Mocha double decaf latte

[deleted]

the problems with soy are: 1. being so overpowering, it masks the taste of coffee rather than enhance it; 2. so that there can be no loyalty to your product becasue there is no actual appreciation of it; and 3. the way they make it here is no good. for those who are lactose intolerant as opposed to being trendy there are options. as for decaf, it is simply a waste of time. i really don't care about the group of 10 mothers who wont come because one is a soy drinker or cant handle caffeine and you have to take that attitude otherwise you are compromising.

[deleted]

decaf may look, smell and obviously taste like coffee but it is what is is... an artificial process that tampers with the chemistry of a natural product. Secondly, there are only a few companies licensed to use the technology which are essentially the rights to exploit poor farmers. Lastly, no one seriously sets out to build a reputation based on decaf sales so where are you going with this?

john_2

Chalres I am not sure who your last comment was addressed to. Once again I am not acquainted with the West Coast. However I am surprised that you have not heard of the Swiss Water Decaffeination Process. Whilst chemicals are used to decaffeinate most coffees (those obviously used in Perth), the Swiss Water Process uses only water. It is a patented process that results in a reasonably good tasting coffee that is never subjected to chemicals. I suggest that you have a look at www.swisswater.com I am not sure how this process disadvantages the poor farmer. If anything it would be adding to their green bean sales. To say using soy milk is being trendy. This is an interesting statement. My 89 year old father must be some what of a groover, he has been on the soy for at least the past 20 years. I am not sure as to who is saying to build a reputation on decaf sales. But I go back to my original comment about using stale preground decaf and the average coffee maker not being able to texture soy milk. I suggest that maybe find a supplier with some non chemical decaf (east coast supplier) and practice texturing soy milk. You may be surprised. So might your customers. I could handle 10 mums each day having a couple of soy whatevers each (not to forget the other 10 trendites that they might attract). They might even bring their husbands who drink real Perth coffee. They would just about pay the rent. John PS Do you drink light beer or chardonnay????

over_extracted

Ive given coffee sales reps decaf and not long ago i gave my boss one too and none of them could tell it was.I actually quite like it its not as bad as it was a few years ago ,this swiss water method is quite good you have to use high quality beans and it makes a lot of difference,good luck on your quest.OE

[deleted]

john, i am very familiar with the swiss water method. what you need to look at is what the company that has the patent on the swiss water method actually pays for their green beans... "fair trade" ... does it ring a bell? regarding soy, if you look hard enough there is research out there detailing health effects. throwing your dad into this discussion misses the point. my dad who is 70 has been drinking milk for his whole life but that doesn't make him a conservative does it? my reference to soy having become trendy is based on information that in the last 5-7 years companies who have promoted this product and its derivatives have had astronomical sales growth. as for not using soy or decaf, its a choice we made for our business model. if you need it to make yours work so be it but most people i know would prefer not to carry either. by the way, i haven't made any assumptions about your skill levels. why do you make them about mine?

Reschsmooth

As for decaf, whilst I wouldn't touch it, but one of the longer standing forum participants posted, late last year if I recall, the they were no longer able to consumer caffeine - would you want to refuse their custom (altered for medicinal reasons) our of principal?

[deleted]

if they can't consume caffeine why ask for coffee? why do i want to carry decaf when only one out of 20 people in my area ask for it and of those who ask only one in ten has a legitimate medical reason for doing so? my simple proposition is that though it bucks conventional wisdom i believe it a mistake to try and appeal to every consumer. could that partly explain why so many cafe owners are having problems making money?

Reschsmooth

"if they can't consume caffeine why ask for coffee?", ummm, I am no expert on the subject, but perhaps for the taste of coffee? Should a bar/pub refuse to stock light beer out of principal? If a person shouldn't have full strength, why ask for beer? I agree, you don't have to be all things to all people, but I would hazard a guess that people drink decaf for a specific reason, not always medical, as opposed to people who drink mocha skinny lattes because it is chic (in their view). Furthermore, you talk about not catering to every single customer preference, yet you serve mocha coffees? Isn't there a bit of hypocrisy there? Patrick

dcbc

just a question to rsmooth why don't get involved in the coffee industry?

Reschsmooth

DCBC...I think my expertise lies in other areas outside of the coffee industry. But it is fun jumping on one's soapbox and spouting opinions about an area I don't know a lot of.... ;D Seriously, I mouth off a lot in this forum simply because a lot of the issues are not exclusive to the coffee industry, but general business management, particularly in a service industry. Ask me about client management, and I can given an opinion - it may not be 'correct' (if an opinion can or can not be), but ask me about suspension roasters, and I will gladly let that one go to the keeper. ;D Patrick

Reschsmooth

I couldn't agree with me more, really.

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