E&S Trading’s managing director Rob Sinclair (pictured) knows his coffee (he does hail from Melbourne) but he depends on suppliers to get their ranges, pricing and promotions spot on.
Sinclair is pragmatic about the coffee market, stating that it’s a simple matter of polarisation.
“The continued dominance of the Nespresso pod system is very clear for its convenience and the instant gratification of a quality cup of coffee. This versus the enthusiast who prefers to undertake what some would consider lunacy in the search of making the perfect cup of coffee, via premium manual machines,” he quipped.
Back to the pod systems and Sinclair said that they have gained traction as a result of their convenience and the perceived lower cost. “When in fact although the initial cost may be lower, the per cup cost is much more expensive than the full manual systems.”
Again, Sinclair said his best sellers by far are the pod systems. “Having said that, whilst the volumes are relatively low, there is an increased amount of interest and traction being gained in the higher end specialist Italian machines, such as the Rocket Giotto.
And the last word goes to the consumer, of course. What do they want when they walk into E&S?
“Convenience, plus the ability to get a great cup of coffee, consistently,” Sinclair responded.