Office Coffee Services

There are a lot of office coffee service industry terms. Understanding what they mean and how the various services differ is important to developing a successful program. Today, we’re going to look at the different types of brewers that are out there.

But, before we dive into everything, there is one important thing to understand. One type of equipment or brewer isn’t better than the other. Each option is a better fit for different uses. The key is to understand your New York City business and determine how it will use the service.

The two main types of office coffee brewers that we’re going to look at today are traditional brewers and single or bean-to-cup brewers.

Classic Office Coffee Brewers

When most people think of coffee and the break room, they think of the glass carafe. While that style of carafe still exists, today’s commercial grade equipment offers so much more.

Traditional brewer options vary from single-burner to three-burner brewers. The size and layout of multiple-burner brewers varies from all three burners on a single level to a thinner or inline machine with two levels. There are also brewers that don’t use burners. These machines brew the coffee directly into an insulated and portable carafe.

Coffee pots can be glass or made of thermal materials. Airpots, which hold 15 cups, are a well known type of thermal carafe. Regardless of the size of the brewer or the type of carafe, traditional brewers serve large numbers of people quickly, day after day.

Single-Cup and Bean-to-Cup Brewers

Just like the name says, these brewers create single hot beverages. Depending on the type of coffee grounds or beans on the menu, employees can brew black coffee or espresso-based beverages from a single machine.

The key difference between single-cup brewers and bean-to-cup brewers is the form of the coffee. Most New York City employees associate a single-cup brewer with prepackaged grounds or pods. The bean-to-cup brewer grinds whole beans right before the beverage is brewed, resulting in the sights and smells of a coffee shop.

Because of the single-cup focus of these brewers, they work best when there aren’t large numbers of employees who need coffee quickly. It’s easy to imagine how long it would take for 50 employees to grab a hot beverage when it takes a minute or so to brew each cup.

Whether your New York City break room needs several traditional brewers or one single-cup brewer, Marché can help. We’ll design the perfect solution with a variety of brands and roasts for your location. And don’t forget to include several tea options. Even coffee drinkers enjoy a green or herbal tea later in the day.

For more information about our office coffee service or other vending services, please contact us at 833-627-2431.

 

Did you know that coffee is liquid gold? Well, not actual gold, but it’s certainly worth its weight in gold. And our office coffee service can help you find more gold. You might not believe that right now but hear me out.

Let’s start by looking at what happens without office coffee service in your break room.

1. When coffee isn’t available or tastes bad, employees must find it elsewhere.
2. Coffee has caffeine, and we all know caffeine is a popular energy booster.
3. A great break room with a variety of delicious hot drinks is a highly valued employee benefit.

Now, let’s consider the impact that it can have.

Company Morale

Offering our service in your New York City break room can affect your employees. Start by asking your employees about the types of beverages they would like to see. Options might include traditional coffee, espresso-based beverages, single-cup options, or hot tea. Their preferences might surprise you.

Knowing that their employer listened, employees are more likely to feel valued, creating a positive workplace culture. The break room will also become a central meeting and relationship building location. Both planned and unplanned conversations lead to increased creativity, problem-solving, and a better overall team spirit.

Staying On-Site

This question might sound over-simplified, but where do your employees go if they can’t get a good coffee at work? The answer is off-site. While that should only require a short break, the reality is often quite different. A short break turns into a longer break, which means less time working and lower productivity.

But, if you offer our service in your New York City break room, that doesn’t have to happen. Our menu includes everyone’s favorite hot beverages. Employees need only make a trip to the break room for a great-tasting cup of Joe and an impromptu conversation.

Coffee and Energy Levels

Employees in New York City are tired, so it shouldn’t be surprising that almost two-thirds of adults drink coffee every day. What can you do to help them with their lack of energy and need for caffeine? The answer is coffee. Not only does the caffeine supply an energy boost, but it can also improve one’s mood. And the high levels of antioxidants and other nutrients offer added health benefits.

Combine the three reasons above, and you can see why your break room needs our office coffee service. Your unique solution will include the perfect combination of brewers and brands to create the experience your employees deserve. From single-cup or bean-to-cup brewers to traditional brewing equipment, there is a solution for everyone.

For more information about upgrading your current coffee service or about our micro-market and vending services, please call Marché at 833-627-2431.

 

Grabbing a cup of coffee during the workday shouldn’t have to be complicated. The whole process of going to the corner coffee shop, standing in line, waiting for your order, and going back to work is time-consuming. And time spent away from work isn’t the only cost. Lost productivity and fewer chances for spontaneous collaboration are two more.

An Easy Solution

Your New York City break room doesn’t have to mirror a full-service cafe. One with baristas that create works of art to be the perfect location. A micro-market with everyone’s favorite fresh foods, snacks, and beverages plus coffee service (OCS) with a bean-to-cup brewer will do the trick.

Not only will it help keep employees energized and hydrated, but it’s part of a good business strategy. Coffee and espresso-based beverages are a perk that everyone loves. Your company can choose from a wide selection of brewers to offer the best combination of hot beverages.

Mike Cochrane, Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Cafection, explained, “With bean-to-cup, you get to experiment with new drinks while participating in a sustainable industry that produces less waste.”

A single-cup or bean-to-cup brewer offers a variety of hot beverages, is cost-effective, and can have a big impact. Including one in your micro-market keeps New York City employees on-site during the workday, provides energy, and fuels creativity.

What Is a Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine?

A bean-to-cup machine is precisely what it sounds like. Several different kinds of whole beans are placed in the machine. They are left untouched until needed. When an employee wants a beverage, the machine grinds the beans to the correct fineness, brews them to order, and creates the desired drink. The short time between grinding and brewing makes sure the coffee grounds are as fresh as possible.

The combination of different beans, grind settings, flavor additions, and cup sizes results in a diverse menu. Below are just a few of the options a bean-to-cup brewer can offer.

Traditional Coffee (available in light, medium, and dark roasts)

• • Bean Options 1, 2 and 3
  • Decaf
  • Combinations of the four options above

Hot Beverages

• • French Vanilla: coffee plus French vanilla flavoring
  • Vanilla Mocha: coffee plus vanilla flavoring and hot chocolate
  • Mochaccino: coffee plus hot chocolate or cocoa powder
  • Vanilla Mocha: hot chocolate plus vanilla flavoring
  • Chocolate Latte: hot chocolate with milk

Gourmet Options

• • Energy Shot: a shot of espresso plus vitamins that deliver energy
  • Hot Shot Blend: 2 shots of espresso for when you need a caffeine boost
  • Long Espresso: a shot of whipped espresso that is more bitter than a regular shot of espresso
  • Café Latte: espresso plus milk
  • Cappuccino: a shot of whipped milk topped with whipped espresso

It’s time to discover the effect that a single bean-to-cup machine in your micro-market can have on your New York City employees. If a micro-market isn’t a good fit for your place of business, vending services such as pantry service and one or more single-cup brewers are a great alternative.

For more information about our micro-market and OCS options as well as our other break room services, please contact Marché at 833-627-2431. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

The effects of COVID-19 continue to impact the break room experience. But even with all the changes, one thing has remained constant: the demand for coffee. New York City employees still look to their favorite caffeinated beverage for energy boosts and improved focus and productivity. Employers also continue to see office coffee service (OCS) as a tool to keep employees on-site during the workday, both increasing employee productivity and reducing risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Unlike pre-COVID OCS, which encouraged employees to gather in-person for spontaneous collaboration and workplace morale, today’s OCS also needs to support the workplace community while safely offering the same variety of customizable and delicious beverages. Individually packaged lighteners, or creamers, and coffee and tea flavor boosts can help create delicious hot beverages, workplace morale, and a safer break room environment.

Traditional creamers are usually made with dairy and come in popular flavors such as Original, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Caramel Macchiato as well as seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Mocha, and Mint Truffle. Plant-based creamers, a 2020 top trend, are often made with almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. Newcomers to the plant-based category include oat milk and hemp milk. Surprisingly, Datassential, a research firm, found that “more than half of today’s creamer users add plant-based milk or creamer to their coffee.”

Single-serve flavor or spice packets also offer New York City employees a different way to safely customize their coffee or tea. Options include individual spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or turmeric and combinations such as chai blends and pumpkin spice. In addition to creating a delicious beverage, these spices also offer health benefits. Turmeric, for example, has anti-inflammatory properties while cinnamon has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties.

In addition to offering a variety of popular coffee flavorings, OCS providers need to be proactive when it comes to explaining workplace safety measures and product alternatives. For example, at a specific New York City organization, single-serve products may be a better option while at another, individually packaged items aren’t feasible, and bulk must be used. Employees at both locations need clear and specific instructions about how to safely use the products available to them.

Successful collaboration between employers and refreshment providers has the potential to create flexible break room spaces that are welcoming and safe and offer the snacks, hot and cold beverages, and fresh food that employees want.

Marché is here to help New York City employers who have employees already back at work and those employers who are figuring out how to bring their employees back. In addition to offering an extensive and customizable refreshment menu, we follow well-established safety protocols to ensure the safety of your employees and ours. For more information about our services and safety policies and procedures, please reach out to us at 833-627-2431.

2020 has been a whirlwind with a lot of changes. Thankfully, the coffee industry continues to deliver a variety of delicious beverages that can help create a moment of peace and enjoyment for New York City employees. Let’s take a look at five coffee trends that will boost any break room experience.

Specialty Coffee

Roasters big and small have continued to help grow this trend. They offer special or premium brands and products that deliver a unique experience to their customers. So, what makes specialty coffee special? According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), specialty coffee is “defined by the quality of the product, whether green bean, roasted bean or prepared beverage and by the quality of life that coffee can deliver to all of those involved in its cultivation, preparation and degustation. [It is] a coffee that delivers satisfaction on all counts and adds value to the lives and livelihoods of all involved.”

Cold Brew

While this refreshing cold beverage has been around for about five years, it’s not going anywhere any time soon. In fact, 80 percent of industry leaders surveyed as part of research performed by the Allegra World Coffee Portal USA found that cold brew was the fastest growing beverage in coffee shops. Whether enjoyed on its own or as part of a coffee drink, it’s now considered a must on any menu.

Sustainability

As with many other snacks and beverages, consumers want to know more about the origin of their coffee. Where did the beans come from, who grew the beans, and how were the beans roasted? But sustainability isn’t only about the beans. It’s also about the other products that are used to enjoy one’s favorite caffeinated beverage. Can a reusable mug be used? What about the straws? Are the paper supplies made from recycled products or are they compostable?

Non-Dairy Alternatives

Traditional non-dairy options like almond milk continue to be very popular. However, there is a new option that has made a bit splash―oat milk. According to a Café Pulse report, sales of oat milk have jumped by a whopping 425 percent since 2017. A great alternative to nut milks, oat milk is made from steel-cut oats that have been soaked in water, blended, and strained through a cheesecloth. Like raw oats, the dairy-free beverage offers some fiber, protein, and important vitamins.

Decaffeinated Options

Lastly, let’s not forget about the decaf. This may be a bit surprising, but 2020 has seen multiple roasters add decaf to their offerings. The quality of many decaf options has vastly improved recently as consumer demand for the beverage increased. Millennials and Gen Z, especially, have contributed to the shift as they look to decrease the amount of caffeine they are ingesting.

Whether you’d like to add all these trends or just a couple to your New York City break room, Marché can help. We offer full-service OCS as well as vending and micro-market services that can be customized to fit your unique break room needs. For more information about all our refreshment options, please call us at 833-627-2431.

It looks like it’s true—coffee may indeed help promote weight loss for New York City individuals. In addition to decreasing the risk of developing a number of diseases including type-2 diabetes and heart disease, the caffeine found in coffee has been shown to help promote weight loss in several different ways.

1. In one study, caffeine was shown to increase the body’s metabolic rate to a certain point which triggered a specific type of tissue in the collarbone area to burn calories.
2. Caffeine has also been found to block adenosine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and causes tiredness. By blocking adenosine, the caffeine creates a different reaction that causes an increase in dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The result is that individuals feel more energized, awake, alert and focused. 
3. The third and most recent study found that participants who consumed four cups of coffee per day had a four percent decrease in body fat. Unlike the previous two studies that show how caffeine impacts the body, this study gave specific amounts of coffee consumed and body fat lost. (One note of caution—it may not be healthy for everyone to drink four cups of coffee every day.)

While understanding that the caffeine in coffee can help with weight loss is interesting, coffee has a much more important role to play right now. Providing office coffee service (OCS) in New York City break rooms is a valuable benefit that can help keep essential employees on-site during their workday. Convenient access to hot caffeinated beverages also creates small opportunities for moments of relaxation and supportive interactions among colleagues. 

In 2020, OCS is about more than the traditional brewer, although that is still a popular option in many New York City break rooms. Single-cup brewers and other types of commercial brewers including those that prepare single espresso-based beverages enable all employees to safely choose from a variety of popular and sustainably grown brands without leaving the building. For those individuals who don’t like coffee, offering a variety of black, green and herbal teas is a must.

And don’t forget to include fresh food, cold beverages and healthy snacks on the break room refreshment menu. With longer workdays and the extra stress essential employees are facing, employers can help by removing one necessary task from their employees’ to-do list; remembering to prepare and bring food and beverages to work every day. A break room full of delicious options is a benefit that all employees can appreciate.

Marché would like to make sure that your New York City employees have the fresh food, snacks and caffeinated beverages that they need. For more information about our current offerings, please call us at 833-627-2431. 

We’re excited to share the news with New York City coffee drinkers about another study that has shown health benefits from drinking a daily cup of brew. Researchers including Dr. Michiyo Yamakawa of Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan found that drinking one cup of coffee per day was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of death. Bump the numbers up to two to three cups per day, and those participants had a 19 percent lower chance of mortality.

Whether it’s the caffeine or the antioxidants and other compounds in the beans, coffee offers several additional benefits to New York City employees. The following are a few of the health benefits that research has found.

Reduced risk for type-2 diabetes and heart disease

Four cups of coffee. According to researchers in Duesseldorf, Germany that’s all the caffeine it takes to trigger a protective effect in the human heart. The domino effect caused by caffeine consumption ends with the protection and repair of the heart muscle. 

Reduced risk for different types of cancer  

The International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that coffee can no longer be classified as a carcinogen. In fact, researchers determined that coffee intake was associated with a reduced risk of oral, pharynx, liver, colon, prostate, melanoma and endometrial cancers. 

Reduced pain sensitivity for chronic pain sufferers

Scientists from Boston Children’s Hospital found that consuming caffeine may help decrease pain sensitivity in those with chronic pain. The consumed caffeine caused dopamine, a carrier of messages between nerve cells in the brain, to flood the brain’s pleasure center resulting in decreased pain sensitivity.

Fighting Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Proteins found in roasted coffee beans were found to help protect the nervous system, which in turn may help the brain fight Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The longer the beans were roasted, the more proteins were produced. It didn’t matter if the beans were regular or de-caffeinated; if the beans were dark roasted, the results were similar.  

Improved memory, a short-term mental boost and better group performance

Caffeine has been found to provide a mental boost for 45 minutes after consuming it and to improve memory over the next 24 hours. Research by the Graduate School of Management at UC, Davis also found that caffeine has a positive impact on a group’s performance. 

So, whether it’s caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee or tea, every New York City employer can benefit from offering a customized office coffee service (OCS) in the break room. Marché offers a wide selection of OCS menu options and equipment from different types of brewers to Fair Trade or local varieties as well as healthy snacks, cold beverages and fresh food. For more information or to upgrade your current break room OCS or refreshment menu, please contact us at 833-627-2431. 

Americans love coffee. But when it comes to the rest of the world, tea ranks as the top choice. While black teas are often preferred over green teas throughout the world, there are still many delicious green tea options available.

Green tea as well as black and oolong all come from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis. Growing times and methods, processing methods (steaming, roasting, drying, etc.) and place of origin all play a role in the creation of the final product. Of the different types of tea, green tea is picked the earliest and undergoes the least amount of processing resulting in a beverage that goes well with many other flavors.

Before brewing a cup of green tea, New York City employees should think about four things: water, temperature, leaf portion and steep time. 

The quality of the water used to brew tea plays a big role in the taste of the final product. Filtered water is the best option as the impurities are removed before the water touches the leaves. When it comes to the temperature of the water, using water that has come to the boiling point is okay, but it’s also okay to use water at around 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, cooler water results in a sweeter, lighter tea.

Many New York City employees use tea bags instead of loose leaves at work, but it is important to know, if using loose leaves, that a bigger portion of leaves will result in a stronger beverage. The strength of the beverage is also affected by the amount of time the leaves or tea bag are left in the water, the longer the steeping time, the stronger the flavor. 

RAVE Reviews, a resource for independent recommendations, recently published a Top 10 list highlighting the best green teas. The following factors, in descending order of importance, were used to rank the teas: overall quality, taste, packaging and price. Here are their top five choices including three special awards, Best Overall, Most Exotic and Best for Everyday Drinking.

Best Overall and #1: The Tao of Tea Jasmine Pearls Green Tea from Portland, Oregon is both affordable and presentable with the ideal balance of green flavor and floral jasmine aroma.

• Quality: 100% 
• Taste: 100% 
• Packaging: 100%
• Value: 100%

Most Exotic and #2:  Marukyu Koyamaen Premium Ceremonial Grade Matcha is from Kyoto, Japan. A ceremonial tea, this nutritious and grassy-flavored beverage is made from the entire leaf, which has been ground into a fine powder. This Matcha is the priciest and most ancient option.

• Quality: 100%
• Taste: 100%
• Packaging: 100%
• Value: 85%

#3: Babingtons In Tè Veritas from Rome, Italy is an elegant beverage best served at small social gatherings where English afternoon tea traditions would be most appreciated.

• Quality: 100%
• Taste: 100%
• Packaging: 100%
• Value: 79%

#4: Rishi Sencha Green Tea from Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a high-quality Sencha. This beverage is an opaque, dark green savory brew with a sticky aroma

• Quality: 100%
• Taste: 100%
• Packaging: 85%
• Value: 85%

Best for Everyday Drinking and #5: The Republic of Tea People’s Green Tea from Novato, California is affordable, a quality beverage and, best of all, can be found everywhere. 

• Quality: 80%
• Taste: 90%
• Packaging: 95%
• Value: 100%

Which teas do your New York City employees ask for in the office break room? 

Marché is here to help your organization create a customized refreshment menu that includes a wide variety of coffees and teas as well as fresh food, snacks and beverages. Access to delicious and refreshing options at work encourages New York City employees to stay on-site for a quick break or a meal with colleagues. For more information about updating your current menu or redesigning your entire break room, please give us a call at 833-627-2431.