Coffee Machine Technologies on how the Viper Milk Dispensing System streamlines workflow and helps eliminate single-use plastic.
For years, Coffee Machine Technologies (CMT) has provided forward-thinking solutions for the coffee sector and partnered with companies that share its spirit for innovation.
In 2015, the company released the Viper independent milk steamer, which quickly became an in-demand product. As part of the Viper range, CMT then developed a milk delivery system (MDS), but the project was shelved when another product opportunity emerged.
Through this journey, the CMT team identified the challenges posed by current milk delivery systems, primarily attributed to high costs, complex cleaning processes, and the storage of milk in refrigerators.
Moving forward, it recognised a gap in the market for a simple, cost-effective, fully sustainable MDS. As a result, the Viper MDS was revived.
“One of our strengths is that when we see a need for a particular solution, we work aggressively to try and solve it,” says Carmelo Corallo, CMT National Sales Manager.
The new Viper MDS features a sleek design and enables fast delivery of two types of milk using dual programmable buttons. Furthermore, a unique and simple recirculating cleaning function utilises less cleaning chemicals than other systems on the market, reducing cleaning costs up to 80 per cent.
Sustainability is a big topic in the café industry right now, so when The Udder Way presented its reusable milk kegs as a means to reduce plastic pollution, Carmelo’s attention was piqued.
According to The Udder Way Director Edward Crick, the average café uses roughly 10,000 single-use plastic containers each year.
“Given this statistic, we realised it was imperative to try and come up with a more sustainable solution for the industry,” Edward says.
“We worked with a local dairy company in Tasmania called Ashgrove to develop our first milk keg. From there, we started servicing areas around Australia and New Zealand.”
Instead of buying a two-litre carton of milk, Edward says The Udder Way system allows users to purchase an 18-litre keg. Once emptied, it can simply be collected, washed, refilled, and returned to the café via the dairy company.
“Combined with the Viper MDS, this streamlines the process while also economising the storage in the fridge, because it saves a significant amount of space as well as waste. It’s also a lot more efficient because you can fit more in your fridge,” Edward says.
According to The Udder Way team, each food-grade keg eliminates 7000 single-use plastic bottles.
“Plastic is a fantastic product but if it’s not used sustainably it can have a detrimental effect on the environment,” says Edward.
“Our kegs have a life span of eight to 10 years and can be used up to 800 times, which equates to 302.4 kilograms of single-use plastic waste reduction [per keg] in their lifetime.”
The Viper MDS was the perfect partner product for The Udder Way’s technology, and a route for the new company to introduce its keg system to CMT’s wide and varied network of clients. When combined, the products created an independent, no-fuss cold-milk dispenser.
“The team at The Udder Way wanted to take this product, as well as the Viper, to their clients. Therefore, we needed to give them the confidence that by combining their kegs with our MDS we would have a system that was going to work well,” says Carmelo.
“Even though we sell to different markets, both companies need each other’s products to create a fully sustainable and cost-effective solution.”
Carmelo says one of the typical limitations of milk dispensing systems is the cleaning process. When this is not done correctly it can lead to unnecessary costs and downtime. The Viper MDS overcomes this by utilising The Udder Way app to create a robust and well-organised cleaning system.
“The app takes users through the cleaning process step by step, and sends a notification when the chemicals need to be changed. It also logs each time the machine is cleaned,” he says.
According to Carmelo, the Viper MDS is tailored to suit the needs of businesses with large waste outputs. He believes it is in these busy environments that the benefits of the system are most apparent.
“A high-volume café will benefit from this solution as there’s no need for the barista to access the fridge every couple of minutes,” he says.
“A latte is approximately 200 millilitres of liquid, so out of one litre you only get five cups. When you work out the maths, you can see how quickly a café gets through hundreds of milk containers a week.”
Edward says customer feedback has been encouraging as the Viper MDS continues to gain momentum.
“We have already rolled out a unit in a university, which is using it as we speak and the feedback has been awesome,” he says.
“I think the beautiful thing about the Viper MDS is the simplicity of it and that really complements our product. You just press the button, it doses the right amount of milk, and there is nothing too technical about it.”
Edward adds that while some automated milk systems are double the price of a manual system, the Viper MDS is cost effective for those on a budget as it doesn’t create restrictions or hold up the coffee-making process.
Carmelo says CMT will continue to invest in collaborations with companies such as The Udder Way that are pioneering sustainable solutions.
“Creating a system to draw milk is just one part of it. We need both parties to come together to create something that goes full circle, and that’s why we made this partnership happen,” he says.
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This article appears in the August/September 2024 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
