New Coffee Academy offers barista skills training

23 Jul 2010

The new Ciro Coffee Academy's mission is to boost the barista culture in South Africa by making a serious investment in barista skills and training, which will ultimately benefit coffee lovers nationwide. It will be the only coffee training centre in South Africa to be certified by Lavazza, Italy's No 1 espresso brand and the internationally accredited training body, City & Guilds and was made possible by Ciro Beverage Solutions teaming up with The Coffee Academy to create the most comprehensive and accredited coffee training service provider in the industry.

(L - R): Angela Todd, Ciro; Rob Katzen, Ciro; and Lani Snyman, Coffee Academy.

Rob Katzen, Ciro's MD commented that, "The combination of the outstanding barista training structures and systems developed by The Coffee Academy and the ongoing investment by Ciro to bring an exceptional coffee experience to the market is an exciting recipe for success. Coffee lovers who train at the academy will be at the forefront of delivering this experience."

Coffee lovers, trainers

Lani Snyman founded the Coffee Academy five years ago and will continue to bring her educational expertise and creative enthusiasm for coffee in her new role as the barista research and development manager.

The leading course content provided by the Coffee Academy will be presented by a training department headed up by national training manager Angela Todd and featuring a host of skilled trainers including Pauline Leschinsky and Wayne Burrows, both finalists in the National Barista Championships held in April 2010. Wayne is also the first All African Barista Champion an accolade that was awarded at the 2010 EAFCA Annual Conference, held in Mombassa.

According to Angela, "Ciro intends to continue focusing on developing an in-depth understanding of coffee and the industry on an educational level, continuing our development of strong relationships with hotel schools, universities, universities of technology as well as the commitment to invest long-term in the industry and its people ".

As the South African tourism and hospitality industry continues to grow so will the demand for quality coffee products and service. The academy will give employers the tools to continually up-skill staff and set quality standards. It has also launched various projects, to initiate employment for baristas and to get people across the board interested in the profession.

"Through the launch of the New Coffee Academy Ciro is giving back to the industry by ensuring that the Academy contributes to various social upliftment projects focused on skills development and job creation," concludes Rob.

Training courses are held in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and include comprehensive barista training courses, a one-day coffee shop course and a five-hour option for coffee passionate people, which delves into the history of coffee, developing a coffee palate and home brewing. For more information on the specialised services and courses offered by the Ciro Coffee Academy, contact Izelle/Mameela on +27 (0)11 287 6700 or az.oc.oric@maleemaM.