Brittany Gunther of Grinders Coffee prepares for Coffee Masters – New York 2018

From 12 to 14 October, Coffee Masters – New York 2018 will see Brittany Gunther of Grinders Coffee represent Australia in the multi-disciplinary competition. This is Brittany’s second time competing in a Coffee Masters event, making the cut for Coffee Master – London 2017 last year. “I really enjoyed it the first time,” Brittany says. “It’s going to be interesting to see where my skills are at a year and a half later.”
Read More

Colin Harmon and Espresso Mechanics to host Mythos Two launch

3fe Coffee Managing Director Colin Harmon and Espresso Mechanics will host Mythos Evolution, the official launch of the Mythos Two Gravimetric Grinder, in Melbourne and Sydney on 24 and 26 October respectively. Victoria Arduino designed the Mythos Two, and says it moves the boundaries of on demand coffee grinder operating control in terms of temperature stability, accuracy and speed service.
Read More

Veneziano Richmond makes world’s best coffee shop design list

Design and architecture magazine Wallpaper has included Veneziano Coffee Richmond in it’s The world’s best coffee shops for design lovers list. Veneziano opened the Melbourne café to the public on 30 July. Located on River Street in Richmond, the venue features an 80-seat dining space, roastery and barista training studio all under the one roof.
Read More

ASCA Southern Region Coffee Championships on next weekend

The 2019 Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Southern Region Championship will take place from 13 to 14 October. Held at Criteria Coffee in Port Melbourne, Victoria, this is the second regional of the 2019 competition season. The Southern Region Coffee Championships will see the best baristas from VIC and Tasmania combine to compete in the Barista, Latte Art, Brewers Cup and Cup Tasters competitions.
Read More

Sunbeam study reveals consumer turn offs

On 1 October, Sunbeam, in collaboration with Lonergan Research, released a study revealing that 98 per cent of Australians have at least one pet peeve that ruins a coffee experience. Topping the list is temperature at 65 per cent, burnt coffee at 58 per cent, strength at 56 per cent, foam inconsistencies at 39 per cent, and curdled soy milk at 27 per cent. According to the research, Australians are impatient too. Two in five of the 501 people surveyed say a long wait makes for a bad coffee experience, with men, at 44 per cent, and Baby Boomers, at 45 per cent, being the least patient.
Read More

ICO honours women on International Coffee Day

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) has chosen the theme of ‘Women in Coffee’ for International Coffee Day (ICD) 2018. “The idea for the 2018 campaign goes beyond paying homage to women,” the ICO says on the ICD website. “We want to highlight the need for equity and equality in the coffee sector, from bean to cup, and that can only be achieved by empowering women to the benefit of the whole coffee sector.”
Read More

Starbucks opens café built from recycled shipping containers in Taiwan

Starbucks has opened a 320-square-metre, two-story store in Taiwan built that uses 29 shipping containers to form its structure. It is the first retailer to open a storefront in the yet-to-be launched Hualien Bay Mall. “This drive thru location is built to meet customer needs, both today and in the long-term,” Starbucks says in a press release.
Read More
Product Innovation Awards

Entries open for MICE2019 Product Innovation Awards

The Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) Product Innovation Awards will return in 2019, and entries are now open. The Product Innovation Awards recognise MICE exhibitors and the contributions they make to the coffee industry each year. The awards will include two categories: People’s Choice, judged by visitors to MICE, and Judges’ Choice, judged by an independent panel.
Read More

Tia Maria to attempt world’s largest espresso martini record

On October 1, Tia Maria will attempt to create the world’s largest espresso martini as part of a Guinness World Record attempt to celebrate International Coffee Day. “The espresso martini is fast becoming the signature cocktail of Australia so where better to celebrate our commitment to making the world’s best, than overlooking the iconic Sydney Opera House,” Tia Maria Brand Ambassador Mark Hickey says. “As a coffee loving nation, craft cocktail culture is taking many of its cues from coffee culture and vice versa, so it’s no wonder drinkers are looking to what’s next as they demand new and exciting flavour profiles.”
Read More

WCE to host judge certification ahead of World Coffee Championships in Brazil

World Coffee Events (WCE) will host a WCE Judge Certification in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2 to 3 November. Participants will demonstrate their skill and knowledge during a two-day test.  WCE Committee Leadership will guide participants through a series of performance-based and written tests that measure a judge’s ability to perform successfully in a WCE competition.
Read More