Boughton's Coffee House Issue 141 by newhallpublishing

THE VOICE OF THE CAFE COMMUNITY

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Issue 141

July / August 2023

FINDING PERFECTION Brighton’s award-winning Redroaster has the world in its hands

Issue 141 • July / August 2023

ON THE RADAR

Six trends you should be investigating now

EMPOWERING GROWERS How one radio station speaks directly to farmers

DREAM LIFE

Focus on what makes you happy, not just the money

PLUS THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR RECRUITMENT

LONDON

GL ASGOW

BERLIN

SEATTLE

SINGAPORE

DUBAI

Worldwide presence. Sourcing coffee locally, distributing globally since 1996.

Mercanta UK Tel. +44 (0)20 8439 7778 mercanta@coffeehunter.com

Mercanta Glasgow Tel. +44 (0)7818 047115 stephen.cornford@coffeehunter.com

Mercanta Europe Tel. +49 (0) 30 61073390 juan@coffeehunter.com

Mercanta North America Tel. +1 206-322-2139 leah@coffeehunter.com

Mercanta Asia Tel. +65 6223 4825 aster@coffeehunter.com

Mercanta Middle East Tel. +971 58 549 9463 dondu@coffeehunter.com

www.coffeehunter.com

WELCOME

Meet the team EDITORIAL

WELCOME We are well and truly into summer now, with high temps, clear skies and the sun shining, albeit with the odd storm thrown in for good measure. For many on the high street, this will bring increased footfall, a demand for outdoor dining and new seasonal items coming into food and drinks menus. With all that in mind, turn to page 18 for our guide to some of the key trends to embrace this year in On the radar. Increasing in popularity once again is the ready-to-drink market, with cold brew now well established. Beyond that, we are adding nitro tea to the cold drink demand, as well as new methods for producing decaf coffee and tackling food waste. Looking ahead to the end of summer, Caffè Culture Show 2023 takes place on 3-4 October at London’s Business Design Centre. To whet the appetite, we took some time out with Tim Ridley to talk topics at Total Coffee, the discussion panel programme this year, as well as finding out more about Rocket Espresso, equipment provider for the Roasters’ Zone. We’re already looking forward to catching up with people at this fantastic event once again. Also in this issue, Sue Quinn investigates caffeine levels in How much caffeine is in your cup? on page 32. She discovers why a certain Which? survey caused uproar in the media, as well as just how much customers value understanding and transparency, particularly from independents. Amy Pay, meanwhile, tunes into Farmers’ Voice Radio in Giving a voice to the growers on page 36, a pioneering knowledge-sharing broadcast that is empowering farmers and engaging with communities around the globe. We also bring all the usual news, views and developments in the cafe community and beyond. We hope you enjoy the issue!

Editorial Director Fergus McShane Creative Director Gareth Evans Art Editor Lindsay Price Middleweight Designer Jess Lord Pictures Robyn Barr Sub Editors Gillian Hook, Liz Atherton, Olivia Wilkinson

SUBSCRIPTIONS Sue Thompson E sue@boughtonscoffee house.com T 0151 668 0494

ADVERTISING Ali Wigg E ali@boughtonscoffee house.com T 07973 944940 Sarah Buttery E sarah@boughtonscoffee house.com T 07966 759083 Commercial Director Gary Turner

PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY

Newhall Publishing Ltd, New Hall Lane, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 4BQ T 0151 632 3232 E hello@newhallpublishing.com Managing Director Richard Woolliams

We’d love to hear from you – email us at hello@boughtonscoffeehouse.com THE VOICE OF THE CAFE COMMUNITY

boughtonscoffeehouse.com

Issue 141

July / August 2023

Issue 141 • July / August 2023

ON THE RADAR

Six trends you should be investigating now

EMPOWERING GROWERS How one radio station speaks directly to farmers

DREAM LIFE

Focus on what makes you happy, not just the money

PLUS THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR RECRUITMENT

@BoughtonsCoffee boughtonscoffeehouse.com

The contents of this magazine are owned by the publisher and may not be reproduced without permission. All information, prices and dates in the magazine were correct at the time of going to press and while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all adverts and details, Newhall Publishing Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The Editor reserves the right to shorten or modify any material submitted. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those held by the Editor or publisher. The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the safe-keeping of unsolicited material.

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E X P E R I E N C E MYONE I N P E R S O N 8-9 July

12 . 08

09 . 09

Birmingham coffee festival

Brighton coffee festival

Bristol coffee festival

CONTENTS

Issue 141

THIS ISSUE 6

WHAT’S BREWING? News and our pick of the latest innovations for the coffee shop trade

CAFFÈ CULTURE SHOW Insight into their latest talks programme, Total Coffee, and the hosts of this year’s Roasters’ Zone

THE SUCCESS FACTORS Andrew and Claire Bowen look beyond the money to see what can bring you lasting happiness in business

ON THE RADAR Tristan Parker looks at coffee and cafe trends that are currently causing a buzz in the industry

FLYING HIGH The owner of Bird & Wild talks to us about his mission to protect our winged friends with shade-grown coffee

40 29 26 36

HOW TO TRAIN A COFFEE NOVICE Sue Quinn explores the crisis of labour shortages in the coffee industry

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN YOUR CUP? A look at why a certain Which? survey generated a media frenzy

GIVING A VOICE TO THE GROWERS Amy Pay hears all about Farmers’ Voice Radio’s broadcasts

WHOLE WORLD IN THEIR HANDS Sustainability is everything at Brighton’s Redroaster,

CAFE COMMUNITY Discover the innovative ways coffee companies are developing their brands

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WHAT’S BREWING?

We take a look at the latest news, trends and products that could help give you a business edge in the coming months

A MOVE TOWARDS MODULAR? Modular espresso machines could play a pivotal role in the future

odular espresso systems are manufactured as separate units, rather than an entire machine, with each standalone module installed separately and designed to carry out a specific function, such as extracting espresso, foaming or steaming milk or dispensing water. This allows more freedom to customise based on individual coffee shop needs – those with larger demand can add more modules, while smaller shops can avoid unnecessary kit. Essentially deconstructed espresso machines, modular systems are characterised by their smaller size and absence of traditional features, such as boilers and pumps. Though minimised in size, their purpose is to maximise efficiency, f lexibility and workf low. The modular design also allows for better customer engagement as there is less of a physical barrier between them and the barista, making interaction easier.

PRODUCT NEWS We reveal our pick of the best new and innovative products for the coffee shop trade

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GET INTO THE COFFEE SPIRIT Those who enjoy both a cup of coffee and the taste of a tipple will love the offerings from Spirited Coffee. Made from ground Arabica coffee and infused with flavours of premium booze, it’s lactose- and gluten-free and vegan. Plus, it doesn’t actually contain alcohol, making it a great choice for more people and any occasion! Available in two flavours, its Dark Rum offering has warm notes of toasted sugar, spiced caramel and smoked dark chocolate notes, while the Whisky has a rich oak taste with notes of vanilla and dark forest fruits.

TOP IMAGE HEYLO

WHAT’S BREWING? GLASGOW GETS SOCIAL Edinburgh-born social enterprise and coffee shop chain, Social Bite, returned to Glasgow when it opened on the city’s busy Sauchiehall Street on 27 April. One of the largest providers of free, freshly prepared food to homeless people in the UK, bringing an average of 180,000 hot drinks and food items through its network of shops and partners, as well as helping Glasgow’s homeless population to access food and drink, Social Bite’s new flagship location will also offer training and employment opportunities. Having a ‘Pay-It-Forward’ system for paying customers, and with 100 per cent of the profits being reinvested into its mission to end homelessness, the co-founder and executive director of Social Bite, Josh Littlejohn MBE, really sees this venture as the blueprint for its business model.

COFFEE – A HAS-BEAN DRINK? We’ve had dairy-free milks and meatless meats – now get ready for coffee without the beans

s one of the most climate-vulnerable crops, around 60 per cent of wild coffee varieties are under threat of extinction from environmental issues such as climate change, deforestation and the spread of fungal pathogens. The world’s most popular coffee strain, Arabica, has even entered the IUCN Red List as an endangered species. The resultant limited supplies are also hiking up the costs. However, the climate concerns around coffee are also two-fold – as the fifth highest-polluting crop, coffee production also contributes to these issues.

Therefore, for those who are conscious of sustainability but don’t want to lose the coffee experience, a bean-less alternative is being explored, using the process of fermentation to replicate coffee at a molecular level – creating the same smell, flavour and feel of ‘real’ coffee, while reducing water usage and carbon emissions. Upcycled ingredients – such as chicory root, date seeds and legumes – will be roasted, ground and brewed in a fermentation batch with caffeine to emulate the aroma and taste of coffee without the environmental damage.

A CLEAR COFFEE CHOICE

SECRET (RECIPE) PACT

Desiring great coffee without teeth staining, a brotherly duo from Slovakia invented CLR CFF – the world’s first colourless coffee drink. Made from high-quality Arabica beans, each bottle contains 100mg of caffeine with a fresh taste that doesn’t require milk or sugar and is free from preservatives, stabilisers and sweeteners.

Combining old-school brewing techniques with a cold-brew approach, UK-based subscription company, Pact Coffee, has released its own cold-brew cans using a top-secret recipe. Having made a pact not to bring watered down, sugary flavours with their canned coffees, this offering from the ethical roaster is two years in the making and is one of the first in the UK to contain 100 per cent specialty-grade coffee.

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WHAT’S BREWING?

DIARY DATES Some of the top events to look out for in the coming months

BRIGHTON COFFEE FESTIVAL When: 12 August Where: All Saints, Brighton Info: brightoncoffeefest.com

ith a new, larger venue, this festival is returning for what promises to be its biggest year yet with an increase in exhibitors and attendees. Visitors can sample the delights of local and national exhibitors, listen to live talks, watch intense competitions and enjoy entertainment.

JUNE

THE SOURCE TRADE ROADSHOW

JULY

WORLD OF COFFEE ATHENS

When: 27 June

When: 22-24 June

Where: Ashton Gate

BIRMINGHAM COFFEE FESTIVAL

Where: Athens

Stadium, Bristol

When: 8-9 July

will also be plenty of coffees to sample and food to sustain you.

Metropolitan Expo

Info: bristol.

Where: Custard Factory

Info: worldofcoffee.org

thesourcetradeshow.co.uk

Info: birminghamcoffeefestival.

AUGUST MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE EXPO

Organised by the Specialty

The perfect mix of the south

com

Coffee Association and billed

west’s most passionate

The highly experienced

When: 17-19 August

as Europe’s largest specialty

producers, hottest hospitality

Cup North team from the

Where: Melbourne Convention

coffee trade show, visitors

and catering companies and

renowned Manchester Coffee

and Exhibition Centre

can explore and taste coffees

freshest food service. Visitors

Festival are the hosts of this

Info: internationalcoffeeexpo.

produced and roasted by

can meet a selection of food

year’s Birmingham event.

com

some of the best in the

and hospitality businesses from

Visitors can look forward to

MICE returns for its 10th year of

industry in the roasters

the UK and overseas.

talks and panels with a variety

connecting café owners,

village. There will also be a

of speakers; meeting local

roasters, equipment

Best New Product competition

roasters and baristas at the

manufacturers, service

and display, Coffee Design Awards, lectures, workshops, cupping rooms, brew bar, espresso bar, green coffee buyers and sellers’ programme plus several competitions

ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO MEET THEIR PALS IN YOUR COFFEE SHOP ON INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY (30 JULY)

Brew Bar; and learning new

suppliers and more. As part of

brewing techniques. The

Melbourne Coffee Week, MICE

festival will also feature the first

will host Australia’s Richest

ever Extracted Development

Barista competition, with a

competition, in which teams of

prize pool of $40,000. There

one barista and one roaster

will also be Product Innovation

including the World Barista

have to produce three drinks in

Awards plus a chance to meet

Championship.

a café-like environment. There

the best roasters and suppliers.

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The UK’s Best Supplier of Coffee Shop Products

COFFEE MACHINES I COFFEE SHOP ESSENTIALS I COFFEE CUPS I NAPKINS COFFEE POTS I CUTLERY I SIGNAGE I BISCUITS I COFFEE BEANS

www.allianceonline.co.uk

TOTAL COFFEE Exploring empowering ideas for coffee people is Caffè Culture’s newest talks programme, curated by the founder of United Baristas, Tim Ridley

B 10

efore he founded United Baristas – a community to connect and support those working within the coffee industry – Tim Ridley was so busy running multiple coffee shops that he had very little headspace to step back and look at what was happening across the industry. “One of the great things I have the opportunity to do now with United Baristas is get all our data and insights at industry level,” he says. Being able to talk to proprietors made Tim realise that, although people may be having different challenges, often they come from a common theme. With this in mind, he came up with Total Coffee, a two-day programme of talks bringing together practitioners, experts and industry leaders to create actionable ideas and share insights for baristas, managers and business owners. At the first event in October this year, Tim wants to look at the opportunities and challenges that those in the coffee sector face by exploring four themes: building viable coffee businesses, tasting and enjoying coffee, making a positive contribution and empowering people. Day one of Total Coffee will focus on the business of coffee shops, as well as the different tastes of coffee. The first morning will open with a coffee cupping from small roaster Special Guests, where two-time UK Barista Championship winner, Paul Ross, will be bringing a range of coffees to the cup. “Special Guests buys delicious, high-end coffees and has an amazing

archive, so people will be able to taste coffees that are interesting or rare that they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to taste,” says Tim. He is hoping that this coffee cupping will kickstart what he believes to be a very important conversation for the future of coffee, around how to better communicate flavour to consumers. “One of the things I would like people to be able to do better in coffee is encourage consumers to pay more, and a way we can do that is by communicating flavour better.” Later, on the topic of running a viable coffee business, the founder of London commercial property agent Londonsuper, Rob Fay, will provide analyses of the current state of the market, future trends and how proprietors can develop attractive propositions for landlords to help get the best locations and deals possible. On the second day, the conversation will be more centred on the cultural and sustainability challenges of the coffee industry. One intriguing topic of discussion will come from the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), which is developing a project to establish a living-income benchmark for coffeeproducing countries – looking at production and living costs and providing recommendations for a minimum price that should be paid for green coffee – which will hopefully help to alleviate poverty and meet Sustainable Development Goals in some cases. “This project is running currently and they are going to announce

“IF WE’RE GOING TO MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS AS AN INDUSTRY, WE CAN’T JUST KEEP USING THE SAME MODEL – WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK THE STRUCTURE”

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CAFFÈ CULTURE

the findings at the end of September at their international meeting in India and fly back to London to present what they’ve just said at Total Coffee – so we’ll essentially be among the first to find out what’s happening,” says Tim. “I think it will be really great to hear about the work they’re doing, understand the process, and then work out how that applies to UK coffee businesses and what we can do to help coffee support the Sustainable Development Goals. This is also good news for me personally, as I’ve been trying to work out how United Baristas could do something like this for four years, and it’s really tricky!” When it comes to the theme of ‘empowering people’, the former managing director of Oatly in the UK, Ishen Paran, will be talking through the challenges and opportunities involved in managing a growing business – what is it like to be a manager and have to manage growth, budgets and a team, but also yourself, so that you can have the best possible approach? In terms of where the industry is headed, Tim shares his thoughts: “I think that change is coming. And the reason I think so is that the current coffee shop format, and how it’s structured, has been really well honed and become more and more refined from, say, 2007 until now. But there are pressures on that model – such as staffing and cost of goods sold – so if we’re going to make

further progress as an industry, we can’t just keep using the same model – we’re going to have to rethink the structure.” Tim predicts that by 2025, the way some of these businesses operate is going to change and that an exciting time is ahead. “Whenever a change is required, it’s an opportunity for people to try lots of different things,” he says.

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CAFFÈ CULTURE

ROCKET SCIENCE Headlining the Roasters’ Zone at this year’s Caffè Culture is Rocket Espresso – producer of the finest-quality espresso machines using the Italian tradition of fatto a mano, meaning ‘made by hand’

Bringing Rocket Espresso’s equipment to 16 of the UK’s finest specialty roasters in one of Caffè Culture’s busiest and most vibrant settings is Jo Thompson’s Triple Co Roast, UK distributor of the brand. The machine at Caffè Culture will be the Boxer – a premium, compact model that doesn’t compromise on performance or quality. “They’re also bringing out a new water tank feature for this machine, where you don’t have to plumb it in,” says Jo. At only 16 years old, Rocket Espresso is a comparatively new company, but this may contribute to its reputation for quality craftmanship as “there’s lots of flexibility to have conversations about interesting ideas,” says Jo. “Rocket is very hands-on, up for trying new things and it takes on board feedback from customers.” In terms of the main benefit that Rocket’s good craftmanship has, Jo believes “it’s mainly attention to detail. So, because every machine is hand-built in its factory in Milan, it means that the quality is there, it means that design is there – it’s a machine made by people, for people.” Rocket Espresso is ahead of the curve with its machinery, thanks to forwardthinking engineers, progressive features and interesting equipment – such as dry steam technology and cold touch steam wands, built-in shot timers and insulated group heads. Taking this technology even further, its commercial R9V machine also has pressure profiling, which allows for the pressure of the pump to be modified throughout the shot, creating some really interesting flavours in the coffee. “You can hit the coffee with water a little bit softer,

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bringing it down to three or four bars, then ramp it up,” says Jo. As water drips on to the coffee with this lower pressure, it reaches nine bars as you let up the lever, then ramps up as the spring expands. “It’s emulating the Italian lever espresso machine electronically and making it more consistent,” says Jo, adding, “The Rocket machine has volumetrics built in, which means a set amount of volume comes out of the machine, so as a barista, you can still have a certain amount of automation for when it gets busy”. With its technology focus being on fast-paced operations, Rocket’s plans include a new Autosteamer module on its professional machine and a new HMI

(human machine interface) for both the domestic and professional machine. Originally focused on the domestic market, Rocket Espresso aims to bring awareness of its commercial machinery to the UK. Its innovative approach to technology isn’t the only attribute that serves it well – the quality of its designs is also appealing. Rocket uses premium, 100% recyclable materials, making for robust machines where most components can be accessed from the top. “When you’re opening a cafe, the machine on your counter is a centrepiece, so you want it to look beautiful ,and I think Rocket does that well,” says Jo. “And we do customisation for some customers who want them in different colours”. There’s

CAFFÈ CULTURE

GETTING ROASTED This year’s Caffè Culture features the largest selection of specialty coffee roasters at any UK trade show. Come and taste some award-winning coffee, roasted by some of the UK’s finest roasters, who include…

even the stunning Sotto Banco that goes under the counter – stylish raised groups extend from the counter and both the service boiler and auxiliary equipment sit underneath. This also allows for better customer interaction, as you don’t have the disconnect that a large above-counter espresso machine can bring by blocking off the line of sight and communication. Rocket Espresso’s factories are pivotal to its manufacturing. With every machine hand-built in Milan, a lot of quality control and technological development takes place, with several people on the ground checking the machines on long conveyor belts throughout the factories – each model often with its own line. Having personally visited a couple of times, Jo has been able to witness the complete build journey of both domestic and commercial machines. “It’s interesting, and we’re the ones installing them in the UK as well, so it’s really nice to see it from start to finish.” Jo also tells about a new mega factory that Rocket is building in Milan, where he says they’ve got some very interesting technologies: “One of the parts’ systems it is using is the same one that I think the Hyundai factory in Japan uses.” Clearly a very innovative company, in terms of operations, craftmanship and design, Rocket Espresso is also excited to announce the launch of its UK office while at Caffè Culture.

United by a love for great coffee and a desire to protect all it supports, North Star Coffee Roasters from Leeds was founded to prove that an approach based on quality and impact can improve the viability of business models across the supply chain. Sourcing specialty coffees from their network of producing partners, they roast them intuitively – coaxing out character that exists thanks to the unique terroir and post-harvesting techniques.

Having made a pact to make coffee better for everyone, Pact Coffee is on a mission to move the coffee industry to a more direct trade model, bringing power and fairness back to the farmers. Now one of the UK’s largest independent roasteries, Pact Coffee source specialty coffee from 9+ exciting origins and more than 150 farmers.

Established in 2009, Missing Bean are a small team who oversee everything from sourcing and roasting to working with wholesale clients and making perfect coffees for their customers – all sustainably produced to the highest environmental and ethical standards. Committed to fair trade and the finest quality, Missing Bean work directly with their producers and freshly roast their specialty beans daily at their East Oxford roastery.

Roasting single origin coffee from their barn in Cornwall powered by renewable energy, Yallah promote social, economic and environmental prosperity while minimising the impact of the company – importing coffee by sail, providing financial traceability, buying specialty coffee direct and using plastic-free packaging when possible. Yallah believe coffee and business can be a force for good, putting honesty and shared values before profit.

Register for your free pass now Caffè Culture, 3 and 4 October 2023, Business Design Centre, London N1. Free entry but registration required. For more information, head to caffecultureshow.com

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ACTION PLANS

The success factors It’s not all about the money – work out what will make you happy, both now and in the future, say Andrew and Claire Bowen

For most of the last nine years, our Aprils have been punctuated by two critical events. Claire’s birthday falls in late April. Secondly, we spend four days at the London Coffee Festival. Sometimes the two events overlap, like this year, allowing us to celebrate in style at some excellent restaurants! We enjoy the London Coffee Festival because we get to talk to many people in our industry – those planning to start up and those who have been around the block a few times. Our conversations are generally positive, ranging from “Where do we start?” to “Where do we open next?”, but we rarely talk to those who have fallen out of love with their business and want to get out, because they are tied to their coffee machines and can’t get to the show. Opening a coffee shop is many

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people’s dream – the perfect job where you get to express your passion for coffee, food and hospitality, and make a good living. Unfortunately, for far too many, the dream turns into a nightmare when the promised profits don’t materialise. Working your socks off in a busy cafe, dealing with the stress of employing people who don’t care as much as you do about your place, and the customers who voice any complaints over socials can be a toxic combination. We get to look at these fantastic and lousy businesses side by side. Often the difference has more to do with the owner’s expectations or goals than with the underlying metrics. As long as the rent-to-sales ratio is less than ten per cent, the business can be profitable. The problem is often a need for more sales due to poor menu design and service, which generally go hand in hand. The success of your coffee shop is tied intrinsically to your own expectations. In our analysis, there are three different types of success for an owner. Success is not a singular destination; it manifests in various forms depending on the context.

The first is having a business you control and are an integral part of, as it needs you as part of the workforce to be profitable. Although you may have to go to work every day and serve coffee, you are the boss; you can plan your time, feel part of the local community, and positively impact your team and guests. These types of one-of-a-kind, family owned coffee shops are scattered throughout every country. If you are unprepared to work in the business regularly, the rot sets in quickly. The second is like the first but profitable enough to employ a full-time manager who runs the place like it’s their own. As the owner, you are freed up to work more on the business than in the business. You are still able to have a positive impact on your community but also able to know that if you don’t go in today, nobody will notice! The managers are treated and paid well in the most successful places. This lifestyle business can be a real sweet spot and is only partially appreciated by owners who want to be part of a more significant business. This takes us to the third type of coffee business. We know

“Opening a coffee shop is many people’s dream. Unfortunately, for far too many the dream turns into a nightmare when the promised profits don’t materialise” from personal experience that it can be very tempting to want to open more when you are successful. Spreadsheets can push you towards growth, but never have a column for extra anxiety! Opening site two, thus doubling your business overnight, and then building a chain can be more challenging than opening your original site. If you get things right, then you will enjoy a business that will provide you with an excellent income and a big payout sometime down the line. The downside for many is that they will never get the one-to-one interaction with guests that attracted them to the business in the first place. Whatever level of success you achieve then, unless it matches your expectations, it won’t make you happy. When starting up or revisiting your plans, as Stephen R. Covey says in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Begin with the end in mind”. Decide what you want, and then start making decisions that will allow you to get closer to the end game. For example, when taking out a lease or a loan, consider when it ends and how that

matches your goals. If you plan to build and sell a business in ten years, a five-year lease in England that is outside the Landlord and Tenant Act will be an issue for you. (if your lease is ‘inside the Act’ when it comes to an end, you are entitled to a new lease on the same terms as the old lease, subject to adjustments. In contrast, you are not if your lease is outside the Act.) Some people imagine that they are building a business for their family to run when they retire – but if you have ever watched the TV drama Succession, you

will see that even the biggest businesses have issues with this, so decide how you will get out and what you want when it’s time to leave. Work out what makes you happy and what constitutes success. Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all destination; it takes different forms depending on the context. In business, we often associate success with financial achievements like making money or gaining market share. But success is more than just numbers. It encompasses personal satisfaction, meaningful relationships, good health and positively impacting others. Happiness, the ultimate goal, is a profoundly personal experience shaped by our values, beliefs and dreams. Research suggests that three key factors contribute to our happiness – relationships and connections, personal growth and purpose, and making a difference. You may be surprised by your success when you measure your business not just on the financials but on things like your impact on the local community and providing meaningful employment.

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TRENDS

On the radar

To find out what’s currently grabbing the attention of coffee professionals around the country, Tristan Parker delves into six key coffee and cafe trends that everyone should be taking notice of 18

Coffee loves a trend. In an industry that’s constantly evolving, trends big and small are a part of what helps – sometimes forces – the coffee business to redefine itself. And while trends come and go, some will end up having a lasting effect, perhaps even changing industry practices over time. What this means is that even if various trends don’t end up finding their way into your business, it’s useful to keep up to speed with them, from both a consumer and coffee professional point of view. Whereas trends may once have been dominated by topics such as latte art, nowadays they’re partially defined by weightier issues around sustainability and ethics. Part of this is down to changing consumer attitudes. As consumer interest in fairer and more

environmentally responsible practices rises, coffee shops are taking note and responding. After all, consumers set the agenda. Some trends, however, will be based around other issues affecting coffee shops and the wider industry at any given time. The move towards using sugarcane decaffeination, for example (detailed by one of our interviewees), has resulted primarily from a financial standpoint for most businesses. On the following pages we look at six trends currently shaping parts of the coffee and cafe industries. As well as examining why they’ve made an impact with business owners and operators, we also drill down into each more closely, all by speaking to crossindustry experts involved with each area in their day-to-day role.

TRENDS

TREND: BROADENING YOUR GLOBAL COFFEE SELECTION Matt Carroll, co-owner, Fortitude Coffee, Edinburgh Specialty cafe Fortitude serves a changing selection of coffees from around the world, both in its physical shop and online Taste is the most important factor in deciding what coffees we serve, but we also want to offer a nice range for customers and to make sure there’s something in every price bracket. Offering a wider global selection of coffees helps us achieve all those things. Every producing country has its own distinct characteristics in terms of flavour, so it’s about using those origin characteristics to our advantage to offer a good selection. It’s also about ‘opening up’ the coffee world to ourselves as well as our customers. Indonesia is a good example. Our journey with Indonesia has grown as the quality of their coffee has grown. We were able to get in on the ground floor, to the point where the coffees we now get from there are delicious. Similarly, Rwanda used to have a very poor reputation for coffee, but things have changed over the last three to five years, and the coffee we have from them now is just incredible, some of the best we’ve ever served.

It can be very easy to slip into a routine of always buying Brazilian or Colombian, so being able to offer some of those less traditional origins – and for customers to trust you in what you’re serving – is great. In terms of advice for other cafes on broadening out their selection, if you’re a cafe-roastery, just speak to people, ask for samples and get a dialogue going. There are plenty of great companies out there doing great work in these less traditional-origin countries, such as Raw Material, which is fantastic. If you’re a multi-roaster cafe, it’s about finding a roaster that’s also interested in these things. Roasteries are everywhere now and lots of them are really keen to share their knowledge. If you’ve been buying from the same place for years, take that leap, get in touch with new people and try something different. fortitudecoffee.com

“BEING ABLE TO OFFER SOME OF THOSE LESS TRADITIONAL ORIGINS – AND FOR CUSTOMERS TO TRUST YOU IN WHAT YOU’RE SERVING – IS GREAT”

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TRENDS

TREND: INCREASING TRANSPARENCY IN CAFES AND ROASTERIES Micah Sherer, founder, Skylark Coffee, Brighton Described as the only 100 per cent non-profit, transparent specialty roastery, Skylark donates its profits to charities and produces an annual report that shares all of its financial data

Market forces mean that more coffee shops and roasters are now striving for greater transparency across their business. Millennials and Zoomers are the core demographic for specialty coffee, and the research shows that they’re more interested in ethical consumerism than any generation before them. Our transparency report IS Skylark. It’s half of the reason we started the company. As a registered non-profit we have dualcore purposes of returning profits to our beneficiaries and serving as an open-source model for others. We’re convinced there’s so much profitability in the roasting step of the supply chain that roasters can afford to operate in far more ethical ways than they often do. We feel we can only prove this by annually publishing our full financials with nothing hidden. The goal of the report is a supply chain service design that focuses on farmers, cafes and consumers, rather than ourselves, and it begins with interviewing those stakeholders to ask what information they want published. I think we’ll see a lot more greenwashing in the near future, but whether or not we see an

increase in actual transparency will depend on the engagement level of consumers, and I’m hopeful for that! Younger consumers are increasingly the future of specialty coffee, and demographically, they’re more engaged and informed. I think that customers, by and large, trust their local cafes to do the vetting of their suppliers. Equally, cafes are under more time pressure and financial pressure than ever before. It’s incumbent on the roasters to do the bulk of this work. The first thing I’d advise cafe owners who want to begin increasing the transparency of operations is, don’t be afraid. In some ways, it shares the financial pressure when you’re transparent. Your baristas and customers will support you more ferociously the more transparent you are. If you’re attempting to do the right thing by your staff, customers and suppliers, why not let people see it? I think just as much as being transparent yourself, you should vet your suppliers and make sure they align with your values. skylark.coffee

“IF YOU’RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY YOUR STAFF, CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS, WHY NOT LET PEOPLE SEE IT?”

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TRENDS

TREND: SUGARCANE DECAFFEINATION Freda Yuan, director of coffee, Origin Coffee, Cornwall and London Founded in 2004, Origin is an independent roastery with six coffee shops around the UK. In early 2023, the company began using the increasingly popular ‘sugarcane method’ to process its decaffeinated coffee We were previously using the carbon dioxide decaffeination process, but we switched to the sugarcane method, which we’ll be using for the foreseeable future. It’s quite a detailed and chemically involved process, but basically, it involves pressurising and expanding the coffee beans with steam, and then rinsing in ethanol acetate – an organic compound created using non-GMO Colombian sugarcane. That process slowly releases and removes the caffeine. The plant we used to use with the CO2 method is in Germany. We would buy green coffee, send it to Germany to be decaffeinated, then it would come back to us. There are issues around emissions from the transportation and also the price of gas has risen since the war [in Ukraine], as has the price of petrol. We wanted to switch to Colombia because there’s a lot of sugarcane by-product there and they have their own plants to process the decaf. We also started our own programme of sourcing coffee locally in Colombia from female producers. These producers can gather their coffee within an hour’s drive from the plants, then export it to us. Emissions-wise, it’s better, and we’re creating a local programme that promotes female producers who own the land. Most roasters in the UK are using the sugarcane process right now, because of the price. My advice to anyone who wants to switch to sugarcane decaf coffee in their shop would be, don’t panic when you see that the coffee looks shiny, because that’s part of the process. You’re using sugarcane, so there’s going to be some caramelisation before the coffee is roasted. The coffee actually tastes sweeter and still very delicious. origincoffee.co.uk

“WE WANTED TO SWITCH TO COLOMBIA BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF SUGARCANE BYPRODUCT THERE AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PLANTS TO PROCESS THE DECAF”

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TRENDS

TREND: NITRO TEA Allan Pirret, sales director, Novus Tea, Essex Tea supplier and wholesaler Novus designs and manufactures its own nitro brew cold tea, sold in individual cans infused with nitrogen

Nitro tea is essentially a cold-brewed tea made with just tea and water, nothing else. We used food-grade nitrogen to texturise the tea, which gives a velvety, creamy finish. The texturisation really intrigues people. From a taste point of view, you’re almost crossing over into coffee but coming back to tea, and the cold infusion sharpens up the botanical notes. The idea came when we were discussing texturising tea because it would appeal to people already drinking lots of cappuccinos and lattes, but who would hopefully find nitro tea much more refreshing. There are lots of advantages to nitro tea as a product. It has a long shelf life – ours has a 12-month shelf life, which is shorter than it might be if there were other ingredients and preservatives in there, but we were keen to keep it as natural as possible. You could make any tea into a nitro version, like an Earl Grey nitro or English

breakfast nitro. We’re currently developing a green tea version with Mao Jian tea and mango and strawberry blended through. Originally, nitro tea was marketed to millennials and younger audiences. We wanted to engage with that younger demographic and show them that tea can be exciting. That was what we intended, but actually it turns out that the audience for nitro tea is extremely broad. But I think when you’re approaching buyers, like coffee shops, those younger audiences are the prominent market in their minds. Because of the sugar tax, there’s been a shift towards healthier cold drink, which is why there’s been so much interest in nitro tea from coffee outlets. It’s a premium version of a cold drink – something different to what you’d find in supermarkets, for example, and coffee shops want to offer customers something that you can’t necessarily buy everywhere else. novustea.co.uk

“WE WANTED TO ENGAGE WITH THAT YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC AND SHOW THEM THAT TEA CAN BE EXCITING… IT TURNS OUT THAT THE AUDIENCE FOR NITRO TEA IS EXTREMELY BROAD”

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TREND: REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND REUSING INGREDIENTS Sam Scott, head chef, Ozone Coffee, London An international specialty coffee supplier with cafeeateries in London and New Zealand, Ozone operate at less than three per cent waste Food waste is a hot topic, as we all strive to be more sustainable. With current food prices increasing and climate change becoming ever more important, it’s crucial we’re sourcing the best ingredients and using them to their full potential. I think a lot of coffee businesses understand these pressures. Reducing waste is an essential element in controlling our kitchen costs and helping mitigate our food waste footprint. We also use it as a way of keeping the restaurant team engaged, through tastings and menu development. When my senior chefs and I look at a new menu, we identify areas of food waste concern. By reimagining food offerings, we can create exciting ways to use our daily waste products. Our waste sourdough flour, for example. It starts out as a flour, so why can’t it be made back into that product? Our kitchens operate at less than three per cent waste, which I’m very proud of. We have no waste on fruit or veg. All our seafood gets cured in salt before use, meaning we can smoke it if sales aren’t there and reuse in another dish. We’ve also looked at introducing smaller portions to cut back on plate waste, which has been accepted widely. My advice for cafe owners who want to reduce their food waste is to get a notebook and track how much perfectly good produce ends up in the bins at the end of service. Just seeing those costs should make anyone start looking into this. Think outside the box – think about dehydrators for powders or dried fruit and veg. Make your own stocks and sauces. The most important piece of the puzzle is having an engaged and forward-thinking kitchen team that wants to work on a sustainability project. I’m very sure we’ll continue to see more coffee businesses focusing on reducing food waste in the near future. ozonecoffee.co.uk

“GET A NOTEBOOK AND TRACK HOW MUCH PERFECTLY GOOD PRODUCE ENDS UP IN THE BINS AT THE END OF SERVICE”

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TRENDS

TREND: INCREASING RTD (READY-TODRINK) PRODUCTS IN COFFEE SHOPS John Martins, wholesale manager and engineer, 17 Grams, Brighton Specialty roastery 17 Grams produces its own cold-brew coffee, which is then sold as a bottled RTD in its cafes and on its website 24

We’ve been trying out different coffees to put through the cold-brew process and then pre-bottle with creative labels. Our first batches sold really quickly, through customers buying them and staff purchasing them at the weekends. I think RTD coffees are becoming more popular partly as a way of keeping the market interesting. RTD drinks are good because you’re giving coffee to people in a different way, whether or not you bottled it yourself. Some businesses might prefer to sell RTD coffees year round, whereas for others, it’ll be seasonal. Or, if you have a really fancy coffee in at a particular time, that’s a good opportunity to sell it as an RTD. RTD coffees also help free up a barista’s time. They’re making hundreds of drinks a day, so to be able to make and bottle some cold brew and just have a few seconds to themselves, I think that’s really important.

In terms of a customer base, it depends on the offering. If you’ve just got, say, a black RTD coffee, you’re a bit more restricted. If you have an iced oat latte or an iced milky drink of some kind bottled as an RTD, you open up more of a library for people to buy from. So, offering several different RTDs can work nicely. I think it’s definitely a good idea for coffee shops to begin selling RTDs if they’re not already. If there’s a small, independent shop that wants to start making their own but doesn’t know where to start, look around for another independent shop near you that sells RTD and speak to them. Having worked in these smaller shops, I’m confident that if you ask people for their advice, they’ll give you suggestions and explain any difficulties they faced. If a shop doesn’t have the facilities to make and bottle their own, there are some good companies out there to buy pre-made RTDs from. 17grams.co.uk

“IF YOU HAVE AN ICED OAT LATTE OR AN ICED MILKY DRINK OF SOME KIND BOTTLED AS AN RTD, YOU OPEN UP MORE OF A LIBRARY FOR PEOPLE TO BUY FROM”

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Flying high

A coffee brand with sustainability at its heart, Bird & Wild protects birds in the UK and Honduras. We spoke to company owner Guy Wilmot about his mission to help our winged friends with shade-grown coffee

Bird & Wild is the first coffee brand in the UK to be certified as bird friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, US. Using shade-grown coffee beans grown in Honduras, the brand produces a range of coffees that are Fairtrade and organic, and donates six per cent of its profits to the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Guy Wilmot had been looking for a way to create a sustainable coffee brand, so when the opportunity came up to acquire the Bird & Wild, he jumped at the chance. “Bird & Wild was founded by Ben Roberts in 2014. I acquired it in 2017 and relaunched it with the RSPB,” he explains. “I have been involved in coffee since 2007, first as a coffee importer, and then later as brand manager of Bob Marley Coffee for many years, but I have always been passionate about developing the most sustainable coffee brand possible.” Located in Peterborough, UK, where the coffee beans are roasted, Bird & Wild sources its coffee from the bird-friendly Cooperativa Cafetalera Capucas Limitada,

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known as Capucas, in Honduras. “It is situated on and around the Celaque mountain, which is the highest peak in Honduras,” says Guy. “Celaque means box of water in the local Lenca language. “The coffee is picked at optimum ripeness and handed to the cooperatives to be washed and then dried in a solar dryer, before being shipped to Puerto Cortes.” Capucas was formed by 55 farmers who wanted to grow good-quality coffee and create a better quality of life for people living in the region. Capucas is one of the few cooperatives in Honduras to maintain a high level of Fairtrade exports, and it has a reputation for creating a significant social impact. Capucas 33 employees (33 per cent women) and works with 919 farmers (23 per cent women). Bird & Wild aims to protect the local environment (including soil quality, migrating birds and supporting fair, long-term deals with smallholder farmers); support the RSPB and its aims in the UK; and manufacture recyclable packaging using eco-friendly processes.

To date, the brand has donated more than £56,000 to the RSPB. In 2018, Bird & Wild was awarded the Global Impact Award by the Blue Patch Business Awards, which celebrate outstanding small brands in the UK. The awards recognise high-quality design as well as genuine, innovative and sustainable approaches to ethical business. The Global Impact Award was awarded to Bird & Wild in recognition of its work with Capucas, its partnership with the RSPB and its good supply chain management. “Our three roasts are light, medium and medium-dark espressos, as well as instant coffee,” says Guy. “As we develop, we would like to do more specials and limited-edition roasts in future, but we have to walk before we can run! We serve a number of cafes, independent shops and offices, and we are well set to supply food service accounts.” birdandwild.co.uk

MEET THE GROWERS

Shady beans Shade-grown coffee, the practice of allowing coffee beans to grow slowly under a canopy of various trees, is inspired by traditional farming methods and promotes natural ecological relationships between flora and fauna. Shade-grown production systems mimic a forest structure and are believed to provide better habitats for birds than do full-sun systems. Indeed, a 2010 report by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) suggested that shade-grown coffee farms were significantly more effective at ecological sustainability than sun-grown coffee farms. Shadegrown farms demonstrated not only increased numbers and species of birds but also improved bird habitat, soil protection, carbon sequestration, natural pest control and improved pollination. The SMBC believes that when coffee is allowed to grow slowly in shaded conditions, it not only develops complex, distinctive and smooth flavours, but also protects the diverse tree canopy providing a haven to threatened migratory birds, insects and other wildlife. For a coffee farm to be certified Bird Friendly, there must be a variety of native shade trees throughout the coffee plantation. The combination of foliage cover, tree height and animal diversity provides a suitable migratory bird habitat while maintaining productive farms. Producers must be recertified every three years to ensure they continue to meet the requirements. According to a report by the SMBC, the benefits of shade-grown coffee include: ● Plant diversity increases, with typically 90 to 120 species of plant and 13 to 58 species of tree on a single site. Herb diversity is three to four times higher. ● Insect diversity improves, with 609 species of insect found in a shade-grown coffee site in Mexico. ● 184 bird species (including 46 migratory bird species) were found on a single shade-grown coffee site in Mexico. This compares with six-12 bird species found in unshaded coffee monocultures. ● Many species of bees are attracted to shaded polycultures that have a variety of flowering plants in addition to coffee. In a shade-grown study in Indonesia, bee populations rose by 90 per cent. ● It protects soil. The presence of canopy and midstory vegetation in shaded polycultures helps reduce soil erosion as well as stabilise steep, mountainous slopes. Typically, soil moisture is 42 per cent lower in unshaded plantations than in shaded plantations and there is significantly less runoff of surface water in shaded plantations than in unshaded plantations.

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SHOP FLOOR SURGERY

HOW TO TRAIN A COFFEE NOVICE After Brexit and the pandemic, labour shortages in the coffee industry have reached crisis point for many. Time to think outside the box, says Sue Quinn Late last year, UK Hospitality’s Future Shock report showed 11% of hospitality roles were vacant. Employers have boosted pay rates by 9% over the past 12 months in a bid to recruit and retain staff, with some offering extra enticements like referral bonuses and shorter working hours. But vacancies still can’t be filled. Experts say employers now need to look outside their normal field and search for recruits with no previous experience in specialty coffee – retirees wanting to re-enter the workforce, people seeking a career change, school leavers or others who don’t fit the traditional specialty coffee mould represent a rich pool of potential talent that could really benefit the industry. “This is a very difficult time for the industry, but it’s also exciting,” says Emma Haines, coffee trainer and founder of Caffeina Consulting. “This could be a chance to come out of the specialty coffee echo chamber and build a team that’s diverse, dynamic and different.” Eve Wagg is founder of Well Grounded, an award-winning London-based social enterprise that provides accredited coffee training courses, work placements

and support for adults facing social and economic barriers to employment. She says potential coffee recruits might not fit the stereotypical specialty coffee mould. For example, the number of Well Grounded trainees aged 50-plus has surged and they are being snapped up. “We are seeing a huge demand for talent that might not have skills or years of experience, but has passion and interest,”

Wagg says. “We have some really good examples of people who have moved into specialty coffee or hospitality later in life and are really thriving in their workplace.” It’s natural for employers to be nervous about hiring inexperienced staff, including those who are neurodiverse or have a history of mental health issues, says Well Grounded’s CEO Mike Rogers. “But the employers who want to work with us understand the benefits of a diverse workforce,” he says. “They’re keen to learn how to achieve success.”

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SHOP FLOOR SURGERY

Jessica Worden, head of coffee for Gail’s, the boutique bakery chain, says the benefits of employing people who might not fit the specialty coffee ‘template’ outweigh the perceived disadvantages. “The levels of empathy and insight that you gain as you get older are really very significant,” she says. “And someone who is free after they drop the kids off at school but needs to leave at 2.30pm would be a perfect fit. Most coffee businesses aren’t doing a lot of trade after 2pm anyway.” So how do you successfully bring coffee novices on board?

TRAINING 30

External training is always beneficial, says Haines, but she acknowledges it’s an expense many small businesses can’t afford. If that’s the case, really getting to know novice recruits is key to understanding their strengths and weaknesses. “Even for tiny businesses, I always recommend creating a training plan covering what you’ll be teaching and your objectives,” Haines says. “You may discover someone has natural talents and skills.” Making sure the role is clearly defined is vital. “I have always strongly advocated making it clear what the job is, what the salary is, the key objectives and how they will be supported,” says Rogers. Worden doesn’t believe formal training is essential. In fact, in-house coaching can demonstrate that you’re an employer who

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is invested in their staff’s development. “I think it comes back to treating your people well and part of what people are seeking in any job is validation and a sense of purpose,” she says. “If someone is willing to coach you on the job, you know they’re invested in your growth. I know so many people in coffee whose journey was most defined by someone taking an interest in their growth or fostering their interest in coffee.”

WELL-PACED INDUCTION A thorough and well-planned induction process is essential, says Rogers. “It means that everybody knows where and at what point that individual is going to progress and develop. It’s

about not throwing them in at the deep end on day one with a queue of 400 people. It’s about building up slowly.” Well-paced training will also help you identify a new recruit’s skills – but never underestimate their abilities. “People never fail to surprise me,” says Haines. “Some things can be quite technical, things that someone with quite a bit of experience behind the coffee counter might struggle with. But you will always find inexperienced individuals who get it immediately. You have somebody pouring a perfect tulip and they’ve only learnt to steam milk that morning.”

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS CULTURE INCLUSIVE Make sure everyone in your organisation welcomes and respects newcomers, and make sure they’re made to feel part of the team. “If you’ve got an inclusive culture, you will stand a much better chance of properly integrating somebody,” Rogers says. “And looking to the long term, even from day one, is a really good way to make that person feel like a future part of that organisation.” WELL GROUNDED: WELLGROUNDEDJOBS.CO.UK; COFFEE TRAINING: CAFFEINACONSULTING.COM

“EVEN FOR TINY BUSINESSES, I ALWAYS RECOMMEND CREATING A TRAINING PLAN COVERING WHAT YOU’LL BE TEACHING AND YOUR OBJECTIVES”

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INVESTIGATION

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN YOUR CUP? Sue Quinn looks at why a certain Which? survey generated a media frenzy

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Earlier this year, consumer champion Which? published the results of a survey that showed the caffeine content of similar-sized coffee beverages varied widely between high-street chains. In some cases, customers might not be getting the wake-up call they bargained (or paid) for, the report concluded. Some experts pointed out that the survey didn’t necessarily compare like-for-like. For example, different chains pour different amounts of espresso into a cappuccino, so the caffeine content varies. Nonetheless, the survey generated intense media interest, which left many customers wanting to know more about the caffeine in their cup. “Our wholesale customers rang us because their customers were asking, ‘Do you know how much caffeine is in your coffee?’” says Vicki Hart, general manager of Limini Coffee, a specialty roaster and coffee consultancy in Yorkshire. “They didn’t really know what to say. It’s such a broad question.” There is no simple answer. “The typical cup of coffee contains 60mg-100mg of caffeine, but this can vary massively,” Hart says. “It’s quite difficult to give an exact measure of caffeine in each coffee served, as there are so many determining factors.”

WHAT DETERMINES CAFFEINE CONTENT?

James Hoffman, coffee expert, barista champion and co-founder of Square Mile Coffee, has carried out his own experiments on the caffeine content of brews at different

coffee shops for his YouTube channel. He says there are three factors that determine the amount of caffeine: “One is the coffee beans. Robusta has twice the caffeine of Arabica. Some chains use some Robusta in their coffee, which would have impact.” Most specialty operators serve Arabica, which is widely considered to be superior to Robusta because it has a smoother and sweeter taste, a point worth mentioning to customers, Hart advises. “I would tell them you’re working with 100% Arabica coffee because your focus is on flavour and quality, and this does have less caffeine than the other varieties,” Hart says. “I think that’s a good and easy thing to explain to people.” The amount of coffee (by weight) used to make espresso or filter coffee will also affect the caffeine in the cup, as well as how much water is used in the brewing process. “The longer or larger the espresso, the more caffeine you get,” Hoffman says. “So, a lungo has a lot more caffeine than a ristretto.” For similar reasons, a cup of filter coffee has more caffeine than a shot of espresso. This surprises customers and even some coffee operators. A single 28ml espresso shot at Greggs contains 75mg of caffeine, says Which?, compared to 225mg of caffeine in a 341ml cup of filter/brewed coffee. Specialty operators can use this fact to promote their own beverages. “You could tell customers that as an independent business you focus a lot on getting the shot to taste its best, which means it tends to be

“THE TYPICAL CUP OF COFFEE CONTAINS 60MG-100MG OF CAFFEINE, BUT THIS CAN VARY. IT’S DIFFICULT TO GIVE AN EXACT MEASURE OF CAFFEINE , AS THERE ARE SO MANY DETERMINING FACTORS”

INVESTIGATION

“CUSTOMERS WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE CAFFEINE IN THEIR COFFEE”

DECAFFEINATED

Specialty coffee operators should also understand the process behind decaffeination, Hart says. It doesn’t mean caffeine-free, although the process removes at least 97% of it, according to the British Coffee Association. A typical cup of decaf coffee contains about 2mg of caffeine. “Not a lot of coffee shops know about the different decaffeination methods,” says Hart. “Some coffee shops treat decaff coffee almost like an afterthought.” The most common decaffeination method involves steaming green coffee beans,which are placed in water and ethyl acetate to draw out the caffeine, and then dried and roasted. But many specialty operators prefer to use the Swiss water method. Here, the green beans are soaked in water, then natural coffee components are added to make up

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for the flavour compounds that leach out at the same time as the caffeine. The Swiss method is preferred by Limini, Hart says, because it’s the one with the best flavour, in her opinion. “My argument is that more people are drinking decaffeinated, and they drink it because they like the taste of coffee,” she says. “It’s actually crazily important that it tastes good.”

DOES CAFFEINE CONTENT MATTER?

The publicity surrounding the Which? survey illustrates how important it is for baristas to understand the variables that affect the caffeine content of their drinks so they can pass this information on to customers. “I think there’s an increasing desire by customers to want to understand more about the caffeine in their coffee,” Hart says. “You can’t put an exact number on the caffeine content necessarily, but you can explain what affects the caffeine content and why one coffee might contain more than another.”

HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS HEALTHY? It’s useful to be familiar with the health benefits – or otherwise – of consuming coffee and caffeine. Some studies suggest coffee drinking is linked to longer life expectancy and other health benefits. However, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF). It is clear, though, that a moderate intake of tea or coffee – four or five cups a day or 400mg of caffeine – should be ‘fine’ for most people, the BHF says.

MELINDA BARBI

shorter,” Hart says. “And the shorter it is, the less caffeine.” For customers who want higher-caffeine drinks – before a workout, for example – you could offer them a longer coffee, Hart says.

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GIVING A VOICE TO

THE GROWERS Over half-a-million people in farming supply chains tune into Farmers’ Voice Radio’s knowledge-sharing broadcasts. Amy Pay speaks to Hannah Clark, one of its development managers, to hear all about it

“Farmers’ Voice Radio is a Lorna Young Foundation initiative,” explains Hannah. “Lorna Young was a Fairtrade pioneer in the 1980s and 1990s; she was one of the first people to persuade British supermarkets that Fairtrade could be marketable among consumers. After she died in 1996, the foundation was set up to continue her work, keep empowering smallholder producers, farmers and growers, and help balance unequal power dynamics in trading relationships.” A lot of what the foundation does involves information gathering and sharing, because some farmers and producers can’t access the information they need to grow quality produce, increase yield and get a fair price for produce. To increase its reach, the foundation started Farmers’ Voice Radio in 2010 with a coffee project in Nyeri, Kenya. “Our team ran in-person training with smallholder coffee producers,” says Hannah. “They used a learning circle approach, where farmers would come together in a small group, discuss coffee crop issues and marketing struggles they were facing, then get answers to the issues from local stakeholders, experts and supply chain members.” Seeing the value in the conversations, the team recorded one to broadcast on Kenyan radio, reaching around half a million listeners. The station had an

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influx of phone calls from farmers who heard it, loved it and wanted more. “It was so effective at reaching a great audience,” says Hannah. “It was a simple method, though nothing new; people have used radio as a communication tool to talk about agriculture for decades. What’s different about what we did – and are still doing – is we put farmers at the centre of the radio programmes. They speak their language to engage with their communities, focusing on issues that matter to them at that time. In doing so, they get insider information and broadcast it so all farmers listening can access it too.

“That was about 12 years ago, and since then the Lorna Young Foundation has really invested in what is now called Farmers’ Voice Radio. We’ve packaged up our resources and tools, identified the specific methodology and approach for developing a Farmers’ Voice Radio series and carried out projects on different crops and commodities, particularly within coffee. We’ve done lots of work in Ethiopia and Uganda with smallholder coffee producers, and there’s interest in Latin America too. “There are many challenges within the coffee supply chain. To start, there are

PIONEERS

unequal power dynamics. Farmers are at the end of a fractured supply chain that’s not transparent, and the price we’re paying for luxury coffee here is incomparable to what the farmers receive. Many farmers are living in desperate poverty, which is a huge problem. Farmers and their families won’t want to keep farming coffee. Young people in these remote areas aren’t receiving a decent income for the hard work that goes into growing coffee, so they’re moving away, uninterested.” Farmers’ Voice Radio empowers such farmers to have a voice, to discuss challenges they’re facing and come up with steps towards solutions. It also gives the global coffee sector a chance to hear its reality, as a lot of the messages in these programmes are trickling through to other players within the supply chain. “We work with a number of different industry actors,” Hannah says. “One of them, Rainforest Alliance, was involved in our Ethiopia and Uganda projects. When they received transcripts of the radio

“We put farmers at the centre of the radio programmes. They speak their language to engage with their communities, focusing on issues that matter to them at that time” programmes, they couldn’t believe the wealth of information. Up to that point, there was no way for farmers to communicate with them like that. We’re bridging the gap between them and others within their supply chain, whose actions impact on their farming, their livelihoods and their way of life.” For each country they work in, the team has a partner producer organisation or cooperative farmer organisation. Together, they find the most appropriate FM radio station for their target audience, then buy or contribute to airtime costs for those time slots they’ll broadcast in. “The partner organisation identifies 12 farmers to make up the programme reference group,

which we insist is at least 50 per cent women. They meet monthly to discuss topics relevant to farming that month. Their discussions are recorded then turned into 15 minute shows. “We aim to cover the full agriculture calendar, through good seasons and not so good, and through the different social and livelihood issues that communities face. For example, if there’s heavy rain, they’ll discuss how to protect crops. Over a year, most challenges farmers face will be covered. The programmes are a resource at the time of broadcast, but also afterwards for those who have access to YouTube or podcasting platforms, which some of our local partners upload the talks to. At least with radio, everyone can access it – be that on an actual radio or on their basic Nokia phone.” Recently, Hannah helped develop the free Farmers’ Voice Radio Academy to make their methodology accessible to any farming organisation, NGO or producer

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PIONEERS group that wants to make participatory radio programmes like theirs. “Last year, in our first Academy, we trained 16 producer organisations from Africa and India. They learnt how to design and develop a Farmers’ Voice Radio project through group sessions and coaching, then on graduation they could apply for funding to put their learnings into practice. It’s an effective way of training up a far larger group of organisations from more countries than we could ever do ourselves. “Even those who don’t acquire funding from us afterwards can use the proposal they created during the sessions to see if their supply chain partners would be up for funding programming in the area, which would empower the farmers and improve the coffee sector. This year, we launched a second Academy, this time

focused on tea, coffee and cocoa organisations. It’ll be exciting to see what these participants come out with.” The impact of Farmers’ Voice Radio has been huge, Hannah says: “We know our work has impacted farmers involved (the participants and listeners), their communities and their supply chains. It’s been particularly powerful in helping female farmers, who do most of the production but get very little recognition, reward or power. “They often don’t have access to the information they need due to being in a remote location, denied schooling, excluded from training events that male

farmers attend and unable to go online. It’s leaving female producers even further behind, more vulnerable to being cheated out of money due to a lack of access to pricing information. “Fortunately, our research shows lots of these women listen to the radio shows. We know we’re reaching and engaging with women, and it’s transformational. We’re empowering women to improve their livelihoods, enabling their children to go to school and enriching the community. That’s only a good thing, and that’s exactly the sort of thing we’re here for.” To find out more about Farmers’ Voice Radio, check out farmersvoiceradio.org

“We’re empowering women to improve their livelihoods, enabling their children to go to school and enriching the community”

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FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

Whole world in their hands From organic coffee and local foods to social projects and environmental impact, sustainability is everything at Brighton’s Redroaster, as Amy Pay discovers

Redroaster in Brighton is known for its locally roasted coffee and knockout brunches and burgers, spanning multiple sites in the seaside resort. Behind the scenes, sustainability runs through its veins. “Our St James Street venue was the UK’s original roastery cafe almost 25 years ago,” says Diana Palmer, one of the owners. “We’ve always been an organic roastery, so our main customer base associates our brand with being organic and sustainable. As it’s something we’ve always done, it doesn’t feel like much of a challenge. You

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get used to it, especially as sustainability is important to us in everything we do. “Our beans are graded over SCAA 84, and we directly trade with farmers we’ve met. We go further than Fairtrade by paying farmers over the standard. It incentivises our farmers to produce the finest-quality coffee and shows them that we care about them and their livelihoods.” Wherever possible, Redroaster sources foods locally to cut food miles and support the independent food scene. “Around 85 per cent of our food is bought locally,” says Diana. “Our bread and pastries are bought

from amazing local suppliers such as Julien Plumart Patisserie, The Flour Pot Bakery and Real Pâtisserie, all based in Brighton. Our organic meat is from Goodwood Farm, which specialises in grass-fed stock. Our vegetables are bought seasonally from Sussex suppliers such as Shrub. This month we are particularly proud of our wild garlic pesto linguine, made using wild garlic foraged from the South Downs. “Our menu is also between 40 and 60 per cent plant based. We’ve learnt that, so long as the options are good, people don’t mind eating plant-based food. Meat eaters

often happily eat the plant-based options. In fact, one of our bestselling items is plant-based – the BBQ corn ribs at our Lucky Khao spot. They’re known in Brighton for being delicious.” Redroaster found that joining the UK’s Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) helped focus its sustainability efforts further, explains Diana: “The SRA has strict guidelines, so keeping them in mind means we have our eye on important issues. We have been awarded a three-star accreditation from them every year since 2016. You have to reapply each year, so you can’t let standards slip, but we always know we are going to pass because the practices and standards are now ingrained in who we are. The accreditation

makes us consider things all across the business. We know that all our suppliers treat their teams well and pay them at least minimum wage. We monitor our energy use daily – every electrical item is connected to an app that lets us keep an eye on things. It means we are able to save hidden energy wastage and be more efficient. “It’s led to some interesting projects, too. For example, we launched One Planet Plate with the SRA, back when Moving Mountains had developed their ‘bleeding burger’. Lucky Beach – one of our locations – had won an award for having the third best burger in the UK. So, we wanted to prove that a plant-based burger could taste just as good as meat but be

more sustainable. To this day, it’s one of our bestselling burgers on the beach. “We also work locally with sustainable initiatives, Sussex University, circular economy schemes and the Brighton & Hove Chambers’ Net Zero Champions scheme, driving the journey to net zero. Perhaps our biggest in-house sustainability projects though are those we do through Kemptown Project, an environmentally responsible hospitality group in Brighton.” Redroaster has two Kemptown Project initiatives. The first, Kemptown Project Rwanda, has enabled the business to raise the funds needed to build a primary school in Kigali for 400 primary school children. “We donate one full day of trading each year to the project,” says Diana. “Whether you buy a coffee or fish and chips, the whole sale goes towards the school. The company bears the cost of supply and the

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FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

“We’ve always been an organic roastery, so our main customer base associates our brand with being organic and sustainable”

staff voluntarily donate tips. One time, we raised £12,000, which allowed us to build three new classrooms. “Our future plans are to switch the old school to a small five-bed hospital. With the Wellsbourne Health Centre in Brighton, we’ll teach nurses in Musenyi about chronic issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which are on the increase in Rwanda. The Rwandan counterpart will educate us about infectious diseases that are still difficult for us to diagnose. When I last visited, the laboratory assistant in the village was able to make a positive diagnosis of malaria

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from a pinprick of blood on an old-school microscope. In this country, it would be a lot more expensive and take a lot of time. “We also run Kemptown Project Brighton, an employability scheme, with Team Dominica,” says Diana. “We met Team Dominica a few years ago at a chamber event. We were trying to raise funds to buy equipment for automation. I met this incredible lady, Emily, who had the idea that instead of automating, we could supply candidates with work in an educational setting. They created the first roastery in the UK run by young adults with learning disabilities, negating the

need to automate. They roast and pack most of our coffee and have enhanced our work life, while we offer them paid employment throughout our business. “I believe that if you care about the future of the planet, there’s no option but to be more sustainable. It’s not necessarily easy at first, but in time, it becomes part of your identity. It’s worth aiming for accreditations, such as SRA and B Corp, to show you’re not greenwashing and to guide your actions. It would be great to see more sustainably focused coffee businesses in the UK. We’re always happy to help if anybody wants advice.”

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CAFE COMMUNITY

OUT AND ABOUT We look at the way innovative coffee movers and shakers at home and abroad are developing their brands

COFFEE AND TABLES

FOR THE PLANET

orth Yorkshire-based roastery, Rounton Coffee Roasters, has joined 1% for the Planet as part of its commitment to environmental causes. The award-winning roastery, which produces sustainably sourced specialty coffee, will donate 1% of its annual sales to the cause. Founded by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews in 2002, 1% for the Planet inspires businesses to support environmental solutions through annual membership and everyday actions.

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David Beattie, Rounton founder, says, “We are thrilled to be 1% for the Planet certified. Our commitment to protecting the planet has made this partnership a natural fit for us. Joining this movement allows us to amplify our impact and contribute to environmental solutions on a larger scale.” Launched in 2013, Rounton Coffee Roasters supplies coffee to more than 200 outlets in the UK, selling directly to customers. It also has coffee shops in Middlesbrough and Norton. rountoncoffee.co.uk

A coffee shop where customers can buy the vintage tables and couches they sit at to drink has opened in Liverpool city centre. Artefact on Roscoe Street was set up by Alex Allen, his mum Jane and her partner James Symonds, who together have been selling vintage furniture for several years. They had been struggling to sell their stock at pop-up shops and shows, with their findings filling up two storage lockers and their family home – so they started to look for a dedicated place to sell their furniture. Rather than opening a furniture store, they decided to launch a coffee shop in which everything – including the furniture – is for sale. The interior will be a changeable space, with furniture coming and going as customers buy it and new items are brought in. All the furniture is sourced locally and the shop has already teamed up with local projects to showcase artwork, music, films and spoken word poetry at the site. artefactliverpool.co.uk

CAFE COMMUNITY

COFFEE CLUB

ongratulations to Richard and Fiona Jones who secured investment for their coffee subscription business on TV show Dragon’s Den in March. Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett praised the tailored subscription service and the tech behind the product. Launched in 2019, Beans Coffee Club is a subscription service that delivers a selection of bespoke roasted-to-order coffee from independent roasters, directly to consumers. The website features a seven-question quiz that matches coffee to the consumer’s taste and brewing profile. Subscribers then receive freshly roasted coffee in an eco-friendly letterbox package weekly, fortnightly or monthly. When they rate the coffees, Beans Coffee Club will learn the consumer’s preferences for next time and provide them with beans that are more and more suited to their taste. beanscoffeeclub.com 45

BUBBLE TEA GROWTH Taiwanese bubble tea chain, Gong cha Global, has announced plans to open eight new stores across the UK before the end of 2023. CEO of the company, Paul Reynish, says, “What we’re moving towards is the daily ritual – coffee has done that and we’re breaking through with tea. We have different kinds of models around the world, but we think the UK is ripe for franchising. It’s a really popular vehicle for investment and we are working with some really great partners to roll out the brand. We have a partner already who has 13 UK stores, and they’re going to grow with us, but there’s more opportunity.” Founded in Taiwan in 1996, Gong cha currently operates 2,000 stores across 22 countries, including Australia, Canada, the US, Cambodia and South Korea.

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CAFE COMMUNITY NEW LONDON OZONES

COTSWOLDS CAFE 46

e were delighted to visit RAVE Coffee’s new £1 million roastery and cafe in the Cotswolds, which opened in May. The 45-seater cafe in Cirencester is the dream of RAVE founders Vikki and Rob Hodge, who started the company in 2011. Growth of more than 20% in 2022 means the company employs 38 staff. “This is a big moment for RAVE and many years in the works, finally bringing product development, production, packing and fulfilment back under one roof,” said Vikki. “The new RAVE HQ opens up so many possibilities, including new product development, greener production and more employment opportunities.”

Specialty coffee roaster and dining brand Ozone Coffee has opened two new locations in London, at Creechurch Lane and Ludgate Hill. The two sites will serve baked goods, toasties and tasty bites from their kitchen, alongside their seasonal coffee selection directly sourced and freshly roasted by the team. The locations will also be available for private hire and tailor-made events during the evenings and weekends, including coffee experiences for local businesses and companies. Ozone Coffee was founded 25 years ago in New Zealand and expanded to London 11 years ago. The company is B Corp Certified and has longterm, direct relationships with coffee communities at origin. ozonecoffee.co.uk

According to the firm, the £1 million investment was funded significantly by a notable increase in sales of its Coffee Club subscription service, which saw member numbers rise by more than 60% in 2023. The new building houses RAVE’s new Loring 70 kilogram roaster, its existing 35 kilogram Loring roaster, all its operations and offices, as well as a cupping room and coffee laboratory. Huge windows in the cafe allow visitors to see their coffee go all the way from green bean to cup, while an eco-friendly refill station helps customers reduce waste as they top up on the freshest coffee around. ravecoffee.co.uk

UKRAINIAN ROASTERY

A Ukrainian who moved to the UK to escape the war is set to relaunch his family’s coffee firm in Dorset after importing the equipment from Kyiv. Amer Al Atti said the import arrangements took four months to organise, but now that his equipment is in Three Legged Cross, Dorset, he plans to reopen his firm, Luvé, and eventually expand from roasting coffee to launching a chain of cafes. The entrepreneur said he was allowed to leave Ukraine despite being of military age because he is originally from Jordan. He said he realised when he arrived in December last year that the UK was a better market for his 20-yearold business. The three-tonne coffee roaster and other equipment arrived by lorry from Ukraine. Amer is now hoping to bring his wife and two daughters to the UK after setting up a family home.

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The new KM5 Burr Grinder Launcing April 6 - 2023

Treat yourself to the perfect cup of coffee A strong duo at home or the office: The Moccamaster KBGT and the new KM5 Burr Grinder.