SPC Group said on December 11 that it has succeeded in developing an anaerobic fermentation coffee based on a patented strain.
The anaerobic fermentation process, originally developed for wine, is used to ferment raw coffee beans (or coffee cherries) for a long time in a space devoid of oxygen. As it results in rare and striking flavors, it has become a new trend in the global coffee industry.
Up until now, most anaerobic fermentation coffee has been supplied by coffee farms themselves and thus the volume was minuscule. In contrast, SPC Group made use of proprietary microbes to come up with the fermentation technique and all the processes have been standardized to be ready for mass-production.
The homegrown yeast (SPC-SNU 70-1) and lactic acid bacteria (SPC-SNU 70-2 to 4), the main ingredients of the new fermented coffee, were the achievements of SPC Group researchers who have toiled for 13 years to discover the microbes out of Korea’s traditional foods. The researchers used the microbes in the coffee fermentation process to create the flavors and taste optimal for coffee drinkers’ taste buds.
Unlike the existing fermented coffee that gives a strong acidic taste and fermented smell, the newly developed coffee by SPC Group can be combined easily with sweet tastes like gingerbread and caramel, or subdued flavors like lavender and Earl Grey.
The grouop’s “direct trade” policy, taken as part of an effort to improve its coffee quality, also played a role in making the latest coffee development effort a success.
Due to its nature of fermented coffee that must be processed immediately after being imported from the farm, it is essential to have a close working relationship with the coffee growers. SPC Group has sought direct trade with the growers for years and the fermented coffee this time was the outcome of working with the El Pariso farm in Colombia’s Cauca in finding the optimal conditions such as processing, mixture, and fermentation time.
SPC Group has already introduced “Colombia Fleur de Passion,” a single-origin fermented coffee, in its flagship store in Seoul’s Hannam-dong Passion5 Terrace. It will also launch “Cafè Adagio Signature 70,” a blended coffee based on the newly developed fermented coffee, in 3,400 Paris Baguette stores across the country.
An executive of SPC Group said, “We are delighted to have succeeded in launching a new coffee offering based on a strain we have developed in-house, in addition to pastries, with the continuous investment and effort into the basic research. We will try to invest heavily in research and development to become a company widely recognized as a quality coffee purveyor as well as a baked goods supplier.”
