Dedicated to maximizing the value
of coffee at all levels of production

Songer and Associates are product-oriented coffee specialists, testers, and tasters that go beyond information and advice to achieve bottom line results. All product aspects are considered, from sourcing the greens to roasting and the marketing aspects involved. Unlike most consultants, Songer has worked for over 20 years in retail and wholesale levels of the coffee industry, where day to day costs and profitability matter.

A successful coffee business, from the green bean to the brewed beverage, depends on repeat customers. Consumers purchase coffee because it meets their needs and expectations, mainly due to the coffee’s flavor attributes, but also on the basis of their image of the product.

The coffee market is in a state of flux, with changing consumer requirements on one end and changing supply aspects on the other. Coffee roasters and retailers must develop products that can meet or go beyond consumer expectations using available resources. The challenge faced by green coffee producers is to find the market segment that will most highly value what they produce.

How are the most appealing coffee products created? First, by creating coffees with flavor profiles that please the targeted market segment, then increase perceived value of that coffee by communicating the image of the product and company.

Flavor profiles are created or determined through sensory analysis, the use of the human sensory system as a measuring instrument. Due to the complexity of coffee’s flavor, sensory analysis is a necessary component in bridging the gap between fluctuating consumer wants and what can be produced by a coffee business. To be most effectively utilized, sensory results are correlated with other more objective systems of measurement.

This website shows how sensory analysis can be applied to create coffee products (product development), manage the consistent production of those products (quality control), and understand the needs of different segments of potential customers (marketing).

The Product Development Cycle

Product development and optimization should be viewed as a cycle since consumer preferences for coffee are changing. Coffees that were successful even a few years ago are becoming less desirable. To meet these changes and account for changes in supply availability, coffees should be regularly evaluated from the view of the consumer

Function of the Flavor Profile

At the heart of this product creation is the flavor profile of the product, a summary of the flavor attributes the coffee must have to appeal to its target market.

The Flavor Profile

To create coffees with consistent flavor attributes that consumers will buy repeatedly, a flavor profile for the coffee is developed. It is represented in the form of a diagram that lists the various flavor attributes found, the order in which they are found, and their intensities.

In this diagram, the attributes themselves are listed beginning at the top and moving clockwise. The intensities are indicated by the distance from the center.

If the attributes are well defined, the green coffee buyer can purchase the necessary raw material and the roaster can produced a finished product that will reasonably conform to the flavor profile.

Click for more information on Flavor Profiles