Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
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COUNTER INTELLIGENCE continued from page 61 SKILLS ON YOUR SCREEN U.K. barista-training outfit Coffee Community released a training app designed specifically for the Apple iPad. Dubbed "Coffee: Beans, Barista and Latte Art," the app includes an interactive map that lets users better understand how flavors differ in beans grown in various regions; a recipe guide for constructing a range of coffee beverages; and detailed instructions for developing key behind-the-bar skills. The program also provides videos that explain adjusting a grinder, pulling shots, foaming and texturing milk, and creating latte art. All the seg- ments are filmed on a commercial machine, allowing professionals in the industry to transfer the ideas to their own establishments. coffee- community.co.uk STAYING IN SCHOOLS Los Angeles-based roaster F. Gavina & Sons, producers of the brand Don Francisco's Coffee, announced an educational outreach program as part of its "Grounds for Caring" initiative. The three-year project directly aids two schools in El Salvador: San Carlos, which teaches 42 students from preschool to sixth grade, and Talnique, which teaches 391 students from preschool to high school. Both schools were screened and selected based on the needs of the communities surrounding them. The program aims to improve the local schools' infrastructures and launch remote learning facilities in partnership with Mexican university Tecnológico de Monterrey. The ECOM Foundation, Farmer Brothers Coffee and the Borgonovo Enterprise Group are also part- ners in the program. 800/697-5282. donfranciscos.com CUSTOMER SERVICE 2.0 Tea Embassy, an Austin-based company specializing in tea and tea accessories, recently launched TeaType software on its Web site, allowing customers to take a quick, five-question survey to help them find the tea that best suits them. The program asks whether consumers want caffeine, if they add anything to the beverage, what flavors they like most and what they want the tea "to do" (wake them up, bring relaxation, boost health, etc.). TeaType then sorts through the company's 200-plus offerings, looking at 22 categories before delivering its choices. "The questions TeaType asks are the same questions we ask customers who walk into our store," says Tea Embassy co-owner Jonathan Sims. 512/330-9991. teaembassy.com LEAPS AND BOUNDS Late last year, Equator Coffees & Teas (based in San Rafael, Calif.) received the 2011 Growth Award presented by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). The San Francisco chapter of ACG, a business organization for mid-size companies with chapters all over the world, annually chooses one mid-size company that exemplifies strong growth and overall performance to honor with the Growth Award. The winner is selected from a group of peer-nominated companies, and the awarded company must demonstrate at least three consecutive years of revenue or profit gains. More than 20 businesses were nominated to the San Francisco chapter this year. 800/809-7687. equatorcoffees.com 62 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com