It is exciting to see innovation in the Tea sector, with the Victoria Arduino Pure Brew system. What can you tell us about it and brewing tea in a hospitality environment?

The ability to pull espresso, brew specialty coffee as well as tea direct from one machine is revolutionary. This is why it is not a system, but rather a concept that we have developed and just the beginning of a journey for everyone involved in this project.

During the early stage of the development of Pure Brew, the brief was to expand and make use of an espresso machine. Today, at Market Grounds, the development team calls it a tea machine, as everyone involved has become super excited and personally interested about the possibilities of tea. That’s just how far we have come with this project and I wouldn’t be surprised if we will see some operators serving just tea from the machine in certain markets and regions of the world.

Previously, operators would require up to three machines to do the job properly. Incorporating all technologies into the brew head along with other patented innovations, operators are saving space, reducing complexity and are improving speed of service. These improvements are not only reducing cost but additionally providing the operator with more options to differentiate and expand their menu.

Imagine being able to serve several freshly brewed single origin specialty coffees without the need to having a brew station on site or not having to keep your “house coffee” in a thermos for hours. Likewise, we have developed a range of TE BARISTATEAS as part of the Pure Brew concept that will enable operators to serve specialty loose teas directly go cup/pot within the range of 2-3 minutes automatically, giving the Barista the freedom to continue to do something else whilst the teas are being prepared.

The concept also delivers greater consistency, as tea brewing in foodservice typically requires either the Barista or the customer to end the steeping process at a certain point in time. Often enough, tea in foodservice is therefore either under or over extracted. Typically, the extraction times for herbal & fruit teas are anywhere between 5-7 minutes, but with the newly developed TE BARISTATEAS, along with the Pure Brew system, you can choose between different extraction methods and adjust the temperature per brew head according to the type of tea served.

We have also created Displays to support and enhance the tea experience and operation of our BARISTATEAS:

  • Range of 6 RFA certified TE BARISTATEAS that are pre-proportioned into a 100% compostable overwrap and a tea presentation chest
  • TE Bar for the BARISTATEAS, including 6 tins for specialty tea, a scale and spoon for dosing the teas

We strongly believe that our concept will elevate tea from under the counter into the eye of the consumer and enhance the overall tea experience in the hospitality segment. Quality, consistency and presentation are key to teas value perception for today’s consumers.

Do you think this has the potential to revamp the hospitality/café scene?

From a tea perspective, Pure Brew can and will certainly open up new possibilities for operators to serve and promote tea in a true Barista style. Following initial response from customers, it could even develop into a pure tea play, when you can deliver a perfect cup of tea within 2-3 minutes. It’s that easy – at the push of a button. That’s a TEAVELUTION in foodservice.

But incorporating just technology to improve your operation will not be sufficient. Following the pandemic and increased home office presence, there certainly has been a resurgence of tea and increased appreciation of the tea culture. We see tea as a modern must-have experience within the global hospitality industry. We have seen a strong increase from our customers to revamp their tea assortment, as consumers have increasingly searched online for functional and wellbeing-focused beverages.

Consumers are seeking the calming promise of herbal teas during a time of anxiety and stress rather than traditional medicinal uses. The popularity of adaptogenic teas and resurgence of bubble tea on western menus by the leading coffee shop operators, following difficult days for the niche are promising, as virtually all bubble tea is consumed away from home! It shows that evolving consumer taste preferences, healthy living habits, and convenience are the primary factors boosting sales.

So, incorporating these trends into existing menus and preparing tea beverages in front of the customer will certainly fuse the appreciation for quality, authenticity and passion with the romance and sensory adventure that tea offers as the beverage, that is consumed the most in the world after water.

What can we expect at the European Coffee Symposium and what will you be serving?

We take you on a journey into the colourful and exciting world of tea. Get to know this versatile and unfortunately often underestimated beverage and its different ways of preparation. For example, enjoy a fresh cup of tea from Victoria’s Back Eagle espresso machine at our stand. This way of preparing tea is not only particularly innovative and fast, but also incredibly tasty. This is possible thanks to the Pure Brew program of the machine, a special filter and the unique BARISTATEAS from Teahouse Exclusives, with which the perfect pleasure is created.

We will also demonstrate the Fresh Blender, with which it will soon be possible to prepare tea in various cold variations simply, quickly and fully automatically. Here, too, taste is not neglected in any way. Quite the opposite. However, we offer tea innovations not only in the technical field but in every area. From creative and trendy blends that have other benefits besides excellent taste and can be served cold or hot, to the important ecological but nevertheless appealing packaging, to beverage creations that have their finger on the pulse of time, we are constantly developing our products. Tea flows in our veins instead of blood and we want to share our passion with all visitors.

How do you see the technology being implement in the industry, and what does the future look like?

Since 1879 we have inspired customers with authentic tea and herbal beverages and our new range of TE BARISTATEAS for the Pure Brew system will enable operators to take their consumers on a sensory and visual tea journey of discovery around the globe.

Technology in general will be essential to overcome todays labour challenges in the hospitality landscape. By implementing it in a mindful way, it will enable staff to focus more on personal interaction with customers and delivering consistency to the beverages served again and again more efficiently. With the Pure Brew Concept and our TE BARISTATEAS, we are combining technology with more than 140 years of experience and forward thinking. We continue to pioneer the foodservice industry by creating bespoke solutions while seizing trends and providing new impulses to the segment.

We aim to offer a unique tea experience to guests in any hospitality situation, may it be served hot or cold. Along with our clients we develop bespoke tea concepts and tools to present the products. Additionally, the much-needed training in the art of tea and knowledge sharing takes place through custom designed programmes as well as our UniversiTE.

However, this is not the only implementation of technology that we are working to create new beverage concepts and consumer experience. More Innovations are emerging: Imagine ice cold refreshers, Boba and Bubble teas, nitro cold brew tea, iced teas, premium fruit teas being freshly dispensed in crew or self-serve all from one machine.

Lookout for the Fresh Blender, here we come!

Learn more about the Teahouse Exclusives x Victoria Arduino collaboration at the European Coffee Symposium 2022.