Numana is a small town located between the blueness of the Adriatic Sea and the greenness of Conero Park, in the province of Ancona. In this small Italian paradise, far from the crowded summer destinations of the Riviera Romagnola, the Stella Marina Beach Club by Michele Vaccarini offers a very exclusive selection of high quality coffees to its customers.
Michele, proposing specialty coffees on a beach club is certainly something new, at least in Italy.
How was your passion for coffee born?
This winter I started collaborating with a roasting company in this area that introduced me to the world of specialty coffees. I did a series of cuppings (tastings) with them and at the same time I started to expand my knowledge in this field also thanks to Caffelab. At home I bought an espresso coffee machine to be able to test coffee and, from what initially started as a passion, the idea of creating a specialty coffee menu in my beach club, was born.
How do you offer this kind of coffee to the public?
These types of coffees must be explained. Where they come from, what type of coffees we are offering, the many different steps coffee goes through in the supply chain and what aromas are available in the cup. Over time I’ve developed a menu where you can find various coffee selections that are offered both as Espresso, Cold Brew and Nitro. I also created a workstation behind the counter exclusively dedicated to coffee specialties, to enhance the offer.
What was the reaction of your customers?
When new customers try these different types of coffees, the first “hurdle” they have to overcome are the differences in taste and price. Those who try it once however, never go back: today many come to our bar and ask ‘what coffee do you have in the grinder today?’. I try to have a different offering every time. The result are some very satisfied customers and my proof are over 2 kilos of specialty coffee which we prepare on weekends.
A great success! Are there any strategies you’ve specifically tried to explain your customers how to appreciate this new taste in coffee?
The “first time” I never let them try a coffee that is too peculiar or different in taste. The Caffè lab LAB 100 is perfect for this purpose: it’s the blend that has impressed my customers the most because it has the right balance of flavors and is perfect as an introduction to the world of specialty coffees. The acidity is not too strong – a result given from the perfect combination of natural and washed coffee.
You talked about extraction methods such as cold brew or nitro. Do you see a strong potential?
Absolutely. At the beginning, we’ll need to invest some time in explaining the offer well, but I believe that this year’s heat will help us promote these types of coffee drinks: there’s nothing better than a cool drink with your feet in the sand, right?
