Barista Group introduces new technology it believes will provide a solution to current labour shortages and help café owners retain skilled staff.
Joe Chalhoub is a problem solver. As the Founder of Barista Group, one of Australia’s leading café equipment suppliers, he loves nothing more than finding solutions to the issues café owners experience every day – whether they’re technical hurdles, streamlining workflow, or finding the best-looking piece of kit.
One of the most pressing problems Joe is witnessing is the shortage of skilled labour available to work in cafés across Australia.
“The low numbers of skilled staff is having a huge impact on the supply chain,” says Joe.
“As a result of this, we’re seeing an increased workload for existing staff because café owners can’t find the additional baristas they need to support them. This, in turn, is adding to the problem as staff are burning out from being overworked, leading to job dissatisfaction and high turnover rates.”
According to Joe, these factors can negatively affect service and product quality, with fewer baristas resulting in longer wait times and rushed workflow. The risk of losing customers adds to the existing pressure of financial strains due to the current economic climate.
“Margins are getting smaller and smaller, so losing customers isn’t an option. Furthermore, to attract and retain great staff, owners are often having to pay them more to fill the gap caused by the labour shortages,” he says.
“With all these things in mind, we were eager to develop a product that would help retain skilled staff by making their jobs as easy as possible.”
For Barista Group, the solution was the Übermilk Plus. As an early adopter of the original Übermilk automatic milk steamer and having introduced it to hundreds of cafés across Australia, the company has been heavily involved in the development and testing of the product’s second generation. After soft-launching a prototype at Melbourne International Coffee Expo in May 2024, Joe and his team are now ready to bring the final version to market.
“It’s called the Übermilk Plus because it adds so much value to cafés,” says Joe.
“What started as a straightforward milk foaming product has developed into a complete liquid dispensing solution. It can not only deliver two different types of warm, perfectly texturised milk side by side, but also up to seven liquids such as cold brew, chilled milk foam, syrups, and other drinks.”
One of the key selling points of the product is that it’s customisable to each café’s menu. The basic unit delivers a single variety of steamed milk, alongside up to six additional modular units for hot or cold liquids dependent on the needs of the venue. Each unit independently delivers its contents to a singular spout through a dedicated tube to eliminate any risk of cross-contamination.
“The outlet sits on the top of the bench and is fed by the modules, which are stored out of sight underneath. Modules for hot milk have an in-built heating element that can be programmed to the individual milk type to regulate temperature and foam density to deliver the desired latte art,” says Joe.
“The beauty of the product is that the café can start with just the one module, and then add more as and when they are ready to expand their menu. Most people choose to start with two or three so they can offer two different milks alongside something like cold brew.”
This under-bar concept ensures most of the machine is hidden from the customer’s view, freeing up space for baristas to pour latte art and prepare other drinks. While the minimalist unit looks slick as part of a coffee shop’s aesthetic, for Joe the most valuable thing the Übermilk Plus delivers is time.
“It’s a fantastic tool to speed up workflow as the user only has to press a button, rather than standing around while the milk foams. It also reduces time spent training staff as it’s very simple to use. With one machine able to prepare seven different drinks, the barista’s workload is significantly condensed, therefore they have greater capacity to engage with their customers,” he says.
The flexibility of the machine also enables café owners and managers to respond to drinks trends and update their menu seasonally. The modules for chilled liquids can hold a whole spectrum of ready-to-pour options, from signature drinks and iced teas to chilled chocolate and specialty cold brew.
“The Plus can deliver chilled milk foam, which is an essential component of many popular signature drinks we’re seeing at the moment. One that is gaining particular attention around the world in the Greek-style Freddo coffee, in which espresso is topped with cold milk foam,” says Joe.
“With so many options, it gives café owners the ability to offer their customers even more choice. It also means they don’t need to invest in multiple pieces of equipment which can clutter the bar. Ultimately, they are getting much more value without breaking the bank. Through our 12-month prototype testing period, we’ve developed the updated Übermilk to help relieve the financial strain of high workforce turnover.”
An automated internal cleaning system makes regularly switching up the menu easy and ensures there’s no risk of cross-contamination. It also ticks off another job on the barista’s end-of-day checklist.
While the final version of the Übermilk Plus launched in September 2024, Joe has hinted there are more exciting modifications to come.
“I can’t say too much about it as the legal details are still being finalised, but there is an Übermilk Plus coffee module in development. It will essentially be an espresso machine under the bench stored with the other modules. This means the whole coffee-making process can be completed from a single Übermilk product with two outlets,” he says.
“Watch this space for the next generation of coffee machine.”
For more information, visit baristagroup.com.au
This article appears in the October/November 2024 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
