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BREW TIME

Take time out to get in the know at what is happening
in the hot beverages market

African cocoa plants run out
of beans

Major African cocoa plants in Ivory Coast and
Ghana have stopped or cut processing because
they cannot afford to buy beans, four trading
sources said, meaning chocolate prices around
the world are likely to soar.
Chocolate makers have already increased
prices to consumers, after three years of poor
cocoa harvests, with a fourth expected, in the two countries that
produce nearly 60% of the world's cocoa.
Cocoa prices have more than doubled over the last year, scaling
numerous all-time highs.
"We need massive demand destruction to catch up with the supply
destruction," Tropical Research Services' Steve Wateridge, a world
expert on cocoa, said.
Judge Tim Sturk and the winning team

Oatly goes from Inverurie Academy
organic BRAND NEW COMPETITION

Why is oat milk reinventing itself? OVERFLOWS WITH BARISTA
In a landscape marked by health-conscious TALENT
consumerism and evolving dietary preferences, Aberdeen-based Caber Coffee spearheaded a schools’
the oat milk segment is undergoing a barista challenge competition to shine a light on the efforts
transformative shift.
However, a few years on from its explosive of young people, nurturing the links it has created with
emergence, oat milk is now being challenged over its health numerous schools through its special equipment package,
benefits, as well as facing a downturn in sales across the broader training, and support for education settings offering the
dairy alternatives market. In response, oat milk producers have SVQ Barista Skills qualification.
embraced innovation and differentiation strategies to capture the During their 30-minute slot at Maryculter House, each
attention of discerning consumers. team was asked to produce an espresso, a caffe latte or a
This article is by Sarah Charles and was published in Coffee cappuccino, and a signature drink. Teams were also judged
Intelligence on the 23rd of February 2024 on cleanliness, customer service, and good practice while
using equipment. Participants were also invited to produce
UK's Knoops to open Middle a job advert linking the barista role with the skills required
and an infographic showing their understanding of the
East stores coffee industry.

Beyond the Middle East, the coffee chain is also Commenting on the success of the inaugural schools’
challenge, event co-creator Findlay Leask said: “The
in discussions to enter the US and China markets.
UK-based chocolate and coffee chain Knoops standard was incredibly high and we’re extremely proud to
has entered its first international partnership to have supplied the schools with all the equipment and
open stores in the Middle East, The Times has training needed to deliver the course which, in turn,
reported became the foundation of the challenge. The depth and
The company’s CEO William Gordon-Harris has expressed ambitions spread all the schools have introduced left me deeply MARCH/APRIL. 2024 | ISSUE 35
"to build a billion-dollar brand" with a target of 3,000 stores worldwide impressed at the potential released from ‘just a coffee
by 2030. machine.’ We’re already looking forward to what the teams
This article was published in GlobalDataon the 19th of March 2024. will produce next year!”
This unique event giving young people the chance to
showcase their barista skills has been hailed as a
resounding success – and plans are already in the pipeline
to make the event annual.

www.beveragestandardsassociation.co.uk