Coffee

The truth is that coffee hits a lot of spots! For centuries, people all around the world have loved coffee, and its popularity is far from waning nowadays. In fact, coffee connoisseurs have more varieties of delicious choices than ever before, as coffee houses, shops, kiosks and specialty carts spring up all over the place.

No matter how you like your coffee, whether it be black, frothy cappuccino, latte, espresso, hot or on ice, the selections available to tempt your taste buds is enormous. The average annual coffee consumption of the American adult is 67 gallons, over 600 cups. In fact, specialty coffee sales are increasing by 20% per year and account for almost 8% of the 18 billion dollar U.S. coffee market. Statistics show that among coffee drinkers, the average consumption in the US is around 2.3 cups of coffee per day. Also, studies find that over one-half of the population, equivalent to approximately 150 million Americans, now drink specialty coffees on a daily basis.

There are currently around 35,000 coffee shops around the United States, with an average $30 billion a year in sales. Based on market research, there will be approximately 42,000 or more independently owned coffee shops in the US by the year 2011. An enterprising business person should look at the gourmet coffee business as a golden opportunity.

Based on research by the National Coffee Association and The Specialty Coffee Association of America, the average price for an espresso based drink is $2.85, while the average price for brewed coffee is $1.38. The average espresso drive-thru business sells approximately 200-300 cups of espresso and coffee based drinks per day. The studies show that men drink as much coffee as women; each consuming an average of 1.6 cups per day. Women tend to be more concerned about price than their male counterparts.

The United States imports over $5 billion worth of coffee every year. Juan Valdez and his little donkey must be keeping very busy! Americans drink 460 million cups of coffee every day, which makes the United States the leading consumer of coffee in the entire world.

A scientific report from the University of California found that the steam rising from a cup of coffee contains the same amounts of antioxidants as three oranges. The antioxidants are heterocyclic compounds which prevents cancer and heart disease. Guess what! Coffee is good for you!

More than half of all Americans, 18 or older, drink coffee every day. This equates to approximately 150 million daily java drinkers. 30 million American adults drink specialty coffee beverages daily; such as mocha, latte, espresso, cafe mocha, cappuccino, frozen/iced coffee beverages, and so on.

Coffee sales are continually rising year after year. And so are the pricing modules! Coffee is the second largest commodity traded, next to oil. If you are looking for a business to get into, coffee is probably the best business for you to consider. Can you think of any other product that has such universal appeal, is easy to get into, and is relatively simple to operate?

Michael Stadneck grew up in Palermo Italy, where he enjoyed the finest gourmet coffee for the first 35 years of his life. As luck would have it, his first job in America was with Nescafe Coffee Company. After five years of hard work he was promoted to take over the specialty coffee franchise department.

Author: Michael Stadneck
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

A 2001 survey by the National Coffee Association indicated that over 100 million people drink coffee on a daily basis and that nearly 60 million more occasionally consume coffee. Based on average drinking habits, the daily coffee drinker will consume multiple cups per day – totalling hundreds of millions cups of coffee being consumed every 24 hours.

Such enormous consumer demand coupled with the growing trend toward gourmet coffee presents an opportunity for the enterprising coffee lovers to take their double shots at generating income while working in an industry which makes their coffee passions percolate.

Coffee-loving entrepreneurs can choose from a wide range of opportunities available to find ones that best matches their tastes. Interested in starting small? Start with a couple machines and a cart. More grande ambitions? Consider a coffee shop franchise.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America’s “Market Report” forecasts that the number of coffeehouses in the U.S. will grow to 15,000 by the year 2006. Will one of those coffeehouses be yours?

You can take a couple different paths can to starting your own coffee themed business. One option is to buy the equipment and supplies yourself, building your own identity and business systems. The other option is to purchase a franchise and benefit from their proven image, proven systems, and established supply chains. Let’s look at some examples of coffee related businesses that you could start for yourself.

If you choose the independent route you can use a wholesaler such as Mr. Churro’s to help get you started. Mr. Churro’s is Miami-based wholesaler of professional grade machines for making espresso, coffee, and hot chocolate. Beyond acquiring equipment from Mr. Churro’s you would need to work out other details of your business details on your own. For example, you would need to find a coffee bean supplier, find a suitable business location, and also learn how to run a coffee business.

For a more turn-key type of operation, The Coffee Beanery, a global franchise based in Michigan, provides franchisees with a wide menu of coffee based drinks as well as an attractive breakfast and lunch menus. The franchisee benefits from a proven image, a proven menu, a fully developed method of operation, and an established supply chain. It might cost more to purchase a franchise, but if you are new to business, the long term benefits might outweigh the short term higher startup costs.

Coffee News USA is a third type of coffee related business opportunity. Unlike the previous two examples, Coffee News USA does not involve making and selling coffee beverages. Instead, Coffee News is publishing opportunity in which the franchisee provides a free local edition of the weekly Coffee News newspaper to restaurants and coffee shops. The franchisor provides most of the content, and the franchisee sells advertisements to generate income.

These three business opportunities a just a few of the coffee related businesses that are available for coffee lovers. Most of the other opportunities are franchises, but not all franchises are created equal. Examining each business opportunity carefully can bring to light some important differences that might lead you to an opportunity that is better suited to you than another.

With over 300 million cups of coffee being consumed daily in the US, a coffee-related business opportunity should be a strong consideration for the enterprising coffee lover. Contact information for Mr. Churro’s, The Coffee Beanery, Coffee News USA, and more than 400 other specific business opportunities is available in the eBook, “Mind Your Business 101: How to Select & Start Your Own Business,” for only $16.98 USD at http://www.LinkertonPublishing.com.

About The Author

C.S. Deam is a small business owner. His eBook Leverage Yourself Out of the Rat Race is available for immediate download at www.LinkertonPublishing.com where you can sign up for FREE E-Courses & Newsletters to help you on your path to self-employment.

CSDeam@LinkertonPublishing.com

Author: C.S. Deam
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In 2006, the National Coffee Association stated that 112 million Americans drink coffee daily. Yet, there are still a large number of people who can’t make a delicious pot of coffee. Brewing coffee is definitely NOT rocket science. With these 5 simple tips and a little practice, anybody can brew a better pot of coffee.

Wash Your Coffee Pot

Some people believe that you should not use soap to wash your coffee pot. This mistaken belief stems from individuals that think that your coffee pot can absorb soap and ruin the taste of your next pot of coffee. Glass coffee pots are non-porous; they cannot and will not absorb any flavors from anything. HOWEVER, if you do not rinse your coffee pot well, some soap residue can stick to the side of your pot and can affect the taste of your next pot of coffee. Wash your coffee pot with hot, soapy water, just like you would normally wash dishes. Be sure to Rinse well.

Note: Do not ever use soap to wash any interior surface of your coffee maker. It will be hard to rinse off all of the soap residue and you may end up with bad-tasting coffee for a long time.

Use Filtered or Bottled Water

Although bottled water offers absolutely no health benefits over tap water, there are many places where tap water tastes horrible. Find a brand of bottled water that you like, make a pot of coffee with it and see if you notice a difference in the taste of your coffee.

Measure Ground Coffee Consistently

Use the same spoon or scoop to measure your coffee. You may even want to take notes about how much coffee you use. Coffee is all about personal taste. If you want a stronger cup, use more coffee. If you don’t like your coffee strong, use less coffee.

Use a French Press

This step is optional. A French Press is a device that can make anywhere from 1 cup to 1 pot of coffee. It is the desired method of brewing coffee for many coffee drinkers because you can control the steeping time of the coffee. Steep

Drink the Coffee Within 30 Minutes of Brewing

There are various compounds in brewed coffee that contribute to its great aroma and taste. Some of these compounds evaporate easily. Once they are gone, your coffee will not have the same aroma or taste. It only takes 20-30 minutes for these compounds to evaporate, leaving you with a sub-standard pot of coffee. Drink your coffee soon after brewing.

David Dugay works Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company, one of the largest manufacturers of Kona coffee.

If you want to learn more about coffee and Hawaii, visit our blog at http://www.KonaCoffeeBlog.blogspot.com

When you are ready to try some of the best Kona Coffee in the world, visit us at http://www.HawaiianIsles.com

Author: David Dugay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee is loved the world over. There are not too many beverages which inspire the love and devotion that coffee does. In fact, coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. Just look on the internet – a Google search of “coffee” generates almost 175,000,000 (yes, that is million!) results. So, what is the big deal? Perhaps some interesting facts will give you some clues:

1. The three biggest coffee drinkers in the world are the Americans, the French and the Germans. They consume nearly 65% of the total world’s consumption of coffee. Worldwide annual coffee consumption is over 400 billion cups and continues to grow. In 2005, coffee was the seventh largest legal agricultural export in the world by value.

2. In the United States alone, we consume 400 million cups every day, or 35% of the world’s total. The statistics show that 54% of the adult population drinks coffee cups on a daily basis, and another 25% of all Americans drink it once in a while. This means that more than three quarters of American adults drink coffee.

3. Men drink as much, if not more, coffee than women. In the year 2000, a National Coffee Association survey reported that the average consumption of coffee corresponds to approximately 1.9 cups of coffee per day for men and 1.4 cups per day for women when looking at the total population. However, when looking at coffee drinkers only, the average consumption is raised to about 3.1 cups per person per day.

4. Coffee is actually a fruit and grows on trees (although often called plants). Coffee trees are not fast growers. In fact, it takes five years for a coffee tree to reach full maturity. Once it’s become mature, each mature coffee plant yields about 5 pounds of green (un-roasted) coffee beans per year. This results in less than one pound of coffee beans after roasting. It takes about 4000 coffee beans to produce a pound of coffee and roughly 50 coffee beans to produce one cup of coffee.

5. Even though it tastes “stronger”, dark roasted coffees actually have LESS caffeine than medium or light roasts. The longer a coffee is roasted, the darker it becomes and the more caffeine burns off during the process. Similarly, contrary to popular assumptions, espresso coffee actually contains about one-third of the caffeine of a brewed cup of coffee. This is partially due to the fact that espresso is typically made using top premium arabica beans which have a lower caffeine content than robusta beans, which are found in many coffee blends used for standard brewing. Also, in the espresso brewing method, water is in contact with the grounds for only 20 to 25 seconds and extracts less caffeine than methods that put water in contact with the grounds for several minutes.

6. A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The Italian name ‘cappuccino’ comes from the long, pointed cowl, or cappuccino, that was worn as part of the habit of the Capuchin Order of Friars. In Italian, the word cappuccino also describes espresso coffee mixed or topped with steamed milk or cream, because the color of the coffee resembled the color of the habit of a Capuchin friar. Some people also believe that the term relates to the aspect of a friar’s tonsured (white) head, surrounded by a ring of brown hair.

7. The term “joe” when referring to coffee originates with the fact that coffee has long been a favorite drink among American soldiers. Soldiers in the Civil War, for example, were issued rations of coffee which they brewed in water over camp fires. During World War II, American soldiers were given instant coffee rations and were known to consume large amounts of coffee. Since these soldiers were known as “G.I. Joes”, the phrase “cup of Joe” was adapted to describe a cup of coffee.

8. Caffeine can enhance athletic endurance and performance. Until 2004, caffeine was on the International Olympic Committee list of prohibited substances. Athletes who tested positive for more than 12 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of urine (about 5 cups of coffee) were banned from the Olympic Games. Even though caffeine has now been removed from the list of prohibited substances, the controversy continues as experts differ in their opinions as to whether caffeine consumption on the day of performance can give an athlete an unfair advantage or not.

9. Of all its proprietary products, 7-Eleven sells more fresh-brewed coffee than anything else -1 million cups each day. That’s more than 10,000 pots of coffee an hour every hour of every day of the year. Starbucks’ sales totals are even more staggering. While Starbucks no longer releases its sales information to the public, it is estimated that it sells over 4 million coffee drinks per day.

10. Coffee can be good for you! Coffee can increase the effectiveness of pain killers, reduce headaches and can help fight asthma, possibly due to the enhanced adrenal effect from the caffeine. Coffee may reduce the risk for some cancers and Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies have shown that caffeine reduces the incidence of diabetes by 54% for men and 30% for women. Lastly, coffee’s stimulant effects and fat burning potential has some in the medical field pushing it as a means of lowering the incidence of heart disease.

Coffee is a truly amazing beverage with a long history and a worldwide following. These 10 facts represent only a very small portion of the information related to coffee which touches every conceivable aspect of life – history, culture, health, wealth, business, enjoyment and more. No wonder coffee inspires the awe and fascination that it does!

Rachel Nielsen is a coffee lover and a coffee fanatic. See her website at http://www.thejavapress.com for a more complete coffee resource guide.

Author: Rachel Nielsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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