Advice needed from coffee industry experts

[mitzibarber]

I ran across this site as I was looking for coffee brokers / distributors for a new product we are selling...AQUIEM®. The problem we are finding is that many coffee roasters do not appear to be open to the idea of selling purified water specifically mineral-blended for coffee brewing. Can anyone explain why people in the coffee industry would not be thrilled with a product (in an eco-friendly 1-liter Tetra Pak), especially if it brings out the flavor of the coffee they have worked so hard to produce? I genuinely want to understand, so I can serve this industry better. Thank you for all who can help!

 

[JSACoffee]

Well, most coffee shops/roasters have a water filter/purification and softener system tailored to their specific location. Maybe try selling to organic/artisan type stores.

 

[PinkRose]

The problem we are finding is that many coffee roasters do not appear to be open to the idea of selling purified water specifically mineral-blended for coffee brewing.

I can't imagine coffee roasters ever wanting to get involved with trying to sell purified water along with their roasted coffee. Roasting coffee is a full-time job. I doubt if they would want to sell water too.

Once a roaster has roasted, packaged, and delivered the coffee, his part in the process is done. The next person in the chain is the guy in the cafe who stores, grinds, and makes the coffee. If he doesn't do any of those steps right, the coffee (in the cup) won't turn out as the roaster intended it to.

Most cafes have some sort of water filter hooked up to the water that goes into the coffee machines. I doubt that they would be interested in anything else.

Rose

 

[mitzibarber]

I can't imagine coffee roasters ever wanting to get involved with trying to sell purified water along with their roasted coffee. Roasting coffee is a full-time job. I doubt if they would want to sell water too.

Once a roaster has roasted, packaged, and delivered the coffee, his part in the process is done. The next person in the chain is the guy in the cafe who stores, grinds, and makes the coffee. If he doesn't do any of those steps right, the coffee (in the cup) won't turn out as the roaster intended it to.

Most cafes have some sort of water filter hooked up to the water that goes into the coffee machines. I doubt that they would be interested in anything else.

Rose

Our water would be for cafes to sell to consumers...it comes in an eco-friendly box that is portable.

 

[mitzibarber]

By the way, thank you to all of you for your advice!

 

[mitzibarber]

Does anyone else have any thoughts about how I can get roasters or coffee bean distributors interested in selling AQUIEM® to consumers or hotels for in-room coffee brewing? What a great forum this is to get informed advice in the coffee world!

 

[ensoluna]

in my opinion, I do not think your product is right for consumers or hotels.
probably the best method for promoting or find your potential customers will be attending Coffee trade shows.
you can find coffee trade show infos easily from web.
good luck to you.

PS: I am also similar situation as you are. I represent Guatemala green coffee exporting company. So I am going to attend Shanghai coffee trade show next week, visiting green coffee buyers booth at the show. You can do the same in USA or if you have some enough capital, you can have your own booth at the show.

 

[ensoluna]

or you can join SCAA annual membership. Then, they will send you a book that has most of coffee roasters / green bean distributor information.
you can use that book to contact potential customers.

or

simply use Google to find coffee roasters in your area to visit.

 

[mitzibarber]

Thank you for responding...sorry you feel that way about my product

 

[PinkRose]

Thank you for responding...sorry you feel that way about my product

I'm curious.....I see that you wrote that your water is purified water that's specifically mineral-blended for coffee brewing. Does that mean that minerals are added to the water to bring out the flavor of the coffee? How do you know which minerals to add to the water? Will these minerals bring out the flavor of every kind of roasted coffee and at every roast level?

Have you had any luck with trying to sell your product to the home coffee enthusiast? I can picture a people in their homes using your bottled water to make their coffee, instead of using their chlorinated tap water.

Rose

 

[chast]

The products sound silmilar to what Cirqua Water produced. A and B packets that contained the proper additives for water

 

[mitzibarber]

I'm curious.....I see that you wrote that your water is purified water that's specifically mineral-blended for coffee brewing. Does that mean that minerals are added to the water to bring out the flavor of the coffee? How do you know which minerals to add to the water? Will these minerals bring out the flavor of every kind of roasted coffee and at every roast level?

Have you had any luck with trying to sell your product to the home coffee enthusiast? I can picture a people in their homes using your bottled water to make their coffee, instead of using their chlorinated tap water.

Rose

Rose, yes, a specific recipe of minerals in water extract flavor from coffee beans during the brewing process. (It is a known chemical process whereby more oils are extracted from the beans.) We are having some success selling to the consumer via local grocery stores and e-commerce from our website. We are not having much success, though, selling to specialty stores and cafes, where we feel consumers are more likely going to buy AQUIEM®. We are also targeting luxury hotels to use AQUIEM® for in-room coffee brewing, so guests don't have to use tap water to brew.

 

[mitzibarber]

Our water is portable...anyone can now have itemized water at home

 

[PinkRose]

We are also targeting luxury hotels to use AQUIEM® for in-room coffee brewing, so guests don't have to use tap water to brew.

Does AQUIEM water taste good enough to use as drinking water also? When staying in a hotel, getting water from the bathroom sink, either to drink or use for coffee, is something I avoid if I can. When I travel, I usually stop in a local store and buy a lot of bottled water for those purposes.

Rose

 

[mitzibarber]

Does AQUIEM water taste good enough to use as drinking water also? When staying in a hotel, getting water from the bathroom sink, either to drink or use for coffee, is something I avoid if I can. When I travel, I usually stop in a local store and buy a lot of bottled water for those purposes.

Rose

Rose, you have the right idea about AQUIEM®! We think AQUIEM® is perfect for traveling. Yes, you can drink AQUIEM®...it was formulated for brewing coffee, though. Mitzi