Spencer Turer

Current

National Sales Manager at Mitsui Foods (Coffee Division)
Owner and Moderator at Coffe 101 @ Yahoo Groups (Sole Proprietorship)

Past

Consultant at Kerry Food & Beverage
Coffee Specialist at Kerry Food & Beverage
Coffee Catagory Manager at Amerada Hess Corporation

Supply Chain Manager, Green Coffee at Dunkin' Donuts
Coffee Technologist - Product Development at Dunkin' Donuts
Manager, Coffee Development at Melitta USA
Store Training Specialist at Melitta USA
General Manager at Dean & DeLuca
Manager at The Radnor Hotel
Restaurant Manager at Dock Street Brewing Company

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7 more...

Education

Johnson and Wales University
Johnson and Wales University
Cherry Hill HS East

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Recommended

17 people have recommended Spencer

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Food & Beverages

Spencer Turer’s Summary

Spencer Turer has traveled to coffee producing counties throughout Central and South America, touring farms and mills, sourcing the world’s finest coffees. His management experiences in specialty coffee include green coffee sourcing and supply relationships, retail marketing, menu development, barista training, product development and quality testing.

Spencer is a member of the Technical Standards Committee - Class Vetting Task Force of the Specialty Coffee Associaiton of America, National Coffee Association Education Committee, Advisory Council for the Cup of Excellence, the Editorial Advisory Board for ROAST Magazine, The Barista Guild of America, and a founding member of the Roasters Guild. Spencer Turer is a respected coffee taster and experienced coffee competition judge, including United States Barista Championship, Cup of Excellence, and Q-Auction events. Spencer is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Johnson & Wales University, earning degrees in Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management

PUBLISHED ARTICLES

"Trends in Coffee: Quality is Back in Fashion" MICHIGAN RESTAURATEUR (April 2008)

"The Secret Life of Beans: Green Coffees Trip From Port to Your Door" ROAST Magazine (January/February 2008)

"Shot In The Dark: Sensory Perceptions Of Your Cafe" FRESH CUP Magazine (September 2007)

“Field Report: Michigan Restaurant Association Café” Barista Magazine (February/March 2007)

“How Do You Brew?” SAVEUR Magazine (January/February 2007)

“Coffee & Cigars” SMOKE Magazine (Fall 2006)

“Top of the Crop, The Q Program Defined” ROAST Magazine (July/August 2004)

“A Roaster by Any Other Name, the importance of proper roasting titles”
ROAST Magazine (May/June2004)

Spencer Turer’s Experience

National Sales Manager

Mitsui Foods (Coffee Division)

(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Food & Beverages industry)

September 2007 — Present (2 years 3 months)

Importer of quality green coffees to the gourmet and specialty United States coffee trade and marketer of premium roasted coffee to foodservice operators and distributors.
Owner and Moderator
Coffe 101 @ Yahoo Groups (Sole Proprietorship)

(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Food & Beverages industry)

May 2000 — Present (9 years 7 months)

Coffee 101 is an online discussion group at yahoo groups that provides coffee education and promotes quality coffee. Coffee 101 has ever 600 members globally and hosts regular discussion on specialty coffee topics.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Coffee_101/
Consultant

Kerry Food & Beverage

(Food Production industry)

July 2007 — September 2007 (3 months)

Specialty coffee business development and retail consulting for brokers, distributors, coffee café’s and foodservice operations; providing operation support, developing strategic plans for business growth resulting in retail efficiency, sales success, and increased profitability.
Coffee Specialist

Kerry Food & Beverage

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Food Production industry)

October 2005 — June 2007 (1 year 9 months)

Kerry Food & Beverage is the manufacturer of premium quality branded beverage solutions for foodservice and specialty coffee, including: DaVinci Gourmet syrups and sauces, Oregon Chai, and JET smoothies.
Coffee Specialist - Develop beverage programs for customers, create both internal and external product training programs, and provide Barista assistance to foodservice operators throughout North America.
· Specialty coffee business development and retail consulting for brokers, distributors, coffee café’s and foodservice operations; providing operation support, developing strategic plans for business growth resulting in retail efficiency, sales success, and increased profitability.
· Develope and executed multi-day comprehensive training program for sales and marketing managers on specialty coffee beverages, sales strategy, Barista skills, and menu management, resulting in greater industry sophistication and specialty coffee credibility.
Coffee Catagory Manager

Amerada Hess Corporation

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; AHC; Retail industry)

April 2004 — April 2005 (1 year 1 month)

Leading independent retailer on the U.S. East Coast, with over 1,250 retail marketing facilities serving customers in 14 states from Massachusetts to Florida.
Category Manager, Coffee - Developed category offerings including promotional programs, timing of promotions and overall product mix in order to meet established sales and profit targets. Ensured that consumer needs and market opportunities are reflected in product offerings.
· Increased hot beverages revenue by 10%, through aggressive retail marketing.
· Negotiated rebate programs worth over $1 Million, for menu items and condiments.
· Created Coffee Blitz campaign, no risk sampling events, realizing 300% sales growth.
· Designed full-service specialty coffee bar proto-type introducing handcrafted beverages with overwhelmingly positive customer feedback.
· Created functional training programs and implemented at division, territory and store level.
Supply Chain Manager, Green Coffee

Dunkin' Donuts

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Retail industry)

July 2003 — January 2004 (7 months)

Managed and quality tested coffee buying for four companies at six plants throughout North America, through approved global trading partners. Managed South American quality office.
· Developed coffee blend and supply chain for espresso program that was the first national brand espresso beverage made exclusively with Fair Trade Certified coffees, accounting for 10% of beverage revenue.
· Designed a new organizational structure for coffee management reducing overlap of responsibilities and increasing the effectiveness of a multi-functional team.
· Chief coffee taster and trainer, conducted training sessions on product specification with cooperatives, exporters, importers and roaster partners to significantly reduce rejections based on quality throughout supply chain.
· Developed testing protocols insuring overall quality among roasting plants, which increased product consistency.
Coffee Technologist - Product Development

Dunkin' Donuts

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Food Production industry)

November 2000 — July 2003 (2 years 9 months)

Lead technical expert for all coffee R&D projects, marketing efforts and quality testing.
· Audited over 30 global coffee supply chain partners for compliance with product and component specifications, maintained testing statistics and reported decisions and results.
· Developed testing protocols and specification for retail packages through product and consumer testing, which are currently used by roaster manufacturers.
· Researched flavor trends both consumer and competitive, developed new flavored coffee products, managed tasting panels, and directed production at manufacturing partners.
· Designed computer program to provide full transparency for all coffee contracts and quality testing, resulting in more accurate testing protocols and reducing redundancy.
Manager, Coffee Development

Melitta USA

(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Food Production industry)

April 1996 — November 2000 (4 years 8 months)

Coffee technical leader and department manager for all coffee purchasing, R&D projects, quality functions, trafficking, and third-part plant inspections.
· Trained sales and marketing staffs in USA and Canada, conducted product presentations for customers and consumers, and created product sales information sheets.
· Created and implemented process control policies (GMP) that improved overall quality.
· Researched, developed and launched new products for Melitta, Sysco foodservice, Loblaw Brands and Goya, including traditional coffees, espressos, and flavored syrups
· Oversaw TQM and HACCP compliance for quality control. Achieved AIB “Superior” rating.
Store Training Specialist

Melitta USA

(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Restaurants industry)

August 1995 — April 1996 (9 months)

Corporate operations manager for Coffee World retail division start-up, totaling 10 locations in three states.
• Developed retail operations and Barista training programs, resulting in strong sales based on product knowledge, and repeat business based on quality and consistency.
• Created foodservice recipes for all gourmet and specialty beverages sold at Coffee World.
• Recruited over 15 managers and 100 employees, and established succession planning programs.
General Manager

Dean & DeLuca

(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Food & Beverages industry)

September 1994 — August 1995 (1 year )

Espresso bar and gourmet café location, menu selections included: patisserie, charcuterie, savory salads, and creative sandwiches.
Managed annual sales of $650,000, supervised two assistant managers and 12 employees.
• Developed and introduced unique menu items from local suppliers, creating a unique upscale destination location.
• Created local marketing programs producing steady sales growth and profitability
Manager

The Radnor Hotel

(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Hospitality industry)

October 1993 — September 1994 (1 year )

An independent 170 room, upscale, full-service hotel.
Catering Sales Manager (1994)
Designed unique menus and themes providing one-on-one personalized service to guests.

Food & Beverage Manager (1993)
Managed department with staff of two assistant managers and 25 employees in three retail outlets.
Restaurant Manager

Dock Street Brewing Company

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Restaurants industry)

June 1991 — October 1993 (2 years 5 months)

Critically acclaimed 200-seat restaurant, bar and full-grain brewery with international menu featuring beer cuisine.
Supervised staff of two assistance managers and 50 employees with annual revenue of $3 Million.

Spencer Turer’s Education

Johnson and Wales University

BS , Foodservice Management , 1987 — 1991

Graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors
Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges

Activities and Societies:

Delta Chi Fraternity (President)
Eta Sigma Delta - International honor society of hospitality management students
Johnson and Wales University

AOS , Culinary Arts , 1987 — 1989

Graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors

Activities and Societies:

American Culinary Federation, Junior Chapter of Rhode Island
Cherry Hill HS East

1983 — 1987

Additional Information

Spencer Turer’s Interests:

Coffee, Single Malt Scotch, Cigars, Wine, Gourmet Food

Spencer Turer’s Groups:

Specialty Coffee Association of America
United Stated Barista Championship
National Coffee Association of US
Cup of Excellence / Alliance for Coffee Excellence
Barista Guild of America
Roasters Guild
The Delta Chi Fraternity
BBYO