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W hile many people try their best to climb up Boasting over 15 years’ solid experience in the
the career ladder, aiming at a higher job title,
world of coffee, Hoffmann’s coffee journey was not what
the 2007 World Barista Champion, James
he meant it to be, as many people might have assumed.
Hoffmann may be on another route to his
“I got into coffee by mistake. I just needed a job, and
passion and career. He said, “I don’t have a job title any more,
didn’t even drink coffee at the time,” he confessed.
which makes me very happy.” Since winning the top barista
“Something about it was interesting, and I ended up
title, Hoffmann has been involved in many different projects.
falling in love with it. I don’t feel like I had any other
He is the co-founder of Square Mile Roasters, a multiple
choice but to pursue a career in coffee.” Maybe, not
award-winning coffee roastery based in London. He published
choosing is actually a choice by Hoffmann too.
The World Atlas of Coffee in 2014, which is the first book that
covers over 35 coffee producing countries and has been trans- An Eye for Sustainability
lated into different languages. And the updated 2nd edition is
now on book shelves. His YouTube account has over 150
Sustainability has been a big issue in the coffee
videos boasting 215k subscribers (as of 1 March). You may
world as it is in most industries across the globe. From
have run into him at many coffee expos and events. He is always
seed to cup, every step needs us to pay huge attention
surrounded by people asking for his advice on business and
to how we can improve and do better in a bid to create
ideas about the future of the coffee industry.
a sustainable future. As Hoffmann has been working
with a number of coffee companies, including as a con-
sultant and advisor, he is capable and able to make a
bigger difference to some extent.
One of his recent projects is his participation in
the Eagle One with Victoria Arduino, which allowed
him to get involved at the core of the design of a coffee
machine. “When I come into these projects, my job is
to help create a brief,” he explained. “Hopefully I am
helpful in that I can offer insight into the needs or
challenges of those making coffee.” deepen their appreciation,” he said. As the world
In response to the needs from the new generation coffee culture continues to boom, more people have
of coffee shops, Eagle One was born and is known for shown more serious interest in coffee and anything
its design, performance, and sustainability. “If we can related to it. His videos vary in topics and themes, but
make the same amount of coffee with a third less ener- the core of it all is coffee.
gy, then I think that is a very exciting thing,” Hoffmann For newbies, they will find a ‘How to’ Series to
said. The different technologies inside the machine are become familiar with all different coffee making tools
all routed towards the idea of doing more with less. For and variants in coffee and then be a master coffee
example, the compact size of the machine meets the brewer at home. However, if you listen to what Hoff-
needs of small spaced cafes; it is capable of producing mann shares in such videos, even professional baristas
high volumes of high quality coffee but not at the ex- may find them useful and beneficial for their daily
pense of energy efficiency, which is great news for both work. ‘Reviews’ is another popular section on his
baristas and cafe owners. account. The product review becomes a best resource
“I believe design should be rooted in function, in for both baristas and coffee lovers to find profession-
We’ll see minimalism and then an aesthetic vision,” Hoffmann al advice before they make a purchase on certain
materials begin shared. Since last year, we have seen more coffee ma- products, ranging from coffee makers/machines,
grinders to drinks or accessories like books. “It is the
chine makers offering a diversity of personalized op-
to change to those tions for users, from functions to designs. largest social network, people spend more time there
and so you can capture their attention for longer,”
Step by Step to Deepen Appreciation The
that have a lower set-up of Hoffmann’s YouTube account started from Hoffmann said. The ‘attention’ he mentioned is for
the coffee industry to be sustainable. “We need more
the idea of sharing, which has been a big part of his
environmental impact. daily life. “I want to reach people who might care a customers and I think YouTube is a great place to find
little about coffee, and take them on a journey to
them,” he explained.
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