Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/414216
26 Oil Prophets Convenience store operators using glass coffee pots should seriously consider shifting to airpots and/ or thermal urns as they take their coffee program up a notch because these systems best preserve flavor, aroma and temperature, according to members of the Convenience Store News How To Crew, a panel of leading foodservice experts. "Studies I have conducted show that consumers are more concerned with getting hot and fresh coffee than the vessels the coffee is dispensed from, but some feedback I have received states that consumers view glass pots as being somewhat outdated," said How To Crew member Paul Pierce, a former foodservice executive at convenience store chains 7-Eleven Inc. and MAPCO Express. Glass pots typically yield more spoilage because coffee should only be held in them for 20 minutes before quality begins to degrade, versus one- hour hold times for airpots. One How To Crew retailer also noted that thermal urns "are much more upscale in presentation" and can hold two to three times the liquid volume of glass pots, depending on the urn size purchased. "The newer, recently engineered soft-heat systems also present the program very well and maintain quality for many hours," the retailer added. Coffee purveyors that have deployed soft-heat brewer and thermal server equipment have had consistently positive customer feedback on the quality of the coffee, the look of the equipment and the convenient access customers have to the coffee offering, according to How To Crew member Maurice Minno, principal of foodservice consultancy MPM Group. "On a quality basis, one detailed study I am aware of conducted by a major U.S. coffee retailer confirmed that several of the critical customer sensory elements of coffees brewed and held in a soft-heat thermal server for two hours matches those of fresh- brewed coffee," Minno said. Before making a decision about the type of coffee equipment and merchandisers to use, however, some How To Crew experts suggest retailers consult with coffee equipment sales representatives about the scope of their program, expansion plans, customer base, etc., to evaluate the best approach. It might be that airpots work best in some stores and thermal urns in others. Most importantly, retailers should select the equipment and merchandisers that best preserve flavor and heat because customers hate burned or lukewarm coffee. A solid c-store coffee program should include regular, decaf and dark roasts, and expand from there. Some add-on options could include flavored coffee (hazelnut and vanilla are the most Best Merchandising Practices for Coffee Maureen Azzato