Tea & Coffee focus: Seriously good coffee

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A coffee makeover is paying dividends for SA Brain, Wales' biggest pub operator.Over the past six months, the company has introduced Puro Fairtrade...

A coffee makeover is paying dividends for SA Brain, Wales' biggest pub operator.

Over the past six months, the company has introduced Puro Fairtrade coffee into its 100-plus managed estate.

Brains' retail marketing manager Chris Hewin says: "Consumers really know their coffee these days, so quality is more important than ever.

"They often choose a destination on the basis of the coffee being served, so it was vital to source the right product. It had to offer great quality and flavour but also be a recognisable brand with long-term appeal to consumers."

Brains chose Puro Fairtrade, because of the brand's quality as well as its ethical stance. The brand is a continental-style coffee made from a blend of 80 per cent arabica and 20 per cent robusta beans.

The beans, roasted in Europe, produce a rich aroma and velvety crema - the 'head' that is so important to coffee enthusiasts.

Fairtrade products have increasing resonance with consumers (see p43), something Brains felt had real appeal. For every kilogram of coffee Puro Fairtrade sells, it makes a donation to protect areas of rain forest in South America.

Chris says: "We developed a complete coffee menu to demonstrate that we were serious about coffee. As our estate encompasses everything from popular community pubs through to hotspots in city centres and more food-led pubs typified by our latest opening, Grape and Olive, we have deliberately tailored the coffee menu and equipment used in different establishments.

"Coffee is given all due theatre, served in front of customers using a fully integrated espresso machine, with attention paid to the presentation of every cup served. In food-led pubs, biscotti are provided with each cup, while in community pubs customers receive a chocolate almond with their coffee. Our aim is to ensure that quality is universal across the estate.

"To make this happen we've placed a great deal of emphasis on training. Making good coffee demands a certain level of expertise and we have adopted a perfect serve approach to ensure that each cup meets the required standard. In every managed house we have appointed a fully trained coffee champion. It's their job to ensure that strict criteria are met when preparing the coffee."

Both coffee sales and profitability have grown beyond the company's expectations. As for the future, Chris says: "We're looking to expand the coffee menu by developing a bigger range of flavoured coffees and are currently trialling some specific occasion menus for afternoon tea and brunch."

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