I'm at the World Tea Expo this weekend. So far the new business boot camp seems to be a very valuable resource for everyone that is signed up.As a speaker I'm lucky that I get to attend some of the sessions! The Tea 101 class was outstanding and really made me realize how much more I have to learn about tea. Jane Pettigrew explained the differences, in detail, in the manufacturing process of white, black, green and oolong teas.I'm going to start getting prepared for my "Tracking Sales With Technology" seminar tomorrow!
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Posted by Beth Philmon on April 30, 2009 at 8:16am
We are a distributor in the Tampa Bay area of Espresso equipment and supplies. We carry Iberital, San Remo, Rancilio, La Marzocco machines and much more. We also carry Italian beans Segafredo, Gimoka, and San Giorgio. Our number 1 seller is the Segafredo X strong! It has the highest quality Robusta & Brazilian Arabica beans and combined to create a strong, intense, perfectly balanced coffee with a rich flavor and aroma.Besides the machines and the beans we also carry smoothie mixes, ice cream base, Artista syrups, coffee in the bottle, and espresso in the bottle. We also have smallware like frothing pitchers and bell creamers. if you would like any more information please let me know, or you can visit our website at www.mmsiespresso.comSincerely,Beth Philmon
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follow the link is information about E61group head. it is very details about the legend.http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/can-anyone-explain-preinfusion-on-e61-t5472.html#p63406http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/e61-group-truth-and-lies-t724.html#p5272http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/e61-group-espresso-machine-detailed-interior-schematics-t397.html#p2308http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/e61-group-espresso-machine-is-its-reputation-justified-t376.htmlenjoy.
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A "full" or complete E61 group refers to the "leva" versions of the machines - they have the E61 grouphead, the pre-infusion chamber (the chrome cylindrical shape below the grouphead) and the manual lever for operating the brew cycle on the right side of the group. The machines that only have the E61 grouphead have just that, the grouphead, but lack the pre-infusion chamber and the manual lever (they have a button or a keypad of some sort instead).All of the machines such as Giotto, Domobar super, ... have a very good reputation. I like the looks of the Giotto, the quality of its finish (the best of the three in my opinion) as well as the no-burn steam wand but I really do not care for its small and difficult to empty drip tray. The Vibiemme is bigger than the other two, the biggest boiler and therefore probably the best steaming power and it also has a huge drip tray. The brew pressure gauge is another plus of the Vibiemme. However, I don't like the feel of its steam valve operation. The Valentina steam valve has a better feel than the Vibiemme in my opinion but I like the no-burn wand of the Giotto better. The drip tray on the Valentina is of decent size, which is good.from temesblog.blogspot.com (Espresso Passione)
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Setting the Scene:The big city street life was new to Frank Lucas’ brothers and cousins. They were used to country life in the backwoods of North Carolina before being recruited into Lucas’ drug empire. Once in the game, these young men had instant status and inordinate wealth thrust upon them. It’s hard to stay humble when fame and fortune comes so easily.Huey Lucas, Frank’s oldest brother, became friends with the flamboyant and always dapper Nicky Barnes. Soon after their friendship was formed, Huey began to dress less like his conservative brother and more in the superfly style of Nicky Barnes.The Loudest is the WeakestMuch of Frank’s success as a drug lord can be attributed to his conservative and sophisticated outward appearance. He dressed like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Tailored suits. Crisp shirts. Sharp ties. Classy, without being attention-hungry.The one quality, above all, Frank wanted to instill with his brothers and cousins was to stay humble in appearance so that one’s actions would always speak louder than one’s clothes.When Huey Lucas flaunted his Nicky Barnes-like superfly outfit at a nightclub, Frank stepped in and dressed down his dressed-out brother. Frank told his brother he was “making too much noise” by wearing a “clown suit” that acted as a billboard to the police advertising, “Arrest me.”“Listen to me,” Frank said to Huey. “The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.”Wow! Great line and so applicable to marketing where the loudest advertiser in the room, probably has the weakest product in the room.It’s reasonable to assume weak and unremarkable products/services need the loudest advertising because it’s the only way they will get remarked about.We’ll be seeing lots of “loudest in the room” advertising during the 2009 Super Bowl.Most Super Bowl advertisers make lots of noise showcasing their “clown suit” gimmicky advertising with the hopes of grabbing our attention. The louder these companies talk, the weaker we can assume their product/service is.Perennial “loudest in the room” advertisers are the major beer companies. The only thing worth talking about Bud Light, Miller Lite, and Coors Light is their loud advertising, certainly not their boring beer.A recent example of “loudest in the room advertising” comes from Toyota. Their “Saved by Zero” campaign played incessantly during October and November of 2008. No one I knew was talking about how great the Toyota Tundra is or how unique the Toyota Camry is. Everyone was talking about how obnoxiously loud the “Saved by Zero” campaign was.Think about this … when people talk about your brand, do they talk about the products/services your company does? Or, do they talk about the advertising it did? If people are only talking about the advertising your company does, then your “loud” advertising is potentially hiding a weak product.Like Seth Godin, Frank Lucas believes in spending money to make products stronger and more remarkable rather than spending those same dollars to make the “loudest in the room” advertising messages.For Frank, as we learned in an earlier lesson, this meant spending time, money, and action to make his brand of heroin, Blue Magic, more remarkable.The marketing adage of Actions Speak Louder than Advertising fits right in with the Frank Lucas way of doing business.http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2009/01/the-weakest-talk-the-loudest.html
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Setting the Scene:Frank Lucas’ “Blue Magic” heroin became the market leader in New York City. Rivals said he had “upended the natural order of things” by selling heroin that is twice as good for half as much. Competitors left the heroin market because “nobody wants to compete with a monopoly.”To accelerate growth of the “Blue Magic” business, Frank arranged wholesale distribution agreements with other drug lords and mafia families. This shift in business strategy made competitors part of the “Blue Magic” family, with Frank Lucas as the all-powerful CEO and Chairman of the Board.Never Dilute a BrandNicky Barnes competed with Frank Lucas and the success of “Blue Magic” hurt the financial viability of Nicky’s operation. Grudgingly, Nicky signed on as distributor of “Blue Magic.”In an effort to increase profits of his “Blue Magic” sales, Nicky began diluting the purity of the heroin to increase his inventory and his margins. He sold the diluted heroin as “Blue Magic.” Frank Lucas wasn’t pleased and addressed his concerns just like a top-notch Chief Marketing Officer would to any rogue field marketing manager, maverick product manager, or renegade franchisee.Follow the encounter from this modified script snippet...
Businesses “chop down” their products all the time. In the quest to maintain profits or possibly, grow profits, businesses make strategic decisions to dilute their offerings. And if done inconspicuously enough, customers will hopefully never notice.Frito-Lay chopped down its 12-oz bag of chips to 10-oz. bags. Price remained the same.Hellmann’s chopped down its 32-oz. jar of mayonnaise to 30-oz. Price remained the same.Dial chopped down its soap bars from 4.5-oz to a 4.0-oz size. Price remained the same.Bounty chopped down the number of towel sheets per roll from 60 to 52. Price remained the same.Kellogg’s chopped down its Fruit Loops cereal package size from 19.7-oz. to 17.0-oz. Price remained the same.Iams chopped down its 6-oz. package of cat food to a 5.5-oz package. Price remained the same. [SOURCES: USA Today ; New York Times]However, customers have noticed all this chopping down. According to a Consumer Reports study, 75% of shoppers surveyed said they have noticed smaller package sizes from their favorite brands. And, 71% of shoppers believe the package downsizing is a clear attempt by brands to hide price increases. It's interesting to note, 50% of shoppers prefer brands stop chopping down their products and instead, keep their old package size and simply raise the price. [SOURCE: Consumer Reports]The takeaway lesson is simple … when a business decides to dilute its products, it runs the risk of drawing ire from customers.The action step is also simple … if you find yourself saying or thinking, “A customer will never notice that.” Chances are, they will. Be prepared to deal with their reaction.
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Setting the Scene:“Blue Magic” has transformed Frank Lucas from a nobody to a somebody. Business is booming and Frank needs people he can trust to run his daily operation. For years Frank was estranged from his large extended family in Greensboro, North Carolina. However, family is family and he trusts his brothers and cousins to help him expand his heroin business. The Lucas family is uprooted from Greensboro to live and work in the new family business of “Blue Magic” heroin.Leadership QualitiesFrank’s brothers, Melvin, Huey, Dexter, Turner, and Terrance, were new to the drug business and to the informal social rules of street life. They needed mentoring, just as Bumpy Johnson once mentored Frank.Frank spent quality time with his brothers teaching them everything he learned about growing a business, earning respect, and being honest. His brothers were in total sponge mode, soaking up every last drop of streetwise wisdom from their older brother.In this pivotal scene, Frank Lucas shared the core necessities his brothers need to become successful businessmen:Frank’s core business leader necessities include: Honesty. Integrity. Hard work. Family. Never Forgetting your Roots.Plus, as evident in that scene, a business leader needs to make Bold, Audacious Moves in order to become a somebody.http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2009/01/leadership-qual.html
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Setting the Scene:In the early 70s, heroin was widely available in the streets of New York City. Common practice was to dilute the heroin with sugars, chalk, flour, or powdered milk. By diluting the heroin, dealers were able to significantly stretch their product inventory and maintain their high prices without upsetting their customer base. Customers had come to expect lower potency heroin as the only choice despite a growing number of dealers.Launching a Remarkable ProductFrank Lucas understood heroin customers would appreciate a richer, more potent product at a lower price.To create such a remarkable product, Lucas had to go outside the established heroin supply chain. He cut out the middleman wholesale supplier and went straight to the source by forging a direct business relationship with a heroin producer in Saigon, Vietnam. He procured 100% pure heroin product and smuggled it into New York City using the US Army as the transportation channel.And, instead of following the standard drug dealing practice of diluting heroin with adjuncts, Lucas made the strategic decision to differentiate his product by selling 100% pure heroin.Plus, Lucas smartly packaged his heroin in small blue baggies and stamped each bag with the brand name, BLUE MAGIC. (“Blue Magic” references the purity of the product. When tested with chemicals, pure heroin turns blue.)Frank Lucas simply followed the Purple Cow approach and the ZAG approach to creating a remarkable product.Out-of-the-box thinking all-the-way. Just like other “Blue Magic” products and businesses … iPod … Starbucks Coffee … Method soap … Whole Foods Market … In-N-Out Burger … Amazon.com … and the list could go on and on.from Johnmoore - brandautopsy
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Setting the Scene:Bumpy Johnson was an organized crime kingpin in Harlem. His considerable wealth, street smarts education, penchant for violence, and charitable community efforts made him a larger-than-life figure. For over 15 years, Frank Lucas served as Bumpy’s driver, bodyguard, and collector. Everything Frank learned, he learned from Bumpy. So when Bumpy suffered a heart attack, Frank vowed to continue what his mentor started.Frank Lucas on Bumpy Johnson“He was my boss. My teacher. He taught me a lot of things. He taught me how to take my time, Taught me that if I was going to so something to do it with care, with love. Taught me to be a gentleman.”Mentors MatterThe benefits of having a mentor cannot be understated. Developing a one-on-one relationship with someone you respect for their know-how and daily demeanor is a critical factor for many successful businesspeople. Mentors offer guidance, connections, criticisms, and support that can only help someone reach their professional goals.Lisa Denny Compton was my mentor. She was also my boss. Without her patient counseling and marketing coaching, I shudder to think where my business life would be.A mentor doesn’t have to be your boss. Mentors can came from anywhere … your co-worker, your neighbor, your pastor, your aunt, anyone. If you respect someone for what they have done/are doing, they can be your mentor. You just have to watch, listen, and apply the lessons they teach you.from Johnmoore - brandautopsy bloghttp://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2009/01/mentors-matter.html
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Posted by scott conary on April 24, 2009 at 5:00am
World Barista Certified (WBC) coffee professional Scott Conary served as a Head Judge at the World Competition on 4/16-19, at the World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA, during the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) Annual Convention; the largest gathering of coffee professionals in the U.S.CNN Link can be found here:http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/04/20/barista.battle.cnnScott has been active in judging these coffee competitions since 2003 where he judged the first Southeast Regional Competition that took place in Southern Season’s cooking classroom in Chapel Hill.Scott has been a WBC judge for the last three years: Berne, Switzerland in 2007; Tokyo, Japan in 2008 where he served as a Head Judge; and Copenhagen, Denmark in 2008; making this years Championship in Atlanta his 4th.
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I am buying 2 Mirages for my cafe! I am going to give heat exchange a second look. I used to have a Faema and liked it well enough at the time (1995). A lot has changed. I like the Marzocco group and my Synesso is great, so I am a little nervous about the switch. I will keep my Synesso for a while to make sure that the Mirage is going to work for me. I've been jumping around excitedly all week and driving my peeps a little crazy. I will post pictures when they arrive which may be as soon as next week. I think that I need to call an electrician to rewire my cafe for more amps. That kinda sucks, but having 6 heads of mirage loveliness more that makes up for it!More to come soon....
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So.. the cafe is doing really well and business is picking up.. and we are in need of a new barista to keep up! We are located on the corner of Hollywood and La Brea, a couple blocks from the Kodak and Mann's Chinese theaters, and tourist season is fast approaching. We are interested in finding a new member of the family, preferably an experienced barista/server (as we do also serve food) -- and someone DEFINITELY with a great personality and love for coffee. Please feel free to send me a message if you are interested.Here's a link to some recent reviews on us Yelp -- that a VERY happy customer actually started for us! (we were formerly called CyberJava)http://www.yelp.com/biz/tiago-espresso-bar-kitchen-los-angeles
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-schultz/staying-real-in-an-instan_b_167381.htmlShouldn’t Starbucks be more concerned with disrupting and reinventing their core retail business and not the instant coffee category? this question is from "brand autopsy".why starbucks? if people wants to chase a global dream, we should study from them. I respect them because they have build a coffee empire within short time. if you google "starbucks", millions sites talk about them. Amazing.Is anyone try it?why is espresso a magic? why does someone say " this is my espresso"? perfect bean selection, perfect grinding, perfect dosing, perfect tamping, perfect watching. it is my brew, my espresso.VIA, instant coffee, 98% is water. who dare to say "my coffee"?Johnmoore from "brand autopsy" tasted VIA and had some comments as belowProcess:Used high-quality, filtered waterUsed electric kettle to heat the water to 200-degreesAdded the hot water and stirredAROMA:Semi-sweet dry cocoa smellDull, cardboard-like aromas as it coolsFLAVOR:one-dimensional flavor -- roastylacks the caramel sweetness I expect with Italian RoastBODY:surprisingly medium-to-full bodiedas it cools a bit, it has adequate mouthfeelFINISH:slight acidic noteslingering Starbucks "roastiness"VERDICT:Rich flavor for instant coffee. Dull flavor for brewed coffee. Tastes like a milder dimensions imitation Italian Roast. I prefer the real thing and not an imitation.Read more…
Vietnam is the epicenter of robusta production, funded at a furious pace by the big corporate coffee buyers, which helped create the "coffee crisis" (more background on the coffee crisis here, with many links). Forests are cleared for these sun coffee monocultures. More than 182,000 acres of forest have been cleared in Dac Lac province alone; water shortages and soil erosion have been problems in coffee-growing areas.A small percentage of the crop is arabica, and there is some effort to increase that percentage. It's difficult to recommend Vietnam coffees if one is concerned about biodiversity, considering that forest may still be cleared for arabica coffee start-up plantations. It's a tough call, because encouraging sustainable practices in this country facing difficult times could be beneficial.
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