Brewing up some strong opinions

From house blend to espresso, retirement village residents took on the serious responsibility of sampling a range of coffee options to help Arvida find a national coffee supplier.

Across Arvida Village at the Park, Knightsbridge and Aria Bay, residents sipped, sniffed and scrutinised their way through the lineup and then filled in questionnaires for feedback. Vending machine, instant and hot chocolate varieties were also put to the test, as were new corrugated takeaway cups. For Aria Bay resident Barbara Irving, it was a new experience.

"I've done some product tasting years ago, but never coffee," she said. "It was very interesting."

Not every contender won her over.

"The plunger coffee wasn't for me. My favourite was the flat white because of the flavour and the presentation. It smelt like the type of coffee I prefer."