The UK’s largest food services provider, Compass Group UK & Ireland has become a member of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), a trade association representing thousands of coffee enthusiasts and professionals from across Europe and Asia.
The membership will provide an opportunity for hundreds of Compass Group’s baristas from across the UK and Ireland to undertake technical barista training as part of SCAE’s Coffee Diploma System, this programme provides a structured approach to coffee education with a consistent curriculum and model accessible across Europe.
Operating at over 15,000 sites in the UK, Compass Group is one of the largest coffee providers in the country.
Many of its staff already undertake barista training through its partnerships with leading brands such as Costa Coffee and Starbucks.
However, the SCAE membership, will now ensure that those staff working at sites where non-branded coffee is provided, also receive the same level of training and an opportunity to further develop their coffee skills and education with external accreditation.
Comment from Louise Pilkington – Marketing Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland
“We’re really excited by our partnership with SCAE because we believe passionately that delivering a great cup of coffee is a skill, and one we want to help more of our people develop.
Coffee is a really important part of our business and we are committed to consistently delivering excellence for our customers across all of our sites, every day.
For us, achieving this is about giving people the tools to build exciting and rewarding careers in coffee, both for our existing Baristas and other team members who might be inspired to train as a Barista.
As well as helping us upskill our people, our association with SCAE also gives our Baristas access to an international network of coffee professionals and the opportunity to compete and achieve recognition in the Industry.”
Comment from David Veal – Executive Director SCAE
“We are delighted to be working closely with an organisation of Compass Group’s stature and we hope that this partnership will provide immeasurable benefit to SCAE and Compass Group as we work together in the future.
We have been impressed by Compass Group’s quest for coffee excellence and their investment in SCAE’s Coffee Diploma System is a great endorsement of our mission of inspiring excellence in coffee. We are thrilled to have such a strong supporter of our work.”
Each course, with the exception of Introduction to Coffee is available at three Levels – Foundation, Intermediate & Professional and all work towards a SCAE Diploma in Coffee.
