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NEWS
Best Coffee Bar
Retailer 2008
A first for Ireland
t the recent World
Costa, the UK's largest and fastest
growing coffee shop chain, has won
A
Barista
Championships held
the British Sandwich Association's
in Copenhagen, Denmark,
(BSA) award for Best Coffee Bar
the UK fielded five
Retailer of the Year.
representatives, with the
The ‘Sammies’ took place in May,
UK’s Barista Champion,
with judges having awarded Costa on
Hugo Hercod, coming a
its levels of innovation, quality, sales,
very creditable tenth out of
product range, packaging and
51 baristi and Ireland’s
presentation. A panel of judges from
Stephen Morrissey
the BSA carried out an unannounced
becoming Ireland's first
visit of Costa’s new store on the
ever World Barista
Kingsway in central London to view
Champion (Australia came
the sandwich range, store
second and The
environment and customer service.
Netherlands third).
Hugo Hercod preparing his signature drink at the recent
Traditionally famous for its paninis,
Plans are now afoot for
WBC 2008 in Denmark.
Costa recently introduced a new
some interesting venues
flatbread following extensive
for the UK Barista The Caffè Culture Show (provisionally planned for
research and product trials as it offers
Championship, say the in May 2009 will be the the 26 to 28 June 2009).
customers a lighter option for a
competition’s organisers, venue for four other The SCAE Conference and
lunchtime snack.
who report that they will competitions (including Competitions will also take
"It's fantastic that all the hard
need to have a UK latte art), with those place in cooperation with
work from both Costa and
champion in place by early champions going on to the organisers of the
Buckingham Foods to launch a
next year in preparation represent the UK at the Cologne Fair, an event
complete new range has been
for the WBC 2009, which world finals at the SCAE which will focus
recognised by industry experts,” said
will be held in Atlanta, USA Conference which will take specifically on the coffee
Kate Thompson, Costa category
(15 to 19 April 2009). place in Cologne, Germany industry.
brand manager on the win.
illycaffè’s University of Coffee
illycaffè has extended what it describes as fondness for milk based coffee drinks such
its ‘global pursuit for coffee excellence’ to as macchiato and cappuccino.
the UK after the official launch of its “The logical starting point for the course
University of Coffee London, attended by is a discussion of the current UK coffee
illy’s CEO, Andrea Illy. market, looking at America’s influence and
illy’s famous Università del Caffè was it’s reclassification of coffee as a milky,
originally founded in illy’s home town of sweet and frothy breakfast drink,”
Trieste in 2000 as an emblem of the firm’s commented Marco Arrigo. “The
commitment to quality. The training centre preparations favoured by American
offers complete theoretical and practical baristas and coffee houses are in total
tuition to a huge audience, and to date contrast to the traditional Italian methods
Trieste has schooled over 7,000 people, of making a coffee. The emphasis of my
Above: illy’s University of Coffee London is
from growers living in coffee producing tuition lies on purist Italian coffee, the way
based at Excel, Docklands and courses are
countries to everyday coffee enthusiasts. it should be.”
available weekly at a cost of £75 per person per
The aim of spreading and developing coffee The course covers the five key elements
half day (to find out more, call 020 7473 1818).
culture has led illy to open further branches of classic Italian coffee preparation, starting
of its university throughout the world, with the blend, illy’s 100 per cent pure
outcome of pouring milk into coffee.
including in Sao Paolo, Shanghai and arabica. Next, the hardware is addressed –
“The opportunity to expand the
Bangalore. the grinder and the coffee machine.
University of Coffee to the UK is a
The London course is led by illy’s UK Students are also taught the vital
significant landmark in our constant
head of quality, Marco Arrigo, who ensures importance of maintaining cleanliness and
ambition to improve the quality of coffee
that attendees graduate making better hygiene standards and encouraged to
preparation and enjoyment throughout the
tasting, professionally prepared coffee, and formulate a quality routine of checks to
world,” said Andrea Illy on the launch. “I
offers a fresh approach to training. take away with them and share with
hope that this course will encourage those
Modelled on the Università del Caffè colleagues. The core element of the course
who work with coffee and those who drink
principles, the London course has been focuses on the ‘hand of the barman’ and his
it everyday to think about the quality of
specially adapted to the specific needs of treatment of milk. Ability and progress is
their drink and the passion, history and
the UK coffee market, not least the British measured through latte art, the precise
ritual behind every cup.”
AUGUST 2008 CAFÉ CULTURE 5
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