Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
STiR tea & coffee industry international 49 "In New Zealand, we frequently compare coffee with the wine industry, where wine lovers' palates have evolved in leaps and bounds. It wasn't very long ago that many [wine] drinkers could not reliably identify a variety of red grape, let alone tell you the difference between a pinot noir from Otago and a pinot noir from Marlborough. But now consumers not only know the difference, they can name which vineyard demonstrates which characteristics, and the wine maker," explains McQuade. He adds that he sees coffee expertise following a similar path among increasingly sophisticated consumers. This development is also reflected in the fact that this tiny country of 4.5 million people comfortably sustains well over 200 roasters. "And that number is growing. I believe we presently have the most roasters per capita in the world," claims McQuade. A veritable quilt of café venues Coffee is enjoyed across a wide demographic spectrum, said McQuade. "I don't think you could describe a 'typical' modern coffee consumer. The style of coffee or the amount consumed is not generally associated with a certain demographic. Cafés con- tinue to mushroom all over the country. Primarily concentrated in urban areas like Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch the majority falls into the café-cum-food category, routinely offer- ing a vast selection of savory dishes, but also desserts and bakery items to complement their coffee menus. Examples include Kokako roastery and coffee shop in Grey Lynn and the Bread & Butter Bakery and Café, both in Auck- land; and at the Plum Café, Ben Gusto Café and Flight Coffee in Wellington. In Christchurch C1 Espresso is a roastery that markets its own coffee brand. In Queenstown Vudu Café is frequent- ly mentioned by the internet community for both its fantastic brews and wonderful cuisine. Now and then one or another of the relatively few coffee-only places such as Auckland's Camper Coffee receives rave reviews as well. Crunching the numbers While reliable consumption figures are difficult to come by, the official Statistics New Zealand website (www.stats.govt.nz) re- ports that in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, the total weekly expenditure on coffee by all private households in the country amounted to NZ$3.6 million (approximately $2.75 million). In the corresponding period of 2010 that figure was $NZ3.1 mil- lion, implying a weekly expenditure increase on coffee by the av- erage household of roughly 15% over the span of two years. Baristas prepare a pour-over at Kokako coffee in Grey Lynne, Auckland, New Zealand. Photo courtesy Flight Coffee Photo courtesy YELP! www.world-of-coffeeandtea.com BREW IN ASIA THE BEST Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Jennifer Chiah (Ms) Tel: +65 6500 6738 Fax: +65 6294 8403 j.chiah@koelnmesse.com.sg International Trade Exhibition for the Coffee and Tea Industry in Asia 2015 20 - 24 May C h a l l e n g e r H a l l 3 IMPACT Exhibition & Convention C e n t e r , B a n g k o k , T h a i l a n d Jointly organized by The Thai Chamber of Commerce Powered by THAIFEX–World of Food Asia C M Y CM MY CY CMY K WoCT15 89x254mm STIR Mag Ad.ai 1 27/10/14 6:15 pm