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Potentially the most significant café trend is quality….
Coffee Quality & Customer Expectations
In this edition of Grinders Coffee Immersion Education Series, we’re going to have a closer look at how coffee quality and customer expectations have changed in recent years, as well as some tips on how to keep up with this ever-evolving café trend.
It’s not just coffee. Take a look all around you, your local supermarket, your local pub and your local cafe. Whether its consumers watching MasterChef and becoming culinary experts or the rise of the home barista since covid lockdowns, you only have to look at your local pub’s menu with the familiar chicken parmy to now contain dishes like a Crispy skin Humpty Doo barramumdi in parsnip volute with gremolata, it’s clear that consumer tastes and expectations are changing. The busiest cafes around are serving single origin filter coffee and specialty signature drinks to go with a food menu that is curated to be just as special.
On top of the consumer palate becoming more discerning, the cost-of-living pressures are driving consumers to become more selective about where they have their morning caffeine hit. We spoke to our own coffee specialist team as well as Charles Skadiang from Melbourne Coffee Academy to get some insights on recent changes, and where coffee quality is heading so you can keep up with this ever-evolving trend.
Q&A with Charles from Melbourne Coffee Academy
In regards to quality, what changes have you seen in recent years?
‘Over the last few years, one of the biggest changes in cafes has been the increased cost of a cup of coffee. Most consumers aren’t happy with this, even if they understand why it needs to happen. This means they are expecting a better-quality coffee for the price they are paying. No longer are the days when people can buy 2-3 coffees a day without breaking the bank. Coffee has become more of a luxury and that quality needs to be reflected in cafes’.
There are also more people making coffee at home. Part of the reason was due to lockdowns but it has also become a cost-effective way to drink multiple cups of coffee a day. With the right equipment, good coffee beans and some basic training, anyone can now make cafe-quality coffee at home. We’ve seen so many people who are now doing this instead of their daily coffee run. They still go to cafes but it’s more of a treat… or they go to buy coffee beans and get inspired by the barista.
In the future, where do you see quality going to in the cafe industry?
‘I believe there needs to be a bigger difference in the price between commercial cafes and specialty cafes. Consumers are always going to have different priorities – some will be more price-driven while others more quality-focused. As consumers become more discerning, the ones who care about quality will start to put their money where their mouth is. It is not sustainable for cafes to try and do both well. If you want to focus on quality, you need to invest in it and have your prices reflected accordingly. Buy good quality coffee beans, use good milk but also invest time and money on training. People are at the heart of a good cafe and the right training, whether it is in-house or with an external trainer, is fundamental to this’.
What are some key changes cafes can implement to stay relevant?
‘While I believe it is important to be aware of trends and movements in the coffee industry, never neglect the fundamentals of running a hospitality business. It’s all about people. Your staff, your customers, even your suppliers. Treat them well. Empower them and see them flourish. Happy staff will always want to produce a quality product, without needing to ask them. If you supply them with the right tools and training, there is no reason they shouldn’t bring their best. Same with your customers – don’t just provide them with good service but treat them with the respect they deserve. Understand their needs and surpass them. If they want their coffee quickly, get it to them as they walk in the door. If they are passionate about coffee, give them tasters of different single origins or signature drinks you are trialling. Often it doesn’t cost you anything but these simple gestures can bring the kind of loyalty that can’t be bought’.
What are the next big technological innovations in coffee you see coming?
Automation is obviously a big topic in coffee. The rise of coffee machines like the Eversys are likely going to change things. As the quality and technology improve, I believe we are going to start seeing more of them in cafes. I was also impressed with machines like the Heylo, which uses induction technology in commercial coffee machines. Anything that can increase quality and consistency, while reducing labour and wastage is always going to be very appealing to cafe owners.
Notes from Us
Charles comments are consistent with our opinions and observations from myself, Jono Goldthorpe, Grinders Coffee Ambassador and our customer training team. 2 of our experienced barista trainers, Alec Zeta (Vic/Tas) and Stef Lowe (WA) also commented on the importance of having a good and consistent training programme in place and using automation to provide a consistently high quality experience. We also noted the future will likely consist of high quality super automatic machines or highly automated setups allowing staff to be more attentive to customers and implementing practices such as re-mineralised brewing water to get more from your coffee and equipment.
Grinders Coffee also has a team of 30+ Territory Managers and Coffee Specialists who are all experienced in providing training and support. Just ask us!
We also have an online portal for café customers and home baristas, both pages are relevant no matter if you’re brewing at home or in a café as brewing good coffee is the same no matter where you are.
