Coffee processing
Symphony of the coffee bean
More than 1,000 aromas lie concentrated and dormant in every bean of Arabica coffee. But sssssh! we don’t want to wake them up too early – this only happens during roasting. We’ll show you how we process our coffee and entice the finest nuances of flavour out of the beans.
The tiny taste explosions we know as coffee beans have a dark secret: they’re not beans at all! We only call them beans because of how they look. In actual fact, they are the seeds of the coffee cherry tree. Each bean holds more than 1,000 aromas. Which one you taste depends on a multitude of factors. Where and how is the coffee grown? How is it stored? And perhaps most importantly of all: How is it roasted? The reason this is so important is that the beans only develop their full flavour potential during roasting.
The beans are roasted by our regional partners Rast and Hochstrasser close to our Lucerne production site. These two Swiss master roasters draw on a wealth of experience in coffee roasting that has been perfected over several decades. Their work is as much an art as it is a craft. With skill and delicacy, they set free aromas, fine-tune subtleties of taste – and therefore enable the flavour concentrated in each bean to realise its full potential. How does this work exactly?
Pop! The coffee beans erupt in applause during roasting
Wait, what? The coffee beans erupt in applause? How do they do that? The answer reveals itself in the roasting drum. While at 110°C the beans slowly start losing their moisture, at 145°C they first turn yellowish brown and then light brown. The beans swell up to double their volume, until the pressure inside the bean can no longer be contained and with a loud pop the first bean bursts open and starts up the orchestra. The other beans join in and applaud the symphony of coffee roasting. Pure music to coffee lovers' ears!
But don't celebrate too early. It would be a rather bland affair if we were to make coffee with these beans right now. Taste? One-dimensional. Aroma? Could be better. That's because the complex flavour nuances in coffee take a while to unfold. Only when the beans gradually begin to turn dark brown do they reach their maximum flavour potential.
In the roasting drum, pops ring out for the second time. The beans enrobe themselves in a shroud of light maroon. Almost there... This is the part that calls for a delicate touch. With a gentle hand, our roasting master chooses the perfect moment to free the beans from the roasting drum. And then – take a deep breath: the wonderful aroma of freshly roasted coffee fills the air. We are ready for the final steps.
From the roaster to the cup
To make sure the entire symphony of aromas ends up in your Emmi CAFFÈ LATTE, we process the freshly roasted beans as quickly as possible. This is done at our plant in Ostermundigen. That is the exclusive site where we fashion our milk-based coffee creations. From there they are sent all over the world. This way, we can ensure you always enjoy your Emmi CAFFÈ LATTE in top quality – no matter where you buy it.
The coffee beans are now giving their last round of applause. Loud cracks can be heard from our huge grinder, where the beans are processed into fine powder. The ground beans are then brewed in coffee machines, just like you have at home. Just our machines are a lot bigger – as big as a small elephant!
Every Emmi CAFFÈ LATTE product has its own secret recipe. These recipes differ according to the country of origin of the beans, the degree of roasting, the fineness of grinding, as well as the brewing pressure and the brewing time and temperature. The interplay of these characteristics allows us to shape and refine the taste experience and intensity of the coffee according to our wishes.
Let’s mix it up: The freshly brewed coffee made from 100% Arabica beans is combined with the best Swiss milk and other specific ingredients, for example vanilla, cocoa or caramel. That is, all the ingredients that make up your favourite coffee. Now it's time for the last three steps: Put the lid on. Chill. Enjoy. Cheers