I had an interesting experience recently with a potential client.  It was an organic restaurant and coffee shop in a trendy area of London.  Apparently they serve very good food.  I dropped my card and a few days later I got a call to come in and discuss our coffee.  Of course at arrival I was offered a taste of their organic coffee and choose to have an espresso.  

A smell and look of the beans told me already that the coffee was very over roasted and when served the coffee it was so bitter that in order to be polite and drink it I had to put a bit of milk and sugar which I never do in my coffee.  It was one of the worst coffees I have had  in a long time.

We discussed the coffee, the issues of Direct Trade vs Fairtrade, Single Estate vs Blends, dark vs medium roasts, Biodynamic vs Organic, etc....in the end I was told that they were not interested in our coffee as they like the one they serve.  

Now there are many reasons to not change suppliers, ranging from price to quality of service or established long term contracts.  I did not mind that they were not interested in our coffee but it really bothered me that an establishment was OK with serving bad Organic Coffee as it gives the whole organic coffee movement a bad name that it is already struggling to overcome.  I strongly believe that it is indeed important for our whole industry to promote quality coffee and in particular quality organic coffee as part of an education of the UK consumer.  

Yes, of course, individual choice is what matters and what is good for one is not good for the other.  But serving bad coffee, I just don't understand it.  I guess it has to do with the issue posted in my last post - the expectation A Dark Rich Roast regardless how bitter it is. 

Recently I read a survey where people were asked what type of coffee they liked.  Out of a multiple choice questionare the great majority answered: 

A Dark Rich Roast

However, when it came down to an actual taste test, the great majority did not pick A Dark Rich Roast.  

The survey went on to theories as to why this happened but their conclusion was one of consumer conditioning.

Over the years customers have been told to expect A Dark Rich Roast but along with this they have been provided bad quality coffee that is over roasted and bitter.  When presented with an option of a quality coffee that is well roasted and with a smooth flavour, the majority chose to move away from their preconditioning of the rich roast expectations.

Sadly so many of the consumers in the UK have been preconditioned to expect horrible tasting coffee but worst yet is that so few are truly offered an alternative.  

Yes, of course it is not new this trend for multi-certification in the coffee world.  However, today on my way to the event in London walking through the narrow streets of East London I went by a few coffee shops, the large ones - you know which ones - with great big signs talking about their single, double or even triple certified coffee and it all of a sudden just hit me...!!

Once at the show, once again I kept encountering all sorts of double and in the case of coffee triple certified products.  Do consumers really know what it all means?  Do they ask the question as to who really benefits from this mad rush for double and triple certification?  

I could not help myself but to think it is all about a box ticking exercise.  The large companies are happy to tick all the boxes as long as the prices remain low and the large profits unaffected.  

On my way out, there it was on yet another big sign - Organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance Coffee with no mention to the quality of the product and probably served by a low paid and badly trained Barista who does not care about what they serve to the customer.  But the three new boxes have now been ticked and the customers will rush in ...... is this what it is all about?