We’ve introduced a new scheme that provides added peace of mind, ensuring that all our coffee machine and bean customers benefit from an exclusive ongoing warranty on labour and service charges, including breakdown call outs.

This means in the event things do go wrong with a machine, we will be on hand to fix it and ensure our customers can keep on serving great coffee to their customers.

What’s Included in our Ongoing Warranty?

All new machine customers benefit from 12 months full parts and labour cover. Our recently introduced scheme provides ongoing benefits beyond the initial 12 months, including:

• Free ongoing annual coffee machine service
• Free ongoing breakdown labour cover

Please note: replacement parts and water filters are not covered by the free ongoing labour & service scheme.

We can organise your annual coffee machine service at a date and time to suit you. However, should you encounter problems with your coffee equipment outside of your annual service, don’t panic – our engineers will provide breakdown assistance that’s covered by your extended warranty.

Is Regular Machine Maintenance Important?

In a word, yes. We believe that an annual machine service is imperative in making sure your establishment continues to serve great coffee. Our expert coffee machine engineers help to keep your equipment in pristine condition, whilst dealing with issues that may cause unnecessary downtime in the future. A typical Casa Espresso espresso machine service will cover:

• Group heads: stripping and cleaning
• Water filters: replacement (not included in ongoing warranty)
• Water valves: clean and replace where necessary
• Machine setup: monitor and adjust for optimal performance
• Inspection and replacement (if necessary) of all washers, seals, shower plates, heads and gaskets.
• Provision of general advice relating to the condition of the machine, with tips and guidance on relevant areas of concern (if applicable).

How do I Benefit from the Ongoing Warranty?

Simply purchase one of our stunning commercial coffee machines for your establishment and use our coffee supply service on an ongoing basis. If you’re a current customer that has purchased a machine from us and continue to use our coffee services, don’t worry – you’re covered too.

If you have a query regarding any aspect of our coffee equipment warranty, please contact us today.

Term & Conditions

Free extended labour and service warranty available to customers who have purchased a machine from Casa Espresso and spend a minimum of £1000 a year on Casa Espresso coffee.

Free labour is subject to Water Filter Replacement when required.

The extended warranty includes all labour related costs, including call out charges for breakdowns and services (subject to location and availability).

The free labour warranty is not valid for breakdowns caused by neglect, misuse, cleaning or lime scale damage, full terms are available on request.

The extended warranty does not include parts. Should any replacement parts or water filters be required, these are chargeable.

The offer extends beyond the initial 12 month warranty provided by Casa Espresso for a maximum length of 3 years after date of purchase.

Casa Espresso have the right to change or withdraw the offer at any point.

Photo Credit

These whole leaf teas are packed with flavour derived from the 100% natural ingredients in each scoop and look set to be a huge success across Yorkshire’ food and drink outlets.

Premium teas provide a viable complementary offering to coffee outlets, cafes, bars and restaurants, helping to draw in new customers.

Through the increased customer price point (when compared to conventional teas) retailers will also benefit from higher margins – around 90%, ensuring they’re more than just a pretty box.

Although tea is hugely popular in the UK, with 25% of us drinking 5 or more cups a day, we tend to drink just the one type – industrial grade black tea. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this – it’s just that there is so much more out there.

Loose leaf tea from the Brew Tea Co helps to capture the real flavours and essence that can be experienced in a cup of tea and we’re excited about promoting these benefits to retailers and consumers alike.

The current blends of loose leaf tea from Casa Espresso include English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Moroccan Mint and Fruit Punch, all uniquely invigorating flavours, unlike anything you have tasted before. Individual brewing temperatures and durations help to get the most out of each blend, lending to the creation of the perfect brew, time after time.

For both new and existing customers we’re providing associated equipment and accessories to help promote these sumptuous new teas. Retailers can benefit from complimentary products including POS equipment, decorative pots, jars and leaf scoops to help increase product awareness and uptake.

To learn more, please see our dedicated page on loose leaf teas.

Are you thinking about offering loose leaf tea at your establishment? Contact us today for free samples of the fantastic new Brew Tea Co blends.

Even if you have the money sat in the bank to buy a top quality coffee machine outright you ought to consider that most coffee related equipment needs changing every 3 to 5 years.

With that in mind it might make more sense to preserve your cash flow for other areas of the business such as barista training, business development and of course any unexpected circumstances.

Here are a few of the benefits of leasing a coffee machine:

Less Capital Expenditure

Buying a coffee machine outright can tie up a significant amount of capital. By leasing you allow your money to go further and spread the cost of your equipment over its useful working life.

If you buy outright, then the money has gone instantly, and in many cases you’ll need to upgrade the machine again in another 3-5 years which means another lump sum.

By choosing to lease you can significantly reduce your initial outlay and expenditure.

You Can Get a Higher Quality Coffee Machine

Many coffee shop owners who want to buy outright simply want the cheapest coffee machine available but that isn’t always the right machine for their business.

In many cases it won’t be able to handle the output they require or have enough group heads to cope with the demands of a busy lunchtime trade.

That often means the money they saved on the machine will be lost on disappearing customers.

By leasing a coffee machine you don’t have to make a decision based solely on price. Fixed, manageable monthly payments allow a coffee shop owner to get the machine they need and opens up the possibility of changing the machine part way through a lease should demand grow or the business expand.

Tax Benefits

Leasing rentals for a business are 100% tax allowable, which means that the cost of leasing can be offset against your pre-tax profits during a lease period.

This is because lease payments qualify as direct operating expenses rather than a debt or outstanding liability which in turn reduces your short term taxable income.

You can also reclaim the VAT on your monthly repayments (if you’re VAT registered). This makes leasing a very attractive proposition for both large and small businesses, especially during a recession.

Easily Upgrade to New Equipment

Many lease agreements allow you the flexibility to upgrade your commercial coffee machine to a newer or more advanced model should your business expand or an increase in demand require larger machine with more group heads to boost output.

Leasing is Easy to Budget & Forecast For

By choosing to lease a coffee machine you simply have a fixed monthly payment. This is a fixed agreement so won’t be affected by changes in interest rate. This allows you to budget accordingly and makes your cash flow projections much easier.

Free Up Overdrafts / Bank Loans

Leasing a coffee machine doesn’t tie up other sources of credit such as overdrafts or bank loans meaning you can use them in other areas of the business.

Quick Payback Period

The coffee that the machine produces is what makes you money, not the ownership of one.

If you lease a coffee machine you’re only paying a monthly fee, this means that the income generated from the coffee you make can quickly cover the lease amount. This isn’t possible with the large outlay of buying a machine outright.

All of our commercial espresso machines come with flexible lease terms, please contact us if you’d like any more details or if you require any advice on choosing the right coffee machine for your business.

Office & Showroom

Friday 29th March: Open
Monday 1st April: Closed
Tuesday 2nd April: Reopen as usual

Deliveries

Local deliveries via our van on Thursday (28th March) will be made as usual.

National deliveries by UPS: Final collection date is Thursday 28th to be delivered on Tuesday 2nd April.

If you have any further questions regarding our opening times or delivery information, please contact us.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our contacts a Happy Easter.

It was a great night with many familar faces taking home awards but it was also fantastic for many of the regions smaller establishments & newcomers too. We of course had our eyes on the Best Café & Bar award which was deservedly scooped up Laynes Espresso.

We were extremely proud to be part of an event that celebrates some of the best restaurants, cafe’s & bars in the country. Leeds offers everything from high class dining to value for money and we hope to continue improving this already fantastic hospitality scene with our high quality coffees & espresso machines.

Pay the Award Winners a Visit

If you want to visit any of the winners then use our handy little map below, just click each map marker for more details including contact information and web address:

Oliver Award Winners 2013

Anthony’s Restaurant – Best Fine Dining award, the Best of British award and the Overall Winner award
Cardamom Black – Best Indian
Dish – Best Newcomer
Diva Italiana – Best Italian
Dough Bistro – Best Surbuban
Harvey Nichols – Best City Centre Restaurant
Kendells Bistro – Best European
Laynes Espresso – Best Café Bar
Mirabelle Restaurant – Best Service
Sous Le Nez En Ville – Outstanding Contribution
Thai Sabai – Best World
The Box Tree – Best Chef
The Burlington at The Devonshire Arms  – Best Hotel Restaurant
Yum Yum – Best Lunch

Thanks for a great evening, and we hope to see you next year.

The awards, now in their 5th year, celebrate the best in Food & Drink across Leeds and the surrounding areas. Inspired by the Oliver restaurant reviews which appear as a weekly segment in the Yorkshire Evening Post, the annual celebratory event has grown in popularity since its inception in 2008.

We have always kept a keen eye on the outcome of previous Oliver Awards and now look forward to the results of this years competition with even more excitement. Although the award we’re sponsoring spotlights on the regions cafe’s and bars, its becoming increasingly important for food and drink establishments of all natures to focus on serving great coffee, due to its continual public adoration.

We specialise in helping restaurants of all sizes across Yorkshire provide great tasting coffee that leaves a lasting positive impression with your customers. If you’re attending the 2013 Oliver Awards we’ll be around and look forward to meeting many new faces across the Leeds hospitality scene.

Quick Details

Name: Oliver Awards 2013
Date: 11/03/2013
Location: Centenary Pavillion, Elland Road, Leeds, LS11 0ES
Official Website: www.oliverawards.co.uk

The campaign is organised, funded and promoted by the Fairtrade Foundation with the aim of increasing awareness of Fairtrade products. Volunteers across the globe unite to help spread the positive message of the impact purchasing Fairtrade labelled products is having on global economy and human welfare.

‘We want a sustainable food system, which works for everyone and ensures that farmers get a decent livelihood from the crops they grow’ – Fairtrade Foundation.

How You Can Support Fairtrade Fortnight

This years campaign comprises the motto ‘Take a Step in 2013, go further for smallhold farmers’, as it is estimated that farmers in developing countries, who produce 70% of the worlds food, represent 50% of the worlds hunger population.

To help aid the initiative of increasing awareness for greater farmer support, the 2013 Fairtrade Fortnight’s preliminary focus is to attract the attention of David Cameron to champion an improved deal for farmers. Here’s how you can help:

1. Sign up for the Fairtrade Fortnight petition

2. Create your Mini Marcher (see image below) – these will be placed outside Parliament Square to commence the march and generate added interest.

3. The petition will then be handed to David Cameron in May 2013, hopefully resulting in his approval to support the goals of the Fairtrade Foundation.

Mini Marchers to be displayed outside Parliament. Image from Fairtrade Foundation, cardboard cutouts by Foldable.me

We look forward to monitoring and supporting the progress made by this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight.

Our New Fairtrade Blend

To coincide perfectly with Fairtrade Fortnight, we have launched a new Fairtrade Espresso Blend. The coffee beans benefit from the FAIRTRADE Mark signifying the commitments that have been made in the purchase cycle to improve the lives of the bean producers.

This new coffee blend is available from the 1st March 2013 to our coffee customers. For those interested in sampling the beans we invite you to request a sample, or to visit us at this years Northern Restaurant & Bar event in Manchester, where we will be introducing the coffee along with a range of stunning new Sanremo espresso machines.

Our ethically sourced Fairtrade Blend combines sweet Brazilian, rich Columbian and malty Indian Robusta origins to create a smooth, easy drinking coffee with hints of caramel, peanut and dark chocolate. As an espresso, this blend is rich and syrupy with a deliciously nutty profile, but when milk is added, those nutty hints develop into a sweet peanut butter flavour which highlights the caramel.

Are you looking at the prospect of offering Fairtrade coffee at your establishment? Speak with us today to find out how our great tasting ethical coffee ticks all the boxes.

The event will be held on March 5-6 at the Manchester Central Exhibition Centre and is expected to attract upwards of 6,000 visitors over the two days from across the Northern Hospitality Industry.

This year we are extremely excited to showcase the incredible Sanremo Verona TCS, made famous as the choice espresso machine for the UK Barista Championships, along with the one of the most sort after new designs, the Sanremo Zoe.

For those of you in attendance, we’re introducing some fantastic new Fairtrade coffee beans that we’d love you to sample. You’ll be able to find us at stand 416 for what promises to be a fun filled few days, that also includes;

• The Liquor Theatre – watch live demonstrations and sample the latest spirits from up and coming brands.
• The Grape & Grain Theatre – tutored tastings of wine and beers from across the globe.
• Live Chef Cookery Theatre – featuring demonstrations from Aldo Zilli of San Carlo Cicchetti.

If you would like to join us, tickets are free and available from the Northern Restaurant & Bar website.

The training day has been rescheduled for Monday 4th of February and anyone who purchased a ticket for today can use it then. We look forward to seeing you in hopefully warmer conditions and if anyone has any questions with regards to the reschedule or barista training in general please contact us.

Photo Credit.

With competition fierce between independents and the chains is a good barista an essential component of serving great coffee? And if so, what makes a barista good at what they do?

Today barista’s are commanding more and more respect as an integral part of a coffee serving business and are no longer out of place when mentioned in the same breath as the head chef or the maître d’.

In Italy, barista is a respected profession, and the top baristas in the country are national celebrities. Tip your barista this morning!

— Birra Moretti(@MorettiBeer) January 14, 2013

Even though technology has developed and coffee machines are becoming more advanced with automated features, a good barista can make a huge difference to your daily trade so ensuring they’re skilled and have the right attitude is now almost a pre requisite.

What Makes a Good Barista?

Well before we even get into what qualities make a good barista it’s essential they have the right equipment, this means they will most likely be working with an Italian designed and built espresso machine accompanied with a commercial grade conical grinder to make the best coffee possible. But what about the skills of the individual?

You might watch from afar and think that being a Barista is easy. It’s not. It takes skill. And that skill is only achievable by first getting the right barista training and then practicing, a lot! Here’s a few of the qualities a good barista needs to display:

Speed and Physical Agility

When there’s a queue a barista needs to be able to work fast. Customers can get a little cranky if they have to wait for their all-important caffeine fix. It’s important that a barista can work systematically; filling the portafilter, tamping, fixing the portafilter into the brew basket, each movement has to be precise and almost rhythmic.

This both increases the speed at which a barista can work but also reduces the chances of bumping into a co-worker or spilling drinks thus wasting time!

Ability to use their Initiative

Things go wrong in the workplace –power cuts, the water goes off , the till stops working, you run out of milk or someone calls in sick. These things happen and a great barista has to think on their feet to solve problems quickly.

Creativity

A good barista is always willing to try something new and the ability to create new drinks is always a sign of a good barista. There are many ways to combine espresso, coffee, milk, spices, chai and flavour syrup.

A good Barista will come up with a drink that incorporates a new ingredient and maybe something out of the ordinary.

This often allows the business owner to come up with a great idea for a new promotion or event for the cafe.

A Good Sense of Taste / Good Palate

The ultimate test of quality for a shot of espresso is how it tastes. A barista has to be able to distinguish the different qualities of a coffee such as body, astringency, bitterness, fruitiness, acidity, chew, under extracted, over extracted, the quality of the crema and the texture of the milk.

All of the above need a keen sensory awareness and this allows the barista to make fine adjustments to get that all-important 10 out of 10 cup.

Ability to Work Under Pressure

A barista that works in a high footfall environment has to be able to work under pressure. They need to fulfil large orders quickly without making mistakes. A steady hand when pouring milk never goes amiss especially when creating latte art and a good barista often thrives under pressure whilst still being able to engage customers.

Attention to Detail

An eye for detail can make all the difference when it comes to making the perfect cup of coffee and it’s the little things that count.

Marking the cup neatly, making sure the lid is clear of any drips and making sure the counter tops and workspace are clean and welcoming all add to the overall experience for the customers.

An eye for detail is also essential for keeping equipment clean as how well maintained an espresso machine is can effect the quality of the coffee. It’s important that a barista knows how to fully clean the espresso machine and its constituent parts.

Know their Clientele

A good barista knows their customers drinks when the moment they walk through the door. As a business owner you should never underestimate the impact that a friendly barista can have on your customer revisit rate.

Great customer service and a personal touch where the customer feels valued and their coffee requirements understood is a fantastic way to stand out from the competition and one that get’s people talking which helps with that all important word of mouth marketing.

Willingness to Learn

The coffee industry is constantly on the move so the willingness to learn new things and not stand still is often the difference between a run of the mill barista and a great one.

New brewing processes, brewing and roasting concepts, new varietals, new cultivating and processing methods are being discovered every day.

If you don’t keep up you’ll be left behind and remember that pushing forward is what keeps the coffee business alive.

Passion!

And finally, to be a good barista you have to love what you do! If you don’t love coffee, if you don’t like people and if you hate doing the washing up then you’re in the wrong business.

Does this sound like a lot to take in? Fortunately a good barista is made, not born and our barista training sessions can help you get your coffee making skills right up to scratch.

With some of our customers scooping several accolades in the Beverage Standards Association 2012 awards for the quality of their coffee and customer service now is the right time to perfect your barista skills and watch the positive effect it has on your business.