Instant coffee generation grows as the ‘cuppa’ becomes faster and speedier to make
The age where the ‘Seeya’ used to ask his beloved wife ‘Menike’ to get him a cup of coffee made from home grown and ground coffee while he prepares to read the newspaper on a Sunday morning, is now no more. Today life has got busier but more efficient in which the wife asks the husband to make her a cup of coffee from the machine which doesn’t even take a minute to prepare.
The coffee-drinking trend in Sri Lanka has picked up and is going to develop rapidly through the young passionate generation between the ages of 20 to 40. The older generation prefers to drink coffee as an occasional drink whereas for the young ones it’s more a part of their character lifestyles, according to Ganesan Ampalavanar, Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC. He made these comments to the Business Times, speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Nescafe Alegria Coffee Machine together with the 5-in-1 variety canister, in Colombo last week.
The Nescafe Alegria Coffee Machine is a Nestle proprietary technology where one canister makes five different coffee varieties namely Cappuccino, Americano, Lungo, Espresso, Latte Macchiato and provides the base for ice coffee and Frappé as well. Initially the coffee machine will be available at Nestle distributor correspondents and it will be premium and exclusive, so therefore it won’t be mass marketed. The machine costs Rs. 30,000 and the canister is Rs. 2,500. On a value basis it’s cheaper than going to a café for a Cappuccino. The coffee machine could be used at home, small offices, bakeries etc and for people who really appreciate coffee, noted Mr. Ampalavanar.
“There has been a rapid increase in the number of cafés opening up in recent times. Consumers are trending towards seeking indul- gence when enjoying a cup of coffee. The Nescafé Alegria coffee solution offers an authentic, premium coffee experience with the simplicity, convenience and speed of a classic coffee machine. With its promise of ‘Café style coffee made magically simple’, the Nescafé Alegria premium coffee solution will revolutionize the domestic beverage industry,” said Jagath Wedage, Assistant Vice President, Nestlé Professional.
The Nescafé Alegria coffee machine does not require experience for its op- eration. It’s ‘plug and play’ concept reduces the complex process of making premium coffee to a simple press of a button. Compact and easy to use, a perfect cup of premium quality coffee is provided via the Nescafé Alegria coffee canister with the addition of fresh milk for a perfect barista coffee experience. The Nescafé Alegria coffee canister, complete with a 15-month shelf life, consists of freeze-dried and micro-ground coffee that contains a real coffee aroma and taste, a technology introduced by Japan.