Week beginning July 23rd - The coffee industry growth

The UK coffee market has certainly come along way in a few years. How much more can it grow?

Can you remember when Starbucks and Costa and Nero first come onto the high street and introduced us all to a different coffee culture? Was the opening of Flat White in 2005 the real kick that started the antipodean coffee wave in London and that has taken hold and influenced so many other cafes these days? Or is it also, as I believe, a shift in customers social interactions and desired meeting, eating and drinking places, driven also by the knowledge and desire for better food and service as well as the high profile media attention for all things foodie. Is it also more and more availability of great produce and the willingness to experiment and try them? Is it operators identifying this, and opening places that match these consumer desires?

Whatever it is, the UK coffee market is predicted by Allegra strategies to keep on growing to have an industry worth over £7bn by 2015, with 18,000 coffee selling outlets.  In 2011, it was worth 5bn. That is a huge growth.

And when I interview staff these days, the majority of them all want to open their own place one day. And this will not happen in less than three years, these young people with so much desire and passion may take another 10 or more years until they open their own place, so what does that mean for the market in ten years time?

It is exciting times indeed, and while we can never predict the future, I would say that if you drink coffee (or tea) and enjoy socializing, meeting and relaxing in good quality cafes with great food, coffee and service, then the future is so bright, we'll have to wear shades (sorry, had to do that).

This blog post is inspired by a company who sent me this infographic on the industry. I do not know the company, but I like the information. Thanks to them for the info.

http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/the-uk-coffee-market-infographic/

Please enjoy the menu this week, it's a good one that includes payday lamingtons.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.30
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.30
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.50
(add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.70
Ciabatta Roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.70
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.70
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.90
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Pumpkin seed toast 2.30
Banana Bread 2.20

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.70
Pain au chocolat 2.30
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Passion fruit and ginger sweet muffins 2.00
Apple, celery and curry savoury muffins 2.00
Tiramisu friands 2.00
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.30
White chocolate blondies 2.30
Portuguese tarts 1.90
ANZAC cookies 1.70
Melting moment biscuits 1.70
Payday Lamingtons 2.50

Lunch

French retro baguettes 4.70
Bufala mozzarella with peri peri sauce, tomatoes and rocket
Italian roast ham with cheddar, gooseberry jam, roast onion and squash

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.90
Chopped prawns with avocado, jalapeno, gruyere and rocket
Pancetta with courgette, red onion, ricotta, spinach

Salads 4.90/5.90
Pineapple with radicchio, radish, brazil nuts, blue cheese, coriander
Roast chicken with yellow beans, courchamps, spelt and spinach
Roast carrots with romanesco dressing

Tart 4.00 or 6.90 with salad
Boiled onion with lancashire cheese




Weekend salad menu and guest espresso
Salads 5.50/6.50
Soft boiled egg with smoked salmon, croutons, hollandaise and baby spinach
Apricots, cherry tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, pesto and rocket
Roast aubergine with sweet chilli, goats cheese and Thai basil

Tart 5.00 or 7.50 with salad
Courgette, leeks, pancetta, free range eggs and cheese

Guest Espresso
Monks Hood