• Sustainability

    Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic, environmental, and social—also known informally as profits, planet, and people. Farm to bean All our coffees are sourced from origins where sustainability, as well as the remuneration to....

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  • A Race to the Bottom

    The supermarket environment is all about pricing and increasingly about home brand products where there might be opportunity for some additional margin. Judging from the price of coffee though, it is hard to see where that margin might come from. Aldi has its Lazzio brand, an Italian sounding name not to be confused with the....

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  • Nespresso

    Whatever you think about their capsules, Nespresso is quite a remarkable company. The resources that they commit to build brand awareness is overwhelming and the ability of competitors to take meaningful market share away from them is incredibly challenging. Nespresso is a textbook when it comes to behavioural economics, utilising a host of theories to....

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  • Three-Tiered Vessel

    Irving Penn was one of the most celebrated photographers of the 20th Century. The “house” photographer for Vogue for decades, Penn also produced a wealth of still life portraiture with the simple and austere signature of subject and grey backdrop. “ Three-Tiered Vessel “ (Coffee Pot ? ) is such a work, and one of....

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  • Gloria Jeans

    The Retail Food Group ( RFG ) has had an annus horribilis. Once a market darling, shareholders have seen the company’s value decimated. The onerous franchise model promoted by the firm has been damaging to franchisees and left many distressed, both financially and emotionally. The unsustainability of that model has forced the company to embark....

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  • Makro

    Makro is a big player in the European food service sector. Here’s one of their trucks colourfully decorated with a scene from a bar. Check out the coffee machine. There’s a silicon hose on the left of the machine where the steam arm is meant to be. That must be for the barista that can’t....

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  • QLIP

    As far as capsule machines go, this one doesn’t look too bad. I like the faux meat grinder look and the Dijon mustard yellow colour is smart. The machine is the QLIP and it’s made for the Portuguese coffee company Delta. Delta has been around for over 50 years and is almost ubiquitous in Portugal.....

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  • Espressohead Office Coffee Machines

    Capsules Part 6

    It’s hard not to love George Clooney. Not only is he Hollywood Royalty, he is also a serious activist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. In a way he’s somewhat Sinatra-esque with everyone wanting a piece of him. Including Nespresso, although not as much as they used to. Nespresso has read the zeitgeist and capsules overflowing landfill don’t....

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