This article is sponsored by our partner, Franke Coffee Systems.
Espresso machine manufacturers are raising the bar higher and higher when it comes to tech-enabled, versatile equipment. Perhaps no espresso machine exemplifies this more than the Mytico Due by Franke Coffee Systems, the first professional espresso machine of the company’s new BeyondTraditional product category’s inaugural Mytico line.
Franke Coffee Systems is a Swiss manufacturer of foodservice equipment with a heavy focus on automation-forward coffee machines. The new Mytico product line maintains Franke’s focus on innovation: the Mytico Due features dual touch screen interfaces, highly programmable shot recipes, Franke’s patented iQFlow™ technology for consistent shot timing, up to four hoppers and grinders, water brewing temperatures that can be adjusted and programmed for brewing unique coffee recipes, and automatic milk steaming wands enable the device to go toe-to-toe with any other automatic espresso machine.
But it’s the Mytico Due’s design that really stands out. It looks and feels more like a traditional espresso machine, which, according to design experts, is a critical aspect of the range’s charm.
The espresso machine recently won Gold at the 2024 IF Design Awards, one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions. The competition judges noted, “The iconic form of a traditional Italian coffee machine is seamlessly integrated with the technology and speed of a fully automatic machine. A clear winner.”
You can see the Mytico Due in action at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago from April 12-14 at Booth #1416.
We spoke with Tim Cox, marketing manager at Franke Coffee Systems, to learn about how the Mytico Due espresso machine blends innovation and tradition.
What makes the Mytico Due different from other automatic espresso machines?
The Mytico Due, and really everything from the Mytico line, are unique in that they truly bridge the gap between traditional and automated coffee equipment. Thanks to our collaborative efforts with our sister brand, Dalla Corte, and their unique sense for design and performance in traditional machines, as well as partnering with Emo Design, who brings a wealth of experience designing traditional espresso machines to the table, the Mytico Due offers the beauty and elegance of espresso machine design, and simultaneously, the benefits that automated coffee solutions provide.
The Mytico Due features an intuitive interface and engaging features like the programmable Barista Levers (levers that baristas can use to access the most popular beverages and functions) on the barista modules of the machine, making using the machine simple.
Our patented iQFlow™ technology—which ensures perfectly consistent shot times and allows users to customize water temperatures for each coffee—provides ideal extraction so every bean can perform its best. Thanks to our automated S3 steam wands, anyone can get consistent, barista-quality milk foam. Additionally, each machine has two coffee modules, allowing two operators to run the machine at once and serve up to four cups simultaneously, increasing productivity and efficiency.
One of the most exciting features of the Mytico Due is the four hoppers. Can you explain how they work together?
The Mytico gives cafes the ability to use up to four different coffee bean varieties, each with dedicated hoppers and grinders. You can blend the beans between the two hoppers on either side of the machine—the customization options for customer preferences are greatly enhanced.
There are many ways to use the grinders, like blending two beans together at set ratios for custom blends or blending caffeinated and decaffeinated beans for half-caff beverages.
You talked earlier about bridging the gap between traditional and automated equipment—what features represent this bridge the most?
The aesthetic element is important here. The new Mytico combines aesthetics with functionality. Its unmistakable, timelessly elegant Italian design and Swiss perfection, right down to the smallest detail, make this powerful coffee machine an eye-catcher in any interior.
The Mytico has all the advantages of automation that Franke is known for in terms of reduced labor and training costs, less waste, and consistency of in-cup coffee quality while maintaining the look and feel of a traditional Italian espresso machine. With six options for color customization, the machine can be tailored to fit in any cafe environment—it really is a beautiful machine. The low profile provides greater opportunity for exceptional hospitality experiences.
The Barista Levers can be customized to enable quick access to top-selling beverages or preferred features, such as rinsing the espresso group or purging the steam wands. This provides an interactive element that is engaging for the barista and helps to preserve the theater of craft coffee making that customers enjoy.
Can you tell us more about how baristas control and set espresso and milk recipes?
For espresso, baristas can select the same things they would expect with traditional espresso equipment and be confident that the machine will consistently maintain those variables cup to cup.
For example, baristas can set the dose for each hopper, the amount of water used to brew, pre-infusion, and total beverage yield. Thanks to patented iQFlow™ technology, which manages flow rate in real time, extraction times are kept consistent from cup to cup.
When it comes to milk, aeration and heating can be controlled independently, allowing baristas to customize milk profiles to suit a wide variety of beverage types, sizes, or customizations, such as milk that is perfect for latte art or profiles for extra hot or extra dry.
Each brew group and steam wand features a Barista Lever, which can be customized for most used beverages or features. The possibilities are only limited by the barista’s imagination.
What kind of cafe would benefit from the Mytico Due?
This machine is ideal for specialty coffee cafes, bakeries, high-end foodservice and hospitality venues, and more. Craft coffee has a rich heritage, which was the inspiration for this machine, so any environment where quality espresso-based beverages are the star of the show would be a fitting home for the Mytico Due.
Customers are increasingly more educated about specialty coffee, irrespective of industry segments, so there’s a higher expectation for coffee quality than ever. At the same time, the ability to recruit, train, and maintain talented teams while managing costs has become increasingly difficult due to labor shortages within the hospitality industry and inflationary pressures.
This machine is perfectly suited as a solution to these issues as it maintains the craft and allure of specialty coffee while providing invaluable benefits to operators and engaging opportunities for baristas to leverage their skills and creativity.
Sponsored by FRANKE COFFEE SYSTEMS
Franke Coffee Systems, a division of the Franke Group, is a technology and solution provider of professional automatic coffee machines. Our passion for the best coffee quality motivates us to elevate the customer experience through sharing state-of-the-art innovations and profound industry expertise.
