He says that the company’s baristas have been the key to its success with both technical expertise and customer engagement being paramount. "Taking pride in the smallest detail, such as knowing repeat customers by name, has been a key differentiator for our business. We have proved the value of extensive investment in staff training and educate our staff as meticulously as we choose our coffee. There is very little they don't know about great coffee and excellent service."
The course was developed by the Craft Coffee team with the help of the SETA recognised specialists at Thrive. After formal lectures in the classroom, trainee baristas complete work assignments and present their 'portfolios of evidence' to coffee gurus. The learner guide and workbook with which they are supplied provides a broad range of content that not only shows them how to clean and adjust a grinder so that it turns out the perfect espresso but also teaches them the ins and out of stock-taking, storing coffee, hygiene, quality standards, service and customer interaction.
"We ensure that there is a technical / theory side and a practical side. For example, they get to learn about tasting – the various flavours, the different coffees and blends and the related aromas. They will be fully equipped to work as a barista once they graduate. This will be a good stepping stone into the world of coffee," says Lovejoy Chirambasukwa, Craft Coffee roastery manager and 2013 South African and All Africa Barista champion.
The participants are assessed in-house and receive their official results from SETA.
Chirambasukwa underlines the need for trained baristas locally as well as internationally, adding that big centres such as Dubai are also on the lookout for accredited baristas, providing local young trainees with exciting career opportunities.
"As coffee people, we have a passion for helping newcomers to the industry make a meaningful living doing something they love – working with coffee. We want to develop entrepreneurs who can make a living from making great coffee. Much of how we train our own people for our own coffee bars is in this course – it’s just now recognised and accredited."
Brown is confident that there is a massive, untapped market for coffee in South Africa where the majority of people are still, surprisingly, teetotaller. "But coffee is taking off and more and more people are drinking it. That’s why we have to keep continually bettering ourselves and being better Baristas to serve up the very best cuppa. We are proud that our course will be SETA accredited. We’ve built the training programme to ensure that learners can build on it by doing other courses at hospitality schools."
