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It hit me today, this is getting real!

Posted by Mike McGinness on September 29, 2009 at 3:18pm

I'd re-stocked the whole bean shelf of my little cafe Saturday morning and brought in 18 bags again today, 4 days later. Then it sort of hit me, it's really starting to get real. It's taken almost two years to build up to going through 25 to 30 bags or so a week (combined off the shelf retail sales and by the cup brew station) plus 3 to 5 five pounders of espresso blend. Not huge by any means, but not to bad for a little 20 seater cafe. And picked up another wholesale account last week. And will be opening my second coffeehouse SOON at my roastery location. And actually right on schedule. When I started the Journey November '07 the "plan" was to open a second location in 2 to 3 years with five locations by 10 years. Wholesale accounts haven't grow as much as I'd like, only five so far. But then I've been too preoccupied with keeping Paradise Cafe afloat in these turbulent economic times and it's growing again, moving my roasting operation out of Paradise Cafe first part of this year to a different bigger location and then the 2nd cafe location at the roastery build out. It's all starting to come together and not nearly as stressed as a few months ago...

Free 1 Year Subscription to Website Magazine

Posted by 0hyxa1rs0ze4n on September 29, 2009 at 5:45am

This was forwarded to me yesterday, and I thought I would share this with all of my friends since most of you have a website of your own. This is the top magazine for people with a website, and they are giving away subscriptions to boost their readership. The free subscription is the one on the right side of the web page below:http://tinyurl.com/yeaqe7oFeel free to pass it along to your friends also.Enjoy...

Millrock

Posted by Erin on September 27, 2009 at 5:06pm

So competing this weekend was good. I definately didn't even come close to placing, but word on the street is I looked so calm, cool, and collected (couldn't be further from the truch), that I had everyone pretty scared. I guess it was good for me to get out there. I was able to observe other baristas much more talented than myself. Hopefully next year proves to be alot more worthwhile. :)I had a blast with the group we took up. It was their first year at a competition, or coffee convention. Thankfully most of the groupies are baristas, so we were able to geek out together without worry of anyone scoffing.All to say it was a very good weekend.

Coffee Fest Seattle 2009

Posted by Mike Spence on September 26, 2009 at 3:22pm

I'm home from the second day of coffee fest (with a sinus infection of all things). Thursday was a meet and greet with the guys from Caffe D'arte - Always fun.Yesterday was the first day we showed our new trade show booth and our new splickit interface. Both were really well received!I think the show today and yesterday is better than last year. We are seeing more positive people and exhibitors!

Now That's Ridiculous!

Posted by Mike McGinness on September 24, 2009 at 11:51am

Ridiculously consistent in a good way. Started this afternoon's roast session with three batches of my D'Spro Espresso blend, this one's a pre-roast blend. My USRC automated profile target 17min. (Automatically ends and dumps by bean mass temp, unless I override and go manual of course.) First batch 17:05, second batch 17:05, third batch way off 17:08:-) Going on 2 years with this little puppy and still love and impressed by it...

Coffeefest Seattle 2009! Fun New Stuff!

Posted by Ginger Gerhart on September 23, 2009 at 9:49am

Hello Friends!We at Gourmet Source are busily preparing for a great show at Coffee Fest Seattle 2009 and looking forward to seeing each of you this weekend!Please make sure to stop by:Ghirardelli Chocolate, booth #904-#906, and taste our exciting new Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Peppermint Cocoa for the holidays!Third Street Chai Group/Pixie Mate/Boulder Organic Lemonade, booth #1023, and try their fantastic line up of all organic beverages!Smoothie Essentials/Matcha Green Tea, booth #319, and taste some delicious blended and hot ideas for the functional beverage category of your menu!United Brands/ Whip Its!/Miam.Miam, booth #312, and see their fun and exiting new ideas for your retail section!You will be surprised and delighted by all of our new offerings for this Fall!Please let us know if we can facilitate your visit in any way by setting up private meetings or planning a time to walk the floor with you.See you then!Ginger GerhartGourmet Source West Coast

hello every body

Posted by Ranjeet Pawar on September 23, 2009 at 3:00am

i am in the process of opening a coffee shop in my city and wanted to know how shall i design the menu of my coffee shop?what things should i consider while designing a cool menu?also i wanted to know that does the espresso machines come with an inbuilt grinder?or else we have to purchase it seperately? which espresso machine should i opt for? a semi-auto or an fully automatic machine?can any body help me in this matter?

TORTELLINI -PASTA delight . from Chef Steve Petusevsky.

Posted by Spyridon Gkinnis on September 23, 2009 at 1:01am

Sure, stew and pasta are traditional, hearty dishes to warmusup on a cold winter’s day. But this hearty and aromatic dishfrom Chef Steve Petusevsky is sure tomake friends and familythink you graduated froma gourmet cooking school! Thegood news is that it’s the blending of complimentary flavorsthatmakes this simple recipememorable.And, the additionof coffee as an ingredient gives this a rich, sultry flavor thatsets this pasta/vegetable/shrimp dish in a class all its own.This is perfect as a one-dish meal. But be sure to makeenough (just double the recipe), as friends and family aresure to ask for seconds!If your friends ask you how you thought of addingcoffee as an ingredient, you can proudly say you havetheir good health in mind.We now know that coffee goesfar beyond being simply a great-tasting beverage. Studiesshow it may help reduce our risk of type 2 diabetes,1 liverdisease,2 Parkinson’s3 and even certain types of cancer.3And it may even enhance short-term memory.4 Nowthat’s news to chew on!Creamy, pink, coffee-flecked tortellini provides a flavorfulbackground for crunchy broccoli florets and delicateshrimp. Cheese filled pasta is used here, but you couldsubstitute ravioli or agnolotti half moons. (Whole wheattortellini will yield an added earthy flavor.) If you prefer,you can eliminate shrimp for a vegetarian version.As you enjoy each rich, satisfying bite, you’ll realize that acozy winter lunch can be more pleasurable than you’d everthought possible!For other flavorful and healthful food creations,you may want to try other coffee recipes available at(1Coffee, Caffeine, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A prospective cohort study. DiabetesCare: 2006.2Influence of Coffee Drinking on Subsequent Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: AProspective Study in Japan. J Natl Cancer Inst: 2005.3Coffee and health: a review of recent human research. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr: 2006.4Influence of Caffeine Excess on Activation Patterns in VerbalWorking Memory.Radiological Society of North America: 2005.)Warm Up and Perk Up a ColdWinter’sDay with this Tempting Pasta DelightMethod:Set aside the cookedtortellini to chill whilepreparing the recipe.Heat the oil in a largenonstick sauté pan and addthe green onions, garlic andbroccoli florets. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute,adding a sprinkle of water to prevent sticking if needed.Add the shrimp, Cajun spices, coffee and tomato paste,stirring well to lightly brown. Add the cream and stir into combine all ingredients well, forming a light pink,creamy sauce.Add the cooked tortellini to the mixture and stir well.Cook for 3 minutes until a smooth sauce is formedaround the pasta and shrimp. Season to taste with salt.9-ounce package fresh cheese-filled tortellini,cooked al dente1 tablespoon olive oil6 small green onions (scallions), minced2 cloves minced garlic1 cup small broccoli florets½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend1 tablespoon finely ground coffee,regular or decaffeinated1 tablespoon tomato paste1 cup cream (or light cream)Salt to tasteOptional: ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan orRomano cheese for garnishTortellini with Coffee Creole Cream, Broccoli and Shrimp(makes 2-3 servings)

"Are we there yet?"

Posted by Bryan Wray on September 22, 2009 at 8:28pm

"Are we there yet?"“Are we there yet?”I have been involved in coffee for a relatively short period of time, really. It’s a long period of time for me, but in retrospect, it’s not much time at all and I still don’t feel I have a substantial footprint in the coffee industry, especially not in comparison to some.However, in the short time that I have been in the industry I feel like we have covered more ground than in many, many years prior. Decades, really.Jet-set back to 1970. Truthfully, I’m not even born yet, not even thought of for that matter. In the coffee world there is no such thing as a micro-lot. No Cup of Excellence. No barista champions or barista competitions. There is no such thing as Fair Trade Certified and certainly no Direct Trade. There is no such thing as a Synesso, no thought to PIDs and pressure profiling and there is no debate about whether we should tap the portafilter with the tamper or not. If we get really serious about it, there isn’t even a solid specialty coffee market in the US yet. We are still one year away from Pike’s Place and the birth of green circled Sirens and quite a few years away from that same corporation moving toward commercial coffee vs. specialty coffee. The life of someone in the coffee industry at this point is vastly misunderstood compared to someone in the industry now.Back to 2009. The internet is a breeding ground for debates, information, and (coffee) social networking sites. Roasters and baristas scream in their Twits and blogs about how unfair it is that they can no longer source specific lots from farms. We have people vacuum packing their green coffee beans at origin before they are shipped to the roasting facilities in the United States. You mention La Marzocco and the first thought that comes to a discerning barista’s mind is “paddle group with variable preinfusion.” You mention Mazzer and the first thought is that of a giant Robur with electronic dosing. We have (somewhat controversial) tampers that increase the surface area of the espresso with ripples to yield a sweeter shot. Shops are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on siphon brewing bars. Coffee shops are holding public cuppings. Coffee schools are up and running. Drip coffee airpot systems are being seen as inferior to methods such as vac pot and manual pour over. Single origin espresso is hotly debated.We have come a long way in a short time, so I pose the question: Are we there yet?There are certainly things that need to be fine-tuned, technologies that need to be tweaked and methods that need deeper understanding. But are we there? Is the finish line in sight? Is there a finish line at all? Of course, the obvious answer is no, and it’s the answer that I firmly believe. But with the answer “No, we aren’t done yet,” the question “What next” obviously follows. So where are we headed? What happens next?I know for the years that I have been deeply involved in coffee, baristas have been kicking, screaming and begging for advancements in grinding technology, and that’s really what this post is about- sorry for the insanely long intro. We have conical grinders now that are putting out some fantastic coffee. We have grinders that are more or less half a gram accurate in their electronicly programmed dosing. A few years ago that term would have caused people to stop and wonder what in the world they were missing out on. Where does grinding technology go from here? Do we get water cooled counter-top grinders? Do cafe grinders get roller-grinder features?Do we get to a point where we get to control some sort of digital graph on the grinder that displays what particles, in a specific micron size, are in what percentage in the grind output? Is that even something that is necessary? We all seem to say and advise over and over that grinding, and respectively the grinder, is the most important part of the preparation. I guess the question I pose is… how do we make it better? Can we make it better? Are we there yet?-bry

A Humble Start...

Posted by Bryan Wray on September 22, 2009 at 1:12pm

Let the blogging begin.ThatCoffeeGuy's Blog"Everyone has a blog page these days. People that have a website will still have a link to their blog page on the website. It’s the thing to do for sure, and another sure thing is that I am getting into the game far later than everyone else.So where to begin? It seems like your first post should be something groundbreaking, earth shattering and overall, something that sets the whole thing in motion from that point forward. What I realized, however, is that if I try to construct something like this for my first post, I’ll probably never get around to posting something I feel is 100% right.So, this is post number one. Painfully boring and uneventful. It talks about nothing at all, especially not coffee. I do hope, though, that it acts as a springboard to give me a tiny little start into the blogging community.-bry"

Moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases,” food scientist says.

Posted by Spyridon Gkinnis on September 22, 2009 at 12:28pm

Moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases,” food scientist says.New York, NY – The good news about coffee and health keeps getting better, according to a food science expert who spoke at a symposium here. According to James Coughlin Ph.D., toxicologist and consultant in food safety, “The preponderance of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption – that is three to five cups a day – may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases.”The symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health, was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.Dr. Coughlin told the group that habitual consumption of five or more cups of coffee a day has been associated with improved glucose regulation and a marked lower risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. That means that there is a 35% to 75% lower risk of developing the disease as shown in studies in the United States, Japan and Europe. Even drinking three to four cups of coffee a day will lower an individual’s diabetes risk. The protection afforded by coffee exists whether one drinks caffeine-containing or decaffeinated coffees; this positive effect may be the result of coffee’s natural polyphenolic antioxidants, magnesium and lignans.Liver disease is also affected positively by drinking coffee. The toxicologist said, “Coffee consumption has been associated with a clinically significant reduced risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis.” He said there are data that suggest the reduced risk of alcohol cirrhosis could be associated with the phenolics and related substances in coffee.The scientist told the science writers that coffee might play a role in cancer protection, also due to its naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidants as well as heat-produced antioxidants. He said that there are studies from a number of countries that have shown that coffee is the major single source of dietary antioxidants – far more than tea, wine, chocolate, and individual fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, some coffee components can induce the expression of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes, he noted.Coffee seems to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to epidemiological studies. Dr. Coughlin said, “Some research in neuropharmacology suggests that only one cup of coffee a day – that amounts to 80 to 140 mg of caffeine – can halve the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. This might be because caffeine’s adenosine-blocking power may be one mechanism through which the brain cells in Parkinson’s disease are protected or conserved.”Dr. Coughlin told the attendees, “Numerous other studies have shown that drinking coffee increases your mental alertness, cognitive functions, physical stamina and wakefulness. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, gallstones, kidney stones, depression and suicide.“There is a long established history of the safe use of coffee, and the newest detailed studies and re-examinations of old issues have been quite reassuring,” Dr. Coughlin noted. “Coffee and caffeine should already be recognized for their positive health benefits and potential functional food attributes. You can forget about coffee being bad for you, it’s actually good for you.”

What is decaffeinated coffee?

Posted by Spyridon Gkinnis on September 22, 2009 at 12:18pm

Decaffeinated Coffee – How it is produced.What is decaffeinated coffee?According to legislation within the EU markets decaffeinated coffee is a coffee with a caffeine content reduced to 0,1% or less in roasted coffee beans, and to 0,3% or less in soluble/instant coffee.Decaffeinated coffee is available as a choice for those consumers who wish to enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee without experiencing the mild stimulant effects provided by the caffeine.Cup Quality of Decaffeinated CoffeeThe cup quality of decaffeinated coffee is fully in line with that of regular coffee. Indeed, all the many different coffee varieties and origins retain their specific flavour properties.The Decaffeination ProcessesThe decaffeination processes are performed on green coffee beans in industrial plants.There are four methods of decaffeination, according to which substance is used to extract the caffeine; Water – Ethyl Acetate – Supercritical or Liquid CO2 – Methylene Chloride.These four processing methods all share the basic stages of;• Swelling the green coffee beans with water or steam in order to make the caffeine available for extraction• Extracting the caffeine from the beans• Steam stripping to remove all solvent residues from the beans (when applied) / regenerating adsorbents (when applied)• Drying the decaffeinated coffee beans back to their normal moisture contentUnder carefully controlled process conditions, such as temperature, pressure and time, the caffeine extraction step is based on physical phase transport mechanisms. Due to the difference in concentration, the caffeine is diffused out of the cell structure into solvent surrounding the bean until the concentration of caffeine is the same inside and outside the beans.The Decaffeination MethodsWhat really distinguishes the four methods is the choice of substance used for extraction;• Water method; When green coffee is immersed in water the caffeine content is dissolved and removed, but along with this much of the coffee’s aromatic character can be lost. To overcome this drawback, the liquid is saturated with the water-soluble components of the coffee. The caffeine is subsequently removed from the solution using activated carbon or other adsorbents, which retain the caffeine, and the extract deprived of the caffeine can then be recycled.• Ethyl - Acetate method: Ethyl - Acetate (EA) occurs in several natural products and contributes to the characteristic aroma of many fruit. EA is also found in varying concentrations in foodstuffs including green and roasted coffee. In the decaffeination process the combination of water and ethyl-acetate is used. In the extracting vessel the EA is circulated around the water soaked beans for extracting the caffeine. Then the mixture of water, ethyl-acetate and caffeine is drained from the extracting vessel. The extraction step is repeated several times, until the residual caffeine content is at or below the legal maximum level of 0,1%.• Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Liquid Carbon Dioxide method: CO2 is a readily available substance of great purity, naturally available in the air we breath and in the sparkling water we drink. Under certain conditions it allows for a selective caffeine extraction and leaves most of the other coffee bean constituents unaltered.The use of carbon dioxide in its supercritical state (between its liquid and gaseous state) needs very high pressure – up to 250 atmospheres. This method requires large-scale production in order to be economically viable.Also, liquid CO2 can be used for caffeine extraction with lower pressure and lower temperatures, wherefore a longer time is necessary to achieve the extraction.• Methylene Chloride (i.e. Dichloromethane-DCM) method: DCM extracts the caffeine selectively and has a low boiling point. In the extracting vessel dicloromethane is circulated around the water soaked beans for extracting the caffeine. Then the mixture of DCM and caffeine is drained from the extracting vessel. The extraction step is repeated several times, until the residual caffeine content is at or below the legal maximum level of 0,1%. The process followed guarantees that possible solvent residues remain below the limits fixed by the European legislation.

Starbucks on the Attack! New machine set to hit Starbucks stores by 2010.

Posted by Healthy Coffee on September 22, 2009 at 12:00pm

In front of 6,000 investors, employees and analysts at the annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Schultz introduced an improved automated espresso machine that grinds coffee for each drink and has a lower height that will allow customers to see baristas making their beverage. He said the company would roll out the Swiss-made Mastrena machines to three-fourths of Starbucks stores by 2010.Mr. Schultz also announced the acquisition of the Coffee Equipment Company, the four-year-old Seattle-based maker of the Clover coffee machine, which brews a more expensive, higher-quality coffee one cup at a time. The price was not disclosed. Starbucks will roll out Clover systems in select markets.Mr. Schultz described a host of other plans: a pungent new coffee blend, a partnership with Conservation International to certify environmentally responsible whole-bean espresso products, and a rewards program for users of the Starbucks customer card.Beginning in mid-April, users of the customer card will be able to customize their drinks — with soy milk or vanilla, for example — at no cost.The announcements are intended to help Starbucks hang on to customers in the face of intensifying competition for brewed coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s, which is widely introducing espresso beverages this year.“This was more of a position statement. They are going back to their core,” said Sharon Zackfia, a securities analyst with William Blair & Company. “They are saying, ‘We are not going to change who we are, we are going to defend turf aggressively.’ ”Mr. Schultz obliquely referred to the powerful new rivals in an afternoon question-and-answer session with reporters. “A lot of people are making unique claims about coffee and what they do,” he said. “What’s interesting to me is that they are not coffee roasters.”But Mr. Schultz tried largely to keep the focus on the company’s internal challenges and future moves. “This is the first time the U.S. business is under pressure; it’s a character test,” he said. “But it’s not about the economy. We don’t want to use that as an excuse. And it’s not about the competition. Don’t believe the media hype. There’s no coffee war going on. This is about us.“We somehow evolved from a culture of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation to a culture of, in a way, mediocrity and bureaucracy,” Mr. Schultz said.His remarks combined self-criticism with musings on the turbulent economy, which he noted was reducing traffic to Starbucks stores. The company faces a hurdle that may be impossible to overcome in the short term: Will penny-pinching Americans, in the grip of an economic downturn, still pay $4.10 for their daily dose of white chocolate mocha-flavored coffee?Mr. Schultz said several times that the economy looked grim for the rest of the year, particularly in regions of the country hit hard by the subprime mortgage crisis.Starbucks has also suffered from rising wholesale prices for coffee and dairy products. In the face of those pressures, Mr. Schultz returned as chief executive 11 weeks ago after serving eight years as chairman. He quickly announced 600 layoffs and the closing of 100 of the least profitable Starbucks stores in the United States. He also said Starbucks would stop selling a line of breakfast sandwiches that were served warm, creating an aroma that overwhelmed that of the coffee in stores.At the heart of the new announcements is a desire to revisit the company’s early devotion to high-quality coffee. The new coffee blend, called Pike Place Roast, is a reference to the location of the first Starbucks store. Starbucks will introduce the blend in stores next month. Baristas will be directed to brew smaller batches of coffee and refresh the coffee in urns every 30 minutes. Today, coffee can sit in Starbucks’s urns for as long as two hours.Mr. Schultz called the new blend “a coffee so fresh that those people who drink it with milk and sugar will want to drink it black because of the sweetness.”

Fremont Coffee starts roasting to gain cachet, control flavor (and, it saves money)

Posted by Melissa Allison on September 22, 2009 at 10:29am

Full blog post is here. (Thanks again to Mike McGinness for telling me I wasn't linking.)

Babies, Widows, Bread and More: A Busy Visit to Guate

Posted by Coffee Kids on September 22, 2009 at 8:11am

September 7-13, 2009, Program Director Jose Luis Zarate and International Program Coordinator Jose Carlos Leon visited Coffee Kids' partners APROS and ADESPA in Guatemala.Our first stop was in San Pedro La Laguna, on the shores of Lake Atitlan, where APROS trains local health promoters who teach women in their communities pre- and post-natal care, the use of medicinal plants and the importance of a nutritious diet. APROS Widow’s Project offers medical check-ups, basic food supplies, recreational activities, and a sense of belonging for women who have lost their husbands to migration or civil war.

We visited the towns of San Pedro La Laguna, Tzununa and San Pablo La Laguna, where we met with the widows and attended health sessions. Micaela Chavajay, Rosalia Rocche and Maria del Carmen Chavajay, staff at APROS, stressed the importance of these projects in a region where malnutrition is high and medical care is almost nonexistent.On the second half of our journey, we met with Anabella Meneses, director of ADESPA. Anabella introduced us to participants in four projects managed by ADESPA in Acatenango, Paraxaj and the surrounding villages.

The Adult Literacy Project has been improved to cater to adults who cannot attend regular classes due to work. Radio broadcasts and workbooks are used so that adults can complete learn in the comfort of their own homes. ADESPA’s Bakery Project now employs two fulltime bakers (who were participants in the Literacy Project) who produce fresh bread for the town. The Health Project promotes homeopathic remedies for common ailments. A shoemaker is training women in the Handicrafts Project to make fashionable shoes and sandals.

Meeting with the participants in their workspaces helped us understand the importance of economic diversity to overcome the economic dependence on coffee production. These projects have given women and men a sense of leadership and the motivation to improve their lives.

Out of The Box

Posted by nik orosi on September 21, 2009 at 6:53am

Dear Friends,We warmly invite you to forward an invitation to local barista champs in your market to the La Marzocco Out of the Box event - http://www.lamarzocco.com/outofthebox/ . Ask them to join the La Marzocco team and other champs from around the world, including:Gwilym Davies – WBC Champion 2009Nik Orosi – National Barista Champion Croatia 2006/2007/2008Yara Castano – National Barista Champion Brazil 2009If, on the other hand, you know of any champions who are planning to be in Milan at either Host or La Marzocco Out of the Box, please let us know.Thank you.

Social Media Ideas for Espresso & Coffee Houses

Posted by Jeffrey J Kingman on September 21, 2009 at 4:30am

Are Your Baristas Rock Stars?With Coffee Fest Seattle approaching this week, we wanted to share some ideas on how to drive sales in coffee houses using social media.The explosion of independent espresso and coffee houses across North America in the last ten years is phenomenal. Over the last few years we’ve seen top barista competitions at not only coffee business conventions, but also at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago.Most independent coffee shops have relied on word-of-mouth, traditional advertising and the ubiquitous buy-ten cards to build their business over the years. There’s a huge opportunity now to jump on social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc) and increase sales.How can you use social media to build your coffee business?We’ve got several ideas. But first, we want to direct you to this article on the ROI and Best Practices of Social Media in Hospitality.Okay, how do you increase business by making Barista Rock Stars?* First, set up your own social network accounts, if you haven’t already. We can email you good advice on that if you need it – just click here.* Market to your customers that you are online in social networks. Use a poster at the counter and get it on your website. Invite them to follow you by saying you’ll announce special deals once a week. By the way – customers should have it easy to enter your virtual door.* Introduce your talented staff both online and in-store. Ask your staff if they are willing to have a work-related Twitter account, and if they are, share that with your customers.* Turn your baristas into online Rock Stars. Every customer of yours has a favorite employee on your staff. Encourage your staff that is participating, to build online relationships (using their work Twitter) with their fans. This is all about leverage and we’re going to the next step.* During the week, take pictures of each baristas specialty drinks and share them online – with the work-Twitter account of the maker. Ask followers to rate them.* Set up a competition with your customers to vote for the best barista at your shop online – by offering them something valuable. Maybe it’s a week or two of free beverages. But here’s how you have them vote – they vote by bringing their friends who aren’t customers in to sign up for your buy-ten cards (you can keep track by using a pen and paper grid). Post the results daily on your social networks. Make the contest run for a month – as new customers join, they’ll refer their friends! You know the baristas will be encouraging the customers to vote for them and you should offer the winning barista something of value too.Barista David Sarah Jane ZekeWed .... 10 ..... 7 ..... 12 ... 5Thu ...... 6 ...... 0 ...... 9 .... 7.Sound like a crazy idea? Sure, you bet. But it’s crazy ideas that create change. We’ve got other suggestions too, like what Starbucks did a few months ago with their free pastry/buy a beverage coupon, shared only on social media. By the way, that promo only cost Starbucks $12,000 and it grossed them $500,000 in one day.Use your staff – they’re likely young and highly creative. Have a sit-down and ask them for ideas on how to use social media to drive up sales. I’m pretty sure you’ll see positive results.We’d love your feedback. After all, social media is all about engagement and dialogue. Do you have any great experiences using social media? We’d love to hear about it.Still not convinced that social media can change your business for the better? Watch this.Chalkboarder.com offers clients digital community management consulting and services across North America.

Barista Exchange at Coffee Fest

Posted by Matt Milletto on September 18, 2009 at 9:30am

Hey all, be sure to come by and see me in the American Barista & Coffee School booth # 714 at Coffee Fest this next weekend. I have a limited edition run of new buttons as well for Barista Exchange members. See you there! - Matt

Coffee Fest Seattle

Posted by Mike Spence on September 17, 2009 at 7:12am

It's been a while since I updated the blog here! Yikes!We are getting ready for Coffee Seattle and looking forward to showing off some new stuff.New booth - Hartman exhibits has created a brand new look for our trade show booth. First new booth in about 10 -12 years (wow!).New interface - We will be demoing a new interface with Slickit at the show. Stop by and see how this works!

Music and Coffee!

Posted by James Spano on September 17, 2009 at 6:33am

One of the highlights of my time here in Savannah has been the pleasure of being a member of the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus. On Friday, Oct. 2 the chorus along with the Savannah philharmonic orchestra will be putting on a performance of Verdi’s Requiem.In hopes of encouraging people to attend the concert, Cup to Cup Coffee Roasters is offering a discount to anyone who purchases a ticket to the Requiem. So, our normal price of $12 a pound will drop to $10 for anyone who buys a ticket. We’re going to do this by the honor system since there’s not a easy way to discern who has and hasn’t bought a ticket. Just give us a call (912-856-5866) or contact us through the website when you’re ready to make an order, mention you have a ticket for the performance, and you’ll get your discount. So if you buy say ten pounds of coffee (a good round number) your cost will be $100 instead of $120. What a deal! We’ll even keep this offer going for one week after the concert. Now, get out there and order a ticket! Peace.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.