Beanscene Aug 2021

AUGUST 2021

A World-Class Coffee Magazine

More than meets the eye The new frontier of user engagement

KeepCup’s Abigail Forsyth on the reuse movement Black Bag Coffee Roaster’s time for change Fairtrade’s helping hand for Honduras How to achieve the perfect workflow

PRE-GRIND OR GRIND ON DEMAND DESIGNED FOR WORKFLOW AND PURPOSE BUILT FOR SPEED AND CONSISTENCY. MARKIBAR’S IZAGA COMBINES EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICALITY AND FUNCTIONALITY. Built with two operating modes Pre-Grind and Grind On Demand. In Pre-Grind mode the IZAGA delivers an instant dose, allowing baristas to allocate time spent grinding elsewhere in their workflow, saving up to 7 seconds per double dose. The IZAGA’s traditional workflow setting Grind On Demand will cater to off-peak pe periods. The IZAGA also features an isolated grinding chamber with an intelligent ventilation system enabling cooler grinding and consistent dosing.

It’s efficiency without compromise on quality.

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AUGUST 2021

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contents UPFRONT

12 NEWS 14 STUFF ON THE SCENE INDUSTRY PROFILES

16 KNOWLEDGE LEADER

KeepCup co-founder Abigail Forsyth on the ebb and flow of the sustainable reuse movement

20 CELEBRITY CHEF

Frank Camorra explains why the best coffee experiences often have nothing to do with quality

25 THE FIRST STEP

Victoria Arduino on becoming a fixed community feature on the Australian coffee industry

33 A HELPING HAND

Fairtrade and Jasper Coffee on why farmer support goes beyond coffee production

44 PLAY THE FIELD

Espressology on the value of single origin coffees in the café market

49 THE TIME IS NOW

Black Bag Coffee Roasters makes its mark on the coffee industry

52 JUST ADD WATER

Will & Co provides cafés with a new revenue source that makes coffee accessible on the go

54 ON THE MARKET

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Kahawa Estate Coffee is looking for a new owner

beanscenemag.com.au

56 FILTER OUT THE NOISE

60 THE MATURATION OF MELITTA

58 PROMOTE YOUR PASSION

SKILL BASE

Brita Professional range meets the professional needs of any café

Star Outdoor’s 15-year contribution to helping cafés maximise their brand potential

62 SETTLE A CLIMATE SCORE

Happy Happy Foods displays its carbon score on its packaging

65 THE GOLD STANDARD

Riverina Fresh grows alongside the specialty coffee industry

70 TAKES THE CAKE

Toby’s Estate excites the market with its flavour savour series

72 THE FUTURE IS FUNCTIONAL

Radicle by Kerry offers functional oats that’s emerging as plant-based frontrunners

74 MICE2021

Celebrating new and returning features of this year’s show

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

29 THE PERFECT WORKFLOW

How the automatic Perfect Moose milk foamer improves workflow and cost per cup

37 GOING FOR A SPIN

Quinspin streamlines the untidy step of portafilter cleaning

41 FROM NANO TO MEGA FOAM Why the NanoFoamer helps anyone pour latte art

Melitta celebrates its 40th year in Australia

82 ESPRESSO YOURSELF

Australian Latte Art Champion Victor Vu debuts his Sparton Warrior design

84 A BARISTA’S GUIDE TO DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

Matthew Lewin on how oat milk represents the next step in plantbased milks

86 TRAINING TACTICS

Babin Gurung demonstrates the key techniques to latte art

CAFÉ SCENE

76 CAFÉ SCENE

Around Australia

80 AT WHAT COST?

Bombora’s Cameron McDonald on finding the right water filtration solution for each café

88 ASCA

SCA President Bruno Maiolo A shares plans moving forward

89 NZSCA

The rise of the New Zealand Barista Championship. Part 3

90 PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Celebrating industry movements

The new black

vershoot o c e n e c S n Bea

PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au ASSISTANT EDITOR Ethan Miller ethan.miller@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST Shanna Wong shanna.wong@primecreative.com.au

Victoria Arduino Australia Experience Lab 8 Breese St, Brunswick VIC 3056 03 0404 095 318 www.victoriaarduinoau.com.au

ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey

For the August edition of BeanScene, we headed to the booming coffee suburb of Brunswick in Melbourne, home to the new Victoria Arduino Experience Lab. As BeanScene Editor Sarah Baker and regular photographer Blake Storey walked up Breese Street, a brick veneer building with a large display window caught our eye – stylish enough to rival any high-end fashion store at the top end of Collins Street. But instead of haute couture, was a display of Victoria Arduino’s finest crafted espresso machines underneath the brand's iconic wings symbol.

Inside, we discovered a modern showroom combining Melbourne’s unique industrial culture with Italian class. On one wall is a giant handprinted mural and on the other, a large display screen airing replays of the World Barista Championship, of which the Victoria Arduino Black Eagle was the official used espresso machine from 2015 to 2019.

Then, there’s a humble display celebrating the brand’s existence since 1905. In that time it's produced a swag of models, many of which are on display, and for guest usage, in the Lab, but in the middle of the showroom on a modular benchtop was the newest addition to the VA suite, the Eagle One Prima, ready for its closeup.

“It may the smallest model in the room, but it was the most striking,” says BeanScene Editor Sarah Baker. “The Prima is stylish, economical, and redefining home espresso machines. Over the past 18 months, coffee lovers have indulged in their appliances to ensure they can replicate barista quality coffee at home, and this piece of silverware has had an incredible uptake.”

Victoria Arduino National Sales Manager Brett Dedman says from home benchtops to offices, architecture firms, and design studios, the Prima is finding its place in the Australian market for users who want a versatile coffee machine with premium design to suit every occasion.

To bring this ideology to life, our photographer Blake captured the machine in a range of positions with Brett running endless numbers of espresso extractions, one after another.

The cup's reflection in the stainless steel side panels made for an interesting effect behind the lens, as did our idea to utilise the Lab's beautiful indoor plants to create a jungle-like image, in many ways symbolic of the More than machine's hidden beauty. meets the eye The end result is an image the team is proud to have on the cover of our August edition, and the first espresso machine to grace the cover in 2021.

AUGUST 2021

The new frontier

A World -Class Coffe e Magaz ine

of user engagement

KeepCup’s Abigail Forsyth on the reuse movem ent

Black Bag Coffee Roaster’s time for change Fairtrade’s helping hand for Honduras How to achieve the perfect workflow

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DESIGN Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Courtney Walker courtney.walker@primecreative.com.au CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Zelda Tupicoff zelda.tupicoff@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS TEAM LEADER Janine Clements janine.clements@primecreative.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Blake Storey, Nick Collins CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Lewin, Babin Garung, Bruno Maiolo, Victor Vu, Emma McDougall, Cameron McDonald HEAD OFFICE Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 p: 03 9690 8766 f: 03 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.beanscenemagazine.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 03 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au BeanScene magazine is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher.

ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

COPYRIGHT

BeanScene magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by Christine Clancy. All material in BeanScene magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in BeanScene magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher unless otherwise stated.

Riverina

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riverinafresh.com.au @RiverinaFresh

*AWARD WINNING MILK & CREAM

The Riverina region is renowned for its agricultural diversity and history. We source only the very best dairy from our farms in Riverina region, and deliver it fresh to our specialty coffee partners daily. With 99 years of producing award winning milk and dairy from the Riverina, we believe origin matters.

*DIAA NSW 2020 Gold Medal – Gold milk & Cream. | Sydney Royal Awards 2021 Champion – Cream. | Sydney Royal Awards 2021 Gold – Full Cream & Gold milk

CONTRIBUTORS In each issue of BeanScene we profile a few of our talented contributors.

Babin Gurung is the New South Wales Barista Trainer of Suntory Coffee Australia. With a Masters degree in accounting from the University of Southern Queensland, the only numbers Babin crunches these days are extraction and dose times. He came to Australia from Nepal 11 years ago to study, fell in love with coffee, and hasn’t looked back. Babin has worked at many different cafés in Sydney, and now enjoys sharing his coffee knowledge and skills to help build a new generation of baristas.

Matthew Lewin is the 2019 ASCA Vitasoy Barista Champion, and Vitasoy ambassador and coffee consultant. Matthew has worked in the coffee industry for the past 10 years, honing his barista skills and coffee knowledge. He won the 2018 Fushan Cup Barista Championship in China. Matthew is currently the Sales and Guest Roaster Manager for Ona Coffee, and heads up its Research and Development team.

Cameron McDonald is the Business Development Manager at Water Filtration Specialist for Bombora Coffee + Water Supplies.

Joining the Bombora team in 2018, Cameron holds more than 15 years of experience working for two of the world’s leading international water filtration manufacturers, 3M Australia and Brita.

Having collaborated with some of Australia’s toptier machine, appliance, food service equipment, quick-serve restaurant, and plumbing and hardware companies, Cameron brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise in the specialised field of water filtration.

Victor Vu is the 2020 ASCA Australian Pauls Professional Latte Art Champion. Born in Vietnam, Victor worked for three years in hospitality before coming to Australia where he has spent the past six years perfecting his latte art skills.

Victor won the 2018 Milklab Barista Battle, 2019 Victorian Breezey Masters, 2020 ASCA Southern Regional Latte Art Championship, and the National title. He is currently completing his hospitality studies and works at Ona Coffee Melbourne.

Emma McDougall is the Communication and Administration Coordinator for the NZSCA. After gaining a degree in hospitality management, Emma has worked in Sydney, Dublin, Auckland, London, and most recently, Wellington. She has owned and managed cafés and tech-judged the New Zealand Barista Championship in 2015 and 2016. Now, she gets to help run them. One of the greatest joys she gets from the coffee industry is watching young people progress through their coffee journey.

A word from the Editor

BEST FOOT FORWARD

W

hile watching television the other night, I was stunned at the volume of coffee commercials. I watched McCafé promote its “coffee fit for an Aussie” campaign, George Clooney as smooth as the Nespresso coffee he was holding, and Italian class oozing out of Lavazza’s Milan-based advert. What followed next was an episode of How to Stay Married with an entire segment exposing Lisa McCune’s character of having a single-use coffee cup addiction with her teenage daughter advocating the KeepCup. Coffee really is embedded in our everyday culture the way soccer is to the Italians.

While the battle of the big brands play out on our TV screens, behind the scenes is a passionate industry working hard to retain its discerning reputation. Once such brand making its presence known after seven years is Black Bag Coffee Roasters. In my chat with General Manager Lance Brown, he spoke of his passion for wanting to elevate commercial coffee and upscale the offering, and it has, with a growing number of private label customers and awards for coffee excellence.

Another recent award recipient is KeepCup co-founder Abigail Forsyth, presented with an Order of Australia Medal for her ability to help turn a convenience culture into an international solution from a simple gap in the market. For years, Abigail fought to bring awareness to the Australian community about the dangers of non-recyclable single use cups, and largely through word of mouth, her reusable cup business has grown and kept evolving.

Word of mouth is a powerful testimonial. When we enjoy a new coffee we tell our friends, and when we discover a new product that has the ability to enhance our workflow and improve our overall output, we shout it from the rooftop. So, in this edition of BeanScene, we celebrate the products and services dedicated to upholding the Australian coffee culture’s reputation for excellence, and encourage you to share it far and wide. But unlike a typical 30-second TV commercial, this valuable resource will indulge you a little longer.

SARAH BAKER

Follow us on Twitter @BeanSceneEd ‘Like’ us on Facebook @BeanSceneCoffeeMag Follow us on Instagram @beanscenemag

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NEWS

JDE PEET’S ACQUIRES CAMPOS COFFEE International coffee giant JDE Peet’s has announced its acquisition of Australian specialty roaster Campos Coffee, which subject to limited pre-closing conditions, is expected to be completed during July 2021.

“The Campos team have built an incredible brand and network across Australia, delivering award winning and consistently outstanding coffee to their customers,” JDE Peet’s Australia & New Zealand General Manager Albert Moncau says.

“The business is a perfect fit for us and we look forward to welcoming the Campos team to our world of coffee and tea, learning from each other’s expertise and building on their award winning coffee experience.”

Campos Coffee is a specialty coffee leader in Australia, available in more than 600 cafés and present in multiple channels including direct-to-consumer, retail, and its own flagship cafés. Over the years, the Campos team have built a strong and growing business which complements JDE Peet’s Australian coffee business in both the out-of-home and retail segments.

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved from our humble beginnings on the streets of Newtown in Sydney. The transaction will enable the Campos brand to further unlock its true potential. JDE Peet’s has become

Australia’s leading pure-play coffee business by respecting the heritage and uniqueness of local coffee brands,” says Will Young, Founder of Campos Coffee.

“We are confident that Campos can and will continue to grow under their stewardship by continuing to focus on what made us Australia’s number one specialty coffee brand – high quality coffee and great service to our

café partners.”

Campos Coffee started from humble beginnings back in 2002 with a single café and roaster in Newtown, Sydney.

In 2020, Campos generated revenues of approximately $50 million and expanded its availability to coffee lovers at home, offering premium whole bean blends online and in selected Woolworths supermarkets.

JDE Peet’s announced its acquistion of Campos Coffee in June.

WA GOVERNMENT TO BAN SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS BY END OF 2022 Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics has been fast-tracked by four years and will see single-use plastics, which now include

Single-use disposable coffee cups and lids have been added to WA’s Plan for Plastics ban.

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coffee cups and lids, to be banned by the end of 2022.

WA’s Plan for Plastics serves as a roadmap for WA as it moves towards a sustainable, plastic-free state.

The plan will be implemented in two stages with stage one seeing banning of all single use plastic bowls, cups, plates, cutlery, straws, polystyrene food containers, thick plastic bags, and helium balloons by 31 December 2021.

Coffee cups and lids will be banned in the second stage of WA’s Plan for Plastics, alongside plastic barrier and produce bags, cotton buds with plastic shafts, polystyrene packaging, microbeads, and oxo-degradable plastics, which will be banned by the end of 2022.

Consumers and businesses, however, will still be able to use environmentally friendly takeaway cups and lids.

“By bringing the timeframes forward for single-use plastic bags we can harness the community’s enthusiasm and our collective desire for change to make important improvements quickly and

effectively,” says Mark McGowan, Premier of Western Australia.

“The new timeframe still gives businesses time to adapt to these changes, with many businesses already switching to environmentally friendly alternatives at the request of customers.”

The NSW Government has also announced a $356 million investment to support the phasing out of single-use plastics and reducing food waste across the state.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) supports this move, with Paul Zahra, ARA CEO stating that the announcement is leading towards national harmonisation and phasing out of single-use plastics across the country.

“And whilst we recognise the significant environmental impact caused by single-use plastics, we need to ensure that these important changes are implemented in a way that minimises operational impacts for our members, with cost-effective sustainable packaging alternatives available to support the phase-out,” says Paul.

STUDY SUGGESTS COVID-19 WILL CAUSE SEVERE COFFEE PRODUCTION CRISIS A study led by American based Rutgers University has predicted that COVID19’s socio-economic effects will likely cause a severe production crisis within the coffee industry.

Titled ‘Epidemics and the future of coffee production’, the study saw researchers from the University of Arizona, University of Hawaii at Hilo, CIRAD, Santa Clara University, Purdue University West Lafayette, and University of Exeter take part.

“Any major impacts in the global coffee industry will have serious implications for millions of people across the globe, including the coffee retail market here in the United States,” says Kevon Rhiney, Lead Author and Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Rutgers-New Brunswick.

The study proposed that the coffee leaf rust (CLR) epidemic that has already impacted Latin America and the Caribbean over the past decade, in combination with COVID-19, has reduced crop care and investment into coffee farms. This trend was similarly found in the years after the 2008 global financial crises.

The study further stated that the impacts of COVID-19 on labour,

including unemployment, lockdowns, and international border policies could affect farmer investments in coffee plants.

With the coffee industry already having industry challenges from market price volatilities, climate change, plant diseases, and intuitional reforms, the culmination of COVID-19’s social and economic disruptions to the industry is predicted to drive the coffee industry into another production crises.

“Our paper shows that coffee leaf rust outbreaks are complex socio-economic phenomena, and that managing the disease also involves a blend of scientific and social solutions,” Kevon says.

“There is no ‘magic bullet’ that will simply make this problem disappear.

Addressing coffee leaf rust involves more than just getting outbreaks under control.

It also involves safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods in order to build resilience to future shocks.”

It was concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights both the strength and vulnerabilities that come from having a globalised coffee system.

“We can thus only have a healthy coffee system by building up the wellbeing of the most vulnerable. It is critical to recognise the key roles of labour

INFO@CWE.COM.AU

Researchers suggest COVID-19 has left coffee producers vulnerable to further shocks and challenges.

and healthy functioning ecosystems in producing and sustaining profits,” says the research team.

“This means challenging the status quo and the current coffee value chains to better recognise the value produced by small-scale producers, while at the same time uplifting essential but underrecognised parts of the production process, such as human health, food security, and sustainability.”

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STUFF ON THE SCENE

Stuff on the scene MAZZER SUPER JOLLY V PRO Mazzer has re-engineered its iconic Super Jolly V Pro grinder that has been used by baristas across the globe.

The new Super Jolly V Pro is designed for small to medium size cafés that are looking for reliability and quality, with the updated grinder made up of 93 per cent premium materials from stainless steel and aluminium to brass and copper.

With a recommended output of two to three kilograms per day, the Super Jolly V Pro is a cost-effective grinder that provides unparalleled accuracy with its new Grind Flow Control system that automatically maintenances consistent dose weigh.

The re-booted version sees optional Internet of Things connectivity features available upon request, alteration of the height and depth of the portafilter, minimisation of grind retention and more.

The Mazzer Super Jolly V Pro is available through Coffee Works Express.

For more information, visit www.cwe.com.au

MILKLAB OAT Milklab Oat is the new smooth and creamy alternative to dairy from Australia’s number one foodservice exclusive barista milk.

Made in Australia with 100 per cent Australian Oats, Milklab Oat has a rich, oat-y flavour and no added sugar delivering a natural subtle sweetness. Designed in true Milklab style in collaboration with baristas to texture, stretch and pour with high performance and perfectly complement the flavour of espresso coffee. Ask your barista for Milklab Oat. For more information, visit milklabco.com

PARADOX SINGLE ORIGIN COLLECTIVE

Paradox Coffee Roasters has launched the Paradox Single Origin Collective, giving cafés access to some of the best tasting single origin coffees sourced from Paradox’s favourite coffee farms from around the world and roasted by Paradox Head Roaster, Paul Golding.

Cafés can sign-up at no cost to receive a free sample box each month with a featured espresso roast, filter roast, and a rare high end Single Origin Limited Release.

Specialty origin coffees previously featured include a Colombia Pink Bourbon, Costa Rica Hacienda Pilas and a Brazil Pedra Batista Natural.

The Paradox team values the importance of coffee education, providing tasting notes and digital brew recipe clips so cafés and their baristas can taste and appreciate each coffee before purchasing.

From the farms they source from to their expert team that roasts and educates, Paradox Coffee Roasters are For The People, growing, roasting, educating, serving, and enjoying its coffee.

For more information, visit www.paradoxroasters.com

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VITASOY CAFÉ FOR BARISTAS ALMOND MILK Vitasoy has reformulated its Café for Baristas Almond Milk, working closely with some of Australia’s best baristas to achieve a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a round, smooth finish.

Almond represents a 55 per cent share among dairy alternatives in the coffee market, officially overtaking soy as the most requested alternative milk in Australia, according to the 2019 Square Australian Coffee Report.

Now you can create the perfect almond latte, made with Australian grown almonds.

For more information, visit vitasoycafe.com.au

WOLFF COFFEE ROASTERS CUCKOO FILTER BLEND Wolff Coffee Roasters’ new standout Cuckoo Filter Blend has an intensity that only the combination of a classic Java and Yemen coffee can provide, with a body and complexity rivalling that of an espresso blend.

With notes of lavender, black currant, black cherry, mandarin, and cedar, Wolff Coffee Roasters says it is so good that you’ll think you’ve gone, well, cuckoo.

For more information or to order online, visit wolffcoffeeroasters.com.au

Retail Revolution

GRINDERS COFFEE

Grinders believes everyone deserves a better coffee experience and with passion for great coffee, strives to evolve and meet the changing taste expectations of all Australians. This passion not only led to continuing innovation, but the expansion of the Grinders coffee range into retail over seven years ago, after decades of success on the streets in cafés.

Grinders Coffee recently launched its first industrially compostable capsules, now available online as well as independent supermarkets nationally. The new Grinders capsules will take only one year to breakdown in landfill, compared to plastic and aluminium capsules, which take 500 and 200 years to breakdown.

Grinders Coffee is setting high standards for its corporate sustainability agenda with its entire grocery range now ethically sourced through Rainforest Alliance and almost all their packaging now fully recyclable through its Red Cycle partnership.

“We have been delivering quality coffee filled with passion and expertise since 1962 and we don’t intend on stopping, says Sally Byrne, General Manager of Grinders Coffee.

“Our home is Australia. We care about Australians and their coffee tastes so we will continue to innovate to meet their ever-changing taste buds and expectations.”

As the world moves to new ways of working in a more flexible and agile workplace, Grinders Coffee also continues to innovate, and transform its business across all its platforms to give their customers the best coffee experience whether in retail, café or online.

In the past 12 months, Grinders has experienced more than 500 per cent growth in its e-commerce platform, www.grinderscoffee.com.au, which won the small to medium Australian web awards in 2020. More website upgrades are underway for a re-launch in August. Grinders in-home coffee beans also recently has been ranked in the top three at the 2021 Canstar Retail Coffee awards.

Grinders’ range expands across all key segments in growth including beans, ground, and capsules. Capsules and beans continue to lead the growth at double digits and Grinders bean share is at 17 per cent in major retailers, at third position and continues to grow ahead of the category.

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fsgds

KNOWLEDGE LEADER

LEADING THE WAR ON WASTE Abigail Forsyth has been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal for outstanding service to sustainable design. Seeing the single-use disposable cup waste generated in cafés, Abigail created the first KeepCup, years before TV show War on Waste would bring the issue to the forefront of Australia’s coffee industry.

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Finding a better way KeepCup co-founder and Order of Australia Medal recipient Abigail Forsyth discusses the ebb and flow of sustainable progress and the reuse movement in the coffee market.

T

he coffee industry has come a long way in the past 20 years.

When Abigail Forsyth founded BlueBag cafés with her brother Jamie in 1998, she tells BeanScene the takeaway coffee culture the Melbourne CBD is now famous for, had barely begun.

“We tend to forget that takeaway coffee is a recent phenomenon. We were actually one of the first cafés to introduce branded disposable cups. I remember a lawyer once came in and said drinking out of the disposable cup felt a little embarrassing, like he was drinking out of a sippy cup,” Abigail says.

“But over the years, the takeaway cup became a bit of a status symbol. It meant you were busy, in a rush, and important.

Now, it’s flipped back. People are seeing the catastrophic waste that’s being caused by convenience culture. We’ve run the full circle.”

The waste dilemma was apparent to Abigail from the arrival of Bluebag’s first minimum order of 50,000 branded single-use cups.

“I started thinking ‘if we’re using this many cups with only a couple of cafés, think of all the cafés in Melbourne, then in Australia and around the world’,” Abigail recalls. “We did a bit of research and realised they weren’t recyclable. We thought, there had to be a better way and looked into reusable cups.”

In 2006, Bluebag held a small trial with reusable soup mugs, offering a 50 cent discount if customers brought them back. Abigail says the success of the experiment convinced them there was a market for reusables.

On a visit to Myer, looking at possible cup alternatives, Abigail says she realised there was nothing that really suited the now booming Australian coffee culture.

“They were all like big thermoses, made with American-style drip coffee in mind, where you fill a big flask and drink it throughout the day,” she says.

“All the coffee we drank in Australia at the time was espresso and milk-

based, served in eight- or 12-ounce sizes. I wanted people to be able to inconspicuously reuse their cups, rather than make it difficult. It became about how you could enjoy the coffee better and just go about your day without making a fuss.”

And thus, KeepCup was born.

Now synonymous with reusable cups, KeepCups were designed to resemble and have the same functionality as single-use cups. This meant it was as easy to use for the barista as it was the coffee drinker.

“Little features like fitting underneath a group head, internal volumes the same as a disposable cup – I still can’t believe no one had done that yet – a press-on lid, and having the vessel drafted so it was easy to pour, really supported a quick service environment. It ensured that when people made coffee it was as fast as possible and aided them in making it great quality.” Abigail says.

“One of the things we’ve done successfully over the years is connect that quality and enjoyment of coffee with using a KeepCup.” But growing KeepCup was not without its challenges. Abigail says when the brand started more than a decade ago, most people thought single-use cups were recyclable and didn’t realise there was a problem.

“We had to educate people about the issue, then overcome the shyness of asking the barista to refill your KeepCup. We did a lot of work with cafés to normalise that behaviour,” she says.

“Cafés are our lifeblood. In Australia, 10 years ago independent cafés weren’t selling anything other than food and coffee, so KeepCup provided them with another revenue stream. It’s fair to say we grew with the independent scene in Australia, then similarly in the United Kingdom, and it followed from there.”

Thanks to this business model, KeepCups are now available in more than 75 countries, but the company is still headquartered in Clifton Hill, Victoria.

The café industry has continued to be a focus of KeepCup, recently launching a B2B online platform, making it more convenient for café owners to promote sustainable choices.

“Having run cafés ourselves, we know how busy they are, so being able to order products online, in your own time, makes life easier,” Abigail says.

“It also takes the customer into an ecosystem with point-of-sale support, photography, and tips and tricks to reduce their impact that goes beyond just selling the product. It’s about engaging cafés, making sure they enjoy using the product and adding value to their journey to reduce their impact.”

At the same time, Abigail says it’s the people who use KeepCups that are the best at promoting and sharing the company’s ethos.

“The advantage of KeepCup is that it’s brand in hand. If someone was in the queue to get a coffee and were holding a KeepCup, other people would see it and ask what it is. People using KeepCup are the ones leading the charge for sustainability, so when they answer ‘it’s a great product that I enjoy using and love drinking coffee from’, it starts to sell itself,” Abigail says. “Really, word of mouth is what’s grown the business and kept us in business all these years.”

A huge turning point for not only KeepCup, but the entire reusability movement occurred in 2017, with the airing of the ABC series War on Waste and David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II. War on Waste brought attention to the one billion coffee cups sent to landfill every year in Australia, while Blue Planet II raised awareness of the impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.

“It shifted dramatically from there.

We were once told to stop using the phrase ‘single-use’ to describe disposable cups, because no one understood what it meant. In 2018, it was The Guardian’s word of the year,” Abigail says.

“KeepCup is all about individual change, people taking it upon themselves to modify their own behaviour. Now

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KNOWLEDGE LEADER

we’re seeing the need and support for systemic change with bans coming in on single-use plastic products.”

Since 2017, KeepCup has also seen new waves of competition enter the market, as more businesses attempt to solve the problem of single-use cups.

“When we started, we saw ourselves as fighting the good fight against the disposable cups. Now we’ve created a category, where many people refer to all reusable cups as KeepCups, and we’re competing against other brands doing the same thing,” Abigail says.

“It’s changed the way we’ve messaged our product. We still talk about the issue of waste, non-recyclability, and singleuse, but we also need to talk about what makes KeepCup, the product and the business, great and unique.”

After years of building momentum, the reusable cup movement came to a grinding halt in March 2020, with the onset of lockdowns and closures due to COVID-19 around the world. Many cafés started refusing reusable cups, regardless of officials reaffirming their safety with hygiene advice.

“In a pandemic, you have to decide

how to respond and your role as a business. We saw ours as needing to step back and let the scientists and epidemiologists run the show. But the plastics industry worked hard during that time to equate hygiene with single-use,” Abigail says.

“We also carried out consumer surveys and discovered a lot of people were using KeepCups because they felt pressure to stop using disposable products. The pandemic gave them permission to go back, which told us that culture plays a significant role in impacting our behaviour. Now, we need to again promote the importance of reusing and reducing and rebuilding communities to support that.”

For her ongoing contribution to reducing waste and sustainable design, Abigail was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal on the Queen’s Birthday list for 2021.

“It was a bit of a surprise, really, but it was lovely to have the role KeepCup has had in driving this reuse movement recognised, as well as the role of design in sustainability, and how much that was a consideration of ours while developing

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the product,” Abigail says.

Sustainable design will again be at the forefront of KeepCup when it launches its new product range in October.

While Abigail, KeepCup, and its customers continue to champion the reduction of single-use waste, it will take a collective effort to solve the issues of waste and climate change. Already, Abigail says a lot of forward-thinking cafés are moving completely away from single-use packaging for their coffee and food.

“My experience is that you knock and knock and knock on the door, then the wall falls down,” Abigail says. “We’ve just completed a carbon analysis to begin the process of being carbon neutral by 2025, and the remaining impact of our product is the carbon produced to wash a KeepCup. “If we all used renewable energy, it would be practically zero. The whole issue of carbon neutrality is interdependent and not something any one person, company, or even country can achieve on our own. There’s a big conversation to be had here, only as a planet can we get to carbon zero.”

Not only are Baristas attractive, you have to work under pressure. Nine bars of pressure, to be exact. Not to mention the steam. Sounds like a good party? It can be, as long as everyone turns up and plays their part.

All milk is not created equal. Not everyone can handle the heat. Fact: Bonsoy won’t change its flavour profile when heated. With quality ingredients and certified organic soybeans, Bonsoy is non-GM and vegan, and it’s the perfect canvas for latte art and creamy coffee because it stretches further. In short, (or long macchiato) we do hotter, better. It’s no wonder our famous golden cartons are a beacon for quality around the globe.

FROM SPAIN TO MELBOURNE MASSES Frank Camorra’s MoVida venues celebrate the best of Spanish produce, technique and tradition through the lens of modern Australian food culture. MoVida Original launched in 2002 to critical acclaim, kick-starting the trend for shared plates and bar seating. The MoVida empire has grown to include Aqui, Next Door, and Bar Tini.

Credit: Melbourne F& T, 2015

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CELEBRITY CHEF

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A Spanish awakening Celebrated chef and dubbed ‘Godfather of contemporary Spanish cuisine’ Frank Camorra explains why the best coffee experiences often have nothing to do with the coffee quality.

“I really do think Australia is the best place to drink coffee in the world.

There’s no doubt about it,” Frank says.

“Unlike Geelong in the 70s, you don’t have to search hard to find good coffee.

It’s everywhere. And the fact that there’s innovation in it all the time is so impressive.

It’s also a testament to the country’s hospitality scene, which is so advanced compared to anywhere else in the world.”

“But you can’t have a Spanish restaurant without coffee. In Spanish food, you wouldn’t have a meal without bread, and you wouldn’t finish a meal without coffee.

It’s part of the conversation as well. When you get your coffee and sit back and relax, that’s when the real issues come out.”

To fuel that conversation, MoVida serves a popular Madrid digestif called Sol y Sombra, meaning sun and shade in

Credit: Nick Collins

F

rank Camorra’s face lights up with the smile of a Cheshire cat as his mind casts back to the days of his chef’s apprenticeship at a prominent Victorian coffee lounge.

“The Arab was the most iconic coffee house in Australia in the 60s. Think of the hippest, coolest, most bohemian place you could ever imagine, that was The Arab. Sadly, it’s no longer exists, but man, was that an interesting place to work.

There were wild parties, people smoking pipes, colourful cushions everywhere, and plenty of coffee. It was the first real coffee shop in Lorne [on the Victorian Great Ocean Road]. People would come back to relive the coffee experience they once had,” Frank says.

“For me, the best coffee memories are not just about the coffee but the environment, the atmosphere, the entire experience. Everyone has their favourite place, whether it be Marios on Brunswick Street, Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar in Melbourne’s CBD, or The Arab in my case. It may not be the place that serves the most amazing coffee but it’s the place that brings back the most memories.”

For Frank, those memories also include watching his mother visit a little café in Geelong for “her daily treat” – a cappuccino after the morning shopping, and the cafetière boiling on the kitchen stovetop. Even now when he visits his parents in the waterfront city, the cafetière comes out, and so does a bottle of anis liqueur.

Back in Spain, Frank describes the coffee culture as nothing short of “rubbish”, with strong, acidic, Arabicabased cortados and café con leche the most popular coffee beverages. Frank says coffee is often served with a shot of aniseflavoured alcohol to make the morning social ritual palatable. Thanks to Aussie expats, however, there’s a dynamic shift in coffee quality, and hopefully more on the horizon thanks to the next generation of passionate coffee lovers.

By Sarah Baker

Frank Camorra’s Spanish Paella served at MoVida Aqui.

Frank enjoys a bit of bitterness in the cup, and drinks mostly black coffee at his acclaimed MoVida restaurant, which serves Aroma Coffee. He also enjoys a cup from neighbouring Patricia Coffee Brewers or Market Lane when he visits the Queen Victoria Market.

“There’s the coffee you drink because you need a caffeine hit, something to get the heart rate pumping before service, and there’s coffee you drink because you want to enjoy its flavour and nuances – they’re two different things for me,” Frank says.

Spanish. It consists of equal parts brandy and anise dulce. There’s also carajillo – a typical hot Spanish drink of espresso with brandy. For extra oomph some people like to peel an orange, burn off the oil and add it to the coffee and rum concoction. It also makes the most amazing ice cream flavour.

Frank’s love and respect for Spanish cuisine has evolved over the years. Born in Barcelona before living in the southern Spanish town of Córdoba, Frank migrated with his parents to Australia in 1975 at just five years of age.

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Growing up in the industrial suburbs of Geelong, Frank and his family spent much of their time hanging out with the Spanish community. His parents ran the Spanish social club canteen, which he recalls as a daily hive of energy, food, dancing, and coffee shared among hundreds of Spanish migrant families and friends.

“The food culture was massive.

Everyone shared recipes and showed each other how to make chorizo, cured olives, and ham – things they would easily get at the local shops back in Spain, but couldn’t in Geelong at the time, so they had to learn to make it at home themselves and bring it to the club to share. It was an amazing experience and the first time I really saw people cooking for other people,” Frank says. “That’s how I got into cooking and why I enjoyed it.”

Frank completed five years of an architecture degree before his love for cooking took over. Initially, Frank says it was difficult to get a job as a mature age chef, but he worked his way up the ranks, coming back to Melbourne after his apprenticeship to work under Guy Grossi for eight years, eventually running a few of his restaurants as head chef.

“Guy was reinvigorating the cuisine he grew up with and I wanted to do

the same. I felt Spanish food had been underwhelming in Australia for a long time.

So, I went to Spain to get more experience and learn about the different regional cuisines,” Frank says.

On his return to Melbourne in the early 2000s, there was no shortage of head chef jobs in Italian restaurants, but no one wanted to hire a Spanish cook.

Instead, Frank started MoVida, a traditional Spanish restaurant that pioneered the idea of bar dining, shared food, and laneway eateries. It was first located in a pub before moving to Melbourne’s CBD where it gradually gained a loyal following and won multiple Chefs Hat awards and accolades.

“I remember in the first six months, people would walk in, the bar would be completely empty, and yet, people thought it wasn’t good enough and walked away.

Nowadays the bar is the most sought-after spot. It’s where you get interaction with the chefs and other customers and have an experience that’s about more than just the food,” Frank says.

In 2008, Frank opened MoVida Next Door – Australia’s first genuine tapas bar and Frank’s personal favourite for its simple, delicious food with street-bar appeal, transporting Frank straight to the

streets of Madrid. Then came MoVida Acqui in 2009, which embraces a larger, more corporate crowd, and MoVida Lorne, and ode to beachside Spanish dining with a focus on seafood and regional Otways produce.

Like most commercial chefs, 2020 tested Frank’s adaptability. After thinking the restaurants would hibernate for three months during the Melbourne lockdown, it was Frank’s staff and head chefs that were bored and wanted to put their energy to use. The team established traditional Menú el Día home delivery boxes of wholesome Spanish food. They also signed up to preprepared meal delivery service Providore and opened a small Mexican bar called Trasico.

“It’s been a hectic year. Despite the lockdown and being away from the dayto-day grind, it’s been taxing and squeezed the energy out of me. On the flip side it’s allowed me to be more hands on in the kitchen, which is what I know and love.

And it’s been great to watch the staff grow and progress,” Frank says.

“But I’m ready to grab a camper van with my wife and drive up to the Northern Territory with only an end date in mind. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I can’t wait.”

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TECHNOLOGY

The first step Victoria Arduino is now well and truly a fixture of the Australian coffee industry, with an Experience Lab and Eagle One Prima coffee machine engaging more members of the community.

The Victoria Arduino Experience Lab in Australia opened in March 2021.

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runswick has become a hub for specialty coffee, with the inner-city suburb home to many of the Melbourne’s leading roasters, finest cafés, and most dedicated coffee enthusiasts.

Victoria Arduino officially joined the neighbourhood in March 2021, opening the espresso machine and grinder manufacturer’s most impressive Experience Lab to date on Breese Street.

“When people visit, the first thing that excites them is the design. It’s beautiful.

They walk in and straight away, you hear ‘wow, this place is amazing’,” says Brett Dedman, Sales Manager for Victoria Arduino Australia.

“The Experience Lab is not only about showcasing Victoria Arduino and our machinery. We’re here to share our knowledge and work with the coffee community – from home users to café owners and roasters – to give people an

‘experience’ when they visit.”

Victoria Arduino’s latest equipment lines the shopfront window, providing passers-by with a glimpse of the visual style of the brand. Upon entering, a mural on the left wall feature some of the iconography of 115-year-old coffee brand. A display wall on the right acts like a timeline, displaying historic equipment alongside new mementos and machinery, showing the continued influence Victoria Arduino has over the coffee industry.

“The lab tells the story of who we are and where Victoria Arduino originated.

In Australia, the Mythos One has become the industry standard grinder, but a lot of people don’t know about the company or the rich history behind it,” Brett says.

“There’s a lot of history to be told about Victoria Arduino and values it has to share with the coffee community.”

Brett says the Experience Lab has been busy, with many roasters, café owners,

baristas, and home users passing through.

“Roasters pitching to cafés can use our lab as their showroom, or café owners or baristas can come and see the Eagle One for themselves. Our door is always open, you just need to let us know you’re coming by,” he says.

“The Experience Lab allows people to really touch and feel the machines, which a lot of home users really appreciate. You can always just buy a machine online, but we give them the chance to bring in their favourite coffee – or we’ve always got tasty coffee in the lab – to get a feel for the machine, drink coffee from it, and see exactly what they’re buying.”

The Eagle One Prima is Victoria Arduino’s flagship espresso machine for the domestic market. The name “prima” comes from being the Italian manufacturer’s “first step towards a new frontier” and first machine in a long time catered to coffee at home.

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The domestic Eagle Ona Prima shares internal components with the larger commercial Eagle One.

Released in mid-2020, the smart and versatile one-group espresso machine’s settings are programmed through the accompanying Victoria Arduino app, making it well suited to a coffee novice looking for a fantastic at-home experience.

Other users in mind include baristas stepping out with their own small business and roasters looking for a smaller machine to test for quality control in the roastery.

One such example is Karon Farm Coffee in Gordon, Victoria.

“We found you could exploit its functions to the finest degree, be that temperature control, water volume, and pre infusion, for example, or just use it as a dayto-day high-end set and forget machine,” says Luke McPherson, Owner of Karon Farm Coffee.

“I personally found it very forgiving.

Small errors in puck preparation didn’t seem to be as glaringly obvious as other machines I’ve used, and I loved the ability to share brew recipes for my roasts with other users.”

Luke adds the lever-activated Steam By Wire was particularly responsive and easy to use, and a quick start-up time tops off the Prima’s many features.

“We have used [the Prima] in the roastery since getting it for quality control, as well as daily duties to caffeinate me and our small team. Everyone has commented on how easy to use it was, just walk up, grind, tamp and shoot. They also

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commented on the unassuming beauty of it,” Luke says.

“I will be recommending the Eagle One Prima to high-end home users who really want to be able to control all variables and to our smaller-volume commercial customers who still want to serve really good coffee, as well as fellow roasters that need an espresso machine for quality control.”

In Brett’s opinion, what makes the Prima unique as a smaller, single-group, domestic coffee machine is that its performance matches that of its larger commercial Eagle One counterpart.

“Home users are looking for a caféquality machine to produce coffee at home, and the Prima is exactly that. I’ve got the Prima at home myself, and not a day goes by without making myself a fantastic coffee every morning,” Brett says.

“It’s internal components – the engine, boiler, steam pressure, and group heads – are identical to the Eagle One. You can set the two side by side, get your coffee from the same grinder, and extract the same quality in the cup.”

Victoria Arduino consulted with numerous coffee icons while developing the Eagle One machines to ensure they met even the most stringent needs of the coffee industry. These included former World Barista Champions James Hoffmann, Hidenori Izaki, and Dale Harris, and 2007 Swiss Barista Champion and Victoria

Arduino Australia General Manager André Eiermann.

Alongside quality, sustainability and energy usage were front of mind when developing both the Eagle One, the Prima, and their New Engine Optimization (NEO) technology.

The NEO instant heating system only heats water that is required for coffee extraction, with thermal insulation reducing heat dispersion, meaning the machine can use a much smaller boiler and significantly less energy throughout the day.

“Ninety-seven per cent of CO2 emissions from a coffee machine come from when it’s in use on the bar. With more people buying machines for their own homes, it just makes sense to develop a machine that’s more sustainable. That’s especially true for a product like coffee, where a large portion of the community values sustainability,” Brett says.

“All people should be looking out for this planet, it’s as simple as that. When I look out my front window, I see so much construction happening, high-rise apartments and housing being built. That’s a sign we’re growing as a society, but in order to keep growing, we’re going to have to make choices that are sustainable as possible.”

That ethos carried through to the construction of the Brunswick Experience Lab. “Our two core values with the Eagle One are performance in the cup and being as sustainable as possible. We’ve designed the Lab with those sorts of values as well,” Brett says.

“We’ve designed it as beautifully as we can while keeping it sustainable. Other than a polish, we’ve added nothing to the raw materials of the floor, brickwork, and ceiling. All our panelling uses recycled material and even our benchtops are made from reconstituted material called paperock.”

He says having an official base in Australia is going to better equip Victoria Arduino with the ability to share its message.

“Everybody is well aware that Australia and Melbourne, with Sydney closely following, is at the forefront of the coffee industry. What we do with machines and how we make coffee inspires the rest of the world to follow suit,” Brett says.

“The Experience Lab is letting us further engage with the coffee community.

We’re expanding our reach and broadening our growth, connecting with more industry partners and home coffee drinkers.”

For more information, visit www.victoriaarduinoau.com.au

Whether you own three cafés or run a chain – we focus on roasting coffee to your custom specifications, so you can focus on building your business.

LO C A LLY R OA S TE D S U P P O R T I N G S U S TA I N AB LE CO F F E E P R OJ E C TS ¡Tierra! emerged in 2002 from a social responsibility project, to improve the social and environmental conditions and production techniques of some coffee producing communities.

In Australia, we are proud to support the work being done in Lambari, Brazil and Meta, Colombia with our locally roasted food service range.

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

The Perfect workflow Through equipment like the Perfect Moose milk foamer, Barista Technology is providing cafés with automation to improve their workflow and reduce their cost per cup.

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ent and staff are two of the biggest challenges cafés face when it comes to turning a profit, and according to Barista Technology Australia CEO Brett Bolwell, are the main reasons they fail.

“A lot of café owners think they need to sell ‘x’ number of coffees per day to make a profit, but they don’t understand the true cost of producing a coffee,” Brett says.

“There are a lot of cafés out there, but how many actually succeed? A lot of cafés shut down after only a few years and the fundamental reason why is that rent and labour costs are expensive. It’s not just wages, it’s staff turnover – training new staff of hiring high-end experienced baristas – which can impact your profitability.”

So, what’s the best way for a café to boost its bottom line? Brett says the answer is improving workflow. The first step in ensuring the coffee bar is set up with the right layout and equipment to pump out coffee as efficiently as possible.

“Data we’ve analysed from the Flow telemetry system – now used in 400 cafés nationally and growing quickly – showed that, in cafés with three group machines, the utilisation of all three heads is low,” Brett says.

“Many cafés buy a three-group espresso machine, but if you’ve only got one grinder, you’re not going to be able to use that machine to its maximum efficiency. Workflow in a café is critical, so café owners need to think if they really need a three group, or would a two group use the space better?”

If a café is equipped for a three-group machine, and producing a volume that warrants it, but the machine’s still not being used to its capacity, Brett says it could mean the barista needs training, the workspace needs optimising, or more equipment or staff are needed.

Puqpress automatic tampers have been installed in more than 19,000 cafés across Australia.

“In a three-group setup, you really need two baristas: one doing shots and one doing milk. In actual fact, with a bit of extra equipment, you could have one barista on a two-group machine producing the same coffee more consistently at a higher speed,” he says.

“We’ve filmed training videos with McDonald’s that show one person can deliver 40 per cent more coffee in the same amount of time using a grind-byweight grinder, automatic tamper, and some level of milk automation.”

Brett says the Perfect Moose automatic milk foamer is the workflow jewel in Barista Technology’s crown. When an RFID-coded milk jug is placed in the holder, Perfect Moose lowers its steam arm into the milk then textures at a temperature and duration preprogrammed to match the pitcher. This means the single machine can texture a variety of sizes and types of milk – from dairy or skim to plant-based milks – with

individual recipes for each. The machine comes in two models, the Perfect Moose Greg, which connects to the espresso machine’s boiler, or the Perfect Moose Jack, which comes with a boiler of its own.

“If you can produce a coffee better, more consistently, and faster, even if that’s saving the cost of half a barista per day, looking at the return on investment, Perfect Moose pays for itself within four to five months. It might only be a couple hundred bucks a week, but that adds up over time, and for larger coffee chains, over multiple locations,” Brett says.

“For example, the café up the road from me uses a three-group espresso machine, two grind-by-weight grinders, and two Perfect Moose units, all with one barista on the bar. Before investing in that extra technology, they had to run two baristas. Now with one barista, they can deliver the same amount of coffee faster and more efficiently.”

Brett says another benefit of Perfect

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Devices like the Perfect Moose and Puqpress are providing cafés with new levels of consistency and efficiency.

Moose is its ability to steam milk at higher temperatures than other milk automation devices, better accommodating requests for “extra hot” coffees. It also doesn’t need a cleaning cycle at the end of the day, instead requiring a quick wipe after use like a standard steam wand.

While the Perfect Moose handles the coffee making post-shot, Brett says a grind-by-weight or volumetric grinder and Puqpress automatic tamper will streamline the first few steps of the process.

Grinders like the Mahlkonig E65S, Mythos 2, and Fiorezanto XGIs grind coffee by volume rather than time, meaning a barista can be sure the dosage of their coffee will remain the same throughout the day. The Puqpress, available as a standalone unit or underthe-grinder model, then ensures a quick and consistent tamp, further improving workflow and efficiency.

“A busy barista can put a group handle in the grinder, which will automatically weigh the shot, and have another sitting in the Puqpress, ready to be loaded into the machine,” Brett says.

“You’re going from the grinder to the Puqpress to the group head, placing your cups, picking up your next group handle, and the cycle repeats. While all that’s happening in perfect sequence, the milk is going on the other side automatically thanks to Perfect Moose.”

Brett says the Puqpress has been installed in more than 19,000 coffee shops, which he estimates as nearly 60 per cent of the market. With the automatic tamper becoming a staple in cafés, Brett says café owners and coffee chains are becoming more knowledgeable to the benefits of automation.

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“The notion of having a barista there that can talk and engage with the customer is nice, but when they’re too busy doing all these other things, pumping out 100 coffees per hour, it’s just not possible,” he says.

“What I like about some level of automation is that the barista can be more customer focused. Some people might prefer to still manually tamper and texture, but I don’t think many cafés will survive or remain profitable long-term without embracing automation.”

As the largest coffee chain in Australia, McCafé has an even greater need for consistency than most cafés.

That is one of the reasons why Puqpress and Perfect Moose have been popular additions to the coffee chain, according to Dean Watter, General Manager of Jamadu – a McDonald’s Multi Store Licencee in Queensland.

“As Australia’s leading coffee brand, we are always looking for ways to improve service, consistency, and, most of all, customer satisfaction.

Coffee production is a clear focus of our growth within McCafé, so having equipment that helps us alleviate the stress and potential problems of making barista coffee is essential,” Dean says.

“Products like Perfect Moose and Puqpress have helped us gain better workflow and improved coffee flavour while improving our service times dramatically.”

Thanks to Flow, Barista Technology has been able to assess the performance of a barista and coffee bar after technology like Perfect Moose has been added to the process. Brett says the results are staggering and go beyond speed of service.

“One of the biggest things we notice is better group head utilisation. At your standard McDonald’s, for example, they’ve got a three-group espresso machine with a young person working behind it that has been trained well, but doesn’t have years of experience.

Most of them can’t handle using three group heads at once, but when you bring in milk automation and take that component out, they’re able to rotate the group handles much more efficiently and get more coffees going out that drive through window,” Brett says.

“We want to create a more sustainable and profitable café industry, not the unacceptable open and closure rates we’re seeing now. Introducing a degree of automation, that makes it easier for the barista and improves workflow, is how we’ll do that.”

For more information, visit www.baristatechnology.com.au

The Perfect Moose can foam any type of milk to the desired consistency.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

A helping hand for Honduras Fairtrade Latin America and Jasper Coffee reveal why providing support for Honduras Fairtrade coffee farmers isn’t just about coffee production.

Wells Trenfield at the Agrarian Organic Producers Cooperative of Copan (COAPROCL), Honduras.

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OVID-19 lockdowns and border restrictions, coupled with a coffee leaf rust epidemic, have limited coffee production in Central and Latin America. In Honduras, bad became worse when two Category 4 hurricanes hit at the end of 2020.

Fairtrade supported its producing partners in Honduras through different initiatives such as the Relief and Economic Recovery Funds, that has helped provide farmers in need with food supplies and resources throughout COVID-19.

Economic initiatives such as Fairtrade’s Climate and Catastrophic Events Fund have supported these farmers dealing with extreme climate events, increased production costs and rising medical expenses.

But with so much devastation and disruption to Honduras Fairtrade farmers’ livelihoods and communities, Jasper Coffee

Founder Wells Trenfield knew something more had to be done.

“They work harder than anyone else in the whole coffee industry and we thought it was time to call on the people who consume Honduras coffee and see if they could support the farmers who grow their coffee,” says Wells.

Founded in 1989, Jasper Coffee is one of the longest standing Australian brands that buys Fairtrade coffee. One of the producer groups they trade with is the Honduras Copan Ruins Cooperative, properly known as the Agrarian Organic Producers Cooperative of Copan (COAPROCL).

Located in the famous Mayan ruins, the cooperative consists of roughly 37 coffee farmers.

“We actually started buying their coffee in 2008,” says Wells. “In 2010, we sponsored the cooperative business manager, Wilson Colindres, to come to Melbourne, which was very scary for him.”

When Wells visited Honduras in 2012, the region was facing the La Royal fungus crisis, with the farmers also struggling with debts from a stolen crate of coffee beans from the previous year.

“We actually paid out their loan from the bank so they could then go back to the bank and re-start the program to rectify their crops and farm,” Wells says.

Fast forward to 2020 and Wells was on the front line again supporting Honduras farmers through COVID-19. The pandemic forced farmers inside for three weeks at a time. There were no harvests, no ports operating, and no incomes earned, all before the hurricanes even arrived.

“There’s been physical damage, from mudslides that have torn through houses and roads, and the rain and coldness which has come with [the hurricanes] have left these people with a lot of respiratory problems,” says Wells.

“This mud has also just ripped through

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Wells has developed a close bond with the Hondura’s COAPROCL farmers.

the coffee trees. The torrential rain has saturated the roots of the trees and a lot of trees have just died off because they’ve been too wet. They were in the middle of harvest when this happened, and they couldn’t get their harvest out.”

Faced again with the issue of no income, Wells saw the farmers scramble as they tried to dry the coffee in this new wet environment. Immediately, he sent the cooperative about $13,000 to support their community and livelihoods.

“They put that money towards solar dryers so they could dry their coffee and try to rectify a little bit of harvest to sell,” says Wells.

Throughout this time, Wells stayed in constant communication with the cooperative and shortly after the initial funding, decided more drastic measures were needed.

Wells started a GoFundMe page for Honduras farmers, which has raised almost $18,000 to date, paying for farm equipment and basic human necessities like medicine, water supplies, rebuilding infrastructure, and vehicle repair.

“We realised in the scheme of things the money we sent was hardly going to touch their problems,” says Wells.

He also reached out to the Harvey Group and Fancy Films, creating media for their online platforms to raise awareness for the GoFundMe page.

Wilson Colindres, Business Manager of the COAPROCL Cooperative, explains that the farmers have continued to try new approaches despite the setbacks.

“The producers and everyone here does [their] best to overcome [the challenges].

We take on new opportunities, such as

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a beekeeping project, and we seek to improve the quality of the little coffee that we now harvest.”

For Wells, the tenacity of the farmers is just part of the reason he continues to help.

“We are connected with these people.

This coffee is just a vehicle. [The farmers] work so hard, we’ve seen and hugged them, and we’ve really appreciated everything they do,” says Wells.

“We’ve sat down with them in the forest and watched them cry over their difficult situation not knowing how they were going to get through the rest of their lives. You see that, and you realise we’ve got to try support them, because if we don’t, nobody else is going to do it. We’re all in this together.”

Fairtrade has played a crucial role in fostering not only this relationship, but so many more across the coffee supply chain.

“Fairtrade has allowed us to build a relationship with Fairtrade growers because we can actually speak to people across the whole chain of coffee and help improve the lives of whole communities,” says Wells.

João Mattos, Commercial Manager of Coffee in the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fairtrade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC), says opening this direct communication solves a big sustainability barrier: the lack of information sharing.

“For example, farms in Latin America can grow coffee trees in the shade, which is more sustainable, but it affects productivity.

If you can share this with the customers and explain this is why the cost will go up, then it is easier for them to support,” João says.

“We need more consumer education about sustainable products and the market price needed to support good productivity and a liveable income wage.”

While the international price of coffee is slow to change, buying and selling of Fairtrade coffee at Fairtrade’s Minimum Price can fill this gap, changing the lives of these coffee farmers. When disaster strikes, the Fairtrade systems ties each link in the supply chain more closely together with

Honduras farmers struggled to dry their harvest in the aftermath of the hurricane.

coffee sellers like Wells willing to go the extra mile to support farmers they know and feel close to.

In addition to this, the Fairtrade Premium, which is an extra sum of money that Fairtrade farmers receive from each pound of coffee sold, provides extra resources that the community then uses to improve life for local residents.

“It empowers [the farmers] to make decisions on how they live. That means for the first time, as a group of people, they can collectively generate enough money and resources from the sale of their product to actually add value to their community and communal life,” says Wells.

“They have been able to harness the premiums of Fairtrade to improve their crops and their roads. In the last two years they’ve been able to develop micro lots from farmers, which has brought them into a whole new league in terms of income they can receive, and they’ve developed education and horticulture programs to improve their coffee farms.”

Buying Fairtrade coffee and supporting initiatives, such as the Honduras GoFundMe, is an opportunity to support sustainable practices and improve the living conditions of whole communities.

“The Fairtrade system we have today is closer to the system we need to be able to provide this living income. But we still need to push and improve the system all the time,” says João of CLAC, the Latin American Fairtrade producer network.

Wells adds the Fairtrade system is not just about the farmer, but their families and the community that they work within.

“This is really important because it holds them all together, it gives them a purpose, it gives them a sense of endeavour and empowerment,” he says.

“This is an opportunity for us to give back to them.”

For more information on the Honduras GoFundMe visit gofund.me/9c4d3f4a For information on Fairtrade, visit fairtradeanz.org

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

Going for a spin The QuinSpin revolutionises and streamlines a little thought about and untidy step in the coffee making process – cleaning the portafilter.

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utomation has been embraced along the coffee bar to improve efficiency. Grind-byweight grinders are removing the need to weigh doses and automatic tampers are improving consistency before the coffee even reaches the espresso machine.

Then, after the shots are poured from a profile-controlled espresso machine, automatic milk microfoamers are speeding up service.

However, there in one simple step in the process the barista still performs manually that can cause a slight bottleneck when pumping out shots – cleaning the portafilter.

Joe Chalhoub, General Manager at Barista Group, says this may not seem like a big deal, but the effect really shows when making multiple coffees at once.

“Imagine you’ve just pulled two shots. To clean two portafilters with a traditional knocker tube, the process would be to knock out the first one then grab a rag to clean it, that you’ve probably used to clean a few group heads already,” Joe says.

“You’ve got to go one at a time because you need both hands to wipe it down, which really slows down your workflow in a busy café where you’ve got two grinders and group heads going at a time.”

After a post on Instagram showed he was testing a device that automates portafilter cleaning through the Socratic Coffee research lab, Joe was contacted by manufacturer QuinSpin, which said its product would produce better results, and sent him a unit to test.

“Barista Group is obsessed with everything to do with workflow and efficiency, which leans through every part of coffee, even to cleaning the filter baskets,” Joe says. “Working with QuinSpin made me realise how it completes that optimum workflow.”

The QuinSpin is used similarly to a milk jug rinser. The barista first pushes the portafilter into the drill head on the right, which automatically spins out the majority of the spent coffee grinds.

A quick push intro the brush head on the left finishes the job. Only a small amount of pressure is needed to activate the QuinSpin.

The device can be built into the coffee bar, with a cut-out template supplied with the unit, or it can be clipped to the side of the bench, with coffee grounds collected in a bag underneath. Either way, the device takes up less floorspace than a knock tube, providing the barista

with greater movement and flexibility.

“QuinSpin brings speed, consistency, and even greater hygiene to the cleaning process,” Joe says. “It has a small footprint and can fit in right next to the coffee machine, so the minute you undo the portafilter, you can give it a spin and load it into the grinder.”

The QuinSpin performs consistently too, with the team at Socratic Coffee putting the device through its paces

QuinSpin automates a common roadblock in workflow efficiency.

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under several conditions.

“We up-dosed the filter basket with ground coffee, so after the extraction the coffee puck was really dry, and in another scenario, we underdosed so the coffee puck would be wet. Of course, we tested the ‘ideal’ scenario too, and in all three tests, we found that QuinSpin properly cleaned the portafilter every time,” Joe says.

QuinSpin sent Barista Group two dozen units to trial with early adopters of the device. Joe selected cafés considered “real innovators of the industry” for the initial run. One of these cafés was Sevens Specialty Coffee in the Sydney CBD, which opened in 2020 with a QuinSpin built into the coffee bar.

“Sevens has provided a test of how QuinSpin performs under heavy workflow conditions and the machine has proven very reliable. It has been running for more than six months now

A drillbit clears the majority of the puck from the portafilter.

A brush wipes out the remaining grounds, leaving the portafilter spotless.

QuinSpin can be built into a coffee bar or clipped to the side of the bench.

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“IT’S PROVEN TO BE A SUPER RELIABLE DEVICE IN A COMMERCIAL SETTING AND ADOPTED BY THE WHOLE INDUSTRY. IT’S BECOME VERY COMMON TO SEE AN AUTOMATIC COFFEE TAMPER AND AN UBERMILK ON EACH SIDE OF A HIGH-END SPECIALTY COFFEE MACHINE.” with no issues,” Joe says. “[Sevens’ owner] Zach [Hiotis] told me he’d never go back and will integrate it in all of his cafés from now on.”

Yoho Loco – another café of Zach’s – and Stitch Coffee, both in New South Wales, are two more new cafés to begin using the QuinSpin.

“It’s a massive relief to everyone’s ears not to hear a portafilter banging thousands of times a day,” Zach says.

“We can hear guest orders more easily now too.”

When used alongside other Barista Group products – like the Marikbar Izaga volumetric grinder and Ubermilk automatic microfoamer, with a Tone brewer handling filter coffee – Joe says high-volume cafés can achieve a seamless workflow.

“Ubermilk is becoming the standard when it comes to milk automation and microfoaming. When we started with it a couple years ago, we’d go out to people who would ask if they could run trials.

Now, we’ve reached the point where they’re calling us and ordering Ubermilk outright,” Joe says.

“It’s proven to be a super reliable device in a commercial setting and adopted by the whole industry. It’s become very common to see an automatic coffee tamper and an Ubermilk on each side of a high-end specialty coffee machine.”

He adds that products like Markibar and Tone have joined the semi-automatic revolution, with specialty cafés enjoying greater consistency, speed, and service.

“It’s the synergy between these components and products that achieve any café’s ultimate goal of producing a consistent product,” Joe says.

“We are not automating the process.

We are making it semi-automatic. The barista still needs to be there, but rather than weighing their doses, cleaning out the portafilter, and steaming the milk, they’ve got their head up interacting with the customers.

“Some people may prefer to say, ‘we like to keep things manual and artisanal’.

But, if you can see how this technology improves the process rather than take away from it, and are willing to embrace it, your café will experience new levels of workflow efficiency.”

Towards the end of August 2021, Barista Group will open its new facility and showroom in Pemulwuy NSW, which will also house the new Socratic Coffee lab. The warehouse, laboratory, and showroom will be open to the public and coffee community by appointment.

“Jeremy [Nelson] and I co-founded and funded Socratic Coffee ourselves, so the next step for us is Barista Group sponsoring Socratic Coffee and providing us with the space for a larger coffee lab to carry out more tests and experiments,” Joe says.

“Socratic Coffee has been quiet on testing for the last year, so hopefully we can start back up soon and this time, provide people with the opportunity to come in and see how we actually conduct experiments. At the same time, they can visit the state-of-the-art Barista Group showroom and experience firsthand the equipment we have from Tone, Markibar, Ubermilk, SSP Grinding solutions, Titus Grinding, QuinSpin, and many others to come.”

For more information, visit www.baristagroup.com.au, www.quinspin.com, www.socraticcoffee.com or scan the QR code below to witness the QuinSpin in action.

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

From nanotech to mega foam

The NanoFoamer creates microfoamed milk that helps anyone from beginners to barista champions with pouring latte art.

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hen Dominic Symons, Founder of Subminimal and creator of the NanoFoamer, was designing new technology for the coffee market, he noticed that most equipment was focused on espresso.

“As a designer, you look for gaps in the market where something is missing,” says Dominic. “A lot of coffee quality has to do with the milk, and I found there were no tools that could reproduce [barista-style milk] at home.”

Dominic realised the only options he had for foaming milk was between inefficient whisk frothers or huge espresso machines with no in-between.

And so, the idea for the NanoFoamer was born. Activated by holding a button, the NanoFoamer creates finely textured milk through a motorised impeller that pushes air through a mesh screen into the milk at high speed. The speed breaks down the air bubbles into a microscopic mist, which results in a velvety microfoamed milk.

“Because so much equipment is about the coffee, it was nice to launch something that focused on the milk, which is honestly equally as important in a milk-based drink like a cappuccino or flat white,” says Dominic.

The Nanofoamer can be ordered as a set, with a contactless thermometer and milk jug that is specifically designed to

heat milk on a stove. Users warm their milk to roughly 55°C, with the help of the contactless thermometer, before plunging the NanoFoamer into the milk and frothing it for roughly 20 seconds.

This way of foaming milk contrasts with the traditional steam wand method where the milk is warmed and air is incorporated at the same time.

There are more than 20 global distributors of the NanoFoamer, including Coffee Tools Distributing in Australia.

“What you can achieve with [the NanoFoamer] is the same quality you can achieve with the steam wand,” says Coffee Tools Distributing Founder Curtis Arnold.

“It’s not ‘almost as good’ or ‘sort of as good as’, it’s genuinely as good quality that you

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can use anywhere, be it at home or in a caravan.”

According to Subminimal’s Dominic, another benefit of the NanoFoamer is that the milk is not being heated at the same time, giving the user more time to create the perfect foam.

“If you’re frothing it at the same time as heating it, you’ve only got a certain amount of time before you burn the milk,” Dominic says.

Dominic adds that steam-frothed milk is often susceptible to late rising air bubbles that can ruin latte art.

“We noticed while trialling the NanoFoamer that, when we left the coffee on the bench, even after 30 minutes the foam was still perfectly intact,” says Dominic.

He attributes this to the two swappable mesh screens which break down the air being pushed into the milk.

These two screens, Fine or SuperFine, have different size mesh holes which alter the amount of air being incorporated, and result in the foam consistency. For hot chocolate or powders, the NanoFoamer can be used without the screens.

“I designed it like this to allow for user customisability and to cater for cultural differences and preferences,” says Dominic.

He recommends frothing the milk between 20 to 40 seconds, dependent on whether the milk is dairy or plant based. The plant-based market, he adds, has shown an over-whelming amount of interest in the NanoFoamer due to the lack of frothers that can texture plant-based milks. Curtis further adds that steam wands have the ability to cause chemical changes to plant-based milks, due to the water being incorporated. This is also dependent on whether the plant-based milk has been specifically designed for barista frothing. “[The NanoFoamer] is really a unique application of existing technology. It’s different from other whisk foamers on the market that work through a vibrating coil,” says Curtis.

Encased in a heavy-duty shaft to prevent bending, the NanoFoamer is waterproof and comes with a wall hanging attachment for easy cleaning and storage.

To further add to its flexibility, it comes with a protective cover for storage and travel. It is simply powered by two AA+ batteries.

Another aspect of the set is the infrared food thermometer that allows baristas to check the temperature of the milk without the clean up afterwards.

“You want it to be at the right temperature every time and putting a probe into the milk is just one extra thing you have to wipe down in the morning,”

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Dominic Symons, Founder of Subminimal and creator of the NanoFoamer.

says Dominic.

Subminimal’s milk jug comes with an insulated handle that is made out of heat resistant polymer plastic. The jug’s body is made out of 304 stainless steel, allowing for greater durability and resistance to corrosion. Buyers also have a choice between brushed stainless steel or Teflon coated black coloured jugs.

“I realised all the milk jugs on the market had steel handles that were welded at the bottom so when you heated it on a stove, it became very hot as heat flowed up the handle,” says Dominic.

“There was nothing on the market which had a heat resistant handle and was designed for latte art, because basically all milk jugs are designed for steamers.”

The Nanofoamer can be ordered as a set, with a contactless thermometer and milk jug.

As such, Dominic designed the jug base without the common bump at the bottom.

It also has a smooth transition from the body to the tip with a wide V spout, which Dominic says is nice for those initial big latte art ripples and narrows to a fine tip for precise details.

Starting as a latte art novice himself, Dominic found that the jug’s features helped with an even milk flow. He predicts this will suit his target demographic of people learning to make barista style coffee. At the other end of the spectrum, the jug has also received endorsement from 2018 Australian Latte Art Champion Shinsaku Fukayama.

“I met him when I attended his latte art class in Jakarta,” says Dominic. “We got along well and ended up staying in touch.

Before I launched [the NanoFoamer] I got in contact with him again, and he was really interested.”

From there, Subminimal released a special one-off “Black Katana” jug featuring Shinsaku’s logo engraved on the side, coinciding with the launch of the NanoFoamer in early 2021.

Coffee Tools Distributing is confident in the Nanofoamer’s Australian market uptake. Curtis says in the years he’s distributed products in the coffee market, he’s been asked time and time again for a milk solution by customers, and now, he finally has one. “[The NanoFoamer] is for anyone.

If you drink any type of milk with your coffee then this is a really great option,” says Curtis.

For more information, please visit www.coffeetools.supply

INDUSTRY PROFILE

Play the field

Scion Coffee imports single origin coffee from El Guatalón Estate in Guatemala.

I

Single origin coffees are more than just a menu ‘add-on’.

Espressology Founder Instaurator shares his thoughts on these flavour-fuelled coffees and their value in the café market.

n today’s competitive coffee landscape, cafés must offer a point of difference to their next-door neighbour. For some, it’s the roaster brand itself, and for others, it’s the single origins on the bar.

While Espressology Founder Instaurator admits single origin coffees are not “going off the charts”, with 90 per cent of coffee orders still milk-based, their presence in the market is growing.

“Ten or even five years ago, it was rare to see dairy alternatives as part of a café’s staple offering. Now, it’s almost standard for a café to house six different dairy and dairy alternate options,” he says. “It’s the same with tea. Back in the day, black tea was the only option available in Australia until we started importing the Scottish equivalent to Twinings with about 20 different teas to choose from. These examples of growth are a sign of a mature market. It means we have to differentiate the product offering.”

And that’s how Instaurator feels about the emergence of single origin coffees, with the attraction largely driven by a younger, more experimental demographic who

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enjoy tasting filter coffees, exploring unique flavour profiles, and telling their friends about it.

“Normally, what happens in a social setting is that there’s one coffee fanatic who knows where the best coffee is. They have a bit of pull over the group as to the next café to visit based on their reputation for coffee quality or single origins. So, while everyone else in the group enjoys their latte, they are drawn to an exotic single origin,” Instaurator says. “The sale of this one single origin coffee means it won’t become the bread and butter of the café, but it’s the fact that it enticed an entire social group over that brings value to the café.”

Because single origins are mostly supplied in a limited volume, Instaurator says it can actually encourage cafés to drive their exclusiveness as a means of buying power. For example, advertising “an amazing Guatemalan micro lot with only 10 kilograms available while stock lasts” on social media is an inexpensive way to draw customers in to try something different.

Espressology offers the same incentive

to its private label customers, often for a blind cupping to explore different single origin samples. At any one time Espressology has 12 to 15 rotating single origins available, but if a customer has a specific coffee or origin in mind, the team will use their widespread contacts to source it.

“We’re really open to playing the field, helping our customers discover new tastes and origins,” Instaurator says.

Espressology has installed a new 20-kilogram roaster from Mark Beattie of Coffee Roasters Australia to specially roast single origins. It can profile five to 20 kilograms on this roaster, and up to 60-kilogram batches on its 120-kilogram roaster.

“We have all the growth levels available to help customers produce small volumes of single origins and be able to replicate that volume as they grow,” Instaurator says.

He adds that, although many roasters are passionate about buying coffee direct at origin, such decisions can become personally and logistically challenging to arrange. Instaurator recalls his first Cup of

Excellence (CoE) in Guatemala and being swamped by farmers wanting a sale.

“Emotionally, it was really hard. The farmers were desperate to get buyers and I couldn’t commit to every single person’s coffee. Buying direct involves a lot of relationship maintenance. As a coffee roaster, you need to outsource some of that management if you want to be good as you grow,” he says.

Someone who’s grown in his own right is former Espressology head roaster of 10 years John Tucker, who has started his own green bean importing business, Scion Coffee. Keen to spread his entrepreneurial wings, John attended the 2019 CoE in Honduras as an observer before spending one year building relationships with local producers.

“I’ve always wanted to bring unique coffees into the Australian market, and like Espressology, I aim to take the hard work out of buying direct for roasters, give them more ownership of their coffee by connecting them with producers at origin, and at the same time free them up to spend more time growing their business,” John says.

Already, he’s working with producers from the Esquipulas and Santa Rosa regions of Guatemala, sourcing

Jose Gomez of Finca La Bendicíon partners with Scion Coffee to reach new Australian customers.

Pacamara coffees from third-generation farmer and 20th placed 2021 CoE winner Willy Juarez of El Guatalón estate, Jose Gomez of Finca La Benicíon, and Geishas, washed coffees and AnaCafé 14 from Celeste Fumagalli’s farm Finca El Aceituno.

John is hopeful of returning to Latin American next year to continue building on relationships and bring in some interesting lots from Honduras, El Salvador, and other regions of Central and South America.

“I’m excited to be working with a small number of producers who haven’t yet entered the Australian market, so there’s the opportunity for exclusivity for their coffees. No one likes seeing repeated origin

coffees at competing places. If a roaster wants a real point of difference, then there’s definitely options for them,” John says.

“From my years of roasting with Espressology I know that some people appreciate a solid washed coffee that’s predictable and repeatable. Others want something bold and different, and some want wild options like natural or anaerobic fermentation. I try to cater to everyone and bring in lots of different varietals and coffees with experimental processes. I can’t wait for people to try them.”

For more information, visit www.espressology.com

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

A time of change Black Bag Coffee Roasters is making its mark on the Australian coffee industry. Its team explains how the scalable business is hitting huge strides and why the brand is more than a just a black bag.

Lance Brown and Shane Harold of Black Bag Coffee Roasters are excited to take the brand to the next scalable level.

A

ll great ideas start with a blank canvas. In the case of Black Bag Coffee Roasters, General Manager Lance Brown vividly remembers jumping on a plane seven years ago on his way to Southern India for an origin trip, when he had a vision to take commercial coffee to the next stage. It was a time, he says, when “old school brands” had been dominant in the Australian market for the past 20 years, and it was time to upscale the offering and make a difference.

“Consumers wanted a better quality commercial coffee and I wanted to provide a superior product and a better solution for their overall coffee needs,” Lance says.

Under parent company Nomad Coffee Group, Black Bag Coffee Roasters was created to provide cus-tomers with a highgrade quality coffee solution in a private label offering.

For the past seven years, Black Bag Coffee Roasters has been working hard to build its reputation as coffee consultants, humbly servicing some of the coffee industry’s biggest and most evolving brands.

No two clients are the same. For this reason, Black Bag Coffee Roasters specialises in complete, scalable, and customisable solutions that are adaptive to the needs of the market. This includes roasting for espresso coffee and ingredient-based solutions, capsules, and blends, using state-of-the-art Brambati and Diedrich roasting equipment, capable of producing up to 1.2-tonnes of coffee per hour.

“We work with best-in-class partners to do everything from product development to packaging de-sign,” says Shane Harold, Black Bag Coffee Roasters’ National Accounts Manager.

“Some people are very specific about their needs. Others want us to provide

solutions from the ground up, from green bean sourcing to product design, delivery, training, and servicing. We can do all that and more, even exploring alternate options such as espresso martinis, cold brew, and ready-to-drink coffee products.

Like our ‘Black Bag’ name and ethos suggests, we are the blank canvas to transform your brand and offering. We are here to grow your solution with you.”

One of Black Bag Coffee Roasters’ first customers was Aldi Australia. Lance says Aldi is a pivotal client that’s become a long-term partner. As a result, Aldi Australia is a business that’s experiencing double digit growth year on year.

“The first question we asked Aldi was, ‘what can we do to help?’ It was a leap of faith to take on Aldi’s home brand of coffee Lazzio, do it on a scalable level and make sure the quality is consistent,” Lance says. “We never imagined their coffee category would be so successful.

But as they were scaling up their volume,

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we were too.”

Black Bag Coffee Roasters is the roaster and consultant of the country’s largest coffee-focused franchise, The Coffee Club. It also supports Indigenous specialty coffee brand Waddi in Brisbane, and Sourced Coffee, which $1 of every whole bean and ground coffee product sold, and 50 cents of each pod pack sold, contributes towards farming community projects.

Shane says the reason for the company’s growth across a diverse range of clientele is because of its position as a trusted advisor. “When customers get in touch, we start the conversation. We listen to their needs and present them with holistic solutions,” he says.

Integral to achieving such high standards and delivering customised solutions is Black Bag Coffee Roaster’s star-studded team, whom Lance says have been critical to the growth of the company. It comprises Nomad Coffee Group R&D Coffee Consultant and 2013 World Barista Champion Pete Licata and Green Bean Buyer Jack Allisey, who assist customers with sourcing options while advocat-ing for Black Bag’s commitment to farmer relationships and supporting their sustainable projects.

Black Bag Coffee Roasters has also employed Nick Percy as its Sustainability Manager to ensure the company meets its sustainable goals and is on track to maintaining its growth with minimal environmental impact.

“We know our audience expects a

lot from us in terms of our commitment to sustainability, product consistency, farmers relationships and community engagement, so we want to remain account-able,” Shane says.

At a social level, Black Bag Coffee Roasters is passionate about its commitment to not-for-profit projects such as Hands Across the Water, a charity that connects underprivileged and disadvantaged children with homes, food, education, and pathways in Thailand. The proceeds of its Grind to Provide pods and blends, funds go straight into community projects.

At the heart of everything Black Bag Coffee Roasters does, is an uncompromising commitment to quality, which is attested in the 2021 Canstar Award for Best Branded Coffee in Australia which Aldi’s Lazzio range was awarded. Aldi’s Lazzio beans received five out of six stars in the categories of taste, texture, packaging, value for money, and overall satisfaction, also achieving four stars for variety and aroma.

The Lazzio range includes 100 per cent Arabica Fairtrade Organic Certified ground coffee that comes in either Peru or Honduras varieties.

“Espresso quality is everything and we’re really proud this was recognised in the recent Canstar award,” Lance says. “We are one of the most awarded coffee brands in Australia because of the quality end-product we deliver, and our consistency week in week out. This begins with the sourcing of our green

beans and extends to our strict quality control procedures through processing and cleaning of our coffee, to roasting, packaging and delivery.”

Lance and the Black Bag Coffee Roasters team welcome prospective clients to come to the roasting facility for a tour, explore its facilities and operations, and simply start a conversation.

“We want people to meet with us, see what we do, and use our coffee expertise to help find a solution for you. We can translate your vision into reality,” Lance says. “We are passionate about delivering products that are different to the existing market offering and coming up with creative ideas to bring your dreams to life, even if it’s just a concept to begin with.”

As Lance testifies, it’s those little concepts that often have the legs to become real life experiences. All it takes is a little vision, belief, and the passion to make it happen.

In fact, Black Bag Coffee Roasters is excited to announce plans for a new purpose-built, large-scale, state-of-theart contract roasting facility, so it can continue to support its customers as it prepares for future growth.

“If we look back on Black Bag Coffee Roasters in 10 years’ time, I hope we say, ‘we created that and we made a difference to the success of our clients.’ If we achieve that, and can help create this legacy to the industry, then that’s success to us.”

For more information, visit www.blackbagroasters.com.au

Black Bag Coffee Roasters works with customers to provide customisable and scalable coffee solutions.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Just add water Pour Overs specialty coffee kits from Will & Co provide cafés with a new source of revenue while making specialty coffee accessible to more people on the go.

C

OVID-19 has provided many twists and turns for the coffee industry, but for coffee roaster Will & Co, it was an opportunity to try new things and expand its product range.

“During lockdown, a lot of our café partners switched to takeaway and took the opportunity to create dedicated retail sections so they could continue to sell products to people working at home,” says Josh Passaro, Head of Will & Co. “A lot of café owners approached us, asking if we new products that they could sell outside of traditional beans

and ground coffee. Also seeing a growing demand for convenient coffee solutions, we developed our Pour Overs specialty coffee kits so people could brew a filter coffee anytime, anywhere.”

Will & Co’s Pour Overs come in two varieties – Guatemala Dreamin’ and Tanzania Honey – with each box holding five single-serve pour over pouches.

The coffee is grown, sourced, roasted, and ground as it would be for any filter coffee, then it’s packed into a paper filter, nitrogen flushed to maintain freshness, and individually sealed in airtight packaging. All the customer needs to do

Will & Co Pour Overs can be brewed anywhere, only needing a cup and hot water.

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is place the filter over the rim of a cup and add hot water.

“It’s all about making specialty coffee more accessible to the masses, even if they don’t know how to make a filter coffee or have the equipment for it at home,” Josh says.

“Our original target market for the Pour Overs was black coffee drinkers, but there’s been much more mass appeal than we’d anticipated. We’ve actually been surprised by the take up, which comes back to their ease of use for a great coffee experience.”

For the initial round of Pour Overs, Will & Co decided to focus on two origin coffees to showcase and educate coffee drinkers on the unique flavours and processing methods that come from two vastly different growing regions. Josh says a coffee from Africa and another from Central America was a great place to start.

Guatemala Dreamin’ is a washed coffee with pleasant acidity, full body, and notes of cocoa, toasted nuts, and caramel.

The “fruit forward” Tanzania Honey, on the other hand, delivers sweet aromas of melon, bergamot, and candied lemon, with a lingering aftertaste of honey and burnt brown sugar.

“We’ve worked with great Guatemalan coffee since day one of Will & Co and we’re extremely passionate about this origin,” Josh says.

“With the Tanzanian coffee, highlighting the origin was one part of why we chose it, but the other is its honey processing method. It gave us an opportunity to showcase the great quality coming out of Tanzania.”

Launched in May 2021, Josh says the Pour Overs have been flying off the shelves, with three clear reasons they’re catching on with coffee drinkers: quality, convenience, and freshness.

“Australia is one of the most discerning coffee drinking countries in the world.

People are well educated, interested in exploring new flavour profiles, and are actively seeking out quality coffee products,” he explains.

“The Pour Overs combine this with a really low barrier to entry. So if you don’t

Will & Co Pour Overs come in two varieties: Guatemala Dreamin’ and Tanzania Honey.

have a v60 or Chemex at home you can still enjoy a great filter coffee experience, especially when you’re on the go, out camping, or at the beach. Being nitrogen flushed and individually packed, you also don’t have to worry about opening a full

bag of coffee and getting through it before it becomes stale.”

Will & Co has made Pour Overs specialty coffee kits available online or through its café and retail partners, providing venues with retail stands and

counter signs to help drive up transaction value and customer spend.

“Pour Overs are a product for a different occasion to the coffee you’d usually buy in a café, so it’s not cannibalising their instore and takeaway sales,” Josh says. “It’s instead increasing their retail range so they can provide their customers with innovative products that complement their existing coffee offering.”

The Pour Overs are one of many projects Will & Co has brought to the market in the past year and Josh says the roaster will keep finding new ways to support its café customers.

“We’re rolling out a massive café support program, featuring our cafe partners on billboards, bus shelters, and socials, supporting our café clients while looking for new ways to grow our businesses together,” Josh says.

“2021 has already been a massive year for us, with 13 new products launched across beans, pods, and Pour Overs, but we’re going to continue innovating and launching new products that get specialty coffee into the hands of more people.”

For more information, visit www.willandco.com.au

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

On the market

After 18 years, Kahawa Estate Coffee is up for sale and farmers Jos and Wendy Webber are searching for the right person to continue their coffee farming legacy.

J

os and Wendy Webber have lived in their own slice of coffee farming heaven since 2003.

Talking to BeanScene from their front veranda overlooking the coffee estate, the pair marvel at the creation they’ve built from the ground up. But the time has come to bid farewell to Kahawa Estate Coffee, and Jos and Wendy want to see their beloved farm in Teven, New South Wales, taken over by an enthusiastic coffee lover who can continue to nurture and evolve Kahawa’s award-winning coffee legacy.

“We will miss it terribly. It’s been an extraordinary journey. We feel so satisfied with what we’ve been able to achieve, and we really hope someone will enjoy the same thrills of this farming coffee as we have,” says Wendy.

Up for sale is an amazing parcel of land: a nine-hectare-property with about four hectares of coffee trees wrapped around two natural creeks, two hectares of regenerated subtropical rainforest, a dam, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom cedarboard house with pool, and wellmanicured flower garden to attract local birds and bees.

Eighteen years ago, Jos and Wendy left behind the chilly climes of Canberra and ventured north to the subtropical paradise that is the Northern Rivers District of NSW in search of a new direction and opportunity. Jos, a former vet and Wendy, a newly retired physiotherapist, looked at what could thrive in the area.

“Coffee seemed the easiest to grow at the time. It was really the only crop in the area that didn’t need the use of pesticides,” Jos says.

“The farm originally had 200 avocado trees, but it was hard work picking each avocado by hand. I was really attracted to coffee and Wendy was born and grew up in Kenya, which has strong ties to coffee, so we decided to give it a go.”

Jos got advice from the Australian Subtropical Coffee Association (ASTCA), horticulturalist David Peasley who was consulting in the area, and later, farmer John Zentveld Senior. They gave their encouragement for Jos to plant K7 varietal seeds on the rich, red, volcanic soil.

The K7s were deemed the best for mechanical harvesting and cup quality as the commercial coffee industry was being established. The trees can grow a bit too

vigorously and require pruning. However, through Jos’ close involvement in the World Coffee Research Multi-Location Variety Trial with Southern Cross University, he’s confident the industry is on the brink of establishing new semidwarf varieties that are leaf rust resistant and won’t require pruning.

“We are two to three years away from an exciting new development in Australian-grown coffee. I’ve invested a lot of my time and passion in the trials, so it’ll be a really exciting time for the new owner of this land,” Jos says.

“It would be wonderful to see the new owner become one of the first growers to embrace the enhanced production values of these new varieties.”

At its peak, each of the 12,000 K7 trees produced around 600 grams of green beans, equalling 60 tonnes of harvested cherry and about six tonnes of green beans. Jos processes and roasts the beans on site.

“Watching the cherry come out of the harvester into the bags and noticing how consistently red the cherries are is most satisfying,” Wendy says. “I’d come out first thing in the morning before work Kahawa Estate houses 12,000 K7 coffee trees in the Northern Rivers District of NSW.

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After 18 years, farmer Jos Webber is looking for the nextgeneration coffee farmer to take on his award-winning estate.

to help rake the parchment beans on the grass and the smell was just wonderful. The parchment drying in the sun also has its own delicious nutty smell, as does the roasting and the flowering with a heavy gardenia fragrance. To know that we were involved in the whole crop to cup process is really satisfying.”

Even more satisfying has been the awards Kahawa’s single estate coffee has received over the years. It first entered the Sydney Royal Show and received a silver medal in the plunger, lighter roast category and continued submitting coffee entries each year. Kahawa Estate has won more than 20 medals for its blends at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and Royal Hobart Fine Food Show.

Consumer demand for Kahawa Estate Coffee has never stopped.

The majority of roasted coffee is sent via post to loyal customers across Australia, with an increased level of support in 2020 for locally produced product.

Now, there is a unique opportunity to carry Kahawa Estate Coffee’s heritage and help cultivate a much-needed boost for Australian coffee farming.

“The Australian coffee farming community needs more growers, and there’s plenty of room and opportunity to grow it here. The farm is well equipped for someone to take over. The infrastructure is already there with the right equipment, sheds, soil, irrigation licence and climate, ready for someone to start their own coffee business.

All we need is someone with plenty of energy, a lot of passion for growing, and a love for coffee and roasting to continue this wonderful profession,” Jos says.

Over the years, Jos has also served as ASTCA President and Treasurer, and has led the development of the industry’s Biosecurity Plan and Grower’s Manual for others to follow. Jos and Wendy are now looking for a new challenge and are likely to focus their attention on native and European bees for honey production.

But wherever they go, the farming couple aim to take about 20 to 30 coffee trees with them.

“We’re certainly not finished quite yet with the subtropical coffee industry. We’ve assembled a sizeable knowledge bank over the past couple of decades and expect that we will remain quite connected into the broader industry,” Jos says. “It’s been an incredible journey.

However, it’s time for us to move on. We just hope we can find the right person to embrace Australian-grown coffee.”

For more information and expressions of interest, contact kahawa@kahawaestate.com.au or visit www.kahawaestate.com.au

INDUSTRY PROFILE

Filter out the noise There’s more to water than meets the eye, and the Purity C range from BRITA Professional is designed to meet the filtration needs of any Australian café.

T

he last thing any café wants is a machine breakdown or bad tasting coffee, and filtering water before it enters the espresso machine is a simple way to stop that from happening.

However, not all water is the same, and Richard Padron, Sales Director at BRITA Professional ANZ, says a unique solution is required for different situations.

“A café’s needs out of a filter, changes

The Purity C Fresh is designed for use in soft water conditions.

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from state to state, suburb to suburb, and in some cases, even street to street,” says Richard.

“BRITA Professional offers flexibility in our water filter range to accommodate for different water supplies and conditions.”

After looking at the different water conditions around the country, BRITA determined its Purity C series could meet the needs of any Australian café. Purity C consists of three primary ranges, the Purity C Quell, Purity C Finest, and Purity C Fresh, available in a range of sizes. Each filter uses a particular filtration method to remove particles like rust or scale and activated carbon to reduce chlorine compounds and organic impurities.

The Quell and Finest models use additional ion exchangers that tailor them to suit and demineralise different water conditions.

“Purity C Fresh is a filter designed for use with soft water conditions.

Melbourne, generally, is a great example of where you’d likely use the Purity C Fresh. It has a really nice soft water, which doesn’t need too much filtering, but still requires a safety net to catch things like organic compounds and chlorine,” Richard says.

“It only slightly plays with the chemical structure of the water so when it goes through the boiler of the coffee machine, and then interacts with the coffee bean, it gives you the nice, pleasant aroma you’re looking for and the desired taste profile.”

The Purity C Quell is a decarbonisation filter, designed for areas with a carbonate hardness higher than permanent hardness, meaning there is a calcium exchanges with hydrogen, the by-product resulting in softer water.

If this type of water is left unfiltered, the carbon will build up as scale in the boiler of the coffee machine, eventually leading to a breakdown, Richard says.

“With that filter, the aim is to remove all the stuff that can cause damage to the machinery but leave a small amount of

calcium and magnesium in because that’s really important when it comes to taste and flavour transfer. It’s about balancing the water out to make sure the water is soft, and pH balanced to give you a good result in the cup,” he says.

The Purity C Quell uses a decarbonisation filter to reduce water’s carbonate hardness.

The Purity C Finest sits at the opposite end to the Quell, ideal for filtering water with a higher permanent hardness than carbonate hardness. Like water with high carbonate hardness, this can cause build-ups in a coffee machine.

Unlike carbonate hard water, which can give coffee a flat taste, the compounds in permanent hard water tend to bring out undesirable bitter notes.

“A hard water condition produces a very different output from what you’d usually want for a hot drinking supply, and an exchange with sodium is required from a chemical structural point of view,” Richard says.

“The sodium exchange also works better with a stainless-steel boiler and creates a ‘protective layer’ around the boiler, while allowing us to balance that water profile for the best output for the in-cup solution that you need from a coffee machine.”

When it comes to installing a water filter at a café, BRITA has provided extensive training to its dealer network, so they can carry out onsite testing of the water to make the best call.

“With every test we do, BRITA keeps a record in our own water map, giving us the insight to make recommendations

“SOON, BRITA WILL BE INTRODUCING A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM THAT TAKES US TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF FILTRATION.” virtually on the spot,” Richard says.

“The kind of machine matters too.

Copper and stainless-steel boilers have different filtration needs, so training our dealers is crucial to making sure the right filter is used. Globally, BRITA works with many machine manufacturers while they’re designing new equipment, supplying them with a gamut of filters, so they can make sure their equipment is ready for the market.”

While the Purity C range is well

equipped to cover the needs of the Australian coffee market, Richard says BRITA Professional is keeping its eye on upcoming trends and will soon provide cafés with even greater control of their mineralisation.

“Soon, BRITA will be introducing a reverse osmosis system that takes us to the next level of filtration,” he says.

“The ProGuard RO will strip nearly everything out of the water supply, turning it into usable water, then reinfuses the exact amount of calcium the barista wants for the ultimate taste transfer.”

As the general consumer’s knowledge of coffee grows, Richard says so does their expectations of the end experience, and cafés need to use the right equipment, like filtration, to deliver.

“Australia is a country that is in love with its hot solution, from coffee to tea and other hot beverage drinks,” Richard says.

“We know the nation’s café industry is going to keep growing, and it’s our job to bring the awareness of the importance of water filtration to the forefront.”

For more information, visit www.brita.com.au

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Promote your passion Star Outdoor has built a wealth of experience over the past 15 years in helping cafés and the coffee industry maximise their outdoor branding potential.

A

ccording to Managing Director Mark Star, Star Outdoor’s purpose is to support businesses to activate their brands with outdoor branded products across three categories: to promote your passion, to amplify your brand or to protect your community.

Star Outdoor has been supplying products like wind barriers, umbrellas, A-frames, and flags to cafés and coffee businesses nationwide for 15 years that do just that.

“We call those categories the three pillars of our business, and Promote your passion is dedicated to coffee, food, and beverage. Cafés, roasters, coffee bars, and restaurants are in hospitality because they’re passionate about what they’re creating,” Mark tells BeanScene.

“It’s a part of who they are and their dedication to the work, and we want this reflected in the branded products we’re providing them.”

Mark founded Star Outdoor after seeing the need for pop-up marquees and similar products for schools, markets, and events that were portable and sun safe.

It wasn’t long before he saw demand for outdoor branding from the corporate and hospitality sectors, and the advent of digital printing making it possible to develop a wide range of products for individual cafés and businesses.

Star Outdoor even has an inhouse graphic design department at its Queensland headquarters to help business owners without a marketing background make the best use of their outdoor space and branding.

“You can’t expect business to come to you. You need to put yourself out there and stand out from the crowd, letting people know you’re there and promoting yourself and your passions,” Mark says.

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The team at Star Outdoor have been servicing the Australian coffee industry for 15 years.

“Gaining new customers and growing a community of regulars can all be done through consistent and effective branding.”

Star Outdoor works with many leaders in the coffee industry to supply and design their outdoor branding – Campos Coffee, Dimattina Coffee, Wolff Coffee Roasters and Gabriel Coffee to name a few – giving Star Outdoor a wealth of experience when it comes to café branding. Mark says it’s important to consider how outdoor branding will be seen in different circumstances.

“As someone is driving down the street, they will see a café umbrella, even if it’s from 50 or 100 metres away.

The umbrella itself is the first visual impression that coffee is there,” he says.

“As they approach closer, they’ll see the café or roaster’s logo big and bold on top, and they might think ‘that’s a coffee

I like’ or ‘that café looks smart’. Then, they’ll go and park their car and walk along the footpath. As they get closer, that branding on top of the umbrella will start to disappear and, instead, they see it on the a-frame and wind barriers.”

With COVID-19 and recurring lockdowns putting pressure on a café’s ability to offer table service, Mark says Star Outdoor has seen a surge in interest for outdoor branding and products that enable more seating. While umbrellas and wind barriers can make outdoor seating more comfortable, Mark says seating restrictions have led to another way they can be used to protect the community.

“The wind barrier has become a bit of an unsung hero to cafés that need to limit customers and collect contact information,” he says. “They’re still a highly effective branding item and wind

barrier, but now they’re also a crowd control tool to keep your customers safe. You can use them to manage who’s arrived at the café and checked in, where they should be seated, and keep them segregated from passers-by or takeaway customers.”

One of the biggest considerations a café must keep in mind when it comes to outdoor branding, according to Mark, is whether to feature its own branding or that of its suppliers. Using a café umbrella or wind barrier with the logo of a coffee roaster or other product available at the café can save money and appeal to fans of that brand. However, self-branding these products can instead help a café build a name and brand of its own.

“If you use outdoor products featuring the brand of your coffee roaster or another supplier, it’s important to share the ethos of that company. Not only does the promotional material inform people a certain brand is stocked, it also says that you’re aligned with what that brand stands for,” Mark says.

“What we’ve noticed is that more people are co-branding their outdoor products, featuring the logo of the roaster

Café umbrellas are a valuable tool, helping cafés and brands to be noticed.

and the café side by side.”

Another trend Mark sees in the café industry is branding becoming more subtle, taking up less space on the umbrella, so it’s less about the brand and more about the passion behind it.

“Some cafés prefer no brand at all.

For us, the challenge is talking to the

customer about their business, their culture, and what they’re trying to communicate, then replicating that in their outdoor products,” Mark says. “It’s a challenge we enjoy.”

For more information, visit www.staroutdoor.com.au

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TECHNOLOGY PROFILE

The maturation of Melitta Australia Celebrating its 40th year in Australia, Melitta’s Managing Director Justin Rejske discusses the brand’s evolution and its newest features that have made Melitta one of Australia’s first total solutions providers.

F

rom inventing the world’s first coffee filter holder and filter paper in 1908, German coffee roaster and manufacturer Melitta is now celebrating its 113th year around the sun and its 40th on Australian soil.

But despite its age, the brand shows no signs of slowing down, having added three new features within the past four years.

These features are designed to enhance one of the only things that hasn’t changed over time: Melitta’s value proposition.

“Our value proposition is that we offer a consultative approach that allows [Melitta] to propose specific solutions that best support our customers and their individual coffee plans,” says Justin Rejske, Managing Director of Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions Australia.

Its value proposition consists of seven segments, including machines, service, customised solutions, and responsibility, and its newest additions coffee, finance, and digitalisation.

Melitta’s machine component examines

Justin Rejske, Managing Director of Melitta.

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the brand’s ability to provide a range of quality professional machines to customers.

Its service arm aims to provide best in-house customer service from support to installation and repair. Customisation seeks to provide tailored customer solutions, and responsibility represents a need to establish sustainable practices and end of life product management.

Under the umbrella of ‘coffee’, Melitta focuses on sourcing and providing selective quality beans. Finance represents flexible payment models and digitalisation means creating data-driven machine management.

Together, these value propositions offer Melitta’s customers a total solutions approach to all coffee related business problems.

Justin says Melitta’s customer centric approach is a point of pride for the business.

“This is what distinguishes us. We really aim to understand our customer’s needs and, therefore, are able to determine the right solutions for the business,” he says.

Reaching this position as a total solutions supplier has not, however, happened over night.

“When we first started in Australia, we focused on the retail segment with roast and ground coffee and with our filter paper.

This is our heritage and was the foundation of our Australian journey,” Justin says.

“Then in 2003, we extended our focus to professional businesses and started to deliver equipment and after sales service solutions for the food industry.”

Justin says the biggest challenge remains ensuring Australian businesses can connect with Melitta as a brand and understand who it is and what it has to offer.

“Having been focused as an equipment manufacturer and distributor for the past 17 years, we haven’t been entirely visible in certain professional segments, so getting people to understand that we do offer an extended assortment of premium quality

Melitta’s La Tazza Verde blend is both Fairtrade and Bio certified.

products and services has been one of the big goals,” says Justin.

Over the past couple of years, Melitta Australia has continued to expand its portfolio, adding its own coffee label at the end of 2020.

“We source our green beans from various regions of the world from South America to Asia, and have a range of certified and premium products, as well as affordable and catering blends,” Justin says.

Melitta’s specialty coffee range includes six different blends and offers two ground and four whole bean blends. The range also sees instant products including chocolate and chai powder options.

Melitta’s high-end La Tazza Verde blend is both Fairtrade and Bio certified. Its Manu Espresso Rainforest blend is Rainforest Alliance certified.

“We see Australia as very progressive.

Consumers are now looking for certified and sustainable products, such as

Fairtrade, to ensure the farmers are getting paid a fair value,” Justin says. “And it ties back in with the responsibility section in our value proposition: if we’re paying our farmers correctly, they have the opportunity to manage their farms more sustainably and ethically. It’s full circle.”

While 2020 presented Melitta with an opportunity to expand its product offerings, it also saw the need to release flexible financing solutions to support customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Justin recalls seeing customers who didn’t have enough capital to continue to expand or even restart their businesses after each lockdown.

“We realised we had the opportunity to provide an in-house solution,” Justin says. “We don’t use external financial institutions, which allows us to offer a variety of flexible solutions and I believe it adds to the long-term relationship we have with our customers.”

To further assist, Melitta offers rental machines on short- and long-term leases as well as traditional coffee contracts where payments are made in installations.

“Our installation payment plans are more flexible as we offer our customers the opportunity to pay for their machine based on consumption,” says Justin. “For example, one of our options is that we only charge for the number of cups of coffee they dispensed last month.”

Melitta’s financing plans are designed with the end goal of customer machine ownership.

“Because Melitta is a manufacturer and produces all its goods and services internally, similar to our finance solutions, it allows us to offer these solutions because we’re not reliant on other partners,” Justin says.

With the importance of data backed decisions every increasing, Melitta introduced its basic telemetry system, Melitta Insight in 2021.

The current telemetry system records and sends data from Melitta’s coffee machines to the corresponding devices, with the brand expecting advanced versions to be continually released.

“And we’re also in the process of looking to plug in external data to the dashboards, such as weather or calendar events,” Justin says.

By linking these technologies, customers will have the ability to correlate events and factors such as public holidays with product sales, encouraging more strategic marketing and decision making.

In the past, Melitta offered specialised telemetry solutions to its biggest chain customers. Now, Justin says the brand has evolved in a backward fashion, coming to focus on small chain operators and individual customers.

“We’re seeing greater demand on a small chain and non-chain basis, as opposed to our initial big chain clients, and we realised we needed to provide a solution to fill this gap,” Justin says.

Melitta has completely changed the way it functions with its three new features. With staff now having a greater holistic understanding of the products and services they sell, customers benefit from a wider selection of options.

According to Justin, the addition of coffee, finance and digital features are significant to Australian coffee markets due to a lack of complete solution providers.

“From our side, the addition of these three features are important because it reflects how driven Melitta is by its customers and shows that we do offer a real coffee partnership that is long term,” says Justin.

“For 113 years, we have been building a bridge between progress and tradition with solid foundations that bear us and a vision that drives us forward. We are proud of our achievements and curious about the future.”

Justin says Melitta’s business has always been customer driven, with a focus on what is in specific demand, be it from a single customer or the industry.

“With over 100 years of company history, we owe our success to an ability to anticipate market trends and to develop pioneering products which make life more enjoyable, more convenient and much easier,” says Justin.

For more information, visit www.melitta-professional.com.au

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Settle a Climate Score Happy Happy Foods is displaying the carbon score of its products on their packaging so customers can count carbon emissions as easily as they would count calories.

W

hen making a purchase, like a new car or appliance, the efficiency of these products is often a factor in decision making. When looking to buy a new washing machine, most people can’t help but look for that five-star energy rating.

Many Australians are now focused on reducing their climate impact when it comes to food too. Cafés are answering that call with the aid of companies like Happy Happy Foods, which are producing sustainable products for conscious consumers.

Happy Happy Foods says there is a growing demand to know more about where our food comes from and the environmental impact of what we consume.

Its Happy Happy Soy Boy now makes this easier by featuring its carbon score on the side of the carton.

Co-founder Lloyd Smith says displaying this score allows Happy Happy Foods to be transparent about its product’s carbon footprint.

“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation, and people need to be able to make these considerations with every product we choose to buy and consume,” Lloyd says.

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“This form of labelling brings that choice to the forefront of the consumer’s mind, promoting transparency from all food products.”

Happy Happy Soy Boy’s score of 0.60 for Australia and New Zealand means that 0.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide were emitted for every litre produced. For comparison, Lloyd says that while dairy milk will differ from brand to brand and farm to farm, it produces roughly twice that much carbon per litre.

In the 1990s, the Australian Government made it mandatory to include nutrition information panels on food packaging so people could make informed choices about their health and consumption. Happy Happy Foods is enabling customers to make these same smart choices with their carbon footprint.

Publishing the carbon score of its products is one facet of Happy Happy Foods’ ‘Climate Happy!’ program which aims to measure, reduce, and offset its carbon emissions.

In 2020, Happy Happy Foods partnered with CarbonCloud to assess its product’s carbon emissions across the globe, from cultivating its raw ingredients through production to the soy milk arriving at the café.

“As a business that sources products from different countries and sells all over the world, we have a global footprint and complex supply chains. So, we needed to work with an organisation like CarbonCloud that has the tools to measure and assess that global supply chain,” Lloyd says.

“One of the great things about CarbonCloud is that it provides you with a dashboard that breaks down where your emissions are generated across the entire supply chain. This gives us the ability to target areas where we can reduce our emissions effectively.”

Happy Happy Foods has attained carbon neutral status for its products by offsetting the emissions that it can’t reduce. It even went a step further – measuring, reducing, and offsetting the emissions of its staff to create a team of climate neutral people.

The company purchases carbon credits through Pangolin Associates, which supports the Bundled Renewable Wind Power Project in India, replacing enough fossil fuels with renewable energy to cancel out its remaining 0.6 kilograms per litre and those of its team members.

“When you’re manufacturing and distributing a product, it’s never going to be ‘emissions free’. Before you look at offsetting, reducing your emissions as much as possible needs to be a priority,” co-founder John Cruse explains.

“That’s why we think it’s important to hold ourselves accountable and include our climate score on the packaging and not just ‘100% carbon neutral’.”

It also allows Happy Happy Foods to highlight the carbon efficiency of its products, so customers can pick up a carton and make an informed decision on their carbon emissions like they would their nutrition.

“We need to make products that are better for the environment than those of the generation before us,” John says.

“We hope that climate labelling will create a comparison against traditional products. So, for example, you can see the difference between Happy Happy Soy Boy and that of a litre of dairy milk, and make an informed choice that will contribute to shrinking your carbon footprint.”

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For more information, visit www.eatdrinkhappyhappy.com/climate-happy

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

The gold standard For almost a decade, Riverina Fresh has worked closely with the specialty coffee industry to ensure it can offer the milk of choice for many leading roasters and baristas.

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ustralia’s coffee industry is admired around the world, but it also stands out for how milk-based coffees dominate the market. When specialty coffee exploded in popularity in the early 2010s, dairy company Riverina Fresh saw the potential a high-quality and coffeecomplimentary milk could offer the industry.

“Riverina Fresh is a 99-year-old business, but it’s only been for the last decade that we’ve really focused on specialty coffee,” says Rob Collier, CEO of Riverina Fresh.

“When I joined the business in 2013, we were already supplying cafés and the specialty coffee industry, but it was mainly through our distributor network and some specific coffee roasters, it wasn’t a strategic decision at that stage.

I’d heard our milk was highly regarded in the industry but didn’t have a lot of evidence until I spoke with a variety of roasters and baristas at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo that year.”

It was Paul Jackson, Managing Director on Danes Specialty Coffee, who confirmed to Rob that Riverina Fresh had something special on its hands in terms of consistency and functionality.

“The partnership has always gone back to the quality of the milk,” Paul says. “We really value that quality and consistency, because it’s meant when we’re working on our blends, we can design them around a milk that doesn’t dominate or add flavours, that complements a good blend and a good roast.”

Danes’ relationship with Riverina Fresh dates back more than 20 years, with the dairy company contributing to many of the roaster’s projects that would help shape the soon-to-flourish specialty coffee industry.

“Even back then, when we started the Danes Specialty Coffee Institute in 1999 and Danes Grand Barista Championship in 2001, they sponsored our competitions and training programs with their milk,” Paul says. “But you don’t maintain a

relationship for 20 years with a product, it’s with the brand and the people behind it. Initially it was through Steve Reilly [from Reilly & Sons Foodservice championing the brand in Sydney,] now it continues with Rob, who has built Riverina Fresh into what it is today.”

Receiving encouragement from Paul to look deeper into the world of coffee, Riverina Fresh began working with more existing coffee industry partners, including the likes of Dukes and Toby’s Estate, to identify what was unique about its milk.

“People in the specialty coffee industry want to know everything about the finished product and how ingredients like milk interact with different blends and products. Because milk is in 90 per cent of coffees sold in Australia, it was one of the first areas the industry focused on,” Rob says.

He adds there is no one reason Riverina Fresh works well with coffee.

Instead, it’s the result of a variety of processes and techniques from the farm level to Riverina Fresh’s production

facility and distribution.

“We have learnt a lot over the last 10 years and now have a much better understanding about how to manage the variables that contribute to high performing, consistent milk,” Rob says.

“More than anything, we’ve tried to educate the industry and give them access to our team and to our farmers’ practices. The benefits have gone both ways. Farmers like most people, want to be part of something and understand why they get up every day. Working directly with the coffee industry has given them direct feedback from baristas and roasters that say ‘we care about what you do’, and ‘we want to present your milk to the world’.”

It was this connection to farmers – mirroring its own relationships with coffee producers – that motivated Ona Coffee to partner with Riverina Fresh following Founder Sasa Sestic’s 2015 World Barista Championship win.

“We met with Rob, heard a lot about the Riverina region, the work they do with their farmers, why the company

Sasa Sestic of Ona Coffee collaborated in the development of Riverina Gold.

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Anthony Douglas used Riverina Fresh milk in several Australian Barista Championships.

exists, and what they’re trying to do,” Sasa says. “We’re super particular with our milk and how it works with our coffee, and together had the idea to come up a new milk that will complement our coffee in the best possible way.”

Ona Coffee particularly wanted a milk that would complement its fruity Raspberry Candy blend, inspired by the coffee Sasa presented at the WBC. After eight months of collaboration, Riverina Fresh Gold was ready for use by Ona Coffee and the wider specialty coffee market.

“I’ve always loved crazy fruity coffees, and Riverina Fresh has helped us to explore different flavour characteristics from milk in the best possible way,” Sasa says.

He adds that Riverina Fresh has continued to provide Ona Coffee with amazing service and a consistent quality over the years, and its support was brought to the forefront during COVID-19.

“When COVID hit and our turnover dropped by 80 to 90 per cent, Rob was

Paul Jackson is the Managing Director of Danes Specialty Coffee.

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the first to call me and ask if I was OK. That meant a lot, especially knowing they themselves were going through a tough time too,” Sasa says.

“Those tough times brought Riverina Fresh even closer to the coffee community. Pretty much overnight, they delivered fridges to us and many others so we could shift from offering amazing dining experiences to being like small milk bars. During this crisis, they championed the idea that if we do things for each other, we’ll survive. Year after year, our relationship grows stronger.”

Since partnering with Riverina Fresh, Ona Coffee has also featured its milk and cream in barista competitions at national and world levels. Riverina Fresh has also become the milk of choice for several competitors in the Australian Barista Championship, including baristas from St Ali and Anthony Douglas of Axil Coffee Roasters.

“While preparing for competitions, you want the milk that is going to match your coffee perfectly. I will taste 15 to 20 different kinds of milk, from several

brands, but Riverina Fresh has always come out on top,” Anthony says. “I visited the farms and the factory for my 2018 routine, and they ran me through the entire process and what goes on behind the scenes. Beyond that direct involvement, they’ve always gone out of their way to supply milk for competitions from different blends, dates. and batch lots.”

Axil Coffee Roasters also serves Riverina Fresh Blue Full Cream in its many cafés around Melbourne and offers the dairy company feedback and understanding on how its milk works with coffee. Anthony says Riverina Fresh’s integration within the specialty coffee industry is what sets it apart from other dairy companies.

“Riverina Fresh is a growing company that deals with a lot of people, but they still take the time to check in and contact us regularly. Even as things shift, we’ve opened quite a few stores over the past couple years, and they do their best to work around us,” Anthony says. “Just recently, we had a batch that tasted a little different to usual. I contacted Lisa [Mazzarella, Area Manager Victoria], who was there half an hour later to take a sample and test against the recorded batch. It’s such a great level of quality control.”

Riverina Fresh’s quality was acknowledged on a global scale when it was named official milk sponsor of the 2020 WBC. While the event was cancelled due to COVID-19, the dairy company has continued its support of the coffee industry, supplying milk for the 2021 Australian International Coffee Awards and sponsoring Australia’s Richest Barista competition at the 2021 Melbourne International Coffee Expo.

In one of Riverina Fresh’s most recent collaborations in the coffee industry, the dairy company partnered with St Ali to develop its Really Good Coffee iced coffee range, now available in Woolworths along the east coast.

“That involved nearly two years of work with St Ali, and a huge amount of testing, research and development to create a fresh product with no addatives or preservatives, using nothing but Riverina Fresh milk and St Ali’s Orthodox blend,” Rob says. “One of the biggest challenges in a pre-packaged coffee and milk is getting the quality to the right level. The last thing we or St Ali wanted was to put our names to something we weren’t happy with. It couldn’t be just OK, it had to be ‘really good’.”

Rob says Really Good Coffee makes specialty coffee more accessible to general consumers, inviting more people

into the industry.

Another important step for Riverina Fresh has been bringing its café foodservice distribution back in-house in most of Melbourne and Sydney. Rob says this has allowed Riverina Fresh to engage and work even more closely with its café partners and the wider specialty coffee community.

“As part of our journey, we have seen the opportunity to provide products beyond milk and cream, produced

by Riverina Fresh as well as broader offerings from other producers. We are trying to challenge the thinking in this space as well and use new technology to make ordering and supply as efficient as possible for our partners,” Rob says.

“Ten years ago, we were on the edge of the industry, with a good reputation among a small group of people. We’ve broadened that profile and now are at least known to most people in specialty coffee. Our role is to continue that journey, challenging boundaries and understanding of milk in coffee to see how we can deliver excellence.”

For more information, visit www.riverinafresh.com.au

Really Good Coffee pairs Riverina Fresh milk with the St Ali Orthodox blend.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Takes the cake With the Flavour Savour series, Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters aims to use innovative flavours to excite the market and draw more people into the world of specialty coffee.

Watermelon Cake was released in early 2021 to much anticipation nationally and abroad.

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owards the end of 2020, Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters released its limited-edition Butterscotch Pudding blend, the first entry in its Flavour Savour Series which sold out within weeks.

“Toby’s Estate hadn’t released a Christmas blend or holiday-themed product for a long time, and last year, we saw an opportunity to be creative,” says Nich Rae, Head of Coffee for Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters.

“A big portion of the market only drinks milk-based coffee, so one of the key attributes of the product was that it had to work with milk, so it would be approachable and understandable for everyday consumers.”

To create a milk-based coffee with holiday-inspired flavours, Nich says the team knew it would need something strong, with rich fruity and whisky flavours.

“Whatever we put on the bag, the

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customer had to be able to taste it,” Nich says.

“We had a few coffees to play with but knew Myanmar would be part of the mix.

It offered a nice mix of cherries and dark chocolate. We brought in a Brazilian coffee too, to add those classic chocolate notes, and so the flavours carry through when steamed milk is poured on top.”

Toby’s Estate is the only coffee roaster to import coffee from Myanmar into Australia and has built a wealth of experience with its flavour forward style and unique character.

An El Salvador coffee finished off the blend, providing sweetness and rounding out the other two coffees.

“We didn’t have ‘butterscotch pudding’ in mind when building the bend. Instead, we created the blend with prominent unique and interesting flavours, then drank it with staff members who weren’t in coffee focused roles to see what they were tasting and how they described it,” Nich says.

“People would talk about the richness

of the coffee, and how the sweetness and silkiness from the milk made it almost cakelike. We landed on butterscotch pudding as a descriptor and it just clicked with everybody.”

Butterscotch Pudding proved successful for Toby’s Estate, with National Sales Manager Carlos Escobar telling BeanScene that emphasising the flavour over the holiday connection widened its appeal.

“At Toby’s Estate one of our focuses is doing things and releasing products that excite the market and coffee drinkers,” Carlos says.

“The response to Butterscotch Pudding was super positive, and I think that’s because we approached it as a unique milk-based option, not just as a ‘Christmas blend’. It was inspired by those festive flavours, but you could still appreciate the coffee if you don’t celebrate Christmas or at other times of the year.”

He adds Butterscotch Pudding performed particularly well in the retail

side of the business, with people buying the blend as a gift or for other occasions.

Following the success of Butterscotch Pudding, Toby’s Estate saw the potential a flavour-focused milk-based coffee blend could offer and set out to develop a second edition in the series.

“Many roasters bring in high-quality single origins and exotic flavour profiles for their black coffees, but very few people have access to something that’s still really different when paired with milk,” Carlos says.

“Most milk coffee blends revolve around similar profiles, so presenting flavours that are unexpected or usually unseen in coffee brings more people into specialty coffee and trying new things.”

Like with Butterscotch Pudding, Nich says developing the next Flavour Savour blend started on the cupping table.

“We try the coffee, talk about it, and use our experience and knowledge from doing this for a long time to understand what will happen when you add milk to it and how that will transform the coffee,” Nich says.

“We tasted this Colombian coffee that had gone through an interesting processing method, with some intense fruit flavours.

We knew if we paired it with a Brazilian to soften the intense elements and add those classic notes, when you paired it with milk, those fruits would really shine through.”

Thus, Watermelon Cake was born, combining fruity flavours of watermelon, rose petals, and mango nectar with traditional notes like crème brulee, dark chocolate, and vanilla cake. Released in April 2021, Carlos says Watermelon Cake was able to build on the momentum started with Butterscotch Pudding.

“We let our network know we’d started working on the next in this Flavour Savour series, so there was already anticipation and hype for what was coming next,” Carlos says.

“Then, the product spoke for itself.

The moment you grind that coffee, the crazy watermelon aromatics fill the café, which baristas and café owners were not used to. When trying it with milk, it was something most coffee drinkers had never experienced, which helped the cafés using Toby’s Estate to really offer a point of difference from their competitors.”

Watermelon Cake even attracted international attention, including a guest appearance at Rosslyn Coffee in the United Kingdom. Rosslyn Coffee is a renowned specialty coffee bar that rotates guest coffees from around Europe and, very occasionally, internationally.

“Rosslyn Coffee rotates coffees from the best roasters around the world, but usually stick to Europe. When they saw we had something as unique as

Watermelon Cake, they approached us and were excited to share the coffee,” Carlos says. “The response in Europe was amazing, again setting Australian specialty coffee as among the best in the world.”

It’s the unique level of skill, experience, and knowledge shared across the Toby’s Estate team that, Carlos says, makes something like the Flavour Savour series possible.

“Toby’s Estate is able to do things like Watermelon Cake because of our access to exclusive coffees, thanks to direct relationships with many coffee producers.

For years, we’ve had a green bean buying team purchasing coffee at origin and building those partnerships,” he says.

“Now that we’ve released two Flavour Savour coffees, our goal is to get the third into more cafés and build on the hype for people to want to try it and see what’s coming next,” he says.

“The way we do that is to deliver on what we say. One of the biggest challenges to introducing people to specialty coffee is when they struggle to find the tasting notes written on the bag.

When we say its tastes like Watermelon Cake, you need to be able to pick up the cup and say ‘yep, I taste that’.”

With the Flavour Savour series, Nich says Toby’s Estate is bridging the gap between the general consumer and specialty coffee, making it easier for

Butterscoth Pudding was the first release in the Flavour Savour series from Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters.

“From there, the expertise runs through our team of five roasters, all of whom are very experienced and are certified Q Graders. We have a very knowledgeable team that speak the same language when it comes to coffee.”

The Toby’s Estate team is currently working on its third Flavour Savour blend, with an anticipated release date in the lead up to the 2021 Melbourne International Coffee Expo in September.

While Nich can’t reveal the exact flavour profile of the upcoming blend, he confirms it will continue the “cakes and baked goods” theme of the past two releases while taking it in a new direction.

people to understand the value of coffee.

“The focus is to elevate the market.

People in the industry always talk about how we need to charge more money for coffee, but we can only do that if the customer knows what they’re paying for,” Nich says.

“We want to get them excited about tasting different coffees, so when the next Flavour Savour comes out, they can taste it and get it. Then, they might ask for a single origin on milk, or even a black coffee. We want our customers to ask to experiment, and not be intimated to drink coffee.”

For more information, visit www.tobysestate.com.au

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

The future is functional Radicle by Kerry offers functional oats that are at the forefront of plant-based milk technology, thanks to the brand’s four pillar approach.

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onsumer demand for plant-based milk continues to grow, with the oat beverage market reportedly worth $4 billion globally as of 2020, according to AP Food Online.

Jie Ying, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager of Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa (APMEA), says that oat milk has been growing in popularity due to its compatibility with coffee, creamy texture, and similarity to dairy milk.

“It’s a market game changer because it can deliver the same type of drinking experience as a latte but is 100 per cent plant-based,” says Jie Ying.

Taste and nutrition solutions provider Kerry has used an insight-led approach to innovation and technology to create healthy ingredients for the past 40 years.

However, it wasn’t until last year that Kerry decided to gather all its plantbased knowledge under one brand: Radicle by Kerry.

Jie Ying says Radicle by Kerry seeks to produce sustainable plant-based food and beverages that are authentic in taste and texture.

“We have accumulated more than 10 years of knowledge that comes from a lot of research and development and technology investment into this [plantbased] space,” says Jie Ying.

A study titled ‘APMEA Consumer Insight into Dairy Alternative Beverages’

by Kerry researched attitudes and perceptions towards oat milk consumption. These insights influenced the four pillars and solutions Radicle by Kerry offers.

“I usually use oat milk for my tea as Radicle by Kerry’s Functional Oats is suitable across a range of beverage applications.

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it has a thick and creamy body. Almond milk is lacking in mouthfeel and texture,” said one participant from Australia.

Another participant from China said they liked using oat milk in coffee, however, they were concerned about the carbohydrates and lower protein, as compared to almond and soy milk.

The study further found that millennials were the largest consumer group driving APMEA oat milk consumption, and outlined four driving factors of oat consumption: health, taste, food and retail service, and sustainability.

It was found that oat milk’s ability to offer higher health benefits and its ability to complement coffee and imitate dairy milk texture played crucial roles in increasing consumer demand.

The study also found that an increased demand for consumer customisation in retail service, alongside oat milk’s low environmental impact, have all driven the popularity of oat milk. This insight study, combined with Radicle by Kerry’s proprietary technology, formed the basis for Kerry’s Functional Oats.

“We called it ‘functional’ because other than adding the goodness of whole grain oats to the end product, it is very easy to use in end application and an environmentally friendly product,” Jie Ying says.

According to Jie Ying, while having a sustainable plant base like Functional Oats is important, delivering an optimised consumption experience is key in achieving consumer acceptance.

Radicle by Kerry’s Functional Oats goes through a proprietary process that allows it to have various functional properties, including being ready to drink, across several beverage applications. Oat milk can be easily made with our functional oats by combining sunflower oil, water and our Sherex system. “[Sherex] is our propriety blend of stabilisers and emulsifiers that actually forms this texture system. It gives you the mouthfeel and, most importantly, it gives you stabilisation, so the oat milk does not separate when standing on the shelf,” says Jie Ying.

Radicle by Kerry supplies Functional Oats to its clients who are typically within the food and beverage manufacturing sector. These clients then use the oat product to improve existing products or create new innovations.

“We use a four-pillar holistic approach that encompass functionality, taste, sustainability, and nutrition to provide an integrated solution that will enable our customers to create superior tasting dairy alternative beverages,” Jie Ying says.

The functionality pillar looks at how Radicle by Kerry manufactures its plant-based milk to perform similarly to dairy fats, proteins, and solids while maintaining product stability. The taste pillar examines whether a client wants a product to be creamier or emulate the taste and texture of real dairy.

“The main challenge for barista plant-based milk is getting them to complement the taste of the coffee rather than dominating them. Barista oat milk is a plant-based milk that is not only neutral in taste but also able to perform similarly to dairy milk especially in drinks such as a latte,” says Jie Ying.

“With the Radicle by Kerry platform, customers can create their signature oat milk, tailored to their market needs, without compromising on the taste and functionality.”

Jie Ying says a key factor in taste is the oats themselves and where and how they are sourced, which ties into the pillar of sustainability.

“Different types of oat have different tastes. The United States is one of the top oat producing nations in the world and is where we source our oats because we know we can get really great quality,” says Jie Ying.

Jie Ying says oats are currently the most sustainable type of plant-based milk, with the crop requiring minimal water to grow.

“When we extract oats, we utilise all of the oats, resulting in less waste and producing a more sustainable product,” says Jie Ying.

Radicle by Kerry’s Functional Oats uses a proprietary process that reduces the production time needed to create oat milk, as compared to using an oat kernel.

“We also produce the oats in powder format which is a more environmentally friendly way to transport the goods around the world,” adds Jie Ying.

Radicle by Kerry’s last pillar looks at the nutritional value of the product and what solutions it can offer clients. The macronutrient protein has numerous health benefits from lowering blood pressure to building muscle, with Jie Ying saying consumer demand for protein filled plant-based milks has been high, but previously, not easily achievable.

“If you were to incorporate protein into your product, usually it has an undesirable aftertaste,” says Jie Ying.

“A technology we use to overcome this is our ProDiem Complete, which is a blend of pea and rice protein. It provides the same protein quality as dairy protein and great taste and mouthfeel.”

Radicle by Kerry’s Functional Oat Milk also offers 3 to 5 per cent beta glucan, a fibre that comes from the whole grain oat.

“You don’t get a lot of fibre in plantbased milks, and even cow’s milk has zero fibre,” says Jie Ying. “Right now, I think rather than trying to make up for the lack of nutrients in plant-based

Kerry has more than 10 years of knowledge in the plant-based market.

milk, consumers are after adding extra nutrition in plant-based milk.”

Jie Ying says this stretches to an increased consumer demand for oat products which offer higher immunity and can be easily built into an everyday diet.

By rising to meet consumer demands through Radicle by Kerry’s four pillars, Jie Ying believes the company can tap into the rising oat milk market, where new consumers and hybrid product markets await.

“Especially with so many investments, it’s a very heated space that still hasn’t matured yet. The future is definitely moving into a functional, targeted type of

personal wellness,” Jie Ying says.

Soon, she predicts, beverage manufacturers will have oat milk for every different age group and vocation, for health benefits in sport recovery to compatibility with coffee in the café.

“Functional Oat products are really about adding value. The innovation is endless, and I believe it’s up to the creativity of our customers or manufactures and how they would like to differentiate themselves in the market,” Jie Ying says.

For more information, visit explore.kerry.com/radicle

Kerry sources its oats from sustainable farms across the United States.

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MICE2021

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE EXPO

Make way for MICE2021

Returning from last year’s hiatus with double the energy and excitement, MICE2021 is back with a mix of iconic and new events.

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ith Australia moving towards a post-COVID world, many in the coffee industry are bursting with excitement at the chance to make up for missed memories. Riding at the helm of this feeling is the long awaited 2021 Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE), hosted from 9 to 11 September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

As the largest dedicated coffee event in Australia, MICE2021 is an opportunity to catch up on all things coffee, with this year’s events showcasing some of the best baristas and producers across Australia.

“This is a line-up of events like never before seen. Yes, we still have COVID-19 restrictions in place, but what we’ve seen is our local roasters and contributors stepping up to really bring their A-game,” says MICE Show Director Lauren Winterbottom. “This is bound to be our most exciting year yet.”

With a large number of tickets being rolled forward from last year, MICE2021 has a strong attendee base with many excited to be back in the centre of coffee action. MICE2021 will also see the addition of a brand-new competition, giving contestants the chance to become

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“Australia’s Richest Barista”.

Featuring a cash prize pool of $50,000, the competition will occur across the three days of MICE2021 in a fast-paced, knock-out style competition. The champion will win a whopping $35,000 cash with second place scoring $10,000, and third place taking home $5000.

“This competition is a way to show support to these incredible baristas and the coffee industry after COVID-19’s impact on them and the wider hospitality sector,” says Lauren.

Day one will see baristas competing in pairs for 10-minute periods where they will prepare two espressos, two milk drinks and two alternative milk drinks.

One panel of judges will score each pair with a pre-determined scoring system allowing judges to declare the winner immediately after each round.

Each winner from the pair will progress to day two: the latte art smackdown. This day will focus on milk frothing and pouring skills with each barista required to pour six different milk-based drinks in 12 minutes. Baristas will create traditional latte art alongside their own creations, where one wobbly hand can shatter the shot at claiming first prize. The best in two out of three rounds will proceed to the final day.

The final day will test competitors’ senses to the max with a three-round cup tasting competition that requires baristas to accurately and quickly identify which coffee out of the group is the odd one.

“This event is sure to be a nail-biting

tournament where, if you look away for one second, you’ll miss the highlight,” says Lauren. “We hope this event will help reinvigorate the coffee competition scene we all missed last year.”

Already, the competition has drawn much interest with coffee brands such as Ona Coffee, Veneziano, Code Black, and more, applying to compete.

Across Melbourne, the coffee industry is further stirring with coffee aficionados and bean lovers emerging for Melbourne Coffee Week, which runs from the 5 to the 11 of September.

Presented by international coffee machine manufacturer De’Longhi in partnership with MICE, the week will see the same enticing events return from 2019, including roasting workshops, origin talks, and product launches. Tours and parties are always the highlight of the week, where all come together to celebrate coffee.

“We’ve seen such great interest from individuals and organisations across the coffee sector and are excited to headline as Melbourne Coffee Weeks title sponsor in the lead up to MICE this year,” says George O’Neil, De’Longhi’s Marketing Director for Australia and New Zealand.

“While COVID-19 has delayed some of our plans, we’re thrilled to be back and look forward to sharing some exciting news with the coffee industry soon.”

Back at MICE2021, the much-loved Cupping Room will be open again with attendees encouraged to try their hand at coffee tastings that will delight the senses.

Supplied by exhibitors from Roasters Alley and Origin Alley, their best coffee and current offerings will be on display for all to try.

Companies representing multiple coffee producing nations will be part of the Cupping Room, offering attendees a chance to taste coffees from across the globe despite COVID-19 restrictions.

“We know many of our domestic suppliers have been working with international exhibitors to bring their brands to MICE2021,” says Lauren. “It will be a different dynamic, but those brand’s flavours and quality of products is promised to continue.”

Lauren adds that Australian trade bodies have been stepping up to support domestic suppliers in bringing international presence and products to Origin Alley.

“Origin Alley will always be an in important feature, but we know it’s difficult with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” she says. “We’re still excited to showcase all the coffee producing

nations we can while highlighting where [Australian] coffee comes from.”

And, of course, quintessential MICE attraction Roasters Alley will also be making a return, with two alleys that provide attendees the chance to try some of the best brews in the country.

In recognition of Australia’s many smaller coffee roasters, MICE2021 is introducing Roasters Marketplace: an area designed to give these businesses a platform to share their coffee beans.

“We wanted to give these members of the industry an entry point into the show and support good, local quality,” says Lauren.

Besides providing a space to appreciate coffee and all of its flavours, MICE2021 will also return with its Product Innovation Awards which recognise the equipment and products that help elevate coffee.

The four categories include Coffee Preparation Equipment, Ancillary Electrical Equipment, Coffee Accessories, and Specialty Beverages.

“Each winning product must demonstrate how they have contributed to changing the coffee market and display unparalleled innovation,” says Lauren. “These products will be judged onsite across the show, and we will also offer a People’s Choice Award.”

MICE2021’s sponsors include the likes of Espresso Mechanics, Milklab, BeanScene, Cafetto, and Made by Fressko, with specialty coffee roaster St Ali returning as a platinum sponsor with its “legendary” food kiosks.

Lauren highlights that MICE is where it is today thanks to all the support it has recieved throughout COVID-19.

“Like the hospitality sector, the events industry has had to overcome many challenges,” says Lauren.

“It’s been two years since MICE last ran. We’d like to thank all the roasters and suppliers in the industry that have supported and backed us. You have been incredible in helping us keep this industry event going. From the whole team at MICE, thank you.”

For more information and tickets, visit internationalcoffeeexpo.com

St Ali willl return as a platinum sponsor for MICE2021.

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CAFÉ SCENE

FARMERS DAUGHTER 27 Bentham Street, Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory, 2603 Open Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm,Saturday and Sunday 7:30am to 2:30pm (02) 6281 2233

Farmers Daughter attracts easy-going café goers.

DENIM CO Shop 9A, Little Stanley Street, South Bank, Queensland 4101 Open Sunday to Thursday 6am to 5pm, Friday to Saturday 6am to 9pm.

(07) 3844 0302 Celebrating its 20th year under the sun in 2021, Denim Co was started by Fara and Evy Sutjipto, two sisters who combined two seemingly mismatched passions.

“Evy’s always had an interest in fashion and I’ve always been involved in hospitality,” says Fara. “After a visit to Europe, we were inspired by the retail venues that put fashion and hospitality together and wanted to bring it to Brisbane.”

Originating as a boutique denim store with good quality basics, Denim Co has now progressed to a wider selection of fashion items with the café adding extra dine-in seats in 2015 to match the area’s growing popularity.

Serving up comforting café food such as the Big Breakfast, Croissant Benedict, and Canadian Waffles, Denim Co also offers Italian inspired dishes like Nonna’s Lasagne and the Garlic Bread Meatball Sub. “I feel our offering and vibe is classic, consistent, and on trend, which is reflected

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When Danny Tosolini took over Farmers Daughter three years ago, he toyed with the idea of changing its name, but found there was nothing else that quite fit the café’s vibe.

Located in the leafy suburban area of Yarralumla, the café is near a lake and dog park, attracting a community of active, easy going café goers who come for the sunny atmosphere and high-quality food and drinks.

“We used the original café as a base and slowly built and improved upon it,” says Danny.

Serving up a classic café menu, he says it is simply the quality of the food and beverages that distinguishes the café, from the homemade pies to the deluxe ricotta pancakes.

The café also serves up Veneziano Coffee Roasters’ Elevate blend.

“Elevate is a blend of Brazilian and Colombian beans that has a bit of a punch with notes of chocolate and spice,” Danny says.

“A friend recommended them to me and after trialling a couple beans, we found Elevate perfectly matched the flavour profile and strength I was looking for.”

According to Danny, the hands-on service Veneziano provides is another

advantage of partnering with the roaster.

“The guys at Veneziano really provided the set up where we could sample different varieties, look at and learn how they do things, and really get that training for the staff,” he says. “Their a great bunch of people.”

With Farmers Daughter well established, Danny’s plans are not to settle. Wanting to expand from the laidback brand he’s established, Danny is currently in the process of fitting out a new café located in the CBD. “It’s named Fuel Café and is a completely different atmosphere to Farmers Daughter,” says Danny. “Fuel is more about quick, efficient, high quality food and coffee to ‘fuel’ city workers in a busy environment.”

Here, Danny plans to provide ready-togo food including roasted meat and fresh pasta. Espresso will be prepared on two La Marzocco Linea PBs. Expected to open at the end of July 2021, one thing that will stay the same across both locations is the relationship with Veneziano.

“We’re actually trialling new Veneziano beans to expand the range we have at Fuel café,” says Danny.

“It’s been a bit of process to get Fuel to this stage with COVID-19 but we’re glad to almost be there.”

through our venue, food, and drink offering,” says Fara.

“Since day one, we have served an authentic Italian Peach dessert, which is a sponge cake soaked in Galliano with custard in the middle. Our Italian Hot Chocolate has also been one of our

recognised items.”

Serving up Lavazza’s ¡Tierra! Brazil coffee blend alongside these Italian style dishes, Fara says the roaster’s Italian heritage was something that resonated with them and their clients.

“We have a great relationship with Lavazza and our sales rep. When visiting Italy nine years ago, we were invited to the roastery in Turin, Italy. It was a great experience seeing their attention to detail,” Fara says.

Across its 20 years of experience, the café has faced and overcome many challenges.

“We endured the 2011 Brisbane floods, did two major renovations in 2008 and 2016, and overcame the G20 Summit which shut down South Bank’s roads and cafés,” says Fara. “And, of course, survived COVID and all the lockdowns.”

Through it all, Fara says, the café has maintained much of its long-term staff.

“Some of our staff have been with us for over eight years. The service we provide is homely, refreshing, and comfortable,” says Fara. “We also constantly evolve with the market, which I find is a unique factor.

“For the future, we want to continue to evolve with the industry and provide the best quality and service.”

Denim Co celebrates its 20th year mixing fashion and hospitality.

LITTLE DRUM COFFEE Unit 11/21 MacDonald Street, Mt Maunganui 3116, New Zealand Open Tuesday and Thursday 7am to 1pm (+64) 21 227 4787 When moving a venue, one typically moves farther than down the road. But for Little Drum Coffee, the location was perfect.

“I saw our neighbours moving out one day and just thought it was a great opportunity,” says Charlie Self, Founder of Little Drum Coffee.

“Moving happened in a couple of weeks and was a little bit crazy, but I think that sums me up: controlled chaos.”

The shift in venues, however, was more than just a change in scenery.

The new roastery has three times the space enabling it to set up a brew bar, reflecting Little Drum Coffee’s growing demand and community focus. “[Moving] was a great opportunity to really showcase what we do and how we do it. Customers can now come in, have some coffee, and hang out,” says Charlie.

“We’re still roasting in view of the customers, but the move gave us a chance to split the space so we are no longer are on top of each other. Now it feels a lot more breathable, lighter, fresher, and cleaner, which is great.”

The new venue has large front facing windows that lead into the café with raised stadium seating and a retail area in one corner.

Little Drum Coffee has a raised amphitheatre seating.

Designed as an open layout, a large doorway leads to the back revealing a workbench and vintage roaster which has been retrofitted by Charlie himself.

“I installed new fans units, blowers, and so forth, and also connected it up to a computer so I can do profiling,” says Charlie. “And I’ve had it certified and ticked off by all the right guys.”

Serving a variety of single origins and blends, Charlie shares that the café is designed to cater to everyone as targeting niche markets would be too hard to sustain

Charlie Self, Founder of Little Drum Coffee says the roastery caters to everyone.

a business in New Zealand. Feeding into the café’s ethos, Charlie says all are welcome, and is confident café goers will find a coffee to suit their palate.

“I cater to all with a fool proof coffee blend which is easy to use. Then I have another sector for the coffee geeks with all the different specialty coffees featuring things like extended and aerobic fermentations,” says Charlie.

“We particularly focus on single origin coffees and giving the consumers the ability to access and taste all these coffees from different regions,” Charlie says.

“Then, they can find out what flavour profiles they like and invest further.”

For Charlie, Little Drum Coffee has always been about supporting the local region and creating small specialty batches.

“We don’t have sales reps out in the field, which means our customers are actually coming in contact with us, as the roasters, so it’s a direct conversation,” says Charlie. “It also gives us the chance to show them the variety that we’re roasting.

It’s a one-on-one relationship.”

Coming from an artistic family and beginning his career as a chef, Charlie finds pride in creating something that people can put in their hands and consume. Being able to create a place for his customers to come has been an extension of this.

“To be able to deliver a product to the market that makes me proud, and I know people are enjoying what I’m doing, that’s very gratifying,” he says.

“This is the way I’ve set up this business: I’ve based it around good feelings. I’m here to make happy customers, have beer in the fridge and spend time with my kids.”

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CAFÉ SCENE THE EDIBLE CAFÉ G3, 10-14 Hope Street, Brunswick, Victoria 3056 Open Monday to Friday 6am to 2pm, Saturday to Sunday 8am to 2pm (03) 8388 7804 When one steps into The Edible Café, the first word that springs to mind is homely, and this is exactly the vibe Bikash Parajuli and his wife Ashma Aryal wanted when they opened their café in late 2020.

“We are originally from Sydney, where people are always in a rush, but for us, Melbourne people are calmer, they want to chat with you and hang out at a local,” says Bikash.

Relocating to Melbourne to be closer to Ashma’s family, the couple also saw the move as an opportunity to start their own business after 12 years working in hospitality.

“We realised when we came here that a lot of cafés have their own niche, but we didn’t want to focus on only one demographic,” says Bikash.

“We focus on any and all customers, and have created a place where they will always receive a high level of service and standard. It’s the kind of place where customers bring their children and they can play, and they feel very welcome.”

The Edible Café offers hearty Australian café cuisine, serving up all-day breakfast and lunch.

Favourite breakfast items include the hunger bun, double cooked pork belly benedict, bacon avodaise, fluffy hotcakes with berry compote, honeycomb and its Cheeky Frenchy consisting of cinnamon brioche with poached pears, strawberries, fairy floss, and more.

Favourite lunch offerings include the chicken burger, cheesy wagyu burger and chicken tacos.

Bikash says creating the menu was a slow process. With the café opening just two weeks before Melbourne’s second lockdown, Bikash and Ashma found it difficult to get to know and interact with the community.

“We didn’t really know the area and what demand there was. We knew we wanted our food to be based on the local customers taste and choice,” says Bikash.

“Slowly we’ve managed to get to know our customers, and from there, we designed the menu off that.”

And this same customer centric approach has been applied to the coffee.

The Edible Coffee uses Single O cold brew, alongside the Roast 54 house blend from Mocopan Coffee.

“When we were trialling different

coffee beans, a lot of roasters were shut because of COVID-19. Kyle [Rutten, Mocopan sales representative] approached us with Mocopan and we haven’t looked back,” says Bikash.

“We even got our customers to try the beans, and they liked it because it’s a traditional, smooth coffee that’s not overpowering. Some of our customers drink at least two coffees when they’re sitting and chatting with friends. It’s a perfect homely drink.”

Mocopan Coffee’s support has gone beyond supplying the Edible Café with coffee, also providing the café with a new Victoria Arduino Eagle One espresso machine.

Featuring Victoria Arduino’s Thermal Energy Recovery System, the Eagle One utilises less energy resulting in lower operational costs and environmental impact.

With Melbourne emerging from lockdown, Bikash has plans to continue to expand and support the customers he caters for.

“I want to open more cafés across Melbourne and eventually, I want to open more stores in Sydney because to me, Sydney is still like a second home. It feels like a full circle to return to where I started,” Bikash says.

The Edible Café is Bikash Parajuli and his wife Ashma Aryal’s first café.

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EDITION ROASTERS 60 Darling Drive, Haymarket, New South Wales, 2000 Open seven days 8am to 4pm (02) 8313 1000 Off the bat when guests walk into Edition Roasters, they are greeted with a monocolour palette with design elements inspired by traditional Japanese farmhouses.

“When you walk into the café it’s all black – even the tables and customer seats.

The black colour is non-reflective and creates a moody aesthetic,” says Taku Kinura, Head Roaster at Edition Roasters.

This colour palette extends to the open kitchen and bar where customers can see the food and coffee production.

“We were going for a sleek, modern look combined with a traditional Japanese farmhouse. In the countryside of Japan, they typically placed a central pillar to provide support for the house, and we also have a central pillar in our shop,” says Taku.

Located in the heart of Chinatown, Edition Roasters attracts a wide demographic, from young Asian residents and students to corporate workers.

“Pre-COVID-19 we saw people travelling far distances to visit us on the weekends.

Weekends were a chaotic mix of main clients and tourists,” says Taku.

D

Edition Roasters roasts all of its own coffee, producing only single origins.

“We don’t do blends at all, at any of the cafés. This is coming from the philosophy that we believe in purity and the clarified fruit flavours that can come out of single origins,” says Taku.

Edition Roasters sources milk from independent Australian dairy manufacturer Riverina Fresh to stand up against its single origin coffees.

“Their milk complements our coffees best and the team at Riverina Fresh really understand our needs,” Taku adds.

With a new coffee shop set to open in Wynyard in August, Taku is excited at the

eveloped in conjuction with the BeanScene magazine website, The Long & Short of It news EDM is dedicated to keeping the coffee industry abreast of the latest relevant news as it breaks, in addition to providing an electronic interface for the viewing of BeanScene magazine content. To keep up to date with fresh, informative and relevant content, register your details at www.beanscenemag.com.au

opportunities this new venue will bring.

“It’s in a great location in a brand-new district. We saw a lot of advertising for it and thought it would be a great time to open another shop that would be in the centre of a new hub,” Taku says.

Carrying over the name and basic Japanese design elements, Taku says the company will continue to focus on bringing the new shop to life, sourcing new coffee and training staff to maintain a good workplace culture.

“It’s a bit hard in COVID-19 to keep the momentum going, but it’s our job to keep everyone feeling safe and supported,” says Taku.

Edition Roasters’ aesthetic is inspired by traditional Japanese farmhouses.

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WATER WORKS

Cameron McDonald is the Business Development Manager – Water Filtration Specialist for Bombora Coffee + Water Supplies

At what cost?

Cameron McDonald of Bombora Coffee + Water Supplies discusses the practical considerations and cost benefits of supplying a café with the right water filter.

I

t may seem like a small detail, but a lot of thought and science goes into equipping a café with the right water filtration solution.

We work closely with our customers to ascertain the café’s critical details, such as the water quality, equipment style, and volume usage. The value of a quick and simple action of water testing is often overlooked, though it is absolutely critical to understand the sites water quality, thus enabling a café to extract the best flavour characteristics from their coffee.

The team at Bombora Coffee + Water Supplies is committed to providing quality water filtration, water testing, and education solutions to the greater coffee community. It is for this reason that we offer our valued customers unlimited and obligation-free water testing.

We simply need a 300-millilitre water sample to be provided in a clean sample bottle. It is best to use a new water bottle, as any residue from previous liquids like juice or soft drink can throw off results.

A barista or café owner can mail this sample directly to our office, including their contact details, address, phone number, email, and a brief on the water source’s site location and how the water is intended to be used.

Is it just for a coffee machine? What material is its boiler made of? Will the water be served to drink or used for an ice machine? These are important questions to ask, because it determines just what kind of filtration you’re going to need.

We then test the water following quality parameters of total dissolved solids, chloride, total hardness, calcium,

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Water composition has a huge impact on the flavour of coffee in the cup.

magnesium, pH, and total alkalinity.

Once we understand the water quality, we can build a clear understanding of the level of protection required. This means looking closer at the machine’s boiler material type and possible flow restriction issues, for example – how a filter will impact its functionality.

Not only is a good water filter important in terms of coffee flavour, it will also ensure that cafés are adequately protecting their coffee machine from potentially damaging elements, such as chloride and scale.

The last component we think about when determining the right filter is usage. There is no point installing a filter if it will be left in past its capacity.

It’s crucial that a café monitors its filter and replaces it regularly. All the filter’s positive work while actively filtering out unwanted ions is undone the moment it’s left pass its usage. It will then allow all those unwanted materials through, causing untold amounts of damage, especially if a café owner of barista isn’t

aware there’s even an issue.

Bombora strives to provide the best quality, bang-for-buck solutions we can to our customer base, which is why we choose to work with BRITA for our water softening filter cartridges.

BRITA continues to be a leading manufacturer of softening-based water filtration solutions, at a cost that doesn’t have to blow the budget of roasters or café owners. We have had an ongoing partnership with them for six to seven years now, which has grown over time as BRITA rose in popularity within the coffee community.

A lot of its success comes down to the relationships between the people who work at BRITA and their suppliers. The support they offer to distributors through training, education, and technical resources has been critical to their growth and our ability to service our customers.

In every water source, there are charged atoms or molecules called ions. In a water supply, there are many different types of elements and,

“BRITA CONTINUES TO BE A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF SOFTENING-BASED WATER FILTRATION SOLUTIONS, AT A COST THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO BLOW THE BUDGET OF ROASTERS OR CAFÉ OWNERS.” therefore, many different ions, such as magnesium and calcium. When there are above-average levels of magnesium and calcium ions in your water supply, the water is referred to as being ‘hard’.

This hardness in the water can drastically reduce the overall life expectancy and efficiency of equipment, and also hamper the taste, odour, and overall aesthetics of your water and coffee. A water softening filter cartridge is one of the most common and economical ways of minimising the effects of hard water.

While water that is too hard can be damaging to your coffee machine and flavour profile, you want a certain amount of hardness in your water to maximise your espresso extraction.

So, how do you walk that fine line between water that will produce the best coffee possible with it not being hard enough to damage your machine over time? The answer is a bypass head.

Using Sydney as an example, where water hardness levels range from low to medium. These manageable levels typically do not require complete interaction with the filter’s ion exchange media. The reduction of hardness would be far too severe, which is particularly true in coffee.

So, after the water has run through filters that catch organic compounds and things like chlorine, a bypass head will only direct some of the water through the

ion exchange, stripping it of its hardness, before mixing with the unexchanged water for the perfect hardness level.

A café can test for their own desired water hardness level or speak to their coffee roaster about what will work best. Once the desired hardness has been determined, they can reference the hardness figures in the product manufacturer’s setting booklet, which will assist them in picking the best bypass setting to suit their application.

In addition to customising your water, there are significant cost benefits with this technology.

Using a water hardness level of 70 parts per million as an example – which is typical of Sydney – a BRITA Purity C150 Quell water filter with the bypass set at zero can provide 2500 litres of filtering capacity.

By simply adjusting the bypass setting to 30 per cent, as recommended, the filtering capacity increases to 3476 litres.

In dollar terms, the average cost per litre based on a retail price of $136 works out to $0.054 at 2500-litre capacity, and $0.039 at 3476-litre capacity.

To put this into perspective, this presents a cost saving of up to $38.18, or around 30 per cent of the total cost of the filter, just by correcting and maintaining the right settings.

If you apply this method across multiple sites, it presents obvious and significant savings for any business.

What separates Bombora from other businesses is that we are not just a ‘water filter company’. We are an overall coffee equipment distributor, with other arms of our business including coffee machine cleaning, barista tools, brewing gear, and coffee machine spare parts.

This provides us with a unique understanding of the coffee industry and its requirements, which allows us to always put forward the best possible solution for each customer’s individual application. With a combined 80 years of experience in coffee and water, we are well poised to pair you with the right solution.

For more information, visit www.bomborasupplies.com.au or www.brita.com.au

Filtered water is crucial for both coffee flavour and the health of any coffee machine.

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ESPRESSO YOURSELF

Victor Vu of Ona Coffee Melbourne is the 2020 ASCA Australian Pauls Professional Latte Art Champion

Spartan Warrior Victor Vu shares his take on a Hellenic warrior that inspires baristas to overcome any challenge ahead of them.

T

o me, the Spartan warrior conveys strength, bravery, and power, three things I think a lot of us have needed over the past year and a half. That’s why I really wanted to share my take on the iconic soldier at the 2020 Australian Latte Art Championships.

I first created this design almost two years ago now, but over time, have refined it to appear more life-like and realistic, as well as to showcase more technique and ability.

Spartan helmets have become well known for their feathery crest, looking similar to a mohawk, which was probably meant to intimidate enemies in Ancient Greece. In our design, instead of

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frightening, it amazes, offering a cool focal point that takes a lot of skill to pull off.

The very long rosetta-style pour has about 27 leaves and requires a steady hand to execute correctly and appealingly.

That is only one of several challenges to this design. Perhaps the most difficult is the helmet itself. I essentially perform steps four to eight in a single pour, leaving little room for error. You could try breaking up the steps and pours, but you won’t achieve the same result in the cup.

So, like the Spartan Warrior who never gives up, keep working on this design until you can achieve your goal.

1.

Build your base with the handle at three o’clock.

3.

To the left of where you ended, pour a short six-leaf rosetta, then left of that a four-leaf rosetta. At the end, pull through with a short line on the left side of the rosetta.

5.

From the end of that rosetta, in the same movement, drag a line up along the rosetta to the top of the cup, then another line to about eight o’clock.

7.

Continue pouring the line slightly down, up diagonally to the left again, then straight down again stopping before the edge of the cup.

2.

Beginning from just left of the top of the cup, pour a long 27-leaf rosetta clockwise along the edge until about four o’clock.

4.

From the starting tip of your first rosetta, pour a seven leaf rosetta, pointing towards the end of that first rosetta, to complete the helmet decorations.

6.

Pull another short line directly up, then diagonal stopping just before toughing the left short rosetta.

8.

Finish off by pouring a line connecting this point with the bottom of the two small rosettas.

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POWERED BY VITASOY

Matthew Lewin is the 2019 ASCA Vitasoy Barista Champion and Café Ambassador for Vitasoy.

A barista’s guide to dairy alternatives: Oat milk Vitasoy Café Ambassador and 2019 Australian Barista Champion Matthew Lewin on how oat milk represents the next phase of plant-based milks.

W

hen it comes to plant-based milks, there’s many qualities that are a must for specialty coffee, like high-quality sweetness and creaminess, yet there’s one quality we value above any other, and that’s neutrality, which is required to allow all of a coffee’s quality to shine.

Like with any great coffee, the ideal is for its inherent qualities to shine through, and anything else you add to it should complement or enhance that experience, not take away from it. That is why I believe oat milk is becoming that dairy alternative of choice for many baristas.

Baristas are both the face and voice of the coffee industry. If they prefer oat milk (hint: they definitely do), like any new great trend, tool, or addition to making coffee better, they will start actively sharing it with their customers, encouraging them to try it and for good reason.

In the last edition of BeanScene, I talked about how almond milk really complements traditional, chocolatey coffees and your coffee adjacent drinks like chai.

While oat milk serves as a great companion to these types of drinks too, where I feel it really stands out is with new categories of milk-based coffee: fruitier blends and roasts

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that are becoming a staple for many cafés and roasters.

Like oat milk, these fruity coffee blends are quite a new addition in terms of milk-based coffee offerings but will likely remain in people’s coffee programs as consumers become more accustomed to these new, exciting and evolved fruity flavours in their coffee.

The slight sweetness and neutral taste of oat milk also works perfectly with other flavour-forward drinks you’d serve in a café, like the classic hot chocolate.

I find oat milk the easiest plant-based milk to pour and work with as well. The fact is, all plant milks require a similar approach to use optimally and there are a few tricks that will help you get the best out of it.

Give the carton a good shake each time you use it so the oat milk doesn’t stratify and stays consistent from pour to pour.

Store it in the fridge and out of direct light so it stays fresh and textures better.

PRO TIP: the hotter you need to texture plant-based milk, the less air you should introduce at the beginning. Higher temperature steam creates extra inertia foam at those hotter points of steaming – so you’re really stretching the band out as much as it can before it snaps.

Health-conscious coffee drinkers will also know about the benefits of different

plant-based milks, like almond’s low calories and soy’s higher protein, but even the savviest of consumers might not be aware of oat milk’s advantages.

Vitasoy Café for Baristas Oat Milk is fortified with calcium, which, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly three quarters of females (73 per cent) and half of all males (51 per cent) above the age of two aren’t getting enough of, according to the ABS Australian Health Survey on usual nutrient intakes.

Oat milk is also a natural source of beta-glucan, a type of fibre with heart health benefits. Each serving of Vitasoy Oat Milk contains more than a third of the daily recommended amount required to lower cholesterol as part of a balanced diet that’s low in saturated fat, like a healthy plant-based diet.

INSIDE OAT

I’ve worked extensively with Vitasoy to help reformulate its Café for Baristas Almond Milk, which hit the market in July, and I’m excited to have begun a similar journey with its oat milk.

Vitasoy’s oat milk has been on the market for a few years now, and while it’s shown how well it works with coffee, there’s always room to evolve, refine, and elevate the consumer’s coffee experience.

the work to tailor their products to coffee, but as they become more popular, I think the coffee industry is going to start asking, “what can we do to tailor our coffee to plant-based milks?”

Matthew Lewin says oat milk pairs particularly well with increasingly popular fruity coffee blends.

A PLANT-BASED FUTURE

Like I said earlier, when we talk about “neutrality”, we want a delicious milk vehicle of sorts to carry coffee, we don’t want our milks to be flavourless in the coffee. You want oat milk to be identifiable as oat, just like we do almond, soy, or dairy, but with a sympathetic approach that doesn’t shut down a coffee’s flavour profile.

The flavour arc and transition, plus finish of the oat milk, is another huge focus for us. We want it to be sweet and long and persistent, without the dry textural element you might associate with oats. Balancing all this is key.

PRO TIP: make sure your espresso recipe to milk weight is in perfect harmony, giving enough coffee extraction to the amount of milk for a complete cup of coffee.

Ultimately, it comes down to what is going to resonate with baristas and general consumers. Beyond it all, is the coffee undeniably delicious? If not, we’re not quite there yet. That’s the framework Vitasoy and I work in for all plant-based milks.

That means making sure the coffee can shine through without compromising on anything. There’s an amazing natural oat sweetness and super creamy texture to the oat milk and you really don’t want to lose those in the process.

Working with Vitasoy has taught me the level of detail that goes into the development and production of plantbased milks, especially when they’re tailored to work with coffee.

What’s really fascinated me is how the level of total dissolved solids (TDS) relates to the performance of a plant-based milk.

In this case, think of TDS as the ratio of oat to water in the product.

Your first instinct would probably be that the higher the TDS – the more oat in the oat milk – the better, but I’ve learned it’s really a give and take.

The higher the TDS, the creamier the texture and the richer, bolder, and more robust the coffee experience. However, a high TDS can also risk shutting down the coffee’s cut-through and expression of flavour when combined with the milk.

Developing a plant-based milk for coffee requires finding the right balance, a ratio that gives you the desired texture while allowing the coffee to shine.

Little tweaks to TDS when working on the almond milk recipe really showed me how drastically it can influence the milk’s ability to allow the coffee to shine.

For now, plant-based milks have to do

If the coffee industry was to start developing coffee blends to work with certain plant-based milks, it would serve as a huge recognition of the growing role plant-based milks play in the coffee market as well as our daily lives.

We all strive to seek out products that are making a positive impact on the world and in our local communities.

Vitasoy does that through supporting local Australian farmers and workers, as well as the coffee industry.

As a proud principal sponsor of CafeSmart, every August Vitasoy’s commitment to supporting local communities and the coffee industry combine as cafes raise money to combat homelessness.

Since 2017, the plant-based community has celebrated World Plant Milk Day on 22 August, promoting the increasing role these products are playing in society.

I also feel it’s also reached the point where plant-based milks should not be compared to dairy. It’s become its own category.

So when judging plant-based milks, the question shouldn’t be “how does this compare to dairy?” It should be, “how does this stand alongside other plantbased milks?”

Really, when we talk about oat milk in the coffee industry, we’re also talking about the future. It’s not just about popularity, it’s where it will go in just a few years’ time.

The success of oat milk also sets a good tone for any future plant-based milks or dairy alternatives when it comes to specialty coffee and what baristas want in it. Oat milk has raised the bar, and anything new that comes to the market, will need to take it even higher..

For more information, visit vitasoycafe.com.au, or contact your local distributor or the Bega Dairy and Drinks Customer Service team on 1800 000 570.

SHOT FOR SHOT

Here’s a few standard espresso recipes I like to use for oat milk-based coffees.

Coffee: Fruity milk-based roast, lower dose, lower strength, more flavour forward.

20g dose, 39 to 42g yield, 26 to 36 second extraction, 100 to 115ml milk = Pink and red fruit forward profile, lots of aroma on crema, very detailed fruit flavour and expression/nuances, light to medium body, high sweetness, long finish.

20.5g dose, 39 to 42g yield, 27 to 36 second extraction, 105 to 120ml milk = Bold fruit forward profile, red and purple fruits, rich fruit aroma, plump ripe fruit notes, medium body, medium to high sweetness, medium top-long finish.

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TRAINING TACTICS

Babin Gurung is the New South Wales Barista Trainer of Suntory Coffee Australia.

Back to basics

Mocopan Coffee’s Babin Gurung on how to tackle the core latte art techniques that, once achieved, open up a huge window of opportunity to let your imagination run wild.

W

hen I see latte art appear on my ordered coffee, it shows that the barista has put love and care into preparing the drink.

Although the focus should always be on flavour, making it visually appealing is

also an important part of serving coffee.

There are infinite number of latte art designs that you can pour, but in order to get confident and consistent, it’s necessary to master a few techniques.

Good latte art always begins with well textured milk. Portioning milk correctly is important for consistency and control.

Refer to my BeanScene December 2019 article on ‘How to texture milk and perform the perfect pour” to learn more.

I find wide-mouth cups or glasses are easier to pour into.

Once you achieve a latte texture of one centimetre of froth, the fun really begins.

Piercing: This refers to pouring milk from 10 to 15 cm height from the surface of your espresso at a slow and steady pace. This will ensure the milk sinks to the bottom without disrupting the crema. You not only retain maximum colour but flavour in your espresso with this technique.

Blending: As you pour your milk, swirl your jug around the cup to soften and even out the crema, giving you a uniform backdrop to pour your latte art onto. This can also be achieved by moving the jug from side to side.

If doing this on a cappuccino, a fine layer or chocolate powder can be added before blending.

Placing: Once the cup is half to three quarters full, lower the jug and place the spout in the centre of the cup and pour fast. This nose-dive of the jug will ensure the froth comes out and forms a round shape (often known as Monk’s Head) in the centre of the cup. Make sure the spout of the jug is straight and swivel if the froth doesn’t come out.

Pushing: During placing, you can move your jug forward to push the monk’s head towards the back of the cup. A slight tilt to the cup and nosediving the jug further will help with pushing. This technique is useful when pouring rosetta or tulip.

Stacking: After creating the first Monk’s Head, use the pushing technique to add a second one, keeping a gap in between. This second Monk’s Head will push the first one creating a curve.

Repeat multiple times to create a stack which can be used for a tulip, stacked love heart, inversion swan, and a few other designs.

Swaying: Swivel the jug from side to side in a constant motion while keeping the spout close to the surface.

For this technique, move your wrist and not your arm. Keeping the spout in the centre while swaying will give you a wavy Monk’s Head while pulling back gives you a rosetta. Swaying requires a lot of practice which can be done just using an empty jug.

Dragging: This technique is used for drawing lines on a design. The best example of dragging is the neck on a swan. This is usually done towards the end of a pour as the remaining froth makes it easier to drag. You will need to pour low and slow continuously to get the best result.

Cut through: This technique is used for finishing latte art where you lift the jug slowly and swipe the jug in an upwards motion. This will cut through the design in a straight line giving you the final shape. If the jug isn’t high enough, it can create a dragging effect.

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ROSETTA

LOVE HEART

Now that you are familiar with these techniques, let me show you how to pour some of the most popular latte arts.

1

1

2

Pierce & blend

Place (3/4 full)

2

3

Pierce & blend

Push (1/2 full)

SWAN

1

TULIP

Drag down from the side (3/4 full)

Sway and pull back

Drag up leaving a gap

Sway and pull back

4

Place

3

Push (1/2 full)

Cut through

3

3

2

Pierce & blend

4

Push (1/2 full)

2

1

Cut through

2

Pierce & blend

1

3

Cut through (love heart)

4

Stack

Cut through

Knowing these techniques will help you improve your latte art faster. Practice is the key here. Being able to pour nice latte art is not only joyful for the barista, but also manages to bring smile to a customer’s face which is always worth the extra effort.

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ASCA

Bruno Maiolo is President of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association.

Association on a mission Newly elected President Bruno Maiolo shares his personal journey and ASCA’s plans moving forward.

W

hile I’ve been lucky enough to meet many of you in the coffee community, let me reintroduce myself in my new role as President of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association, and the new Board’s plans.

Personally, I have been consistently active in the coffee industry for many years, and in ASCA since its inception. Coffee is all I know. I have worked (or rather, had fun) in the coffee industry all my life, meeting interesting people, travelling to origin to source green beans, importing into Australia, roasting, educating, consulting and operating business in both retail and wholesale sectors, sharing

New ASCA Presient Bruno Maiolo is looking forward to helping the association evolve.

knowledge and great coffee.

Driven by a strong passion to make a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate, I channel my energy and resources into grass roots social projects in healthcare, education, recycling, and sustainability.

Coffee is relationships – all the way from the workers at the farm to the end consumer. Unfortunately a lack of transparency, limited access to information and resources, and no recognition of the value added by all in the supply chain, has resulted in a system that is not positive, or sustainable. We must all work towards cultivating a more sustainable and equitable future.

Thanks to the generous financial support of sponsors, tireless efforts of our Board, a national army of volunteers, the support of our valued members – ASCA continues to evolve.

COMPETITION UPDATE

We have many passionate coffee competitors in Australia. Unfortunately, the ongoing impact of COVID-19 means that the World Coffee Championships are on hold for now, pending World Coffee Events announcements. Our Regional and National Championships will likely be commencing March/April 2022.

OUR MISSION

ASCA commits to becoming ever more inclusive in pursuit of its mission to grow and support the entire coffee industry throughout Australia. Seeking to raise standards across all sectors, demonstrating its core values to: •S how Leadership and advocate for our members.

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•C hampion Sustainability throughout the whole supply chain.

•D rive more Connection across our entire coffee community.

•C onduct ourselves Ethically and always work in the best interests of our industry.

ACTIVITY UPDATE

The sharing of knowledge and skills is critical to the specialty coffee industry moving forward. ASCA is establishing an Education Sub-Committee. Subscribe to our newsletter and social media for updates or reach out directly to education@aasca.com.

Local expertise and involvement is key to supporting ASCA with a renewed focus to establish regional Sub-Committees, connecting the association’s resources and initiatives within the local community.

ASCA’s other initiatives include the establishment of a new Café Membership, the development of a new website enabling smoother transactions and better access to information.

ASCA is a volunteer-led and powered association. Together with you, our members, we are strong and can continue to curate our specialty coffee culture. Help shape our industry for the benefit of all.

Your involvement is critical to our success.

Subscribe to the ASCA newsletter at www.australianspecialtycoffee.com.au and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for the latest news.

You can reach us at info@aasca.com.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at www.australianspecialtycoffee. com.au

NZSCA

Emma McDougall is the Communications and Administration Co-ordinator of the NZSCA.

Coming of age Emma McDougall uncovers the rise of the New Zealand Barista Championship and its impact on the specialty coffee industry over the past 20 years. Part three.

I

n final article of this series, we navigate the growth of technology and tools with equipment, particularly the grinder, and how this change impacted the number of competitors on stage.

The start of the 2010s saw solid representation and high rankings of Kiwis on the world stage. The almost rhythmical baton of the same winning names during the early years of the competition passed and we started to see a variety of different faces take the crown. An impressive fifth place in Melbourne in 2013 from Nick Clark of Flight Coffee saw NZ back in the podium rankings.

A critical turning point in 2013 WBC was the introduction and subsequent rise of the EK43 grinder. This old school deli grinder brought a raft of changes through the technical component and the way competitors looked to grind their coffee in competition. Distribution apparatus and tamping systems became a focus for the baristas. Experimental changes at the processing level of green coffee brought a new era of flavour, pushing the flavour profiles of what coffee could be.

In NZ, we saw significant shifts from the motivation of individual baristas. It was noticed that roasters had previously pushed their baristas at the competition with limited experience of the rules and format. More baristas were heading to origin. The telling of the story of the coffee from seed to cup was intense and genuine.

The time and commitment of many judges and volunteers running three regionals and then national event, and the logistics that come with them, was being stretched. The Association decided to consolidate the event into a three-day barista event, eventually incorporating a 12-person semi-final and final on the same

Luise Metelka is the 2021 New Zealand Barista Champion.

day. Later on, this semi-final was dropped due to reduced numbers.

After 2016, we saw a dip in the number of competitors. Did the level get too high? Too expensive? Too sophisticated?

Too many rock stars? Did a barista have to go to the farm and process the beans themselves to compete? In 2017, 40 per cent of competitors were roasters in their day-to-day working life. Where had all the baristas gone? In 2018, the lowest number of entries ever had nine competitors take the stage. Running the competition in future years was questioned. With John Gordon placing sixth at the World Barista Championship that April, it was shown that New Zealand could still hold its own.

But something radical was still needed to entice baristas back to showcase their passions on stage.

The genius idea of creating a ‘Best Newcomer’ cash prize of $2000 was floated. Other prizes including ‘People’s Choice’ where the café customers could vote for their favourite barista competitor.

This created a buzz online unseen before. We had over a thousand unique votes with reasons why their barista was the best. The sincere comments were endearing, creating that connection

between baristas and their customers.

Most “Outstanding milk beverage” with a sweet $500 cash and trophy also enticed baristas seeking that harmonious balance with milk and coffee in the cup. With a sold-out field of 22 baristas taking the stage in 2019, fresh branding, and a great venue, the Championship had reached a balance again.

As for 2020, the event was postponed three weeks before it was due to happen, twice. Then in March 2021, with emotions peaking, we were finally able to hold our 19th Barista Championship, and everybody used their own EK43 grinder.

While NZ hasn’t taken the number one spot (yet), we still punch above our weight in the narrative of celebrating and telling the story of the tasty brown stuff. With swift adaptation of rules, equipment, people development. and coffee exploration at farm level, we are onto a winner. Our champion for 2021, Luise Metelka, weaved a story of superheroes, from the changes in growing and processing at farm level (complete with Dolly Parton soundtrack) after her incredible trip to Colombia.

Over the last 20 years, the growth of NZ Barista Championship has been exponential. We can only imagine what the next 20 will bring. The future is bright and balanced.

The Meadow Fresh NZ Barista Championship 2022 will take place from 12 to 13 March 2022 at Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre in Upper Hutt, Wellington.

For more information on the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association, or to join, visit www.nzsca.org

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

People on the move BeanScene celebrates the latest industry appointments in the Australian coffee landscape.

NICK PERCY – SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, NOMAD COFFEE GROUP Nick Percy has become Nomad Coffee Group’s first Sustainability Manager. In the first week of his new role, Nick diverted more than 30 per cent of the company’s roaster landfill volume through diverting chaff to an organic waste service.

Nick will continue to calculate and seek ways to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Moving from a sales position in National Accounts to Nomad Coffee, Nick says he is keen to see what the company can achieve in the coming months: “I’m looking forward to starting some ambitious goals with our suppliers and customers around organisational carbon neutrality, zero waste and circular economy solutions, renewable energy and more.”

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JO TUCKER – COMMERCIAL MANAGER, TOBY’S ESTATE Jo Tucker came to Toby’s Estate after working at Two Birds Brewing, a craft beer maker in Melbourne.

She is now leading Toby’s Estate’s commercial team to ensure the company remains financially steady and prepared for future growth so it can continue to support its customers, employees and suppliers. Jo loves a spreadsheet almost as much as a piccolo.

AARON SCHREDER – NATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, MERLO COFFEE Headhunted by a former colleague, Merlo Coffee General Manager David Holt, Aaron Schreder is Merlo’s new National Business Development Manager after working for Real Dairy Australia for 13 years. His job is to grow and build on Merlo’s position as not just a coffee brand but a coffee roaster, increasing relationships with national food service distributors, retail, and quick service restaurants.

DR MONIKA FEKETE – SENIOR CHEMIST AND COFFEE EXPERT, BREVILLE Breville Group have recently appointed Dr Monika Fekete in a newly created coffee chemist role.

Joining Australia’s most innovative team of food thinkers, Monika will help further integrate rigorous scientific principles into the R&D process. She will apply her years of coffee science experience to assist in creating the next generation of coffee brewing equipment, helping to deliver on the promise to perfect every single cup.

JIMMY YEOMAN – NATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BUDDY KITS Jimmy Yeoman has recently started his new position at Buddy Kits as its National Business Development Manager. His new role will focus on building relationships with roasters, resellers and café owners around Australia to provide them with an affordable and flexible equipment funding solution for their customers and businesses. He looks forward to the challenge and is excited for the next chapter of his career.

If you have taken on a new role in a prominent coffee business, or if you would like to promote your exciting new hire, send details of the career news alongside a high-res photo to Ethan Miller at ethan.miller@primecreative.com.au

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