The Bizarre Life Of A Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Tester
The Boston Globe interviewed Hélène Marsot, one of two testers, about her bizarre job.
Marsot, who originally hails from Paris, starts with packages of dry, ground coffee.
Then, the testing begins, writes Taryn Luna at The Boston Globe.
"Boiling water is added and, four minutes later, she brings her face so close to the liquid it leaves a tiny brown stain on her nose. She inhales deeply. Five more minutes pass and she dips her spoon into the coffee. Then she slurps in a short and powerful burst, sucking in air with the coffee to 'bring a boost in the sensory effects.' She spits the coffee into a bowl."
Marsot then assigns scores to the coffee on elements like balance and sweetness.
The samples she selects are purchased from suppliers and eventually end up in restaurants.
Marsot also travels to different states to test the quality of the coffee there.
So how can someone get a job testing coffee?
"Marsot earned degrees in food microbiology and sensory evaluation in France," according to the Globe. "Before joining Dunkin' Brands Group, she trained employees of a liquor company to taste-test spirits and worked in quality assurance at a ham and sausage plant."
Marsot also grows coffee plants at home.
Dunkin' Donuts is plotting a massive expansion around America, meaning that the company will probably need more testers in the future.