Sounds like an application of the discussion of quality in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" to the world of coffee. My organic espresso tastes mighty fine, thanks to Transcend's commitment to quality. That's for sure.
I actually wholeheartedly agree with Stewart's comments, and am glad that you're taking them to heart Poul. Quality is so subjective, that a standard needs to be understood in order to evaluate the quality of a product based on it's deviation from "the" standard. In coffee, as in most consumables (food and wine especially), there are enough terms out there that what really constitutes quality can often be misconstrued. Think of the term "organic" - it doesnt inherently guarantee quality in coffee or food, just certain production practices. Yet, some people use organic as a measure of the quality of the product (i'll even argue that some people use this as the only measure, but that's a whole other discussion). Biodynamic and wine is another example.
What goes into making a great beverage, and what makes a quality coffee is neither common knowledge, nor necessarily understood by consumers. Educating all of us on those standards really would help consumers understand WHY Transcend coffee tastes so much better.
I take Stewart's comments to heart. I guess I have a general notion in my head as to what constitutes quality, whether in the world of coffee, or wine and now more frequently food and clothing. Having said that, it is an internal set of standards which forms my evaluation of quality. So with that said, we should be more clear both on our website and in the way we talk, as to what our actual standards are. We shall endeavour to accomplish this in the near future.
Chris,
Manic Coffee (on College and Bathurst) and Dark Horse Espresso (two locations, I've only been to the one at 215 Spadina Ave) are both excellent! I'm sure there are others but I haven't been to any of them unfortunately.
Hi Poul, do you know about any quality coffee establishments in Toronto? Thanks
I'm just trying to suggest that he should be totally clear about what those standards are. People know Transcend is different, and they know that they prefer Transcend's coffee; however, knowing specifically what makes it better, helps them understand and appreciate why. Don't worry, Poul has a thick skin.
I think when Poul talks about quality in this podcast he is referring to a product that meets a high standard which I think is clear in the context of the podcast.
Having worked in quality control for a number of years I think I have a broader definition. Essentially, a quality product is one which meets the criteria set by a standard. The standard is far more of an indicator than the statement "quality". Let me explain; If you had a standard for making tables wherein the allowable length of the legs permitted a deviation of +/- 25mm, and all tables with legs outside that were discarded you would have a "quality" table that would be very wobbly. The big fast food chains, on a strict industry definition of quality, produce quality food because they meet their own written standards for ingredients, temperature, shelf-life and so on.
I think we should also be talking about "standards", not just quality. What standards do we have? eg. max # of flaws in a coffee, min/max temperature of steamed milk, min/max age of coffee beans for brew and for espresso, coffee shall be made with clover or french press, with parameters for grind, dwell, etc., espresso must be served with water on the side, and so on. Concrete written procedures and standards are essential for good business; what makes us and the other businesses you mentioned distinct is not necessarily our quality, but the strictness of our standards. (However, I guess there are also businesses that have standards, but have staff that fail to meet them). We have both.
Mere talk about "quality" leaves an ambiguous impression.
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