13 June 2014 | Rimini, ITALY – As an active player in the multidisciplinary field of coffee research, Nespresso shared its coffee expertise with industry professionals at the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) World of Coffee held from 10 to 12 June in Rimini, Italy. Nespresso was one of around 150 exhibitors at Europe’s leading coffee event which brought together top baristas, coffee traders, roasters and other leaders from the specialty coffee industry around the world, attracting some 5,000 trade visitors over the three-day event.
Exploring the science behind the art of coffee
The Nespresso approach to creating innovative and expert coffee experiences was addressed by Nespresso coffee experts in workshops that examined aspects from coffee bean to coffee cup from different disciplinary perspectives.
Edouard Thomas, International Sensory Manager at Nespresso, invited coffee professionals to sharpen their sensory skills by exploring intensity and aromatic diversity in Nespresso Ristretto Grands Crus. Participants learned how green coffee selection as well as coffee processing can lead to very diverse aromatic profiles in the intense coffee segment. Thomas, who is also actively engaged in coffee sensory training for international coffee and culinary professionals, was also honoured at the event with a recognition award for his outstanding contributions to the SCAE Coffee Diploma System.
How different coffee origins express themselves in the cup was the subject of a workshop led by Shirin Moayyad, Nespresso Coffee Expertise Leverage Manager and Florent Lefebvre, Nespresso Green Coffee Quality Specialist. They explained how, through careful green coffee sourcing through the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, as well as meticulous blending and roasting at Nespresso production centres in Switzerland, Nespresso develops unique Grand Cru coffees that reflect in their taste the geographic, climate and soil conditions of their origins.
Meanwhile, Massimiliano Marchesi, who serves as Nespresso Coffee Ambassador in Italy and is also a sommelier, embarked on a sensory journey with curious coffee aficionados. Together they explored how terroir impacts the taste of two different champagnes, and identified parallels with the two Nespresso Limited Edition Colombian Terroir Grands Crus from Cauca and Santander.
Fostering the dialogue within the global expert coffee community
The Nespresso coffee expertise workshops at Rimini are but one of several ways in which the company is fostering an ongoing dialogue between coffee professionals and the scientific community around the world.
In April of this year, Nespresso coffee experts travelled to Seattle, Washington, USA to present their scientific findings on the importance of crema in coffee appreciation at the annual Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Symposium. In addition, around 10,000 international visitors to the SCAA Exposition, from coffee growers and traders to roasters and baristas, could experience first hand the benefits of perfect crema produced by the Nespresso OriginalLine system and new VertuoLine system developed for the North American market. The Nespresso presence marked the launch of the VertuoLine to the international coffee expert community, and coincided with the VertuoLine roadshow that introduced the new system around the country.
Later this year, Nespresso will go to Colombia to actively participate in the International Conference on Coffee Research (ASIC) hosted by the Colombian Coffee Federation (FNC).
“Coffee is an amazingly complex product, and scientific knowledge is the key to understanding its many facets along the value chain, from the coffee bean to the coffee in your cup,” said Britta Folmer, Nespresso Science Manager.
“Only by constantly deepening our expertise can we continue to create both the highest quality coffees and ever new coffee experiences for our consumers.”
