Coffee House 146

FOREST FRUIT

The Colombian coffee blazing a trail in Glasgow

UPSKILLING STAFF

What’s the best approach for your

BUY LOCAL, ACT GLOBAL

Whenitcomes to delicious head-turning dishes

Inclusions Range

Product Guide

Issue 146

THIS ISSUE

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WHAT’S BREWING

News and our pick of the latest innovations and products for your coffee shop

DIARY DATES

All your favourite shows and festivals to enjoy over the coming months

HOW TO BE A ZERO HERO

Build your coffee shop's sustainability strategy with 'Buy Local, Act Global'

COLOMBIAN QUALITY

Meet Maria Varela, the visionary founder and director of Glasgow’s Andina Coffee

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BACK TO SCHOOL?

Two professionals have advice on navigating training and education in the coffee industry

HOW TO BUILD A TRIBE OF SUPERFANS

Create a legion of loyal followers by getting the fundamentals right

BARISTAS: WHAT’S THE FUTURE?

The effect of rising costs and technology on the barista’s role

CAFE COMMUNITY

Discover the ways innovative coffee companies are developing their brand

WELCOME TO THE NEW INTERACTIVE DIGITAL ISSUE OF COFFEE HOUSE MAGAZINE

This issue we go back to school to look at training and education within the coffee industry with expert opinion via Raf & Co and the London School of Coffee. Elsewhere Sue Quinn investigates what the future holds for the barista as specialty coffee continues to meet the demand and challenges ahead. Amy Pay finds

out more about the great work of Edinburgh Science, an educational charity helping coffee shops be more climate conscious. Staying north of the border, Maria Varela from Andina Coffee in Glasgow, discusses her move from Columbia and how origin links impact on both produce and ethos. We hope you enjoy the issue

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 BOOST FOR INDEPENDENTS

According to The Independents Report UK 2024 by World Coffee Portal, the independent coffee shop market in the UK – worth £4.6bn – achieved four per cent sales growth and grew to an estimated 12,212 outlets last year. It was found that contributors to this success are beverage quality, personalised service, authenticity and localness. The report revealed that these factors are also significant

differentiators between independent coffee shops and their chain competitors.

Many leaders surveyed believe trading conditions for independents will improve over the next 12 months. World Coffee Portal forecasts the independent coffee shop market will exceed 12,400 outlets in the next year and 13,200 stores in 2029, with total sales surpassing £4.8bn next year and £5.6bn in February 2029.

MALAWIAN CAFE BRANCHING OUT

Maravi & Wellness, a specialty coffee shop exclusively serving freshly roasted Malawi coffee in Afro-minimalist-designed spaces, is opening its third branch in the UK. First launched in southeast Africa’s Malawi, cafes have since been brought to Bournemouth (on 17 April 2023) and Poole (on 25 September 2023), with the Christchurch cafe opening on 9 April. Describing the principles behind his brand, director at Maravi & Wellness, Adam Gaffar, says, “We have three components of the business – atmosphere, product and service. They are very important to us and not one is above the other. The people of Malawi have similar principles to what we want. They are spiritual people and they operate from the heart. It fits well with us.”

TRENDING TASTES OF 2024

Here are a few of this year’s coffee trends…

CLEAN CAFFEINE

Clean caffeine comes from plant-derived caffeine sources that have not been synthetically produced. Holland & Barrett identified natural energy sources as one of the biggest wellness trends of the moment, citing the natural caffeine sector in particular.

CAFÉCORE

This year we’ll be bringing the coffee shop aesthetic into our homes – with searches for ‘coffee bar styling’ up by 1,125 per cent, ‘coffee station decor’ by 145 per cent and ‘cafe aesthetic’ by 820 per cent.

Think jazzy home espresso machines, syrup stations, pretty mugs… the lot.

BARREL-AGED

Barrel-aged coffee involves putting green coffee inside wooden barrels – which have previously been used to make or store drinks such as whisky – for two to three weeks. This intensifies the different notes of each bean variety.

#COFFEETOK

At #coffeetok you will find recipes, reviews, #baristaproblems and users sharing their obsession, amplifying the visual appeal of coffee and fostering a sense of camaraderie among fellow lovers of the drink.

PRODUCT NEWS

A BUZZ WITH BULK

Protein Works’ Protein Coffee Coolers, available in four flavours – Belgian Choca Mocha, Cappuccino, Caramel Latte and Matcha Latte –are coffee protein shakes containing up to 22g of protein. With coffee connoisseurs a priority, of course, this drink uses quality ingredients such as premium freeze-dried coffee and guarana and green coffee bean extract, providing up to 120mg of caffeine.

ADD A BOOST WITH BEAUMONT

Adding a new and exciting dimension to both hot and cold drinks, infuse your daily cup with a subtle yet fragrant flavour of delicious salted caramel. Certified Fairtrade and kosher – and made from 100 per cent pure cane sugar – customise your coffees, frappes, cocktails and more with the gentle, sweet flavour and aroma of this popular addition.

HALF-CAFF, FULL FLAVOUR

This 100 per cent Arabica specialty coffee is a multiorigin dark roast from Brazil, Honduras and Peru. With notes of dark chocolate, demerara sugar, nuts and dried fruit, this beverage brings balance – still offering a strong drink with a kick, yet with half the caffeine. Available as ground coffee, coffee bags and pods. and all in Purple Coffee Co’s eco-conscious, recyclable packaging.

Insight. Networking. Innovation.

DOORS OPEN 29 APRIL

Food & Drink Expo returns to the NEC, Birmingham from the 29 April - 01 May 2024 alongside Farm Shop & Deli Show, National Convenience Show, The Forecourt Show and The Restaurant Show.

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• Learn the latest trends and insights

• Make valuable contacts

Find out more and register free at:

DIARY DATES

Here are some of the top events from around the world to look out for in the coming months

GLASGOW COFFEE FESTIVAL

When: 11 & 12 May

Where: The Briggait, Glasgow Info: glasgowcoffeefestival. com

Celebrating the tenth year of the festival, visitors can enjoy a weekend of talks, tastings, workshops and specialty coffee from Scotland’s top cafes and roasteries.

APRIL

LIVERPOOL COFFEE FESTIVAL

When: 27 & 28 April

Where: Baltic Triangle designmynight.com/liverpool/ whats-on/food-drink/liverpoolcoffee-festival

FOOD & DRINK EXPO

When: 29 Apr-1 May

Where: NEC Birmingham foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk

MAY

WORLD OF COFFEE BUSAN

When: 1-4 May

Where: BEXCO, Korea asia.worldofcoffee.org

(includes World Barista and World Espresso Championships)

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE EXPO

When: 12-14 May

Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia internationalcoffeeexpo.com

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JUNE

SHEFFIELD COFFEE FESTIVAL

When: 1 & 2 June

Where: Various venues sheffieldcoffeefestival.com

WORLD OF COFFEE COPENHAGEN

When: 27-29 June

Where: Bella Centre, Copenhagen worldofcoffee.org

(includes World Latte Art Championships)

HOW TO BE A ZERO HERO

An Edinburgh educational charity has joined with a group of independent coffee shops to launch a ‘Buy Local, Act Global’ scheme. Amy Pay finds out more

Sustainability might seem like the last thing the average coffee shop customer thinks about while waiting for their flat white, but a scheme by educational charity Edinburgh Science is working to change this. The scheme in question – Buy Local, Act Global – was set up by Stephanie Maia, the climate engagement manager at the charity, founded in 1989, and a self-confessed coffee lover.

“At Edinburgh Science, our mission is to allow people to experience the wonder of science, technology, engineering and maths,” says Stephanie. “We want to show how the topics relate to our everyday lives. In the last 35 years, we’ve built year-round programmes and annual festivals centred around learning, community and climate.

“One of the key projects in our climate work is the NetZeroToolkit. It is a free online resource that any organisation can use, but particularly small- to medium-sized enterprises and micro businesses, to build sustainability strategies. SMEs make up more than 90 per cent of the UK business population, yet it’s so difficult and complex for them to make sustainability strategies. We really wanted to simplify that. Our NetZeroToolkit helps them build an effective carbon reduction strategy by addressing eight core components of their operations, so they can identify, measure and strategically eliminate their CO2 emissions, aiming for net zero by 2040.”

As for how Edinburgh Science made the connection between STEM

FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

and coffee, that’s on Stephanie, too: “I could see how much work was going on in the coffee industry in terms of sustainability. There’s everything from regenerative farming practices to the social governance of coffee and trying to make sure that you’re protecting the welfare of people who are working in the industry.

“Coffee is an interesting crop in itself, too, when it comes to carbon. Growing coffee has the potential to sequester a lot of carbon and to have a really positive impact on the planet. This makes coffee a really interesting case study for sustainability in an industry that has a lot of small producers and small independent coffee shops.

“The other thing is that coffee touches our lives every single day. When someone walks into a coffee shop to buy their coffee in the morning, they have an opportunity while they’re drinking it

to think about sustainability, their impact on the world and the things they could do.”

Seeing that opportunity to use coffee to engage with people about climate science led to Stephanie starting Buy Local, Act Global, a scheme that’s been running for about a year. It’s a coffee trail that connects six of Edinburgh’s independent coffee shops – Babyfaced Baker, Machina, Little Fitzroy, Williams & Johnson, Fortitude and The Milkman. Customers can visit the six local shops to learn how their coffee has a global impact. At each, they get a stamp on their trail card when they buy a coffee. Once they complete the card by visiting each of the six venues listed, they get their next coffee for free.

“We chose those six coffee shops because we know they make really good coffee, they are really popular and they were – and are –

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“GROWING COFFEE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SEQUESTER A LOT OF CARBON AND TO HAVE A REALLY POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PLANET”

WANT TO TRY THE NETZEROTOOLKIT?

Head to thenetzerotoolkit.org to start building your carbon reduction strategy. Just pick a component from one of the following to get going:

• All waste grounds and chaff from the roastery go to Eirinn Hayhow, an eco fashion designer who uses them to make coffee leather.

making great efforts around sustainability. That all ticked the ‘buy local’ box,” says Stephanie. “As for ‘act global’, we worked quite collaboratively on that.

One or two of the cafes are NetZeroToolkit users, so they are used to thinking about the global impact of their decisions. The staff at Little Fitzroy, for example, used it to work on their sustainability strategy when considering changes to the cafe. We were pleased to hear how they love using it.

• Used coffee sacks are given away locally for free.

• Any extra coffee is given to the ambulance station staff nearby.

• All merch is made locally.

a farmer versus using an intermediary, so we’ve talked a lot about the sustainability side of that. We couldn’t come to a conclusion, but the main thing is we’re exploring and discussing these things.

“We get together with the six cafes to discuss topics around sustainability and the coffee industry, which always brings up some interesting considerations and lets people share examples of good practice. One shop told us about how they avoided using virgin materials by building their entire shop out of repurposed scaffolding boards they found in a skip.

“Doing this project has shown me how rooted the coffee shops are in the community, which is great for engagement. They also all take time to consider the pressures felt by others in their supply chain, such as the producers, and how they could better support them. People have strong views around sourcing direct from

“The cafes have found the scheme really handy in the sense that the trail helps tourists to discover places you have to be a bit of a local to know. They’ve also enjoyed being able to shout about their sustainability efforts, while sharing ideas and resources with other small businesses.

“In terms of what comes next, we can’t move that fast because we’re a charity. I hope that we can eventually extend the work we’ve done in Edinburgh by bringing Buy Local, Act Global to other cities. In the meantime, we can keep spreading awareness around sustainability and climate consciousness through our work with these independent cafes and by continuing to provide SMEs with free access to our NetZeroToolkit. We want more cafes to take a look, build their strategy and have fun with it.”

Colombian quality

We speak to Maria Varela, the founder and director of Andina Coffee in Glasgow, about the vision she turned into reality

When Maria Varela moved from Colombia to Scotland in 2017, she quickly learnt that her South American homeland was synonymous with drugs, at least in the eyes of her new community. When she told people in the UK that she was from Colombia, Maria says, “they would always make drugs-related comments. I started to think about ways of trying to educate people a bit more about my country and found coffee to be the answer to this.”

Maria saw that there was a market for specialty Colombian coffee in the UK and set about bringing her ideas to reality. Andina

Coffee was founded in 2018 and began life as an online business, which Maria designed with limited resources. Andina is Spanish for Andean; Maria wanted her coffee company to have its Colombian identity prominent from the get-go. After visiting Colombia with her husband during the early days of Andina Coffee, Maria decided to bring home 20kg of coffee in her suitcase, which became more of an adventure than the couple bargained for, as Maria explains: “The police in the airport thought we were trafficking drugs!”

A year later, Maria opened a physical Andina Coffee

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store on Duke Street in Glasgow’s East End. “The first Andina was opened in 2020 through the pandemic; they were very uncertain times. Opening a business and going through a totally new scenario was very challenging but it really helped us to get where we are,” says Maria.

Two years later, the company opened its second store in the West End of Glasgow and is recognised for its commitment to sustainable practices. Andina Coffee was the first coffee company in Glasgow to roast its coffee at origin. “All we wanted was to support the coffee farmers,” says Maria. “The idea is that the profit from the sale of the roasted coffee stays

in-country and drives economic development in the coffee-growing communities.

As part of the company’s sustainability-driven ethos, its coffee ranges are all rainforest and fairtrade certified. It works with a cooperative of more than 2,200 associated families, with farmers in the cooperative getting additional support such as diversification of crops, education and services for enabling good harvesting practices. “The cooperative is our ally in the country of origin,” says Maria. “This partnership is vital, as they provide us with traceability throughout the process, including identification of participating coffee lots,

production stages such as milling, roasting and packaging, and the export process. Additionally, we regularly visit the producers to learn from them and develop strategies to sustain these efforts over time and continue supporting them.”

Andina Coffee is produced in the Valle del Cauca, Colombia, using coffee beans from two mountain ranges: the Western (with the main harvest from November to January) and the Central (with the main harvest from April to June). Such a diverse range of altitudes and soils allows the company to produce a wide variety of coffee profiles. The region also boasts immense biodiversity in fauna, flora, rivers and wetlands.

“The coffee primarily comes from small coffee producers who manage between half a hectare to two hectares of coffee – approximately 3,000 to 10,000 coffee trees,” says Maria. “Their primary activity is coffee production, supplemented with the cultivation of other foods on the farm – aiming for increased self-sustainability and reduced living costs. This

is crucial, as through this trade, we contribute to improving the livelihoods of these producer families by paying prices above market rates, thereby providing them with better incomes and incentivising the continued production of specialty coffees.”

Maria describes the coffees produced by her suppliers as exquisite. The coffee is grown in such incredibly remote areas of the mountains, where farmers often lack basic resources, making the role played by the cooperative even more significant by providing training and assistance programmes to ensure successful harvest and longevity. “Sustainability is also paramount, as these producers are located in areas critical to the world, such as water sources, natural forests and diverse wildlife,” says Maria. “They are responsible for caring for and preserving these areas while continuously optimising their equipment to improve water and energy consumption, thus making significant contributions to the community at large.”

“The primary activity is coffee production, supplemented with the cultivation of other foods –aiming for increased self-sustainability”

Speaking of customer perception to Andina Coffee, Maria explains that it has been a fascinating journey. “Andina has been an interesting and challenging concept, as people think that by roasting at origin, our coffees aren’t fresh,” she says. “However, with the business model that we have implemented, we can guarantee freshness in all our coffees. Our communication strategy has always been around this and people really enjoy our coffee. The social aspect is interesting for a lot of people and always attracts new clients who want to learn more about what we do and how we do it.”

MEET THE GROWERS

COLOMBIAN VALUES

Andina Coffee uses colourful artwork on its store fronts and throughout its packaging. The brand worked with a Colombian marketing company called S&Co to create illustrations and designs that would showcase Andina’s commitment to quality and their farmers. Andina Coffee’s values are:

Experts: We belong to a coffee tradition that has the knowledge and experience to produce the best coffees in the world.

Authentic: We truly represent the best of Colombia. We are proud of our roots, our ancestors and our history. Every part of it has made us resilient and stronger for future generations.

Joyful: We are Latin American and carry the tropics’ passion and joy. We want to share it with people around us.

Connectors: We build a community not only of coffee lovers but one that enjoys nature, travelling, new friendships and simple things in life.

Premium: We look for the best coffee in Colombia. It is hand-picked and roasted at origin to maintain all the characteristics of Colombian geography. Then we transport it carefully to our customers.

Socially committed: We guarantee that farmers receive the highest possible price for their coffee. This way, we contribute to generating prosperity and a better future for the farmers.

Respectfulness: We honour our land, protect the forests and enhance the lives of our farmers to create a world where people and business thrive in harmony.

BACK TO SCHOOL?

Training and education within the coffee industry can be complex issues to navigate. Tristan Parker asks two professionals for advice on the best approach

Even a cursory online search reveals a wealth of information when it comes to training, skills and education within the coffee industry. There is, however, less advice available about when and why they can be most useful. This is particularly true for business owners and operators, who face a range of questions and dilemmas when weighing up potential training.

For example, should you use any and all opportunities to train up staff? What benefits will that bring your business? Should you ‘upskill’ staff who are already well trained? Should training focus purely on barista skills or is it beneficial for staff to go deeper into the industry and production, learning about subjects like growing and roasting? Is it sensible for business owners to join the training alongside employees?

These are some of the questions we wanted to answer, to clarify how skills development and education can be best harnessed for everyone involved. At its most effective, training can provide personal growth and real-world business boosts, alongside the (hopefully) obligatory increase in skills. But whether you’re a barista or a business owner, knowing exactly what you want to achieve from specialised training beforehand is essential in order to get the most from it.

To help paint a clearer picture of the options available, we spoke to two professionals, each with extensive experience of providing training and education across the industry. Here are their takes on what factors people need to take into account.

LONDON SCHOOL OF COFFEE

Heidi Philip-Smith, Trainer

Established in 2002, the London School of Coffee offers both in-person and online training, led by trainers from around the world with wide-ranging expertise. Areas of study include barista skills, brewing, latte art and green coffee and sustainability. londonschoolofcoffee.com

There are many benefits to advancing coffee and retail skills while managing a business. Improving your skills not only boosts the value of your business, but also aids your team in consistently delivering top-notch service and products. Moreover, investing in structured training shows a commitment to your staff’s growth, which is crucial for retaining talent, especially in competitive recruitment scenarios. Exploring coffee training can be enjoyable, offering insights that can greatly benefit your business.

While the benefits of training are numerous, it’s essential to recognise that mastering skills – for example, latte art – takes time and dedication. Managing expectations about skill-development timeframes is crucial. Additionally, training should be seen as an ongoing process, stressing the importance of consistency and practice.

Training and self-improvement can absolutely result in real-world business boosts. By upskilling your team, you establish consistency across your stores, instilling customer confidence in the quality and consistency of your offerings.

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At the London School of Coffee, we offer tailored training for teams of all sizes, ensuring comprehensive knowledge development. Ensuring that every cup meets your standards can enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction, leading to increased business success. There are also other advantages to enhancing skills through training. Besides immediate benefits like improved product quality and customer satisfaction, training fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of your product and process. This newfound passion can be contagious, inspiring both staff and customers. Sensory training and brewing courses also offer valuable insights. Sensory training is invaluable for developing your ability to taste and understand different flavours, which facilitates effective communication with both your team and customers. Brewing courses further explore extraction methods, water quality and brewing parameters, enabling you to elevate your coffee

to new levels. With these skills, you can provide expert advice on retail offerings and recommend the best brewing methods for specific flavour profiles, enriching the specialty experience.

When coffee shop owners join training sessions alongside their staff, it helps them grasp staff challenges better and even sharpens their management skills. But whether owners should join in or organise separate training sessions depends on what works best for their coffee shop. It’s about balancing owner availability and resources with what the shop needs to thrive.

There are some additional avenues for business owners and operators to seek out advice on improving their business. Besides utilising online resources and industry publications, gathering inspiration and insights from other coffee shops through research and observation provides valuable perspectives. Networking with industry professionals and attending conferences or workshops also fosters growth and innovation.

RAF & CO

Raf Mlodzianowski, Coffee development consultant

After beginning his career as a barista, Raf later became an authorised trainer, certified Q grader and independent consultant, working with everyone from start-ups to major multinational companies and specialist green coffee importers. rafandco.com

One of the reasons I moved more into consultancy was because when I worked in coffee shops, I really struggled with finding information. My personal growth was stunted, so I ended up finding that information by myself. Realistically, there is – more or less – one major organisation supplying education in the coffee industry and I think that’s a bit of a problem, because if there’s one organisation taking one specific approach, it’s not always the most suitable thing for every need. The education that’s out there from that organisation is, for specific and certain requirements, a very good thing, but it doesn’t always fit into everything.

We don’t really have an industry database with easy access to consultants or anything outside of a few major industry leaders. That’s something I personally found difficult, but these days, it is a bit better. There are online education systems you can pay for and get good theory from. There’s also a balance between improving skills at work and over-learning – finding something

in that middle ground is tricky. That’s where a private consultant comes in, someone who can come into your business, look at what you’re doing and develop a programme based on what needs improving.

Some business owners are scared to invest in training staff, because they say that once they do this, staff leave soon afterwards. Bigger cafe brands tend to base staff education more on long-term career goals, giving training every six months or so, which leads to more skills and eventually to career progression. It’s tricker with an independent that has just one or two locations, because while training makes someone better at their job, they might then feel restricted in their role because you can’t offer them the next step.

Education is a very good thing and we should all be trying to upskill and support the growth of the industry. However, I think how it’s done needs to be thought through carefully, essentially so that you don’t demotivate your employees.

Learning everything is great, but day to day, you won’t use a lot of those skills.

From a business owner’s perspective, the solution is to have a strong philosophy of what

you are as a business and what you’re willing to do. Know who your employees are and what they want. If you have someone who’s extremely motivated and wants to grow their career, you need to be honest with them from the start and say, “This is what I can offer you.”

Discuss more personalised education or training for each staff member. If you’re a small independent shop that can’t offer big career progression, a more collaborative way of working together can be very useful. Some people are very happy to stay working in one role, and a little bit of training can improve elements of their job and help them better understand what they’re doing. Others might want to go deeper, so you can allow some leeway in certain areas. For example, after completing training, they could take more control over the hand-brewed coffee.

Good-quality resources on training and skills are becoming harder to find. When I was looking to shift from barista to more advanced skills, there was a lot of free material floating around. These days, it’s not so centralised. Resources are now mostly online. There are a couple of interesting YouTube personalities and people on

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Instagram who do useful, in-depth training, but there’s also a lot of noise and people throwing opinions about without backing them up.

An interesting place to start is with Samo Smrke from the University of Zurich’s Coffee Excellence Center. His Instagram has lots of useful and precise ‘factoids’ and you can also see who engages with that, which will direct you to other relevant pages.

Barista Hustle has very good theory in its online resources, and if you need something more practical, with a trainer, the SCA still has that covered. In terms of free resources, you need to go online and spend time looking for people covering things more rigorously.

Upskilling can also offer wider, general benefits. A big one is reducing wastage. If you have an unskilled barista dialling in your espresso machine every morning, you could lose up to half a kilo if they’re wasting shots by repeatedly trying to get something that tastes good. If you calculate that per day for a whole year, it’s a significant loss. Skilling up a barista to do that in two or three shots takes your wastage from half a kilo of coffee to perhaps 60 or 80 grams. It’s a similar situation with baristas being able to steam milk effectively.

A lot of these small things add up and that’s where education comes in. Honing those skills makes people more confident, which makes them do things more precisely, which then helps reduce wastage.

One final thing to say about education is that it doesn’t always have to be external. A lot of

businesses fail to do things like team building through education. I don’t know many coffee shops that do cuppings with the staff anymore – that’s a great way to expand the knowledge of your team. Or you can do games like ‘blindfold espresso’, which hones skills in a fun way. There are lots of things you can do without having to spend money on external resources or paid trainers and consultants. That sort of educational team building is something a lot of coffee shops could benefit from.

My key takeaway is to listen to staff more. Often, it’s a lack of understanding about what staff do, what they want to do and where they want to go that can lead to bigger issues.

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How to build a tribe of Superfans

Part three of Andrew and Claire Bowen

’s unseen

makings of coffee shop

success

In our last two articles for Coffee House Magazine, we have endeavoured to show you what goes on behind the scenes to make a successful coffee business, from the culture and financial controls to location and size. However, some elements are so obvious that people could easily overlook them.

The first is the menu. Writing an OK menu or developing an outstanding one can be the difference between struggling to survive or thriving. So what are the elusive factors that a fabulous menu possesses? Let’s start with ABCDE – Attractive, Balanced, Costed, Deliverable and Exciting.

• Attractive

Do your menu items attract your ideal customer? Do they meet their dietary needs for vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, healthy eating and indulgence?

• Balanced

Your menu should cover all the day parts that you are open, typically breakfast, lunch and afternoon, with a balance of sweet and savoury

and plenty of upselling opportunities, like side dishes or items to take away and consume later.

• Costed

You must know how much everything you make costs to produce so you can price to achieve your gross profitability target.

• Deliverable

Each menu item should be produced quickly, ideally in less than three minutes, to prevent service bottlenecks. If you use a third-party delivery service, the dish needs to survive a trip on the back of a bike and be profitable enough to cover the delivery fees.

• Exciting

Every menu item should bring your guests joy through its presentation, taste or emotion, be a feast for their eyes and be Instagrammable. From the plates you serve to the garnish, there are unlimited ways to make even the most mundane of menu items look a million dollars. And what you name a menu item will significantly affect its taste and worth. ‘Grandma’s delicious handmade chocolate fondant cake’ will always taste better

ACTION PLANS

and sell for more than ‘Choc Cake’, even though they are the same.

If you have the Costa or Starbucks app, you will be used to receiving regular communication from them. This all happens quietly in the background. They are building a tribe of Superfans. A Superfan is someone who loves your business as much as you do. They are evangelists who tell everyone how great your coffee is and how much they enjoy visiting. They are the ultimate unpaid word-of-mouth marketing machines.

Developing Superfans starts with building rapport through communication. The bigger chains use their apps, but you can also very cheaply use a marketing automation system like Mailchimp or an add-on to your EPOS.

You need to get to know your guests and collect their contact details, including their

birthdays, so that you can celebrate with them. We built up an extensive list for our VIP Club; members received a free coffee on joining and an automated email every week for 26 weeks telling them all about us, our team, our suppliers and key menu items. They then received regular updates on seasonal and new menu items and a free cake on their birthday.

We know this worked because when people signed up, they came back more often and knew more about what we stood for as a business. We sent out an email about our Easter drink from the office, and by the time we got back to the counter, someone was ordering three of them because, “They looked so good in the email.”

If you don’t have the Costa or Starbucks app on your phone, download it to see what they’re doing and to remind yourself to communicate with your guests more frequently. Over half, 53

“A Superfan is someone who loves your business as much as you do. They are evangelists who tell everyone how great your coffee is”

per cent, of Starbucks customers now order through their app, so much so that they have started redesigning their stores in some locations to cope with their guests’ changing behaviour.

We don’t need to persuade you about the power of social media in our society. Yet we follow hundreds of coffee shop social media accounts and less than one per cent post daily.

products, your guests, your charities or the weather. Some of our best-viewed posts were videos about the weather; we did a snow report that encouraged people to come out when they saw traffic moving freely! The social platforms will even give you unique insights into who your fans are and allow you to target them with advertising without spending a fortune.

Daily posting on your social media should be mandatory for all independent coffee businesses. The best way to get through social media algorithms is to post regular, engaging content, as social media companies want to keep people on their sites longer.

Pick the most popular channel with your guests and spend less than an hour a week scheduling the posts. You can post about almost anything, as our type of business has a rich vein of exciting stuff every day. Post about your team, your

We have recently seen a positive impact on our client’s sales, moving from one post monthly to one daily. They have used it to sell out events, special occasions like Mother’s Day, and to generate sales of Gift vouchers at Christmas.

Your guests want to know more about you, your team and your business. Using social media, email marketing and app-based loyalty programmes has never been easier or cheaper for coffee shops and cafes to build their own tribe of Superfans.

Baristas: what’s the future?

Sue Quinn looks at the new direction of travel for specialty coffee

Pop in for a brew at Blank Street, the pistachio-green New York coffee chain that’s sprouted around 30 branches in the UK in under two years, and you might conclude that baristas are facing an existential crisis.

The chain’s concept – alongside its smallfootprint locations, Instagrammable design and menu of colourful matcha drinks – is affordability. A flat white or cappuccino is 20p to 30p cheaper than at Pret a Manger. And what makes this possible – in part – is automation.

Blank Street ‘baristas’ make drinks on Eversys Shotmaster automatic espresso machines, which means branches need fewer staff than traditional specialty cafes, so labour and training costs are lower.

Blank Street’s UK MD, Ignacio Llado, told an audience at the Allegra European Coffee Symposium in Barcelona earlier this year that using automated drink machines was one way the firm was “simplifying the operation and making it as seamless as possible,” while keeping costs down. It begs the question: will this be the direction of travel for specialty coffee generally?

Edwin Harrison, co-founder of Artisan Coffee School and the small chain of Artisan coffee shops, doesn’t believe Blank Street’s approach

marks the beginning of the end of skilled baristas. “But the technology available now is getting better and better, so the barista’s role is changing,” he says

Harrison predicts some coffee shops will follow Blank Street’s lead and fully embrace automation. “That’s not necessarily either a good thing or bad thing,” he says. “It’s just dictated by the owner and what they’re trying to achieve.”

If that goal is to reduce costs, replacing baristas with fully automated machines will appeal. Precise dosing, for example, reduces waste, and consistency cup after cup helps to keep customers coming back. Also, removing the need for baristas to repeat the same task hundreds of times a day (tamping for example), reduces the risk of staff injury.

So, where does that leave the role of the barista? “For an owner who is embracing the technology and trying to reduce labour costs, the barista reverts to being a lovely, bubbly person who has more of a front of house and customer service role,” Harrison says.

With labour shortages continuing to plague the coffee industry, this could make the difference between a cafe staying afloat or closing. “A company like Blank Street has solved the labour

shortage problem by using technology to change the role of the barista from skills based to hospitality focused,” Harrison says.

Other specialty coffee operators will choose a different path and the role of the barista could become more important than ever. “If the owner wants to open a specialty coffee shop where coffee is the main focus, that will be their point of difference,” Harrison says.

George Kerridge, a senior barista with Origin, a B-corp certified roastery and chain of specialty coffee shops in England and Scotland, agrees. Some specialty cafe operators will embrace aspects of advanced coffee-making technology, he believes. For example, espresso machines that automatically weigh coffee grounds and liquids enable baristas to work with speed and accuracy at high volume, but their skills, knowledge and passion still go into every cup.

“I think what we’re seeing is the automation of small elements that allow specialty coffee to be more affordable and accessible,” Kerridge says.

But he admits it can be challenging to find that sweet spot between embracing technology and retaining the craft of coffee making.

“There is a constant dance between keeping coffee making an art, allowing the barista to express their taste and what they enjoy in coffee, and balancing that against automation that can make the process quicker, more exact and involve less human error,” Kerridge says.

He predicts that operators who choose the traditional specialty coffee route will need their baristas to be at the top of their game, not only as coffee makers but also as educators.

Specialty coffee lovers are ever more discerning and want to know why they’re paying the best part of £4 – or more – per cup. Here, the perception of quality is vital, Kerridge believes. Customers need to be able to watch the coffee being made with skill and care, and learn from the barista about its journey from bean to cup.

“The more your barista knows about the coffee they’re serving, the more customers will keep

going back,” he says. “That also helps cafes warrant the increased price of coffee. People are willing to pay learn more about it.”

Kerridge notes a shift in the atmosphere of specialty coffee shops, too, as more cafes are creating relaxed and accessible environments where customers can enjoy a sense of community and human connection. To this extent, baristas will have to sharpen their communication skills and become more customer-service focused.

“We’ve now got baristas in their 30s or 40s who have gone through thinking coffee is almost holy and quite pretentious,” Kerridge says. “They’re wanting that sense of community back but are still keen to maintain the quality of the coffee.”

It could be that baristas with extensive knowledge of coffee’s journey from bean to cup will move away from making brews in a retail setting to sourcing beans, working with coffee farmers or using their expertise in roasteries.

Those with a good knowledge of coffee as well as a knack for customer engagement will continue to have an important role in relaxed, accessible cafes serving affordable coffee.

“Coffee to me is still an art,” says Kerridge. “If it’s just made by pressing a button, it would be like by buying an ‘original’ painting done by AI.”

“There is a dance between keeping coffee making an art, and balancing that against automation that can make the process quicker, more exact”

OUT AND ABOUT

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

WORTH THE GRIND

We’re delighted for London-based coffee brand, Grind, which recently achieved B Corp status. The business, which runs 14 London sites alongside a retail arm, gained the accreditation two years after it first applied. B Corp was founded in 2006 and has since grown to include more than 8,000 companies worldwide that have been independently audited on their ethical standards and commitment to bring benefit to shareholders, workers, customers and the planet.

Grind joins just over 2,500 B Corp businesses in the UK. The brand’s sustainability efforts include selling compostable coffee pods and recyclable packaging, as well as supporting ocean clean-ups. Its charity, Better Coffee Foundation, aims to undo the environmental damage caused by the global coffee industry.

David Abrahamovitch, founder and chief executive of Grind, says, “We originally applied for the B Corp certification two years ago, but our rapid growth meant evaluating every area took time. Finally achieving certification is worthy of celebration.” grind.co.uk

LONDON ELECTRIC

California technology company Bellwether Coffee has announced its expansion into the European market with its first roaster installation in collaboration with London-based coffee brand, Hagen. Bellwether Coffee makes ventless, electric coffee roasters that allow retailers to roast coffee beans on site. “Hagen is focused on delivering premium specialty coffee and

committed to doing that sustainably,” says Tim Schroeder, founder of Hagen. “By partnering with Bellwether Coffee to roast our coffee blends in-house on the all-electric, ventless machine, we are continuing to provide our guests with the best while reducing our carbon footprint.”

The partnership is Bellwether’s first step into the European market. thehagenproject.com.

GLOBAL MERGER

Glasgow-based coffee roaster Matthew Algie has become the flagship coffee brand in the UK and Ireland for its parent company, Hamburg-based Tchibo. The strategic merger sees Tchibo Coffee Services and Dublin-based Capitol Foods trade under the Matthew Algie brand. The move aims to generate synergies and efficiencies across the company’s consolidated coffee, beverages, food and equipment offering. matthewalgie.com

BUBBLES IN BRUM

With the bubble tea trend showing no signs of slowing down, it’s no surprise that a global bubble tea franchise has launched its latest outlet in Birmingham. Taiwan-based brand, Gong cha, chose Birmingham’s New Street as the location for its 13th UK store, which opened in March. Founded in 2006 and international since 2009, Gong cha currently has nearly 2,100 stores

across 24 countries around the world. Gong cha’s menu offers customers the chance to create fully customisable drinks. From brownsugar tapioca pearls to coconut jelly, there’s a huge variety of bases to choose from, meaning that there are more than 600 product combinations to taste. gong-cha.co.uk

GIN-TASTIC

Innovative Welsh company, Grounds for Good, has unveiled its latest creation: gin made from used coffee grounds, packaged in a recycled paper bottle. Founded in 2020 by Dr Rosie Oretti, Grounds for Good uses old coffee grounds to create beauty products, candles, chocolate, body scrubs, firelighters – and now gin. The company teamed up with Hensol Castle Distillery in Wales to create the gin that comes in Frugal Bottles by Frugalpac. groundsforgood.co.uk

HASBEAN TO OZONE

UK specialty coffee roaster Hasbean has officially changed its name Ozone Coffee. Hasbean was acquired by Ozone Coffee in June 2018 and has now fully switched to the London-based specialty coffee roaster’s branding following several years of planning. Hasbean said the visual identity changes reflected closer ‘alignment between the two brands’ and was “a small step in our journey to becoming the ultimate coffee hosts.” Hasbean said coffee sourcing, roasting, subscriptions and wholesale customers will be unaffected by the full switch to Ozone Coffee branding. Founded in New Zealand in 1998 as a roastery and cafe business, Ozone Coffee has two branches there in New Plymouth and Auckland. It entered the UK in 2012 and currently operates four outlets in London. ozonecoffee.co.uk

FARM TO CUP

We were excited to pop into Alema Coffee, a new shop in Bury St Edmunds that sources Ecuadorian coffee directly from farm to cup. Situated on High Baxter Street, Alema Coffee was opened in March by founder Fabian Macas, who will sell arabica coffee with beans directly from his family farm in Loja, Ecuador.

A portion of the profits will be going back to support the family business. Fabian says, “The feedback so far has been great and I’m excited to be opening. Our website has now also launched and people have been buying from there already. I really believe in this project and in helping support my family’s farm back home, providing a fair price for the hard work they do.” The small shop will have five to six seats inside for customers. alemacoffee.com