Alex Barnett: "The houses are the new 'coffee shops'. We are experiencing the 'gourmetization' of coffee"

The first encounter that Alex Barnett (London, 1969) had with coffee was when he was a student of Hispanic Philology and Economics at the University of Wales during the 1990s. Instant coffee, which he drank to spend a few sleepless nights preparing for exams. Who would have told him that 20 years later he would end up running one of the most important coffee machine companies in the world. President of De'Longhi Iberia, the leading brand in the sale of espresso machines worldwide, in his resume include large multinationals such as Wella, Nestlé or Lindt. He has currently spent nine years directing the subsidiaries in Spain and Portugal and witnessing the revolution of coffee designed at home. "In 2021 we are experiencing the third wave of coffee, where the bean takes center stage. The first wave occurred with soluble coffee and the second with Nespresso coffee machines, which brought the traditional Italian espresso into the home." Coffee is today for Barnett, as for thousands of other people in the world, a ritual, where each element of the process is important. From the grain, a refined ingredient that modifies its flavor depending on its variety or origin, to the type of coffee that the consumer chooses every morning.

In recent years, De'Longhi has taken over the high-end home-brewed coffee business. During the pandemic, the purchase of coffee machines and all the products that made life easier at home skyrocketed. With the implementation of teleworking, people cook and consume more coffee at home, a trend that has driven their latest bet, the new Primadonna Soul, a connected coffee maker with which you can personalize your coffee, prepare it remotely and even save your coffee preferences. up to five different profiles. All milk-based drinks can be prepared thanks to its LatteCrema system, which produces a compact and smooth cream with the optimal 'micro-bubble' texture. This launch represents a revolution in coffee culture, as it combines the process of making it in a traditional way with the latest personalization technology.

Coffee accounts for De'Longhi for more than half of his sales. The group is present in more than 120 countries together with the other three brands it owns: Braun, Kenwood food processors and recently acquired Nutribullet nutrient extractors. Communication is another aspect that the company is currently reinforcing. Brad Pitt, the brand's new global ambassador, has starred in the new campaign directed by Damien Chazelle -the youngest director to win an Oscar in 2016 for La La Land-, in which they delve into a day in the life of the actor in Los Angels. Pitt and De'Longhi embody the sense of authenticity, the cosmopolitan essence and the pleasure of preparing a cup of the best espresso at home.

What is special about the world of coffee for you?

The smell of coffee in the morning is my best moment of the day. The more I know this world, the more parallels I find with the world of wine or chocolate. They are products that are enjoyed with the five senses. When we drink a coffee we enter for a moment in a sensory and experiential world. For this, it is important that the machine and the coffee are of excellent quality.

For many, grinding the coffee bean in the morning is equal parts necessity and ritual. What is it about De'Longhi's new Primadonna Soul that makes it stand out from the rest?

Super-automatic coffee machines are those that have a built-in grinder and that, with the push of a button, a perfect espresso is achieved in seconds. It is unique because up to 18 different drinks can be made: from black coffee to cappuccinos, latte macchiatos, American coffee... All from a touch screen that can be connected to the mobile through the Coffee Link App and personalize the coffee by entering different users. It is the only one that has the Bean Adapt Technology system; Through it, the machine adjusts to the type of coffee you want at all times: the level of grinding, the amount of coffee, the temperature of the water...

Design and quality are two inseparable qualities in an automatic coffee machine. In what lies the success of a coffee machine? What is the user looking for in 2021?

The coffee maker is one of the prized assets in modern kitchens. It is very visible; therefore, the design, Italian in our case, is essential. We are in all categories of coffee: capsule, espresso, manual coffee machines and recently with super-automatic ones. Right now, all categories are growing; even before the pandemic, coffee consumption at home had increased. Houses are the new coffee shops. There are two main types of users: those who are looking for convenience, a compact machine that, at the push of a button, does all the work. For them the capsules are the best solution. Other consumers, coffee gourmets, have manual or super-automatic ones, which turn coffee making into a personalized ritual.

The preparation of Italian espresso is a small pleasure already present in many homes thanks to the constant innovation of automatic coffee machines. Is there a luxury sector built around coffee?

Undoubtedly. The consumer is increasingly demanding in terms of quality. What we are doing at De'Longhi is the 'gourmetisation' of coffee in Spain. There is a large group that wants to get the same coffee that the barista prepares behind a bar counter. At De'Longhi we are clear that for the coffee to be optimal, the machine and the raw material must also be optimal. The high range of super-automatic and manual ones are designed for the sybaritic gourmet.

How does De'Longhi apply a greater commitment to sustainability?

In recent years we have noticed a great increase in user sensitivity towards sustainability issues. One of the biggest bets in this area is being made in super-automatic and manual coffee machines. When working with the raw coffee bean there is no waste. For example, in my house we use coffee grounds as fertilizer. In addition, within the company we are developing eco-design: creating machines with more sustainable materials that are easy to disassemble and clean. This ensures a longer shelf life.

Italy and Spain are two countries that socialize around the coffee culture. What are the main differences between the two?

In Italy the king of coffee is espresso. There it is drunk neat and of very good quality, preferably ristretto, which is short and very intense. Traditionally, coffee is drunk at the bar in a few seconds. The cappuccino, another of the Italian classics, is only eaten for breakfast. Here coffee is culture, it is a way of socializing; in Italy, it is more of a food. Spain is the first country in the world to consume decaffeinated coffee and more than 80% of it is taken with milk or cut. In addition, the quality of the coffee is inferior, as it is marked by roasted coffee, that is, the coffee mixture, which has sugars to lower costs.

How did the campaign with Brad Pitt come about and why was he chosen?

It came about very naturally. Last year we wanted to accelerate the growth of the Primadonna Soul coffee maker and it just seemed like the perfect fit. Brad Pitt is a huge fan of good coffee and a huge fan of our brand. He is also a committed environmental advocate, collects art and is passionate about architecture and design. Thus he began this marriage with which we are now more than satisfied.

What does he spend his free time doing? How does he disconnect from the routine?

My two great passions are cooking and music, both in all their formats. What I miss most with the pandemic are good concerts. I've played the drums since I was little and for a few years the piano too. And when it comes to cooking, it also comes from afar because my parents had a pub in the English countryside, near London. An early hobby that began when Santa Claus brought me a food processor, curiously, from the Kenwood brand.

Upcoming plans?

We want to give priority to the coffee categories, which we believe still have a long way to go in Spain. We will launch quite a few new things early next year, linked to all sectors of the company.