Crains New York - July 29, 2013 - (Page 30)

This is no ordinary joe Continued from Page 29 SNIFF AND SIP: Toby’s Estate in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, offers “cuppings,” or tastings, to customers. Percolating sales He’s got plenty of company at the coffee bar. Total U.S. coffee sales were $11.7 billion last year, a 65% jump from 2007, according to data firm Euromonitor International. Whole beans currently represent about 10% of all sales. Sales of small kitchen appliances—such as coffeemakers—are also percolating, jumping 10% to $5.5 billion last year, according to data firm NPD Group Inc. Unlike some niche hobbies,coffee is familiar to most adults, giving an advantage to roasters and educators trying to win new converts through tastings and workshops. Counter Culture, a coffee wholesaler based out of Durham, N.C., that opened a Chelsea training center four years ago, held its firstever class on brewing basic coffee at home in late May. Similarly, Toby’s Estate, an Australian roaster with buck ennis from Oklahoma in April. These days, Mr. McLaughlin spends his mornings painstakingly grinding beans and uses an iPad timer and a 32ounce French press to brew his daily joe, which he drinks black. “I started investing late last year— I’ve got $200 or $300 wrapped up in this stuff.” its sole U.S. location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, now gives daily one-on-one lessons, up from a few each month last year. Other roast- There is a big do-it-yourself movement in the coffee world ers, including Blue Bottle and Stumptown, host demonstrations, which are dubbed “cuppings” and involve sips and sniffs. “There’s a big do-it-yourself movement affecting the coffee world,” said Lydia Iannetti, manager of the education program at COLD BREWIN’ TO BEAT THE HEAT AND SAVE A FEW BUCKS, New Yorkers can make their own iced coffee. And it’s easier than turning on the hot-water kettle. The trend du jour is the cold brew, made with cold water and popularized by the likes of hipster hangout Blue Bottle, which touts a New Orleans-style version for $4 at its city locations, and Grady’s Cold Brew, a two-year-old wholesaler that bottles its own chicory-laced concoction in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Try it at home. The following recipe is adapted from BlueBottleCoffee.com: WHAT YOU’LL NEED 15 ounces of ground coffee with roasted chicory, such as Café Du Monde 2.5 quarts of cold water Cheesecloth istock DIRECTIONS Combine coffee and water in a pot. Mix until combined, but be careful not to over-aerate. Cover and leave on the counter for eight hours. Using the cheesecloth, strain the mixture and discard the grounds. Serve on ice, savoring that satisfying clink of cube in glass, and add whole milk in a oneto-one ratio. Add simple syrup to taste. Makes six delicious cups. —ADRIANNE PASQUARELLI 30 | Crain’s New York Business | July 29, 2013 Counter Culture, which will move to a larger location on Broome Street this September to accommodate more workshops. “The people who are most likely to pay $75 and come to a two-hour workshop on a Saturday are really engaged and really interested,” she said. Once aficionados master the basic brew, also known as the pour-over, they can move on to espresso. Toby’s, which has operated its 3,000-square-foot roasting facility in Williamsburg for one year, offers three espresso classes, including one on how to make latte art.The heart is the easiest shape to master, but many students eventually pull off the most difficult—a rosetta, said Allie Caran, who runs Toby’s Brew School. Such classes are popular with couples and as corporate outings. “A lot of girlfriends buy it for their boyfriends so their boyfriends can make them coffee,” explained Ms. Caran. Rarely is anyone deterred by the price, which is between $35 and $150 per class. “They’re making this financial commitment to a class because they want to learn—this is their first step to enjoying great coffee,” she said. Geujin Han, an art consultant living in Greenpoint,Brooklyn,has taken four of Ms. Caran’s classes. The Korean-American first started getting serious about coffee during a visit to Korea,where he noticed an explosion of micro-roasting cafés. On his return to the U.S., he bought an electric burr grinder for $140 to get a more even grind, and started using the Hario v60 brewer for a pour-over brew. Now his obsession could become a real grind: He’s planning to open his own café, Crema BK, this fall near McGolrick Park in Greenpoint. Proper prep is essential “My interest in coffee has turned into what I’m hoping to be a business venture,” said Mr. Han, who spends about two hours a day experimenting with coffee. But brewers, beware. Some roasters are so finicky about their products that they refuse to even sell to businesses that do not take the art of the cup seriously. New York roaster Forty Weight Coffee wholesales to 19 cafés, 10 of which are in Brooklyn.The company personally trains all of the baristas who use its beans. But according to coowner Andrew Ballard, two-yearold Forty Weight has 17 “graveyard” accounts that were dropped because the cafés did not prepare its coffee properly. “If a café is doing a poor job representing our product, the consumer looks and says, ‘Oh, Forty Weight, they suck,’ ” said Mr. Ballard. “If cafés can’t be bothered to put in the time, effort, training and money to do things correctly, they aren’t welcome to use my coffee.” SOURCE LUNCH: MERYL POSTER by Adrianne Pasquarelli Weinstein TV prez eyes shmatte series I f Meryl Poster had her own production company, she’d call it Never a Dull Moment. The entertainment producer made a name for herself working on the award-winning films Chicago and Cider House Rules, but two years ago, she moved to the small screen to become president of television for the Weinstein Co. Now the Upper West Side resident has her hands full with Project Runway, Mob Wives and a handful of other reality shows. She’s also juggling a few new projects, including one that shines a spotlight on the garment district. After gaining acclaim in Hollywood, why move into TV? Midwest; you had the handsome guys who were in the showroom, the salesmen. And you had the showroom models and the Italian guys in the design room.And of course,the Mafia— they were partners with everybody.It’s basically the garment center’s dirty little secret that’s not such a secret. What’s the timeline? We should have a script in about two months.In TV,there’s a much quicker turnaround. I want to do it for Netflix. Any other new projects in the works? We have this project called Million Dollar Shoppers for Lifetime that’s going to be a huge hit. It’s independent personal shoppers—they go to different stores and then they go to their clients’ homes. You get to see their homes and their closets, so it’s real estate porn and fashion porn— stuff everybody likes to see. When I left Miramax after 16 years, I left to take time for myself and my family, but I found myself shopping too much and had to get back to work. I was always interested in TV. I had developed In the Heights to make as a movie, but it fell apart at the last minute. Making a movie is very emotional and all-consuming. TV isn’t the same investment. ASELLINA RISTORANTE WHERE THEY DINED Unscripted shows contribute about $2 billion in direct spending to New York’s economy, double that of a decade ago. How many of your shows film here? Most of them. I’d say 75%. Project Runway and Project Runway All Stars are at Parsons. It’s hard to get studio space here in New York, but our company is New York-based, and I’ve always tried to do as much work here as possible because it’s my city. It’s important to support it. I understand you have a very New York-centric project in the works. What is it? 420 Park Ave. South (212) 317-2908 http://togrp.com /togrp-asellina AMBIENCE: Countrified Italian but with a modern and swanky flair; sleek couches are mixed with rustic wooden tables WHAT THEY ATE: Ⅲ Veal meatballs with fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil Ⅲ Grilled salmon with Belgian endive, string beans, sliced egg and rosemary vinaigrette Ⅲ Sparkling water Project Runway has been around for 12 years, but viewership is shrinking. How are you boosting ratings? The popularity has waned a little bit, but the show is still consistently done well. We’re doing more interaction with our audiences. For example, Lifetime has some contests that fans can participate in. We’re also integrating Tim Gunn a little bit more into the show this year. How do you handle similar shows, like NBC’s Fashion Star with Jessica Simpson? I pretend I’m a Nielsen voter,and I never allow it to play on my TV. It makes me angry, but [the format is] easy to copy and then it doesn’t sustain itself. Your son is in middle school My dad worked in the garand your daughter is in high ment center manufacturing school—prime viewing age for TOTAL: $50.46, your shows. Do you watch women’s swimsuits. At that including tip with them or seek their input? time, in the ’70s, the neighborhood was very much like show I’m constantly running ideas by my business, and I’m working on a script- kids.Yes,I want their opinion,but also ed series about it, called Seventh Av- just as they share their lives with me, I enue. It was an incredible lifestyle. like to share my life with them so they Garment people went to nightclubs can understand what I do. If I’m not and had the best seats for the shows home or miss something,they can unand for the singers. You had the pret- derstand what it is. I think that’s realty blonde chicks, the buyers from the ly important for a working parent. Ⅲ INSIDE TIP: The restaurant isn’t just for television producers. Recently spotted celebrities include Justin Bieber and members of the cast of Mad Men. http://www.togrp.com http://www.BlueBottleCoffee.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - July 29, 2013

IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
THE INSIDER
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OPINION
ALAIR TOWNSEND
GREG DAVID
REPORT: FOOD BUSINESS
FOR THE RECORD
REAL ESTATE DEALS
CLASSIFIEDS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SOURCE BREAKFAST
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crains New York - July 29, 2013