Can automatic machines help baristas find the middle ground between flair and efficiency?
Baristas perform a balancing act when making coffee. On one hand, there’s the desire to add a human touch of creativity that comes from a moment of barista magic. And on the other is the need to craft consistently good coffee at high speed to meet the demands of a fast-paced modern world.
It’s a compromise that has been considered by cafés since automatic machines entered the mainstream, but does the continuing advancement of the technology mean a middle ground is being reached between these two ends of the spectrum?
Sydney’s Schibello Coffee has been roasting for 25 years. The family-run business rode the wave of Australia’s specialty coffee boom and has seen first-hand the difference quality machines can make to a café, hotel, or any hospitality venue.
“We’ve been roasting since 1999 when my father, Ross, and his Co-Founder, Tony, started it all,” says Schibello Coffee Group General Manager Sal Schinella. “We’re still proudly family-run, with the next generation now helping to evolve who we are and what we can be. It’s pretty special to be a part of that.
“We’re here to support cafés, share great coffee, and build enduring connections with our customers. A lot has changed over the years – trends, tastes, and tech – but our bonds with our partners are core to what we do. That’s never shifted, it’s what drives us every day.”
Schibello has enjoyed a long collaboration with automatic machine manufacturer Franke Coffee Systems and it’s a relationship Sal says continues to grow as customer expectations change.
After supplying two of Franke’s flagship models to a range of clients, he admits he wasn’t originally sold on incorporating the Franke Mytico into Schibello’s café operations – but those doubts have now been unequivocally put to bed.
“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Franke, using the A600 and A400 in our hotel and corporate accounts for years. They’re reliable and consistently deliver at scale – after testing many machines, we always come back to Franke,” says Sal.
“When the Mytico first launched, we weren’t sure it was the right fit for our core café market, since the human touch is such a big part of what makes this industry special. But after trialling it and getting to know it better, we really saw its potential.”
Sal says the Mytico treads that middle ground between precision and flair, and helps cafés dish out quality coffee while supporting the barista’s individuality.
“Balancing quality and efficiency is tougher than ever, especially for venues struggling to retain experienced baristas or manage high volumes with limited resources. The Mytico helps streamline operations, reduce training time, and maintain high coffee standards,” he says.
“The Mytico doesn’t replace the barista’s craft, it supports it. It delivers consistency that meets today’s coffee industry needs and ensures baristas get to spend more time connecting with customers.”
Schibello has recently embarked on a refresh of its brand identity and released new eye-catching bags alongside its latest blend, Trinity.
The roaster’s new packaging designs are inspired by the traditional Italian card game Briscola, which Sal played with his father and grandparents over coffee. It’s a game that inspired their love of the beverage and its culture.
Sal describes Trinity as Schibello’s take on a lighter roast and says getting the best flavour out of the blend showcases the quality of the Mytico.
“For lighter coffees like Trinity, achieving the perfect flavour and extraction requires a precise recipe and consistent execution. Doing this reliably in a busy café demands a lot of training and focus, which can be challenging with manual machines,” he says.
“This is where the Franke Mytico excels. It controls every step – grind setting, dosing, tamp pressure, and flow rate – to exact specifications every time. Its ability to adjust flow rate is especially impressive and versatile for bringing out the best in each coffee. This precision lets cafés deliver the balanced flavours lighter roasts need without relying on barista guesswork.”
This type of strong performance expected from the Mytico, according to Sal, is not just limited to the one machine in the manufacturer’s range.
“Franke coffee machines stand out because they offer the precision and control we expect from traditional machines, but with the consistency and efficiency of automation. They’re highly customisable, allowing us to set and refine our brew recipes to extract exactly what we want from each coffee.
“We also love that the Mytico, in particular, is modular – it can scale with a venue as demand grows, offering flexibility. Also, it just looks slick. Coffee machines are the heart of a café, so aesthetics matter too.”
Despite the strong performance of Franke machines with Schibello’s coffee beans, Sal says the personal touch the brand provides its partners sets it apart.
“One of the biggest standouts with Franke is the support: it goes far beyond just the machines. Their training, 24/7 phone support, and the strength of our long-standing relationship really set them apart. The team genuinely cares and it means a lot,” he says.
“When we launched our recent rebrand, Franke Australia were one of the first to pick up the phone and congratulate us. That kind of personal connection and attention shows they’re not just a supplier – they’re a true partner. Add that to the reliability and low maintenance of their machines, and it’s clear why we continue to work with them.”
As more cafés continue to contend with rising labour costs and difficulties in retaining staff, could there be an even greater lean towards automatic machines and the qualities they bring to the table?
With the future of coffee remaining unclear due to a range of global factors – including green bean prices and lower harvest yields – and domestic factors such as rising rent and labour costs, Sal believes the continuing move towards automatic machines will keep the quality of coffee consistent.
“The future of coffee is definitely leaning into smarter, more precise automation –especially as processing methods and roast profiles become more complex. Automatic machines are evolving to meet these demands, not just for espresso but across a range of brew methods,” says Sal.
“We’re already seeing exciting innovations in automated cold brew and pourover, opening up new possibilities for consistency and creativity.
“Our brand refresh reflects who we are today and where the coffee industry is heading, while staying true to the values and culture that started it all. We’re all in at Schibello: constantly researching, exploring, and investing in the areas that will help us deliver the best possible coffee, now and into the future.”
For more information, visit coffee.franke.com
This article appears in the August 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
