August 10th, 2007

To view some of our latest (ie. Tokyo Photos) try www.flickr.com/photos/cafekrem/  Will update this asap.

Hoffman Is The Best!!!

August 7th, 2007

Today inTokyo Japan we celebrated the victory, of good friend and outstanding Barista, in the World Barista Championship Finals.

World champ and admirer

World champ and admirer

Congratulations to James, and his team Anette, Stephen and Jenny it was a priviledge to be there to watch you!

Groundscoffee now in Portrush !!

July 6th, 2007

Congratulations to good friends Darren & Karen who have opened their 3rd coffee shop and it’s brilliant!!!

If you’re ever in Portrush they are a must visit!!  Home made ice cream to die for.

Antwerp 07 “world of coffee”

July 6th, 2007

For those of you who don’t know what we do when we are at competitions I’ve included this photo of the stage at The World Latte Art Championships in Antwerp where Niamh represented her country in this massive auditorium. She did us proud, the tiny girl from Silverbridge on the huge (and very intimidating) world stage.

It was a great event and great experience for me in the workshop I was presenting and also to meet colleagues and experts from the world over. Australia won the latté art championship while the World of Coffee Cup Tasting championship was won by good friend Anette Moldvaar a regular visitor to these shores.

In Antwerp I met again a great guy called Rob who I had judged in the Belgian Barista Championship last year and who took me to see his shop “CoffeeNation”  Antwerp is a beautiful and friendly city and his shop is outstanding   Go Visit!

July 6th, 2007

1674

July 6th, 2007

Ola !  Says Niamh from Barcelona. She has just come back from working the machine on a trade show stand where they pumped out 1400 coffees per day for 3 days. She has well earned her month off and we hope she has great fun inter-railing around Europe.

June 07 Post

June 8th, 2007

While I’m writing this Café Krem is going truly international. Neli from the Banbridge store is currently making around 1000 coffees a day during a 4 day medical conference in Budapest and Niamh who is just back from a brilliant performance at the world Latté Art championships in Belgium is working for our coffee partners in Berlin.

When she finishes on Saturday she has 2 days off in the German city before flying direct to Barcelona to do another 4 days in the Catalan capital.  Great to be part of a company who keeps pushing the boundaries.

Lots more new and interesting stuff comingup soon. We have Emir returning from Paris to work this summer and Ulricc a Belgian coffee shop owner has asked to come and work to perfect his trade in Newry.

When we get this site up and running I will publish photos from the workshops we gave in Antwerp at the World of Coffee exhibition and also the trip to Caffé Culture in London.

Thanks for your patience and for sticking with us.

May 15th, 2007

Here we are in May and welcome to our new look webpage. Hope you like  it , (let me know).  The objective is that I can post it faster and that you get the news as it happens. 

So what’s been happening??? Well we’ve already had the Ready Steady Cook episode where Café Krem was part of the winning team. It was great fun to do but personally painful to watch. I’d like to thank everyone at Endemol TV production for their professionalism (and no thanks I don’t want to do big brother), Ainsley Harriot who was an absolute star and real genuine guy. My co-competitor James, (finally I beat you!) and the chefs Nick and Lesley. Altogether a good laugh with nice people and a chance for Café Krem to keep our profile at the forefront of the industry.Ready Steady Cook

The guy in Sainsbury’s says it’s my fault that the has sold out of Toulouse Sausages, but when they’re in stock try the recipe from the program it was delicious and don’t forget takes only 20 minutes.

Coffee talk

Had a great day out at the first  N. Ireland Barista jam where the brightest and best but more importantly the most interested baristas from all over Ireland got together in Belfast to spend the day learning new aspects of their trade. Around 30 coffee superstars got together at the espresso logic training rooms to learn about coffee roasting and blending from Phillip Mills of Johnstons about Coffee Cupping from Hugh Gilmartin of Specialist Beverages and to do a Barista workshop with Sé Gorman and a sensory workshop with Stephen Morrissey.The day had an educational theme with an underlying competitive edge. The overall winner on the day was Karl Purdy from Coffee Angel and the outstanding Barista was Jon Armstrong from Clements. Barry from Grounds got a prize as did Dave from Clements.There was a great opportunity for new people like Lisa from Café Paul Rankin to meet Baristas  Graham and Barry from Grounded and Jurgita and Neli from Café Krem in Newry. For The team from the Streat to meet the team from Grounds in Coleraine and Ballymena,(probably the most progressive Coffee shop in the North). The Clements guys discovered Roger the giant from Crusoe and James from Matthew Algie and Jacquie from Bewleys  was able to chat with all her new and old northern allies. Special thanks to Hugh and Sharon for hosting and funding the event to Steve Penk for sorting the La Spaziale machine. To Phillip and David from Johnstons for the roasting and to all the participants for coming along on their day off.Lots of people have contacted us to have another so if we can get the money together we just might do that. If you wre ther and have any comments let me know on  info@cafekrem.com The greatest success of the day was that everyone there who are normally competitive retailers and suppliers came together to share and learn from each other for the benefit of the industry. 

 Graham & Barry from Grounded   and Subi Danny and Kerry from Grounds with Jurgita from Café Krem

Graham & Barry from Grounded   and Subi Danny and Kerry from Grounds with Jurgita from Café Krem

    Coffee ChatCoffee chat.. Some of our customers are happily using Aerobie Aeropress’ to brew their coffee and they are reporting great satisfaction and success with that.  Another customer is loving trying a variety of Krem sourced coffee in a Cafétiere enhanced by using a “Kitchenaid Proline” Burr Grinder. To me personally this is the best home brew solution for getting cost effective great tasting coffee to your table when you want it. Anyone who wants details should mail me at info@cafekrem.com or just ask me when you’re in the shop.  

 Had visits from Karl Purdy and Robert Czar coffee geeks from Dublin and Canada. They spent some time hanging out in the Hill Street shop watching how we do things and discussing general customer service and coffee preparation styles. It’s really nice to have other people’s views and ideas. Keeps us as fresh as the coffee.   The BB’s muffins franchise boss also called to check us out and to congratulate Café Krem on the UK Championship success. Nice guy, wish I had time to chat more but we are working Barista’s and not office administrators.  Had a long chat with the boss of Zio uk the Italian restaurant chain who was a very interesting dynamic guy living in England with loads of southern Italian heritage. He discussed some of the difficulties and benefits of franchising. As he loved our coffee so much he stayed long time chatting over the top of the espresso machine. I can reveal that Newry will soon be getting it’s own Restaurant Zio.  Watch this space.