Like any relationship, sometimes you learn something new about someone (or something) you've been with for decades.
That was the case with our recent survey that was sent to Cafe Kaldi and 700 lovers. The survey was sent because we've seen a relatively surprising preference towards 700 lately, even though Cafe Kaldi has been around for 30 years. We decided to see how lovers of each were experiencing the coffee blends we love so much.
So, scroll down to see some of the results, straight from the mouths and minds of coffee lovers like you. Is anything surprising to you? What's your experience like? We'd love to hear from you!
WHAT WE LEARNED
MANY HAVE TASTED 700 WITHOUT KNOWING IT
Over 50% of respondents didn't know every latte and espresso-based drink at our cafes is made with 700 as the base. 75% knew that Cafe Kaldi has been our house blend since 1994.
CANDY BAR VS. A TINGLE OF ACIDITY
700 elicited strong connection to words like "chocolate" and "caramel" when asked about flavors. We've always thought of 700 as a "candy bar in a cup".
Cafe Kaldi had words like "vanilla" and "citrus" mentioned often, but also a heavy hit of nostalgia (many remember drinking Cafe Kaldi in our cafes and forming a deep connection!).
Word cloud of words to describe 700
YOU ARE LIKE US
Many respondents said they like Cafe Kaldi on drip and 700 on espresso, just the way we make it in our cafes. The bit of citrus acidity in Cafe Kaldi was the dominant reason for it being made as filter coffee, while 700 holds up better to milk in espresso-based drinks.
MEDIUM-ROASTS ARE STILL TOPS
The vast majority of respondents love the range from medium-light to medium-dark. We also love that these roasts allow for the delicious balance of sweetness and complexity.
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE COMMENTS
"I make morning coffee on a Bonavita drip, and I prefer Cafe Kaldi. It has a more balanced, open flavor compared to 700, which is good but can taste a little heavy. Cafe Kaldi is also more nostalgic to me, since I used to live in St. Louis and it reminds me of being there."
"I do like 700 for cold brews but Cafe Kaldi is my go-to when serving guests at home who I do and don't know their taste preferences."
"Cafe Kaldi is closer to a light blend so I feel I can taste more of the flavor notes than a darker coffee. This is also probably because I exclusively make pour overs."
"The 700 has the perfect tasting notes for my palate. I generally make a double-shot Americano with an Aero-Press, and the 700 turns out perfectly. I switch to Cafe Kaldi occasionally in the summer when my primary method is cold brew, but I always come back to the 700."
FINAL THOUGHTS
Continual improvement is in our DNA. Discovering innovative new products to push and grow specialty coffee is part of what we do. But our approach to these classic blends is rooted in tradition and a firm vision of what a great coffee blend should taste like.
We think there's a lot of overlap in these blends for coffee lovers. But there are also distinct places them in your coffee life, and ways that they better suit some over others. It was delightful to hear from you about how you experience the coffees we work so hard to make great.
In the future, we hope to offer more ways of trying them side by side and allowing the wonder and variety of specialty coffee to enter your home, morning after morning.
