Sodexo UK & Ireland has launched its Barista Collective training programme, designed to place craft, confidence and career development at the heart of coffee service.
The programme focuses on empowering baristas with the knowledge and skills needed to elevate the guest experience through every cup served.
Barista Collective has been created to position coffee as more than a hot drink, recognising it as an experience that brings people together through quality, craft and connection.
The programme brings together more than 20 coffee champions from across Sodexo’s business to create a culture of craft, collaboration and community focused on delivering exceptional coffee experiences.
Each coffee champion has completed an intensive Train the Trainer programme, equipping them to deliver new Level 1 and Level 2 barista training courses across the organisation.
Level 1 provides a strong foundation for both new and existing baristas, focusing on essential skills and operational excellence.
Level 2 builds on this knowledge, offering a deeper exploration of coffee as a product and craft.
This includes bean selection, processing methods, roasting, sensory development and advanced brewing techniques.
Sodexo has also partnered with HIT Training to launch a Barista & Hospitality Excellence apprenticeship.
The eight-month programme combines technical barista expertise with the skills needed to deliver service excellence, professionalism and confidence, helping learners build meaningful careers in hospitality.
Julian Weresch, Head of Coffee & Franchises at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “The Barista Collective is much more than a training programme. Built around three core pillars – craft, collaboration and community, the programme has been designed to support and empower our baristas.
“It represents a shift from viewing coffee training as a technical requirement to recognising it as a critical part of the guest experience, helping turn everyday transactions into meaningful, personalised interactions and memorable experiences for our guests.”
Sodexo serves more than nine million cups of coffee each year across around 300 client sites in the UK and Ireland, making coffee a key part of its everyday guest experience.
For 60 years, Sodexo has delivered services at scale across a wide range of environments, from offices, schools and hospitals to defence sites, offshore locations and live events.
The business said its commitment to service excellence is rooted in craft, consistency and care, delivered by teams working across complex and diverse environments every day.
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