Compass rolls out Hydracs system across UK sites as it targets zero-scale position
Compass UK is aiming to improve water quality and safeguard the performance of its coffee equipment by rolling out a specialist filter cartridge management system across its UK business.
The company is using the Hydracs system from its service partner, Hertfordshire-based Espresso Service, to give it complete transparency on sites that it operates across the country.
Steve Lovegrove, head of format (cafe and food venience) at Compass, said the system will deliver numerous benefits to the company, especially when you consider that up to 98% of a hot beverage can consist of water.
“It gives us greater control in terms of water quality to ensure that the quality of water we use is optimal at all times, but it also ensures that the carbon hardness of our water is correct so that we don’t do any unnecessary damage to our equipment. Ultimately, what we are working towards is a zero-scale position by proactively managing the way that we look after water.”
Coffee is a major focus for Compass, with the company launching two new coffee outlet brands – Peak St. And Crackle & Hum – in the last 12 months, as well as creating a specialist Barista Academy at its HQ.
Compass first began trialling telemetry on water filters at one of its Caffe Dallucci sites last year.
At the time, Mr Lovegrove said that being able to measure the carbon hardness of the water and monitor any variances in the water would allow it to track how much life is left on the filter and when it needs replacing.
“Telemetry really enables us to ensure that the bypass levels, the carbonate hardness, and all those key critical points in terms of how we manage our water, are taken away from the unit manager. Typically the water filters are under the counter, they are forgotten about, and the first somebody knows of them is when the boiler packs up.”
Publication author
