Nestlé Professional tells BeanScene about the relaunch of its Buondi brand, which is evolving to suit Australia’s sophisticated coffee landscape.
Nestlé Professional first launched Buondi Caffé in Australia in 2015, aligning the brand’s positioning with its origins in Portugal, where it is synonymous with energy, youth, and active lifestyles.
However, with Australia’s coffee market being more sophisticated, and coffee culture embedded into the lives of consumers and businesses, Nestlé Professional has decided to revitalise the Buondi coffee brand to suit the market Down Under.
“From January 2023, the Buondi brand will evolve, and our coffee beans will have a brand-new look,” says Nestlé Professional Master Barista Jo Yuen.
Buondi’s ‘Crafted For Now’ branding demonstrates an understanding of the way that Aussies enjoy their coffee, and also reflects an ambition to create a more urban and stylish aesthetic. The new brand positioning was created to better reflect its place in Australian coffee culture and the target consumer seeking enhanced coffee experiences within pubs, clubs, and cafés.
Jo says Buondi drinkers lead busy lives, between their work and family commitments. Therefore, they want to make the most of their leisure time.
“Pubs, clubs, and cafés play a big role in this, as they are often the destination for weekend unwind occasions with partners and friends. Alongside great food and beverages, great coffee can complement their experience and positively influence their perception of the venue,” she says.
The coffee beans used in Buondi blends are sourced from all over the world, but roasted and blended locally to suit the Australian palate and lifestyle.
“Buondi is made with Aussie community spirit, proudly roasted and blended by our Gympie factory in regional Queensland. The Gympie factory has been manufacturing Buondi since 2015 for Australians to enjoy, and in the last 12 months alone, has produced over three million cups of Buondi,” Jo says.
The Buondi brand philosophy is that coffee is about moments. So Buondi coffee is blended for moments big and small. Each of the three blends is designed to connect to a consumer’s particular mood and life moment.
“Dark Spark isn’t just coffee, it’s your secret weapon, and does exactly what the name promises. Whether you’re pulling an all-nighter, or you just need to get through the next hour, Dark Spark has you covered. This dark roasted blend cuts through milk perfectly, boasting a rich aroma of brown sugar and maple syrup. It also offers up a uniquely caramel finish that will leave you wanting for more,” Jo says.
\“Steady State coffee is easy going, easy-to-drink and easy to enjoy. No matter who you are or where you find yourself during the day, this coffee will open up a world of possibilities, being great with or without milk. This easy-to-drink coffee has a delicate nutty aroma, with notes of smooth, creamy chocolate that will surely keep you coming back.”
The final blend, Complex Soul, is pure contemplation in a mug, according to Jo.
“It may be subtle, but there is nothing meek about it. Crafted for all the times in the day you want to hit pause but then need to be ready to take on the world…or at least the next thing on your to-do list. The aroma of caramel and roasted hazelnuts, paired with a long toffee finish, will send a wave of calm over your taste buds and the day ahead,” she says.
Jo says the blends are versatile and produce great tasting coffees with or without milk. “From the plants to our cup, we put a lot of love into our coffee. Sustainability is important to Nestlé Professional and we are also working towards sourcing all of our Buondi coffee sustainably from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms by the end of 2023.”
“The aim of the Rainforest Alliance is to create an improved future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal. It is working to solve some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time, and we are proud to support it,” says Jo.
The Buondi range is backed by Nestlé Professional’s expertise in delivering tailored coffee solutions across Australia.
“Our service encompasses a full spectrum of offerings to café businesses, ranging from technical to operational and commercial support. Its purpose is to equip and empower café owners to do more with their coffee offering,” says Jo.
“We support our customers’ success in their business by finding and partnering up with the right solutions, backed with the support they need.”
This includes national service coverage, technical support and preventative maintenance, and barista training.
“We offer operational training whenever equipment is placed on site, as well as information about how to maintain and get the best use out of the machine. We always ensure operators deliver the highest quality of service to their customers,” says Jo.
“We’re back to doing a lot of onsite face-to-face barista training since COVID-19. We now have dedicated state champions who conduct barista training, and we work with nationally accredited training centres in major cities, available to our customers free of charge.
“We offer virtual training sessions, and have a range of barista training videos available to customers upon request. Our quality control and technical operations teams also provide training for our automated push-button machines.”
Nestlé Professional also offers collaborative commercial and marketing support.
“We challenge ourselves to rethink our strategies and find innovative ways to cater to customer’s needs. For example, last year we provided a digital marketing guide for restaurants and cafés to help them take their business online and successfully navigate COVID-19,” Jo says.
“We believe it’s important to be supported by the right marketing message and commercial offerings, to entice customers to purchase and increase the rate of repeat purchase.”
Jo hopes this will be case with the refreshed, contemporary Buondi range rolling out across the country.
“Our main goal this year is to grow our presence in pubs, clubs, and cafés. We want to empower our customers to have a brand that they’re proud to showcase and that their customers will love,” she says.
“This is a brand that our consumers can trust. This is a brand that suits all palates and lifestyles.”
For more information, visit www.nestleprofessional.com.au/brands/buondi
This article appears in the February 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
