Thermodynamics is what makes coffee roasting possible. Having an understanding and control of it is what makes great roasting possible. But what aspects of thermodynamics should we be familiar with and what methods of controlling it are best? In this…
When we want to delegate authority, install a manager, or hire a barista we rely on a job description. We know the power a well formed and detailed job description has for setting up expectations and communicating clearly the what and why of the work,…
Welcome to the first in a series of three episodes focused on “Thinking Differently” brought to you by Ground Control! On today’s episode we are going to be talking with the owner of Teofilo Coffee Company, Ron Dizon. Teofilo started as a farmers market stand roasting and serving Filipino coffee. Having been born in the Phili[oiines and raised in the …
U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits champion Matt Foster is here to guide you to specialty drink success! We all want to have a menu that includes unique signature beverages that we love making and customers love drinking. Trouble is, making creative specialty drinks that in your shop that are delicious, practical, AND profitable is not an easy task. It …
I am thrilled to get to feature Anne Lunnel and Charles Nystrand of Koppi: Fine Coffee Roasters on this month’s Founder Friday! Founded in 2007, Koppi not only established itself as of Sweden’s preeminent third wave coffee companies but also as one of the world’s best roasters. Both Anne and Charles have one the Swedish Barista Championship and additionally Anne …
We need systems in the coffee shop. As we pursue them it can be easy to complicate the process and end up with something that was meant to be helpful but ends up being intimidating or not useful at all. Today we are going to talk about the…
How we talk about coffee, relay information about coffee, and represent coffee to our customers and consumers in general, not only determines their attitude toward coffee but will literally shape the coffee industry. Often we get bogged down with details, side tracked with minutia, and overwhelm people in our bid to show them how precious coffee is to us. What …
Going from a single store store to multiple locations brings with it the question of how to replicate the culture and values across the shops. Making continuity between your various retail expressions a reality will take some purposeful planning and…
One of the most neglected areas of the bar happens to also be the most important. The register. Not because it is where we handle money (although that is important) but because it is where we make first impressions and guide the experience of both the customer and our coworkers. The register controls everything but we treat this station as …
Hiring a great team is the aim of every cafe. Often when we look for the right person we end up looking for the perfect individual vs the perfect fit for the team and culture of our shop. We want an all-star team but what we get can often just be a…
