Located at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, the Summer Fancy Food Show is the place to be this weekend. Currently a flurry of activity with exhibtors rushing to prepare their booths for the next three days of showing and selling.

Kaffe Magnum Opus (Booth 5553) is set to welcome coffeehouse and gourmet retailers who want to increase their profits and gain a competitive advantage within their marketplace. Stop by and sample the opening days selection of specialty coffees.   At the booth savor flavored coffees such as French Cognac, Java Spice and Jamaican Me Crazy. Featured regular coffee choices include Fair Trade Organic El Toro Loco, Black Satin and the Guatemalan Finca La Tacita estate coffee.

Stop by and say hello to us.

Can’t make it to the show… No problem!  Visit the KMO online store at www.KMOCoffee.com or call in (800) 652-5282.

Not too many years ago adding a flavor to your coffee other than Hazelnut or French Vanilla would be considered sacrilegious, but lately almost anything goes.  If Kopi Luwak, the coffee which is processed through the Asian Palm Civet’s (Weasel) digestive tract and deposited out it’s back end and then harvested from the Indonesian jungle floor isn’t your cup of tea, then buckle up for the next ride…

85c, a Taiwanese based coffee company with its flagship store in Irvine, CA    hopes to acquaint American’s with the taste of sea salt in their espresso-based drinks and challenge their taste buds to new and unique styles of inexpensive pastries.   It use to be a treat finding a fine French buttery croissant or dense cranberry orange scone to munch on but palates be ready for some new taste sensations!   Stephanie Peng, manager of the store notes in the article  “One surprise crossover hit is a black squid-ink bread, made with Vermont sharp cheddar cheese and garlic paste”.

Drip by drip

The company, which dubs itself the Starbucks of Taiwan opened in late fall of 2008.  It mainly attracted Asian customers in the beginning but now counts 50% Non-Asians as loyal customers.

With rapidly changing demographics, business owners stand before a grand opportunity to introduce their businesses and products to new middle class citizens venturing out into the mainstream of America.  Being able to adapt, adjust and seize upon these new prospective customers is critical to long term success.

Take a stroll through any grocery store and one can see how the tastes of American’s are changing.  According to Julia Huang, CEO of a company that tracks Asian trends in the United States, 85C could gain real traction in the U.S. market.

“For some reason, in the past four to five years, American tastes — and we’re not talking about cuisine, we’re talking about snacks — [and] comfort food has changed so much,” she says.

Changes occurring within your local environment will provide you with a sense of awareness of how to position your business.  Go to the mall, grocery store, festivals, the park or sit outside your store and witness who your potential customers are.  Are you doing what it takes to meet their needs?  What three things can you do to introduce yourself and business to these folks?  All it may take is some slight changes to the menu,  some new items in the case or maybe some new world beat music streaming through the shop.

We are all a sum of everything we have done in the past, so if positive changes are desired for the future the time to initiate success is now.

Keep a pot on and make it black…

Robert

For viewing the complete article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127474607

Contact me directly at Robert@KMOCoffee.com or 800/652-5282 and let’s talk about growing your business.

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(Admin’s note: Blog edited November 9, 2009 for minor changes and clarity.)

What’s this Fair-Trade stuff all about?

(a quick recap from last blog post)

Fair-Trade certification is an organized social movement & economic-based approach that aspires to help producers in developing countries promote sustainability by paying close attention to the details in trade & cutting out the middle man.

This means the farmers are being paid fairly for their work, the living and working conditions are safer & the producers have direct access to international markets, thereby cutting out the middle man and extra costs.

In today’s society of social responsibility our cars are becoming gas sippers as opposed to gas guzzlers, our papers & plastics are becoming more recyclable and our homes are becoming greener. It’s fashionable to care about more than just what affects us & us alone. Fair-Trade coffees fit cozily right in the middle of that societal fad.

In addition to the social responsibility, there’s also the health aspect. With people searching for ways to lead a healthy & long life, the organic market keeps growing and growing. Currently, according to TransFair USA, 60% of Fair-Trade certified coffees in the U.S. are also certified organic.

Am I made for Fair-Trade?

When you’re adding new coffees to your line-up, it’s a perfect time to re-evaluate your customer base. You should ask yourself some important questions when considering Fair-Trade Organic coffees:

• Ultimately the decision to bring in Fair-Trade Organic coffees is one that can increase sales, with the right amount of effort and research involved.
  • If you’re near a college or university you may think about appealing to the different humanitarian and environmentalist groups often found on campuses. By introducing Fair-Trade Organic coffees, you’ll appeal directly to these customers.
  • You can think about creating a “Fair-Trade Friday” or an Organic day where you offer an “Only Organic” special of all Fair-Trade & Organic items. You can offer a Fair-Trade & Organic coffee or espresso based drink with Organic milks & an organic scone or muffin at a discounted price.
• Know who your customers are and what they like! It sounds trivial but it matters. Take an informal tally one morning. Grab a couple pieces of paper and check off how many men vs. women, how many cups of flavored, dark, medium or light roasted coffees you sell. These little tidbits can be helpful when choosing which new Fair-Trade Organic coffees to bring in.
• Don’t re-invent the wheel. Give your customers what they want and what you know already works. If they like a dark roast, bring in a dark roasted FTO. If they like Breakfast Blend, bring in a FTO Breakfast Blend coffee. Give them what they already like, but with a Fair Trade Organic twist.
• Display your shelf-talkers where your customers can see them. Be prepared to talk to your customers who are interested about Fair-Trade Organic issues or about organizations like Café Feminino. This foundation serves to empower the women coffee producers who are now able to provide clothing and education to their children. This is the face of Fair-Trade Certified coffee; real men, real people and real lives.

The Cafe Femenino Foundation

Be educated about the kinds of coffees you’re offering and don’t be timid when it comes to telling your customers about it. If you’re asked a question that you don’t know the answer to, call us! (800-652-5282)

FTO coffee takes on a whole new meaning when your customers understand just what it is their dollars are supporting.

• Alert your local media. Call them up and let them know you’re now carrying Fair-Trade Organic coffees and be specific.
• Team up with a local woman’s group or foundation.
• If you’re carrying Café Feminino you should also alert the Café Feminino Foundation so they can link to your business from their website, as an authorized retailer.

Sample, Sample, Sample! If you give it to them for free, chances are they’ll at least try it. It’s the best way to get someone to understand just how good your product is!

The possibilities are endless. Get creative and think about what your customers want and how you’re going to provide that for them. Talk to local organizations about partnering with them.

www.fairtrade.net

www.transfairUSA.org

www.KMOcoffee.com
(fair trade page: http://www.kmocoffee.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=Fair+Trade+and+Organic+Coffee)

Cafe Femenino Foundation: http://www.coffeecan.org/