Success in Recycling Waste Coffee Grounds

A coffee shop chain that has been successfully recycling the coffee grounds from their Greater London stores is looking to expand the scheme further.

Cafe Nero has been working in partnership with recycling company First Mile and technology company Bio-Bean to improve their recycling since July 2016. They expect to have recycled 218 tonnes of coffee grounds when they reach the first anniversary of the partnership in July 2017.

Coffee Grounds to Bio fuel

Bio-Bean, a bio fuel technology company started by Arthur Kay in 2013, takes waste coffee grounds and processes them into various bio fuels. The left-over grounds are compressed into biomass pellets for biomass burners, or ‘coffee logs’, which can be burned just like normal wood. The company are also considering the possibilities of extracting biochemicals from coffee grounds, and have carried out intensive research into methods for extracting the oils from coffee grounds to process into biodiesel.

The coffee grounds from the shops are collected by First Mile each evening, who provide special recycling sacks for the coffee grounds to be collected in.

Also Checkout: Wholesale Coffee Bean Suppliers UK

A Growing Concern

The large chain Costa also announced that it was entering a partnership with Bio-Bean in December 2016. They expect to be recycling 3000 tonnes of waste coffee grounds from 800 stores across the United Kingdom in the scheme.

Recycling has become increasingly important to many coffee shops, particularly after they were specifically targeted by Hugh Fearnley-Whitting stall in his Hugh’s War on Waste programme last year. The programme was scathing about paper coffee cups and their extensive use, and in light of this, many coffee shops now have recycling bins for their paper cups.

Cafe Nero has also worked to improve its recycling strategies in general. Last year the company recycled over 154,000 kilogrammes of cardboard from its London stores alone, a staggering amount.

With the ever-increasing popularity of coffee shops, perhaps in the not too distant future, we will be running our cars and heating our homes on the waste products from our daily cup of coffee.

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

The 5 Things You Should Never Order in a Coffee Shop

Worldwide, coffee is the most popular beverage, and in the United Kingdom, we drink nearly fifty-five million cups of it every day. Given its popularity, it comes as no surprise that the range of different coffees available in most coffee shops his enormous and, occasionally bewildering.

Never Order in a Coffee Shop However, according to baristas, there are five things you should NEVER order!

1: The Extra Hot Americano

We all know that ‘proper’ coffee should be made with water just off the boil, or you lose some of the aroma and flavour, so why on earth would we want to make it ‘extra hot’? It will take longer to reach a drinkable temperature too!

2: ‘Bone dry’ Cappuccino

Hang on, coffee is a drink, so it kind of has to be wet, right? Well, it turns out that a ‘bone dry’ cappuccino is just a cappuccino with the steamed milk left out. So an espresso with some foam on it. This might actually be okay, but according to the barista, it is a pain to make and ‘not even really a beverage’. Probably not going to be worth the cost really.

3: A Skimmed Soy Latte

The problem with this one is there is no such thing as skimmed soy milk. Since it is naturally already low in fat, there wouldn’t really be much point in making a low-fat version. And as a note of caution, ordering this might mean you end up with a latte made from half skimmed milk and half soy milk – not ideal if you can’t have cow’s milk.

4: An Almond Milk Cappuccino

As deliciously nutty as almond milk is, unfortunately it will just not form a froth like cow’s milk does; it just thickens up a bit. Which means you simply cannot make a proper cappuccino with it.

5: Anything Off The ‘Secret Menu’

The ‘secret menu’ trend works quite well in some restaurants, but really if that ‘secret coffee’ were so good would it not be on the normal menu?

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

Would You Like a Whisky-Flavoured Coffee?

When it comes to delicious coffee flavours, there are certainly plenty to choose from, with coffee shops around the UK providing speciality coffees for customers. Choices such as caramel, hazelnut, mint, and gingerbread have become especially popular in recent times, but now customers will be able to purchase a new flavour that is bound to delight those who love their coffee and their whisky.

Bourbon Coffee

Jack Daniel’s is releasing a new whisky-flavoured coffee for those who love both drinks. The company’s website has described the new product as one hundred per cent Arabica coffee infused with the famous Tennessee bourbon.

And for those who are worried that drinking this coffee in the morning could put them over the legal driving limit, there is no need to fret as the coffee is alcohol-free. With Jack Daniels’ traditional vanilla and caramel flavours, this new whisky should prove popular with many people. And for those who like to keep their caffeine content low, a decaf version is available as well.

Delicious Blends
Nevertheless, here at Good Cup Coffee Company, we are sure not everyone will be thrilled with the idea of their coffee tasting like whisky. The notion of flavoured coffees is sacrilegious to many people who prefer their coffee to taste, well, like coffee!

We have a fabulous range of delicious blends available at wholesale prices. We use only the finest beans to ensure that customers always get that delicious aroma and crema. Our range of products includes mouth-watering hot chocolates for those cold winter’s nights.

If you are interested in wholesale coffee, then Good Cup Coffee Company can help. We also offer coffee machine rental as well as training and advice for those who want to open their own coffee shop. For more information, contact us today.

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

How They Drink Coffee in Vietnam

As a change from a latte or cappuccino, how about trying your coffee with egg, butter and cheese! This is how coffee is served in the famous Giang Cafe in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi.

Hidden down a small alley in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, the cafe’s menu lists a selection of beverages, but the tourists and locals who have hunted it out are all there for the cà phê trúng, or egg coffee.

Born of Necessity

The unusual drink, available in both hot and cold versions, was invented in 1946 by the father of the cafe’s current owner, Nguyen Van Dao. He was working in the Sofitel Metropole hotel in the city, but milk was scarce in Vietnam at the time, so he used whisked egg yolk as a substitute, and egg coffee was born.

Other cafes in Hanoi have tried to imitate the secret recipe, which also contains butter, cheese and condensed milk as well as coffee powder, but Giang Café’s authentic and closely guarded recipe is still the most popular – and the cafe is always busy.

What Does It Taste Like?

The hot version, served with the cup sitting in a bowl of hot water to help keep it warm, is thick, like custard, and may need to be eaten with a spoon rather than drunk. Very sweet, the coffee is at the bottom of the cup, while the whisked egg mixture, reportedly tasting of vanilla, sits on top. The cold version, served with lots of ice, is again very sweet and said to taste rather like coffee ice cream, probably not unlike the frappes we enjoy on hot summer days.

Recipes for this unusual coffee can be found online, but for the truly authentic version, you will have to take a trip to Vietnam.

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

Why Coffee Shops Are Increasing in Popularity on British High Streets

Today, more and more people are choosing to meet for a nice cup of coffee rather than a pint of beer or glass of wine. Furthermore, recent figures are indicated that while coffee shops are on the increase across the country, the number of bars, nightclubs and pubs on the British high street has fallen.

Increase in Coffee Shops

However, despite the number of coffee shops, cafes and fast food restaurants increasing by around 6,000 across Scotland, Wales and England between 2011 and 2016, there are still far more pubs in British town centres than coffee shops.

The figures were collated by the Local Data Company and did not include Northern Ireland. They were collected by individuals who walked up and down high streets around mainland UK. These figures showed the biggest increase in leisure businesses in areas such as Wales, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and the Humber. This contrasted with Greater London where there was a 0.3 per cent decrease.

Leisure Businesses
Among the businesses that saw the biggest increases were lounge bars, cake makers, juice bars and coffee shops. There were falls, however, in the number of snooker halls, comedy clubs, bingo halls and internet cafes.

The rise in the number of coffee shops on the high street has a lot to do with American shows such as Seinfeld and Friends, according to Professor Jonathan Morris of the University of Hertfordshire. Professor Morris is a historian who has studied the popularity of the coffee shop. He believes that the culture of coffee shops in the UK began during the nineties when the aforementioned shows were popular.

He said, “People socialise during the day or after work rather than evenings now. Places like snooker and bingo halls take a bigger chunk of time while meeting for coffee doesn’t take long.To halt the decline, pubs needs to develop their daytime offer.”

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

Tips for Buying a Coffee Machine

There is no doubting the fact that coffee shops have risen in popularity in recent years. Hot coffee-based drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and mochas are available from various coffee shops, but they don’t come cheap. This is one of the reasons many people are now opting to invest in their own coffee machine so that they can enjoy their favourite beverage without leaving the house. But what should you be looking for in a coffee machine? Below are a few tips.

1. It is important to think about the type of coffee you enjoy before investing in a machine. For example, if you like to have your coffee without milk, there is no point in spending a small fortune on a machine that makes fancy drinks such as cappuccinos. A drip coffee maker may be the best choice for you.

2. If you want something that is quick and convenient, you may want to consider a pod coffee maker. With this device, sealed pods are placed in the machine through which boiling water passes. This type of coffee maker requires little effort, and many different kinds of pod can be purchased, depending on the kind of coffee you enjoy.

3. If you want a coffee similar to those that can be purchased in your local coffee shop, then look for an espresso/cappuccino maker that comes with a milk frother. This will allow you to make lattes, mochas and cappuccinos to your heart’s content.

4. Set a budget that you want to stick to because coffee machines do vary dramatically in price. Think about the features you want from your machine and then look for one that meets your budget. Reviews can be a great way to get an idea of what others think.

Once you have found a coffee machine that will suit your needs and preferences, you will need to invest in some good quality coffee. This is where Good Cup Coffee Company can help. We have a range of delicious blends for you to choose from, and all at competitive prices. Check out our selection today.

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog

Mum and Son Team Open a Coffee Shop for Dogs in Warwick

The coffee shop is a place where people go to grab their favourite drink before work or to meet friends to have a chat over a delicious cake and a mouth-watering cup of rich roasted coffee. But a new type of coffee shop has opened in Warwick – and this one caters to dogs (and their owners)!

Coffee Shop for Canines

Chiens et Café was the brainchild of a mother and son team who decided to set up a coffee shop for canines in Smith Street in Warwick. Tanya and Dan Pare have created a menu designed to tantalise the taste buds of dogs;it includes dog-friendly chilli, roast dinners, shepherd’s pie and sharing platters.

Dog owners will not be left to watch their beloved dogs munch while they starve, however, as Chiens et Café will also cater tohuman customers with a range of beverages including coffee and tea as well as home-baked cakes.

Much Needed Service

Tanya, who previously worked at Warwick Hospital and who left her job in order to open the café with son Dan, said, “We decided to open the coffee shop because we realised locally there are very few places which welcome dogs and provide a service for them. The only real places that welcome dogs can be pubs, but as some people don’t like them, it can make for a very stressful experience.If you are in a coffee shop specifically for them, then everyone knows what to expect. We want people to totally relax, and we think that if people know it’s a coffee shop for dogs, then that’s what they’ll do.”

Innovative Idea

With dog and coffee lovers everywhere, this innovative idea has really taken off, with Dan saying, “We’ve never done anything like this before, it’s totally new, exciting and actually even scary. We’re hoping everyone will love it; the reaction has been overwhelming. Everyone seems to love the idea. We’ve wanted to open it for a while and the idea, which started as a shop, just seemed to grow. Now it’s a full-on dog coffee shop with everything catered for the dogs. It’s very much a family venture.”

The Original article Published at Good Cup Coffee Blog