The coffee business today is characterized by the demand for efficient preparation of speciality coffees, which relieves staff and reduces costs. At the same time, the expectations of the quality and variety of beverages are higher than ever. With a high level of process automation and flexible machine concepts that can be configured to meet specific requirements, Swiss coffee machine manufacturer Schaerer helps its customers master this balancing act. The latest example is the “2-step” configuration of the Schaerer Coffee Soul 10 and 12 available now. This variant does not feature a fully-automated milk system and instead offers steam wands with different degrees of automation for manual foaming. This has a few different advantages: Since milk-based coffee beverages can be served much faster thanks to simultaneous preparation of espresso and milk foam, the waiting time for the end customer is reduced, especially at peak times. Foaming in the mug also increases the flexibility of the product range in terms of milk types/plant-based drinks, meaning specific guest requests can be catered to in the best possible way. Another advantage is the lower investment and maintenance costs since no automatic milk system or cooling unit is needed.