With 2010 before us, rich with promise and full of potential, it is time to consider what we are going to do differently this coming year.

Alchemy is now addicted to innovation, and you will see from us, new products, better communication, refined service, and lots of new ways for you to make more money using our fantastic naturally flavoured coffee syrups and chai latte syrup. We have employed a new ‘Flavourista’ to come up with new products, for lattes, frappes, mochas and chocolates (hot and cold). We are going to be launching our new website very soon, and it will be really useful for ordering as well as packed with resources to make your lives easier as syrup users.

We are planning to provide you with lots of innovative new ways to grow your sales and profits, as well as broading your drink offering without having to buy more ’stuff’.

From your own point of view, have you thought what you are going to change to make the most of 2010?

Are you going to look at your menu? Spend some time training your staff in upselling? improving customer service? high margin drink making?

It is worth taking some time now, thinking “What 3 things can I do that will make my business more profitable in 2010?”

Write them down, then set about to make those changes happen.

you will be glad you did.

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

The Cordial Guy.

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A great blender is surely a must-have cafe appliance, right up there with the steamer and the coffee grinder.

A blender can be used anytime.  Make a healthy fruit smoothie for your breakfast trade.  Create creamy soups for the lunch or dinner menu, and then whip up some  margaritas at night.  Also it can be used to make amazing Frappes with any of the Alchemy range of Coffee Syrups or how about a summertime Chai Frappe using our Chai Latte.

But what should you look for when buying a blender?  There are certain features that separate the quality ones from the cheapos.  Here are some tips to help you.

The Blender Motor

First of all, the power of the motor is an important factor.  Most of the cheap blenders have small motors, which aren’t strong enough to turn the thick or hard ingredients you put in there.  Sure, they will blend bananas and water, and you can toss in ice cubes as well, but you won’t be able to do some of the things a quality blender can do.  So find a blender with a motor size of at least 750 watts.

The Jug

The next part to look out for is the jug, which is the pitcher of the blender.

There are  two types of jugs that are supplied with blenders:  glass and plastic.  Cheaper models will have plastic, and more expensive blenders will have glass ones.  When ice is spinning at warp speed, you don’t want it to take scrape plastic off the jug and mix it with your frappe.

Blender Blades

The blades are actually a very important part of the machine.  Some blenders have lousy blades that can break off .  Quality blenders will say that they incorporate ultra-strong blades.  Some blenders feature what they call “wave action” blades, which suck everything in the jug downward, which eliminates the top sitting there while the bottom rotates.

Blender Drive System

Finally, the most important feature to look for is a metal drive system.  The drive system is the component on the bottom of the jug that attaches to thehousing of the blender.  Cheap blenders once again use plastic, and good ones use metalor strong alloys.  Think about it:  The blender blades will be turning around so quickly, plastic will wear out reasonably quickly causing the motor to run, but the blades won’t turn correctly anymore, and you’ll be off to buy another blender.  With an all-metal drive system, it won’t wear out for a long, long time. Which amounts to you being able to make high profit blender based drinks for your business for a lot longer.

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The Syrup Intro Kit contains everything you need to make literally hundreds of high margin, value added, hot and cold drinks that your customers will LOVE.

We have included the six best tasting, most popular, naturally flavoured Coffee Syrups  in Australia - Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, Chocolate with Organic Cocoa, White Chocolate and of course our deliciously famous Chai Latte Syrup.

We have also included six dispensing pumps for quick, clean, accurate and easy dosage of the syrups for all Coffee and Chai sizes.

There is also an information pack , which incluudes a training DVD, a Syrup Intro Info. pack, a laminated recipe card, and a poster of our extensive range of syrups.

You can start using the syrups the moment they arrive. Simply unpack the box, watch the DVD, read the information and you are in the High Profit Coffee Syrup and Chai game.

By using the Kit, you will increase the average spend per customer, and your customers will love the variety, so everyone will be happy.

Your staff can create your own signature drinks that will keep your customers coming back again and again.

Your $80- investment - will rapidly return you $325.00.

We know the kit works having supplied it to hundreds of cafes already, so we back it up with a 100% money back guarantee.

Alchemy also offer many different resupply options through our network of Coffee Suppliers and Food Service Distributors.

Russell Lean

russell@alchemycordial.com.au

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We all know that the success of our business comes from our customers, and without them, we are lost, so it makes great sense to work to make their experience of your establishment nothing short of fantastic. remember everyone has a choice when it comes to getting lunch or a coffee, so anyone who comes into your world chose to do so.

I read this morning an interesting paragraph which turned on a light in my head, it was about happiness.

“We cannot reach happiness by consciously searching for it. it is by being fully involved with every detail of our lives, whether good or bad, that we find happiness, not by trying to look for it directly. This was beautifully summarised by Viktor Frankel who wrote “Don’t aim at success- the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more youare going to miss it. For success, like happiness cannot be persued;  it must ensue… as the unintended side effect of ones personal dedication to a course greater than oneself”.

I loved the link between happiness and success, and the realisation that we can achieve neither by persuing them, was both suprising and exciting. How liberating to think that we cannot ‘make’ our customers happy, but that brings us back to the reality that we can do the things within our business that will create the side effect of happiness in our customers.

So forget making the customers happy, and set about to focus on the things that you know need attention, service, cleanliness, warm greetings for everyone who has decided to pay you a visit, and making their latte a piece of art ( with a shot of syrup of course).

Get everyone in your team to focus on something that is missing from your perfect cafe, and to work on that for the next week.

You might find that it just may deliver the side benefit of customer satisfaction.

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

By the way, the book is called “Flow, the psychology of optimal experience” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

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Another great thing to do with Vanilla Ice Cream is to top it with about 30ml of Chai Latte Syrup. Stir it in and don’t be too concerned with getting it totally even, as a little explosion of Chai is a great thing. Once the Chai Latte Syrup is mixed in, refreeze the ice cream for later.

I also love making banana pancakes and topping them with Cinnamon Powder. The final touch….. of course a big scoop of the Chai Ice Cream. It’s a marriage made in heaven. I reckon that any pancake in any cafe would be delighted to be topped off in this fashion.

Russell Lean

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There are 2 recently opened  Milk ,cafe-milkbars in Brisbane, at Ashgrove ( in the Woolworths Village) and Windsor (Homezone).

On a recent delivery, Which was my first visit to the Asgrove Milk, they made for me the best tasting burger I have had in years, and I also had a chocolate with coconut and walnut syrup milkshake made with Barambah organic milk. Spectacular! The ‘drink in’ shakes are served in the aluminium cups of old, and the takeouts are in great waxed carboard cup with striped paper straws.

John and Amanda have created that magic ‘retro/ new’ hybrid, of old world charm and service, with innovative food and drink options that will keep everyone happy.

They are partnering with great suppliers (Merlo for coffee, Alchemy for syrups, Barambah for milk), and their staff are all bright friendly and just a bit sassy. The burger chef said to me ” The best tasting burger you have ever had coming right up!” and you know what. he was right.

It was great to see such a well run concept, and it made me pause to think how every cafe could look to the many little things that are within their control to tweak, refine and improve, and what a difference it would make to the customer experience.

Please let me know what has impressed you recently in the cafe arena. By sharing we raise the industry standard, and that is a wonderful thing.

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

Master Blender.

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After more than 10 years in our factory and warehouse in Capalaba, the Alchemy Cordial company has moved!

Our business was really being restricted by a lack of space, both in terms of ability to make enough of our current wonderful products, but also limited in our ability to create new and amazing refreshments for our customers.

Our new home ( every family business needs a home), is at 34 Enterprise St Cleveland (yes cycling distance), and it is SO AMAZING!!!! We are in 1300 sqm of WOW space.

We have a new phone number 1300 4 ALCHEMY (should be easy to remember), and a new FAx number as well 1300 4 SYRUP ( for those who still fax).

We have created with the assistance of QMI (Queensland Manufacturing Institute), a worlds best practice designed syrup making room and filling room, the warehouse is brilliantly laid out, and everyone here is delighted to be a part of something that is transforming and growing.

Our offices were designed by the brilliant Brand and Slater Architects, and they are a pleasure to work in.

What that means to you is that we are now on top of demand, and putting our resources into coming up with new and innovative products for your cafes. You can help by letting us know what products you would like us to make for you, so send me an email at michael@alchemycordial.com.au.

By moving to a new home, everyone at Alchemy has had an opportunity to move to a new head space as well, Alchemy is all about transformation and we have included this in our new branding, with the tagline/ vision,  statement,

TRANSFORMING REFRESHMENT.

You will see under our beautiful tree logo, and with our purpose sheltering under our family tree, I reckon anyone who sees the Alchemy brand will be able to tell at a glance who we are and what we are about.

I now have to head back to the R & D room to put the finishing touches on our new Chocolate syrup, made with organic Cocoa, and a new raspberry coffee syrup Both are shaping up well so look out for  new product news.

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

Master Blender.

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Every region, and dare I say village has its own style and theme in Chai, but many things remain constant. One thing that does is that it takes a fair bit of preparation. This I learnt first hand from Ramesh, a Chai Shop owner in Varanasi on the beautiful Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh in northern India . Ramesh was a consummate chai specialist and rose each morning at 4am to make chai, after doing Puja (ceremony) on the edge of mother Ganges only 100 metres from his tiny chai shop. I had the good fortune to sit with him on several occasions while he meticulously and slowly roasted the Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Vanilla Bean, Cardamon and his “secret” spices, for his chai.

While this was happening, the large steel saucepan of milk was boiled and then simmered to pasteurize it and then the sugar and spices were added. Ramesh and I talked about lots of things during those mornings as the intoxicating aroma of the brewing Chai filled the air, including me staying and becoming his brother. The Assam tea was always added last so that it did not brew too long and dominate the flavours of the spices. It wasn’t long before early morning chai lovers were lining up and yelling “Ek Chai, Do Chai”- 1 Chai, 2 Chai.

Years later, I met my wife and in her cupboard was a curios bottle with a strangely familiar scent about it. As soon as I opened it up my mind was flooded with images of Ramesh sitting cross legged in his tiny shop near Assi Ghat in Varanasi. But how do I use it I thought. On the label were the instructions, so I quickly heated some milk and added the requisite amount of the syrup. Oh my Goddess, I was in heaven, seated on the soft soil by the Ganges, hearing drums and the chanting ascetics who come to Assi Ghat during the day.

This Chai had the power to transport me there. Of course I had to meet the maker of the closest thing I had ever found to my beloved Varanasi Chai. A few weeks later I did. Michael Bishop, Master Blender and the founder of Alchemy Cordials.

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Gale and I have been in Milan for the past 5 days, and been to lots of cafes (naturally).

Milan is fuelled by espresso, and there is a cafe every few paces in the town centre. Most are very small, and individually owned, and sell coffee and a small selection of pastries, and of course cigarettes. There are of course Starbucks cafes scattered around the place, but mostly catering for the tourist trade.

The most popular cafe offering is the espresso. or Macciato, with the milk based drinks coming a long way behind. Peole do not sit and while away the hours in cafes, (there is far too much promenading and lookng stylish to do to be hidden away in a cafe).

As far as innovation goes, the hot new thing I have seen here are small machines which produce shots of ginseng, guarana, and orza (which from what I can gather is a roasted barley). these shots are either added to espresso for a double bunger hit, or served as a shot on the side. I tried an guarana one to help with the jet lag, and it works!. The ginseng is traditionally a male potency aid, so beware all ye maiden in Milan if this stuff takes off!

Another very interesting discovery is actuallally a blend of two not new technologies. the vending machine coffee, and pod based espresso. The result, as I tasted and greatly enjoyed, was a delicious, hot, and high quality macciato on a platform in the metro,(see pic).

The cost of coffee is really low, less than 1 Euro, per cup in most places ( around $2.00), but the volumes are very high.

We are heading to Venice this morning, and so on with the discoveries in the homeland of espresso…

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

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This morning I get on a plane to Milan for a 5 week tour of Italy and France. I will be hunting out coffee, coffee syrup, Chai latte developments, and all the wonderful new things that I can find.

I will be posting as regularly as I can get to my internet, so keep your eyes out for the updates.

I really keen to see the home of espresso up close, and to share what I see.

Cordially Yours.

Michael Bishop.

Master Blender.

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