Today, coffee is the second strongest commodity in the world, after petroleum. In light of all sorts of coffee blends, roasts, and brewing techniques being exposed to the local and regional market. But what are the main issues that make coffee players tick?
Is espresso, American, instant coffee or heritage Turkish/Lebanese coffee the winner? In light of the horeca sector, the most automated of techniques, namely the espresso, is winning by strides. Meanwhile, the locale still opt for their ethnic coffee, brewed in a simple two dollar copper kettle.
Espresso or Lebanese Coffee?
“[Sales of] Lebanese coffee will never drop. Café Najjar’s classic vaccum packed blue product remains the strongest in sales. It’s a traditional product. However, the consumption of espresso and filter American coffee is increasing due to coffee shops and chains that are sprouting out,” says Nizar Labaki, sales and marketing director, horeca department, Ste Ets Michel Najjar.
And heritage-wise? Café Younes are in the process of studying Turkish coffee and putting it back on the coffee shop map. “Our highest selling loose coffee is still 75% Turkish but is slowly receding. This is a market that we can’t overlook. We have to find a way of saving on time while still preparing a delicious kettle of brewed Lebanese coffee the authentic way,” says Amin Younes, managing partner, Café Younes.
“From experience, we have learned that pure espresso, a straight aromatic shot, is the best complement to the overall experience of dining out. Our horeca clientele know the importance of an upscale cup of coffee. At The Roaster, we air-roast using the Sivetz fluid-bed roaster, which keeps beans suspended on a cushion of air and in constant motion, never allowing them to scorch or roast unevenly. The result is consistent, cleaner, better-developed taste, free of the burnt flavor that forms in conventional steel-drum roasters,” says Gilbert Najjar, general manager, The Roaster.
“Turkish coffee is still the most consumed coffee in Lebanon. Espresso might squeeze in and steal a few shares but can never take over Turkish coffee; it’s consumption will always be linked to the “Lebanese” way of life,” says Denise Safa, vice president, Super Brasil, also noting that espresso always has its niche segment and is widely available at cafés and restaurants because it’s easier and faster to prepare, and has found its way into today’s fast-paced lifestyle.
The lifecycle of coffee
Fifteen years ago, the Lebanese coffee industry was 92% Turkish coffee and 8% Nescafe, filter coffee, and espresso altogether. Today, American coffee and espresso have grown in volume by an extra 12 - 18%. Turkish coffee consumption is going down because the habit doesn’t usually start until the consumer is around 25 years of age. ”Espresso usually doesn’t start until 22 - 23 years of age but with youngsters frequenting coffee shops, espresso is consumed within the lattes and cappuccinos. When Lebanese people grow older, their [coffee drinking] ritual goes back to Turkish coffee,” explains Jean Nader, group commercial manager, Al-Rifai Group.
“Although espresso and filter coffee consumption is constantly increasing in Lebanon, we are fortunately facing a ‘Back to the Roots’ trend where Turkish coffee is regaining popularity, since it is identified with Lebanon’s authenticity and tradition,” says Firas Abi Nasr, managing director, Ets. Rafic Abi Nasr.
“Espresso is a competition to Turkish coffee in the horeca industry: this is a reflection of the Italian culture that invaded the cultures of other countries.
Espresso is also considered as the base of several other coffee drinks. As far as
household coffee drinking habit is concerned, espresso remains less accessible to the consumers due to the cost of machines. However, with more companies venturing into the pods and capsules, and pairing their products with simpler and cheaper machines, there is an opportunity of growth in this segment”, says Yusra Kanj Maatouk, marketing manager, Maatouk Factories.
The real threat
The real threat is instant coffee. Today instant coffee doesn’t have a market share as large as Lebanese coffee but its growth rate is much faster than that of Lebanese coffee.
“This means that in five years, it’ll be a major threat to the coffee industry, especially the 2 in 1, 3 in 1 [versions].I can extract the educated market and pull them towards me for a good espresso or Lebanese coffee, but for those looking for just the caffeine, instant coffee remains [an option],” says Maatouk.
“There’s now a growing awareness amongst youths about what a ‘good’ coffee is. Back in my college days at AUB, we used to cross the street and grab an instant coffee in a Styrofoam cup. That’s all there was. But, with the introduction of coffee shop concepts, students are becoming educated about real-time coffee. Today, an 18 year old will consume an espresso. Perhaps they won’t consume it as a shot, but it’ll be in their cappuccino or frappuccino,” says Nawaf Beydoun, managing partner, Crematica Coffee Solutions representing Zicaffè. In 1929, Vito Zichittella, a coffee connoisseur, opened a coffee roasting shop in Western Sicily. ”Today, ZiCaffè is a global player, producing roasts and blends unique in aroma and froth,” says Beydoun.
Meanwhile, the advantages of instant coffee reside in the speedy process of preparing a cup of coffee. It is often also packed in small quantities making it easy to handle and available to use anywhere. “However, the output of instant coffee can never be compared to an espresso or a carefully prepared cup of Turkish coffee,” says Roy Daniel, managing partner at Automatic Brewers (Barista). The process of brewing espresso for example involves pressure and controlled temperature, both factors that maintain coffee aroma.
Listen to your market
“We have noticed a rising request of espresso coffee in the exporting Countries (Brasil, Vietnam, etc) where the tradition of drinking coffee is something very recent and linked to economic development. To afford these changes we are specializing in coffee beans from the best origins, slowly-roasted the traditional way, to obtain the finest blends,” says Wissam Labaki, owner, Caffé Vergnano 1882 - Trading Gate
Courtesy : hospitalitynewsmag.com
No comments:
Post a Comment