Caffè Culture 2009 takes place on 20-21 May at Olympia, London, and features more than 200 exhibitors. Here's a taster of what's on show.
Andy Thornton
Stand D9
First-time exhibitor at the show Andy Thornton will display its new collection of teak outdoor furniture made using teak grown in strictly controlled plantations in the Far East and West Africa.
There are three ranges: the ultra-modern Mandalay, traditional Bengal or classic Southsea designs. Mandalay (pictured right) has a clinical line design and is available as a stacking chair and tablein two sizes.The Bengal incorporates a wave design and is available as a dining chair with or without arms and solid round pedestal table. The Southsea has gentle curves and includes a folding chair and teak bench.
Also on show is the Rondo side chair for cafés and bistros, withan elegant back with horizontal curved slats and simple splayed legs. Made frombeech, it is available with an upholstered seat in achoice of fabric or with a plain ply seat. The frame can be polished to any stain colour.
Anfim UK
Stand F44
Italian grinder manufacturer Anfim will show the newly-launched range of on-demand grinders as well as the their full range of traditional grinders.
Since their launch in the UK last September, sales have taken off, as these on-demand grinders enable baristas to grind exactly the right amount of beans for the coffee they are making at that moment. This means there is no dispenser, and coffee is ground straight into the group holder, resulting in fresher coffee, less wastage and a consistent dosage.
There are three on-demand grinders in the range, including the Mini with a hopper capacity of 500g. The larger Caimano and Super Caimano both use an electronically controlled timer with variable programming for both single and double doses of coffee. They also have a manual push button and optional titanium blades.
Artisan Biscuits
Stand B6
Following on from the success of its organic Two By Two children's biscuits in delicatessens, Artisan Biscuitsis introducing two flavours - vanilla and lemon curd - in packs of two displayed in an eye-catching point-of-sale box designed specifically for the café market.
The designs are inspired by two instantly recognisable and much-loved children's poems and stories - Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat (vanilla) and the story of George and the Dragon (lemon curd). Each pack contains two biscuits - an owl and a cat, or a George and a very cute dragon.
The biscuits are all butter with no hydrogenated fats and made with Madagascan vanilla and hand-made English lemon curd. They also come with Soil Association Organic accreditation.
Beyond the Bean
Stand E20
Chosen for its embodiment of British summertime and to mark the move to UK production for the Australian cookie brand, Strawberries & Cream is the latest limited-edition cookie from the Byron Bay Cookie Company.
Besides containing locally sourced flour, butter and free-range eggs, the new cookie features pieces of real English strawberries, rich clotted cream from dairies local to the UK bakehouse and chunks of European white chocolate. The recipe has been approved by the Vegetarian Society.
Capital Coffee Roasters
Stand F40
The newly launched Vibiemme Chimaera espresso machine from Capital Coffee Roasters has movable groups with separate boilers enabling flexibility of service to the highest standards.
This means that each of the groups in a two-group machine can be moved to a different height at the push of a button to accommodate, for example, the requirements of both a take-away trade using tallcups as well as the in-house coffee customer drinking from traditional chinaware.
In addition, each group has its own boiler which is regulated by the PID temperature control system enabling the barista to achieve the sweet spot for different blends of coffee. A third boiler is dedicated to the supply of hot water and steam and with pressure at 1.5 bar, milk can be foamed rapidly and efficiently.
Drink Me Chai
Stand G5
In addition to live sampling of its powdered Chai Latte drinks, Drink Me Chai will introduce its Spiced and Vanilla Chai Latte in sachet format, which is available in boxes of 50.
Currently available in1kg tubs, the drinks are blends of sweetened tea, skimmed milk and exotic spices based on the centuries-old Indian drink.
Marco Beverage Systems
Stand E40
The theme of the stand will be the Uber Café to showcase the latest concept precision temperature-controlled hot water source, which Marco has named the Uber Boiler.
The Uber Boiler is a refined undercounter atmospheric water boiler with a stylish countertop font that incorporates a digital scale to accurately weigh ingredients, a live temperature read-out and a timer. It starts from the premise that teas and coffees should not all be brewed at the same temperature. Some green and white teas, for example, require water as cool as 70°C, while the SCAE Gold Cup calls for coffee to be made with hot water in the band of 92°C to 96°C and black tea can stand water just off the boil.
It has been developed to help baristas make their chosen beverages with hot water at a precise temperature to suit the type of tea or coffee they are using, with unprecedented accuracy(see page 38).
At the present time, the Uber Boiler is a work in progress and visitors are invited to see the new machine in operation and to give us their views on its application in the market.
By presenting the evolving design in Catex, Ireland, WBC, Atlanta and now Caffè Culture, Marco aims to ultimately launch a product which meets the needs of the café community.
Percy Dalton's Famous Peanut Company
Stand E12
Sales of nuts, dried fruit and seeds have risen nearly 40% over the past five years as the nation turns towards healthier and more nutritious snacks. The market is currently worth around £538m per year, according to Mintel, and is forecast to see strong growth over the next few years with additional focus on healthier and premium products.
Percy Dalton's Famous Peanut Company has developed a range of 50g single-serve packs of nuts and dried fruit snacks including products such as yogurt raisins, cashews and mixed nuts and raisins.
The company says that while nutrient-rich nuts and dried fruit will appeal to the more health-conscious consumer, more premium and chocolate or yogurt coated varieties of nuts and dried fruit can tempt a different consumer by offering something a little bit more indulgent to accompany a coffee.
Solo Cup Europe
Stand J12
Following the launch of the first products in the Bare range, Solo Cup Europe is adding accessories to give operators a complete range of sustainable products.
CPLA (Crystalline PLA, which is heat-resistant to 90°C) cutlery and paper hot-cup lids combine practical heat resistance with compostability. Bare CPLA lids are available to fit 8oz or 12/16/20oz-sized Solo paper hot cups and the Bare CPLA cutlery range comprises a full-size knife, fork and spoon.
Style Cafe
Stand B28
Style Café will be showing several new products at the show, including the Jura X9 Generation II featuring Smart Lead, a graphics and sound-aided interactive user manual on a 3.5in TFT screen which guides the user through each step in operation and care of the unit from filling the water tank through to cleaning; and the Jura XS95 One Touch featuring a unique varifoam milk frother, a six-litre water tank, a large waste coffee grounds box, adjustable coffee dispense head, hot water facility, and six drinks options including cappuccino and latte.
Union Hand-Roasted
Stand D20
Union Hand-Roasted coffee is holding a comparative "Vertical Tasting" of coffees sourced from the same origin but progressing through increasingly higher altitudes.
Visitors will be able to pick out the attributes imparted in taste from not only the increasing altitudes but also from coffees farmed by educated and forward-thinking farmers such as Rony Asensio at Santa Ana la Huerta Farm in Guatemala.
Over the past six years, Union has worked with Asensio to radically improve the social and economic conditions for the farm and the workers who nurture the coffee. Grown at altitudes of over 5000ft, the Santa Ana crop has benefited from new washing stations and drying terraces, while the workers now have new accommodation built with the help of Union's investment in recent years.
For a full exhibitor list and to register, visit the Caffè Culture website here >>