Kim Jin-ho's Water and Coffee Story (76) The Essence of 'Latte Specialty Cafes' Lies in Beans, Water, and Milk

More people are starting their day with the aroma of a cup of coffee. A cup of coffee that awakens the energy of a sleeping body has now established itself as an essential routine for many office workers to begin their day.

In line with this, cafe operators also devote effort to the "Dial-in" process each morning to find the optimal taste. However, Korea's four seasons present a challenging environment for maintaining consistency in coffee flavor.

In particular, domestic tap water contains low levels of magnesium and calcium minerals, making it difficult to extract rich flavors from coffee. This is also why coffee taste becomes especially difficult to maintain on rainy days.

According to statistics, there are approximately 100,000 cafes nationwide. About 30 close daily, while simultaneously 30 new ones open. Those who focus on closures speak of a crisis in the cafe business, while those who focus on new openings speak of its continued popularity.

However, one clear fact remains: the coffee industry continues to grow, which demonstrates that the cafe business remains a viable and sustainable sector.

Yet not all cafes survive. Ultimately, only "coffee specialty cafes" can secure regular customers and continue growth. The core competence of a sustainable cafe is summarized as exceptional extraction skills and the ability to promote these through SNS marketing.

Currently, the cafe market is divided between franchises and independent cafes. Franchise operators rely on headquarters manuals and struggle in the low-cost coffee market, but many report management difficulties when facing actual profit-and-loss statements. Meanwhile, independent cafes that continuously acquire knowledge and develop differentiated menus show steady growth.

The recent "Latte Specialty Cafe Seminar" held at Grow Beans in Seoul presented meaningful strategies in this market situation. Coffee experts including SCA Q instructors and Q graders, along with cafe business owners, gathered to share expertise on the theme "In the Era of Low-Cost Coffee, Latte Specialty Cafes Are the Answer."

At this event, coffee experts identified the harmony of "beans, water, and milk" as an essential condition for becoming a true latte specialty cafe.

One business owner who visits cafes nationwide pointed out, "Most cafes are letting coffee be overshadowed by milk taste, failing to bring out their unique flavors."

On the other hand, a cafe manager who introduced a mineral maker a year ago to improve water quality shared a real-world case: "The customer response was immediate after the water change, and within four months of focusing SNS promotions on latte specialty cafe positioning, latte menu items now account for more than half of sales revenue."

In this regard, Kim Beom-yeon, CEO and developer of the mineral maker (SCA Q grader), explained, "In Korea's tap water environment, coffee extraction doesn't occur properly, so latte taste is easily overshadowed by milk. Magnesium water, based on superior extraction capability, creates a smooth, lightly sweet latte that won't be overpowered even in milk."

The lactose intolerance issue affecting approximately 75% of Koreans was also an important point of discussion. The seminar conducted tastings using five types of lactose-free milk. The conclusion was clear: when beans' extraction power is enhanced through magnesium water and combined with harmonious milk, the optimal latte taste is finally achieved.

In an era of proliferating low-cost coffee, the path to increased competitiveness ultimately lies in returning to the basics and transforming into a "latte specialty cafe." The meeting of coffee extracted with magnesium water and lactose-free milk signals the birth of a new latte market with comfort for the digestive system and unmatched depth of flavor.