Supplier spotlight: Ets. Rafic Abi Nasr
What are the newest machines used and how do they add value to the end result?
There is no doubt that the VA388 Black Eagle Gravitech from Victoria Arduino is the espresso machine for all those who dedicate their lives to coffee. This machine was chosen as the official machine of the World Barista Championship 2015-2017. The builtin Gravimetric technology guarantees a perfect espresso, allowing the user maximum precision by ensuring total control at all stages of extraction. The barista just has to set the weight of the liquid in the cup for each blend. That means each coffee cup can be made with the same ratio, ensuring a consistent brew. Furthermore, the technology measures the weight of the liquid extracted directly in the cup. The data is therefore much more precise and, more importantly, is not affected by other factors, such as the shape of the filter, the tamping force on the coffee and the condition of the showerheads.
What are the newest market trends?
According to USA’S National Coffee Association 2017 National Coffee Drinking Trends, the consumption of decaf coffee has risen from 0.19 cups per day to 0.39 cups per day, the biggest percentage increase of any category, which is mostly driven by 1824 year-olds at 19 percent. This is mainly due to the fact that younger consumers consider the act of getting coffee as an occasion, a gathering, a business meeting and more. Therefore, and to moderate their caffeine intake, decaffeinated coffee has become a likely choice. Many years ago, we introduced a decaffeinated version of cafe Abi Nasr, which you can find in most supermarkets and the Prestigio espresso decaffeinated line is available in many hotels and restaurants.
What are the changes you expect to see throughout the global coffee industry?
Clients are becoming more and more demanding when it comes to coffee. They are intrigued by coffee origins, roasting degrees, extraction methods and preparations of coffee cocktails. Eventually, this will create changes throughout the whole supply chain, especially in how coffee is roasted, blended and packed as single origins, delivered and prepared by the barista.