Black Sheep Coffee
As a self-confessed maverick , Black Sheep – like the coffee scene itself – is always evolving . For Gabriel , it all comes down to product quality , customer experience , speed of service , new technologies , and an acute focus on sustainability .
“ Overall , there ’ s a lot of fluff and greenwashing in our industry , and it could be improved by valuing truth over PR ,” he says . “ Sustainability plays a massive role in the business . It ’ s so important to care about your supply chain as much as you do about your waste .
“ Therefore , we source robusta beans that have incredible credentials compared to arabica . Robusta uses much less water and produces three times as many cherries per bush . Plus , the higher caffeine content acts as a natural pesticide , meaning we don ’ t have to spray our coffee cultures with chemicals . The fertilizers used on our plantations are fully organic and come from the fruits and vegetables grown on the farms , which brings us to the next big topic : shade-grown coffee .” wildlife on our estates – cobra snakes , giant sloths , bonnet macaques , striped hyenas , and wild boars , for instance .”
Caught up on Black Sheep ’ s story , the conversation inevitably turns to the future . For Gabriel , it will be one buoyed by a strategic franchising model . “ We ’ re currently looking for new partners ,” he concludes . “ If you ’ re an aspiring entrepreneur and have always wanted your own business , now is the time to get in touch and join our ever-growing team .
“ We will be by your side every step of the way , offering the support and training needed to operate a coffee shop at the very highest of standards – all under a brand name that customers across the nation consistently rank as number one for coffee quality and customer service .” ■
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Harmonious blend
Gabriel breaks it down for us in detail : “ Our robusta beans are shade-grown ; they grow alongside betel nut palm trees , mango trees , bamboo shoots , as well as banana and guanabana trees ,” he notes . “ In fact , when you look at our coffee estate from above , it ’ s almost impossible to tell there is any coffee growing there !
“ This protects our beans from direct exposure to sunlight , meaning the cherries take twice as long to ripen and therefore have a higher natural sugar content . The result is an explosion of flavor . More importantly , it also means we don ’ t disrupt the environment with our coffee cultures by burning acres of forest and ripping out plants .
“ Our coffee plantations exist in harmony with the natural flora and fauna of the area ; that ’ s why you see so much foodchainmagazine . com 107