Nescafé has always been associated with instant coffee. Why the move into roast-and-ground?
Recent research has shown that the food service industry wants a fresh approach to coffee supply and service, which we believe we can deliver. The market is changing, and the demand for speciality coffee continues to increase steadily.
Our focus in the past has been to build and maintain brand leadership in the soluble market, but the knowledge and expertise to enter the roast-and-ground market has always been there, and our research shows us that now is the right time to launch in this area.
Consumer demand means operators are looking towards a range of solutions to offer their customers - both soluble and roast-and-ground.
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The perception is that soluble coffee delivers a product of lesser quality than roast-and-ground and is therefore not good enough in some situations where the consumer demands high quality. Is this the case?
What we are looking to do is offer different solutions for different situations. A good-quality soluble coffee can deliver an excellent cup of coffee, and depending on the type of outlet and its customers we would advise whether they should choose the minimum-hassles soluble solution or roast-and-ground for high-skill operations.
Roast-and-ground seems to be everywhere out of home. What place does soluble coffee now have in food service?
There is certainly still a market for a quality soluble coffee, which is why we are looking to offer this alongside roast-and-ground. Our proposition is to offer operators what they want and advise them on the best package to suit their own individual needs. We will tailor-make a hot beverage solution to meet the needs of an outlet, and for some that will still mean using a soluble coffee.
Does the roast-and-ground coffee you supply carry the Nescafé brand?
No, it is branded Nestlé Roma from Nescafé Coffee Company. The Nescafé brand has an extremely long heritage and the name will always be associated with just soluble coffee.
How is it sourced?
Nestl provides state-of-the-art training and technical assistance to coffee farmers to help them improve their crops. In addition, direct purchasing of green coffee - where the roaster buys directly from the farmers or their organisations - is a way to improve the farmers' revenue when it helps the farmers retain a greater part of their coffee's value. In 2004 Nestlé purchased 110,000 tonnes - or 14% of its needs - of green coffee directly from farmers. The company currently engages in direct procurement in six countries.
Given that this is Nescafé's first foray into roast-and-ground, what expertise can the Nescafé Coffee Company offer in matching machine and ingredient to an operator's needs?
There are many ways to serve coffee, but only one that's right for your business. At the Nescafé Coffee Company that means delivering the right quality at the right speed, and our team is well qualified to help. After 65 years of coffee production, no one else offers more insight and research into UK coffee drinkers. Analysing consumers' choice of drinks helps us produce solutions that meet future consumer needs. Each solutions package is tailored to meet the individual operator's requirements. To help customers get the best out of Nescafé Coffee Company products, our coffee experts can provide on-site training for staff, followed by regular visits to assess the operation, ongoing training needs, drinks quality and presentation. All of this is followed up by regular feedback.
Does the company have its own baristas?
Leading UK barista Warren Joe is working with Nescafé Coffee Company as a consultant to provide an insight into the industry from a hands-on perspective.
Are there advantages to buying both machine and ingredients from one source?
Of course. We offer a one-stop shop, which can only improve efficiency for the operator, and of course this is backed up with excellent service levels as well. This allows us to offer a tailor-made solution.
We have a total of 17 different hot beverage machines all developed specifically with our coffee in mind.
In addition, Nescafé Coffee Company provides a range of effective sales tools to help customers maximise their own coffee sales and profitability, including posters, menu cards and branded sugar sachets and cups.
How much profit is there in a good cup of coffee?
When outlets provide good-quality drinks which look and taste good, presented in the right environment, then there's a clear opportunity for the end user to increase value, turnover and profit.
Nescafé Coffee Company, 0870 950 1118
