Latest reports from two of the leading foodservice analysts have put speciality and artisan coffee right at the top of the must-stock list for operators.
In Horizons’ latest Ones to Watch survey, independent artisan outlets specialising in high quality, freshly roasted coffee with a strong food offer was said to be “satisfying the demands of an increasingly discerning coffee drinker”. The analyst also puts coffee shops in its number one slot in terms of percentage growth over the past three years.
It claims that artisan coffee shops are now bringing a higher quality product to the high street often combined with healthier, home-produced food that appeals to today’s consumers, and that branded operators such as Beany Green, espresso bar operator Grind and Yorkshire-based Filmore & Union with their combined coffee and food offer are raising the bar.
Speciality brews are also the way forward for cafés and coffee shops, according to Allegra World Coffee Portal, particularly if they offer something that consumers won’t be able to make at home.
In its latest report entitled: The Future of Coffee, speciality coffee accounts for around 15% of the total volume of out of home coffee, and is forecast to grow 13% year on year.
It also reveals that the UK speciality roasted coffee market has an estimated annual value of £80.1m, and, with value growth of 16% per annum, is forecast to reach £168.3m in value by 2020, fuelled by demand and the quantity of speciality coffee now available in non-traditional channels. Allegra estimates there are 1,400 independent speciality coffee venues in the UK, rising to 2,500 by 2020.
More emphasis on the farm to cup story concurs with people’s thirst for even more knowledge about the drinks they consume, thus the rise in those that have interesting tales behind them or offer something in the way of new and unusual flavours.
Satisfying these discerning drinkers are Britain’s most progressive coffee companies, who are embracing new technology and scientific methods to refine the coffee-making process from farm to cup, says Allegra, which means greater attention to agronomy and processing at origin to help yield higher quality beans, and a deeper understanding of the properties of coffee and the effects of water chemistry that will enhance baristas’ coffee brewing expertise.
The latter has already received a boost by specialist baristas Rob Dunne and Victor Frankowski joining forces with water filtration experts Brita Professional to launch an exclusive coffee training programme for operators to improve their speciality coffee.
Barry Kither, AFH sales and marketing director at Lavazza UK, says that one only needs to look at the competitive high street offering to see that consumers want top quality at a fair price.
“Consumers expect a quality coffee selection wherever they go and they’re more willing to pay a premium price with the knowledge their coffee is benefiting the communities it’s sourced from,” he comments. “For UK coffee drinkers, ethically-sourced products are a must; consumers are conscious of ethical issues and they now require a story behind a product.”
His example of a coffee with a story is Lavazza’s ¡Tierra!, a blend of Arabica and Robusta coffee from Brazil and South East Asia from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms. Another is its Slow Food-accredited Etigua, a limited edition blend of Arabica beans sourced in Guatemala and Ethiopia and produced in very small volumes solely for restaurants.
Steve Brecher, head of business excellence at Fairtrade distributor Peros, says that increasing taste sophistication among consumers has driven the coffee sector in particular and has been responsible for the incredible growth in UK coffee culture.
“Savvy caterers are now tapping into this fourth wave of artisan coffee by satisfying demand through a careful choice of coffee supplied in branded outlets by skilled baristas using traditional espresso machines,” he comments. He adds that bringing in a guest coffee will appeal to customers who like to experiment with new flavours.
Brecher says that although Fairtrade products now account for around 25% of all roast and ground retail coffee sold in the UK, this is not just down to ethical credentials: “It’s also about taste and range; consumers won’t put up with inferior products and a lack of choice, so it’s important to make sure that quality and choice are at the top of the agenda when putting together beverage menus.”
He advises operators to improve the quality of their coffee, the skills in serving it and understanding it, especially now that consumers are more knowledgeable about the origin of the beans, the blends and the roasting strength.
Phil Smith, head of category & insight at UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, says the price of coffee fluctuates depending on the market, but generally operators only see an increase of 1p or 2p per cup, so this shouldn’t put them off adding different coffee or premium coffee to menus.
“What’s important is making great coffee – concentrating on getting the basics right will offset any price increases by retaining and attracting new custom,” he comments. “In some instances, we can also work with our customers to help them fix prices at the best times so that they can maintain a consistent margin.
“Consumers have become more curious and educated about coffee,” he adds. “As well as being aware of the ethical accreditations on the market they’re also building understanding of origin, taste profiles and other factors that affect a cup of coffee. So, though ethical accreditation is important, operators need to ensure it delivers a quality taste experience too.”
He cites its Orang Utan coffee as a good example of this as it is grown on sustainable plantations and offers a fair trading price and future for farmers.
Trend-wise, Union Hand-Roasted Coffee claims that there is a shift away from big milky snack like drinks to more delicate speciality coffee, and that its diverse range taps into this trend by offering extraordinary coffee from around the globe, which at the same time ticks the boxes for consumers interested in provenance and knowing the story behind the bean. New for the season is its ethically sourced Yayu Wild Forest coffee from the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere in Ethiopia.
With consumers keen to experiment with different flavour profiles, the company says the rise of the V60 dripper in cafés is a prime example of the move towards simpler methods of coffee making that let the flavours speak for themselves, and that its single origin variants work well with this method.
Little touches such as improving the purity of the water used to make coffee to the milk added make a difference to the end result, according to suppliers. Lactalis Foodservice, for instance, says that milk matters, especially for varieties such as lattes and cappuccinos where it makes up a large part of the beverage.
While the quality of the coffee itself plays a huge part in the overall taste, the milk used is often overlooked, comments Christopher Huggon, brand manager for Rachel’s Organic.
“Many outlets will highlight that their coffee beans are organic and Fairtrade, but then mix it with normal milk,” he explains. “Any operators wishing to seriously highlight their organic capabilities should be using organic milk. A well-known UK brand can offer added value to hot beverages, demonstrating to customers that caterers care about the ingredients.”