Category: Office Coffee Service

October 1 is International Coffee Day, a day celebrated around the world. Each year, the International Coffee Organization, the founder of the holiday, recognizes a different part of the coffee industry. This year, the holiday is focused on the farmers who produce the beans.   

Farmers go through six different stages before the beans are sent to market: 

1. picking the cherries (what a coffee bean is called when it’s still on the tree); 
2. washing to remove the outer skin of the cherry; 
3. drying the beans; 
4. grading the beans based on size, where and at what altitude they were grown and how they were prepared and picked; 
5. roasting; and 
6. cupping or assessing coffee according to sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel, balance and flavor.

Once the beans make it to Scottsdale break rooms, choosing the right type of brewer becomes the next step. It is important to understand which types of brewers should be used for different types of beverages and the number of employees. 

There are four types of brewers that are primarily used in break rooms: automatic brewers, drip brewers, single-serve machines and bean-to-cup brewers. 

Automatic Brewers: Never run out of freshly made, hot coffee with an automatic machine. Connected to an incoming water line, an automatic brewer can brew either a single pot or multiple pots at one time. Automatic brewers are built to handle high levels of daily traffic.   

Drip/Pourover Brewers: Built similarly to automatic brewers, drip or pourover brewers can handle high amounts of daily traffic. The key difference is that drip brewers are not connected to an incoming water line. The user is responsible for adding water to the machine each time a new pot is brewed. 

Single-Serve Machines: This type of brewer can meet a different set of needs when compared to the previous two brewers. A single-serve machine requires less physical space in a break room and can cater to employees who have very different coffee preferences, but it works better in areas with less traffic. 

Bean-to-cup Machines: A bean-to-cup machine uses a built-in grinder to deliver freshly ground and brewed coffee. As with traditional single-serve machines, only one cup can be brewed at a time, but Scottsdale employees have the option to make a variety of espresso-based, specialty beverages.

There’s one other thing to remember when choosing a brewer. It’s important to understand the steps involved to keep your machine in top shape. Not only will regular maintenance extend the life of the machine, but it will impact the taste of everyone’s coffee. 

But don’t worry, Southwest Vending can help your facility/office manager choose the best brewer for your organization, perform required maintenance and create a customized refreshment menu that meets everyone’s snack and beverage needs. We offer a variety of office coffee service, micro-market and vending service solutions for your Scottsdale break room. 

For more information, please call Southwest Vending at 623.780.3036. We look forward to celebrating International Coffee Day with you.

Coffee and everything related to it has more of an influence than most Phoenix employees realize. In fact, it’s impact isn’t only related to the caffeine boost that comes from drinking the beverage. 

Recent research in the Consciousness and Cognition journal found that exposure to coffee-related cues, without having actually consumed any coffee, can trigger a chemical-response pattern in the brain that increases “concrete, precise thinking and mental arousal, or attentiveness.” It’s sort of like Pavlov’s dogs, but in this case, individuals are exposed to non-chemical but coffee-related cues which then trigger a chemical-response pattern in the brain. 

So what types of coffee-related cues in Phoenix office break rooms could cause this effect? The answer is almost anything such as colors, sounds and smells that can be observed. Let’s take a look at one of America’s favorite hot beverages and the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch), and see how each sense can impact alertness and attention.

Taste: While the concept of taste is often associated with the physical act of drinking, taste can can also play a role in a more abstract way. For many Phoenix employees, the “taste” of coffee is often the first thing that comes to mind when someone else mentions coffee.

Sight: Seeing a physical object such as an image of a mug, roasted beans or even an actual cup of coffee are just a few of the many different visual cues that can create a response.

Hearing: Understanding which sounds have the ability to trigger the chemical-response pattern is a bit more complicated as sound is unique for everyone. Several popular sounds include grinding beans, the brewer brewing and sounds that are associated with a favorite local cafe.

Smell: The sense of smell is similar to the sense of hearing in that everyone experiences it differently, but freshly brewed coffee, the smell of beans being ground or that favorite cafe tends to elicit almost the same reaction from everyone.

Touch: Experiencing the feel or size of a favorite mug, picking up the container that holds the ground beans, pressing the start button on the grinder or using an espresso machine or favorite French press are all ways to activate the brain via touch without ever drinking a single drop.

Whether it’s by itself or in combination with other senses, the human body takes in many different observations during the day. It’s time to increase the likelihood that more of your employees will benefit from the coffee effect and design your Phoenix office coffee service to engage all of the senses.

Southwest Vending can help customize a refreshment menu that includes the hot beverages your employees seek out as well as healthy snacks, cold beverages and fresh food.

A successful break room is more than just a place to grab a quick snack. It’s a welcoming and relaxing place that encourages employee creativity, collaboration and productivity. To update your current break room menu or design a new break room space, contact Southwest Vending at 623.780.3016. We look forward to enjoying a cup of Joe or tea with you.

“…a good cup of coffee always contributes to the positive mood of the employees and customers.”

– Oliver Garn, CEO and Country Manager for Austria and the Netherlands at EVOCA Germany GmbH

Whether at work in Scottsdale or overseas, quality office coffee service (OCS) is important. Gone are the days of everyone arriving at the office at 8:00 a.m. and leaving at 5:00 p.m. Today, many individuals work flexible hours, use a variety of different workspaces and often blur the line between personal and private lives. A well-designed OCS supports company employees and guests regardless of the time of day or workspace.

Let’s look at three reasons why your Scottsdale business should offer a sought-after OCS.

Expectations

Employees usually expect several things when it comes to beverages at work; hot beverages, cold beverages, water service, excellent taste and quality, great service and a solution that is customized for them. The first three expectations are self-explanatory, but the others require more information. 

• Taste and Quality are subjective. For either criteria to be met, the chosen OCS must be the right match. Employers can meet these preferences by considering brewing equipment, coffee options and tea varieties. 
• Excellent ongoing OCS from a vending provider is also crucial. The best brewing equipment, beans or tea cannot overcome service that repeatedly disappoints and upsets employees.
• A customized OCS solution looks back at the previous two expectations. Not only must employee and guest needs be considered but the service record of the vending provider should be examined.

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A great OCS can positively impact an organization’s reputation with both employees and guests. Just as with a well-loved coffee shop, a break room with delicious coffee, espresso-based beverages and hot tea can have a welcoming and pleasing atmosphere that encourages collaboration, creativity and productivity.

Appreciation

Refreshment services including office coffee service is a great way to express employee appreciation. Everyone, well almost everyone, enjoys receiving something free. Offering delicious hot beverages as well as healthy and traditional cold beverages and snacks at no cost in your Scottsdale break room is one way to thank your employees for all they do.

Are you ready to boost your office’s coffee experience? Southwest Vending would like to help. To learn more about our OCS as well as healthy or traditional snack and cold beverage options or to schedule a tasting, contact Southwest Vending at 623.780.3016.

Coffee’s reputation keeps getting better as scientists learn more about it. A recent study by Dr. Donald Weaver, Senior Scientist and Research Director of the Krembil Brain Institute examined how compounds in coffee might help the brain fight Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

During their research, they inspected coffee extract samples to understand, which proteins, if any, slowed the misfolding process of two proteins believed to be involved in Alzheimer’s disease and one protein involved in Parkinson’s disease.

Before we go any further, let’s take a quick and simplified look at what proteins do. First, the proteins that we’re talking about are not the type of proteins that we eat. These proteins are the ones inside a human cell that perform diverse and vital tasks. 

Proteins can change shape. The shape of a protein impacts how well it works. If a protein changes shape or folds correctly, everything should function as intended. When the protein doesn’t fold correctly, it is called misfolding and problems ensue. Now, back to the research.

The scientists were able to identify a type of protein called phenylindanes, but these proteins didn’t come from the caffeine in coffee.  Instead, the proteins were the result of the roasting process. The longer the beans were roasted, the more proteins were produced. Whether the beans were regular or decaffeinated, it didn’t matter. As long as the beans were dark roasted, the potency and inhibition properties were similar.

The final conclusion was that phenylindanes play an important role by protecting the nervous system. And that might mean there’s a new tool to help fight Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. While it might appear that this new information isn’t relevant for your Scottsdale employees, there are many other reasons why a delicious and hot caffeinated beverage is good for your employees.

Improved memory, a short-term mental boost and better group performance

Caffeine has been found to provide a mental boost for 45 minutes after consuming it and to improve memory over the next 24 hours. Research by the Graduate School of Management at UC, Davis also found that caffeine has a positive impact on a group’s performance. 

Reduced risk for type-2 diabetes and heart disease

Four cups of coffee. That’s all the caffeine it takes to trigger a protective effect in the human heart according to researchers in Duesseldorf, Germany. The domino effect caused by the consumption of caffeine ends with the protection and repair of the heart muscle. 

Reduced risk for different types of cancer  

The International Agency for Research on Cancer determined, after reviewing 1000 previously completed studies, that coffee cannot be classified as a cause of cancer anymore. In fact, other researchers determined that coffee intake was associated with a reduced risk of oral, pharynx, liver, colon, prostate, melanoma and endometrial cancers. 

Reduced pain sensitivity for chronic pain sufferers

Scientists from Boston Children’s Hospital found that consuming caffeine may help decrease pain sensitivity in those with chronic pain. The consumed caffeine caused dopamine, a carrier of messages between nerve cells in the brain, to flood the brain’s pleasure center resulting in decreased pain sensitivity.

Offer your Scottsdale employees a delicious, gourmet coffee experience and the chance to boost their health with office coffee service from Southwest Vending. We will customize the perfect refreshment menu with healthy and traditional snacks and beverages as well as a variety of hot, caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages for your break room. For more information, please contact us at 623.780.3016.

The blueprint of the local coffee shop continues to evolve as the broader coffee industry grows and consumer demands change. New flavors and combinations and roasting and brewing practices constantly appear in the market making local Phoenix foodservice establishments the perfect place to take a break and discover the next in-demand beverage.

With more opportunities to find the “perfect” coffee or espresso-based beverage in nearby cafés and retail locations, it is more important than ever to make sure your office coffee service (OCS) offers your employees what they want and can draw them to the break room. Michael Schaefer, global lead of food and beverage at Euromonitor International shared that “successful coffee players will combine discovery, experience, long-term purchasing and rapid product innovation, all across a wide range of distribution points.”

Encouraging Phoenix employees to stay on-site during the workday also creates multiple opportunities for spontaneous conversations between coworkers and increased creativity. Add in additional break room benefits such as delicious coffee and tea options as well healthy snacks and freshly made food, and you’re likely to find healthier and more productive employees. 

To learn about what your employees want and how to introduce your employees to new choices consider hosting one of the following events with Southwest Vending:

• Not sure which new OCS options to include in your coffee service menu? Have a coffee taste-testing party, but don’t forget to include potential new tea options. Ask your employees to rank their preferences and use the results to determine one or more new selections to add to the menu. 

• The same type of event would also work for healthy snacks. New and unknown tastes, especially when it comes to food, can be intimidating. Remove some of the pressure connected to purchasing an item and not knowing if it will taste good by hosting a “Try a Sample” gathering. Your employees might be surprised at how delicious healthy can taste.

• Survey your employees about the types of coffee condiments they enjoy with their coffee and tea. Adding a non-dairy milk or raw sugar option to the menu might be enough to attract those employees who usually go off-site to find a less traditional choice. Small changes can have a big impact.

Whether you’d like to add a new beverage or healthy snack to your current menu or update your entire vending services, Southwest Vending is here to help. We will work with you to create a customized solution that will meet both your and your Phoenix employees’ needs. For more information, please contact us at 623.780.3016.

No matter the time of day or year, Americans love coffee in all of its many forms. Whether it’s the traditional version with cream and sugar, an espresso-based beverage, or an iced coffee, every Scottsdale resident has their favorite one. There are multiple reasons why coffee is so important to everyone, but the following one might surprise you.

A recent study performed by Wakefield Research, a global, full-service market research firm, found that coffee’s caffeine boost and health benefits aren’t the only reasons why so many Scottsdale individuals drink it daily. There’s one more really important reason; coffee, in its many forms, makes the survey participants feel good or happy. For example,

• 47 percent of survey participants said that consuming that morning cup of Joe played an integral part in having a good start to the day.
• 60 percent of those questioned consume additional cups of coffee after the lunch hour.
• 43 percent would choose an iced coffee for a “pick-me-up” during the day, and 26 percent would choose to drink iced coffee year-round, regardless of the season or weather.
• Here’s a jaw-dropper — 38 percent of participants would be more willing to spend a day without their smartphone than not drink any form of coffee for 24 hours.
• But this one isn’t a surprise — participants who are parents said they were more likely to grab an iced coffee to brighten their day than those who are not parents (53% vs. 38%).

With so many benefits and ways that coffee can boost Scottsdale residents’ moods, let’s look at five fun activities that employees can participate in to celebrate the beverage.

• Invite a colleague who you haven’t spoken to recently to meet for a cup of java and mid-morning or late-afternoon snack in the break room
• Try something different; maybe it’s adding a nut-milk instead of cow’s milk to your hot beverage or trying something that is completely the opposite of what you’d usually drink — always go for hot, then try iced
• Decrease the impact on the environment by bringing a reusable mug to work and keep it there instead of always using a cup that gets thrown away
• Learn about different types of coffee and their beans; where are the beans grown? why are they grown in that particular region or climate? and how or why are they roasted in the way that they were?
• Have an at-work tasting party; it’s a great way to bring everyone together in the break room for a few laughs and boost company morale

An increase in employee morale does more than just increase overall productivity. It can also improve collaboration, self-esteem, and job satisfaction as well as reduce employee absenteeism and the costs associated with employee turnover. Survey participants confirmed that there’s one more reason why coffee boosts morale. 47 percent of participants compared to 17 percent of participants shared that office coffee service (OCS) in the break room at work boosts their mood more than a compliment from their boss. Now that is truly magical.

Whether you’re interested in adding a few perks to your current OCS or creating a new service from the beginning, Southwest Vending can help. We offer a variety of flavors, roasts, equipment, and complementary products such as sweeteners, creamers, and paper products that, when combined, will create a highly-valued employee perk. For more information about all of our vending services including OCS, contact us at 623.780.3016. We look forward to hearing from you.

In 2018, the number of beverages, snacks, and food that contain caffeine has skyrocketed. Whether it’s espresso, coffee, decaffeinated coffee, hot or iced tea, caffeinated soda (cola and non-cola varieties), chocolate and anything made with chocolate or coffee, energy drinks including energy water, caffeinated snacks such as  granola bars and energy bars, or gum, everything contains caffeine. The challenge for Scottsdale employees is to figure out how much caffeine is too much since everyone experiences and is impacted by caffeine differently.

Recent research by Dr. J.W. Langer, a clinical pharmacology lecturer at Copenhagen University, found that “each person’s unique genetic makeup determines to what degree a given amount of caffeine will affect the individual. Some [individuals] will metabolise caffeine quickly, while others will metabolise it more slowly. Some will show greater sensitivity to the stimulating effects of caffeine, while others need higher amounts to feel an effect.”

Scottsdale’s employees’ genetic makeup is only one of the reasons why each person responds differently to caffeine. That genetically-caused response usually triggers a unique self-regulating reaction that can affect a person’s regular intake of caffeine. Either a person will be able to consume more caffeine before they have a negative response, or they will recognize that they need to consume less because the response is too strong.

So how can this information improve your Scottsdale break room? The answer is by encouraging organizations and facility managers to look closely at their employees’ refreshment needs and to realize that a variety of caffeinated and non-caffeinated snacks and beverages should be offered in the break room. Below is a chart that shows which beverages have the most caffeine per eight ounces of liquid.

There are several important responses that can occur when caffeinated snacks and beverages are available in the break room.

• Spontaneous conversations and problem solving are more likely to happen when employees remain on-site for meals, snacks, and coffee breaks.
• Morale levels often get a boost when there is an inviting break room space with sought-after snacks and beverages.
• Productivity levels increase as consuming caffeine is known to boost energy levels.

If an increase in spontaneous conversations, problem solving, and morale and productivity levels sounds appealing, it’s time to change up your Scottsdale break room. Come collaborate with Southwest Vending and design a customized menu offering a variety of caffeinated and non-caffeinated snacks and beverages. For more information about elevating your break room, contact us at 623.780.3016.

Enjoying coffee continues to be a daily experience for 64 percent of Americans. That number is important because it means that, according to research performed by the National Coffee Association (NCA), 5 percent more Americans are drinking it daily than there were in 2016. Unfortunately, not all of the results in the study were positive as out-of-home coffee consumption decreased from 40 percent in 2017 to 36 percent in 2018, and those who claimed to have a workplace coffee area decreased by 3 percent.

While these new findings might sound negative, they create an opportunity for Scottsdale beans are considered to be gourmet beans. They are more expensive to grow because they need very specific growing conditions, must be carefully handled and roasted to perfection. All of this combined creates a gourmet cup of java.

Traditional coffee is made with beans that are not considered gourmet and was preferred by 31 percent of the participants. This type of brew is usually made from Robusta beans or a mix of Robusta and Arabica beans. Robusta beans are cheaper to grow and easier to handle, but have an inferior taste.

While it appears that the study participants preferred traditional beans over gourmet ones, it is important to compare the demographics of the study to the demographics of your Scottsdale employees before making a decision. For example, only 19 percent of the 18 to 24 year-olds in the study drank traditional coffee while over 30 percent of the same cohort preferred the gourmet version. In older demographics, the traditional variety does better, but gourmet beans still draws in more than 30 percent of that age group.

At Home or At Work

The second step is to understand where employees are getting their caffeine fix. For the majority,  coffee-based beverages are still consumed at breakfast in Scottsdale homes, but there has also been an increase in enjoying coffee between breakfast and lunch or when employees are at work. This second block of time is when an office coffee service can have an impact.

Rather than having to go offsite to find either an espresso-based beverage or a cup of coffee, employees can find what they are looking for in an onsite break room with a cafe-style service. It’s a benefit with a highly perceived value that outweighs the actual cost. Increasing the perceived value is easily accomplished by offering snacks via a micro-market or vending machine. A healthy mid-morning snack with a cup of Joe is a great way to boost your employees’ energy levels.

For more information about adding office coffee service or another vending service option to your Scottsdale break room, contact Southwest Vending at 623.780.3016. We look forward to hearing from you.

“Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” is a phrase almost all Scottsdale employees have heard at least once at the beginning of the workday. Whether an individual needs the caffeine to finish waking up or to just mentally prepare for the day ahead, coffee plays an important role for more than 64 percent of American adults. With the increasing number of coffee drinkers, employers have an opportunity to harness the effects of caffeine by turning it into a productivity tool. As David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com expressed, “companies need to provide higher-quality coffee and related benefits as part of broader employee retention and loyalty strategies that ultimately help enhance employee productivity.”

Why Coffee?

With more than half (68 percent) of at-work coffee drinkers drinking coffee that is made or dispensed in the office break room, there is an opportunity to positively impact the majority of Scottsdale employees. Offering a sought-after selection of beans and roasts and other hot beverages will also encourage employees to get to the office in the morning and keep them onsite during the workday.

Increased Productivity

It is well established that the caffeine decreases fatigue, provides a mental boost, and improves, memory, reaction times, and concentration. Each of these benefits positively impacts an individual’s productivity, but recent research by the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis has found that caffeine also has a positive impact on a group’s performance. Groups that have consumed coffee were more willing to work and generated a higher number of topic relevant statements. Coffee breaks also contribute to an increase in networking and spontaneous idea generation among groups of individuals.

Plan of Action

Step 1: Offer options in your Scottsdale break room that can compete with coffee purchased or made outside of the office. Be aware that employees value quality and flavor, but are often disappointed when it comes to at-work choices.

Step 2: Invest in higher-quality options. Packaged Facts recommends offering only “two varieties that communicate clear distinctions that matter to the target audience could make most employees happy while keeping product assortment manageable.”

Step 3: Don’t forget to offer your employees a variety of sweeteners and creamers and a selection of healthy snacks and meals to enjoy with their cup of Joe.

Step 4: Contact Southwest Vending at 623.780.3036 to customize your office coffee service or to add healthy snacks and beverages via a break room micro-market or vending machines — your employees will enjoy the added benefit.

Making great coffee while protecting the brewing equipment requires Scottsdale employees to constantly perform a balancing act. They must choose the best type of water to find the sweet spot between preventing damage to the brewing equipment and brewing the perfect cup of coffee.

Why is the type of water so important? A cup of coffee consists of 98 percent water. That means that the beans only represents two percent of the beverage. The quality or type of water can range anywhere from “hard” (full of minerals like magnesium) to “soft” (distilled water falls into this category).

To understand the impact of hard and soft water on brewing equipment, consider the following:  

• many maintenance issues are caused by water because the water comes into contact with almost every part of the machine
• for example, some compounds found in hard water are sticky and seek out specific compounds in the coffee grounds impeding the brewing process
• the more minerals the water contains (or the harder the water), the more damaging the water can be to the brewing equipment
• minerals cause scale buildup (or coat) the inner workings (pumps, boilers, and valves) of the brewing machine, causing corrosion, leaks, and ultimately, the destruction of the machine.

If too many minerals in hard water damage the brewing system, why not use soft or distilled water? The answer to this question is why balancing the water selection is so important. The right balance of minerals in the water improves the taste of a Scottsdale cup of coffee.

To understand how hard and soft water changes the taste, consider the following:

• minerals found in water carry coffee’s body and aroma to the palate
• a high mineral content contributes to a decrease in the quality
  • too much alkalinity in the water can cause a soapy taste or residue in the brewed coffee
  • water that is too hard can give a bitter or chalky taste
  • very little mineral content is also a problem at it causes strange extractions and off-flavors
• soft water can create a bland cup of coffee   

If Scottsdale individuals are interested in monitoring the water that goes into their coffee, the following table from the Specialty Coffee Association’s “Water for Brewing Standards“ lists the acceptable characteristics for the best brewing water.

Characteristic	Target	Acceptable Range
Odor 1	Clean/Fresh, Odor free	n/a
Color 2	Clear color	n/a
Total Chlorine	0 mg/L	n/a
TDS 3	150 mg/L	75 – 250 mg/L
Calcium Hardness	4 grains or 68 mg/L	1-5 grains or 17 mg/L – 85 mg/L
Total Alkalinity	40 mg/L	At or near 40 mg/L
pH	7.0 (neutral)	6.5 – 7.5
Sodium	10 mg/L	At or near 10 mg/L

 

However, not everyone has the time or desire to check the mineral content and quality of their water. When that’s the case, there are several options to explore. The first is to reconsider your source for coffee beans. A local roaster will likely test their beans with local water increasing the likelihood that your Scottsdale employees will brew great tasting coffee. On the other hand, nationally recognized brands often use pure water, which can be found almost everywhere, to test their beans as they strive to create a consistent flavor nationwide. A second option is to use water that tastes good on its own. If water tastes and smells good and is clean straight from the tap, the end result will likely be tasty.

As a side note—avoid pure distilled or reverse osmosis water. While they are often recommended, they are too pure to brew coffee and will leave a lot of flavor behind. A better option is to consider installing a water filtration system in your office break room. Employees can relax knowing they don’t have to worry about the water quality, and Scottsdale employers will know the chemical makeup of the water running through their coffee brewers.

Whether your Scottsdale organization is looking for a new office coffee service or just wants to update the office break room, Southwest Vending can help. We offer a wide variety of customizable vending solutions including micro-markets and healthy vending. To take the first step, call us at 623.780.3036. We look forward to hearing from you.