Did You Know? The word barista is an Italian word, and in Italy, a barista is a male or female "bartender", who typically works behind a counter, serving hot drinks (such as espresso), cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks. The native plural in English is baristas, while in Italian the plural is baristi for masculine or mixed sex (baristi: "barmen", "bartenders") or bariste for feminine (bariste: "barmaids"). While the title is not regulated, most coffee shops use the title to describe the preparer of coffee and operator of an espresso machine. Good espresso-making is essential to a barista's role. Latte art is a visible sign of a trained barista and well-frothed milk. Baristas generally operate a commercial espresso machine, and their role is preparing and pulling the shot; the degree to which this is automated or done manually varies significantly, ranging from push-button operation to an involved manual process. Espresso is a notoriously finicky beverage, and good manual espresso making is considered a skilled task. Further, preparation of other beverages, particularly milk-based drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes, but also non-espresso coffee such as drip or press pot, requires additional work and skill for effective frothing, pouring and most often latte art. The barista usually has been trained to operate the machine and to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster or shop owner, while more experienced baristas may have discretion to vary preparation or experiment. To make the coffee well, there is a series of steps needing attention, including grinding the beans, extracting the coffee, frothing the milk and pouring. Beyond the preparation of espresso and other beverages and general customer service, skilled baristas acquire knowledge of the entire process of coffee to effectively prepare a desired cup of coffee, including maintenance and programming of the machine, grinding methods, roasting, and coffee plant cultivation, similar to how a sommelier is familiar with the entire process of wine making and consumption. A barista can acquire these skills by attending training classes, but they are more commonly learned on the job. Formal barista competitions originated in Norway,and today the most prestigious is the World Barista Championships, held annually at varied international locations. Baristas worldwide compete, though they must first compete in a competition held in their own country to qualify to enter in the WBC

 

The Production Assistant is a position that works under and reports directly to the Production Manager, who may also be the Head Roaster. Production Assistant is a great way to learn every aspect of the coffee industry. You will have responsibilities in the full production process, from inception to shipping.

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Alternative names: Coffee Production Assistant, Roasting Assistant

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Work effectively in a fast-paced production environment/have ability to switch gears when needed

• Can manage and prioritize daily and weekly tasks

• Possess a logical and methodological approach to problem-solving

• Demonstrated capability to communicate clearly and often, and maintain effective relationships with co-workers

• Flexibility with the ability to work independently and with minimum guidance

• Willingness to learn from mistakes

• Desire and curiosity to grow and enhance knowledge and skills

• Understanding and adherence to maintaining confidentiality in all matters

• Proficiency with computers

• Driver’s License with a clean driving record
  

(Source: Perfect Daily Grind)

Duties and Tasks

• Preparing packaging materials for shipping
• Labeling of bags and boxes
• Order fulfillment for coffee orders
• Ensuring all orders are filled, packed and shipped
• Communicating inventory levels with the Production Manager
• Performing daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance and cleaning of production equipment

Working conditions

As a Production Assistant, you will have to stand or walk for most of the day. Moderate to heavy lifting and carrying 23kg and above. (team lifts of 70kg of green coffee). This also means a lot of bending, stooping, pushing/reaching above shoulder.  You will be standing 4+ hours per day on concrete floors and will be subjected to a warehouse environment with a moderate noise level.

Education and training/entrance requirements

There are multiple levels for production associate, from entry-level to more advanced positions. The more advanced positions may require 2 – 3 years of production experience in a similar field.

 

Larger coffee roasting companies will have a Production Manager. The Production Manager must be experienced in managing the workflow in a manufacturing environment. There is a high level of responsibility in maintaining communications between the coffee roaster, packaging operators, shipping and customer service.

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Alternative names: Plant Manager, Roasting & Packaging Coordinator, Operations Manager,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Ability to operate multiple coffee and tea packaging machines

• Supporting the green coffee handling and roasting processes

• Daily operation of the all packaging equipment types

• Manage production efficiency and troubleshooting equipment failures

• Ensuring Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are maintained

David Sager (L) Production Manager of Di Bella Coffee Production with Phillip Di Bella
(Source: Daily Coffee News)

Duties and Tasks

• Ensure timely execution of the production schedule within budget.

• Prioritize production activities based on volumes, equipment efficiency and material supply.

• Recognize and solve problems affecting production including schedules, staff, quality, and order of production line.

• Monitor continuous plant operations, report deficiencies, and resolve any operational issues.

• Continuously seek to improve processes.

• Identify, analyze and resolve issues affecting performance to ensure goals are realized.

• Coordinate maintenance and repair of machines to avoid downtime and delays, ensure production process and machinery are in compliance with professional and safety standards
  

Education and training/entrance requirements

For a Production Manager position, employers are looking for individuals with several years of management and operating experience. A background in food processing experience and GMP knowledge is also preferred.

A coffee roaster is an expert on all aspects of coffee production. The roasting of the coffee is just one part of this position’s responsibility. From assisting the buyer in the acquisition of green coffee to the blending and packaging, a coffee roaster will manage quality control through each step of the process.

Mid-size to larger coffee roasting businesses will have an experienced Lead or Head Roaster. The lead roasters’ sphere of responsibility starts with the cupping table and follows each step of the production process.

As one moves up in their coffee roasting career, they may graduate to Head Roaster and eventually earn Master Roaster status.

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Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Experience with a coffee roasting machine including removing moisture from coffee beans, weighing batches of coffee beans in a scale hopper and feeding the beans into the roasting oven.
• Maintaining proper temperature by observing the roaster thermometer and adjusting controls properly.
• Ability to estimate roasting time by observing the color of roasting coffee beans in the roasting oven.
• Properly discharges the roasted beans to the cooling tray.
• Records roasting amounts, types, and blends of roasted coffee beans.

Duties and Tasks

• Responsible to maintain inventory levels for the coffee business, which could include online, retail and wholesale.
• Manage the training of staff on production operations, including roasting, stamping, head sealing, weighing and shipping.
• Tracking and maintaining inventory levels for both green and roasted coffee.
• Manage the roasting schedule.
• Serve as the in-house coffee expert and resource for customer coffee questions.
• Responsible for roasting samples and hosting cuppings related to the green coffee buying program.
• Will work with the Operations Team in roasting experiments, improving inventory accuracy and forecasting, along with consistency in roasting profiles.

 

Education and training/entrance requirements

Many coffee roasting companies will provide training programs where you can gain experience with the roasting process and equipment. Typically, trainees will cut their teeth on test batches, which allow them to learn how to monitor temperature, roasting time, color and roast levels for the coffee beans.

A professional coffee taster is able to rate and describe the coffee they are tasting through a method that enables them to compare a variety of coffee samples side by side.

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Alternative names: Professional Coffee Taster, Coffee Cupper,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A professional coffee taster, or cupper, must possess a number of skills:

• The ability to assess coffee quality objectively

• Identify, evaluate and articulate the attributes of the coffee

• Detect any defects in the coffee

• Communicate coffee characteristics using accepted industry terminology
  

Concentration is critical in the U.S. Cup Tasters Championships because coffee is a tremendously complex and delicate product. Coffee contains more than 1,000 chemical compounds, more than wine, beer or chocolate. And there are 110 flavor descriptors to evaluate a coffee found in the Sensory Lexicon, developed at the Sensory Analysis Center at Kansas State University.
(Source: Urnex)

Duties and Tasks

As a Coffee Taster, you may work at a number of different venues, such as a roasting plant, and your job can entail sampling incoming batches of coffee and weeding out the undesirables, deciding which coffees will work well for certain blends, or discovering new coffee combinations.

The coffee tasting process involves sampling approximately six to 10 cups that contain about two teaspoons of roughly ground coffee. You pour hot water into each cup and make note of the aroma.

After a couple of minutes, you use a spoon to push down any grounds that have floated to the top, and take another whiff of the coffee. Once your cups of joe have cooled, you slurp a small amount from a spoon, and swish it around in your mouth to get a feel for its flavor, body, and acidity. Then you spit out the coffee, rinse your mouth, and move on to the next sample.

You can evaluate a coffee at any time using the following criteria:

• Fragrance/aroma: Before we assess the taste of the coffees, we focus on what we can smell – the fragrance and aroma. Fragrance refers to the scent of dry coffee and aroma is the term used for wet coffee.
  
  It is not unusual to observe a distinct change between the characteristics observed in the freshly ground coffee and then once it has been saturated with water.

• Flavour: These are the major characteristics of the coffee. A combination of the tastes on your tongue and the smell of aroma, coffee flavour gives an overall evaluation of the coffee taste.

• Acidity: A highly desirable characteristic that adds sparkle and verve to the cup. It can be citrusy, berry or green apple-like. It creates a pleasant cleanness on the palate and is termed bright, effervescent, and crisp.
  
  Acidity is to coffee as dryness is to wine, so coffees without acidity tend to taste flat and dull, like flat soda. Darker roasts tend to have flattened acidity. Acidity is best observed on the first taste.

• Body: is the physical mouth feel and texture of a coffee, the physical sensation on your tongue or roof of your mouth. A coffee’s body (light, medium, full) is its thickness due to the amount of dissolved and suspended solids extracted from the coffee grounds, and may range from thin and watery to thick and creamy.
  

Education and training/entrance requirements

Most TAFEs will have a Barista course which includes coffee tasting. To become an experienced taster requires practice under a master coffee taster.

 

Did You Know? Australian Coffee Today, coffee is grown mostly in the far eastern part of the country. Two important areas are the Atherton Tablelands in northern Queensland outside of Cairns, with about 30 large growers on over 700 ha, and in northern New South Wales (NSW) just south of the Queensland border, where there are around 170 growers on 500 ha. Australian coffee is a rule breaker as far as elevation is concerned. Not only is the country outside the tropics, but coffee is typically grown at 200-400 metres, not infrequently lower, and rarely much above 900 metres. Despite the low elevations, Australia grows arabica almost exclusively. The typica variety is grown, but also catuai, Mundo Novo (hybrid of bourbon and typica), and especially Kenyan varieties more suited to the drier Australian climate such as K7 and SL6. Coffee is processed every which-way: some wet processing, some semi-washed (pulped natural), some dry processed (full natural), and a unique method developed by the Mountain Top Coffee Company called “double pass.” This is where a full natural process bean (dried on the tree) is rehydrated before being pulped. Australia currently produces 200 to 600 tons of coffee annually, half of which is exported, an amount so low it does not even get listed in the International Coffee Organization’s production statistics. It’s rarely seen in the United States, but there has been considerable investment in the specialty coffee industry in Australia along with increasing market presence. (Source: Coffee Habitat)

The Mechanical Technician is responsible for all roasting, packaging, brewing, and dispensing equipment. From in-house to in-field calls, the life of a mechanical technician is fast-paced. If you’re mechanically inclined and like a work environment where every day is different, then a mechanical  technician may be the perfect fit. Good communication skills are also necessary. A mechanical tech will deal directly with the customer when it comes to equipment installations, emergency service, maintenance, and equipment exchanges.

Larger coffee equipment companies will have a Roaster Technician position. There may be multiple levels available, from entry-level I (Apprenticeship) to more advanced supervisory positions. The Roaster Tech is involved in the assembly and maintenance of coffee roasting machines. This requires a knowledge of electro-mechanical assembly and gas system assembly and testing.

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Alternative names: Mechanical Coffee Technician, Roaster Technician, Roaster Tech,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Ability to read fabrication and electrical schematics/drawings
• Knowledge of roaster operation and assembly
• Document creation for the bill of materials (BOM), work instructions, etc.
• Wire electrical and electro-mechanical assemblies and sub-assemblies
• Testing roasters for function and build quality

(Source: MT Pak Coffee)

 

Duties and Tasks

• Proficiency with tools, machinery, electricity, and plumbing
• Troubleshoot, repair and maintain equipment
• Ensure proper installation and un-instillation of equipment
• Maintain inventory of equipment and service parts

Education and training/entrance requirements

TAFEs run courses in Coffee but you can also go to specific training courses. Coffee Roasters Australia runs regular coffee roasting training courses structured from beginner to advanced. They also offer tailored training courses to individuals or organisations wishing to focus on a particular area of the coffee roasting processor to develop staff competencies. The course can be conducted in-house at Coffee Roasters Australia or at the customer's site. We have conducted training and consulting both in Australia and Internationally.

Connecting farmers to customers throughout the world, coffee buyers are the link from production to consumption and the gatekeepers for quality in specialty coffee.

The job of the green coffee buyer is to determine what coffees a roasting company will purchase. Not only is a knowledge of coffee required but managing the relationships and transactions between the grower and the roaster is vital. Many people are attracted to the idea of international travel and visiting coffee producers in exotic places. However, it’s not always exciting. There will be a great deal of time spent in the home office sampling coffees, handling paperwork and coordinating the sale. To put it into perspective, consider that a coffee buyer for Starbucks will spend about 18 weeks out of the year visiting coffee growers and suppliers.

The amount of time spent in the field depends on the amount of coffee the roaster needs to maintain production.

 

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Alternative names: Coffee Bean Buyer,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A successful coffee buyer will also have the following qualifications:

• bilingual (English, Spanish, & Portuguese among others)
• have cupping experience
• have roasting experience
• strong communication skills
• experience in trade & business ( a business degree is a plus)
• ability to withstand high altitudes
• international travel experience

 

(Source: Jebena Coffees)

 

Duties and Tasks

A coffee buyer needs to be business savvy, making daily decisions on:

• managing relationships with suppliers
• the quality of the coffee being purchased
• the price of the coffee and purchasing contracts
• managing coffee inventory
• coffee storage and transport
• shipping and processing protocol
• managing quality control through the process

Education and training/entrance requirements

There are not a lot of education programs available for becoming a coffee buyer. Most buyers have started in the coffee industry as baristas in a local coffee shop, learning as much as they could about the industry. However, a business degree is a plus.

Did You Know? Green Coffee Buyers have a palate as distinguished as a sommelier and can keenly identify coffee quality via cupping, or systematic tasting of brewed coffees. Through cupping, the coffee taster can assess a coffee's score and determine whether it is specialty grade quality, make decisions on which coffees they will include in their offerings, and often develop tasting notes and descriptions for the coffee on its final packaging. The green coffee buyer has a large role in communicating the information about a coffee to the roaster and café staff. (Source: Jebena Coffees)

 

A coffee trader is someone who sells bulk coffee commodity in an attempt to make a profit. The definition can loosely be applied to cover a number of specific key roles within the coffee production process.

The coffee trader will typically occupy the role of go-between link, between the farmer and the roaster.

The trader will establish a reasonable purchase price, either directly with the farmers or with other traders on the wholesale market where conditions mean a surplus of sellable bean stock is available. The trader in this circumstance would then sell to the roaster, who in turn passes on the coffee product for profit.

 

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Alternative names: Coffee retailer, Coffee exporter, Coffee wholesaler
  
Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Ability to think on a global level

• Able to understand mathematical and illogical motivations behind changing commodity conditions

• Strong marketing ability and knowledge of domestic production and international retail markets

• Ability to forge strong relationships with domestic producers

• Ability to demonstrate product quality to roasters in other territories

• Understanding of local and international export requirements (INCOTERMS)

(Source: AgGrad, Career Profile Coffee Trader)

Duties and Tasks

• Understand the mechanics of global coffee trading

• Understand coffee cultivation, packaging and retail

• Organise exporting and documentation

• Actively seek new buyers to drive demand

• Ensure that farmers are remunerated properly where Fair Trade certification is applicable

• Appoint local persons to deal with all aspects of tax, legislation and production logistics

Working conditions

This job involves a great deal of travel, as the admin and export facets of the role demand the trader is based in a capital city which is not where the product is produced.

Coffee grows best in warm, mountainous areas with high humidity, and these areas are often difficult to access because they lack the support of strong infrastructure.

This is all part of the exotic adventure, though.

Also, the roaster is normally based in the territory of distribution, and this may well be on the other side of the planet to the grower’s operation.

Tools and technologies

Coffee traders spend a large amount of time on the phone. They also use computers, in particular financial tracking and data management software. They also use mobile phones and laptop computers to stay in touch with their clients and key contacts while they are travelling or away from the office.

Education and training/entrance requirements

There are no formal academic barriers to entry, although many entrants come from a background of food and beverage (F&B) wholesale or retail.

It is essential that candidates have an understanding of how to sell commodity to global markets, and so where a formal qualification may be lacking, the important thing for the trader is to surround themselves with people who do understand and can drive demand externally.

It is possible to study for an industry-specific accreditation with a variety of trade organisations globally.

Also, some time spent studying the practice of being a skilled barista (coffee artisan) is highly recommended, as it gives an understanding of the retail end of the coffee production and retail supply chains.

Employment Opportunities

It is possible to build a profitable coffee trading company with zero industry expertise, IF the candidate can surround themselves with talented people and work effectively on their own precise element of the coffee supply chain.

Because most coffee traders operate their own business, the ability for their firm to grow depends on domestic consumption volume, international demand for their regionally-produced commodity, and the quality of the resulting bean.

The quality issue is an important one because it effectively sets the margin the trader can expect to achieve on each delivery sale.

It is important to understand that the retailer is a separate entity to the trader, who supplies the commodity which the retailer then sells.

However, as consumers demand more niche-focused coffee products, large coffee buyers make significant efforts in sourcing and purchasing more gourmet coffees, which is the ideal operating remit for the independent trader.

 

 

 

 

Related Jobs or Working with these Jobs
(Jobs not linked are currently being worked on)

Cafe or Restaurant Manager	Chef	Commodities Trader	Crop Farmer
Supply, Distribution & Procurement Manager	Waiter	Wholesaler

Job Cluster: Food & Beverages Jobs

Materials sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Barista; ] 
Craft Beverage Jobs
Zumbarcoffee [Roaster; ]
Perfect Daily Grind [Operations Manager; ]
Higher Me [Lead Coffee Roaster; ]
Career Match [Coffee Taster; ]
My Job Search [Coffee Trader; ]
Merlo [Coffee Tasting Tips; ]
Your Career [Barista; ] 

Photo Credits 1, 2, 3

 

 

 

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