HORECA LEBANON BARISTA JUDGE SPILLS THE BEANS

When evaluating contenders at any event, I take several factors into consideration. Though some of these may not directly pertain to the finished product, they nonetheless are relevant to the entire spiel. I first begin by evaluating the way they introduce and justify their choice of coffee. After that, their performance is carefully assessed, which is when the entire process takes on a more exacting attention to detail, followed by a thorough evaluation of the skills and techniques employed that eventually yield a very specific result that has its own identity. Though the entire scheme used to be almost based on the steps applied and, by reciprocity, the result achieved, insight about the story behind the brand and variety of coffee used is gradually finding its way into the mix, which makes perfect sense. On the one hand, consumers demand to know where their coffee comes from and how it was processed; on the other hand, baristas are expected to be aware of all this information, so as to be able to help these discerning consumers choose the right kind of coffee that satisfies their coffee craving. Increasingly, consumers are more attracted to single-origin coffee and the history behind it. Each origin has its own distinct coffee profile, which consumers find compelling, since it offers them a consistent experience and recognizable flavors.

With the growing fast-paced lifestyle adults are facing worldwide, as well as in Lebanon, an increasing demand for a quick coffee fix has been the trend for the past decade and will continue to be the challenge of coffee manufacturers in the coming years. Delivering a cup of coffee at the push of a button is not an easy task and the fastest and only way to deliver a cup of coffee while maintaining good quality is through espresso. Our sales data is living proof of that, both Café Super Brasil and CORSO espresso, our premium brand, which work on the same 7gr capsule system, have witnessed record growth. We would have loved to replicate the ‘push of a button’ trend with Lebanese coffee, but unfortunately, we now have proof that to get a quality Lebanese cup of coffee, the only means to do so is the personalized way via our traditional Rakweh. Denise Makari Safa, Vice President, Café Super Brasil