Interlaken, a popular tourist destination, lies in the mountainous Bernese Highlands and is flanked on two sides by a large lake: Lake Thun to the west and Lake Brienz to the east. Passengers can cruise across Lake Thun on eight different ships, while four ships sail across Lake Brienz. The SV AG team, which is responsible for catering the entire fleet on both lakes, has been using Schaerer coffee machines for 25 years now. A total of 24 machines from different generations are currently in use – and some since the beginning of the partnership. By next year all the older models will gradually be replaced by the Schaerer Coffee Soul 10.
Attractive tourist destination
Interlaken, a popular tourist destination, lies in the mountainous Bernese Highlands. This Bernese township is not only a great starting point for fascinating mountain peaks such as the Jungfraujoch: Interlaken is also surrounding by large lakes on two sides. Lake Thun in the west radiates a real holiday feel with its turquoise hue, while Lake Brienz in the east captivates visitors with its steep shores and Giessbach Falls.
Another impressive natural spectacle is found a little further on in the Bernese Alps: At Reichenbach Falls, seven waterfalls tumble 300 meters into the depths – it is also known as the place where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had his famous character Sherlock Holmes plunge to his supposed death. When Doyle visited Reichenbach Falls, the region was already well developed. However, before that time, it was only possible to reach Interlaken by water and anyone who made the journey either lived there or delivered goods or the post.
That means the shipping industry on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz was the only connection to the rest of the world for the people who lived there. Today, however, the fleet of 12 ships belonging to BLS Schifffahrt AG – including three historic steamboats – transports more than a million passengers a year on the two lakes in the Highlands, and they have the chance to enjoy seasonal and local specialities while on board. Passengers can cruise across Lake Thun on eight different ships, while four ships sail across Lake Brienz.
A quarter of a century of coffee specialities from Schaerer
The SV AG team, which is responsible for catering the entire fleet on both lakes, has been using Schaerer coffee machines for 25 years now. A total of 24 machines from different generations are currently in use – and some since the beginning of the partnership. By next year, however, all the older models will gradually be replaced by the Schaerer Coffee Soul 10.
First class quality in slim dimensions
Due to its slim dimensions, the Schaerer Coffee Soul 10 is the ideal machine on board, where space is usually limited. Another important aspect is its easy operation. The machine allows popular beverages to be preset and shows how to prepare other coffee specialities on the 10-inch touch display. This means that even less experienced employees can use the Schaerer Coffee Soul efficiently after a brief introduction. The Best Foam milk system is available for milk foam as if it were made by a barista as well as the highest beverage quality and widest variety of beverages. So nothing stands in the way of enjoying your favourite coffee speciality on board.
Accurate planning for maximum enjoyment
Equipped with the Uptime! descaling system, the Schaerer Coffee Soul makes it possible for employees to easily descale the machines on their own at any time. This not only offers a high level of flexibility, but also reduces costs, since a Schaerer service technician is not required here. Simply insert a cartridge for descaling and the process can get started. The coffee machine is then ready for use again within a very short amount of time – if the descaling process is done at night, the Schaerer Coffee Soul is available again first thing in the morning, meaning it won't interrupt service.
This is a big advantage, especially given the tight operating schedule of the ships. This is due to the fact that service or repair work can only be carried out in and on the ship when they dock in the evening. Since the fleet is in operation both in summer and in winter, planning the service intervals is a real challenge for Schaerer. Experience has shown that flexibility and precise planning are essential – as are the pills that calm the seasickness of many a service employee.
Indulgence at sea
A bowl of soup from the Bernese Highlands region, a Brienz meat and cheese platter and a coffee cocktail with plum schnapps to round out the meal – unfortunately we have no record of what was served on the maiden voyage of the steamboat Bellevue on Lake Thun on 31 July 1835. Today, however, these dishes are on the menu and are the perfect addition to the impressive mountain scenery and glittering reflections on the lakes of the Bernese Highlands.