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An evolution of barista competition experience and industry

Posted on May 09, 2013 by Mike Ziegler


Jacque DesMarais is Kaldi's Coffee retail coffee trainer and competed for the third year in the United States Barista Competition. She placed 2nd at this year's regional event held in Kansas City earlier this year. 

The first day of USBC always seems more like a family reunion than the start of a hectic week of competitions/trade show. There is nothing better though than walking into a room of friends on the first day there. As always, it was another year of learning and developing my skill both as a barista and trainer.

My competition experience has evolved over the years into a very methodical but relaxed preparation once I get to the convention center. I enjoy watching competitors and try to stay as relaxed and ahead of what needs to be done as I can. The atmosphere of the prep room has changed over the three years I've been competing as well. The prep room is the room that all the competitors share to prepare for the competition and is full of dishes, cups, coffee, and grinders. Three years ago this room was very tense with each competitor tending to their own things. It has evolved into a room where people are sharing ideas, helping polish dishes, and helping taste one another coffees. The entire competition is more warm and welcoming as a whole which I think says a lot about where our industry is going.

The competitions are important because they teach you specifics on what you can improve in your skill set. This gives me an opportunity to take what I learn back to our teams in St. Louis and share my knowledge with them. This is by far one of my favorite things about the competitions. It gives me a very tangible list of things that we can do better while making coffee and communicating. They are also very important for our industry and the growth of it. Most people don't know what a barista is, let alone that we have national and world competitions. A large part of competing is to grow the recognition of the industry. As coffee prices continue to rise we are faced with the task of becoming better educators. Competition gives us the opportunity to learn more about all aspects of the industry to past that down to our baristas and guests.




The USBC is an opportunity to come together as an industry and share ideas and theories. This has always been the best part of these events and provides me with the most takeaways. Typically they come as side conversations about training, milk steaming, talking to guests, pulling shots, etc, but these continue to be the conversations that I learn and grow the most from. They give me the opportunity to bring what I have learned back to our cafes. It is always great to see the level that we are at as a company as well. Kaldi's is one of the leading companies in the industry and others are realizing that as we grow and develop.

As an industry the message that I was receiving about our overall goal is education both for our baristas and guests. We are sourcing great coffees and getting excited about great coffees, but we are not yet to a point where we are educating. This is what I see as the biggest way for specialty coffee to grow. We are gaining the respect as an industry but we need to continue to build on that by providing clear and transparent information through the whole process. I think we are already seeing guests eager to learn and should continue to build on that in an accessible way.

I can't wait to see what the next few years brings for the industry and I am so excited to be a part of it and to have gotten the opportunity to share my passion for coffee in Boston. Competition is something I look forward to every year and I am always honored to be a part of it and hopefully continue to be a part of it.

Posted in Jacque DesMarais, kaldis, USBC

Barista competitions bring out the best within the coffee community

Posted on May 09, 2013 by Mike Ziegler


David Fasman is a lead barista at Kaldi's Coffee DeMun Ave cafe and recently competed in the United States Barista Competition held in Boston April 11-14. David placed 3rd in the regional competition before competiting in the national competition in his first year. This is his recap of the experience in Boston.

Two 20 foot doors in the back of the Boston Convention Center parted and opened up to an airplane hanger sized room. The first thing I saw was a massive sign, hanging from the ceiling, that read "United States Barista Championship." I had arrived. This was my first year competing in the USBC, and at first sight the room was pretty intimidating. But the intimidation subsided quickly as familiar faces from the Big Central Regional Barista Competition held in Kansas City, MO earlier in the year started to show themselves. I began to unpack my wares and set up my table in the prep area. As I organized and polished, more familiar and new faces trickled into the competitor area. Within a couple of hours, the prep area was full of people unpacking, polishing, and organizing. I quickly realized that I was surrounded by a community. It is a community of baristas that are spread out nationwide but are incredibly close and supportive of each other.

The existence of this community was one of the most important realizations that I took away from USBC. It is great to know that there is a dedicated group of individuals whose primary goal is providing the most exceptional coffee experience possible. And this does not just refer to the act of making good coffee, but also how to provide a total experience. Meaning, how to educate and best serve the consumer. With each conversation I had, I was exposed to new concepts and paradigms about coffee. I left with my own new paradigm, one that champions the barista as the primary educational tool for coffee shops.  A barista is on the front lines of education. It is our job to ensure that each customer leaves with a better understanding of coffee than they had when they arrived.


I also left with an understanding of why competitions and the annual convention and symposium are so important. They are a place where ideas about coffee can be shared through the entire production and distribution line. There are a few thousand producers, processors, exporters, importers, roasters, equipment companies, and baristas all in the same place at the same time. I honestly cannot think of any other time where all of us can get together and share ideas on such a large scale. It's pretty incredible.

Everything I learned and discovered in Boston I can take back to Kaldis with me; from new training methods to creative customer service models. The SCAA Annual Event and USBC changed the way that I view our industry and understand coffee. And at the most basic level, it gave me an incredible amount of drive to get better at what I do. Being a part of USBC and BCRBC was an honor and I am grateful for being given the opportunity to do so.  
Just after finishing my routine, there were two thoughts that went through my head. First, how happy I was going to be back at DeMun behind the bar with my fellow baristas and customers. Second, how much I learned from this years competition season and how I can improve for next years. I look foreword to the prospect of another incredible ride.

Posted in bcrbc, david fasman, USBC

MSNBC'S YOUR BUSINESS Features Kaldi's Coffee & Co-branding

Posted on May 05, 2013 by Mike Ziegler

MSNBC featured Kaldi's in a recent YOUR BUSINESS feature on co-branded products with Schlafly Beer & Patric Chocolate. We've partnered with other St. Louis companies including Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. making our Sertaozinho Weiss and a Coffee Cola with Fitz's Rootbeer.



Which is your favorite?

Posted in co-branding, Fitz, MSNBC, Patric Chocolate, Schlafly, Urban Chestnut Beer

New coffees have arrived!

Posted on May 03, 2013 by Mike Ziegler

It's an extemely exciting time of year for coffee. We've cupped dozens and dozens of samples over these past few months sorting through offer samples from all over Central America and parts of Africa. The results are going to be some of the best coffees we've ever carried. The next coffee we are featuring for World Tour is the Mexico Coatepec.  


This will be the second year we've carried Mexico Coatepec. Probably one of the most surprising coffees for us last year, this year's coffee is super sweet, balanced, and just comfortable. The mill that this coffee comes from is located near the colonial village of Coatepec in Veracruz, Mexico. Coatepec is an agriculture community in the mountain of southern Mexico, bordering the other coffee growing regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Coatapec is a beautiful classic Colonial town with a lively central square between the Cathedral and government buildings. Coffee has long been a part of this region and many producers roast and sell their own coffees in the region and at shops on the square.

This part of the country has always been an agricultural basket with ample water, good soils and cool nights at the foot of the mountains.

Producers in this part of Mexico have an average of 4 acres of land and deliver red cherries to the mills in town. The coffees from this region can have rich milk chocolate and caramel notes and good acidity

Coatepec is not the first name that comes to coffee buyers minds when they think of specialty coffee in Mexico, but for the second year in a row this coffees has turned our heads for its subtle complexities.  

Region: Coatepec, Veracruz
Elevation: 1200-1400 meters above sea level
Varieties: Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra
Process: fully washed, patio dried

Taste description: Citrus and apple acidity are complimented well with its brown sugar like sweetness.

>> Order some for yourself now <<

Another coffee literally came across the cupping table just a few weeks ago that was too good to pass up: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe. This isn't a mill specific lot, but it is a fresh crop and great example of a classic Yirgacheffe, with citrus, jasmine, and black tea notes, it's just fantastic. This coffee will be one of the freshest Ethiopian coffees out there right now and we're very excited to offer it.

Region: Yirgacheffe. Gedeo zone
Elevation: 1800+ meters
Varieties: Ethiopian heirloom
Process: washed, sun dried on raised beds

Taste Description:  Classic example of one of the world's most prized coffees, citrus, jasmine, black tea.

We'll have the Ethiopia available in our cafes and online early next week. In a few weeks we'll also have a coffee from El Salvador. Look for more info to come about each of these coffees. 



Posted in single origin, world tour

Team Kaldi's Bike MS Kickoff

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Mike Ziegler

 
Team Kaldi’s Season Kickoff
Social gathering and bike ride

Sunday April 28, 2013
8:00 AM to Noon 

Come one, come all

Meet fellow teammates 
Bring friends or family - they may want to join
2013 is our year to reach $1,000,000 in aggregate donations

 Meet at Kaldi’s in Chesterfield Valley
17211 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, MO 63005 (I-64 to Boone’s Crossing exit, south to Chesterfield Airport Road, left 1 block to Kaldi’s)

Activities Schedule

(8:00 – 9:30AM)  Meet teammates - returning & new over morning coffee 

 (8:30 – 9:30AM)  Register for the 2013 BikeMS (Sept 7 – 8, 2013)  
More than 75 teammates have already registered
BikeMS staff will be on hand to register you on the spot, if you wish.
Attendance prizes
Special registration discount offered at this ride
Check, credit card or cash accepted

 (8:00 – 9:30AM)  Bike Stuff
Big Shark West (5 doors west of Kaldi’s) will be open at 8:00 AM to support our riders
Free bike safety checks - teammates Tom, Phil, Stew & Kelly will be available – if you discover problems

Let’s ride at 9:30 (a helmet is required on the ride)
Two routes, (a) 20, (b) 25 miles; one or the other, or together to 45
No formal SAG, but phone #’s will be on the maps in case there are problems
Each rider should carry a tube, pump, etc. on their bike

 Post-ride – Cold refreshments will be available

Help us kick off our MILLION DOLLAR YEAR!


Posted in bike ms, ms 150, team kaldi's

Suspended Coffee Movement

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Mike Ziegler

We've been watching the suspended coffee movement closely on Facebook and are inspired at the response prompting people to get more involved with the wellbeing of their local community. 

Giving back to the community plays an integral role in our vales and practices. Each of our cafes has a monthly budget to supply donations ranging from whole bean coffee to be used to raise money for various causes to supplying brewed coffee supporting charitable events. Kaldi's is on track to raise over $1 million dollars for the MS Society Gateway Chapter this year since our MS150 bike team start. We field and fulfill many donation requests each week on varying levels and donation amounts. Frequently throughout the year we supply brewed coffees to various 5k runs, charitable fundraisers and etc. free of charge. 

In the past, we've had guests purchase a gift card and leave with us in a cafe as a way of "paying it forward" and for those who can't afford a meal. This is something we are happy to do. We also would be happy to facilitate anyone wanting to supply a coffee donation on their behalf such as a quantity of brewed coffee or whole bean amount. 

In practice, suspended coffees presents a great logistical challenge. To participate in the suspended coffee movement, we want to do it right. We would want any money donated for the cause to be separate from our daily sales. Our systems in place don't allow for us to properly track and communicate suspended coffees, unfortunately. 

Currently we don't have any immediate plans to implement suspended coffees. We encourage anyone wanting to make a charitable donation for those who can't afford a nutritious meal to donate to the St. Louis Foodbank. They are much better equipped to get your donation to those who need it most locally in our area. Please do continue to let us know your thoughts on this movement and any ideas you may have. 



Posted in suspended coffee

David's United States Barista Competition Routine Recap

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Mike Ziegler

 

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About Us

1994

Kaldi’s first opened its doors in the DeMun neighborhood near St. Louis’ grand Forest Park. Our mission was to provide our customers the best coffee experience possible. We bought our own roaster on 1995 and started producing the best coffee we’d ever tasted – and lots of local cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores agreed.

Present

Our Roasting facility resides in St. Louis, where we specialize in sourcing and roasting the finest coffees in the world and helping our customers brew them to their ultimate potential. We’re dedicated to the success of our company through continuous improvement, exceptional service, and adaptability.  Whether winning barista competitions, traveling to far-away coffee farms or sharing a French Press with friends, our mission remains the same – create memorable coffee experiences. 
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