Today we took a tour of Cafe Britt and got a further look into the process of growing coffee. In particular we got to see more of the coffee plants and the marketing involved with cafe britt. The walk through the coffee plants was very enjoyable to our guides who, for a fun fact, are trained actors. As we walked through the trees we got to smell the beautiful coffee flowers and see the way that workers would pick coffee if it were the season. Overall walking part of the tour was very informative and it helped me visualize just what goes into making a cup of coffee.
Once we got back from our tour we got to hear a presentation from a member of the sales team at cafe britt. There we learned all about the strategies that britt employs to expand its business and maintain a great brand image. He also explained that cafe britt was more of an intermediary meaning that they took already peeled coffee beans and roasted them there before distributing them to stores, tourist attractions, and hotels. It was very interesting hearing that the majority of their money didn’t come from selling directly to consumers but to large grocery stores or major travel destinations. They have also managed to corner the local market by selling a slightly less refined coffee under a different name so as to keep up the association of only good coffee from cafe britt.
One interesting thing that we got to see was how the taste testers at the factory judged the quality of the coffee. They had a very efficient 3 step process where they first smelled the coffee on its own, then smelled it after adding water and breaking the top bean barrier for the first time, and lastly trying the coffee after its sat in hot water for 10 minutes. By doing this they can ensure that the coffee is good at every step in the process and ensure the correct flavor notes appear in the specific batches. Another thing that the company does to ensure quality is have precise timings for roasting the beans where they can check on them at all times to ensure the best roast for whatever need they have. Overall cafe britt has a very efficient process to ensure only the best quality items leave their factory.