Cooper’s Coffee refreshes 2.2 million museum goers

Independent coffee distributor Cooper’s Coffee is expanding its presence in the North West of England thanks to a drive by the National Museums Liverpool group to improve its catering.Cooper’s has been supplying its coffee to five of the group’s seven museums for the past two years but now the relationship continues to a new level with six venues signing up to a range of espresso machines and grinders from Dalla Corte. All of the venues will also be supplied with Cooper’s Five Arabic Fair Trade or Triple Certified coffee.

Julie Ehlen, director of trading for Liverpool Museums commented: “We have worked with Cooper’s since March 2008 and the impact they have had on enhancing our coffee shop experience has been immense. Thanks to the quality of their products and the professional barista training they have provided to all staff, our cafes have been transformed and the quality of coffee that we now serve is better than ever before. “David Cooper’s passion and enthusiasm for coffee shines through; he has inspired the staff in all our venues and regularly visits to see how we are doing. Working with Cooper’s is a true collaboration and we look forward to further strengthening our relationship.”

Nigel Paul Smith, executive chef for National Museums Liverpool added: “Our philosophy is to deliver excellence in everything that we do. We therefore felt the time was right to work more closely with Cooper’s and take our beverage offering to the highest level possible. I’m confident that we now have the right combination of equipment, ingredients and skills to succeed.”

David Cooper added: “Having worked with the Liverpool Museums Group for the past 12 months we’re thrilled that they have decided to roll out our offering to so many of their venues. The combination of our coffee blends and Dalla Corte coffee equipment means that visitors to the museums can be ensured of a great cup of coffee in a unique setting.”

Cooper’s joins forces with new gourmet hot dog brand

Cooper’s Coffee has been appointed to supply its coffee as well as coffee equipment to Primo’s Gourmet Hot Dogs, a new brand and concept specialising in serving gourmet hot dogs, bespoke coffee and artisan ice cream. Primo’s, which will open its first outlet in Leeds’ historic Corn Exchange this March, has opted for Cooper’s most premium equipment; a 3 Group espresso machine and grinder from Italian brand Dalla Corte.

Nick Julian, operations director for Primo’s commented: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with Cooper’s as we feel the company shares our commitment to quality of product and service. We are committed to using Dalla Corte machines in our sites for their consistency and their minimal energy usage.” Primo’s will also serve Cooper’s most expensive coffee blend in its flagship unit in Leeds’ Corn Exchange. The aptly named ‘competition blend’ coffee was used in last year’s UK Barista Championships, securing ‘highest scoring espresso’ and overall fourth place. Speaking about the coffee Nick added: “Together with Cooper’s, we have chosen a bespoke blend of coffee that is 100% speciality grade Arabica gourmet coffee made from Brazil, Sumatra and Ethiopian Harrar. It is very sweet in the front end of the palate and develops into citrus notes with gently perfumed orange and caramel flavours.”

David Cooper, managing director at Cooper’s Coffee says: “Primo’s is an exciting new concept, combining fast food with high quality produce not normally associated with these types of outlets. We are thrilled to be a part of this brand and hope that Primo’s will help make fresh gourmet coffee more accessible to the UK public”.

West Yorkshire Playhouse appoints Cooper’s Coffee in a bid to become Fairtrade friendly

Cooper’s Coffee has won a contract to supply the West Yorkshire Playhouse with its coffee as well as coffee equipment. In a bid to support Leeds’ status as a Fairtrade city, the Playhouse has selected a range of organic and ethical coffee, tea and hot chocolate from Cooper’s making its hot beverage offering entirely Fairtrade.

Theatre-goers will be able to sample our most ethically sound coffee, the Triple Certified blend, which embodies Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance and Soil Association approval in the theatre’s newly refurbished bar and restaurant in both espresso and filter coffee format. A range of nine premium Fairtrade teas has also been selected as well as a Fairtrade hot chocolate for those who prefer alternative hot beverages to coffee. The Playhouse has also signed up to a range of our coffee equipment including a De Latte espresso machine, a Cimbali bean-to-cup system, a Dalla Corte DC1 Grinder and bulk brewing equipment to cater for high volume coffee sales during intervals – over 100 cups of coffee are served every 20 minutes on average.

David Williams, catering manager at the Playhouse says: “It was important to us to become a committed Fairtrade organisation, and Coopers Coffee offered us the opportunity to do this. “The products they have supplied us with are not only ethically sourced they are also great quality. They supply the best fair-trade teas and coffee’s available, backed up by quality equipment and fantastic training. Now theatre-goers can have great performances with a great tasting coffee on the side.” David Cooper, managing director at Cooper’s Coffee says: “We’re thrilled to have won such a prestigious account and are proud to be able to offer the Playhouse high quality products with such highly regarded ethical credentials.”

Cooper’s and Coffee Cali join forces to launch flagship Huddersfield store

Cooper’s Coffee has helped a Yorkshire coffee shop chain open its fourth store in Huddersfield town centre. Coffee Cali, located in the city centre Piazza Shopping Centre, opened just four weeks ago but the store is already proving to be one of the chain’s most popular locations.

We have installed one of our most exclusive espresso machines - the state of the art Dalla Corte brand – into the new store. The Milan manufactured machines are among the most advanced in the world and famous for their intelligent, self-regulating capabilities - the temperature of each coffee can be controlled accurately to 0.1 degree giving the customer perfect tasting drinks. According David Cooper, being just half a degree out when making an espresso makes a notable difference in taste so finding the perfect temperature is the most complete way of achieving the exact 'sweet spot' of any coffee. He says: “Coffee Cali now has the ability to dial in the perfect temperature for their blend – 92c - on their very first Dalla Corte. The results are simply stunning. “The new store will be the flagship, not only because of its great location, but also because the Coffee Cali espresso blend can be showcased in its true capability.”

Coffee Cali’s house blend is made with Brazil, Colombian, Honduras, and Indian coffees. It was created exclusively for the chain by Cooper’s 12 years ago when Coffee Cali founder Jan Garvey approached the company for advice on setting up her first store. “David has been hands-on in the development of my coffee shops from day one,” she says. “He has not only created a unique coffee blend for me, but has also advised on wider coffee shop issues such as store layout and footfall. “He and Cooper’s have been invaluable and I am excited of the possibilities that have been created in the new store through the introduction of the Dalla Corte machine. The machine has a lot of unique selling points and kudos; it not only looks good but ensures consistently perfect coffee. “Together with our exceptional team, we now have the right equipment to deliver an incredibly high standard of beverage to our customers in Huddersfield.”

Cooper’s Coffee wins Waterton Park contract

We are thrilled that we have been awarded a contract to supply one of Yorkshire’s most prestigious hotel wedding venues with our tea, coffee and equipment. Waterton Park Hotel, which is based within the grounds of Walton Hall, home of eccentric 19th century traveller and naturalist Charles Waterton near Wakefield, has signed up to Cooper’s Five Arabica Fairtrade espresso coffee blend. It has also selected Fairtrade hot chocolate and a collection of nine premium teas in a bid to offer a fully Fairtrade certified selection of hot beverages in the hotel’s restaurant, bar and function facilities.

We have also installed a range of our coffee equipment into the hotel including a De Latte espresso machine, a Dalla Corte ‘intelligent’ DC 1 Grinder and bulk brewing equipment to cater for high volume coffee sales during functions - the hotel hosts an average of three to four weddings each week.

Simon Murphy, general manager at Waterton Park says: "We have been busy sampling coffees from a number of suppliers but Cooper’s was a clear winner for us. They provide everything we are looking for to cover the broad range of coffees we like to offer our guests throughout the hotel - whether it's at a wedding for 200, after dinner coffee in the AA rosette Bridgewalk restaurant or a casual coffee in Charlie's Bar. “It's important to us that they offer Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified coffee as we work very hard to ensure good provenance and ethical supplies for all our produce. Cooper’s Coffee delivers both, as well as being full of flavour."

Introducing English Garden string and tagged Fairtrade tea

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of a new range of Fairtrade teas at Cooper’s which bring you a higher quality tea collection of the top 9 selling UK teas and they are 10% cheaper than our current Twinings selection.

English Garden is a new name with an established pedigree. The company behind the range have been producing Tagged and Enveloped tea products for 25 years but felt that the time was right to launch a premium quality range of Fairtrade and Infusion teas.

The philosophy behind the range is to keep things classical whilst providing the best quality of every tea type. This includes original packaging that reflects the demands of the 21st century customers, be they at home, in cafés, restaurants, hotels or in any catered environment.

Cooper’s Coffee awarded Investors in People Status

We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully gained Investors In People status. The IIP standard, which confirms the positive ways in which staff are managed and involved in business activity was awarded to Cooper’s Coffee by the Yorkshire and Humberside Recognition Panel following a recent assessment.

The report described Cooper’s as ‘a small business with a big company philosophy’, praising us for continuously striving to improve quality and service standards to maximise performance and our dedication to further developing people practices and professionalism to support this goal. The evaluation process measured against 10 indicators of 'good practice' and 39 pieces of evidence. Interviews with every member of staff were also carried out. The assessment found that all staff are thoroughly committed to the vision, mission and aims of the business, with everyone having a clear understanding of what they want to achieve, their contribution and a belief that they are making a positive difference.

Operations director Jacqui Cooper, who worked as a training manager for Thornton’s Confectioners before establishing Cooper’s with her husband David 20 years ago, fully endorses the benefits of investing time and training to develop staff: “It makes complete sense to me that to achieve our business goals and targets we need a committed team of people to deliver them. I have focused on working towards the Investor in People Standard for the past 18 months, ensuring systems and procedures are in place from completing annual company and individual Training Needs analysis to formal employee performance reviews. That was the easy part; maintaining good moral, enthusiasm and commitment are a daily consideration. “My ethos is simple: 'happy staff means happy customers'. The benefits are paying off; we have a strong team who commit to actively delivering the best they possibly can for our company. Receiving the accreditation was the icing on the cake, although we cannot rest on our laurels; one of our aims is to be 'The best coffee company in the UK' and despite a high percentage of our customers thinking we already are (according to a recent customer survey), we are committed to making continuous improvements.”

Cooper’s Coffee expands with senior appointment

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jason Bruce as business development manager. Jason brings with him over 13 years experience in sales and marketing in sectors that include legal, construction, contract publishing, sales and newspapers. Most recently he worked for Harrogate-based contract publishing house Barker Brooks.

Commenting on his new role he says: “I have been looking for a new and exciting opportunity to take me out of my comfort zone for some time. After hearing about the opportunity at Cooper’s Coffee and meeting with the founders Jacqui and David, their passion and integrity shone through and I knew I had found the opportunity I had been looking for. “I look forward to helping to drive the business forward and working with such a passionate team and client base.”

Operations director Jacqui Cooper adds: “In addition to matching all the criteria for recruitment selection in terms of skills and sales experience, it was Jason’s 'charisma' that made him 'extraordinary' to me. “Good sales people are readily available especially in today's climate. Jason stood out, not because he was a pushy sales person, but because he was quietly confident. I knew he would quickly get the bug for the industry and become as passionate as we are about the coffee culture."

Cooper’s Coffee joins forces with historic Leeds venue The Mansion

Cooper’s Coffee has been appointed as the exclusive supplier of tea and coffee for one of Leeds’ most loved historic buildings, The Mansion in Roundhay Park.

Cooper’s will provide a selection of high quality, speciality loose teas as well as our own blend of award-winning espresso coffee, Louie Mio, in the Georgian Mansion which is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment. The Grade II listed building, dating from the early 1800's, has been taken over by Leeds event and catering firm Dine who have teamed up with Leeds City Council to offer this impressive venue to corporate and private clients as of late summer this year. When completed, The Mansion will cater for wedding receptions, civil ceremonies, corporate events and private celebrations, offering two large ballrooms for hire as well as three meeting rooms. A 55-seater Café Restaurant will provide light lunches, afternoon teas and dinner in the Garden Room or outside on the terrace while a Takeaway counter and deli will cater for those who wish to consume their drinks further afield in the park.

Speaking about the contract win Cooper’s managing director, David Cooper said: “As a Yorkshire-based supplier we are thrilled to be involved in the resurrection of one of the region’s most impressive historical buildings. With 25 bookings already secured for weddings this year and next, The Mansion looks set to become one of Leeds’ most popular and successful venues.”

Daniel Gill, managing director of Dine was responsible for appointing Cooper’s. He said: “We are aiming to set up a café of the highest quality and Cooper’s brings with it a level of service, support and training that is unavailable elsewhere in the region.

“Having invested in extremely expensive coffee machines for the venue, I wanted to pair these with a service and product of the same calibre. I’m confident that Cooper’s will allow us to offer our customers the very best tea and coffee available in the region.”

Image courtesy of the Huddersfield Examiner

Huddersfield University launches Cooper’s new Triple Certified package on campus

The University of Huddersfield’s Catering Services has launched a new package of Triple Certified coffees, created exclusively for the University by Cooper’s Coffee.

The package includes a Triple Certified filter coffee, made from a single origin Peruvian beans, produced in the Puno, Tambopata and Inambari valley regions of the country. The coffee has never been used by Cooper’s before and Huddersfield University will be the first to serve the blend.

As well as offering the Triple Certified Filter Coffee, the university will serve Cooper’s existing Triple Certified espresso blend as its main coffee across campus in its six catering outlets and for all refreshments served at meetings and events.

While the university made the switch to fully Fairtrade coffee back in 2006, the new Triple Certified coffees, which also embody Rainforest Alliance and Soil Association approval, allow the university to offer some of the most ethical coffees on the market. While farmers are guaranteed a fair price for their coffee beans, wildlife and the environment are also protected.

The purchase of a local coffee supply also means the university avoids any unnecessary ‘food miles’ from transporting goods around the country, and ensures it is actively investing into the local economy.

Staff and students attending the launch were invited to sample their first cups of the coffee, freshly prepared by Cooper’s newly-appointed barista, Lisa Huntington, and to learn more about its green credentials. As well as picking up information about consumer labels like Fairtrade, they were also able to discover the origins of their new coffee offering and find out exactly where and how their morning coffee was produced.

Two new contracts for Cooper’s Coffee

Cooper’s Coffee has won two new contracts worth in excess of £75,000. We are delighted to have been appointed to supply our coffee as well as our coffee machines to Buxton Pavilion and the National Coal Mining Museum. Buxton Pavilion has recently undergone a million pound refurbishment drive to bring the facilities into the modern era and rationalise the catering offering. The revamp includes a new café with outdoor seating, retail shop and contemporary coffee bar.

Cooper’s will be installing two Cimbali bean-to-cup machines in the cafe area to cater for self-serve customers while its own blend coffee will go on sale in the new retail area. A state of the art Dalla Corte 2 Group espresso machine and K-30 grinder will be installed in the new coffee bar due to open on April 20.

Staff at the Pavilion will all undergo intensive barista training, delivered by Cooper’s own trainer Danielle Hadley, to ensure that they are capable of making coffee to the very highest standard. According to Buxton Pavilion general manager Terry Crawford, Cooper’s was appointed due to its premium equipment: “The Dalla Corte range of espresso machines has a lot of unique selling points and kudos; the fact that the machines are used in award-winning coffee shops across the country appealed to us - we wanted to bring such quality to Buxton.

“Thanks to Cooper’s we now not only have the right equipment but also the confidence and ability to deliver an exceptionally high standard of beverage to our visitors. As the only venue in Buxton to have a Dalla Corte, we also have a distinct competitive edge in the marketplace.”

The National Coal Mining Museum has also installed a Dalla Corte 2 Group espresso machine and K-30 grinder into its cafe in a bid to improve the quality of coffee served to its customers.

Richard Saward, operations director at the museum commented: “We aim to use only regional companies and are delighted to have found a local coffee supplier with such an excellent reputation. So far, Cooper’s ability to deliver the best quality products has proven accurate and we look forward to building a long-term relationship with them.”

David Cooper, managing director at Cooper’s Coffee added: “In the current trading conditions, winning these two contracts is a real boost for the company and is a result of our sales strategy and hard work. We have ambitious growth targets in place and hope to continue adding new accounts as well as growing our existing customer base.”

Cooper’s backs UKBC Northern winner

We’re thrilled to announce that a barista trained by Cooper’s has won the northern heat of the 2009 UK Barista Championships. Luke Lamb of the Rhode Island Coffee, Bolton branch took the title at last week’s competition following months of hard training.

He attended all of Cooper’s UKBC training courses held by our in-house barista trainer Danielle and also received additional training from Simon Robertson, three times UKBC champ and one of Cooper’s consultant barista trainers.

As part of the competition Luke was required to prepare four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature drinks of his own invention, all within a timeframe of 15 minutes. As well as being nominated the overall winner, Luke also received the highest score in the best espresso category.

Speaking about his experience Luke says: “I was very nervous about entering the competition having such little professional barista experience but the team at Rhode Island were behind me all the way. This support, together with the expert help and advice I received from Cooper’s ensured that I had the necessary confidence, discipline and expertise to win.

Luke used a unique recipe made by Cooper’s to help achieve this recognition.

1,000 free cups of tea and coffee for budding tennis stars

Budding tennis stars from across the country will benefit from free tea and coffee during a week long national tennis tournament thanks to Cooper’s Coffee.

We will provide a constant supply of hot beverages during the Junior Tennis Open to be held February 16 -22 at Thongsbridge Tennis Club in Holmfirth; it is estimated that more than 1,000 cups of tea and coffee will be consumed by the tennis players and their families.

Attracting 220 entrants this year from clubs across the country, the Thongsbridge Junior Open Grade 3 Tournament is coveted as one of the best, and most respected, in the UK. Over the course of seven days, tennis players aged between 9 -18 years will compete against each other for singles and doubles titles.

The event is organised by Tim Horsfall, tournament secretary and Nick Fitzpatrick, head coach at Thongsbridge Tennis Club. Tim comments: “Cooper’s provision of free tea & coffee throughout the seven days is much appreciated by the parents of young players attending the event, who will be at the club for long periods. Cooper’s support will make a visit to the tournament a better experience, adding to the overall quality of what is already a prestigious event.”

Jacqui Cooper, operations director at Cooper’s Coffee adds: “We’re always keen to support local activities so were delighted to be invited to sponsor the 2009 Thongsbridge Junior Tennis Open. This is the third year that we will be supplying free tea and coffee for the both the players and spectators. Judging by the number of hot drinks consumed at last year’s tournament, we can expect to serve over 1,000 cups of tea and coffee to thirsty tennis aficionados!”

UK Barista Championships

It’s that time of year - the UK Barista Championships are upon us once again and regional heats for a place in the national final have begun. As a champion of barista skills, Cooper’s has always encouraged and supported its customers to enter into the competition and this year we have held three dedicated ‘UKBC’ training days run by our barista trainer Danielle to help competitors prepare.

Our star pupil this year is Luke, a barista from the Rhode Island coffee shop in Bolton. Luke, who has attended every training session and is now brushing up on his routine, will take part in the Northern heat on February 18th. We wish him the very best of luck. Speaking about the competition, Danielle says: “The UK Barista Championships are a fantastic way of keeping coffee standards high. Having been a finalist twice myself, I know how much it can build your enthusiasm and knowledge of making the best coffee and providing the best service you can.

“The competition consists of a 15 minute presentation and requires you to prepare four espressos, four cappuccinos and four signature drinks of your own invention (the signature drink must contain at least one shot of espresso, no alcohol, and must definitely be a drink and not a dessert.).

“The drinks are then judged by four sensory judges, two technical judges and a head judge. Competitors are required to prepare the drinks in front of a live audience.

“The competitions are held in seven different regions and the top scorers from each region will go on to compete in the finals with the overall winner going on to compete against the world for the title of World Barista Champion.

“The competition, although very exciting and enjoyable, does require a lot of practice time if you wish to succeed. The rules can be found on the world barista championship website [add in link] and it is very important that these rules are read through and understood fully before entering.”

Cooper’s Coffee becomes first drinks supplier for Fodder; Yorkshire’s new shop and café celebrating the very best from the region.

Cooper’s Coffee has been appointed as the first drinks supplier for Fodder, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s (YAS) new flagship shop and cafe set to open in May next year. The new £5.1m Regional Agricultural Centre, based on the edge of the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, has appointed Cooper’s as the sole supplier of coffee and coffee equipment for its 80-seater café. Celebrating the best of Yorkshire and the Humber’s food and drink, Fodder aims to support local farmers and producers; a key reason behind its decision to nominate a West Yorkshire company as its coffee supplier.

Cooper’s ability to supply energy efficient espresso machines was another reason why it was chosen over other coffee suppliers. Cooper’s will install the world’s most reliable, user-friendly, and energy-saving coffee system – an espresso machine by premium Italian espresso machine manufacturer Dalla Corte. The Dalla Corte to be installed in the café has 3 group heads, each of which is independent in terms of fresh water supply and heat control. This means a big energy saving of over 30% as each group can be turned on or off independently depending on how busy the cafe is.

Cooper’s Coffee retail collection will also be sold in Fodder which will be one of the biggest local speciality retailers in the UK. The centre has chosen Louie Mio - a complex blend of six coffees from five continents – as the coffee to be served in its café. Heather Parry, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s deputy chief executive, said: “The ethos behind the project is to be at the heart of agriculture in the North of England, showcasing the best of the region’s produce, in a sustainable building. Cooper’s, with its innovative espresso machines, award-winning coffee and conscientious service, is our perfect coffee partner”.

David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s added: “We’re thrilled to be part of such an exciting project. Yorkshire has some fantastic produce and Fodder will provide an all year boost to showcasing the best of our region’s food and drink to a wider audience.”

Cooper's helps local squash club turn fortunes around.

As a business, Cooper’s frequently lends its support to local enterprises and initiatives through sponsorship. One such initiative that we have recently been involved in is the revival of Lockwood Park Squash club in Huddersfield. 18 months ago the club was in a dire state; the courts were neglected and membership was at an all-time low. In March 2007, Malcolm Pickup, one of the most famous names in squash in Yorkshire, was appointed as the club’s new manager to try and turn things around. With over 35 years squash experience playing at Yorkshire Premier league level and an ex-Kirklees champion, Malcolm was the best man for the job but he realised that he needed professional support to revive the club. He set out to find corporate sponsors and Cooper’s Coffee – with managing director David Cooper being a keen squash player - came on board as one of the first businesses to lend its support and financial backing to the club.

The first investment made by Cooper’s was the purchase of a sign above the entrance to the club. David realised the importance that Malcolm’s name would play in re-launching the club and the Malcolm Pickup Academy Squash was born. Further investments by Cooper’s included signs for both courts; both aptly named ‘Latte’ and ‘Cappuccino’ in reflection of David’s passion for coffee.

Other changes that followed included fully re-plastering both courts and decorating the changing rooms and courts area as well as the installation of TV screens as well as a camera over one court for coaching purposes. A viewing area has also been developed with space for up to 60 people; the banqueting area allows the club to hold private and club functions to raise additional income.

In the space of 18 months, takings at the club have gone up fivefold and membership figures have risen sevenfold from 21 to 150 – in fact, membership is now at full capacity. Cooper’s continues to support the club, providing any stationery, advertising and promotional material free of charge. And most importantly, four weekly squash sessions help to keep David Cooper fit and healthy!

Cooper’s Coffee triumphant at awards ceremony

Leading supplier of coffee equipment and ingredients, Cooper’s Coffee has scooped an award at a regional business awards ceremony.
Competing against other leading businesses in the region, Cooper’s were chosen as SME of the Year at the third Huddersfield Examiner Business Awards.
The Awards which feature 11 categories, including ones for start-up businesses, small and medium sized firms, exemplary employers, exporters, and emerging young business talent, were presented at a black tie gala dinner hosted by BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration last night (Thursday, November 13) at the home of Huddersfield Town, the Galpharm Stadium.      
Cooper’s sustained growth was cited as a key reason for their win by the judging panel, which consisted of influential business people in the region including Andrew Palmer, assistant regional director for the CBI in Yorkshire and Prof John Thompson, professor of entrepreneurship at Huddersfield University’s Business School.
The coffee wholesaler has increased its sales by 15% this year, bringing turnover to £2.3m and a total of 18 staff.  It has also embarked on ambitious plans to more than double its offices and storage facilities, investing £350,000 over the past three years in land surrounding the existing warehouse to expand the facilities.
The expansion plans include the build of a new warehouse, which will create more than 2,500 square feet of coffee storage space as well as a new 1,000 square foot barista training centre - the largest outside London.  Three new jobs have been created as a result of the growth plans.

The judges were also impressed with Cooper’s excellent reputation which has been built not only within the West Yorkshire region, but on a national scale. The fact that five UK titles in international barista competitions have been won with Cooper’s blends was of particular merit.
Cooper’s efforts to remain at the forefront of innovation and development within the coffee industry were also recognised. In 2007, the company introduced the premium Italian espresso machine brand Dalla Corte to the UK. Despite entering a saturated market, over £1.1m worth of machines have been sold to date at an average cost of £5,500 each.
This year David joined forces with espresso machine makers De’Longhi to create Caffe Raro, the world’s rarest and most premium coffee at £50 a cup. Sales have raised more than £3,000 for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.
Speaking about the win David said: “I am extremely proud that Cooper’s has been recognised with this award.  It is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and talent of our team without whom we wouldn’t have achieved this.  We are confident that we will continue to outperform our competitors and the market and that 2009 will be another record year for Cooper’s”.
Jacqui added: “When we started the business 20 years ago it was because we had both lost our jobs so it does prove that something good can come out of something bad.
“It also gave us all the more incentive to succeed. We have won national awards for our coffee, but this award is extra special because it is in our home town and reflective of our staff; the company is only as good as its team and we have a wonderful team here.”

Cooper’s Coffee appointed as national distributor for The Miniature Bakery

Cooper’s Coffee has been chosen as the national coffee sector distributor for new super-premium ‘fusion bakery’ company – The Miniature Bakery.                                                        
The Miniature Bakery’s range of new ‘fusion bakery’ products takes its inspiration from the best of the world of biscuits, cakes and chocolate and is hand-baked by a group of artisan bakers and chocolatiers using only the finest quality, natural organic ingredients.
The Soil Association approved products include miniature Chocolate Snaps, Chocolate Meringues and Chocolate Viennese and are ideal for consumption with hot beverages. Each variety is available in small 2-cup ‘grab-packs’ priced at £1.95 each or as four-cup retail packs costing £2.95 each. A merchandising display unit is provided for use on shop counters.
The range is already proving a big hit with retailers that include Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods, and with the help of Cooper’s, The Miniature Bakery hopes to win the UK coffee shop sector over as well.
David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s says: “I’m very excited about our partnership with The Miniature Bakery. These indulgent new products, hand-baked by a team of highly-skilled bakers and chocolatiers, are unparalleled to anything I have ever tasted before.”
Marcus Hanson, marketing director of The Miniature Bakery adds: “We wanted to create a partnership with a like-minded company that understands quality, innovation and brand so Cooper’s Coffee was the perfect fit. Our products aim to fuse continental patisserie and confectionery with anglo-saxon tastes and textures to create a more sophisticated product in line with the coffee being served in the UK today. We feel that our range gives coffee shops the opportunity to offer a premium snack product that perfectly complements the quality of their coffee.”

Dalla Corte and Ismail Coffee & Tea link up in bid to create the UK’s ultimate coffee experience

Ismail Coffee and Tea, the speciality tea and coffee house based in Tunbridge Wells, has invested in a Dalla Corte espresso machine and grinder to complete what it calls the ‘Ismail Experience’.
The speciality coffee brand, which was established in 1925, aims to provide its customers with an unrivalled coffee experience, serving only the freshest and highest quality coffee which it roasts in-house on a daily basis.
Dalla Corte has been chosen as the brand of choice to produce Ismail’s speciality coffee in line with the company’s ethos of producing only the very best.
Ismail is the only coffee shop in the UK to offer customers the chance to experience the coffee process from bean to cup, using the innovative Neoroast machine. This roasting equipment by Neuhaus Neotech allows you to see the beans being roasted, ground and ultimately produced into the espresso-based drink of your choice.
Commenting on his reasons for choosing Dalla Corte Managing director Raschid Gibrail says: “Ismail Coffee & Tea is dedicated to the highest standards of bean selectivity, roasting and freshness. To achieve this we have coupled what we feel is the best espresso machine in the world, with the best quality, freshest coffee we can source.

“Our aim is for a trip to Ismail Coffee & Tea to be an unforgettable experience, akin to a trip to the theatre – I believe that we have created the perfect combination of produce, technology, expertise and customer service to deliver this.”

Cooper’s Coffee to build UK’s largest barista training centre outside London as company expands

Huddersfield Coffee wholesaler Cooper’s Coffee has announced plans to open the largest barista training centre outside of London as part of ambitious expansion plans. The new training centre, to be built at Cooper’s headquarters in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire will take up more than 1,000 square feet and will be fully equipped with the complete range of Dalla Corte espresso machines from groups 1 to 4. It will also include a Dalla Corte raised body machine for 20oz cups as well as the complete range of Mahlkönig and Dalla Corte grind on demand grinders.
Delegates will be able to practice their coffee-making skills on a 360 degree training bar while several specially adapted technical machines complete with video playback will be available for engineer training.

As part of the expansion a new warehouse will also be built on the site, providing more than 2,500 square feet of additional storage space for coffee. The existing warehouse will be converted to house the new barista training centre as well as a new equipment showroom complete with a steel and glass-fronted reception area.
The area surrounding the new warehouse will be landscaped to include a picnic area for staff and visitors as well as a new car park that will provide more than 40 parking spaces for customers and staff.

Cooper’s has announced the expansion plans as a result of continued year on year growth. Since the company was founded 19 years ago by managing director David Cooper in a back bedroom in Leeds, it has grown to become one of the UK’s leading suppliers of quality coffee equipment and ingredients with 17 staff and a turnover of £2.4m.
Sales for Cooper’s have increased by 15% so far this year, while sister business, Dalla Corte (UK Imports), has experienced an impressive 35% growth. Dalla Corte was founded in February 2007 by David as the sole UK distributor of Milan-based Dalla Corte espresso machines. Since the business was launched more than 200 espresso machines have been sold at an average cost of £5,500 each. The new showroom will exclusively showcase the full range of Dalla Corte machines.
Commenting on the expansion David said: “We’ve always had the vision to expand Cooper’s substantially and have spent £350,000 over the past three years buying the land surrounding our existing warehouse to make this vision become a reality.
Our plans to expand are not only a testament to our success in what is proving a tough year for businesses, but also demonstrates our belief in the future of the company.”

The first phase of expansion, which includes the build of the new warehouse, will begin at the end of June with the final phase expected to be completed by the end of September.

Rarest coffee in the world?
David Cooper creates Caffé Raro, the world’s most exclusive coffee

Cooper’s very own David Cooper has caused a bit of a media sensation by creating the world’s rarest and most premium coffee - at £50 per cup.

David joined forces with espresso machine manufacturer, De’Longhi to create Caffé Raro, the world’s most exclusive coffee. The blend was launched amid much press attention on Wednesday at Peter Jones, the landmark Chelsea department store on Sloane Square.

Combining two of the world’s rarest coffee beans, Kopi Luwak and Jamaican Blue Mountain, Caffé Raro will be on sale in Peter Jones, and through the De’Longhi website throughout April, with limited availability.

“Caffé Raro is an extremely exciting coffee and a first for the UK – if not the world! These two incredibly rare coffees have never been blended before and the result is a very rich and full tasting espresso. These coffees have been slowly hand roasted for around 12 minutes to ensure that we maximise the potential of each coffee. The final roast colour is quite dark to ensure that the espresso is perfect for a smooth latte or cappuccino,” said David.

Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is noted for its mild flavour and lack of bitterness and over the last several decades has developed a reputation as one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world.

Kopi Luwak is widely regarded as the most expensive individual coffee bean on the market. Produced in Indonesia, this rare bean is digested by the Palm cat, a process which creates an earthy flavour celebrated by coffee aficionados. With only 200 kilos produced each year demand for the bean is strong and prices remain high. 

Caffé Raro is available in the Peter Jones Espresso Bar and Brasserie by the cup as well as in-store in 100g packets throughout April. De’Longhi’s Caffé Raro retails for £50 per 100g packet or £50 a cup. All proceeds from the sale of the coffee will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support to help people whose lives have been affected by cancer. For more details, visit www.peterjones.co.uk or call 020 7730 3434. To find out more information about the De’Longhi Caffé Raro blend visit www.seriousaboutcoffee.com.

Cooper’s serves over 1,000 cups of tea and coffee to West Yorkshire’s budding tennis stars

We’re always keen to support local activities so were delighted to sponsor the 2008 Thongsbridge Junior Tennis Open by supplying free tea and coffee for the both the players and spectators. Over the course of the week long tournament over 1,000 cups of tea and coffee were consumed by thirsty tennis aficionados!

Attracting 193 entrants from clubs across the country, the Junior Tennis Open held at Thongsbridge Tennis Club in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, is coveted as one of the best in the country. Over the course of seven days tennis players aged between 9 -18 years competed against each other for singles and doubles titles.

The event was organised by Tim Horsfall of Contract Leisure Surfacing and Nick Fitzpatrick, Head Coach with his team at Thongsbridge Tennis Club. Nick commented: “This year’s tournament benefited greatly from the sponsorship of a wide range of companies, whose donations provided trophies for the winners and the runners up to free refreshments.

“Cooper’s provision of free tea & coffee throughout the seven days was much appreciated by the parents of young players attending the event, who were at the club for long periods. Cooper’s made a visit to the Tournament a better experience and added to the overall quality of what is a prestigious event.”

Cooper's Coffee on the breakfast show at radio BBC Leeds

Hot off the heels of national TV stardom, Cooper’s Coffee has now also featured on live radio, taking part in the BBC Radio Leeds breakfast show with Andrew and Georgey.

Radio Leeds sent their roving reporter, Super Daragh, out to Cooper’s to undergo a spot of barista training from our very own trainer, Youri Vlag. Broadcast live from Cooper’s training room this morning (06.02), Radio Leeds listeners found out what the difference is between a barrister and a barista and how a high street coffee differs from a genuine, good quality espresso as Youri showed Daragh how it was done.

After just 30 minutes of training, Daragh attempted to make a World Barista Championship standard cappuccino live on air and in front of Cooper’s founder David, himself a WBC qualified judge. Daragh delivered an impressive performance with just a little bit of help from Youri and managed to serve a near perfect cappuccino, which David awarded a remarkable 15 out of 18 points.

“I was very impressed with how quickly Daragh mastered the skills and technique required to make a good quality espresso,” said David. “People think that it takes hours of training to become a barista but Daragh proved that it’s possible to learn the necessary skills in less than an hour. Having seen and tasted the difference between a high street version and a professionally made cup of cappuccino, I’m sure Daragh will no longer settle for the over-priced inferior coffee that so many of the big coffee retailers serve!

Click below to download the audio files of the show:

Cooper's on BBC - part 1
Cooper's on BBC - part 2

For more information on Cooper’s barista training course contact Coopers on info@cooperscoffee.co.uk or call 01484 431 450.  All our courses are free for Cooper’s customers and cover the basics to more advanced barista skills including latte art.

Dalla Corte espresso machines and Simon Robertson joins forces against calorific lattes on Alan Titchmarsh Show

We are proud to tell you that 3 times UK Barista Champion Simon Robertson has chosen the Dalla Corte espresso coffee machine for a demonstration on how coffee can be a healthier drink on the Alan Titchmarsh show on ITV1.

Simon, who owns Leoni’s coffee shop in Malton and is among the top ten baristas in the world, was invited to appear on the show in response to Which magazine’s survey of main-brand coffee shops. The report published on January 24 found that increasingly sophisticated coffees and larger cups mean chains are regularly selling drinks that contain well over 500 calories each.

Simon appeared on the show to demonstrate that the right skills combined with good quality coffee and equipment make it possible to produce low calorie coffee drinks such as americanos and espressos. He chose a Dalla Corte Group III espresso machine and K-30 grinder for the task, some of the most technologically advanced and innovative espresso machine equipment available on the market.

“Appearing on the show is a small step towards educating consumers about the inferior coffee they are buying from high street retailers,” Simon said. “To me, Starbucks is to coffee what Pizza Hut is to Italian cuisine. You would simply not find anything that comes close to a Starbucks latte in my coffee shop. Consumers have a choice when it comes to the kind of coffee they drink and there are more and more independent coffee shops dedicated to serving traditional, high quality espresso-based coffee.”

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte Imports UK added: “As a nation we have adopted the American coffee-drinking lifestyle, consuming coffee that contains lashings of cream and as a result is more like a hot milkshakes than a latte.

“But coffee does not have to be unhealthy – look at Italy, the natural birthplace of espresso. There, a real coffee culture exists. People appreciate good quality coffee and wouldn’t dream of drinking a latte after lunchtime – it’s considered a morning drink only and for the rest of the day other espresso-based drinks are drunk. Whereas here in Britain we consume lattes all day long, unaware of the calories we are consuming with each sip.

“The real problem though does not lie in bad quality coffee, but bad quality training. We need to educate those who are preparing and serving the coffees and ensure they receive the right training as in Italy where being a barista is a proper profession.  We need to encourage greater participation in competitions such as the UK Barista Championships to ensure that we turn this nation of cream latte lovers into real espresso aficionados.”

Dalla Corte espresso machines are the most technologically advanced on the market with the facility to control and adjust each group head independently – crucial for ensuring consistently good coffee. The group heads of the machines, developed by father and son team Bruno and Paolo Dalla Corte, can be set to their own temperature, accurate to 0.1 degree and any group can be switched off to save power or be completely removed from the machine for service while the rest of the machine is still making coffee.

Cooper's Coffee donates £400 to Kirklees Hospice

Coopers Coffee has presented Kirklees Hospice with a cheque for £400,- to start of the new year with a bang.

We would like to thank Kirklees Hospice for all the great work that they do.

Dalla Corte is GOLD sponsor of World Latte Art Championship

Cooper's Coffee is proud to announce that Dalla Corte is the Gold Sponsor for the World Latte Art Championship.

The Latte Art championship will be held in Copenhagen in 2008 and the Dalla Corte espresso coffee machine will be used to produce smooth silky milk and perfect espresso's.

The Dalla Corte espresso coffee machine is becoming very popular amongst coffee experts throughout the world. The Dalla Corte machines have everything the barista will ever need to produce the best tasting espresso's possible!

Have a look at the website of the World Latte Art championship.

 

North West coffee boutique chain signs up to Cooper’s

Cooper’s Coffee has won a contract worth in excess of £120,000 to supply a North West chain of ‘coffee boutiques’. Centro Coffee & Juice Bar has signed up to Cooper’s own award-winning coffee blend Louie Mio as well as premium Italian espresso machine brand Dalla Corte, choosing three machines and a linked DCII intelligent grinder. Cooper’s is also supplying a range of teas, syrups, frappés and traditional Italian Panettone cake.

The independent coffee bar chain run by entrepreneur Lee Chester currently has outlets in Ashton under Lyne and Altrincham. A flagship store in the new Liverpool One development was opened last month; over £300,000 has been invested into creating an opulent, modern setting complete with chandeliers and wall art. The outlets are modelled on European style bars, selling coffee and juices during the day with wine, champagne and cocktails being added to the offering in the evening.

Lee said: “Finding a coffee supplier that echoes my views on quality and service was important to me and Cooper’s fit the bill perfectly. Both the ingredients and equipment they supply have played a significant part in my success to date and I look forward to future expansion with them on board.”

David Cooper, managing director at Cooper’s Coffee added: “We’re delighted to have the Centro Coffee & Juice chain on our books. Lee has established Centro as a successful brand in a competitive market and I have no doubt that the chain will go from strength to strength thanks to his tremendous commitment and drive.”

David Cooper meet David Cooper

It’s not every day that you get to supply a business that is called Coopers and it’s even rarer for the owner of that business to be called David Cooper! Imagine our surprise therefore when we took a call from a ‘Mr David Cooper’ who was looking for a supplier for his coffee shop near Liverpool called Coopers of Freshfield.

According to David Cooper of Freshfield he came across Cooper’s Coffee when he was carrying out some online research for his logo: “Cooper's appeared in Google and as I was looking to attract the discerning customer, their brand and approach to coffee was a perfect match. “Once I'd spoken to their new business manager I was convinced Cooper's had the right attitude as well as the right products. All the staff I have spoken to have been a pleasure to deal with. And you can imagine the fun I have when I ring up and say ‘Hi, it's David Cooper’!”

Coopers of Freshfield has signed up to an array of Fair Trade products from Cooper’s Coffee including a selection of fine Fair Trade teas, Cooper’s Five Arabica coffee blend, hot chocolate, Spitz wafers and a range of Torani syrups. A two group espresso machine from premium Italian brand Dalla Corte and a linked DCII intelligent grinder will also be installed. The coffee shop, which hopes to expand soon to include a sit-in lounge, is also taking advantage of the Cooper’s Coffee logo with branded promotional signs displayed in and outside the shop.

Speaking about signing up his namesake to the books, ‘our’ David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s Coffee said: “I’ve never met anyone with my name before and it’s even more of an amazing coincidence that we both work in the coffee sector. “I don’t blame David for taking advantage of the Cooper’s name. It’s great that we fit with his needs for quality and service and he gets to use the connectivity of our branding. It’s a win-win situation.”

Dalla Corte’s energy saving features showcased at UN climate change conference

Italian espresso machine manufacturer Dalla Corte was selected as the main espresso system for the UN climate change conference, COP15, currently taking place in Copenhagen. COP15 which runs from December 7 – 18 selected the dalla corte espresso machine for its energy saving qualities. The 4 group Evolution series machines were installed by Dalla Corte’s Danish distributor Kontra in the three bars at the Bella Conference Centre for the duration of the COP15 conference; on average, there where some 15,000 people at centre every day. The event was joint-hosted by the Danish Foreign Ministry and the UN who put a strong emphasis high quality foods and beverages in order to ensure the best possible atmosphere in which to conduct the negotiations.

Kontra developed a special COP15 espresso blend and a COP15 Drip coffee blend which was served during the 13 day event by more than 30 baristas. According to Kontra, about 30,000 espresso based coffees and 20,000 drip coffees were served every day of the conference. A majority of the baristas came from Caf項uropa 1989 and were therefore used to working with Dalla Corte which they hold as their preferred machine.

Kurt Dalsgaard of Kontra said: “We had to prove two things; serving a high quality coffee while saving a maximum amount of energy. This is only possible by using the Dalla Corte technology. In the coffee industry the heating of water during the brewing process is one of the major sins in terms of CO2 emission - this is why the Dalla Corte system fitted very well into the purpose of this important event. The machines performed perfectly at all times, ensuring top quality drinks for officials, NGOs and the press." David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte (UK Imports) added: “Dalla Corte is renowned for its energy efficient machines. It was the first manufacturer to create an espresso machine in which each group head is absolutely independent in terms of fresh water supply and heat and is still the most accurate machine on the market.”

Cooper’s customer Beadlam Grange up for five national awards

Cooper’s Coffee customer Beadlam Grange has been nominated for an impressive five awards in the upcoming FARMA (National Farmers Retail & Markets Association) Local Food Awards 2010. The North Yorkshire based Farm Shop and Tea Room has been shortlisted in five categories; Farm Retailer of the Year, Best New Farmshop, FARMA Own & Local Award, Best on Farm Butchery, Best on Farm Cafe, Tea Room or Restaurant. The FARMA Local Food Awards are peer reviewed and designed showcase the hard work and efforts from farm businesses across the country. Beadlam Grange has been a customer of Cooper’s since it was opened in July 2007. Based on a working farm, owners Mark and Jenny Rooke wanted to create a unique ‘Farm Shopping Experience’ for customers in search of fresh farm produce.

As well as a farm shop with its own fresh meat and deli counter, Beadlam Grange also has its own traditional Granary Tearoom serving home-baked cakes, farmhouse breakfasts, lunches and of course freshly brewed tea and Cooper’s Coffee. With an emphasis on ethical produce, the tearoom serves one of Cooper’s most popular Fairtrade coffees – our Five Arabica espresso blend. The coffee is also sold in retail packs in the farm shop for customers to take home. In addition to coffee, we also supply Beadlam Grange with Cooper’s Fairtrade hot chocolate sachets and decaffeinated sachets. According to Jenny, customers regularly rave about Beadlam Grange’s fantastic coffee and claim it is the best they have ever tasted – no doubt down to their Dalla Corte espresso machine and excellent barista training! In December Cooper’s barista trainer Lisa will be returning to the farm to deliver a more advanced barista skills course.

Speaking about Beadlam Grange’s Award nominations David Cooper says: “We’re thrilled that a customer of Cooper’s has been shortlisted for these awards and applaud their hard work and dedication. We wish them the best of luck.” The winners from the FARMA awards will be announced in January 2010 – watch this space! For further information on Beadlam Grange visit www.beadlamgrange.co.uk

STOP PRESS! We have just been informed that Beadlam Grange has also been voted ‘Tearoom of the year’ in the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Awards 2009 held at The Spa Scarborough on 13th November. The Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Partnership reward the hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence of the region's many tourism businesses. Beadlam Grange beat off stiff competition from seven other tea rooms including the Penny Bank Cafe in Kirkbymoorside. Congratulations!

Cooper’s Coffee shortlisted at awards ceremony

We were thrilled to recently be named runner-up in the Employer of the Year category at the fourth Huddersfield Examiner Business Awards. The nomination follows our successful accreditation as an Investor in People this June. The awards, which feature 11 categories, including ones for start-up businesses, small and medium-sized firms, exemplary employers, exporters, and emerging young business talent, were presented at a black tie gala dinner hosted by BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration last night (Thursday, November 12) at the home of Huddersfield Town, the Galpharm Stadium. The judging panel was made up of Jeremy Garside, managing partner of law firm and award sponsor Chadwick Lawrence; Prof John Thompson, professor of entrepreneurship at Huddersfield University’s Business School; Ken Gillespie, director of regeneration at Kirklees Council; Andrew Palmer, assistant regional director for the CBI in Yorkshire; and Examiner business correspondent Henryk Zientek. Cooper’s commitment to workforce development was cited as a key reason for being short-listed as well as their continuous efforts to improve quality and service standards to maximise performance.

Speaking about the nomination operations director Jacqui Cooper says: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted to the final three. There’s no magic formula, just common sense and hard work; happy staff equal happy customers. “Next to our award-winning product range it’s our people performance that counts. Understanding and delivering great customer service is all about treating people as you would like to be treated – that means staff as well as customers. “The learning and experience we have acquired working for other companies has enabled us to apply the positives to our own business. Working towards the Investors In People Standard helped us to focus our objectives and being nominated for this award along with the IIP accreditation in June is incredibly rewarding.”

Cooper’s ‘fresh ground coffee’ ice cream goes on sale

We’re pleased to announce that we have linked up with luxury dairy ice cream producer Yummy Yorkshire to create an ice cream with a fresh ground coffee taste. The ice cream, which is made with Cooper’s award-winning Fairtrade Five Arabica espresso coffee, has gone on sale in Yummy Yorkshire’s Ice Cream Parlour located on the A629 between Huddersfield and Penistone and is also available for retailers to stock in their shops. Hinchliffe’s Farm Shop (another Cooper’s customer) in Netherton has been one of the first to snap up the innovative blend.

The flavour, which is aptly named Cooper’s Coffee, was originally launched by Yummy Yorkshire for customers to eat on the premises of its ice cream parlour but has proven so popular that the decision was taken to also sell the ice cream in tubs for “at home” consumption. Yummy Yorkshire owner Louise Holmes says: “We decided to launch the coffee flavour as Cooper’s Coffee is well known and our customers love the coffee that we serve in our coffee shop.

“I worked one Sunday in the parlour and saw a whole Napoli of Cooper’s Coffee ice cream disappear within a very short space of time...it was all the feedback that I needed that customers really do enjoy this flavour of ice cream!” Made from chilled diluted espresso, the ice cream has an authentic ‘fresh coffee’ taste. According to Louise there are no additional flavourings such as vanilla extract. “We let the coffee speak for itself and the customers love it,” she says. “The texture is very smooth and the colour is a luscious light brown....it looks as good as it tastes”.

David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s adds: “As a fan of both coffee and ice cream, I’m delighted that Yummy Yorkshire has decided to use our award-winning Five Arabica blend in such an intriguing and innovative way. “It is reputedly difficult to get the taste of coffee flavoured ice cream right but Yummy Yorkshire has managed to pull it off – I was blown away when I first tasted their creation. If you’re normally wary of coffee-flavoured ice cream, I swear that this flavour will change your mind.”

Cooper’s Coffee selected to supply Great British Menu star’s landmark Yorkshire pub

Cooper’s Coffee has been appointed to supply our coffee as well as our coffee machines to one of Yorkshire’s landmark pubs, the Bull at Broughton near Skipton. The Bull, which was recently taken over by BBC’s Great British Menu star, Nigel Haworth as a Ribble Valley Inn, has signed up to a K30 grinder as well as one of our most exclusive espresso machines, a 2 Group Dalla Corte. We will also supply our own blend of award-winning espresso coffee, Louie Mio, to the refurbished pub which aims to work exclusively with Yorkshire suppliers.

The Bull at Broughton is the fourth Ribble Valley Inn (RVI), joining a line-up of pubs which have already collected the cream of Britain’s top awards. The brainchild of Haworth and Craig Bancroft who are also co-proprietors of Michelin-starred Northcote, RVI’s philosophy is to provide traditional dishes with a contemporary twist, featuring ingredients from local food heroes in surroundings with character and charm.

Speaking about his reasons for choosing Cooper’s Coffee Haworth said: “Our philosophy is to always work with local producers and when I ventured into Yorkshire, I wasn’t exactly sure where to find the best quality coffee, having worked with my current supplier for many years. “Coffee is such an important part of a dining experience, you may have got the food right, but finish your meal off with a bad coffee and you can leave feeling disappointed. I had heard of Cooper’s Coffee in Huddersfield and went straight over to meet David and of course he met all our requests. We now have a fantastic blend which we will be serving at The Bull.”

Cooper’s managing director, David Cooper added: “It’s an honour to be working with a chef as talented and renowned as Nigel Haworth in such a landmark Yorkshire pub. I hope that this will be the beginning of a positive long term relationship for Cooper’s Coffee.”

So how hard can it be to make a cup of coffee?

Lisa Huntington, Cooper’s barista trainer, gives Yorkshire Post Business journalist Peter Edwards a lesson in the art of coffee-making.

Watch the video here.

Top barista trainer joins Cooper’s

We are delighted to have appointed Lisa Huntington to the position of barista trainer. Lisa brings with her over ten years experience in the hospitality industry, having worked as Bar and Restaurant Manager in cities across the UK including London, Brighton, Birmingham, Glasgow and Nottingham.

Most recently she spent five and a half years working for coffee roaster Matthew Algie. As both trainer and training manager she was responsible for providing barista training to clients across the North of England, Scotland and Ireland.

As Cooper’s in-house barista trainer, Lisa will be responsible for training customers so that they are capable of making coffee to the very highest standard. We are proud of our high quality coffee and coffee-making equipment and view barista training as an essential part of that service. All of our customers are eligible for free barista training to ensure that they know how to get the best out of their machines and their coffee.

Speaking about her new position Lisa says: “Having moved to Yorkshire in 1996, I was attracted to Cooper’s because they are a local company with family values coupled with a nationally acclaimed reputation. The company has a clear vision for the future and I'm delighted to be travelling the journey with them.

“I have real passion and enthusiasm for all things coffee - my friends call me a coffee snob! I am hoping to pass on my experience and knowledge to Cooper’s customers with great results.”

Operations director Jacqui Cooper adds: "Lisa approached me last August sending a speculative C.V. At the time I didn't have any training vacancies but I knew she was right for our business and kept in contact promising to advise her when a suitable position became available. “We believe that Lisa's experience in the coffee industry and training background together with her great customer service skills will help us work towards achieving our goal of being ‘The best coffee company in the UK’.”

Cooper’s celebrates two new account wins worth £60k

We are delighted to announce that Cooper’s Coffee has won two new contracts worth in excess of £60k.

Cooper’s has been appointed to supply its coffee as well as its coffee machines to two Yorkshire-based businesses; Wentworth Garden Centre near Rotherham and The Forbidden Corner – the North Yorkshire based folly and tourist attraction.

Wentworth Garden Centre has signed up to three of Cooper’s most exclusive espresso machines from the Italian Dalla Corte brand. The Milan manufactured machines are among the most advanced in the world and famous for their ‘intelligent’, self-regulating capabilities, ensuring consistently perfect coffee.

The garden centre will be installing the espresso machines in its recently opened on-site deli and new 250 seater coffee shop and restaurant, due to open this Autumn. The new deli specialises in selling a selection of sweet and savoury local produce in support of regional suppliers and as such, will also offer Cooper’s own award-winning blend of Louie Mio coffee.

Wentworth’s Catering manager Chris Bond said: “Having looked at several coffee suppliers we felt that Cooper’s had the best overall service offering combined with an excellent reputation. Our new deli and coffee shop are all about offering the best possible quality right down to the equipment. We’re confident that Cooper’s outstanding espresso machines and coffee will help us deliver.”

The Forbidden Corner has also recently opened a new café into which a Dalla Corte 3 Group has been installed. Cooper’s has also created a bespoke blend of coffee for the North Yorkshire based tourist attraction. The special blend features Ecuadorian coffee beans in honour of the Ecuadorian wife of owner, Mr Colin Armstrong O.B.E and will be served exclusively to customers of the café.

Commenting on the decision to choose Cooper’s Coffee, Mr Armstrong O.B.E said: “In the current economic climate it’s tempting to choose a supplier based on cost alone but we were determined not to fall into this trap and awarded Cooper’s the contract based on their overall service offering.

“Not only were we impressed with the quality of coffee, the professional barista training and round the clock maintenance service but also the speed of delivery – Cooper’s contract roasts all of its coffee on a daily basis to ensure maximum freshness and delivers the next day – a service which many other suppliers simply could not compete with.”

World’s cleverest espresso system on show at Northern Restaurant & Bar - visit Cooper’s Coffee and take the sweet spot challenge

The world’s most advanced espresso system will be on show at Northern Restaurant & Bar courtesy of Cooper’s Coffee. We will be showcasing our range of Dalla Corte espresso machines and grinders on stand 435 from March 30 -31 at Manchester Central. Dalla Corte machines are renowned as the best traditional machines in the world and used by professional baristas across the globe.

Time can be saved through technological advances such as automatic grinder control and remote monitoring while individual group head control means huge energy savings of up to 30%. A further ground-breaking aspect is that all Dalla Corte espresso machines have the facility to control the temperature of an individual group head by one-tenth of a degree - an element of precision which eliminates temperature fluctuations that can result in bitter tasting coffee. According to Cooper’s managing director David Cooper, being just half a degree out when making an espresso makes a notable difference in taste so finding the perfect temperature is the most complete way of achieving the exact 'sweet spot' of any coffee.

Cooper’s is keen to demonstrate this theory to anyone who cares about the quality of the coffee they are drinking. Visitors can bring their own coffee to test through the machine and see if they can improve on the result they usually achieve.

Anyone who tries their hand at espresso-making will be supervised by three time UK barista champion Simon Robertson. In addition to testing out the full range of Dalla Corte equipment, visitors to the Cooper’s stand will be able to taste our own range of award-winning coffee; with 20 years experience of designing, blending and contract roasting all of our own coffee, Cooper’s is the coffee of choice for many professional baristas and five UK titles in international competitions have been won with Cooper’s blends.

A new roaster for Cooper’s award winning espresso blends

David Cooper took both of the new Customer Account Managers (Sara and Samantha) to the new factory to see the latest Neotec roaster which has just been installed. Masteroast chose Neotec as the perfect addition to their two traditional Lilla roasters.

The Neotec RFB series represents the pinnacle of coffee roasting technology by offering on previously unrivalled level of heat transfer control – the science behind optimising and replicating the coffee bean development in the drum. Short bursts of extreme air speed, pressure and volume can also be used to influence aroma and extractability in a way that traditional roasting cannot. Thereby, the range of profiles and flavour styles are much wider and as a result our espresso recipes should naturally improve.

This science also relies less on pure temperature alone and therefore also offers energy efficiency and furthermore carbon output control via a catalytic converter.

Irish Coffee – David jets off to Dublin to head up National Judges Certification Workshop

David is often called upon to apply his expertise to the training of new judges. Last week, for the fourth year running, he was invited to Dublin on behalf of the SCAE to train the judges for the upcoming Irish Barista Championships (February 10 -11).

In his role as head judge, David spent one day testing 18 candidates on their ability to perceive, recall, and evaluate competitor presentations and beverages according to the WBC Rules & Regulations.

The day also included a series of hands-on practical tests involving coffee tasting exercises for sensory judges, and technical skills for technical judges (evaluating coffee waste, milk waste, station set-up, and work flow); all the skills and knowledge required to be successful as a judge.

All of the candidates were required to achieve over 85% in a written theory examination at the end of the day - happily, and to David’s credit, they all passed: “The day was a great success with some outstanding results,” he said. “I’m delighted to have been able to contribute towards building and developing judging expertise at the world competition level.”

Dave’s coffee cake - a lovely, moist coffee cake that is a great alternative to chocolate cake

A few weeks ago David Jackson, warehouse assistant at Coopers showed us a new talent - He bakes cakes!

Yes one cold Monday morning we arrived at work to find our staff area full of smiling faces all stuffing themselves with ‘Dave’s coffee cake’ made with award winning espresso Louie Mio. We were all so impressed the whole cake disappeared in about 20 minutes and he was ordered to reveal the secret recipe. It’s so simple and tasty; we thought we would share it with you. If you do go ahead and make it then remember David Jackson at Coopers and please let him know how it goes. For the full recipe download our February newsletter here.

Cooper’s Coffee expands with second recruit in two months

We are delighted to announce that we have expanded again with the appointment of a second customer account manager. Sarah Dyson joins the team to ensure the smooth running of existing customer accounts, dealing with any requirements and implementing solutions. Her role will also include identifying new sales opportunities within existing accounts and generating new business. Sarah who last year graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a degree in accounting and finance, most recently held the position of purchase ledger clerk at Huddersfield cut-price retailer, Instore. Prior to this she spent a year working for the Audit Partnership in Leeds as accounts payable auditor as part of her degree course. Speaking of her new role Sarah says: “I was attracted to Cooper’s because of their commitment to driving the business forward and their passion for, and belief in their products. Having met the team I immediately felt like I would be made to feel welcome and that I would genuinely be appreciated as a member of staff. “I hope to play an important role in helping the business grow and that I will become a valued member of the team. I also look forward to building friendships with new colleagues and relationships with existing and future customers.” Operations director Jacqui Cooper adds: "Sarah is a welcome addition to our expanding team and is an ideal fit in terms of personality, aptitude and professionalism. During the selection process she demonstrated a good knowledge and understanding of the importance of good customer service. We are certain that Sarah will be a valuable asset to our business.”

Leeds super chef Anthony Flinn and Dalla Corte UK join forces.

Yorkshire’s most celebrated chef and nationally acclaimed food ‘creator’ Anthony Flinn has joined forces with premium espresso machine manufacturer Dalla Corte UK.

The Leeds-based chef, who recently starred in the BBC’s Great British Menu series, has installed Dalla Corte equipment and grinders in his three Leeds restaurants and will lend his name to raising the brand’s profile within the UK.

Dalla Corte, which produces the most technologically advanced espresso machines in the world, has installed a 2 Group machine and K30 Digital grinder in Anthony’s Boar Lane restaurant while a larger 3 Group machine and linked intelligent DCII grinder will be installed in the Pâtisserie to cater for its many discerning coffee-drinking customers. The DC II GCS is the world’s first automatically controlled grinding system and guarantees consistent quality and perfect espresso extraction through its revolutionary monitoring method.

A 3 Group espresso machine and linked DC II grinder has also been installed in the chef’s latest Leeds city centre venture, ‘The Piazza by Anthony’ – a 13,200sq ft restaurant and food outlet development in the newly refurbished Corn Exchange. ‘The Piazza by Anthony’, which officially opened on November 22, aims to offer a much more casual dining experience, but without compromise in quality. It includes a 125 seat brasserie together with a more casual café and contemporary bar. The Piazza by Anthony will also feature a series of retail shops where customers can purchase hand made breads, chocolates and cakes as well as the difficult-to-find ingredients used by Anthony in his restaurant dishes. Each of these retail units will also serve the Brasserie – a unique concept where Anthony’s businesses can support each other and produce the freshest daily produce for on site consumption or take away. As part of his endorsement deal with Dalla Corte, Anthony’s’ staff will all receive intensive barista training to ensure that they understand how to operate the equipment and are capable of making coffee to the very highest standard.

Commenting on his new partnership with Dalla Corte Anthony says: “I am very ambitious and am committed to delivering excellence in everything that I do. When I discovered Dalla Corte I felt I had found not only the best espresso machine in the world, but also a brand whose ethos is very much in line with my own. “As a chef, I strive to push as many culinary boundaries as possible, and Dalla Corte with its pioneering technology, will help me achieve that in other areas of my businesses.”

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte (UK Imports) adds: “We are proud to be working in partnership with such an acclaimed and exciting young chef. Anthony has a real love for coffee and understands how revolutionary a Dalla Corte espresso machine is. We know that he will portray all the passion and excitement of the brand and help us take Dalla Corte to a wider audience.”

Introducing: Samantha Stokes, Cooper's new customer account manager.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of a customer account manager. Samantha Stokes joins us to take over the management of existing customer accounts in a newly created role. She will responsible for dealing with customer enquiries and proactively identifying potential issues and implementing solutions. Her role will also include identifying new sales opportunities within existing accounts and generating new business.

Samantha brings with her several years of customer service and sales experience, most recently working for the Lloyd Shoe Company as concession manager in the Halifax branch of Burton. Prior to this she was a customer manager for Royal Sun Alliance, where she was responsible for selling car insurance and providing general customer service to existing customers. Speaking of her new role Samantha says: “I was attracted to Cooper’s because of their commitment to providing quality customer service; the company has a genuine desire to help their customers succeed in their own businesses which is all down to their passion for great coffee. “The team here has a real close-knit family feel which also appealed to me. I hope to bring new business to the company and make many new relationships with clients as well as friendships with my colleagues. I already feel very positive about this and am very excited about learning more about the company.”

Operations director Jacqui Cooper adds: “I was delighted to be able to offer the position of customer account manager to Samantha. She has demonstrated that she has the necessary skills, experience and enthusiasm we need to undertake this challenging new role in our business. “As part of our selection process all potential employees undertake psychometric testing, this information is useful to help with the selection process and to plan for future development. Samantha meets all the criteria for the role specification with that very special added ‘Zest’.”

Dalla Corte UK launches zero per cent finance offer on espresso machines

Dalla Corte UK has launched a 0% finance package across its range of equipment with up to two years interest free credit.

The zero per cent deal, which Dalla Corte believes to be an industry first,  is applicable on all Dalla Corte espresso machines as well as K30 grinders and no upfront deposit payments are required.

The deal offers up to two years free interest on Group 3 and 4 machines while 1 and 2 Group machines are available interest free over a period of 12 months. For example, a £1,695 Dalla Corte Super Mini machine will result in 12 monthly payments of £142, payable one month after installation.

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte (UK Imports) says: “Having evaluated our customers' needs, we have introduced the zero percent finance offer to keep cash flowing and increase competitiveness.

“The zero percent financing programme provides small and independent businesses with the financial flexibility to benefit from the quality of equipment their businesses need to succeed today. Thanks to our industry-leading package, companies can simply and cost-effectively plan for the future.”

For further information on the 0% finance deal contact sales@dallacorte.co.uk.

Rhode Island coffee shop chain expands with Dalla Corte’s largest espresso machine

Independent coffee house chain Rhode Island Coffee has become the first UK coffee business to invest in Dalla Corte’s largest espresso machine in support of its most ambitious expansion to date – a 1,100 sq ft coffee shop in Stockport.

A Dalla Corte 4 Group espresso machine and linked ‘intelligent’ DC II grinder has been chosen to meet the high demand Rhode Island expects to experience as the store becomes established.

The coffee chain has also become the first UK business to take advantage of Dalla Corte’s Digital Control System (DCS) - a revolutionary method of controlling the various parameters of an espresso machine from the brewing units to the boiler settings.

Controlled via a small, easy to use palm-pilot, the DCS can be used on more than one machine, allowing settings to be adjusted independently from one another – an advantage for brands with more than one outlet who wish to ensure that consistent settings are maintained across all stores.

Rhode Island group manager Andrew Smalley who selected the equipment comments: “Dalla Corte’s technology will allow us to ensure that the high levels of quality and service that Rhode Island has become known for are maintained.  Thanks to the Digital Control System (DCS) I’ll be able to ensure that the sweet spot settings for our house blend are adhered to in all five of our branches.”

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte Imports UK adds: “The external palm-pad is a great piece of kit that gives a clear overview of machine performance. Settings such as temperature, gram throw and extraction time can easily be adjusted so that the sweet spot levels can be maintained at all times.”

Michelin-starred Drake’s Restaurant joins Dalla Corte client portfolio

Drake’s Restaurant in Surrey has become the second UK Michelin-starred restaurant after The Star Inn to invest in a Dalla Corte espresso machine.

The gastronomic dining outlet in Ripley which treats a cup of coffee as importantly as any other course of a meal, has installed a 2-group Dalla Corte espresso machine and K30 grinder in order to serve its customers the perfect cup of coffee.

Head chef and owner Steve Drake chose Dalla Corte for its superior quality and pioneering technology – each machine has the facility to control and adjust the temperature of each group head independently by one-tenth of a degree – an element of precision that eliminates temperature fluctuations which often result in bitter tasting coffee.

“The ability to grind individual portions of coffee to order is on par with my own cooking ethos,” he says. “Aas a chef I strive to be individual and am very ambitious so I chose the best quality espresso machine I could find. We are not afraid of new technology and I’m proud that we are using a new innovation in the coffee making world.”

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte (UK Imports) adds: “Dalla Corte and Drake’s restaurant share many of the same attributes; both strive for perfect quality, driven by an extreme dedication and passion to their craft. We are proud to be working in partnership with such an acclaimed establishment.”

 

Dalla Corte UK Imports launches 24/7 maintenance service to customers

We are delighted to announce that UK customers of Dalla Corte espresso machines can now receive national servicing assistance thanks to an exclusive deal with Stanco Services, the UK’s leading independent machine maintenance and repair company.

The service contract between Dalla Corte (UK Imports) and Stanco offers customers round the clock access to Stanco’s nationwide team of engineers who will be responsible for the whole range of Dalla Corte machines. Stanco will also carry out national installations of the systems as well as any warranty repairs or annual maintenance.

The large team of engineers, who are based across the UK, will carry a wide range of Dalla Corte spare parts enabling them to complete any repair work on a first time fix basis, thus reducing valuable down-time for customers.

David Cooper, Managing Director of Dalla Corte (UK Imports) says: ““This partnership will provide a comprehensive maintenance programme for Dalla Corte customers with strong technical support and rapid repair times. It will be transformational in terms of reinforcing a continuous improvement culture and achieving Dalla Corte operational excellence. This premium brand will be a market leader in the UK within three years.”

Andrew Standage, Technical Director of Stanco Services added: “The Dalla Corte is one of the most exciting, traditional espresso systems we have ever seen. It solves many user issues and automates areas that are key to coffee quality. For an engineer, the machine is a dream to work on as it is so accessible and simple to fix.”

New barista trainer for Coopers Coffee
- UKBC finalist Danielle Hadley joins the ‘extraordinary coffee people’

 We are pleased to announce that we have appointed two times UK Barista Championships finalist Danielle Hadley as Coopers’ new barista trainer.

Danielle joins from Ludlow Food Centre in Shropshire where as manager she was responsible for the smooth running of the centre as well as the roasting of coffee for the café and its retail customers. Danielle brings with her several years of barista training experience; most recently she has trained and coached staff at Rick Steins’s Seafood restaurant in Padstow, as well as at Foodeaze Exeter and the Ludlow Food Centre.Danielle will be responsible for training  all our customers so they are capable of making coffee to the very highest standard, ensuring that they know how to get the best out of their machines and their coffee.Having twice competed in the UK Barista Championships finals herself, Danielle is aware of the qualities and skills required of a top barista.

David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s Coffee says of the appointment: “We are delighted that Danielle is coming on board as our new barista trainer. Our whole philosophy at Cooper’s revolves around providing high quality coffee and coffee-making equipment. Barista training is part and parcel of that service – there’s no point in buying the best ingredients and equipment if you have no knowledge of how to use it correctly.

“Danielle will have an important role to play, ensuring that the establishments we work with know how to serve the very best coffee and are aware of the importance of keeping their espresso machines in good condition. I’m confident that she will soon become an invaluable addition to the team.”

Commenting on her new position Danielle says; “I was attracted to Cooper's because of the company’s obvious passion for coffee-making. The enthusiasm of the staff and the effort put into making a perfect cup of coffee is incredible. I hope to become one of Cooper's 'Extraordinary Coffee People' and contribute to their mission of changing society's views on coffee. I am certain that working here, I will gain even more love, passion and enthusiasm for coffee than I already have!”

Dalla Corte at the Caffe Culture Show in 2008

The next Caffe Culture Show takes place from 21st to 22nd May 2008.

Dalla Corte, our superb espresso coffee machines, have a wonderfull stand at the Caffe Culture show in 2008. Dalla Corte will be demonstrating the advantages of the Dalla Corte espresso coffee machines. Have a look at the latest Grind On Demand grinders and enjoy some very tasty espresso's.

Click here for the Caffe Culture website

New Ripple Take Out Cups

New at Cooper's Coffee: Ripple Cups! The new ripple take out cups have improved heat resistent material which makes your coffees stay warm longer. The ripple take out cups do not need any sleeves because the cups do not get warm. The cups are available in 8, 12 and 16 oz and can be printed with your own logo.

Torani syrups and sauces return to UK with Dalla Corte 

The world’s first grind on demand system that functions without human intervention will make its debut in the UK at Hotelympia courtesy of Cooper’s Coffee.  

The US’s biggest speciality syrup brand, Torani, is once again available in the UK following a two year absence in the British market, choosing machine distributor Dalla Corte Imports UK as its sole British distributor. 

Dalla Corte Imports UK will officially launch Torani through Cooper’s Coffee at the Hotelympia exhibition and will exclusively stock 16 different naturally-flavoured Torani syrups including a new sugar free range. Two sauces – chocolate and white chocolate – will also be available.

All syrups will be available in 750ml glass bottles and competitively priced at £6.00 while the sauces come in a convenient foodservice package with pre-portioned pump costing £10.95 each. The flavours of the syrups range from traditional rich nut and spice flavours to more exotic flavours such as orange and mandarin.

Dalla Corte Imports UK is currently seeking exclusive distributors to act on a regional level. All trade enquiries are welcome and to receive trade pricing please reply to; sales@dallacorte.co.uk.

Torani, which is used to flavour anything from lattes and mochas to hot chocolate and tea, is the number one choice for many baristas who appreciate its premium quality and authentic taste. Only the highest quality ingredients are used to flavour the syrups, including pure cane sugar, purified water and extracts from the freshest fruits, nuts and spices.

David Cooper, managing director of Dalla Corte UK says: “We’re excited to be bringing such an iconic brand back into the UK market. Flavoured syrups offer unlimited possibilities for extending your menu and adding value to the drinks you offer and I believe Torani is the best product available to do so.

“I can’t think of any other syrup that manages to balance the flavour intensity, sweetness and acidity as perfectly as Torani. You can actually taste the flavouring and not just the sugar as you can in so many other syrups on the market.”

The Torani name is synonymous with the new flavour movement in coffee in the 1980’s when industry veteran (and friend of Torani) "Brandy" Brandenburger first experimented with syrup, espresso and steamed milk, creating the flavoured cafe latte.

Torani will be launched to the public at the Caffe Culture exhibition in May at an exclusive joint Dalla Corte and Torani USA stand

Caffe Latino first to sign up to Dalla Corte’s ‘intelligent’ grinder

We are delighted to announce that Caffe Latino, the independent coffee house chain, has become the first UK coffee business to invest in Dalla Corte’s ‘intelligent’ grinder, the DC II GCS.The grinder will be installed in all of Caffe Latino’s current Yorkshire locations and will also be rolled out to the 12 new franchises that are due to open within the next six months located throughout the UK from Maidstone to Manchester.The grinder was chosen by Caffe Latino founders Mark Kiaie and Keith Whitehouse for its ability to help deliver consistently perfect espressos – one of the chain’s key brand values.

 “We want our outlets to serve superior coffee all the time and know that Dalla Corte can help us achieve that,” says Mark. “The DC II GCS is a great piece of technology that overcomes the problem inconsistent grind quality which most baristas face.“Through its unique Grinder Control System (GCS), the DC II maintains a permanent connection to the espresso machine allowing constant monitoring of the quality of the coffee being ground.  If the average extraction time varies from the required time set, the grinder will automatically adjust the grinder burrs to compensate. Such control ensures the consistent quality and coffee standard that Caffe Latino is known for. We’ve invested a significant amount - over £20,000 - in Dalla Corte machines and grinders as we have seen first hand the positive effect the equipment is having on the espressos we are serving and in turn our sales figures.”

World’s first automatically controlled grinding system debuts in UK at Hotelympia  

The world’s first grind on demand system that functions without human intervention will make its debut in the UK at Hotelympia courtesy of Cooper’s Coffee.  

The DC II GCS is the latest innovation of Italian espresso machine manufacturer, Dalla Corte and guarantees consistent quality and perfect espresso extraction through its revolutionary monitoring method.

Through its unique Grinder Control System (GCS), the DC II maintains a permanent connection to the espresso machine allowing constant monitoring of the quality of the coffee being ground. As a result it is able to automatically adjust both the grind range and quantity dispensed to ensure consistent quality and standard.  

The Control System eliminates the need for baristas to adjust the grinder throughout the course of the day to counter differences in coffee bean freshness, temperature and humidity. As a result, more time is freed up for baristas to focus on finishing drinks and serving customers. 

The DC II GCS has two separate bean hoppers making it possible to hold, and serve two different types of coffee.  

Available in stainless steel or coated in a choice of seven colours, the compact design of the DC II GCS means it requires 40% less space than two conventional grinders would. It is also easily cleaned and service-friendly due to its modular design.

David Cooper, managing director of Cooper’s Coffee says: “With 100% control of the grinding parameters of both grinding gears the DC II system takes away the worry for coffee shops who find it hard to control their grinder perfectly. A bad espresso is frequently due to a grinder being set incorrectly. The DC II GCS grinder will counter this issue, eliminating the problem of bad extractions. The initial layout cost may seem high but this grinder really pays off the investment. It reduces the need for staff training and ensures that each customer will be served the very best coffee. 

“A DCII grinder working with a Dalla Corte espresso machine is without a doubt the best combination on the market today. The DC II GCS is a unique and revolutionary system by which all other machines can be measured – I’m not aware of any better system available.”

The men behind the DC II GCS are Italian father and son Bruno and Paolo Dalla Corte. Their latest development comes from decades of persistence and a desire to achieve consistently perfect espresso.

The DC II GCS is priced at £2,195 and will be available to view and purchase from Cooper’s Coffee stand (S1204) in the World of Coffee, Hotelympia.

 

Dalla Corte UK are sole importers of the Compak K-10 WBC Grinder

The official grinder of the World Barista Championships arrives in UK.

The official grinder of the World Barista Championships, the Compak K-10 WBC, will be available for purchase in the UK as of February 17th through Dalla Corte UK at the Hotelympia exhibition.

Dalla Corte UK, based in West-Yorkshire, has been awarded the exclusive rights to distribute the Compak K-10 WBC, which it describes as the best doser grinder in the world.

Designed for busy, high-end coffee shops the K-10 WBC is the perfect tool for the professional barista and is compatible with any espresso coffee machine.

Fitted with a conical grinder, the K-10 grinds 50% more quickly than most flat burr grinders, producing 35-39 lbs per hour compared to the average 25lbs. The conical grinding system also produces less heat in the grinding process, resulting in superior tasting coffee, while the motor only runs at 300 rpm (compared to the more usual 1300 rpm) resulting in less noise and therefore a more pleasant environment for customers and employees alike.

The distribution chamber delivers clump-free, easily-settled grounds while the sturdy dosing lever is smooth and ergonomic. A lightweight model, the K-10 WBC is extremely easy to clean and move around. It also has an extra large 1.7g hopper for whole coffee beans .

David Cooper, Managing Director of Dalla Corte UK says: "The K-10 is perfect for extremely busy coffee shops, especially those that never have any ground coffee left at the end of the day. It has so many features that save you time: smooth, quick and consistent dosing, accurate and stable burrs that need minimum adjustment plus superfast grinding. In addition to all this, the K-10 WBC looks extremely professional."

"I dont believe you can find a more reliable or better performing espresso grinder on the market today. Why else would it have been chosen as the preferred grinder of the World Class Barista Championships? I think most professional baristas would vouch for the K-10 WBC being an outstanding performer."

The Compak K-10 WBC retails at 695. Trade enquiries welcome email Dalla Corte on sales@dallacorte.co.uk for further details.