23 Sep, 2010 @ 11:51
1 min read

Bean and gone

THE Lady Bartie, in her infinite wisdom, recently invested in a Nespresso machine which, she understood, is considered exceptional in the complex art of making coffee.

I suspect that the appearance of George Clooney in the advertisements was a significant factor in her decision.

Until that time we had always made our coffee by grinding beans, pouring hot water over, allowing a few moments to brew before drinking the stuff.

My own preference has long been to follow the Spanish tradition of carajillo by adding a stiff shot of Rémy.

The Nespresso machine was supplied with a small selection of plastic capsules containing various blends of coffee.

Regardless of what Mr Clooney says the coffee was drinkable but not exceptional.

What’s going on here? All I want to do is buy some coffee!

The problem came when we tried to buy more capsules as the marketing people at Nestlé have conspired to make it as difficult as possible.

You can’t pop out to a shop to pick up a pack. Oh no!

You have to log onto Nestlé’s web site, tell them where and when you bought their infernal machine, enter the machine’s serial number, register your name and address, select a password and provide credit card details.

Given the importance of the transaction I fully expected a demand for my inside leg measurement, blood group and a urine sample.

What’s going on here? All I want to do is buy some coffee!

What next, must I sign up to buy bread?

If I were CEO of Nestlé I would fire the entire marketing department.

It has failed in its primary objective which is to make it easy for punters to buy the company’s product and to shift more coffee.

From here on in we are back to buying beans (not Nestlé) and the good old grind.

Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)

Jon Clarke is a Londoner who worked at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday as an investigative journalist before moving permanently to Spain in 2003 where he helped set up the Olive Press. He is the author of three books; Costa Killer, Dining Secrets of Andalucia and My Search for Madeleine.

Do you have a story? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Banana IMG
Previous Story

Buying in the home of bananas and mangoes

Next Story

Goat and raisin cook off

Latest from Max Bartie

Incompetent or what?

ADIOS BART! In his last column for the Olive Press, before returning to politics, Bartie discusses Spain’s current economic woes
max bartie

Maximilian Bartie

Our resident columnist, formerly of Royal Tunbridge Wells, puts the world to rights
Go toTop

More From The Olive Press

Brit panic in Spain as much-loved bacon vanishes from supermarket shelves

BRITISH expats in Spain are up in arms after being

Brits threaten to boycott Spain over ‘Big Brother Law’ for tourists that ‘bites the hand that feeds’

BRITISH holidaymakers have threatened to boycott Spain after it introduced