The Schaerer Coffee Competence Centre (CCC) celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2019. Since the end of 1999, the Swiss coffee machine manufacturer has been sharing its extensive coffee expertise with customers and partners from all over the world in this training and consultation centre at the company headquarters in Zuchwil.
Schaerer says the goal of the CCC is to help participants expand on their knowledge and make their coffee operations even more successful. Throughout 2019, the CCC, under the direction of Monika Oeggerli, prepared a wide range of trainings which can even better cover the individual requirements of their customers.
“We have developed our Coffee Competence Centre in line with our guiding principle 'We love it your way'. Like our coffee machines, the courses offered by the CCC now also give our customers the greatest level of flexibility when adapting them to their very individual needs,” Schaerer CEO Jörg Schwartze says.
The new one-day courses, individual modules, and special workshops can be booked separately or in a building block structure, making it possible to expand on the exact subjects that are relevant for the participants.
“Perfect coffee enjoyment is created from the optimal interaction of technology, understanding of coffee machines and sound coffee expertise,” CCC Trainer Monika Oeggerli says.
“That is why we at Schaerer rely on our 360° coffee expertise, which begins long before the coffee is processed and extends far beyond the machine technology.”
According to this company philosophy, Schaerer says it considers all facets along the value chain, from cultivation and green coffee to roasting and preparation all the way to technology and market-specific trends. These findings are used in the development of Schaerer machines and are also imparted to customers and partners in different courses at the Coffee Competence Centre.
“With every one of our seminars, we not only want to pass on valuable knowledge, but also inspire participants to experience coffee with all their senses,” Oeggerli says, who has also been a board member of Speciality Coffee Association Switzerland since May 2019.
Extensive and versatile trainings
‘How can the extensive range of trainings of the CCC be better structured and built upon so that all participants can best profit from Schaerer's coffee expertise?’ Based on this question, Oeggerli has developed a new concept combining courses, individual modules and special workshops.
These are focused on the three topics of basic knowledge, sensor technology, and understanding of coffee machines, covering all relevant sub-areas Schaerer says are crucial for preparing the perfect cup of coffee. The one-day “360° Coffee Expertise” course, for example, introduces the diverse world of coffee, from green and roasted coffee to brewing and preparation as well as service recommendations. For those only interested in certain topics, it is possible to attend individual modules of this course, such as Harmony of the Senses or Introduction to Brewing Coffee. This knowledge can be expanded upon in full-day advanced courses.
The day-long Understanding of Coffee Machines seminar starts with basic set-up and ends with perfect machine maintenance.
“For example, in the 'Set-up' section of the course, we work with the technical parameters of the coffee machine. The participants learn which factors influence the result and how these have to be adjusted to take full advantage of the potential of the beans and machine,” Oeggerli says.
The course offering is rounded out by various special workshops whose contents can be designed to fit the exact requirements of the customers. These range from creating new or optimising existing beverage recipes together or defining new roasts to workshops which compare machine and cup quality. As an additional benefit, with the sales team, customers are supported in the definition of a coffee machine concept tailored to their needs, in collaboration with roasters and, of course, in the training of employees.
For more information, visit www.schaerer.com/coffee-competence-centre/ccc/
