It’s the early hours of the morning. The alarm clock buzzes. Your eyes can barely open. You crawl out of bed and begin to claw towards the only thing that gives you hope and maybe even a little bit of sanity…coffee. We all have different ways of consuming it. I go a little OTT with my milk and sugar, but that’s just me and my sweet tooth. But what does your coffee say about you? Do you think your preference of coffee represents anything to do with your personality? Do you think your choice of coffee has anything to do with the culture you’ve been brought up in? You may not even like coffee…but there’s no denying its influence to help drive today’s busy world.
What’s the rush?
We all know coffee’s caffeine can give you a rush… Important to a lot of people if you’re not a morning person like me or the vast majority of my friends.
We thought we’d conduct an experiment at Dialogue and check our team’s taste in coffee and match characteristics … see if you fall into the same categories….
Coffee in our company & characteristics
Espresso – If you drink a single Espresso, you might be like our Translation intern, Jacob… a natural born leader, who works hard, plays hard and is super friendly. You do enjoy the taste of coffee and see things straightforward. If you drink double, you’re practical, hardworking, clear and concise. If you go for the triple, you’re enthusiastic and productive and maybe a little tired…
Espresso Martini – You are one classy and mature individual who tends to find enjoyment in the finer things in life. Aside from this you’re also a team leader who works hard and plays hard, this couldn’t be better suited to our Director & Head of Client services, Nic.
Cappuccino – So this is your coffee of choice? If you drink cappuccino like our Director & Head of Training, Rob… we think you’re more than likely to be somewhat sophisticated, little classy, creative, optimistic and sociable. Oh and did I mention jokey… yeah that’s Rob’s strong suit as demonstrated by his choice of mug.
Frappuccino – Here we move on to myself (Sam) the Sales and Marketing Executive and my love of Frappuccinos. Kept simple, I love adventure, spontaneity and try to maintain a happy and positive attitude on a daily basis.
Black – Ah the infamous Black coffee… our Senior Translation Project Manager, Marine is one focused individual who may come across as minimalistic, straightforward, concise and we are happy to say very fun and jokey. In other words, her work is done without nonsense and performs to the best of her ability.
Regular cream and sugar – Dual personality, organised & together but also loose and messy. Logical but also creative. Fun and productive. You’re basically a bundle of the best characteristics like our Administrator, Lauren.
Mocha – I think the “KitKat” mug already shows what our Language Training & Exams Administrator is drinking. If you like to mix up your coffee with a bit of chocolate, we think you’re like Gee. Fun loving, creative, need a pick me up and maybe loves chocolate.
International facts
Coffee consumption globally is on the up and transcends borders, but not necessarily in the way it’s savoured:
UK – It’s not just tea the Brits enjoy… the average male drinks 13 cups per week & the average female drinks 11 cups per week. 80% of people visit a coffee shop at least once a week.
US – Imports $4bn worth of coffee each year and 49% of coffee drinkers would rather give up their mobile phone for a month rather than go without coffee.
Italy – Most drink coffee at the bar standing up before 9am because prices increase if you sit down at a table.
Spain – 63% of people drink at least one cup of coffee a day and on average 3 to 4 cups during the working week.
Greece – Serve traditional coffee in thick cups to preserve the heat. This is so locals can socialise for a longer period of time.
Turkey – Calls its coffee houses “Schools for the wise.”
Japan – Imports 85% of Jamaica’s annual coffee production.
Russia – 85% of coffee drinkers prefer instant coffee and every year this percentage rises.
China – Consumption has tripled from 2012-2016.
UAE – The etiquette is for a guest to have at least one cup of coffee although the custom is to intake three cups.
A mug that magnificently magnetises us
Can you see a pattern here? There’s an increasing underlying craving for coffee as it not only stimulates the people who drink it, but, culturally speaking, it also brings us together. This may seem like a subject which is a little off topic but the important fact to recognise is that although we may come from different backgrounds or live in different cultures, this little mug of greatness connects the world population more than you would think.
Coffee is more than a drink. The culture of coffee traditionally brings us together through social interaction. Whether it’s over a date or a conversation at the office, with different blends coffee represents the various tastes and characteristics of people across the world and fundamentally develops relationships even with those differences.
References
http://www.britishcoffeeassociation.org/about_coffee/coffee_facts/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/29/americas-coffee-obsession_n_987885.html
http://www.gourmantic.com/2010/01/18/6-coffee-facts-i-learnt-in-italy/
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/9-spanish-cultural-habits-you-should-know-about/
https://athensinsiders.com/51-facts-you-didnt-know-about-greek-coffee/
http://www.facts-about-japan.com/interesting.html
https://kremlintour.com/travel-tips/coffee-culture-russia
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160628-yuan-more-coffee-chinas-lucrative-caffeine-craze
http://blog.raynatours.com/5-interesting-facts-arabic-coffee