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.