Conversation cards tie in with ‘Time to Talk’ mental health campaign.
Talking is good for you, hence schemes such as Time to Talk, which aims to “encourage everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives,” (time-to-change.org.uk). Now Tiki Tonga coffee is backing the idea with its coffee conversation cards, which are designed to be given to customers by operators as they serve their cups of coffee.
The initiative is called Talk with Tiki Tonga and the packs of coffee conversation cards are supplied free to catering customers with their first order. Each card has a list of several different conversation starters. For example, one might be, ‘What’s your favourite holiday destination?’ and another, ‘Which superhero would you most like to be?’
“Like a good coffee, a good conversation gives you a real boost,” says Justin Stockwell, co-founder of the Tiki Tonga coffee brand. “We want to encourage people to put down their phone, shut the laptop and engage with the folk around them. A good conversation over coffee is also a great way to improve mental health.
“Tiki Tonga has always been about striving to bring people together, reuniting friends and sparking new relationships, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing,” he adds. “Conversation over coffee is also part of Tiki Tonga’s motivation to get people drinking ‘proper’ coffee!”
Catering boxes of Tiki Tonga contain six 1kg bags of coffee beans. Originally developed as a coffee aimed at sports people, to give them a natural and healthy caffeine boost, the brand has grown rapidly and there are now five different Tiki Tonga blends to choose from. The blends are also available as ground coffee, in 227g packs.
“We aim to regularly produce new cards, with sets of varied questions, aiming to put a smile on the customer’s face,” says Justin.