


Bruce Milletto, CEO of Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup and a leading industry watcher, thinks the company's motivation is more basic: Starbucks is returning to its roots as a comfortable "third place," a living space that goes beyond the home and the office. "People want to have ‘their' coffee bar, and they want to have ‘their' coffee," says Milletto, who remembers when Starbucks was a hip chain of four or five shops. "Starbucks has realized that's a niche they're no longer filling."
Bruce goes on to say, "Once you have thousands and thousands of stores, it's difficult to have consumers look at you in the same way," Milletto says. "I think in coffee, the small independent will always win out if it's doing a fantastic job."
Though the recession has hurt some coffee sales, it hasn't ended
Americans' move toward higher-quality coffee, says Bruce Milletto,
president of Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup, which provides consulting and
training to the industry. "Our taste buds have memories," Milletto
says. "Once you drink a really excellent cappuccino, it's very hard to
go back even to a chain store that may be using automatic machines."
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In a joint venture with the World Barista Championship (WBC), Bellissimo Media Productions has created a two-DVD set documenting the 8th Annual World Barista Championship (WBC) held in Tokyo, Japan July 31 to August 2, 2007. This DVD set is the first of its kind produced in the eight-year history of the WBC, and uniquely captures both the heart and mind of the exciting 2007 championship event.
The first DVD is a 55-minute overview of the WBC event that displays the soul of the competition. This documentary-style DVD includes interviews, local color shots and footage of all of the competitors in action.
"The DVD documents the full WBC experience, and allows viewers to see and feel the excitement generated by this competition as well as to hear from the participants, attendees and coffee professionals from all over the world," said Bruce Milletto, the film's director. "The film is truly riveting and has the potential to win major national awards and recognition."
The second 100-minute DVD is a training tool that features the performances of the six finalists in their entirety, followed by the awards ceremony.
"This disc is perfect for baristas who dream about competing or bettering their skills and want to analyze every move these champions make in their 15-minute performances," said Milletto.
James Hoffmann of the United Kingdom was declared the 2007 WBC champion out of a field of 45 competitors. Second place went to Heather Perry of the United States and third place to Carl Sara of New Zealand. Baristas who won sanctioned WBC competitions held around the world were eligible to compete for the title. Baristas were judged on artistry, presentation, technical skills and the quality of the beverages they prepared.
The two-DVD set retails for $69.95, and is currently on sale for a limited time at the wholesale price of $49.95. To order, click here.
Starting a Coffee Shop Business Podcast
Produced by Startingabiz.com | June 30th, 2009
Bruce Milletto, president of Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup and founder of the American Barista and Coffee School, offers his insight about how to start a coffee business to podcast host Matt Thomas of StartingABIZ.com. Bruce offers expert advice about getting started, choosing a location, picking the right coffee and espresso equipment, and more. [24 minute podcast]
Click here to listen to Starting a Coffee Shop Business Podcast
For the second time in two months, Matt Milletto, Vice President of Bellissimo Coffee InfoGroup and Director of the American Barista & Coffee School, defends the independent retailer on NATIONWIDE TV! As Matt says, "No, it is not all about price but quality." Click here to view feature on Fox Business News.
| The art of the Latte |
