Coffee Drinkers Are Becoming More Discerning – Quality Matters
It’s no surprise that the overall coffee market is growing. What’s driving this growth is the quality of coffee available. New formats and varieties are emerging as coffee continues to resonate with consumers. The ongoing cold brew explosion and increasing interest in specialty coffee drinks are creating an expanding market of discriminating coffee drinkers. The quick pick-me-up is a thing of the past, with coffee drinkers today seeking the finest in flavor, aroma and freshness. Younger coffee drinkers in particular are influenced by the prevalence of coffee shops and come to expect the same high quality wherever they dine.1
1: Gourmetinsider.com, 2016
“Freshly Ground” Does Not Always Mean Fresh Coffee
According to Bill Bowron, chairman, president and CEO of Red Diamond® Coffee and Tea, quality is often misunderstood in the coffee industry. The truth is, quality begins with the bean. While you may purchase from a local roaster, that doesn’t guarantee that the coffee is fresher than that from others. Is the company using new-crop coffee beans or is it importing beans that were harvested more than a year ago? Have the beans spent excessive time exposed to oxygen? “While some coffees are freshly ground, this does not always mean they are freshly roasted,” says Bill. Once coffee is roasted, the beans expel carbon dioxide gas. If beans are ground and packed too quickly, the packs would expand or explode. To avoid this, coffee must be degassed 24 to 48 hours prior to being packed. This exposure to oxygen can result in “stale coffee.”
Modern Technologies Help Restaurants Ensure Coffee Freshness
One way that coffee producers have been able to limit oxygen exposure and ensure more freshness is through the utilization of degassing valves. However, the technology hasn’t been flexible or cost-effective enough to be utilized with the foodservice industry’s fractional pack. That is, until recently, when Red Diamond was the first in the United States to introduce valve technology on fractional packs. The Red Diamond valve is a one-way degassing valve that is attached to every fractional pack in Red Diamond High Altitude™, Estate™ and Wright’s Mill® lines.
How Breakthrough Fractional Packs Can Help Elevate Your Coffee Program
The one-way valve technology not only ensures freshness, but also increases efficiency. The valve allows Red Diamond to roast exclusively new-crop beans and then grind and pack the coffee while it’s degassing, without risk of exposure to oxygen – thus creating the freshest cup available. The time between a customer’s ordering and receiving his or her product can be drastically shortened, thereby saving operators valuable time and bringing more convenience to back-of-house operations.
Maximize Profit Margins and Keep Customers Coming Back
With today’s coffee drinkers, quality is a must. Click here to learn more about how you can offer fresher coffee for more discerning tastes and build your reputation as a go-to destination for discriminating coffee drinkers.
