Pleasing demanding coffee drinkers

Sponsored by Smucker Away From Home

During the pandemic, America’s remote workers discovered better coffee. Spared from their daily commutes, they had time to experiment with premium beans at home and explore specialty coffee beverages at coffee shops. Sipping more enjoyable coffee, and more of it, became the norm.¹

This crowd is now more informed and passionate about coffee than ever. When they visit the coffee counter in an onsite foodservice operation—such as a  college dining hall, hospital café, staff station, or waiting area—they expect a cup that meets their raised expectations for flavor, variety, and customization. This includes specialty coffee beverages that are challenging to make at home, as they may have learned.

It's a great time to reevaluate your guests’ coffee needs. All told, 66% of consumers over age 18 consume coffee each day, according to National Coffee Association research last fall.² That percentage remains at the two-decade high first reached in January 2022. More Americans drink coffee each day than any other beverage.

Although coffee consumption away from home has yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, NCA data shows 33% of coffee drinkers buy coffee away from home at least four times per week, and another 56% buy coffee away from home one to three times per week.³ This signals a great incentive for operators to become more proficient at satisfying this savvy clientele.

On-trend choices

Here are the coffee beverages consumers choose the most, according to NCA data⁴:

The 1850^® Coffee advantage

However, today’s staffing challenges make it daunting to gear up a specialty coffee program in the conventional way—assembling an equipment package and training employees or hiring highly paid baristas. In fact, to manage higher costs, 59% of operators have changed their menus and 48% have reduced hours of operation, according to the National Restaurant Association.⁵

Fortunately, there is a solution that enables onsite operators to stay in step with the trends and serve premium specialty coffee with operational ease and cost efficiency. Enter the new Select Brew^® Excellence Touch and Excellence Compact Touch coffee machines. These easy-to-use machines serve bold, smooth 1850 Horizon Blend Dark Roast coffee on demand with customized specialty options that are on-trend today.

Distinguished by a sleek, modern design and footprints that fit into smaller spaces, these machines are equipped with user-friendly  touchscreens and quickly dispense up to 10 different beverages like lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and more. Guests can easily customize coffee drinks with the addition of milk or chocolate. Simply press the touchscreen to choose from multiple strength levels and cup sizes.

At the heart of the experience for customers is 1850 Horizon Blend coffee, a reflection of the Folgers^® heritage of expert coffee sourcing and roasting. This dark roasted blend is made with select arabica beans certified by the Rainforest Alliance, delivering a rich, full-bodied flavor with a smooth, balanced finish.

1850 Horizon Blend Dark Roast is the bold, flavorful base for anything from a simple black coffee to a next-level cappuccino or latte. In the Excellence Touch, these drinks can also be dispensed over ice to satisfy those on-trend, cold coffee cravings.

Reduced staff impact

Clearly, installing the Select Brew system with its pushbutton ease is far more cost-efficient than hiring baristas or training staff to craft specialty coffee and maintain less-convenient types of coffee-brewing equipment.

The Select Brew Excellence Touch and Excellence Compact Touch coffee machines  don’t need much attention, allowing your staff to focus on other areas of your operation. Refilling the machines with product is a breeze, and so much faster than brewing pot after pot using roasted grounds. With Select Brew, there are no messy coffee grounds or filters to throw away after every brew. And as a closed, on-demand system, every cup of coffee is dispensed fresh – safely, consistently, when you need it. No pots sitting on burners, no wasted batches thrown away.

As for cleaning  and maintenance, it takes less than five minutes to run the easy-to-follow Select Brew cleaning cycle. If you need more help along the way, our expert service techs are a phone call away.

Ready to try it out? For more information about enhancing your coffee business with the operational ease, variety, and customization of the Select Brew Coffee System, visit Smucker Away From Home at https://www.SmuckerAwayFromHome.com/SpecialtyCoffee or call (877) 693-6543.

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