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Many employers decided to attend Tales of The Cocktail Culturally, most Asians do not
were looking to hire a female Event in New Orleans, United States. drink caffeine after dark which is the
worker for the wrong reasons; This is the world’s premier cocktail first biggest challenge for a coffee
having a female bartender to give festival where hundreds of profession- liqueur brand. Also, there is a lack
a fake gender equality als gather to attend seminars, tastings, of craft cocktail culture as it is main-
impression of their business and competitions, and networking events. ly associated with important amounts
not hire them for their skills. As such, Arlene had the chance to of alcohol and sugar, however, the
meet Mr. Black Global Brand Ambas- trend is moving towards less alcohol-
sador, Martin Hudak. Martin, who is ic cocktails. Coffee cocktails have
also a barista and bartender and the been often targeted as sweet and
2017 World Coffee in Good Spirits almost dessert-like, but coffee cock-
Champion, is widely known for tails have another side to it which
spreading the coffee cocktail culture can be refreshing, fruity, or even on
around the globe. the bitter spectrum of the flavor
Mr. Black is a small brand found- wheel, it can satisfy anyone that
ed in 2013 born from a desire to take enjoys coffee.
Australian coffee culture into the night Even though coffee cocktails
and it is not until the past two years have been around for decades, classics
that the brand has spread to other such as Irish Coffee and Espresso
countries. Arlene with the right set of Martini are reclaiming their fame with
skills and being at the right place and the upside that now they are being
the right moment was able to land a enhanced with better quality coffee.
job as Asia Brand Ambassador for Mr. Competitions such as Coffee in Good
Black. While many think that this job Spirits promote the combination of
is about doing guest bartending events high-quality spirits with specialty
and partying every and other night, coffee, which opens a whole new
there is a lot more to it and the Asian world for bartenders, baristas, and
market represents a big challenge for their customers.
the brand.

Arlene started her career in this were looking to hire a female worker aside, so she mixed both worlds on-
industry as a barista but after two for the wrong reasons; having a female stage in the 2019 Coffee in Good
years of making coffee, she realized bartender to give a fake gender equal- Spirits competition in Hong Kong.
that to grow within this industry, she ity impression of their business and This competition focuses on specialty
would need to compete. At the time not hire them for their skills. coffee signature cocktails and even
she started, there were not many As a consequence of this kind of though Arlene did not finish in the
specialty coffee shops so she softly situation, she started questioning her- first place, it did open a new opportu-
transitioned to becoming a bartend- self about who she would like to work nity for her. Her first mentor as a
er but she also has vast experience with; to fit better with her work ethic barista was her final judge at the com-
opening restaurants and serving as and like-minded people, this includes petition and she encouraged Arlene to
operations manager. being hired for her knowledge and grow within the coffee cocktail indus-
Back when Arlene started work- skills and not to fill the gender quota. try since she is both an excellent
ing in the gastronomic industry, she Following this ideal she started work- barista and bartender.
encountered a couple of common is- ing at The Pontiac, a top Asia 50 Best The specialty coffee industry has
sues that were linked to both age and Bar located in Hong Kong’s central been steadily growing during the past
gender. She would notice that her ideas district with an all-female bar staff; years and so has the craft cocktail in-
would not be taken into account de- aside from being one of the best bars, dustry; this means there are multiple
spite her creative mind or her opinions it is based on inclusivity. spirited conventions around the world
would be left unheard. Wong would However, Arlene never com- each year that allows bartenders to
also witness how many employers pletely left her love for specialty coffee grow, and this is the reason why Arlene

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