LAS VEGAS --"I'm wired," Todd Mackey, quality control coordinator and trainer for Coffee Solutions Inc., told retailers attending the "Destination Coffee: Baristas Wanted" educational session at the 2014 NACS Show in Las Vegas. "And not just because of the coffee!"
Mackey was energized to give attendees an idea of what's going on in an increasingly diverse global coffee market.
"One truth: coffee is complex," he said. "It's no longer just about the country the beans come from; we're seeing separations down to very specific areas, much like what goes on with wine."
Some other trends Mackey highlighted included:
- Craft Preparation: "Handmade specialty blends are big right now. The beans in your morning cup of coffee typically pass through 40 hands."
- Traceability: "Consumers want to know where their food and beverages are coming from."
- Coffee Occasions: "Independent specialty retailers are doing interesting things with coffee tastings, going so far as to do pairings with food, wine or spirits."
- Espresso Beverages: "Specialty-based espresso beverages represent 51% of all coffee beverages consumed" (more people are drinking espresso than coffee).
- Cold Brew: "Not just in single-serve bottles and cans, but complex, beer-like draft systems are starting to pop up too."
The increasing complexity of the coffee market is a reflection of the increasingly complex coffee consumer.
"Thankfully, our consumers are diverse as well, embracing, enjoying and exploring the options," said Mackey. "Consumers are more educated, discerning, unique and demanding. There's a huge opportunity to expand what we're offering."
It's an opportunity that is not challenge-free, Mackey warned.
"A one-fit solution is not going to cover it," he said. "We need to serve the preferences of the many."
Mackey's suggestion is to focus on in-store training and quality control, something that has been proven by coffee success stories such as Wawa and BP UK.
"The implementation of a robust, hands-on training (with clear measures of success) in order to produce an array of consistently high-quality specialty products is essential," Mackey said.
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