Introducing the Champion’s Signature Collection

A collaboration between London ceramicist Ben Sutton, internationally-recognized ceramics brand Loveramics, and 2017 World Barista Champion Dale Harris

5 April 2019 | In 2016, whilst exploring what could be possible within the confines of barista competition service and how the sensory impact of drinks could be improved through a wider experience, I began working with London based ceramicist, Ben Sutton, on some porcelain cups that would allow a set of coffee drinks to really shine.

The designs were focused on Ben’s artistic skill with hand-thrown porcelain, combining elegant aesthetics with the materials’ and glaze’s natural tones and textures to highlight the colours, quality, and multi-sensory impact of the drinks.

Fast forward a few years: after some interesting meetings with the team at Loveramics, I saw an opportunity to revisit that work with a different goal, tied to thoughts around how we combine the artistic craft of coffee with the challenges and opportunities of scale ever-present within our industry. 

We set out to create a set of products that would allow businesses to serve drinks in a range of cups matching the quality of their ingredients and baristas. We wanted to combine the artistry of Ben's original designs with the best features of Loveramics' signature work:

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durable & weighty

A durable, handle-free design features thick walls that retain drink temperature whilst being comfortable to hold. Crossmodal research suggests that weightier vessels support an increased perception of beverage quality.

Quality-retaining

The curved inner surface - a feature of Loveramics’ signature work - aids latte art and crema retention, allowing for the best possible presentation of your drink.

consistent

Separating Ben’s beautiful design from the challenges of hand-throwing pottery allows for consistent sizing, allowing us to provide vessels in line with standard specialty drink sizes.

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Most importantly, Loveramics' manufacturing systems allow an artisanal product to be delivered at scalable costs, with a material that is dishwasher safe and stands up to regular café use. We’ll be launching these cups officially at the SCA Expo in Boston - I can’t wait to see how you find them in service!

The project has taken just over a year from the initial conversations to the final product and I’m really excited to share them with you all.