The Blend Blog

Meet Mont Blanc: Michael Szyliowicz

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:33:49 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Michael Szyliowicz

Title: Chocolatier, Co-Founder

Born: Grew up in Denver

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

I come up with ideas for products— and I have dinner with customers.

How did you get your start in this field?

Twenty-five years ago I learned to make chocolates in Paris, and everything just kind of fell into place after that.

What’s the best part about your job?

The best part of my job is getting to think about all of these fantastic new products we create for customers.

What do you order at your favorite café?

Coffee black, or a mocha.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

In my life as a "top secret" drink developer, I come across a lot of great ideas... but I’m not ready to share them quite yet!

Meet Mont Blanc: Traci Lynn Markle

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:50:51 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Traci Lynn Markle

Title: Sales Assistant

Born: Jacksonville, FL (spent most of my life in Philadelphia though – age 2 to 20)

What do you do for Mont Blanc?

I sell and assist in sales: send samples, follow up on leads, process orders, invoicing, coordinate shipping and keep everything running smoothly around the office.

How did you start in this field?

I wanted to work for a smaller company with a friendly workplace. I have been doing office admin stuff for many years.

What’s the best part of your job?

I like the people here, even Jim and Paul (the resident jokesters) have their moments. And Michael is a great boss.

What do you order at a café?

I order a cappuccino, extra shot and low fat milk.

Last great idea you came across?

The last time I visited Telluride, Colo., I attended a fesitval and the entire event was “green." Everything was either compostable or recyclable. The plastic cups used for lemonade, etc., were actually made of corn and therefore biodegradable, and they had compost and recycle bins everywhere. They also allowed everyone to use refillable containers to bring in their own water and juice instead of selling plastic water bottles. You actually got a $2 discount for beers if you reused your cup, and nobody was permitted to drive their cars into town. I thought it was really cool that a tiny town like that could put together an entirely “green” festival.

Meet Mont Blanc: Irene Szyliowicz

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:12:45 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Irene Szyliowicz

Title: President

Born: London, England

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

I am in charge of Export sales and service.

How did you get your start in this field?

I got my start at the beginning of this company, and the chocolate business my son and I created in 1985, then called The French Confection. We made chocolate candies, which we learned to manufacture in Paris, France. This business evolved out of that one.

What’s the best part about your job?

The best part of my job is going to trade shows where I get to meet my customers in person and, hopefully, attract new ones.

What do you order at your favorite café?

I usually order a decaf cappuccino with skimmed milk.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

I was visiting a friend in a nursing home who had multiple sclerosis and could no longer communicate. I took her hand and realized she had the power to press mine. I could then ask her questions which demanded “yes” or “no” answers, and she would press my hand whenever she agreed. I finally found a way to communicate with her!

Meet Mont Blanc: Dina Paz

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:43:15 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Dina Paz

Title: Project Manager

Born (location): Honduras

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

I oversee Private Label programs and manage new customer concepts from design to production.

How did you get your start in this field?

My culinary degree allowed me entry into fine dining, and eventually got into Research and Development as a lab technician.

What’s the best part about your job?

The camaraderie of my co-workers, fun atmosphere, and the innovative products we test and research on a daily basis.

What do you order at your favorite café?

I usually order hot coffee, but when I splurge, I like a foamy Cambric tea.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

On-the-go flavor shots—a perfect complement to my coffee without the added fuss.

Meet Mont Blanc: Eric Nakata

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:49:21 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Eric Nakata

Title: Director of R&D

Born (location): Torrance, CA

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

Research and development.

How did you get your start in this field?

Reverse engineering food in restaurants.

What’s the best part about your job?

Creating solutions people can drink.

What do you order at your favorite café?

Coffee with touch of honey and maybe a dash of cinnamon.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

A sustainable refrigerator that doesn’t require gas or electricity.

Meet Mont Blanc: Jim Shea

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:39:34 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Jim Shea

Title: Director of Manufacturing & Logistics

Born (location): New Jersey

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

Production Control, Inventory Control, Logistics Control, Purchasing, Product Costing, Sales Data Collection, coordinate special requirements for International sales order, pull weeds & keep parking lot clean

How did you get your start in this field?

I worked for a company where no one else wanted the planning job – the rest is history!

What’s the best part about your job?

When all the plans fall into place without a hitch.

What do you order at your favorite café?

I’m not a coffee drinker, but I do like IHOP’s French Toast.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

I got a book-light recently, and it may be the best invention since the wheel. I know it’s an old idea, but I sure do like it!

Check back in the next few weeks to meet the rest of the Mont Blanc Gourmet team!

Book Review—“Out of Poverty” by Paul Polak

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:04:47 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Paul Polak founded IDE, International Development Enterprises, as a non-profit dedicated to eradicating poverty twenty-five years ago. Yet unlike many similar organizations, it tries to accomplish its goal through a very different approach to helping lift people out of poverty. There are over one billion people in the world who live on $1 a day, many of whom are farmers, growing commodity crops like rice for their own consumption. Polak argues that the only sustainable way to improve their lives is to nurture their inherent entrepreneurial spirit and allow them to make and sell high value products or offer services from which the income can be invested allowing an individual or families to prosper on an ongoing basis.

Polak cites three poverty eradication myths that he believes perpetuate the problem.

Donations will help end poverty. Polak feels that simply giving money to people will not solve the problem on a long-term basis. The idea of “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for life,” illustrates this well.
Big business will end poverty. This is not the case because big business does not see the “$1 a day person” as their customer. However, Polak makes a compelling argument that given the right products priced appropriately, the $1 a day consumer makes a very compelling market.
Governments that receive international aid will end poverty. This simply hasn’t worked, as decades of international aid donations for hundreds of billions of dollars has not made a significant difference worldwide to the number of people living in poverty.

Polak’s belief is that these entrepreneurs can help themselves move out of poverty by changing their agricultural practices. He argues that the path out of poverty is one that needs to be sustainable and that sustainability will come from transitioning current ideas about farming to ones that offer the farmer the ability to offer higher value, differentiated items. To do so, they need access to cheap irrigation, seeds, fertilizer, and markets.

In addition, he firmly believes that these entrepreneurs represent a huge, untapped market for goods that will improve their lives as long as the items they purchase are designed to withstand the rugged environments where they will be used, priced aggressively enough so that they can be purchased, and that those items will be used to help the entrepreneur generate additional income.

Calling it “Design for the Other 90%,” IDE has pioneered extremely low cost but reliable products that allow those living on $1 a day to help change their lives. Two of those examples are a treadle pump for getting water out of the ground for both irrigation and drinking and a donkey cart used for hauling. The total cost for the treadle pump is $25, and to date almost 2.5 million have been purchased and installed. The water creates more effective irrigation of land, allowing farmers to grow crops that have a higher value in the market, thus generating more income.

The donkey cart was designed and sold in Somalia refugee camps in the 1980s. The first donkey cart cost $450 dollars and was paid for on credit. But its owner immediately was generating $200/month in new income from hauling goods, so the cart paid for itself in less than three months. To put that in perspective, the $200 monthly income generated by the cart owner was almost 15 times that of other people in the camps.

Both the pump and the cart help fulfill Polak’s idea that farmers with access to irrigation to grow off-season, high value crops, and the ability to get those crops to markets will fundamentally change the nature of their entrepreneurial enterprise and allow them to lift themselves out of poverty through their own efforts. It is a compelling idea and story, and Paul Polak and IDE deserve both a wider audience and continued support.

Cash, CUC's and Cuba

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:57:58 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Buying anything in Cuba is a tale of two currencies. I arrived in Havana with many, many U.S. dollars in my pocket. I knew that I couldn’t use a credit card, and I assumed that like in most places around the world, American currency would be used if necessary. But I quickly learned that as a foreigner, my transactions would be in CUCs, or kooks, as they are called.

The CUC, or convertible peso, is worth approximately $1.00. However, there is a service charge on every exchange, so the real value is $0.87. Stores and restaurants in Havana only take CUCs. And the idea that Cuba is an inexpensive place to visit isn’t necessarily true.

Visiting the Buena Vista Social Club for an evening of listening to jazz was 25 CUC. The legendary nightclub The Tropicana could be visited for 95 CUC. Cocktails cost between 5 and 10 CUC. Even though these prices are on par with those find in other large cities around the world, they seemed incongruous in Havana. Targeting tourists or wealthy Cubans, it is an easy, if expensive system to navigate.

For people living in Cuba, the story is different. Workers in Cuba are paid in CUPs, or Cuban Pesos. Though difficult to determine an exact figure, we were told that the CUP traded at about 25-1 to a CUC, and an average monthly wage could be approximately 1000-1500 CUPs. This is augmented by ration cards, which allow citizens to purchase staples like bread and cooking oil at low, extremely subsidized rates. Sugar, for example, is $0.15/lb.

The disparity between purchasing goods with CUPs and CUCs is astonishing. The challenge for ordinary Cubans to survive, we were told, is obtaining overseas remittances that can be converted into CUCs, or to try to obtain work that can receive tips from foreigners. The most coveted job in Cuba is a bartender in a hotel catering to tourists, serving expensive drinks, resulting in heaps of CUCs as tips.

Though this system works for a tiny fraction of the population, we kept hearing how difficult it was for regular Cubans to live. It doesn’t seem that this parallel currency system can be sustainable for much longer.

Cuban Rum

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:58:04 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Cuba has a long tradition with sugar and rum. Beginning in the 1500s, sugar was cultivated on the island, becoming its biggest export and cash crop. Slaves were brought from Haiti to work the fields, cutting the cane. In the 1700s, as distillation became more prevalent, the crop was used to produce rum, and soon entire villages were created to process the sugar cane and distill it into rum. The sugarcane is crushed to obtain juice, which is then fermented with a mixture of yeast and water.

During this fermentation process the rum is stirred in large vats. The type of yeast used will help determine the final flavor of the rum, with slow acting yeast giving a fuller, richer flavor, whereas faster acting yeast produces a lighter taste. When the fermentation is complete, the liquid is distilled using either a column or pot still. After distillation the rum is transferred to casks for aging. Often wooden barrels are aged, giving the finished rum a darker color and enhanced flavor.

By the early 1800s, Cuba was the second country in the world to have a sophisticated train network, allowing the movement of sugar cane from the fields to the factories and then finished bottles of rum to warehouses for shipment worldwide. The most well known Cuban rum is Bacardi, which left Cuba after the revolution and is now produced in Puerto Rico.

When Bacardi’s rum factories were nationalized by the government in the 1960s, a new brand of rum, Havana Gold, was created and is now marketed worldwide in competition with Bacardi in a joint venture with Diageo.

The original Bacardi building still stands in downtown Havana. It is a beautiful Art Deco reminder of what is the most well known rum brand in the world. Rumors persist that one day Bacardi will return to Cuba and reclaim its factories and buildings.

Atop the original Bacardi building is its iconic bat, patiently waiting.

Sugar, Politics and Cuba

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:59:31 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Sugar is so sweet that we don’t often think about its bitter side. For centuries it was the basis of a triangular slave trade between Africa, the Caribbean, and England. Slaves were brought from Africa to work in plantations in the Caribbean, sugar was exported to England and the United States where it was converted into rum, and manufactured goods were sent to Africa to exchange for slaves, who were shipped back to the Caribbean.

In the 1700s and 1800s the sugar trade flourished. By the mid 1800s sugar was Cuba’s primary agricultural crop, and the U.S. took more than 80 percent of its exports. By the 1920s, American companies established offices in Cuba and owned more than 60 percent of the Cuban sugar industry and imported more than 95 percent of all of the sugar grown on the island.

As leader of Cuba in the 1930s, Fulgencio Batista continued an era of close business and political cooperation. But with his overthrow by Fidel Castro in 1959, however, the political climate changed as relations soured. Businesses were nationalized, and a trade embargo was put in place, preventing the sale of any sugar to the U.S.

Seeking a buyer for its main export, Cuba sought and found a willing partner in the Soviet Union, which agreed to purchase its entire crop. Thus the Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere was established, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis and an ongoing trade embargo with a country that was once one of our closest trading partners.

It is tempting to imagine how different the situation might be had we chosen to continue importing Cuban sugar 50 years ago.

Bienvenidos a Cuba

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:47:57 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I recently visited Cuba on an official mission through Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), of which I have been a member for almost 10 years.

EO is about encouraging entrepreneurship worldwide, and the purpose of the mission was to introduce business leaders to Cuban business, as well as political, cultural, and daily life.

EO is a global organization, so although most of the group was from the United States, we also had entrepreneurs from India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and New Zealand. There were 80 of us on the trip.

The visit was structured to allow us access to many different facets of Cuban society, and to say it was jam packed with meetings and visits would be an understatement.

Over the course of four days, I visited a Santeria temple, the National University of the Arts, received a briefing from the U.S. Interest Section about the political situation in the country, was addressed by the speaker of the General Assembly, met with the leader of the Jewish Community and toured the Patronato synagogue, visited private art galleries and met Cuban artists, attended a trade show where Cuban and international companies were exhibiting products for both import and export, dined at a private restaurant or paladar, discussed the challenges of running a foodservice operation in Havana with the restaurant owner, and toured both a rum factory and chocolate shop.

The tour offered fascinating insights into Cuban life on all levels, and I will attempt to capture some of my impressions in upcoming blog posts and photographs.

Have any of you ever been to Cuba? What was your feeling about this unique country?

Freestyling

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:16:54 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

One of the big news items in beverages over the last year has been the introduction of the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. This soft drink machine creates variations and flavors of many of the different Coke brands, with over 100 different choices and literally thousands of drink combinations. The dispenser allows consumers to mix and match and customize their beverage experience, and equipped with a touch screen, the consumer can choose which variety they prefer.

Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Iced tea and energy drinks are all available, along with other Coke brands. If choosing Coke, then a sub menu appears with the different flavors available. Options include Regular Coke, Cherry Coke, Lime Coke, Raspberry Coke, and Vanilla Coke. To receive the drink, place your cup below the dispenser and hold the button for the flavor you desire. To stop dispensing, simply lift off the button, and to add another flavor, press the appropriate icon.

I created a Cherry Lime Coke with a splash of Vanilla.

According to operators, the Freestyle machine has generated additional beverage sales—which is no surprise, given how consumers have become accustomed to mass customization of their beverages in coffee shops. No longer is a plain latte a drink of choice; instead, the tall, two pump, extra hot soy latte is a more common order given to a barista. Beverage choices for customers keep multiplying, and whether it is with soft drinks or lattes, the smart operators are making sure they offer enough variety to keep their customers coming back, and trying different beverages on subsequent visits.

Our Brand Evolution

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:45:07 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

I began working with Mont Blanc Gourmet as Account Director for Cohn Marketing back in 2004, and today I am Marketing Director for Mont Blanc. I’ve been fortunate to be part of the brand evolution as we have learned from each phase and grown stronger. Our company values have remained the same — quality, innovation and fun are stirred into everything we do — but our look has evolved.

When I started each of our products had whimsical personalities and we primarily sold our syrups and sauces to the specialty coffee industry. As the industry grew we created a niche for ourselves in private label beverage formulation for some of the largest coffee and QSR operators and with that growth rather than product characters, we developed the character of our innovation team. The latest phase of our brand evolution speaks to our ability to turn What-Ifs into Must-Haves not only for our private label customers but also to our own product line. We are working on product enhancements and new products that show our continued commitment to quality, innovation and fun. Stay tuned!

Say Cheese

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:37:18 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I like coffee. And I like cheese.

The most interesting product I tasted today was cheese made by BellaVitano, a company in Wisconsin. Like a Parmigiano-Reggiano, it is a firm cheese with a distinct nutty flavor. What makes this particular one unique is that it is coated with espresso coffee. The coffee gives the cheese an even more distinctive flavor, as well a bit of texture. The combination of the flavors is unusual but works surprisingly well.

The next time I finish a meal in a restaurant and ask for the cheese plate, I hope it comes with a slice of their espresso Parmigiano. It will make a perfect pairing with a cup of coffee to end the evening.

“Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down…”

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:52:43 +0000

...And the medicine is bitter if you are buying sugar commercially.

One of the dirtiest secrets in the confectionary world is that the United States has an absurd sugar quota system, where 4,700 domestic sugar producers benefit from subsidies and tariffs. In fact, each producer has an allotment it is allowed to sell and cannot exceed that number, even if there is demand. As a result, manufacturers are forced to pay almost double the worldwide price. The current quoted commodity price for sugar is approximately $0.26/lb. In the U.S., purchasing in bulk, the cost is almost 2.5 times that. And the price of every product using sugar is affected.

Several years ago, a large, iconic chocolate company moved its hard candy production to Mexico because the price of sugar was so much less. So jobs, resources, profits and American business left this country. One statistic I read shows that since 1997, more 110,000 jobs have been lost in sugar producing industries.

It is a ridiculous situation, and currently there is strong lobbying on behalf of several industries in an attempt to change the system. It will be an epic battle, but if they succeed, changing the system will be sweet, indeed.

Now we’re E-Cooking

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:40:32 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Julia Child was a pioneer of cooking and the first television cooking celebrity. Everybody in the food industry owes her a huge debt of gratitude, as she encouraged an entire generation to try new foods and experiment with different cuisines and recipes. She introduced so much of what we take for granted in what we eat. So it is only fitting that she is again a pioneer in cooking.

Alfred Knopf, the publisher of her famous “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” is releasing it as an electronic cookbook. Now her recipes are adapted for digital readers. Working at home, chefs can now read the recipes on iPads and recreate them in their kitchens. One advantage of digital cookbooks is that chefs can click on hyperlinks to learn more about a specific technique or ingredient. And, with the original book weighing in at 752 pages, an e-reader will be much less cumbersome on a counter.

The number of digital cookbooks is increasing, and most are traditional titles. As these numbers increase, I’m looking forward to reading and using some of the great chocolate and bakery cookbooks that are currently only available in print. I’m also looking forward to seeing those beautiful pictures of truffles and couverture on my iPad.

And I will remember Julia Child, talking with M. Bernachon of Lyon, about how to make the perfect chocolate truffle. And then try to recreate that recipe on my electronic cookbook.

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:02:37 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

For an industry obsessed with sustainability and conservation, specialty coffee shops are among the most wasteful I have ever seen. For all the talk of environmental protection and safeguarding precious natural resources, that seems to fly out the window, or, more accurately be poured down the drain, when making a single cup of coffee.

I frequent a popular café that serves a famous national roaster’s coffee by the cup in Denver and was just honored by the local paper as having the best coffee in the city. Their coffee is served by the cup only, and they have expanded their menu to offer several different coffees daily, all made using single brew methods such as pour overs, chemex, and siphons. Every time I order a cup and stand by the bar to watch it made I cringe.

The barista first fills a long handled pot with hot water; then he or she places the filter in and adds water, which flows through into the carafe below and is then thrown away. Next, the filter is filled with grounds, and water is poured in to make the coffee.

As the coffee is brewing, more hot water is poured into the mug, ostensibly preparing it to receive the sacred brew. When the coffee is ready, the water in the mug is poured down the drain. The coffee is then poured into the mug, and the remaining water from the long stemmed coffee pot that was used fill the pour over is also poured out.

Does this make any sense at all? Is it really necessary to waste the equivalent of two-three cups of water just to make a single cup of coffee? Given the scarcity of water worldwide, I would think that people would be looking more closely at how to conserve such a precious resource.

Because if this pattern continues, and, given the increasing issues around water I don’t see how it can, the specialty coffee industry really needs to take a hard look at itself and its practices and stop trumpeting its environmental credentials.

Sowing their Oats

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:31:01 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I am a big believer of innovation and am continually frustrated by the lack of innovation in the specialty coffee industry. There have been no significant new product introductions for years, and every trade show I visit has the same roster of exhibitors showcasing the same products for beverages.

At long last, there is a product that is taking the industry by storm, and I see it popping up in many cafes. And it isn’t a drink—it’s breakfast.

Oatmeal has burst on the scene in the last several years and has become the must-have menu addition. Stores are embracing it as consumers ask for healthier and protein filled options to accompany their morning drink. Distributors are selling it both on its own merits and as a way to sell other items to cafes that are seeing increased sales.

One coffee roaster told me that his coffee sales increased because his customers now want better coffee to wash down the oatmeal. I never expected innovation for specialty coffee to be steel cut, but at last something is spurring new ideas in an industry starving for new ideas.

Recycling Cups

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:56:23 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Recycling has become mainstream in America. Special colored containers sit curbside in front of garages and behind houses on garbage day holding newspaper, glass, plastic, Styrofoam and cardboard to be hauled away and recycled. Restaurants, too, have their special containers next to dumpsters. But one item bedevils every seller of hot drinks, and that is the ubiquitous coffee cup.

Because it contains a hot liquid, the inside has a lining that simply isn’t recyclable. And with billions of beverages sold annually in the U.S., that amounts to a lot of paper that is simply being thrown away and not reused in any fashion.

In the last several years the larger companies have collaborated to try and figure out solutions to the cup challenge. The collaborative cup summits have been held to analyze and discuss the problem. The largest players have publicly declared that the cup issue is their number one priority, and much time and energy has been expended brainstorming and trying to solve the problem.

I know that this will ultimately be solved. It won’t be easy, and it will take investments by everyone. Suppliers will have to invest in new technology for new processes and products. Companies will have to spend more money on innovative products. And consumers might have to pay more initially so that the new options will be able to reach critical mass and ultimately cost less.

The end goal of converting and recycling those billions of cups into usable, reused products is compelling. I’m watching from the sidelines and looking forward to the day that billions of coffee cups are not sent directly into the landfill.

Fizzling Out

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:41:19 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

For years fizzy drink sales were the rule—not the exception—when eating out.

QSRs and fast food operators relied on sodas for both easy sales and high profits. Lately, though, that trend is changing. Fewer fizzy drinks are being sold, and there is a simultaneous rise in specialty coffee and tea beverages.

Just check out this recent study by The NPD Group, which examines how soft drink sales have diminished drastically over the years. The chart on the right side of this post shows how iced tea and specialty coffee have really surged in the past year.

One astute operator I spoke to has showcased different flavors of iced tea next to the soda dispenser and watched sales increase fivefold. Other players are featuring higher ticket and higher margin coffee drinks to accompany their hamburgers and salads. Drive-thrus are no longer the sole province of soda pop. Like drinks that are left out too long, carbonated beverage sales are flat. Consumers have been trained to expect more variety, and successful operators are those introducing the unusual, interesting, and differentiated drinks. Unusual teas. Iced coffees. Flavored lemonades. Energy drinks.

That just scratches the surface, and I’m looking forward to seeing what bubbles up next…

Crossing The Pond

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:08:58 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Coffee as a beverage has always had an international flavor. From the stories of Kaldi, the Ethiopian goat herder who watched his flock consume coffee berries and become animated to the coffee houses of Egypt, England, and France, it has always been worldwide beverage. And as it proliferated in the United States, most of the drinks were variations of Italian inspired lattes, cappuccino, and espresso.

But American cafes popularized the flavored coffee beverages that are now ubiquitous by adding syrups and sauces to the drink. For years a handful of American companies have offered arrays of brightly colored and filled bottles to enhance the beverages that Americans consume. And, as so often happens, those bottles have been exported worldwide, broadening the base of American style cafes around the globe.

At Coffee Fest, however, for the first time, two different British companies were exhibiting their products, exporting to America their versions of the syrups and sauces that Americans have enjoyed in their French Vanilla lattes and Dark Chocolate mochas for years.

Both the Italian Beverage Company with its “Simply” line and Sweetbird have their niche. I look forward to seeing how they compete stateside with more established companies, and whether Americans will embrace these new flavors from across the ocean in their traditional drinks.

Happy National Coffee Day!

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:21:08 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Did you know that September 29 is National Coffee Day? That’s right—somebody, somewhere claimed this day as the annual celebration of coffee in America, and as specialty beverage providers who love to concoct delicious and inspiring specialty coffees, we would like to wish you a very happy National Coffee Day!

To celebrate, we encourage you to take advantage of the discounts and promotions associated with the “holiday.” Visit the National Coffee Day website for details on where to score discounted coffee.

If you’re feeling very festive, try making one of our signature specialty coffee drinks; the recipes can be found on our Recipes page. We recommend the “Ghana Single-Origin Gingerbread Mocha” as a perfect way to celebrate the day!

Ghana Single-Origin Gingerbread Mocha
1.5 fl. oz. (3 pumps) Chai Tea Concentrate
1.5 fl. oz. (3 pumps) Ghana Single-Origin Chocolate Sauce
1–2 shots espresso
Top off with steamed milk
Top with whipped cream and drizzle with Ghana Single-Origin Chocolate Sauce

Botanicals

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:33:31 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

One of the more recent trends in beverages is botanical infused drinks. One of my favorites is gin, which is alcohol that is often infused with flavors like juniper and citrus. I much prefer it to vodka, the most popular spirit, because to me a great, plain vodka has no flavor. But gin has a lot of complexity due to the flavors that are instilled.

Outside of bars, the same situation is occurring with non-alcoholic beverages. Customers are asking us to create unusually flavored syrups to add to traditional drinks like iced tea and lemonade. Recently, we worked with one customer, developing fruit and botanical combinations like strawberry basil and coconut rosemary.

These simple syrup combinations enhanced the base tea and helped bring forth flavor and complexity in the finished iced drink. Too often, iced tea is like vodka—popular, but uninspired. I hope that these new flavors will allow new drinks that are more interesting and taste different. Like gin.

Have you noticed the rise of Botanicals, as well? What's been your favorite combination to date?

Customized Drinks

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:27:40 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Mass customization has become the mantra for cafés and quick-serve restaurants that allow their customers to order highly customized yet quickly producible beverages. Starbucks boasts that customers can order 87,000 different drink combinations. Although this has been a hallmark of specialty coffee operators for years, it is now working its way into more traditional food service operations.

I recently had lunch with the founder of a rapidly growing gourmet burger concept and discussed beverages. I ordered an ice tea, and he proudly showed me their new tea platform. It is three different flavors of tea stacked next to each other and merchandised in clear self serve containers. The flavors include a black tea, pomegranate and passion fruit.

He confided that not only have iced tea sales increased significantly, but also the majority of customers mix and match the teas. Given choices, customers are willing to pay a little bit more to experiment and spend the time to create their own blends.

Smart operators will continue to create programs that cater to the unique tastes of each customer. Do you agree? Are you a mix-and-matcher at your favorite restaurant?

UPDATE: Reaping the Benefits

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:06:32 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Earlier this month, I put together a round up of recent reports and studies that heralded the health benefits of chocolate. It only took three weeks since my original update for yet another report to look at the health benefits of my favorite dessert: chocolate.

According to the most recent report, published by the medical journal BMJ, chocolate consumption can be linked to lower rates or stroke, coronary heart disease, blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions. Of course, all of these studies come with the caveat that moderation is critical when discussing the health benefits of chocolate.

Still, this is more good news for chocolate lovers!

Teavana

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:27:05 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I’m not really a shopper, but I happened to be in the mall recently because I was looking at cars. As I left I walked by Teavana, a tea retailer that has grown significantly in the last several years.

When we first met them years ago they had a handful of stores selling tea and related merchandise. Now they have dozens of retail locations across the United States. They sell tea as a beverage and not the beverage itself.

The stores sell tea in leaf and bags, tea pots, cosies and accessories for making a cup or pot of tea. Their focus is singular, and judging by their growth, they understand their niche. However, few companies have ever succeeded in the retail space selling only tea without the beverage component.

Years ago coffee companies were only selling beans and not beverages. That model certainly changed. Recently Teavana went public, and it will be interesting to watch and see if their tea focus remains popular with customers and profitable for the company and its shareholders.

Have you visited Teavana before? What are your thoughts?

The Tesla Trifecta

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Innovation, Sustainability, and Customization are three tenets that are important to our business and our customers’ business, and they have the potential to change the world for the better. Now they are being boldly showcased in a car.

I just visited the new Tesla store, located in a shopping mall. Tesla currently manufactures the only all-electric,

high performance roadster in the world. I am also a fan because I own one. But even before I was an owner, I was impressed with the business model, the vehicle and the technology.

Using a proprietary battery pack, the car has a range of 180 miles when fully charged and accelerates from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, which is neck-snappingly fast and makes the Tesla faster than almost any production car on the road. The catch is that the Roadster is now sold out, so Tesla is in the process of introducing its new Model S sedan, which holds five people and will be delivered next summer.

In the new store customers design their car by choosing options such as interior and exterior colors and seeing the results on touch screens. The Model S sedan will have a range of between 180 and 300 miles, which covers a lot of daily driving mileage. The best part, the Tesla uses nothing but electricity and will help fuel demand for electric cars.

Innovation around the entire design, Sustainability integrated into the entire essence of the company, and Customization during the purchasing process will all propel Tesla forward.

Making change without making noise: a powerful combination.

Recipe: Banana Chocolate Milk

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:40:53 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Now that you can justify the chocolate indulgence (see our recent blog on the health benefits of chocolate), here’s a new recipe featuring our Sweet Dark Chocolate Sauce, boosted by the added potassium of a banana:

Banana Chocolate Milk

12 oz. of ice

1.5 fl. oz. (3 pumps) Sweet Dark Chocolate Sauce

1 whole ripe banana

6 oz low fat milk

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth, and let your body recover from all the hard work you’ve done this week!

Send us your feedback! Have you tried our Banana Chocolate Milk? What did you think? Why do banana and chocolate work so well together?!

Reaping the Benefits

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:20:33 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

My reward for finishing a long run? A tall glass of icy cold chocolate milk (made with a hefty serving of our Sweet Dark Chocolate Sauce). Why you ask? Because it’s a wonderful treat and I read that the carbohydrates and protein found in chocolate milk are beneficial to muscle recovery. It’s nice to be able to justify a small indulgence so let me share a few of the other health related benefits of chocolate:

Claim: Chocolate improves eyesight

Study: England’s University of Reading

Link: http://on.msnbc.com/pDtPb7

Claim: Chocolate is a 'Super Fruit’

Study: Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition

Link: http://bit.ly/o9F8mJ

Claim: Dark chocolate may lower high blood pressure

Study: Medical College of the University of Cologne (Germany)

Link: http://bit.ly/nhx899

Claim: Chocolate can prevent heart attacks

Study: The Karolinska Institute (Stockholm)

Link: http://bit.ly/rolubq

Claim: Dark chocolate may help athletic endurance

Study: University of California, San Diego

Link: http://nyti.ms/p2TIoG

Claim: Dark chocolate may lower bad cholesterol

Study: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Link: http://bit.ly/pXkn9R

How has chocolate improved your quality of life?

Popsicles

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:08:14 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Remember summer days of sunshine, running through sprinklers, and mouth stained red from Cherry popsicles?

Like so many food items that are ubiquitous, the lowly Popsicle is making a comeback as a specialty treat. Vendors are making and serving frozen treats in both plastic tubes and on sticks. The new iterations include more sophisticated flavors and unusual combinations. And where you used to be able to buy a box for $2.00, that is now the price for each popsicle.

Kate Rockwood from Fast Company magazine recently put together a round up of gourmet popsicle shops around the country. (The pistachio pop sounds delightful!)

At a recent farmer’s market in Boulder I tried several different gourmet popsicle flavors—all were fresh and clean tasting. Horchata was frozen rice milk mixed with cinnamon and almond. Mojito was made with finely chopped fresh mint. And Cherry, unlike the old version, tasted like a freshly pitted cherry frozen onto the stick. It was 90 degrees that summer day, and there were no sprinklers in sight, but my ice pop tasted even better than it had years ago.

Creative Process

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:09:43 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Coming from a full service agency, I’m well versed in the creative process when it comes to developing websites, ads, point of sale materials and such. One of the biggest surprises to me when I joined Mont Blanc (rather than working with Mont Blanc from the agency side) was how similar the process of custom formulation is to creative development at an agency.

Our customer service and project management teams work together to extract the essential information from our clients and Eric Nakata, our Innovation Team Director, begins the formulation process. To me, he is the creative director of flavor, mouth feel, and nutritional benefits. He takes the critical information provided in our project brief and develops something truly craveable.

Gelato

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:22:57 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

No trip to Italy is complete without gelato. So in order to make sure my trips are complete, I try to taste gelati several times a day. I’m always struck by the number of gelateria in Italy, as well as the how many people, local and tourists, are enjoying the treat.

Gelato is a creamy dessert similar to ice cream, but surprisingly, contains less fat than ice cream. Certain flavors are staples in every display case: Cioccolato, Pistaccio, and Straciatella, a kind of chocolate chip. But the unusual combinations are often the most fun.

One gelateria in Ragusa, Sicily serves gelato using Sicilian wines. One variety was made with the local red, Nero D’Avola. A second used a lightly sparkling Prosecco to give it flavor, and a third used a sweet dessert wine called Moscato. Just as the ubiquitous Italian café has become a fixed part of the American landscape, I’m hoping that the Italian gelateria soon follows and we will soon enjoy a creamy coppa di gelato after our cappuccino and lattes.

What is your favorite gelato?

Little Gulps

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:15:20 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

In America, we are accustomed to large-sized drinks.

Large, Grande, Venti, Trenti, Big Gulps and Double Big Gulps are all part of our beverage lexicon. When it comes to cold and frozen drinks, the drink offerings are often the biggest sizes available. In Italy, however, that isn’t the case.

Touring Sicily, I visited shops serving granitas, the frozen iced fruit and coffee drinks dispensed from machines that have become so popular in coffee shops on both sides of the Atlantic. These drinks were served in small glasses, often no more than 240 or 350 ml (6 or 8 oz). The flavors I tried included Limone (Lemon), Fragola (strawberry), and Caffe (coffee) were often freshly made in the store each day. And they were great!

Still, I always ended up ordering several because the glass was so small. I think that this time the Americans have the right idea for how to serve those drinks.

Un latte per favore

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:54:27 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I ordered my first latte in Sicily from the barista at the café and was delivered a large glass of frothy, steamed milk. I looked carefully, but could find no trace of either espresso or coffee in the drink. I laughed.

Americans are used to ordering a latte at any coffee shop and being treated to a tall drink with several shots of espresso and lots of steamed milk. Yet the word for milk in Italian is “latte”, and I received exactly what I had asked for. I then asked the barista for an espresso, which he placed on the counter next to my glass of milk. I poured it in and tasted the drink. This was more like what I was expecting.

On my next visit to a cafe, I specified a caffè latte, and received the drink that I was expecting. But for the rest of my trip, each time I ordered a caffè latte, I received a different drink. Some were tall, others short. Some contained espresso whereas others had coffee added. Some had a dark, strong taste while others had a weak flavor. And, like in so many cafes, the quality varied in each one.

Each order became an adventure into seeing what I would end up getting. But at least I was no longer being given a glass of hot milk.

Made for YOU

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:13:18 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Technology has enabled highly detailed levels of personalization in everything we interact with from emails to sneakers. It’s amazing to think how effectively we collect and use information.

Through brand analysis, research and focus groups, companies understand the importance of their brand and the value of customer loyalty and they constantly strive to differentiate and build on that loyalty. Customer experience is a key element of loyalty and personalization is critical to a memorable experience. It’s about knowing your brand and creating something your customers will come back for.

We work with our customers to create drink programs that complement and sell their brand, like in the Case Study #1 on our Services page. We are thinking beyond the common cup to deliver a distinct and memorable customer experience.

Complaints Happen

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:52:31 +0000

Author:

Mike Homiak

Everyone, at one time or another, has had a bad experience with something they purchased. A package of lunch meat spoils within a few days after being opened. A jug of milk goes sour before the “best by” date listed on the container is reached. It can be pretty frustrating at times as you wonder, “How can this happen?”

In my opinion as the Quality Assurance Director for Mont Blanc Gourmet, the food industry in the United States, through the efforts of individual manufacturing facilities following strict GMP’s (good manufacturing practices), sound sanitation SOP’s and various other rules and regulations set forth by agencies such as the FDA, USDA and others gives us one of the most safe and secure food supplies available anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, even with all the advances made over the years in improved equipment design, more effective cleaning and sanitizing materials, quicker and more accurate product testing, there are times when product goes out the door that does not meet the consumers' (and manufacturers') expectations. Let’s face it…without “100% inspection,” a package without a good seal or one which doesn’t have the correct proportion of nuts to berries can slip by and make it to the distribution chain resulting in a customer complaint.

Although infrequent, when a complaint is received at Mont Blanc, my first priority is to try to obtain as much information as possible as to the nature of the complaint: Does it appear to be a food safety issue? Is there a potential health hazard? Is it something less serious but still needs to be addressed? We generally ask many questions trying to understand the who, what, why, when, where and how of the situation in an effort to determine if the complaint is an isolated event or perhaps something which could affect a much larger portion of a production run.

In the case of Mont Blanc, each container of product we produce is lot coded with information relating to the date and time the container was filled. That vital information, along with an accurate description of the problem will allow us to go back into the production records and help identify and correct any non-compliance issues noted. Many times, customers will provide an exceptional amount of detail when lodging a complaint. Other customers may have thrown away the container in question and can’t provide any specific details other that “it didn’t look right.” Regardless of the amount of information available, we make every effort to review each complaint to try to identify the potential cause and corrective action. At times, the problem may be something out of our control, but as always, our goal is to continue maintain customer satisfaction and to provide the high quality products you’ve come to expect from Mont Blanc Gourmet.

Meet Mont Blanc: Mike Homiak

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:41:42 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Name: Mike Homiak

Title: QA Director

Born (location): Buffalo NY

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet? Quality Assurance – testing, monitoring and overseeing the quality and safety of all of Mont Blanc’s products as well as our client’s products.

How did you get your start in this field? I received a Food Technology / Industries Management degree from Colorado State University and the rest is history.

What’s the best part about your job? The variety, there are always different issues and tasks. No day is the same.

What do you order at your favorite café? Black coffee.

Last great idea you’ve come across? Caffeinated pants to help people trim “inches” from their body…won’t ever work, but I thought the idea was interesting.

Check back throughout the next several weeks to meet the rest of the Mont Blanc Gourmet team!

Meet Mont Blanc: Rebecca Gelston

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:32:47 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

Over the past few years, the Mont Blanc Gourmet blog has given the company a voice and identity online. You read about our company, our culture and the travels of co-founder and chocolatier Michael Szyliowicz. With other employees at Mont Blanc, however, I think it might be fun for you to get to know the rest of Mont Blanc Gourmet. To kick things off, here’s a little bit of information about me, and check back in to read more about the eclectic group at Mont Blanc Gourmet!

Name: Rebecca Gelston

Title: Marketing Director

Born (location): Pittsfield, MA

What do you do for Mont Blanc Gourmet?

Manage and oversee marketing initiatives.

How did you get your start in this field?

I started over a decade ago working on high-tech accounts at an agency in Syracuse, NY. I moved my way across the country and transitioned from tech to the food and beverage industry – which has provided a much tastier adventure than software.

What’s the best part about your job?

I enjoy working and collaborating with the sales team. It’s rewarding to welcome new clients and watch their projects take shape and launch.

What do you order at your favorite café?

I keep it simple with a non-fat latte; I get my fill of creative and indulgent drinks in product tastings here at Mont Blanc.

Last great idea you’ve come across?

Square – I love the simplicity of the little square device that plugs into mobile devices. It’s a major mobile payment game changer that empowers anyone from food truck operators to tag sale hosts to accept credit card payments. It’s simply great.

Sometimes you just have to say no

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:08:28 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I was on the telephone with the owner of a large Italian coffee company. We had been talking with their U.S. representatives about producing a special hot chocolate blend to use in their machines. Over a series of calls and emails about the project, we heard that they hoped to build a relationship with us, and that they prized our flexibility and innovation.

And, of course, they were adamant about quality.

In the coffee world, the quality of what is served in the cup is an unchallenged mantra for many. Unfortunately, the tenor of this conversation was different. In accented English, he kept insisting that cost was the paramount consideration.

“I must have high quality but at a low cost,” he repeated. “The market here is different than in the United States,” he continued. “And my customers won’t pay more than 10 cents Euro for what I am looking for.”

That number was exactly a third of what his American counterpart had indicated. I asked whether or not he had yet found a product that filled both of his requirements— low cost and high quality.

“No,” he admitted. “There is low cost but low quality. And high cost and high quality.”

I realized that there would be no way to make this customer happy, and I told him that I didn’t think that we were going to be the right partner for what he needed. As I hung up the phone I was disappointed and relieved at the same time. I wanted to make this partnership work and I thought that we could deliver what the American partner wanted, but realistically I knew we could never deliver what the Italian owner demanded.

Spending time and energy dealing with an unreasonable price target isn’t what we do, so we moved on to a different project with another company that has provided a very precisely-defined cost target.

And this time we won’t have to say no.

Summer Sippin'

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:03:34 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

I always look forward to seasonal drinks and the promotion surrounding them; blame it on nostalgia or marketing. Spring and summer always make me think of freshly squeezed lemonade or setting out a big jar with various kinds of tea to steep in the summer sun (winter makes me think of…). Around here we are well aware of trends and popular flavors but I find it interesting to see who’s doing what and how it compares to what we’ve created for our customers (I have nothing to do with the formulation process, but I’m competitive).

This season I’m feeling upbeat for Jamba Juice’s Berry upBEET smoothie, a combination of strawberries and blueberries with carrot, beet, broccoli and lettuce juice. Beets are a great source of vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus and are sadly under appreciated by well, most people. This drink is a nice pairing of healthy and unexpected ingredients and at 250 calories it’s also a reasonable summer treat.

Have you tried the Berry upBEET smoothie yet? What drinks are you excited for this summer?

See you in Chicago!

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:01:11 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

The Mont Blanc Gourmet team will be at the NRA Show 2011 this weekend in Chicago, and we hope to see you there! This year, our booth is located at 1175E in the Organic and Natural Pavilion, and we’ve invited UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside to help inform convention-goers about sustainably-sourced coffee, cocoa and tea practices.

UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside is a market-oriented sustainability program for cocoa, tea and the world’s largest supplier of sustainable coffee. As architects of sustainable supply chains, UTZ CERTIFIED ensures a balanced standard regarding People, Planet and Profit. Unique to the UTZ CERTIFIED program is the focus on entrepreneurship of the farmer through cost efficient environmentally and socially responsible farming practices.

Our Director of Business Development Mark Crawford sits on the Board of Directors at UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside, and our team wanted to inform NRA attendees about sustainable sustainably-sourced coffee, cocoa and tea practices. If you are planning on attending this NRA Show 2011, we would love to meet you in person!

Pioneers in coffee

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:20:58 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

I recently was treated to a tour of the largest single-floor coffee roasting plant in the United States. The company owns some of the most iconic names in coffee (including Hills Bros, MJB, and Chock Full O’ Nuts), and its corporate office features historic memorabilia and a vast archive of ledgers, documents, photos, and advertisements for renowned brands.

Having recently attended the centennial celebration for the National Coffee Association where organizers distributed a book that chronicles coffee in the U.S. over the past century, I have been in a bit of a nostalgic mood. Sometimes I think we forget the strong historic impact of the coffee pioneers of the mid-1800s and early-1900s.

Innovations like vacuum packing to preserve freshness are not much different than the one-way valve used on coffee bags. Promoting coffee consumption at home in advertisements resonates with current sales efforts featuring single serve coffee systems. And celebrating the beverage that all of us enjoy daily really hasn’t changed at all.

Seeing those ads, viewing the photos, and handling those original tins reminded me of the debt we owe to those original coffee merchants.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:22:50 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

Samuel Coleridge Taylor’s masterpiece contains a stanza that is instantly recognizable:

Water, water, every where,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

Yet within those sentences are words of caution. For those of us dealing with coffee and other beverages, scant attention is paid to the role of water and its scarcity will have on our operations. Water the most precious commodity we have, but because of its ubiquity we often take it for granted. We can function as a society without gasoline; we can’t live without water. The coming decades will see water becoming the focal point of struggles around its availability and use, and frankly, more attention should be paid to how much gets wasted.

Many business owners are careful to try and tinker with their water, installing state of the art filtration systems that remove impurities. But not enough attention is paid to conserving this resource. One local coffee shop I visit serves some of the best coffee in the city. Drip coffee is served in ceramic mugs made using a pour over, and every cup is filled with hot water to heat the cup before it receives the coffee. Then, the water is poured down the drain – so every 8 oz. cup of coffee requires 16 oz. of water. Not a very efficient use of resources.

The coffee industry makes a point of focusing on sustainability throughout its supply chain. Water is an important part of that chain. Maybe it is time to look more closely at its conservation in everyday café use. Do you agree? What does your favorite café do to conserve water?

The SCAA Symposium 2011

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:09:35 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

The SCAA symposium was conceived three years ago as a place for executives in the Specialty Coffee Association of America to get together and exchange ideas and discuss issues facing the industry. This year has proved to be as stimulating and challenging as the others.

Starting at 7:30 a.m. with sessions lasting until almost 5:00 p.m., panelists have weighed in on a series of topics. Have we seen “Peak Coffee,” the idea that production will now decline? Do we need to change the very idea of how coffee is graded? What is, and what is not, stellar customer service? What are the commonalities and challenges facing coffee producers? Will coffee prices continue their inexorable rise, and why?

Throughout the day, all of these topics were analyzed resulting in no consensus but rather an abundance of information to support both sides of each question.

Personally, I don’t think we have seen “Peak Coffee,” though there is clear evidence that global warming and climate change is dramatically affecting coffee production. The idea of changing both the standard coffee cupping forms, as well as definitions of quality coffee, is certain to generate intense debate. But the underlying argument has merit — the current grading system is somewhat subjective and doesn’t appropriately factor in many different considerations. Do you agree?

James Hoffman, of Four Mile Coffee in London, gave the most animated presentation talking about customer service. His very compelling arguments were focused on customer service and empathy, specifically that retailers need to be more empathetic and less condescending towards their customers.

Finally, coffee prices will probably not continue to rise over the long term. Surprisingly, that has less to do with farming and consumption around the world and more to do with a strengthening U.S. dollar and increasing U.S. interest rates. All of these topics I found to be fascinating and are guaranteed to make one think strategically about the different aspects of the specialty coffee industry.

I’m looking forward to more interesting conversations tomorrow at SCAA.

Sitting down with Artie Isaac

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:29:49 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Gelston

In your own words, what do you do?

I don't teach creativity as much as I encourage it. With some old fashioned encouragement, my college students and corporate clients return to a natural creativity. They are -- we all are -- more creative than we realize, because much of our creative talent has gone dormant due to lack of attention. My tools are readings, presentations and conversations on creativity, engagement and motivation; the techniques of improvisational theatre (where brainstorming is alive); and committed devotion to creativity as a role model.

You’ve been quoted as saying that creativity is like exercise. What do you mean by that?

People sometimes say, "I'm not creative." I ask, "How hard are you trying?" We all know what it takes to be physically fit: exercise, good nutrition, sleep, no smoking, not too much drinking. When we cheat any of those variables, we know that our fitness might be jeopardized. Well, creative fitness is the same thing: it takes the same discipline, the same amount of time. (But you don't have to shower after a creative workout.) People who do nothing about their creativity and expect a spontaneous moment of ingenuity are like people who do nothing about their fitness and expect a spontaneous moment of healthfulness.

How do I become more creative?

Are there people you can join, priorities that you can accept, resources that you can deny yourself, places you can be that make you less creative? Of course: that's life. To become more creative, be more selfish: stop surrounding yourself with those people, stop drowning in priorities, stop denying yourself those resources, and stop going places that make you less creative. You will return to a productive, focused, childlike creativity. Most of all: stop watching television and listening to the radio (particularly the news). Think your own thoughts for a while.

How can creativity influence innovation?

As I see it, creativity is the raw ingredient, the imaginative strength of the individual or team. The product is innovation, the incremental or revolutionary advance. If, as Plato said, necessity is the mother of invention, creativity is mother's milk or the midwife or the birth canal or maybe the diaper. In any event, you're going to want some around.

What do you order at your favorite café?

I have come late to coffee. I started drinking it just a few years ago, at the age of 48 or so. These days, my favorite drink in my favoriate place is a Caffé Americano at Café Gitane in New York City, with a pain au chocolat. Or, when I'm at home in Columbus, Americano at Pistacia Vera with absolutely anything in their extraordinary pastry case.

International innovator Artie Isaac will be accompanying the Mont Blanc Gourmet team to SCAA 2011 in Houston later this week. Visit Mont Blanc and Artie at Booth 1505 this weekend in Houston. You can read more about Artie in an earlier post.

Notice anything different?

Mont Blanc Gourmet — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:32:20 +0000

Author:

Michael Szyliowicz

It has been a busy winter! Over the past six months we took a long look at our experiences and accomplishments to determine how best to convey what exactly we do and how we do it. Our brand identity statement of “A boutique company dipped in chocolate and steeped in coffee permeating everything we do with innovation, quality, and fun” is still relevant. But as our company has grown and we provide a wider range of products and services to larger customers, we realized that we have a bigger cup to fill.

We undertook the challenge of revisiting what we do and embarked on a quest to update our identity and look, culminating in a refreshed and revitalized Mont Blanc Gourmet. If you haven't noticed, the website received a significant update in its look and feel. We added The Blend, a company collaborative blog, but you can still look back at three years of Diary of a Chocolatier posts. Next week we will roll out a new tradeshow booth at the SCAA show in Houston. We will be hosting a special event on innovation and creativity and inviting industry friends and colleagues to stop by our booth and experience first hand how we innovate.

It’s an exciting time for Mont Blanc Gourmet and we hope you’ll stop by booth 1505 next week at SCAA, where we always have something good to sample and brilliant ideas brewing!