“People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole .” — Theodore Levitt
mycuppa July 2019 Newsletter
This month, we return to our roots with a sensational Single Origin feature coffee from Burundi's famous Long Miles Project.
Great value Single Origin coffees are our DNA, and this limited release is only available for a very short time - wild raspberry, mango, coconut, big complex body, with a long, smooth cocoa finish.
This one is going straight to the Trophy Room.
July's Secret Label has been a while in the planning - we only sometimes feature promotions from African origins as they can be challenging to source and command a market premium.
This month's Secret Label is great value; you won't see anything like it at this price in our store.
Finally, customers sometimes fall into a hole with freight and shipping, so this month, we try again to help with guidelines assisting you in achieving a better experience from online shopping, whether it's with us or someone else - please take a few moments to read how things work in Australian residential logistics, it might save some frustration.
July's Secret Label is a bold coffee, and without revealing too much, we will say July's Secret Label has African origins, its fresh crop having just arrived.
We only sometimes get to run offers using African coffees, as they can be in short supply.
The intensity and complexity of African coffees produce a cup that's on another level - one of the reasons they command a premium in the market.
July's Secret Label is a melody of mandarin, orange, apricot, toasted hazelnut, dark cocoa, toasted almond, walnuts, brown spices, brown sugar, and long cocoa finish; this is an 86-point coffee that sells for $50+ in the retail market.
We have thoroughly enjoyed this coffee for the last three weeks, primarily as milk-based espresso. As a fresh crop, it has some lively acidity that works well in milk, but with a bit more rest post-roast, it will open up nicely and reveal its layers.
Lovers of milk-based espresso beverages will adore its bold complexity and dark cocoa finish. One of the features of this coffee is it just keeps on improving with age.
We have noticed new notes jumping out of the cup each day, offering up delicious lingering fruits. It's sometimes both sweet and powerful, with the nut and cocoa elements tempering nicely with the fruits.
Burundi Long Miles Buckeye
We used to run feature coffees each month before introducing the Secret Label program - a hugely successful initiative during the last 12 months.
So, this month, we thought it might be interesting to return to our roots with a focus on single-origin excellence - after all, great-value single-origin coffees are our DNA.
For a limited time, we offer a spectacular high-grade coffee from Burundi's most respected program - Long Miles.
Long Miles' Buckeye washing station is considered one of the best in the sacred levels of the upper premium coffee market - started by founders Ben and Kristy Carlson.
Here is a link to a short YouTube video - it's five years old, but still relevant today - Youtube - Long Miles Project.
Located in a high altitude and ideal climate near the Kibira rainforest, the conditions guarantee a unique and exquisite cup.
Buckeye employs more than 160 committed individuals, working tirelessly to produce the best coffee possible.
Using its borehole water source and granite-filtered well, clean and natural water is used to pulp, ferment and wash the coffee.
During the peak of harvest, more than 2,100 farmers will present cherries for processing, all individually carded with traceability right down to the hill on which the coffee was grown.
The level of quality control employed in Long Mile's Buckeye surpasses just about anything else in Burundi and, quite frankly, most of Africa.
For a short time only, we have a limited quantity of this beautiful coffee (it may only last a week or so).
These Long Miles Burundi coffees are spectacular and typically sold for twice as much elsewhere. At this price, it's a steal.
Juicy citrus acidity, notes of wild raspberry, cinnamon, spice, tropical fruits with mango and coconut, big complex body, smooth finish with predominant cocoa aftertaste.
Indulge your love of coffee - take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.
Helpful guidelines on how shipping works in Australia
Despite our numerous articles on managing parcel delivery, we frequently receive customer complaints about freight providers.
I'd prefer not to fill up our newsletter and waste readers' valuable time with boring information about how freight works; unfortunately, we have to keep on getting the message out, so here is our essential guide on how to get the best from shipping, including the raw and uncomfortable truths.
Firstly, please check and ensure the shipping provider you select in the checkout is right for you.
We offer our customers a choice of shipping options at checkout, always sorted from cheapest to most expensive, with the lowest price as default. Customers can select their preferred shipping service before placing the order.
The decision as to whether it's Sendle or AusPost to carry your parcel is always yours, not ours. I am surprised that customers complain about using Sendle for their parcels, even when we offer them a choice.
Here are our essential guidelines to help you achieve better outcomes for your online shopping experience; whether you buy from us or someone else, it all still applies:-.
- Sendle provides a competitive and viable alternative to the monopoly of Australia Post - without Sendle, AusPost would never need to improve. Sendle is not disappearing any time soon - in many instances, particularly for customers residing longer distances from Melbourne, Sendle can be both faster and cheaper - we are not suggesting it's a better service than AusPost, just different.
- Sendle is not always perfect (sometimes fast, other times slow), and we do not have any preferences as to what providers our customers select - we support both companies equally - you choose, and we comply with your choice.
- All shipping providers sit in the middle between us and you - once we hand the parcel to a freight provider, it's up to them to manage the delivery via their agents to you, the recipient. We do not possess any special authority to modify a parcel's delivery trajectory, even if it has been delayed or misdirected. Freight companies operate independently and have their measures for addressing incidents. Therefore, no matter how much we exert pressure, it is unlikely to make any difference.
- Suppose you come across any issue with Sendle. In that case, contacting Sendle directly via their website is recommended for immediate assistance rather than contacting us with a complaint several days later. As time is always crucial in such incidents, the sooner you can get in touch with Sendle or AusPost, the better the chances of resolving the issue, especially if the parcel is in the final stage of its journey to prevent it from being returned.
- Sendle does not have phone support, so please stop bashing us with this point as it's not something we can change or resolve - all Sendle support is via their web page, their web support is prompt and efficient, and we do not have any other channels to contact Sendle - everyone, which includes us, must use the same web form to obtain support.
- If you decide to use Sendle, please be aware that Sendle's agents are essential couriers only and not part of the Australia Post network (they are, in fact, competitors) - we still have too many customers expecting Sendle can leave it at the Post Office - Sendle's agents are not permitted to leave parcels at AusPost facilities - LPO's, PO Boxes or Parcel Lockers. As such, you should consider whether it's safe to provide Authority To leave when placing your order, as chasing up signatures for parcels is the #1 cause of a futile delivery attempt, parcel delays and customer frustration.
- If you can't sign for the parcel and it's unsafe to leave it at your premises, we advise avoiding Sendle and using AusPost - Sendle are couriers. They cannot hold parcels as their depots are located in remote areas, unlike AusPost facilities. Therefore, they rely on essential point-to-point delivery whereby the parcel is handed over on the first attempt.
- In some cases, Sendle's agents might have arrangements or agreements allowing them to leave a parcel for collection at a nearby service outlet such as Newsagency or Petrol Station - this acts similarly to a Post Office by enabling you to collect the parcel without attending a depot. Please be aware that merchants and retailers have no control or visibility of these collection facilities, so in the event of an incident, please engage directly with Sendle, as we are not permitted to contact Sendle's partner networks.
- Blaming us for delivery issues is not fair or reasonable - we are happy to help where possible, but we can only wave a magic wand and solve a problem after some time. We are the same as every other company in Australia that must rely upon a limited range of 3rd party freight providers.
- Customers can see we push hard daily, racing to get freshly roasted coffee out the door ASAP. We never sit on orders, and we rush like crazy in the afternoons getting parcels ready as every single order is custom-prepared - we do fantastic work at high speed to get your parcels on the road fast.
- No online seller has a "special channel" or "high-speed deal" with freight providers for superior grade of service delivery. All retailers and merchants use the same services - it's a black hole once a parcel is handed over to a shipping provider - parcels are processed in the same networks, just like placing a letter in the mail.
Poor freight performance will only improve when the shipping providers hear the strength of numbers from customer voices.
We have said it before many times: freight companies ignore complaints from merchants and retailers because they know merchants have no other alternatives. It's not a competitive market with choices - so please remember this critical point as it renders retailers powerless to force change - consumers are encouraged to take complaints directly to the freight companies.
