Coffee Corner: Return To Workplace Means Higher Expectations For Office Coffee

With more people vaccinated and consumer confidence increasing, workplace operations will gradually return to office premises. Since the start of the pandemic, many employees have been working from home, having to buy and make their own coffee. As a result, they have become more creative with their at home coffee experience, raising the bar on their everyday coffee preparations (ethically sourced, higher throw weights, trying an array of roast colours, and new and novel varieties including flavoured coffees). After becoming accustomed to at-home consumption and big brand offerings at retail grocery, club, and online channels, consumer expectations have risen. These elevated consumer tastes in coffee are causing employers to rethink the standard of coffee offered in the workplace.

Employers are seeking ways to make personnel feel comfortable, appreciated and “at home” when welcoming them back to the physical workplace. Office coffee is a small yet key component of the office culture where organizations can add value for their employees through open-minded collaboration and engagement with their valued team members.

Buyers and office managers at forward thinking organizations are becoming more educated about sustainability and are taking action through responsible sourcing as criteria. The preservation of nature, the sustainable optimization of farms, and supporting the livelihoods for coffee farmers are increasingly the expectation of coffee consumers. Certifications such as Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, and Organic hold these attributes at their core and have widespread consumer familiarity. 

The pandemic has certainly placed greater emphasis on safe and systematic manufacturing processes. OCS clients have become increasingly aware and inquisitive about their associations, valuing higher standards and advanced criteria.  As an operator, you should get to know more about your coffee roaster’s production facility.  Determine whether it is third party audited for quality assurance and good manufacturing procedures such as BRC and GMP/HACCP accreditations.  Additional levels of qualification may include Kosher certification, or packaging certifications and labels (like BPI compostable, FSC, How2Recycle).  Other advanced quality standards pertain to green bean sourcing.  Purchasing strictly current crop (for freshness) and European prep (fewer defects) ensures the roasting process begins with better beans – the starting criteria to deliver a satisfying coffee experience for the consumer.

The world has changed.  While the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have brought on many adjustments, the return to the workplace also calls for a period of adapting.  As an industry, let’s prepare for a different consumer whose habits have been reshaped.  "A bend in the road is not the end of the road...Unless you fail to make the turn." - Helen Keller.

Paul Chan | National Account Manager | Club Coffee