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BRAND PROFILE A WINNING BLEND OF INTEGRITY AND COFFEE The bean ground & drunk story began with recognition of societal change around the turn of the millennium. By Emily Devon. Bean Alliance Director of Marketing Susan Castle, founder of the bean ground & drunk brand philosophy and product range, says she believes every decade has a societal shift. Recalling the brand’s origins, she said: “At that time, people were meeting more in cafes, and this groundswell of desire to connect, I believe, was a response to the uncertainty people felt at the change of the millennium.” The bean ground & drunk range officially hit the market in 2001, launching across selected cafes around the country. “This was the moment in time when authenticity, accountability and sustainability were emerging out of left thinking and into the mainstream,” Ms Castle said. The range began as a collaboration between Ms Castle and the CEO of Bean Alliance Group, Ange Augello. They say the success of the project is down to a combination of supply-chain savvy and expert roasting skill framed within creative and strategic thinking. “After all,” Ms Castle said, “there was nothing like this in the market at that time. We were the first roastery in Australia to be certified by Biological Farmers Association, now known as Australian Certified Organic.” She adds that, after the launch in 2001, loyal fans described the flavours as “earthy and aromatic with a smooth, and soft finish”. Since 2008, bean ground & drunk has been stocked Australia wide through Woolworths supermarkets, where it continues to grow strongly. In 2015, it was ranged in Coles. Many independents and organic stores also range the product. Highlights The bean ground & drunk range has received 50 medals and official accolades, including being crowned Australian Certified Organic Non- Alcoholic Beverage of the Year for 2019. This year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, bean ground & drunk launched the 2020 range of Nespresso compatible capsules. “When the government declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, there was one key reaction... people will still drink coffee, they’ll just drink it in a different place – and that place was their ‘home place’,” Ms Castle said. Top trends Ms Castle has noted some of the most popular recent trends in coffee and gives what she sees as the reasons behind them: The rise in popularity of decaffeinated coffee – reflecting health choices. Alternative brew methods – advanced taste/palate, experimentation. Plant-based milks/mylks – health, lifestyle, taste choices. Activated and/or functional drinks – consumption equals fuel. In home brewing, particularly capsules – lifestyle, advanced palate (transition from instant coffee). “We believe the growth and popularity of capsule coffee is due to one main consumer group – instant/soluble coffee drinkers wanting something improved in their homes,” Ms Castle said. “These consumers now have ease of access to brew equipment and capsules at supermarkets – can’t get much better than that!” The brand’s future The bean ground & drunk vision is to ensure continued roasting and to supply Australian supermarkets – and therefore kitchens around Australia – with locally roasted, fairly traded, zero-chemical, highly graded coffee. The team know that not everyone’s a barista, but that most Aussies appreciate a good cup of coffee. It’s not only their goal but also their passion to continue creating coffee products that are easy to brew at achievable barista standard at home, as well as to ensure the standard is exceeded in terms of ethical/ environmental credentials. “We’re confident we can,” they emphasised. 42 RETAIL WORLD AUG, 2020