ Bars of pressure •Biodegradable capsules •Espresso & Americano •Temperature control •Professsional results

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Call Michael Whitley -208 610 5721 or email michael@allianceservicenetwork.com 07/13/2012 11:29:17 AM

27

Coffee Fest Seattle 2012 Highlights C

offee Fest has now completed production of the 66th Coffee Fest trade show, the 21st held in the emerald city. Although Coffee Fest is well established with more than 20 years under its belt, it remains a top priority and primary objective to keep the programming extremely fresh and innovative. Coffee Fest Seattle 2012 debuted two professional competitions; America’s Best Espresso Competition and the DaVinci Gourmet, America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition. Additionally, Coffee Fest Seattle featured the launch of Coffee Fest’s new Freshman Class; First Time Attendee Orientation Program, which had more than 200, preregistered. The New Product Showcase received a face-lift and the educational program included 19 brand new classes.

Attendees from all over the U.S. and the world came to the Washington State Convention Center to partake in the educational offerings, the networking events, the Latte Art World Championship Open competition and sampled from over 250 exhibition booths. Once totaled, actual attendance was just over 4,300.

The Coffee Fest Product Showcase has received an online facelift and attendees now determine the Best New Product winners. Voting occurred online at www.coffeefest. com and the results were announced on Friday afternoon with awards presented to these manufacturers: CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS 1st – GoodDrinks – High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Sauces 2nd – Jet – Jet Arctic Lemonade rd 3 – Earnest Eats – Hot & Fit Cereal NON-CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS 1st – JavaHook - JavaHook 2nd – Hot Straw – Hot Straw 3rd – Blendtec – Stealth Countertop Blender Coffee Fest’s Latte Art World Championship Open featured 64 baristas in a head-tohead, bracket style, free pour latte art showdown. The 2012 World Championship Open had an Olympic feel with an astounding 27 competitors who traveled from Japan, China, and Australia, Malaysia, and Canada to compete in Seattle. The competition also featured defending champion, Christopher “Nicely” Alameda and San Diego 2011 champion Satoru Oiso. After 3 days of intense competition, the champions were named: 1st place - Winning $2,500 and a 1st place Trophy - Kei Hamada from Shibuya, Japan 2nd place - Winning $1,000 and a2nd place Trophy - Shimoyama Nobumasa from

Melbourne, Austrailia 3rd place - Winning $500 and a 3rd place Trophy - Cole McBride of Visions

Espresso - Seattle, WA

The NEW America’s Best Espresso Competition presented for coffee roasters is also a head-to-head, bracket style competition in which coffee roasters from the western region of the U.S. and Canada showcased their espresso. A panel of chefs and restaurateur judges evaluated one shot from each competitor based on the virtues of 1) Flavor Complexity, 2) Mouthfeel & Appeal, and 3) Aftertaste. Once the 192 shots were extracted, consumed, and evaluated the winners were: 1st place – Winning a first place Trophy – Blue Star Coffee Roasters of Twisp, WA 2nd place – Winning a second place Trophy – Conduit Coffee Company of Seattle, WA 3rd place – Winning a third place Trophy – Bowen Island Roasting Co. Ltd of Bowen

Island, BC, Canada Finally, the NEW DaVinci Gourmet, America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition culminated at Coffee Fest Seattle. After undergoing a 60 day process of elimination by secret shopper evaluation and public vote, eight semifinalist coffeehouses from the western U.S. were chosen to compete in an on-site pop-up coffeehouse. Each coffeehouse brought a team of three to perform for thirty carefully selected and prepared judges. The emerging victors were: 1st place – Winning $2500 and a fist place Trophy – Klatch Coffee, Inc. from

San Dimas, CA 2nd place – Winning $1000 and a second place Trophy – Heart Coffee Roasters

from Portland, OR 3rd place – Winning $500 and a third place Trophy – Dog River Coffee Company

from Hood River, OR All three professional competitions will continue at every Coffee Fest starting in New York March 8-10, 2013. New York will serve as the U.S. and Canada Eastern Regional Championship. Coffee Fest’s Latte Art World Championship Open will remain open to competitors both domestically and internationally. To apply for any of our upcoming competitions or for more details, visit the www.coffeefest.com.

Coffee Fest is a trade show catering to the specialty coffee and gourmet tea industries.

For more about their shows or on the winners of the competitions present and future, visit www.coffeefest.com or become a fan at www.facebook.com/coffeefest. Coffee Fest’s next show is slated for New York, NY March 8 – 10, 2013 at the Jacob Javits Center. In June, Coffee Fest returns to Chicago, June 7-9, 2013.

Advertisers Index

Company................................................... Phone.........................................Web...................................................................... Page...........................NCA Booth

28

Agtron.................................................................................................... 775.850.4600........................................................... www.agtron.net ............................................................................................................ 30 Alliance Service Network................................................................... 208.610.5721........................................................... www.allianceservicenetwork.com ............................................................................. 27 Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions........................... 440.878.7130........................................................... www.des.averydennison.com ..............................................................................13, 30......................................................................11 Boston’s Best Coffee Roasters............................................................ 508.238.8393........................................................... www.bostonsbestcoffee.com ..................................................................................... 27 Bridge Brand Chocolates.................................................................... 415.677.9194........................................................... www.bridgebrandschocolate.com ............................................................................ 30 BriteVision.............................................................................................. 415.374.8119........................................................... www.britevision.com .................................................................................................... 15 Cablevey Conveyors........................................................................... 641.673.8451........................................................... www.cablevey.com ........................................................................................................ 3 Canterbury Coffee Corp.................................................................... 888.273.8684........................................................... www.canterburycoffee.com ....................................................................................... 27 Coffee Adventure Travel.................................................................... 206 686 7378.......................................................... www.magazine.coffeetalk.com/CAT/# .................................................................. 30 Coffeeshop Manager.......................................................................... 866 447 0033.......................................................... www.coffeeshopmanager.com .................................................................................. 17 Costellini’s.............................................................................................. 877.889.1866........................................................... www.costellinis.com ..................................................................................................... 29 Cup of Excellence................................................................................ 406.542.3509........................................................... www.cupofexcellence.org .......................................................................................... 29 Curtis...................................................................................................... 800.421.6150........................................................... www.wilburcurtis.com/goldcupbrewer/coffeetalk ............................................... 17 Daterra Coffee.................................................................................... 330.941.2555........................................................... www.daterracoffee.com.br ....................................................................................... 23 Descafeinadores Mexicanos SA de CV........................................... 522.717.127.066..................................................... www.descamex.com .................................................................................................... 30 Diedrich Manufacturing, Inc............................................................... 208.263.1276........................................................... www.diedrichroasters.com ......................................................................................... 26 Eagle Web Press.................................................................................. 800.800.7980........................................................... www.eaglewebpress.com .......................................................................................... 25 Ekobrew................................................................................................. 206.571.0289........................................................... www.ekobrew.com ...................................................................................................... 23 Espresso Me Services.......................................................................... 360.213.0715........................................................... www.espressomeservice.com ..................................................................................... 29 Finum by Riensch & Held GmbH & Co. KG..................................... 49.407.34240........................................................... www.finum.com ............................................................................................................... 7 Follett Corporation.............................................................................. 610.252.7301........................................................... www.follettice.com ....................................................................................................... 25 Fres-co System USA, Inc...................................................................... 215.721.4600........................................................... www.fresco.com ............................................................................................................. 9........................................................................ 1 Global Customized Water................................................................. 805.484.1589........................................................... www.globalcustomizedwater.com ............................................................................. 30 GoodDrinks........................................................................................... 800.877.3811........................................................... www.GetGoodDrinks.com ............................................................................................ 5 Grounds for Health.............................................................................. 802.241.4146........................................................... www.groundsforhealth.org ........................................................................................ 30 Insight Beverages, Inc ......................................................................... 888.799.1598........................................................... www.insightbeverages.com .......................................................................................... 6 International Coffee Consulting Group........................................... 818.347.1378........................................................... www.intlcoffeeconsulting.com .................................................................................... 29 Java Jacket........................................................................................... 800.208.4128........................................................... www.javajacket.com ............................................................................................21, 30 Knutsen Coffees, Ltd............................................................................ 800.231.7764........................................................... www.knutsencoffees.com ............................................................................................ 30 LBP Manufacturing............................................................................... 800.545.6200........................................................... www.lbpmfg.com ......................................................................................................... 11........................................................................ 8 Melitta SystemService USA, Inc........................................................ 847.717.8900........................................................... www.melittasystemservice.com ................................................................................. 15 OptiPure................................................................................................ 800.333.2556........................................................... www.optipurewater.com ............................................................................................. 29 Orleans Coffee Exchange.................................................................. 800.344.7922........................................................... www.orleanscoffee.com ............................................................................................. 29 Pacific Bag, Inc...................................................................................... 800.562.2247........................................................... www.pacificbag.com ................................................................................................... 29........................................................................ 3 Pack Plus Converting........................................................................... 909.902.9929........................................................... www.packplus.com ...................................................................................................... 29 Plastic Parameters Inc.......................................................................... 877.594.0805........................................................... www.plasticparameters.com ...................................................................................... 25 Pod Pack International, LTD............................................................... 225.752.1160........................................................... www.podpack.com ...................................................................................................... 23 Scolari Engineering S.p.A................................................................... 856.988.5533........................................................... www.scolarieng.com .................................................................................................... 32 Service Ideas, Inc................................................................................. 800.328.4493........................................................... www.serviceideas.com ................................................................................................ 30 ShopKeep POS..................................................................................... 800.820.9814........................................................... www.shopkeep.com ..................................................................................................... 19 Smoothie Essentials Supplement-Boosts........................................... 415.382.6535........................................................... www.smoothieessentials.com ...................................................................................... 27 Spiroflow Systems, Inc......................................................................... 704.291.9595........................................................... www.spiroflowsystems.com ........................................................................................ 23 Stalkmarket Products (Asean Corporation)..................................... 503.295.4977........................................................... www.stalkmarketproducts.com ............................................................................. 2, 30 The GFB: The Gluten Free Bar.......................................................... 773.304.8496........................................................... www.theglutenfreebar.com ........................................................................................ 27 The San Franciscan Roaster................................................................ 866.957.9233........................................................... www.sanfranciscanroaster.com ................................................................................. 25 Tightpac America inc........................................................................... 888.428.4448........................................................... www.tightvac.com ........................................................................................................ 30 Tipu’s Chai, Inc...................................................................................... 406.883.4500........................................................... www.tipuschai.com ...................................................................................................... 30 uVu Lid Company................................................................................. 561.982 7770.......................................................... www.uvulid.com ........................................................................................................... 31 Venco Business Solutions..................................................................... 800.762.9962........................................................... www.vencosolutions.com ............................................................................................. 29 Vessel Drinkware.................................................................................. 855.883.7735........................................................... www.vesseldrinkware.com ......................................................................................... 21 Vita-Mix Corporation.......................................................................... 800.437.4654........................................................... www.vitamix.com/thequietone .................................................................................. 30 Walker Coffee Trading Company.................................................... 713.780.7050........................................................... www.walkercoffee.com .............................................................................................. 23 Weldon Flavorings............................................................................... 502.797.2937........................................................... www.WeldonFlavorings.com ..................................................................................... 27 White Coffee Corp............................................................................. 800.221.0140........................................................... www.whitecoffee.com ................................................................................................. 30 Wired Waffles..................................................................................... 425.239.3017........................................................... www.wiredwaffles.com ............................................................................................... 29

October 2012

Bags with a conscience Over the course of the rest of 2012 and into 2013, we have three programs you can help us with; the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Homeward Pet Adoption Center.

Call to find out which bags are part of the program and how you can give, just by buying bags.

www.pacificbag.com • bags@pacificbag.com • (800) 562-2247

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

www.packplus.com Toll Free: 1.877.722.5888

Home of the widest selection of packaging products for coffee, tea, food and other specialty items.

Don’t miss out on experiencing the best coffees from Burundi, Rwanda and Colombia.

A Cup of Excellence® winner must score 85 points in all five competition rounds.

BURUNDI AUCTION October 17

RWANDA AUCTION October 24

COLOMBIA AUCTION October 31

Call us for a FREE quote on customized packaging!

E: info@packplus.com

If it doesn’t say Cup of Excellence on the label…it isn’t.

www.cupofexcellence.org

29

AllStar Tools Water treatment

Air Pots

Decaffeination

Sleeves

Cups & Lids

Global Customized Water

Service Ideas Incorporated

Descafeinadores Mexicanos SA de CV

Java Jacket

StalkMarket Products

805.484.1589

www.globalcustomizedwater.com

800.328.4493 www.serviceideas.com

+522.717.127.066 www.descamex.com

800.208.4128 www.javajacket.com

503.295.4977 www.stalkmarketproducts.com

98% of your product is water so make sure this essential ingredient is the best it can be. With over 30 years experience Global Customized Water can handle all your customized water needs.

Introducing the Color Me SVAC! 4 sizes: 2.2, 2.5, 3.0 & 3.7 Liter; NSF® Approved 4-6 Hour Insulation.

Designate contents with 5 colors available: Black, Blue, Brown, Green & Orange.

Finally you can drink a great tasting water decaf.

Our process that has been organic certified since 2003, preserves the original characteristics of aroma and flavor of the green coffee beans.

Java Jacket provides the best insulation of all sleeves on the market. Protects customers from hot or cold to-go beverages, and provides a more grippable surface than other coffee sleeves.

StalkMarket Products, a leading provider of compostable products, offers the world’s first certified compostable Ingeo™ hot cup and lid system from Planet+ that meets the rigorous composting requirements of Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).

Blender

Coffee Travel

Chocolate

Vacuum Container

Green Coffee Importers

Vitamix

Coffee Adventure Travel

800-4DRINK4 www.vitamix.com/ thequietone

8800 662 5406 www.coffeetalk.com/cat

Bridge Brands Chocolates

Tightvac

Knutsen Coffees, Ltd.

888.732.4626 www.bridgebrands.com

888.42.TIGHT www.tightvac.com

800.231.7764 www.knutsencoffees.com

Well known for delivering incomparable versatility and value through its revolutionary product performance, Vitamix once again delivers an industry first, The Quiet One™. Engineered to provide dramatic sound reduction, world-class reliability, unparalleled speed of service and a perfect blend every time.

Explore the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia on this amazing 11 night, 14 day journey with hosts Miles and Kerri Small of CoffeeTalk Media. Our first trip leaves November 30th! Visit our web for complete details.

Coffee Lover’s Chocolate pairs irresistible quality chocolate with coffee, and irrefutably drives up retail sales.

Private label options make a good concept even better.

Tightvacs are the ultimate Coffee & Tea container!

Our unique patented Tightvac closure system allows the gasses from the beans to escape – without letting oxygen back into the container.

Tightvacs guarantee the smooth flavor your customers pay for.

Award winning purveyors of the finest green coffees in the world. Call us about our exclusive 100% Estate Grown Jamaican Blue Mountain grown at over 4,000 feet on a farm established over 200 years ago. Supplies EXTREMELY limited.

Erna Knutsen, President & Founder.

Roasted Coffee

Packaging

Non-Profit

Chai

Coffee Analysis

White Coffee Corp.

Avery Dennison

Grounds for Health

Tipu’s Chai, Inc.

Coffee Analyzers

802.241.4146 www.groundsforhealth.org

888.506.2424 www.tipuschai.com

Grounds for Health works with coffee-growing communities to establish sustainable cervical cancer prevention programs.

Together with our coffee cooperative partners, we break down the barriers that stand between women and preventive care.

Tipu’s™ Chai is a bold alternative to coffee, tea, and American Chai. Stop shipping water by using our Chai Now™ food service product to make your own chai tea concentrate. We supply the reusable bottle and the chai you just add water!

775.850.4600 www.agtron.net THE TOP ROASTERS WORLDWIDE CHOOSE AGTRON Trust the consistency and quality of your roasted coffee.

Made in the USA, simply the most accurate and repeatable Roast Analyzers available.

And remember, only an Agtron reads like an Agtron. Support and roasting instruction provided by Carl Staub.

800.221.0140 718 204 7900 www.whitecoffee.com

440.878.7130 www.des.averydennison.com Flexis@averydennison.com

White Coffee creates customized blends and packaging for industry leaders. Wide variety of varietals and flavors available. Exclusive licensee of Kahlua, Entenmann’s & MoonPie flavored coffees.

Fair Trade, Organic, Kosher, NSF certified.

Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions new Flexis™ Air for Coffee pre-oiled one-way degassing valve offers up to 30 percent – 50 percent cost advantage over hard button degassing valves and up to 30 percent faster application speed than hard button valves. Low-profile valve design conforms to package contours.