cliftonsteen

[cliftonsteen]

A coffee shop owner’s guide to finding a wholesale roaster

Whether you’re thinking of opening a coffee shop or have owned one for a while, choosing where to source your coffee from is one of the most important decisions you will need to make. Many choose to work with a wholesale roaster.

Ultimately, sourcing beans that match your quality standards and meet your customers’ needs is key. However, finding the right wholesale partner is easier said than done, and it isn’t as simple as just buying the best coffee you can find. Pricing, sustainability, minimum order quantities, and many other factors are just as important, if not more so. 

To learn more about finding a wholesale supplier, I spoke to a roaster and a coffee shop owner. Read on to find out what they told me, and what you should consider when looking for a wholesale supplier. 

You might also like our guide to supplier partnerships for coffee shops.

An overview: What are wholesale coffee roasters?

The word “wholesale” generally refers to the practice of buying goods in large volumes, and distributing them to other businesses in smaller quantities. 

In the coffee sector, it’s generally used to refer to large roasters who supply multiple coffee shops, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses that require coffee. Wholesale roasters buy large quantities of green coffee, roast it, and then sell it on to their clients. 

It is undeniably the most popular model of sourcing roasted coffee in major coffee consuming markets around the world. This is because roasting coffee generally requires a lot of investment in equipment and training, and is not always easy for coffee shop owners to handle themselves.

Erica Piedmonte is part of the Sales Team at Higher Grounds Trading, a coffee roaster based in Traverse City, Michigan, US. She says that finding the right wholesale roaster can be particularly helpful at the beginning of a coffee shop’s journey.

“Often, a full-service wholesale roaster will be able to help with everything you need to get your café open,” she says. “These services might include supporting on café layout, equipment leasing & installation, coffee selection, drink recipes, barista training, and more.”

Wholesale roasters will also have a range of different coffees on offer – and will be able to support you to choose from various different beans. 

For instance, if you’re opening a coffee shop in a market where you know milk-based drinks are popular, you’ll want to look for a blend that can “punch through” milk. Conversely, if you’re in an area where single origin light roasts are more popular, the right roaster will be able to support you there, too. 

What are the advantages of buying wholesale?

Alongside having the option of several different coffees and being able to rely on external roasting expertise, there are a number of other benefits to buying wholesale.

Firstly, there is generally a significant price advantage. Buying wholesale will often be cheaper than ordering online or buying small quantities of coffee.

Furthermore, if you’re entering into a long-term partnership, roasters will be more inclined to be flexible with your needs. Some will even provide additional services for partnerships, such as roasting special or exclusive blends, providing training, or even leasing equipment.

It’s also worth noting that coffee shops can benefit from the brand and reputation of the roaster they buy from. For instance, if you’re looking to communicate a commitment to sustainability, you can work with a wholesaler that pays fair prices and supports coffee producers at origin. You can then subsequently make that clear that to customers.

Take Higher Grounds Trading, for instance. Erica tells me that they roast coffee wholesale for their customers while also supporting the farming communities they buy from in a number of different ways.

“Higher Grounds offers organic, specialty-grade coffee and is a certified B Corp,” she says. “All of our coffee is traceable, and we have a mission to support the communities where we source our green coffee, as well as offering all the benefits of a full-service wholesale partner.”

Olivia Andrade is the co-owner of Mezzo Coffee House in Otsego, Michigan, US. She says that for Mezzo, the three biggest benefits of working with a wholesale partner are quality, training, and cross-promotion. 

“Our roaster, Higher Grounds, has more staff for social media and a larger following than we do,” she says. “It helps to be able to share their content with our audience as well as their offerings.”

What should you consider?

While wholesale supply can be beneficial for coffee shops, every café is different, and subsequently has different customers and requirements.

As such, Olivia advises to determine your priorities before searching for a wholesale partner. Start by asking some key questions. What’s your demand like? What prices can you afford and what level of quality are you looking for? Do you need any equipment? Training? Other additional services?

Pricing

Pricing is crucial, and for any hospitality business, it will be near the top of the agenda. In many cases, it will be inherently linked to coffee quality – so keep that in mind.

In many cases, you’ll find that better prices will come with a fixed term supply agreement. However, if a contract is on the table, make sure it offers everything you need. 

Erica explains that wholesale contracts often don’t just cover the supply of roasted coffee – they can also cover equipment pricing or leasing terms, training schedules, obligations to exclusively use certain coffees, equipment maintenance and repair, and even drink recipes. Read the small print and ask the supplier if you’re not sure about anything.

“A long-term agreement can be beneficial for better pricing on equipment, training, and services,” Erica says. “It also helps you know that your wholesale partner is committed to the services they are promising.”

Product range & coffee quality 

Olivia tells me that not all suppliers are created equally. She says that each individual wholesaler will offer a varying number of coffees and roast profiles.

In short: if you want to have several options on your menu, make sure you choose accordingly. Third wave coffee roasters are far more likely to offer lighter roasts, while more “classic” roasters will generally offer darker blends.

At Mezzo Coffee House, Olivia says that they offer a range of different coffees. “We try to offer a light, medium, dark and decaf roast daily for our freshly brewed coffee,” she says. “We also offer a dark roast espresso and decaf medium roast espresso, for six in total.”

Alongside breadth, quality is another crucial factor to keep an eye on. Consider: does their coffee match the quality you’re looking for? And, perhaps more importantly, does their roasting schedule ensure you’ll have fresh coffee when you need it most?

“At Mezzo, quality was our first priority,” she says. “However, we also wanted to work with a roaster that aligned with our mission, brand, and values.”

Brand values: Sustainability & social responsibility

Today’s consumers are more ethically conscious than ever before, and their buying habits are increasingly driven by sustainability and social impact. Coffee is no exception, and this trend is especially prominent among specialty cafés and roasters.

If sustainability and ethical business practices are important values for your café, it makes sense to find a wholesale roaster who sources coffee in a sustainable, ethical way. 

However, this is ultimately part of a wider question about brand values and reputation. “Look for a company that can meet all of your needs,” Erica recommends. “This includes everything from equipment and training to delivery and coffee quality.”

Other things to keep in mind

Finding the right wholesale partner can be a daunting prospect. However, a good place to start is research. Roasters offer all kinds of information on their website or social media. This means that learning about their coffees, sourcing practices, and farmer partners doesn’t have to be a hassle. 

After you think you have a candidate, enquire about it and maybe look at visiting their premises. This will allow you to get a better understanding of how they work. You’ll also most likely get the opportunity to try their coffees, learn about their product range, and what is most popular with other coffee shops. 

An in-person visit can also help you understand if their products are suited for your business. If you’re buying equipment, it also gives you a chance to become familiar with it in person. 

Check their minimum order size, too, and compare it against your demand. If it’s bigger than what you need, this can be an easy way to eliminate potential suppliers from your lists. Often, large minimum order quantities are a way for wholesale roasters to streamline their operations by having a smaller partner list of larger clients. 

Location is an important factor, too. For instance, if your chosen roaster is too far away, shipping times might be longer. This can affect coffee freshness, which will in turn may make it more difficult to offer delicious, high-quality coffee to customers.

Finding a wholesale roaster is by no means an easy prospect. It requires no shortage of time and research. There’s also no simple answer – the right supplier for you will strongly depend on the specific needs of your business.

However, working with a wholesaler can bring many benefits. Choosing the right partner means getting the right coffee for your customers at the right price, along with continuous support that helps your business remain profitable.

In the end, it’s all about finding someone you are happy working with. Look for someone who can offer you a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership – that’s the best place to start.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee roasters can drive change at origin.

Photo credits: Mezzo Coffee House, Higher Grounds Trading Co.

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Higher Grounds Trading Co is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post A coffee shop owner’s guide to finding a wholesale roaster appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

A coffee shop owner’s guide to finding a wholesale roaster published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Exploring specialty coffee culture in Prague

Prague may not be the first city people think of when coffee is mentioned, but the Czech Republic’s capital has seen a few developments in recent years.

Coffee first came to Prague in the early 16th century. However, in the five hundred years since, its coffee culture has evolved and changed in a number of ways. Today, while the city is by no means a third wave coffee hotspot, new roasteries and specialty coffee shops are starting to open in significant numbers.

To learn more, I spoke to some of the city’s coffee experts about its history and what Prague’s coffee culture looks like today. Read on to learn more.

You might also like our article exploring Italian coffee culture and the third wave.

A look to the past – where did it all start?

Today, there are plenty of places to get a cup of coffee all across the different districts of Prague. However, it wasn’t always this way. 

Originally, coffee was a drink for the bourgeois and the wealthy. In the 20th century, many of the city’s art nouveau cafés like Slavia and Louvre would attract high profile clientele such as Albert Einstein, Franz Kafka, and Czechoslovakia’s first president, Thomas Masaryk. 

But centuries before that, almost 500 years ago, we have the story of Prague’s first coffee shop (or kafírna). This was opened not by a Czech, but by a Turkish man named Jiří Deodat. Before that, coffee was only sold in Prague by pharmacies as a remedy for gastric and digestive issues. 

Once Deodat came onto the scene, passers-by could experience new exotic flavours as he roasted and served fresh coffee with his coal fire oven. This is how the Czech version of Turkish coffee (turecká káva) first became popular in the country.

More than 200 years later, in 1843, coffee saw another boom with the invention of the sugar cube in the town of Dačice, just to the south of Prague. However, while coffee’s popularity continued to grow through the late 19th century, it became an inessential luxury during and in the years following the Second World War.

This perception of luxury stuck, but in spite of it, the first official patent for decaf coffee was registered in 1962 by Zdeněk Záček. The city then waited another 34 years for a taste of specialty coffee, when the country’s first micro roaster, Cafe Ebel, opened on Kaprova Street in the city centre. 

The scene today

Zdeněk Hýbl is a barista, a roaster, and the co-owner of Onesip and Candycane. He tells me that Prague’s coffee scene is still developing, and a lack of access to modern equipment is one of the reasons why. 

He says: “I think that here, people are opening coffee shops with less advanced equipment: old second hand espresso machines, grinders, and so on. 

“They have to think more about the coffee and how to prepare the coffee. [In some cases], they are better at making coffee because of this disadvantage.”

As a result, he says Prague’s coffee scene has an almost laissez-faire attitude when compared with established specialty coffee hotspots like London. He believes this means there’s far less pressure to perform or impress, resulting in simple, great coffee in a multitude of styles. 

Zdeněk says this can be quite refreshing, but notes that many say that the service in Prague could be improved. 

Covid-19 & Prague’s coffee culture

In spite of local restrictions on hospitality businesses, many coffee professionals in Prague have taken the Covid-19 pandemic as something of an opportunity to pivot and adapt.

Jan Malec was an early member of the team at EMA espresso, one of the first specialty coffee shops to open in Prague. He’s now a roaster at Alf & Bet, and says he’s incredibly grateful to have survived this period.

He says: “I have to thank every single person on our team for doing the best job they could, and every single customer that helped us during this period. Not just for us, either – I am glad for every cafe that is still open.”

However, he also said that Prague’s coffee scene is still very much alive as the city starts to emerge on the other side of the pandemic. According to him, the promising signs are that many popular spots have either remained open or reopened in recent times.

Despite this, Jan notes that there is definitely room for improvement.

“Going forward, coffee shops need to become even better at what they do,” Jan says. “They need to provide even better service for the customer, and support the local coffee community.”

Jan says that in the days before specialty, cafés and other coffee businesses in the city developed because of their values, their relationships, and their ability to brew delicious coffee.

However, in order to achieve this, he notes that coffee businesses need something else: staff. In Prague, he notes that there’s been something of a change in barista work over the past few years.

“Working as a barista is now ‘trendy’,” he tells me. “Sometimes, this means there is a lack of basic knowledge or deeper interest in coffee when doing the job.” 

Jan says that in response, coffee shops in Prague need to cultivate an environment that allows employees to grow and develop. He urges coffee shops in the city to take more of a long-term approach when hiring staff, and to understand their career goals.

Looking ahead: How will things change in Prague’s coffee scene?

Prague’s unique demographic and its history as a hub of culture – if not coffee – make it likely that the sector will grow and develop in the years to come.

In particular, in recent years, more and more roasters have emerged in Prague. These smaller roasters are now starting to challenge the more established classic players and brands.

Jan also notes that there has been evolution in terms of specific products and drinks. One such example is nitro cold brew, which he says has become increasingly popular in recent years. 

“People have also started to notice the difference in how lighter roasts taste compared to darker roasts,” he says. “But the biggest increase in popularity is in flat whites.”

Overall, this evolution in consumer preferences will help the sector push forward and develop. But what else needs to change?

Mário Adamčík is a Brewers Cup and National AeroPress Champion from Slovakia who has been based in Prague for years. In his opinion, baristas in the city need to double down on their training if the sector is going to evolve.

“In general, I think that coffee professionals have more work to do than ever before,” he says. “Today, we have to spend a lot of time on education and self development. 

“We understand that coffee is not just about taste and having the best sample on the table. It’s also about customers, service, and work routine. This is true in Prague, just as it is everywhere else.”

Ultimately, Mário says that professionals working in Prague’s specialty coffee scene should strive to have a more thorough approach to their day-to-day tasks, and says they should also focus on training.

He recommends starting with strong customer service skills, equipment maintenance, and leadership skills.

“Today, coffee competitions are mainly about learning the rules and making no mistakes during the presentation,” he concludes. “This does not at all reflect the real work of the barista behind the bar.”

So, altogether, what does this mean? Well, firstly – Prague’s storied history as a city of culture makes it a wonderful place for specialty coffee to blossom. But as it does so, baristas, according to our interviewees, need to focus on substance over style.

According to them, there’s a need for a more level-headed approach for people working in the coffee sector. Only by honing their technical and customer service skills will they be able to improve the city’s reputation and put it on the map as a specialty coffee hotspot.

If professionals in the city manage to do this, coffee businesses in Prague will be able to improve their profile and lead the charge for the city’s coffee sector. If this can be achieved, the future looks bright for Prague, and it might not be too long before it rivals specialty coffee hotspots around the world.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on Greek coffee culture.

Photo credits: Kryštof Susa, Lukáš Kozel

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Exploring specialty coffee culture in Prague appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Exploring specialty coffee culture in Prague published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Coffee News Recap, 29 Oct: Colombian barista Diego Campos wins WBC, robusta prices hit 10-year high & other stories

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the last week. Here are this week’s stories.

Mon, 25 Oct – HOTELEX Chengdu Exhibition to take place in July 2022. The 8th annual HoReCa Expo is expected to attract over 60,000 visitors. The 2022 China Barista, Latte Art, Brewers Cup, and Roasting Championships will be held at the event. The expo will take place from 7 to 9 July 2022.

Mon, 25 Oct – Rave Coffee releases Christmas blend. The dark roast blend includes coffees from Mexico, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica, and are a mixture of washed, natural, and honey processed beans. Rave will donate 1% of all sales to the 1% For The Planet initiative.

Mon, 25 Oct – BSCA and Apex-Brasil showcase Brazilian coffees at Expo Dubai. Seven Brazilian coffees will be highlighted at the global technologies event, taking place until 31 March 2022. Apex-Brasil developed three of the coffees in partnership with the BSCA through The Nation of Coffee project.

Mon, 25 Oct – US Women in Coffee to host Coffee Women’s Colloquium webinar series. The virtual series will explore a range of topics across the coffee supply chain. Each episode will be hosted by an IWCA US Chapter board member. The first session will be held on 11 November at 12:00 PST.

Mon, 25 Oct – Grind City Coffee Xpo to be held on 6 November. The second annual event will be held in Memphis and will include over 11 local and national coffee and tea businesses. Proceeds from the expo will be donated to Protect Our Aquifer, a local water protection non-profit.

Mon, 25 Oct – Sucafina works on biodigester project in Kenya. The reusable waste and organic fertiliser programme helps to reduce the carbon footprint of local coffee-growing communities. Families can dispense of household waste and organic matter in hermetic hybrid reactors to produce biogas that can be used for household energy.

Mon, 25 Oct – Brazilian coffee producer wins award for automatic coffee turner. The machine uses gear-controlled wooden panels to turn coffee cherries on raised beds or patios for drying. Da Silva won the 2021 Emater-MG Rural Creativity Award for his invention.

Mon, 25 Oct – Rancilio launches several new machine and grinder models. The Classe 5 and Classe 7 espresso machines come equipped with Steady Brew water temperature regulation technology. The fully automatic Egro MoDe and Egro QuBe are available in Pure Coffee, Quick, and Pro Milk models and are designed for HoReca businesses. The on-demand 64mm burr Kryo Evo and 58mm burr Stile grinders are available in a range of colours.

Mon, 25 Oct – Fairtrade International study finds farmers are at increasing risk of climate change. Ahead of COP26, the EU-funded study includes research from The Vrije University Amsterdam and Bern University of Applied Sciences. Researchers found increases in temperature and droughts in Brazil, Central America, and India could negatively affect coffee production and leave farmers vulnerable. The report calls for more urgent action against climate change.

Tue, 26 Oct – Pret A Manger partners with JDE Peet’s for Pret Express self-serve machine trial. The new machines will use technology developed by JDE Peet’s and will be placed in on-the-go locations – mainly service stations and supermarkets. The self-serve machines will offer the same beverages as café locations.

Tue, 26 Oct – Royal Coffee to host sensory class. Spice Specificity & Coffee will explore various spices found in coffee tasting notes and participants will receive sensory kits. Registration is open until 1 November and the class will be held on 18 November at 11:00 PST.

Tue, 26 Oct – La Colombe expands partnership with Whole Foods Market. The Philadelphia roaster will be a key coffee supplier to Whole Foods Markets in several US regions and will also provide training for Whole Foods cafés. La Colombe will open its first Friends of Whole Foods Market café in Austin, Texas this year.

Tue, 26 Oct – Peter Rowland Group acquires Sensory Lab. The Sensory Lab was founded by ST. ALi owner Salvatore Malatesta. ST. ALi will remain as the roaster, while PRG will acquire the retail side of the company.

Tue, 26 Oct – Athens Coffee Festival releases post-event report. The festival was held from 25 to 27 September and attracted over 16,500 visitors. The 2021 Greece Roasting Championship was held at the event, with Nerantzis Alexandros in first place. The 2022 Athens Coffee Festival will be held from 24 to 26 September.

Tue, 26 Oct – Hawaiian roaster Bad Ass Coffee signs new mainland US franchise deal. Bad Ass Coffee will open 18 new locations in the state of Tennessee. The roaster already operates 24 franchise locations in the US, Virgin Islands, and Japan.

Tue, 26 Oct – World Coffee Championships take place at HostMilano; Colombian barista Diego Campos wins 2021 World Barista Championship. Campos was trained by Federico Bolanos, who has now trained three WBC winners. Alongside this:

Matt Winton (Switzerland) won the 2021 World Brewers Cup Championship

Kyoungha Charlie Chu (Australia) won the 2021 Cup Tasters Championship.

Colombian coffee was used in all three winning routines.

This was the first time two women and two competitors from producing countries had ever reached the WBC finals.

Tue, 26 Oct – BIEPI launches two new espresso machines at HostMilano. The “Origin” includes independent groupheads, independent pressure profiling, and customised milk steaming. The more traditionally-designed “Uptown” machine includes programmable pre-infusion times and boiler temperature settings.

Tue, 26 Oct – HostMilano 2021 attracts over 150,000 visitors. Over 2,700 exhibitors were present at the event, which was held from 22 to 26 October.

Tue, 26 Oct – Lavazza opens first training centre in Canada. The Toronto centre will provide training and education for coffee and hospitality professionals. Lavazza operates some 50 training centres across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US. More training centres are planned for Miami and Chicago.

Wed, 27 Oct – Juan Valdez announces global expansion strategy. The Colombian chain will sell retail bags through partnerships with Whole Foods Markets and CVS pharmacies. In both Australia and New Zealand, Juan Valdez will focus on retail and ecommerce sales of soluble, flavoured, and single origin coffees.

Wed, 27 Oct – Investment opens door to US expansion for Black Sheep Coffee. The London coffee chain received funding from NBA basketball player Kristaps Porzingis to launch its first US locations. Black Sheep Coffee also plans to open more stores in the UK in 2022.

Wed, 27 Oct – Robusta prices reach ten-year high due to shipping container shortages. Lack of shipping containers in Vietnam has led to robusta prices increasing for their sixth consecutive year. November delivery spot contracts closed at US $2,325 per tonne – the highest since July 2011.

Wed, 27 Oct – Dark Matter Coffee wins in TripSavvy’s “Best for Café Culture” awards category. US travel site TripSavvy’s annual awards announces the best places to travel, according to local food and beverage businesses. The Chicago roaster received the award for its direct trade relationships with producers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, and Mexico.

Wed, 27 Oct – Fairtrade International hosts global strategy webinar. Panelists for The Future is Fair: Launching Fairtrade’s Global Strategy 2021-2025 included Fairtrade’s Global CEO Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o, Board Chair Lynette Thorstensen, and President of CLAC and Fairtrade International Board Member Miguel Munguía. The event covered insights into Fairtrade’s new sustainable global strategy.

Wed, 27 Oct – Progeny Coffee releases exclusive pineapple-processed coffee. Piñita was developed in partnership with Colombian coffee farmer Juan Felipe and is the first coffee in the Farmers Reserve Collection. The pineapple natural process uses sustainable farming practices and helps to increase coffee quality.

Wed, 27 Oct – ofi launches partnership to restore Brazilian rainforest. The food and drink ingredients supplier will work to restore rainforests in Pará alongside Mondelēz International, Partnerships for Forests, and The Nature Conservancy. Up to 48,000ha will be restored by 2023, benefiting local coffee-growing communities.

Wed, 27 Oct – Kenyan woman accused of falsely claiming to be ICO official. Caroline Karanja was arrested by Kenyan authorities on counts of defrauding coffee producers with contracts claimed to be worth over US $100,000. The ICO has released a statement condemning Karanja’s actions.

Thu, 28 Oct – HUGH INC. launches Leverpresso Pro on Kickstarter. The portable manual espresso machine includes a pressure gauge and can extract up to 60ml (2oz) at a single time. The Kickstarter campaign will remain live until 16 December.

Thu, 28 Oct – Brazil International Coffee Week announces Covid-19 health and safety regulations. Attendees must demonstrate proof of vaccination, while cuppers must present a negative Covid-19 test result. Masks and social distancing will be in place. The event will take place from 10 to 12 November.

Thu, 28 Oct – Starbucks to accelerate small store and drive-thru expansion in India. Through a partnership with Tata Consumer Products, Starbucks operates 233 locations in the country. Tata Starbucks plans to open between 40 and 50 cafés in 2021.

Thu, 28 Oct – Research finds coffee quality is sensitive to effects of climate change. Climate Change and Coffee Quality: Systematic Review on the Effects of Environmental and Management Variation on Secondary Metabolites and Sensory Attributes of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora was conducted by the SCA, Montana State University, and Tufts University. Researchers concluded coffee quality is significantly influenced by water stress, temperature, levels of CO2, and nutrient management.

Fri, 29 Oct – Forty samples received for 2021 CoE Brazil. All samples scored over 88 points and will be analysed by an international jury until 14 November. Thirty percent of the samples were from Matas de Minas, and had a geographical indication to that effect.

Fri, 29 Oct – UCDA and Ugandan British High Commission to host Uganda Coffee Competition. Eleven sensory judges from Uganda and the UK will assess samples received from applicants. Six finalists will have the opportunity to sell their coffees on the UK market.

Fri, 29 Oct – International Café & Beverage Show to take place from 19 to 21 May 2022. The exhibition will focus on specialty coffee, food and beverage, and café equipment. The 2022 Malaysian Coffee Championships will also be held at the event.

Fri, 29 Oct – Applications set to close for AVPA International Contest of Coffees Roasted at Origin. Applicants have until 31 October to submit their coffees and registration forms. The ceremony will take place in December.

Fri, 29 Oct – World of Coffee to take place from 23 to 25 June 2022. The event will be held in Warsaw, Poland and will include features such as Roaster Village, Best New Product Competition and Display, Coffee Design Awards, and World Coffee Championships.

Fri, 29 Oct – New ecommerce marketplace gives buyers direct access to Brazilian micro lots. Through a new partnership with coffee technology company, M-Cultivo, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) and the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), roasters in select geographic areas will now have the opportunity to directly purchase micro lots that scored at least 86 points by the Cup of Excellence Brazil National Jury.

Here are a few news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

Tue, 19 Oct – Faema partners with Basso for 60th anniversary of Faema E61 machine. Through the collaboration, the two companies designed three Faema-inspired Basso bikes. Two of the bikes will be displayed at the MUMAC Academy, while the third bike was up for auction at HostMilano.

Tue, 19 Oct – Global soluble coffee market to reach US $41.8 billion by 2026. The CAGR is predicted to be 3.5% over the period. The US and China are expected to experience the most significant growth, with US $9.4 billion and US $8.5 billion, respectively.

Wed, 20 Oct – Nespresso Professional launches Nespresso Momento Coffee & Milk machine. The new machine can prepare up to 12 different milk-based coffee beverages, including cortados and flat whites. The Momento Coffee & Milk is aimed for use in workplaces.

Wed, 20 Oct – Data resource platform State of the Smallholder Coffee Farmer holds webinar. State of the Coffee Smallholder: An Initiative Towards a More Equitable and Democratic Information Landscape included speakers from Statistics for Sustainable Development, University of Vermont, and Heifer International. The webinar discussed holistic approaches to gathering and reporting information on coffee-growing communities.

Thu, 21 Oct – Caffè Nero reports sales recovery of 87% on 2019. The UK coffee chain said city centre and travel hub locations were recovering at a slower rate than high street and neighbourhood stores.

Thu, 21 Oct – American Journal of Kidney Diseases study finds caffeine consumption can reduce risk of kidney stones. The study included over 571,600 participants and focused on coffee consumption. Results found 1 to 1.5 cups of coffee consumed per day led to a 40% reduction of kidney stone development.

Thu, 21 Oct – Ellianos Coffee launches fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The east coast US coffee chain will use pink lids to raise awareness. Customers are encouraged to post photos on social media using the hashtag #EllianosCares. For every hashtag, Ellianos will donate US $1 to the foundation.

Sign up to our weekly coffee news recap to get a summary of all the biggest stories in the sector, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.

Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s stories.

Photo credits: Urisar Ferneldy de León

The post Coffee News Recap, 29 Oct: Colombian barista Diego Campos wins WBC, robusta prices hit 10-year high & other stories appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Coffee News Recap, 29 Oct: Colombian barista Diego Campos wins WBC, robusta prices hit 10-year high & other stories published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Sweeteners: How do they affect the flavour of your coffee?

While many of us enjoy drinking our coffee with no milk or sugar, there are plenty of people out there who add something to sweeten their cup. This might be sugar, honey, or artificial sweeteners. 

There are so many options for people looking to add sweetness to their cup of coffee. But how exactly do these substances affect cup profile? And how does sugar differ from its alternatives? 

To learn more about the science behind adding sweeteners to coffee, I spoke with three experts. Read on to find out what they had to share.

You may also like our article on the age-old habit of adding sugar to coffee.

Why do people sweeten their coffee?

There’s plenty to be said for unsweetened coffee. However, it’s not uncommon for people to find the flavour of coffee to be too intense or acidic, especially for lower-quality coffee. For some people, the solution to this is to add something sweet. 

Jamie van Dam and Les Kuan are administrators and instructors at the Canadian Barista Institute. They say that because drinking coffee is such a subjective experience, there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy it.

“For most people, coffee is bitter because they are drinking poorly roasted, prepared, and brewed beans that are also stale,” they say. “These factors lead to an extremely bitter cup, which most people drink for [the caffeine].”

Putting sweeteners into either hot or iced coffee makes the beverage smoother and more palatable for many coffee drinkers – especially those who don’t drink lots of coffee.

They add: “There are some people who get used to it and drink coffee black without sugar. However, this tolerance doesn’t change the fact that any stale or poorly roasted coffee is still likely to be flat, intense, or bitter.”

Laura Christian is a Senior R&D Manager at La Colombe Coffee Roasters. She agrees with Jamie and Les, noting that for some people, sugar and milk work in harmony with some of the flavours of coffee.

“[Darker roasts] can be bold, bitter, and astringent,” Laura says. “Adding any type of sweetener can offset some of those more pungent flavours and mellow the coffee out a little.”

Types of sweeteners and how they affect coffee flavour

We know that coffee offers a world of variety as far as flavour is concerned, thanks to origin, terroir, processing, and roast profiles. This is why some coffees are naturally sweeter than others, and the flavour will vary depending on these and other factors.

While the selection of sweeteners might not be as extensive, sugar is far from the only option. The easiest way to separate them is to break them down into three categories: sugar, artificial sweeteners, and natural sweeteners.

Sugar is most often found in one of three forms: white, brown, or raw.

White granulated sugar is generally used to sweeten coffee without drastically altering its overall flavour profile. The same is true of raw sugar, which is a lighter flavour.

However, brown granulated sugar has a heavier flavour which is caused by adding molasses during the production process. This adds slightly more complexity to the sweetness and causes the most drastic change in a cup of coffee.

Beyond sugar, there are also artificial sweeteners, which became prominent in the 20th century. They can be applied to all types of products, from coffee and tea to sugarless soft drinks. Many people switch to artificial sweeteners to cut down on their sugar intake, for a number of reasons.

Laura says: “There are a lot of different products on the market with different chemical compositions, recommended usage levels, and flavours.”

The four most commonly used artificial sweeteners are:

Sucralose (Splenda)

Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet)

Saccharin (Sweet’N Low, Sugar Trim)

Stevia (SweetLeaf, Truvia)

Jamie and Les add: “Aspartame and saccharin have no calories and sucralose has some calories, but much fewer than sugar because it is technically a sugar-based alcohol.”

Stevia is often perceived as a more “natural” option, but Jamie and Les point out that it’s still a manufactured product.

“Stevia is a plant, the leaves of which are sweet. However, you can’t just grind leaves into your coffee; it has to be extracted and concentrated first,” they say. “This so-called natural sweetener actually needs to be separately synthesised and processed.”

The third category of sweeteners includes products that are more true to their “natural” label than Stevia. Some of these include honey, maple syrup, and molasses. 

Other natural sweeteners include things like fruit purees and juices, agave nectar, and syrups derived from other plants. These options are most likely to drastically affect the cup profile of coffee, depending on which you add. 

The science behind sweetness

So, which compounds in sugars and artificial sweeteners actually alter the taste of your coffee?

Sugar is a carbohydrate that is made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. There are three main types of sugar, which are categorised by how these three atoms are arranged. These are monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides are what we know as simple sugars. These include glucose, fructose (found in honey and fruits), and galactose (a milk sugar). 

Disaccharides are more complex, and include sucrose and lactose. Monosaccharides and disaccharides include most of the sugars we know that “sweeten”. For example, sucrose is what we know as “classic” sugar, and it is derived from either sugar cane or beets. 

Polysaccharides, however, include starches, dextrins, and cellulose. These are often found in the fibres of plant foods and are the most fundamental sources of energy and fibre in most diets.

Artificial sweeteners are a bit different. They’re widely labelled as sugar substitutes or non-nutritive sweeteners because they contain fewer calories than sugar, or none at all. These sweeteners are processed and refined during their manufacture.

“Most, if not all of them, are marketed by how they can be used instead of sugar,” Jamie and Les say. “For example, some are typically a one-for-one substitution, like coconut, turbinado, or demerara sugar. 

“Some are high-intensity sweeteners that can be used at drastically lower levels to contribute the same amount of sweetness as sugar. Classic examples are acesulfame potassium, aspartame, and sucralose.”

No matter if you are using sugar, artificial sweeteners, or natural sweeteners to alter your cup profile, there will be interesting interactions taking place in your cup. 

However, science suggests that aside from sweetness, sugar actually has a number of other profound effects. According to Yale Scientific, it does far more than just sweeten your cup.

The publication says: “According to findings, sugars increase the water solubility and concentration of single caffeine molecules, while decreasing that of caffeine oligomers – multiple caffeine molecules joined together. 

“Additionally, the sugar itself has energy boosting effects that have to be considered.”

When to add or skip the sweetener

As with all coffee additives, the decision to add sweetener is typically subjective, and left to each individual’s preferences. There are no set rules to follow.

“Coffee is super subjective, and everyone has their own preferences when it comes to how sweet you want your beverage,” Laura says. “Our goal is to make coffee approachable. In our cafés we don’t banish people to the ‘sugar island’, but instead encourage them to fix their coffee just the way they want it, right at the bar. 

“Some coffee purists may encourage coffee drinkers to not add any sweeteners (or milk) to high-quality coffee. At La Colombe, we would encourage you to drink your coffee however you like it.”

Jamie and Les, meanwhile, believe that the bigger issue is why people need sugar at all. According to them, there are better ways to curb your dependence on sweeteners.

They say: “Stop drinking coffee that tastes so bitter. You can do this by buying high-quality beans that are not over-roasted (burnt and dark), prepared by people who know how to [get the best out of their beans].

“If you do all of this, your coffee will be less bitter and you will use less sugar or sugar substitutes because you won’t need to hide the taste.”

While sweeteners can certainly balance out the bitterness of coffee and alter overall flavour, each individual should always prepare their coffee in the way they prefer. The best way to find out what you like most is to experiment.

At the end of the day, the thing to do is make sure that you buy good, high-quality beans that have been fairly and ethically sourced. You might find that drinking a different roast or beans from a different origin eliminates the need for sugar entirely.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article exploring the market for coffee flavourings.

Photo credits: Pexels, Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Sweeteners: How do they affect the flavour of your coffee? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Sweeteners: How do they affect the flavour of your coffee? published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Online education in the coffee sector: An overview

Even though millions of people drink coffee every day, it is a heavily differentiated product with plenty to learn about, and the coffee industry is full of technical information.

A lot of this technical information is important; it helps coffee professionals understand the supply chain from seed to cup and fulfil a range of roles that get beans from the farm to the roaster and the coffee shop. But breaking it down is easier said than done – which is where education comes in.

With a huge percentage of educational courses moving online in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, this raises a question about the future of online coffee education. 

To learn more, I spoke with two instructors at PDG Education: an accessible, certified e-learning platform dedicated to the coffee sector. Read on to find out what they said.

Before you read this, check out our article introducing PDG Education.

Online education: An overview

Research shows that 52% of American graduates and 39% of American undergraduates believe that online learning is better than classroom instruction. While these figures are remarkably high, they shouldn’t come as a surprise.

In fact, Forbes estimates that the global e-learning market could be worth US $325 billion by 2025, which would mean that it’s grown by over 100% in a decade. In addition, as well as being more flexible, online education has been linked with an increase in retention rates and improvement for students’ grades.

But what about the coffee sector? Well, distance learning in coffee is not a new concept. In fact, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has been offering online courses for some time now, and its website is full of testimonials from learners around the world.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also had a significant part to play in the growth of distance learning. Many coffee professionals and enthusiasts have suddenly found themselves unable to attend in-person training, leaving them with no choice but to enrol online.

However, this isn’t the only reason people have looked to online education. For example, one SCA learner noted that distance learning is often the only option for people in certain countries.

Weighing up the benefits

Karl Wienhold is the founder and director of Cedro Alto Coffee. He’s also a coffee value chain consultant, researcher, writer, PhD candidate, and one of the instructors at PDG Education. 

He says that although online education is not necessarily superior to in-person training, it offers accessibility to learners that would otherwise have no access to these courses.

“The coffee industry is spread out all over the world, including educators and those interested in education,” he says. 

“The internet can bring together geographically dispersed people, making it more inclusive than in-person education, as all of the learners would have to travel to the same place as the educator.”

He adds that both learners and educators need only to find an internet connection to get involved. Furthermore, e-learning can be pre-recorded, which can help to resolve issues with timings and the cost of hosting live sessions. 

Like Karl, Edwin Harrison is one of the trainers at PDG Education. He’s also the founder and head of Artisan Coffee School, where he oversees a team of trainers. He says that e-learning leads to increased employee retention for companies who invest in it.

He explains: “Companies that invest in their people and provide channels to training generally have very high levels of staff retention, which then really helps the company in so many other ways.

“Not only that, we also find the companies who do invest are able to retain knowledge internally and share this with their customers, which helps with sales and the culture of the business.”

Edwin agrees with Karl, saying that e-learning gives people from around the world the opportunity to access “some of the best minds in the industry”.

“In the past we’ve had people flying in from all over the world to attend the Artisan Coffee School,” he notes. “Now, through platforms like PDG Education, we are just a click away.”

Who does this benefit the most?

Many existing coffee e-learning opportunities are targeted at coffee professionals and businesses. However, there’s growing demand from everyday coffee enthusiasts, too.

Edwin says that everyone interested in coffee can benefit from online courses. He believes that innovation in coffee education will benefit not just the learner, but also the wider industry too.

He says: “If online education means different areas around the world are learning about what is working or not working in other countries, then this is only a good thing.”

Karl, meanwhile, feels that online education is perfect for those with busy, unpredictable schedules, as well as those who can’t travel for study purposes.

PDG Education: An overview

Our commitment to delivering high-quality content underpinned by expertise from around the world was a great place to start for educational content. We’ve always been inspired to publish informative, accessible, and authoritative articles, and PDG Education is now an extension of that.

“The platform is super easy to use,” Edwin says. “It has access to some great content from coffee thought leaders. This means knowledge and insight from experts in many sectors in many countries.”

The certified courses on PDG Education are designed to be high-quality and informative, supporting learners to hone or refine their skills. But accessibility remains at the core of the platform. 

As e-learning continues to grow in popularity, discussions about accessibility, inclusivity, and cost will define the landscape of online learning. However, certified courses in the coffee industry can be expensive or inflexible. 

This is why PDG Education is designed to deliver quality education without being prohibitively costly, and provide access to global experts no matter where you are in the world. 

“I believe that for efficiency and accessibility, PDG Education is an excellent way for learners to access information and instruction that would otherwise not be available,” Karl says.

The platform is also designed for educators, too. Instructors who get involved gain the opportunity to earn passive income while leveraging their expertise and discussing topics they know and love.

Online courses on PDG Education

Currently, there are four courses offered by PDG Education. Katie Thompson from Artisan Coffee School hosts two advanced brewing technique courses on infusion and immersion brewing, while Edwin’s course focuses on opening your own coffee shop.

Karl, meanwhile, offers an introductory course to the green coffee supply chain. Both trainers are, however, working on plenty more content for prospective students.

Karl says that his upcoming courses will cover a range of topics, including coffee trading, coffee economics, coffee development policy, and conscientious coffee sourcing.

Edwin explains that he finds the business side of coffee to be fascinating. In his opinion, people need business skills as much as they need coffee knowledge.

“The skills are very specific to hospitality, so courses around that really excite me,” he says. “Additionally, I think [coffee education] is about developing courses that have worldwide appeal and can be really thought provoking at the same time. So, watch this space!”

Online education has come a long way in recent years, and has become immensely popular thanks to its accessibility and flexibility. 

In today’s educational landscape, platforms like PDG Education offer certified courses and technical expertise to professionals who would otherwise struggle to access them. Interested? Check out the platform’s course catalogue to learn more about what’s on offer. 

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how access to coffee education has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Photo credits: Sam Ortiz, José De Leon Guzman, Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Online education in the coffee sector: An overview appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Online education in the coffee sector: An overview published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Can you freeze green coffee?

Green coffee beans are sensitive to a number of external factors, such as moisture and heat. They should be stored in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated warehouse in sealed bags, and placed on pallets to be raised above the floor.

If stored in areas with high temperatures and humidity, the coffee loses its flavours quickly and even take on an undesirable taste.

But what about freezing green coffee?

While the practice of freezing roasted coffee beans is becoming increasingly popular, storing green coffee in below-zero temperatures is still a reasonably new concept. To explore the practice more, I spoke with two coffee professionals based in Kenya.

You may also like our article on whether you should be freezing your coffee.

Staling and moisture content

Green coffee is hygroscopic. This means it absorbs moisture easily, even from the atmosphere.

Consequently, keeping it dry and cool is important. Any strong odours (especially those contained in liquids) will pervade the green coffee and artificially flavour it. This is why there is a need to store green beans in clean and contaminant-free areas. 

As well as being dry and cool, green coffee warehouses and other storage facilities should also have good airflow and be free from dust. Optimal storage conditions are essential, as green coffee is not a long-term stable product, and will lose its flavour within at least 2 years.

But, what about storing coffee at subzero temperatures? 

Despite the more traditional storing methods, freezing green coffee is one of the newer ways people have been using to preserve freshness.

Dr. Christopher Hendon is an assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at University of Oregon. He has conducted extensive research into the impact of temperature on coffee quality and extraction.

“For every 10ºC you cool something down, most of the processes occurring in the bean occur at half the rate,” he explains in this article. “So, [the] cooling of coffee should prevent chemical reactions that occur over time (like staling or aging), by making them proceed extremely slowly.”

But what about cup quality? What kind of impact does freezing green coffee have on the end product?

In research conducted at the Dedan Kimathi University in Kenya on freezing green coffee, it was actually found that the cup quality of frozen coffee scored higher marks than coffee stored at room temperature.

Nancy Warui is a licensed Q grader, and was present on the tasting panel for these frozen green samples. 

“It’s all about science,” she explains, “At such low temperatures, the activities within the bean slow down a lot which retains the freshness of the beans.”

After milling, the green coffee she cupped was stored in perforated bags (similar in structure to jute bags) and then placed in the freezer immediately. The freezer was free of any odours and other contaminants that could have compromised the quality of the beans. 

The beans were under observation for 75 days where any changes were monitored regularly, including water activity and moisture content. 

Juliet Murugi was also on the panel conducting the sensory and cupping evaluation of the coffee. She noted the significant change to water activity in the frozen green beans.

“The major observation was how the coffee in the freezer lost some moisture in the first 3 weeks, after which no more moisture was lost,” she tells me. “After 3 weeks, the moisture content totally flattened and continued that way until the end [of the study].”

Effects on cup quality

During the research carried out by Dedan Kimathi University, a panel of five cuppers evaluated the frozen green coffee samples. All of them agreed that the coffee had unique aroma, flavour, and body characteristics.

“Immediately after removing the samples from the freezer, we roasted it to about a medium level, ideal for cupping,” Nancy says. “After grinding we noticed the rich aromatic fragrance of the frozen coffee.”

Juliet adds: “It exceeded my expectations. You immediately notice the heavier mouthfeel – the full body of the cup is exceptional. 

“The acidity was bright and the flavour was sweet, with an unforgettable aftertaste.”

Nancy adds: “I liked the fullness of the cup In comparison with the normal lot. It had a more agreeable flavour, sharper acidity, and [was] more balanced.”

The paper they contributed to found that with frozen green coffee, the key to retaining freshness – and therefore flavour intensity – is maintaining moisture content.

Reduced humidity in the freezers meant that the beans did not absorb any water from the atmosphere. Although moisture levels fell by 2% within three weeks of freezing, it remained stable for the rest of the research period – only dropping by a further 0.5%.

The findings concluded that the moisture contained within the bean condensed, and therefore could not escape from the beans. All microbial activity that occurs inside the beans slowed by more than half the usual rate due to the temperature. 

This means that the freshness of the beans was preserved and when the bean was finally roasted, the quality was high.

It is also important to note that several different grades of coffee were used in the experiment, indicating that all of the green coffee samples behaved similarly. 

Challenges when freezing green coffee

Despite this advantage of preserving freshness, freezing green coffee is not often as straightforward as it seems. The main challenge is safely freezing green beans without compromising quality.

Moisture and humidity are green coffee’s worst enemies, and these are two things which are definitely present in freezers, especially those that are not well-maintained and contain frost. 

Storing green beans in a frosted-over freezer may lead to significant quality deterioration when the coffee thaws – especially with more complex-tasting coffees.

Water activity in thawed beans may also be less predictable than green coffee stored at room temperature. This could negatively affect the process of roasting, and lead to anomalies in roast profiles. This is something that roasters buying any kind of frozen green coffee must consider.

If other products are also stored in freezers along with green coffee, they may also negatively influence coffee quality. This is because the beans are likely to absorb any odours. Roasters should take extra precaution where they store frozen coffee and ideally keep other products in separate freezers or compartments.

However, this ultimately leads to increased costs, which can become a risk if sales of these frozen coffees are not proportional to the roaster’s investment. Piloting a small-scale trial of marketing and selling frozen green coffee may help roasters figure out if it is a viable option.

Best practices for coffee roasters

These experiments suggest that frozen green coffee may maintain cup quality better than green coffee stored at room temperature.

“If roasters had bags of previously frozen green with unique cup characteristics, they would fly off the shelves,” Juliet says. “Consumers would immediately notice the extra sweet [and] smooth taste. 

“This makes a lot of sense, but, of course, they would have to pilot the project first. However, I have no doubt there would be a lot of interest in this coffee.”

Charging premium prices for frozen green beans would also be necessary, because of the added costs of purchasing the extra equipment to freeze and monitor the coffee. 

However, consumers may be likely to pay a premium for the rarity and exclusivity of this coffee itself – particularly in markets where customers value exclusive lots and unusual processing techniques.

Before roasting, green coffee should be stored in airtight and waterproof bags, and thawed immediately before roasting to ensure best results.

Finally, take some precautions. Avoid storing green coffee alongside other food products and ensure the freezer is clean and free from frost. Finally, make sure humidity and temperature levels are regulated. Improper storage may lead to defective beans.

For roasters looking to differentiate themselves and consumers who want the freshest coffee they can possibly try, there may be an opportunity with frozen green beans.

When frozen properly, green coffee can stay fresh and vibrant for extended period. This ensures cup quality is maintained, and is hugely beneficial to roasters looking to offer premium, unusual, or exclusive coffees.

While more research is needed to fully understand the chemical reactions that take place inside green coffee when frozen, freezing it may be a worthwhile venture for those who want to maximise freshness.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how packaging material impacts green coffee quality over time.

Photo credits: Peter Gakuo, Battlecreek Coffee Roasters on Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Can you freeze green coffee? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Can you freeze green coffee? published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

A guide to coffee production in Campo das Vertentes

Campo das Vertentes is a coffee-producing region in Brazil, located in the heart of the state of Minas Gerais. Technically a mesoregion, it boasts altitudes of above 1,000 m.a.s.l., consistent rainfall, and good conditions for post-harvest practices.

In recognition of its optimal conditions for coffee production, Campo das Vertentes received an Indication of Origin from the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property in 2020.

To learn more about the region, its high-quality natural processed coffees, and its rich heritage of coffee production, I spoke to a researcher from Embrapa and a producer from Sancoffee. Read on to find out what they said.

You might also like our article on how to roast Brazilian specialty coffee.

A history of coffee production in Campo das Vertentes

Located in the heart of Minas Gerais, Campo das Vertentes is some 200km south of Belo Horizonte, the state capital. It sits between two geographical water basins, providing it with rich and fertile soil that have historically made it perfect for agriculture.

Professor Helena Alves is a researcher at Embrapa, a state-owned Brazilian research corporation.

Helena was actively involved in the process of applying for Campo das Vertentes’ geographical indication. She says that coffee has been grown in the region since the mid-19th century.

“With the constitution of the Empire in Brazil in 1824, new paths began to open up for the coffee sector,” Helena says. “It was around this time when Minas [Gerais] began to be seen as attractive for coffee.

“Zona da Mata was the first region in the state to be widely occupied by coffee farms. In other regions of the state, including Campo das Vertentes, some scattered farms began planting coffee plants on an almost experimental basis.”

While early evidence of coffee production in the region can be traced back to 1860, Helena says that it wasn’t until 1881 that it became truly prominent. At this point, railroads were established, connecting the region to the coast and making coffee farming more financially viable. 

“The arrival of the railroad boosted coffee growth in the region,” she says. “Coffee trees become part of documents such as family asset statements and/or wills.”

Helena also notes that the region’s rich history and heritage of coffee production is reflected in how farms operate. 

“Most of the coffee in Campo das Vertentes (as with most of Brazil) is natural processed,” she explains. “This is actually associated with the strong tradition and history of the region.

“In many cases, the farms today are very old and traditional, with processes that were passed from generation to generation. Coffee production here is characterised by family ownership.

“Moreover, the region’s rich culture is expressed in a number of different ways. This includes traditional festivals such as Congado (an African-Brazilian religious festival), [other] religious festivals, and gastronomy. All of this gives Campo das Vertentes a strong historic identity – which is similarly reflected in the region’s coffee [culture].”

The terroir of Campo das Vertentes

Rural producer Henrique Cambraia is a fourth-generation coffee producer and part of Sancoffee, the most prominent coffee co-operative in Campo das Vertentes. 

He says that the terroir in the region makes it “quite easy to produce natural processed coffees with high complexity”.

“In other regions, there can be a lot of issues with the climate,” he adds. “Here, we have a consolidation of a number of positive climatic factors, such as topography, temperature, and so on. These mean the conditions are optimal for arabica production.”

According to Helena, these factors include:

A good annual average temperature. This is around 20°C (68°F), with a 14°C (57°F) minimum and a 26°C (79°F) maximum.

Consistent, healthy rainfall. Average annual precipitation is about 1400mm, and it is quite consistent.

Ideal altitude. Most of the region’s coffee farms are in the altitude range of 900 to 1,000 m.a.s.l., and approximately one-third of all coffee is grown above 1,000 m.a.s.l.

Perfect topography. The terrain is uneven, but flat enough for advanced farming equipment. 

Healthy soil. The region’s soil is dominated by latosols, which have excellent physical properties including great depth and texture. 

“All these environmental characteristics make the region suitable for growing coffee,” Helena says. “They provide conditions that favour the production of high-quality coffee.”

Henrique also tells me about a few of the varieties that are especially popular in the region, which include Yellow Bourbon, Yellow Catuai, Red Catuai, and Mundo Novo.

What do coffees from Campo das Vertentes taste like?

According to Helena, it is difficult to generalise when it comes to a flavour for Campo das Vertentes coffee. 

“We know that sensory profile, as well as coffee quality, is a complex interaction between environment, genetics, and processing,” she says. “However, we can simplify this and examine what most buyers look for when they come to buy Campo das Vertentes coffee.

“[The “classic” flavour profile] would be a coffee with sweetness, a creamy body and aroma, and strong chocolate and fruity notes.”

Henrique largely agrees, but notes that the “main characteristic” is a “striking flavour of chocolate”. 

He says: “Brazilian coffee itself has soft notes of chocolate and nuts – almonds and chestnuts for the most part. However, the coffees in our region are made to stand out by an intense chocolate flavour, a striking body, and outstanding cleanliness.

“The cleanliness in particular comes from the low variance in climate conditions in the region,” he adds. “For me, that’s what defines Campo das Vertentes coffee – cleanliness, chocolate, and body.”

He notes that these characteristics make coffees from Campo das Vertentes an ideal choice for espresso blends, especially if roasters are looking for sweetness and body.

Helena also notes that while most of the coffees in the region are natural processed – which accentuates both body and sweetness – producers in Campo das Vertentes are starting to explore a range of processing methods. 

“These include pulped natural, wet hulled processing, and even controlled fermentation coffees,” she says. “Even if we only consider the post-harvest method, you already have the possibility for a great diversity of flavours and aromas.

“I also think that buyers will get a pleasant surprise when sourcing from Campo das Vertentes – because the region’s coffee growers do not stop innovating.” 

Geographical indication: What is it and why is it important?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a geographical indication (GI) is a “sign used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin”.

Henrique explains that in the process of registering a geographical indication in Brazil, there are two steps you must go through.

“Indication of Origin is the first step, where you showcase that coffee,” he says. “This is confirmation that it is produced in a certain region.

“After that, you go on to the Designation of Origin. This shows that in addition to having been produced in that region, it has characteristics specific to that region.

“Having received an Indication of Origin, the Campo das Vertentes Association has been the promoter and holder of a programme with the INPI (Brazilian National Institute of Intellectual Property), and we are moving towards the Designation of Origin.” 

Helena says: “A geographical indication is a certification from the Brazilian legislature which is valid in international trade agreements of which Brazil is a signatory. This effectively means that a Brazilian indication is valid in other countries, just as indications from other countries are valid in Brazil.

“We cannot, for example, produce champagne in Brazil because this wine can only be produced in the Champagne region of France.”

This is good for the producer and the consumer. Firstly, it improves traceability, meaning that the producer is more likely to be adequately remunerated for their efforts and quality. It is also a certification of minimum standards of quality, meaning that prices should in theory increase.

“Consumers who know about the characteristics of coffees produced in Campo das Vertentes and enjoy them will have a guarantee it was produced in that region, with the right environmental characteristics,” she adds.

She adds that a regulatory council from the local association will also start to monitor the indication. This council will inspect all steps of the production process, making sure that the coffee is grown according to stringent, accurate requirements.

The producers, on the other hand, are protected by this seal, which guarantees the origin of their product.

Campo das Vertentes is just one of the many prominent coffee-growing regions in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. However, the fact that it is close to achieving full geographical indication shows that it offers outstanding, distinctive flavours. 

The region is popular among buyers for its delicious chocolatey sweetness, nutty notes, clean flavour, and striking body. As Henrique says, this makes it a perfect choice for espresso. Why not ask your roaster about it next time you buy coffee? You never know – you might just find something you love.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on Brazil’s specialty robusta scene.

Photo credits: Sancoffee

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Sancoffee is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post A guide to coffee production in Campo das Vertentes appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

A guide to coffee production in Campo das Vertentes published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Coffee News Recap, 22 Oct: Coffee prices fall due to Brazil rainfall, Cometeer raises $35 million & other stories

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories.

Mon, 18 Oct – HOTELEX Shanghai Exhibition to take place in March 2022. The 31st annual HoReCa expo is expected to attract over 220,000 visitors. Some 3,000 exhibitors will be showcasing services and products at the event, including coffee. The expo will take place from 28 to 31 March 2022.

Mon, 18 Oct – Victoria Arduino releases new Black Eagle Maverick espresso machine. The new model includes temperature-controlled T3 Genius Technology and a three-phase extraction system known as PureBrew Technology. The Black Eagle Maverick can also extract filter coffee using the PureBrew Coffee Filter.

Mon, 18 Oct – illycaffè launches new illy Art Collection with Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum. The new designs reflect the traditional keffiyeh Arab headscarf to bring attention to the ongoing conflict in Palestine. The limited edition coffee cans and cups will be available from November to December.

Mon, 18 Oct – VacOne Air Brewer launches on market. The brewer uses vacuum technology to brew both hot and cold coffee, which VAC claims enhances sweetness and reduces bitterness. VAC also offer a Quintal subscription which highlights origin roasters in Latin America.

Mon, 18 Oct – Registration opens for Brazil International Coffee Week. The event will be held in-person in the city of Belo Horizonte, as well as via online streaming. The expo will be held from 10 to 12 November.

Mon, 18 Oct – Baratza to host limited edition Virtuoso+ giveaway on Instagram. Participants must follow Baratza on the social media platform and submit a Baratza Grinder Monster design by 26 October. Ten submissions will be selected for public voting, before the winner is announced on 30 October.

Mon, 18 Oct – WCA confirms speakers for last 2021 Cross Talk Series webinar. Shaping the Future of Digital Traceability in Coffee: “Towards a more transparent farm-to-cup digital economy” will take place on 27 October at 15:00 BST. CEO of Enveritas David Browning will be the keynote speaker and panels will include Chief Impact Officer of Sustainable Harvest Kellem Emanuele and Olam’s Head of Coffee EMENA Deepak Kaul. Registration is free.

Tue, 19 Oct – UK hospitality leaders push for VAT to remain at 12.5% permanently. Trade body UK Hospitality have representatively signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking to not raise VAT back to 20% in April 2022. The letter states that maintaining the 12.5% rate will enable the hospitality sector – including coffee shops – to recover from the financial damage of Covid-19.

Tue, 19 Oct – Black Sheep Coffee opens first UK franchise location. The new store opened in Birmingham and is part of the London coffee chain’s 2022 expansion plans to open 30 new cafés.

Tue, 19 Oct – UK Coffee Week survey finds 96% of UK consumers base coffee shop purchases on coffee quality. Alongside quality, 70% of consumers stated price was a deciding factor, while 69% claimed supporting local businesses was important. Sixty-nine percent reported sustainability was also a crucial deciding factor for coffee purchases.

Tue, 19 Oct – Dubai COFE App launches Discovery Points campaign for local and international roasters. The ecommerce platform launched the campaign in the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia and is offering customers AED 300 (US $82) for up to 30 different coffee brands.

Tue, 19 Oct – Sanremo to debut You espresso machine and X-One grinder at HostMilano. The single-group machine and new grinder will feature alongside the company’s other models. HostMilano will be held from 22 to 26 October.

Tue, 19 Oct – Sustainable agriculture and rural enterprise Gorilla Coffee Alliance launches in DRC. The partnership between USAID, Nespresso, Olam, TechnoServe, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Congolese social enterprise Asili will support some 8,500 coffee farmers over a 5-year period. The programme will also protect endangered Grauer gorillas from poaching and deforestation.

Tue, 19 Oct – Sucafina announces 2030 sustainability strategy roadmap. The three pillars of the strategy include Caring for People, Investing in Farmers, and Protecting Our Planet. Sucafina will aim to include 350,000 farmers in its supply chain by 2025 and ensure all wastewater from coffee washing stations is certified by the International Finance Corporation by 2023. The 2030 roadmap is accompanied by Sucafina’s 2020 sustainability report.

Tue, 19 Oct – Storm to debut new espresso machines and grinders at HostMilano. New models include the Pilot, Profilo, and Tempesta FRC espresso machines. The Faro grinder will also be showcased at Storm’s booth at the coffee event.

Wed, 20 Oct – Submissions still open for AVPA International Contest of Coffees Roasted at Origin. Last year’s competition included over 150 coffees from 25 countries. Applications close on 31 October.

Wed, 20 Oct – Rain in Brazil causes arabica prices to drop. Rainfall helped to initiate flowering in arabica-producing regions for the 2022/23 harvest. On 18 October, arabica prices fell some 2% to US 221.96 cents.

Wed, 20 Oct – Fundraiser launches for two-time El Salvador barista champion Víctor Flores Menéndez. Menéndez was recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Funds raised will be used to finance his treatment and support his family.

Wed, 20 Oct – Dalla Corte to launch Icon espresso machine and Edge grinder at HostMilano. The Icon is designed for the HoReCa market with a customisable back panel, while the new compact Edge grinder includes a touchscreen display.

Wed, 20 Oct – Food 4 Farmers and GrainPro launch strategic partnership in Latin America. Hermetic storage technology company GrainPro will provide financial support to non-profit Food 4 Farmers, which currently operates in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The partnership will also leverage the leadership of both GrainPro and Food 4 Farmers.

Wed, 20 Oct – Röststätte launches new Frozen Coffee Box. The Berlin roaster’s new kit includes a bag of coffee and five glass tubes for freezing individual doses. The roaster’s Head of Education Nicole Battefeld-Montgomery has published a set of best practices for freezing roasted coffee.

Wed, 20 Oct – Online green coffee platform Typica launches in UK. Through the platform, producers and UK roasters can directly trade coffee, starting at one bag (60kg). By 2025, Typica aims to support over 5,000 producers in 70 countries. Since launching in Japan in April, the platform includes 800 roasters from 12 countries.

Wed, 20 Oct – Cooperative Coffees and The Chain Collaborative set to host three-part webinar series. The three virtual events will address the impact of climate change on the coffee industry, focusing on carbon sequestration as a tool for producers. The webinars will take place on 21 October, 4 November, and 18 November and will be presented in English with Spanish translations.

Wed, 20 Oct – Frozen capsule company Cometeer raises US $35 million in Series B funding round. Cometeer has so far raised US $100 million in funding, which will be used to scale production. Sales and shipping are now open to the public, including capsules from roasters such as Klatch Coffee and Onyx Coffee Lab.

Wed, 20 Oct – Oatly and Alpro partner on Plant-Based Food Alliance in UK. The Alliance will work on a UK Plant-Based Food Charter that will provide framework for building systems which promote plant-based diets. The Alliance will also advocate for improved product labelling and public campaigning on environmental issues, as well as advocating for more support for farmers moving towards dairy alternatives.

Thu, 21 Oct – CBD coffee company Flower Power Coffee joins SCA. Flower Power is one of the first CBD-focused coffee companies to join the organisation. CEO Chuck Siegel says the membership will secure the company’s long-term growth.

Thu, 21 Oct – WCR to host Think + Drink 2021 webinar on 27 October. Speakers include CEO Dr. Vern Long, Scientific Director Dr. George Kotch, Strategy and Communications Director Hanna Neuschwander, and VP of Peet’s Coffee & Tea Doug Welsh. The annual gathering will discuss topics such as the 2021 IPCC report and WCR’s new breeding programme. The webinar will be held at 17:00 CEST.

Thu, 21 Oct – Masterpieces by Daterra auction to be held on 30 November. The auction will showcase 15 microlots, including of the Laurina and Aramosa varieties. The theme of this year’s auction is inspired by indigenous Brazilian communities. Samples are available to purchase.

Fri, 22 Oct – Winners announced for first-ever CoE Ecuador. The highest scoring coffee was a washed Typica Mejorado from Arashi farm, achieving 90.39 points. Three coffees scored over 90 points, while all coffees scored over 87 points. The 2021 CoE Ecuador auction will be held on 29 November.

Fri, 22 Oct – Olam Food Ingredients launches new branding as “ofi”. The global food and spice trader will focus new branding on sustainability and direct trade supply chains. ofi recently opened a new soluble coffee processing facility in Brazil to serve increasing demand.

Fri, 22 Oct – Fairtrade International and B Lab launch partnership. The two sustainable certification organisations (including for coffee) announced they will work collaboratively to pursue the UN’s SDGs, which include reducing poverty and improving gender equity by 2030.

Fri, 22 Oct – Wega to showcase espresso machines and grinders at HostMilano. The WBar, Nova, Urban, and WMini machines will be available at Wega’s booth at the coffee event. The new line of RCW grinders includes AutoDosing technology.

Fri, 22 Oct – Nestlé announces Starbucks products were largest contributor to nine-month 2021 sales growth. Sales of Starbucks-branded retail products were up 15.5% on 2020, while Nespresso capsules were up 11.3% on 2020. Overall, Nestlé’s sales increased 2.2% to CHF 63.3 billion (US $68 billion).

Fri, 22 Oct – Uragan to showcase high performance dishwashers at HostMilano. The line of dishwashers was developed in collaboration with Univerbar and water treatment company BWT. The Uragan 40 model is designed for glasses and coffee cups.

Here are a few news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

Mon, 11 Oct – First Libya Coffee Expo attracted 10,000 visitors. The event was held in Tripoli on 1 October and included a barista competition. The second expo will be held on 30 September 2022.

Tue, 12 Oct – SCA provides updates on 2021 Board of Directors election. The final ballot now includes Sales Manager for Simonelli Group Giovanni Fucili. Voting will open on 1 November and close on 30 November.

Tue, 12 Oct – Fundraising campaign launched for Zen Café barista Michelle Strong. Strong was the victim of a car accident in South Bend, Indiana and is currently in the ICU at a local hospital. Donations will be used to fund her hospital treatment.

Wed, 13 Oct – Coffee start-up Blank Street receives US $25 million in Series A funding round. The mobile New York coffee company will use funding to expand retail growth and develop a new wholesale vendor programme. Blank Street aims to have 100 retail locations in New York City by the end of 2022.

Wed, 13 Oct – Starbucks partners with Netflix on novel adaptation TV series. But Have You Read the Book? will be filmed in Starbucks locations across the US. The show will feature authors, cast, and series creators discussing the process of adapting novels to TV shows.

Thu, 14 Oct – Luckin Coffee Board of Directors adopt shareholder rights plan. The plan aims to protect the interests of the coffee chain’s shareholders and the long-term value of their investments. The shareholder rights plan is part of Luckin’s restructuring agreement after findings of financial misconduct in 2019.

Thu, 14 Oct – DMCC awarded 2021 Global Free Zone of the Year award for 7th consecutive year. The award was provided by Financial Times’ fDi Magazine. DMCC also received the Middle East Free Zone of the Year.

Thu, 14 Oct – AccuWeather announces expansion of MinuteCast weather forecast tool in Latin America and Caribbean. The precipitation tracking tool offers minute-to-minute forecasts four hours ahead, which can be used by coffee farmers to predict erratic and detrimental weather patterns. The app can be downloaded for free.

Thu, 14 Oct – IAC research finds coffee is second most consumed beverage in Brazil. Along with the Axxus Institute and Campinas State University, over 4,000 participants were surveyed about their coffee consumption. During the pandemic, Brazilians increased their coffee consumption, with 21% opting for lower-priced coffee products.

Fri, 15 Oct – American Journal of Managed Care publishes research on coffee consumption and liver stiffness. The study included over 4,500 participants and evaluated the effects of regular and decaf coffee. Individuals who consumed over 3 cups of coffee were found to have decreased liver stiffness, which may be beneficial for those who have or are at risk of liver disease.

Fri, 15 Oct – The Barista League puts out calls for content curators for 2022 High Density event. Content curators will present topics at the online event. Applications will close on 22 October and participants will be announced on 29 October. High Density 2022 will be held in March.

Fri, 15 Oct – Oatly opens Singapore production facility. The joint facility was opened in partnership with food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng Limited. Oatly’s first factory outside of Europe and the US will produce oat milk for Asian markets.

Sign up to our weekly coffee news recap to get a summary of all the biggest stories in the sector, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.

Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s stories.

Photo credits: Nicole Motteux

The post Coffee News Recap, 22 Oct: Coffee prices fall due to Brazil rainfall, Cometeer raises $35 million & other stories appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Coffee News Recap, 22 Oct: Coffee prices fall due to Brazil rainfall, Cometeer raises $35 million & other stories published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Making the switch from home to production coffee roasting

Roasting coffee at home can understandably spark a desire to begin roasting at a professional level.

However, while you might be able to regularly roast high-quality beans that impress your friends and family, becoming a professional roaster and entering the sector in a more formal capacity is no small task. 

To learn more, I spoke to Chris Kornman, Royal Coffee’s Director of Education at The Crown, a dedicated coffee lab and tasting room. He told me what it takes to switch from being a home roaster to a full-scale production set-up. Read on to find out more.

You might also like our article on shared roasting spaces.

When is it time to start roasting professionally?

There are a number of benefits to roasting coffee at home. First, you can make sure that each batch you brew is fresh to taste, and you can experiment with a range of different profiles and techniques.

Roasting at home also gives you more control over the coffee you drink while helping you hone a skill. And it’s not just you who benefits, either – friends, family, colleagues, and other local coffee enthusiasts may well end up benefitting from the beans you roast. 

But how do you know when it’s time to take that next step?

Chris tells me more about some of the signs he can see which indicate that it’s time to start roasting at a professional scale. 

“It depends on the amount of time you want to spend roasting,” he says. “If you’re happy roasting in small batches, home roasters make excellent roasting tools. 

“However, when you go professional, the larger roasters offer a better economy of scale and efficiency if you plan to roast a lot and want consistency. If you’re doing more than 5 to 10lbs a week, it might be time to think about investing.”

Even though home roasters can produce consistently high-quality batches of coffee, there are drawbacks when roasting at greater scale. While a small capacity is an obvious restriction, many home roasters also have lengthy cooling periods, and internal mechanisms that simply aren’t built to withstand that kind of workload.

However, upgrading to a professional roaster is by no means an easy decision. Especially for hobbyists, even low-end professional roasters will require a significant investment.

“Business-wise, you’ll want to compare your costs, volumes, and profits,” Chris says. “If you’re only interested in the craft of professional roasting and not in building a business, you’ll have to ask yourself if you can justify the cost of the machine to satisfy your curiosity.”

What else should aspiring production roasters consider?

Beyond simply investing in the machine, however, there are other factors that home roasters looking to make the switch should consider.

Read on to find out what they are.

Your roasting space

Unless you happen to have been using your small home roaster in an empty warehouse with plenty of spare space, you will likely struggle to use a larger machine in a home setup.

Space is important. As you scale up your roasting operations, you will need to make sure there’s enough square footage not just for the roaster itself, but also for the increased quantity of green coffee you’re buying, other equipment, packaging, and so on. 

“When looking for space for green coffee storage, think about three to six months ahead,” Chris says. “Beyond that, you’ll need space to package, grind, and ship as needed. A couple of hundred square feet, minimum, with room to expand, is a good place to start.

“You’ll quickly find yourself strapped for space if you’re trying to operate out of a storage shed, garage, or porch.”

He also notes that the new space you require may well cost as much – if not more – than a new roaster. 

However, there are other, more flexible options that can be more cost-effective. Shared roasting spaces have become more popular in recent times, with multiple roasters sharing premises to minimise individual outgoings.

“Co-operative and shared roasting spaces are incredible resources for new and up-and-coming roasting operations,” Chris says. “You’ll have the ability to explore and rent space/time in a professional-grade facility (plus store your products) without needing to invest a tonne of time, money, and equipment upfront. 

“You can learn what you like, what you’d change, and generally be better informed and experienced when you’re ready to build out your own space.”

Roaster capacity

Choosing the right roaster for your needs will understandably be essential, but price is by no means the only factor to consider. 

Capacity is key, too. It can be a simple, expensive mistake for new professional roasters to over or underestimate the capacity they need for their new venture.

Chris says: “Roasters look for around a 5kg machine capacity minimum for starters, but even these machines can be quickly outgrown.

“If you plan to expand, offer wholesale or start a café, a 15kg capacity machine will offer you greater flexibility. Many of these can also roast as little as 5kg or less per batch as needed with good profiling protocol.”

Medium-capacity machines offer a great balance: they can help you fulfil varying order sizes while still delivering high-quality results. While different capacities will understandably require a different approach to profiling, they still give you the ability to roast for much larger orders if demand changes. 

However, along with capacity comes another issue: sourcing green coffee. While this might seem obvious on paper, thinking about how much you need to buy to keep up with demand can be a difficult formula. 

Beyond that, you’ll need to think about which beans your customers enjoy. Trying out different coffees is a great way to test their tastes and experiment.

This is why green coffee suppliers often offer smaller bags of coffee that allow roasters to roast different beans without committing to a large minimum order size. For example, Royal Coffee have a “Crown Jewels” range: a select catalogue of high-quality green beans sourced from around the globe, sold in 1lb and 22lb bags.

However, Chris says that volume can be adjusted for better value once roasters feel comfortable working with a new chosen origin. 

“There’s a significant economy of scale when buying in bulk,” he says. “A full-size 60kg bag or pallet (usually 10-12 bags) are good starting points if you want to improve your margins when buying green. 

“If you’re not ready for whole bags, even just a 10kg Crown Jewel or our forthcoming larger boxes of coffee are great options to get started that will offer you better deals than buying in small portions.”

Education and experience

When moving up to a larger capacity roaster, it’s incredibly likely that you’ll have to “re-learn” some of your old skills on the new machine. 

However, beyond that, experience and education lends itself to a number of other areas. This includes working with data at a larger scale and implementing quality control measures.

“It’s a big change,” Chris says. “If you’re using Artisan or Cropster for data logging, you’ll have some ability to transfer pieces of data, but the inability to truly manipulate your environmental temperature with good heating elements can be a steep learning curve, especially if scaling up from a simple home roaster. 

“Beyond data logging and heat & time metrics, you’ll also need to familiarise yourself with an entirely new set of equipment, maintenance, and cleaning protocols.”

By minimising the amount of time you take getting to grips with these processes, you’ll be able to roast higher-quality coffee more consistently and at a much faster rate than if you just learn on the job. 

Using a shared workspace with other roasters is a great way to learn, but if you have set up your own space, it’s worth looking for external expertise. Chris tells me that Royal Coffee offers a number of resources to this end – including The Crown, a coffee lab and tasting room.

“You can check the Royal Coffee blog, webinar, and on-demand archives, or sign up for one of our online or in-person roasting courses,” he explains. 

“If you’re not active in a home roaster forum, these can be good community resources as well. However, that said, there’s really no substitute for hands-on experience.”

Transitioning from home to production roasting is no easy feat. From finding the right roaster to match your demand to learning the ropes with QC, inventory management, and even shipping – there is understandably a lot to take in.

Don’t be afraid to speak to more experienced roasting professionals. Find a space that suits you, look for educational resources, and check in with the online roasting community if you’re not sure about something. Once you do start to learn, however, you may find you’re able to consistently produce delicious roasted coffee in no time at all.

Enjoyed this? Then try our article on roasting for filter & espresso at home.

Photo credits: Evan Gilman

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: Royal Coffee is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Making the switch from home to production coffee roasting appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Making the switch from home to production coffee roasting published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

What is Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee?

Jamaica Blue Mountain (JBM) coffee has been around for a long time. In fact, Jamaica’s coffee farms can actually be traced back with one coffee plant of three that were initially brought to the French Caribbean island of Martinique, on the orders of King Louis XV of France.

More recently, JBM has established a reputation as a “gourmet” coffee origin with a unique flavour. However, as a consequence, there have been a fair number of imitators trying to profit from its high price tag, somewhat limited availability, and desirable taste. In response, the industry has adopted a tough stance to stamp out the counterfeiters and prevent the use of the JBM name on illegitimate products.

But what exactly is JBM coffee? What makes it unique? And what is its relationship with specialty coffee? To learn more, I spoke to two people who work with it. Read on to find out what they said.

You might also like our article on automation in coffee roasting.

Defining Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee

First and foremost, it’s important to point out that not all Jamaican-grown coffees are classified as Jamaica Blue Mountain by default. This label is reserved for coffees grown in a particular region and at a particular altitude.

The region is actually a designated 6,000ha area of Jamaica’s Blue Mountain range, located on the east of the island. The size of this JBM coffee growing area is exclusively determined by the Coffee Industry Regulation Act in Jamaica.

Furthermore, not only is JBM coffee grown in its own unique region – it also has its own variety. The region grows arabica coffee, including a unique mutation of the Typica heirloom cultivar, also (confusingly) known as Jamaica Blue Mountain. 

Courtney Bramwell is the CEO of Sherwood Forest Coffee Estate in Jamaica, where his family produces and processes JBM coffee.

“The coffee variety is a Typica cultivar,” Courtney says. “That said, other varieties can be found, such as Geisha, across the mountains.”

This is especially significant at a time where many farmers are rapidly replacing the low-yield Typica variety. Newer varieties might boast higher yields and better resistance to pests and disease, but despite this, producers in the Blue Mountain region continue to cultivate their unique variety.

However, while the JBM variety has adapted to its namesake region, it is known to thrive in other parts of the world, too. However, while they may be the same genetically, these non-Jamaican crops don’t share all the attributes that make the “original” so special.

Jason Flynn works in sales and marketing at the farmer-owned Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory, a producer and exporter of 100% single origin JBM coffee. He first encountered Jamaican coffee 17 years ago.

“Although it cannot adapt to all climates and maintain its high-quality flavour profile, the Blue Mountain variety is grown in Kenya, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Cameroon, and Haiti,” he says.

Finally, altitude is another crucial aspect of JBM production. To achieve the classification, coffee has to be grown at an elevation of over 3,000 feet (around 915 m.a.s.l.). 

If it’s grown at an elevation of between 1,500 and 3,000 feet (approximately 460 to 915 m.a.s.l.), it receives a different classification: Jamaica High Mountain Supreme. 

Flavour profile & unique points

Let’s start with JBM coffee’s cup profile. It’s generally described as being “silky smooth”, “well balanced”, “full bodied”, “sweet and creamy”, and as having a mild taste overall. It’s also said to be chocolatey, with effectively no bitterness.

Before taking on coffee processing and production at Sherwood Forest Coffee Estate, Courtney tells me that he was an importer of JBM coffee for over a decade. 

He says: “[JBM has] a unique flavour profile, distinguishable by a refined, mild, and creamy sweetness with no bitterness.”

Jason agrees, adding that he notices hints of sweet herbs, nuts, and chocolate.

“[JBM is a] rare and unique coffee with special attributes that make it stand out from the rest,” Jason says. “[It’s] the best coffee in the world, in my opinion.”

One of the key factors influencing its flavour are its unique growing conditions. The Blue Mountains feature some of the steepest terrain in the world; alongside this, Courtney says that the soil composition, cloud cover, and slow maturity rate all play a role.

“The high altitude coffee [is] most often shaded in a misty cloud cover,” he says. “This lowers the temperature and in turn slows maturation, giving a more complex flavour profile.”

Because of the steep terrain, almost all crop cultivation in the Blue Mountains is high-maintenance. In this extreme environment, coffee cherries need to be manually picked, which is exceptionally labour-intensive. 

Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is also a washed or wet processed coffee. This keeps the cup profile light. Cherries are pulped at communal stations in the region, although some of the licensed estates have their own processing equipment.

Marketing Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee

Jason explains that as a luxury, gourmet product, Jamaica Blue Mountain is marketed as a “rare and unique coffee”. Its signature trait in marketing is its distinct lack of bitterness.

Attempts to market the coffee also rely on its iconic handmade wooden barrels. While their utility is questionable when compared to hermetically sealed liners for classic 60kg bags, they are certainly unique.

Perhaps the most important factor in the marketing of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, however, is the trademark. 

“Every barrel of JBM coffee that is exported comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA),” Jason says “This ensures that every barrel has been tested and passed, and meets all JBM standards.”

To verify the coffee’s quality, professionals inspect a sample for defects in size, shape, moisture content, colour, and cup. If successful, it earns the all-important trademark seal. 

As a producer and exporter, Courtney says: “[In order] to market it as JBM coffee, the company behind it must be licensed and must [display] the JACRA seal and the words ‘Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee’ with a trademark icon.”

JACRA – formerly the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB) – issues and monitors registered trademark licensing for exporters and those who intend to market under the JBM name. JACRA monitors all steps across the Jamaican coffee value chain, from nurseries and processing facilities to exporters and importers.  

How to recognise authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

We’ve already talked about what JBM definitely is, but it’s also useful to understand what it’s not. For starters, it isn’t any of the following:

Jamaica High Mountain Supreme: Jamaican-grown, but below the allowable altitude, and not necessarily in the Blue Mountain region.

Blue Mountain Jamaica 100% Arabica or any other variant of Jamaican coffee: Jamaican-grown but not specifically JBM.

Blue Mountain “blend”: May contain very small amounts of JBM.

Blue Mountain “style”: May not contain any JBM at all, although roasted to a similar profile.

Aside from the familiar packaging and the trademark seal, one of the surest ways to guarantee a legitimate product is to buy from a reputable supplier. JACRA is the best starting point for connecting with certified dealers and producers.

Courtney adds: “[If] JBMC [is offered] at a price way below market rate as a ‘good deal’, you are almost guaranteed that it is not authentic JBM.” 

However, in spite of JACRA’s best efforts, imitation products still appear. To counter this at producer and exporter level, Sherwood Forest Coffee Estate has started using a blockchain platform (“Verified and True”), to ensure that every step along the supply chain can be verified. 

“We provide serialised QR codes with pins to end-user brands that will irrefutably prove authenticity,” Courtney says. “You want to have that guarantee when you spend money on a luxury product.”

Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and specialty coffee

With the emergence of specialty coffee culture in the past few years, people have changed their understanding of what is considered to be high-quality coffee. However, for a variety of reasons, JBM coffee is not always considered to be “specialty”, despite the fact that it has a cup score of above 80 points.

“JBM coffee was one of the first to be marketed as a specialty coffee as far back as the 1940s,” Jason says. “Over the years, the quality of coffee improved greatly in Central and South America and Africa, so the attention has shifted.

“JBM can and should be recognised as specialty coffee.”

Courtney, meanwhile, says that although JBM will always be in demand, the rise of third wave coffee culture and new marketing strategies have caused a shift.

“[Much like other origin countries], the Jamaican coffee industry, too, should embrace growth, innovation, and development,” he says. “I think the new generation of coffee farmers in Jamaica are more and more open to that.”

And, while he feels it’s sensible to use cup scorers and move into the specialty coffee market segment in major consuming countries, Courtney doesn’t believe it will necessarily result in more sales of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

“The way most of our coffee from Sherwood is sold is through pre-order sampling, with our customers finding a batch that they are happy with,” he says. “Their Q graders are very skilled, and they know what they are looking for.

“The next step at Sherwood will be making a shift in how we provide traceability for such a high-end product, to ultimately connect the farmer to the end-user.”

Despite ongoing challenges with perceptions of “specialty” and imitation products, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee continues to enjoy high demand and luxury good status around the world.

However, without the implementation of innovations like those at Sherwood Forest Coffee Estate, farmers and JACRA alike seem set to fall behind in terms of marketing and the third wave of coffee.

One thing, however, is for sure: Jamaica’s Blue Mountain region will continue to produce some of the most popular coffee in the world, regardless of the perceptions of third wave coffee drinkers.

Enjoyed this? Then try our article on choosing a roaster for your coffee shop.

Photo credits: Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory, Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post What is Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

What is Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee? published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

What are single-serve coffee bags?

Across industries around the world, consumers are continuously increasing its demand for convenience and speed. The coffee sector is no different – people want high-quality coffee as quickly and as easily as they can get it. 

The coffee market has always adjusted accordingly, and these days, consumers have access to a wide variety of options that are more convenient than simply brewing coffee. These include soluble coffee and capsules.

But while pods continue to grow, what about the elusive single-serve coffee bag? In recent years, these have started to emerge across the market. Have they been successful?

To learn more, I spoke to Georgina Cowley of Lincoln and York and Jonathan Wadham of Rombouts Coffee. They told me more about the two different types of single-serve coffee bags. Read on to learn what they had to say.

You may also like our article on why specialty coffee needs to befriend the capsule consumer.

An overview of the single-serve coffee market

Jonathan Wadham is the Communications Manager at Rombouts Coffee in Slough, England. According to him, the single-serve coffee market emerged in the 1970s, but has since grown significantly.

He says: “Single-serve coffees became popular in the 1970s, with consumers looking for a quick and convenient way to make a cup of fresh ground filter coffee without the mess or waste of traditional filter coffee machines.

“The category grew steadily with the addition of coffee bags in the 1980s/1990s. Single-serve pods and capsules were introduced in the 1990s, dominated by Nespresso.”

He adds that coffee bags have seen a significant resurgence in the past ten years, with several household names recently rebranding or launching a product in the market.

Georgina Cowley is the Marketing Manager at Lincoln and York in Brigg, England. She believes that these pre-ground and pre-weighed doses of coffee significantly lower the barrier to entry for coffee brewing. 

She says: “Coffee bags and single-serve pour overs can be brewed just by adding hot water, eliminating the need for a grinder or brewing equipment. 

“Capsules and pods allow the consumer to make espresso drinks at home without the need for an espresso machine or grinder, which can be expensive.”

Types of single-serve coffee bags

Single-serve coffees come in a variety of forms, but they all share the same purpose. They allow consumers to brew a cup of coffee without having to grind, improving convenience.

Coffee bags are a type of single-serve coffee that, as the name suggests, contain pre ground coffee in a bag which is then used for brewing. There are two main types: standard “coffee bags”, and pour over bags.

Coffee bags

Like tea bags, these single-serve coffee bags are made from either filter paper, food-grade plastic, or a combination of both. Some, like those from Wildland Coffee, even include the tags usually found on tea bags, which are used to remove the bag when it’s finished brewing.

Much like tea, these are steeped in hot water and removed after a set period of time. This means that all consumers need is a vessel and a source of hot water to make a cup of coffee, just like instant coffee.

For the manufacturer, the option to make coffee bags made from filter paper (which is thus far a majority of the market) can be a positive move, too. Because paper is entirely biodegradable, coffee bags can be a more sustainable solution for companies looking to enter the single-serve segment.

Pour over coffee bags

A variation on “standard” coffee bags is the drip coffee bag or pour over coffee bag, which is effectively a single-serve pour over coffee brewer. These first appeared in Japan in the early 1990s, but are now becoming popular with specialty coffee brands around the world. 

Instead of using a V60 or Melitta-type pour over brewer, the user simply unfolds tabs on either side of the bag and hangs it on their cup. This gives more discerning consumers the opportunity to make pour over coffee without having to grind and measure it. 

Like tea bag style coffee bags, pour over coffee bags can easily be made fully biodegradable and compostable, making them a more sustainable alternative to conventional aluminium and plastic coffee pods.

Single-serve specialty coffee?

According to Jonathan, the growing popularity of single-serve coffee has encouraged specialty coffee makers to get in on the action.

While many existing specialty coffee enthusiasts are perfectly happy to grind and weigh their coffee themselves, single-serve coffees can offer an alternative, accessible route into specialty coffee, especially for consumers who demand instant and convenient results. 

After Nespresso lost its patent on aluminium pods back in 2011, Jonathan says the door was opened to any specialty coffee company that wanted to expand into the single-serve coffee market. As a result, he tells me that the market has seen a major increase in volume and value.

Georgina, however, says that single-serve options can be viewed as a “gateway” approach to coffee – a step up from instant, without the additional spend on brewing equipment or a grinder.

She also notes that coffee pods and bags are often nitrogen flushed, which helps them to stay fresher for longer than they otherwise would if they were just stored as pre-ground coffee.

Georgina says: “Over time, we’d expect to see consumers leveling up their coffee, potentially investing in brewing equipment and grinding their beans.

“However, Kantar data shows massive growth of over 40% in [single-serve] coffee bag sales, mostly driven by large numbers of new shoppers.”

For the most part, single-serve options are growing, and the expansion into specialty coffee looks set to continue. 

“Single-serve coffee looks to pull consumers through the quality chain,” Jonathan says. “It moves them from instant to ground coffee due to the convenience and ease of use. They also draw specialty coffee consumers in with the ever-increasing level of quality offered in the single-serve category.”

What are the environmental implications of single-serve coffee?

The single-serve coffee market is not without its challenges. One of the biggest issues faced, especially for pods, is the environmental footprint that the packaging leaves behind. 

When single-serve coffee first entered the third wave scene, it was challenged by many because of difficulties with recycling. Conventional coffee pods are typically made of a combination of plastic and aluminium.

Jonathan says: “It’s estimated that in the UK alone, around 1,220 tonnes of waste enters landfills due to single-serve filters, pods, and coffee bags each year.” 

While this shows growth in the consumption of single-serve coffees, it also highlights the sheer environmental impact the sector has. Arguably, the most sustainable and environmentally friendly choice will be coffee bags made from filter paper or other plant-based materials.

However, Jonathan says that manufacturing biodegradable coffee pods is challenging, as the pods require a certain level of pressure resistance that many plant-based materials cannot provide.

Meanwhile, pant-based coffee bags face no such issue, making them the clear choice for specialty coffee companies concerned about their environmental impact. There are exceptions, of course, as some manufacturers still use food-grade plastic for their bags, but this is quickly changing.

Georgina says: “Lincoln & York coffee bags are made from a compostable plant-based material, while the outer film is available in stream 4 recyclable LDPE.”

Rombouts, meanwhile, introduced the first home compostable one cup filter coffee last year. 

Jonathan says: “The new One Cup Filter is 100% home compostable, with the packaging being fully recyclable. [They’re] made from bagasse, a natural by-product of sugarcane.”

Single-serve coffees have already proven to be an appealing intermediary between instant coffee and specialty coffee for some. Quality is increasing, too, creating a burgeoning consumer audience for specialty coffee capsules, pods, and bags alike.

Furthermore, the sheer simplicity of coffee bags removes many barriers to access for those who are unable or unwilling to invest in specialised equipment. All you need is hot water and a mug – and that’s a powerful marketing angle.

Enjoyed this? Then read how to reduce the environmental impact of your coffee habit.

Photo credits: Rombouts Coffee, Lincoln & York

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post What are single-serve coffee bags? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

What are single-serve coffee bags? published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Exploring cold brew coffee ice cream

Cold brew coffee has become immensely popular over the past few years, and it’s now considered something of a millennial obsession. Smoother, sweeter, and less acidic than hot coffee, it can make an appealing alternative to some cold soft drinks, such as sugary sodas.

Furthermore, like many trendsetting coffee beverages before it, the appeal and market potential of cold brew have driven product development across the food and beverage sector. This has led to the innovative creation of entirely new product categories – like cold brew ice cream.

A relatively recent invention, cold brew ice cream is starting to appear on specialty coffee shop menus around the world. At the same time, major ice cream brands are starting to offer their own takes on this product.

I spoke to a few people in the sector to understand exactly what it is, how it’s made, and how it differs from “regular” coffee ice cream. Read on to learn more about its role in today’s coffee sector and whether or not specialty coffee shops should add it to their menus.

You may also like our article on four coffee desserts you can make at home.

What is cold brew?

While recipes and measurements vary widely, cold brew is generally made by steeping ground coffee in cold or room temperature water for anywhere from six to 24 hours. The resulting beverage can be diluted with milk or water, or served on its own, chilled or with ice.

Cold brew has a mild, sweet flavour with muted acidity. This has made it appealing for “non-traditional” coffee consumers. It also has a smooth, mellow mouthfeel.

While many believe it to be a comparatively recent invention, there’s actually evidence that cold brew has been consumed across the globe for centuries. In the 17th century, Japanese sailors drank a cold steeped coffee, as did 18th-century French troops stationed in Algeria.

Today, most of the world’s major coffee chains have cold brew products, including Starbucks, Costa Coffee, and Dunkin Donuts. In the specialty coffee sector, chains like La Colombe and Stumptown have also launched their own cold brew with great success.

Currently, cold brew sales are highest in North America, followed by Europe in second place. However, as disposable incomes rise, the Asia-Pacific is set to experience the fastest growth in demand for cold brew coffee.

And furthermore, unlike other drinks that have stormed markets and social media before abruptly disappearing, it seems that cold brew isn’t going anywhere. Even when the Covid-19 pandemic slowed specialty coffee shop sales, cold brew remained a top five delivery item, with a 206% increase in sales in 2020 alone.

What is cold brew ice cream & how does it differ from coffee ice cream?

Scott Perkins is the co-owner of Milk + Ice Handcrafted Ice Cream in Binghamton, New York, US, along with his wife, Katie. He says that cold brew ice cream is essentially coarse ground coffee steeped in milk overnight. 

According to the technical definition, he says, this isn’t really cold brew, as it contains no water. However, the general principle is the same, and the long steep time results in a similar kind of extraction.

“Cold brew ice cream definitely lends itself to more of a coffee flavour and takes on the flavour of the bean that is used,” Scott says. “Store-bought coffee ice cream is made with syrups and coffee powder and has a more artificial flavour.”

Sam Ortiz is the owner of Spacehound Ice Cream in Hamilton, Montana, US. He tells me that even when coffee ice cream is made with actual coffee beans, the grinding and steeping process makes it different from cold brew ice cream.

Unlike Katie and Scott, Sam uses concentrated cold brew syrup in his soft serve, allowing him to create a product that he says is fruity, with no bitterness. 

He says: “Coffee ice cream is steeped in boiling milk for 8 to 10 minutes. Cold brew ice cream is steeped for 12 to 24 hours. 

“The caffeine content differs as well. Coffee ice cream won’t give you the same caffeinated jolt that cold brew ice cream will. Cold brew ice cream is more rich and full flavoured.”

What kind of coffee is used in cold brew ice cream?

The coffee that manufacturers use to make cold brew ice cream understandably varies from brand to brand. José De Leon Guzman, Head of Coffee at Kofra Coffee Roasters in Norwich, UK, says that he uses the fruitiest coffee he can get his hands on. 

He says: “This year we started with a Kenyan coffee but we’ve moved to an incredible natural processed Colombian from La Cristalina in Quindío, Colombia.” 

When it comes to the ideal roast profile, Scott says that it’s down to personal preference. Just like with coffee, a light or medium roast shows more of the characteristics of the terroir and growing region, while a darker roast will be bolder, with more “classic” coffee notes and body. 

To this end, Sam says he uses a medium roast as he feels that light roasts lack body and flavour while darker roasts have too much of it.

Sam makes his cold brew ice cream using a medium-light roast from Big Creek Coffee Roasters. He then steeps it in milk for 24 hours. 

“This gives the coffee time to steep all the way through and makes a full-bodied, rich concentrate,” he says. “That’s then cooked down with cream, sugar, and other ingredients. After that, it’s chilled again for another 24 hours before going into the ice cream machine.”

He stresses that a coarse grind is best when working with milk. 

He says: “You don’t want to use a fine grind or even a drip setting. Milk is much more dense than water and contains fat. When mixed with the coffee’s natural oils, it makes a dense and rich ice cream.”

No matter which origin or roast profile you select, your coffee’s quality will categorically affect the final product. 

José Ignacio Castillo is the owner of Gelateria La Romana in Mexico City. He says that the flavour of cold brew – and moreover, cold brew ice cream – “exposes the bean’s quality”.

He says: “Start the process with a quality coffee and you’ll get a nice, potent, and expressive result. If you don’t do it this way, you’ll have a disappointing result.”

Who does cold brew ice cream appeal to?

Scott says that his market for cold brew ice cream is made up of both daily coffee drinkers and people who enjoy iced coffee in summer. 

José agrees, noting that his cold brew ice cream is popular with regulars. However, he also notes that it’s “an alternative seasonal product”, not unlike flavoured autumn or winter coffees.

Sam, meanwhile, says: “My target market is real coffee lovers and those that want a little extra zip out of their ice cream. I don’t overwhelm it with sugar; I want to highlight the quality and profile of the coffee.” 

However, he also notes that it’s difficult to make cold brew ice cream en masse without compromising on quality.

“Quality dips when it’s made in large quantities,” he says. “I make three gallons of mix per batch and it may take 72 hours from start to finish, but it’s worth the wait to do it right.”

Does cold brew have potential on future coffee shop menus?

The simple answer: yes. Cold brew ice cream combines the popularity of a rapidly-growing product segment with a seasonal treat that works well in warmer climates.

Furthermore, the possibilities for experimentation are endless. José, for instance, explains how he’s started offering sorbets made from coffee.

He says: “Sorbet is a fantastic addition to the market. In Norwich, no one’s doing it yet, but in London a couple of places offer it, and it’s delicious.” 

Sam, meanwhile, is experimenting even further by integrating cold brew ice cream with meringue. 

“I take my ice cream to another level by layering salted vanilla meringue in each pint,” he says. It’s similar to having a cold brew with cold foam. The meringue doesn’t freeze and stays soft, taking the experience to another level.”

Another variation could even include combining it with condensed milk and serving it over ice will create a Vietnamese iced coffee. Adding it to smoothies can also add sweetness and body without increasing the sugar content.

The market for cold brew is continuing to grow, and so is its potential audience. This makes it a perfect time for specialty coffee businesses to experiment by adding other cold brew-derived products to their menus – such as cold brew ice cream.

If you decide to, then choose your coffee wisely. There is no single “best” coffee for making your ice cream, but you will need to balance your coffee’s unique flavours against the naturally creamy mouthfeel of ice cream.

However, if successful, you could create a summertime addition to your menu that helps grow your business far beyond a single season.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on Indonesia’s iced coffee revolution.

Photo credits: Sam Ortiz, José De Leon Guzman, Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post Exploring cold brew coffee ice cream appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Exploring cold brew coffee ice cream published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Cup O’ Joy Coffee Barn Opens in Edgerton, Ohio

With the opening of Cup O’ Joy Coffee Barn, Stephanie Walkup realized a dream that had been brewing in her heart for six years. “I was a nurse, then a stay-at-home mom with our four children,” Stephanie said. “Our youngest just entered kindergarten, opening up time for me to pursue my dream.” Although she loves […] Read More

The post Cup O’ Joy Coffee Barn Opens in Edgerton, Ohio appeared first on .

Cup O’ Joy Coffee Barn Opens in Edgerton, Ohio published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Coffee News Recap, 15 Oct: Coffee prices up 60% since January, WCC Covid-19 travel guidelines released & more

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories.

Mon, 11 Oct – Big Island Coffee Roasters announced as finalist in 2022 Roaster of the Year awards. Big Island Coffee Roasters’ finalist nomination marks the first time a Hawaiian coffee company has been nominated at the event. The awards are held by Roast Magazine.

Mon, 11 Oct – HOTELEX Guangzhou to take place in December 2021. The 3-day HoReCa expo will be held in Guangzhou from 16 to 18 December 2021. Over 600 exhibitors will be showcasing services and products, including coffee.

Mon, 11 Oct – Coffee prices continued to increase in September. The ICO reported a monthly average of US 170.02 cents/lb – a 60.6% increase compared to the start of the coffee year at US 105.85 cents/lb. Robusta prices increased the most, reaching over US 100 cents/lb for the first time since August 2017.

Mon, 11 Oct – aēralab to present fully automatic milk steamer at HostMilano 2021. The intelligent milk steaming system can automatically recognise which type of milk is being used, including plant-based options. A Belgian World Latte Art Champion will present the new device at the expo, held from 22 to 26 October.

Mon, 11 Oct – FNC reports Colombian coffee production increased 22% in September. Throughout last month, 1.2 million bags were produced, compared to 995,000 in September 2020. However, total coffee production this year is down by 5% compared to 2020.

Mon, 11 Oct – WCC Milan 2021 provides Covid-19 travel guidelines for attendees. Travellers are categorised by lists depending on the departing country. Most attendees will require either an approved Covid-19 vaccine, negative Covid-19 test, or proof of recovery from the virus. WCC Milan 2021 will take place at HostMilano from 22 to 26 October.

Mon, 11 Oct – Oatly to open innovation hub in Wihlborgs Science Village. The new hub will enable the oat milk company to focus on product development and innovation. The space will fully open in autumn 2023.

Mon, 11 Oct – Sucafina pilots water treatment programmes in east Africa. Sucafina’s sister companies are trialing three initiatives in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. The project in Rwanda will help to reduce carbon emissions to 1kg per 1kg of green coffee imported. Water filtration systems will also be installed for local communities.

Mon, 11 Oct – Nespresso announces its first-ever coffee sourced from Honduras in collaboration with Partnership for Central America. Nespresso CEO Guillaume Le Cunff held discussions in Washington DC with key US government partners. The Partnership for Central America is a non-profit organisation created by US Vice President Kamala Harris as part of her role overseeing diplomacy programmes in Central America.

Mon, 11 Oct – Reuters reports 10% of Colombia’s 2021 coffee production has not been exported. Reports claim farmers have defaulted on up to 1 million bags, which has caused coffee prices to increase. Farmers are claiming they will export the defaulted coffee later in the year, but traders, roasters, and retailers will be exposed to monetary losses.

Tue, 12 Oct – Royal Coffee to host Coffee Screen Sizes – A Remote Roasting & Grading Interactive Experience hybrid class. The two-hour class will be hosted by Education Director Chris Kornman and will cover both theoretical and practical elements of bean shape and size. Access to sample roasters is recommended for this class.

Tue, 12 Oct – Ratio Six becomes SCA-certified home brewer. The brewer maintains consistent water flow and temperature. Certified brewers undergo laboratory testing to meet SCA standards.

Tue, 12 Oct – Tim Hortons MENA appoints new CEO. Hesham Almekkawi has previously held executive positions in the US and UAE. Almekkawi will be responsible for outlet growth in the MENA region and developing leadership teams.

Tue, 12 Oct – Segafredo Zanetti opens two new locations in Mongolia. The first café opened in Nubia International Airport, while the second opened in the River Town Mall in Ulaanbaatar.

Tue, 12 Oct – Caribou Coffee launches franchise programme. The new launch will be the first time the coffee chain is allowing candidates to operate franchise locations in the US. In early 2021, Caribou partnered with Panera Bread and Einstein Bros to form Panera Brands. The franchise programme will focus on drive-thru store expansion.

Tue, 12 Oct – K Group and Paulig extend partnership to plant coffee trees in Nicaragua. Their sustainability project will aim to plant 70,000 new coffee plants at Paulig’s partner farms in the country. The coffees will be sold in K stores under Rainforest Alliance or UTZ-certified coffee products.

Wed, 13 Oct – NCA hosts Ethnicity and Coffee: What Are We Drinking? webinar. The online event covered how different demographics consume coffee differently, looking at rates of espresso consumption and preferred flavour profiles. Vice President of Research Dig Insights Cheryl Hung presented the webinar.

Wed, 13 Oct – Costa Coffee opens 200 new vending locations in Belgium. Costa’s “Marlow” vending machines are now available in select bars and restaurants in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, and Liège.

Wed, 13 Oct – National Science Foundation provides grant for research into sustainable Honduran coffee production. University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor of Environmental Conservation Timothy Randhir and David King of the USDA Forest Service will lead a five-year programme seeking to improve environmental, social, and economic sustainability in the Honduran coffee sector. Research will mainly be focused in the Yoro region of Honduras.

Wed, 13 Oct – Purdue University professor joins Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research team for coffee leaf rust research. Catherine Aime will lead a team of researchers working towards sequencing the CLR genome to eventually breed more resilient varieties. The research is supported by Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council.

Wed, 13 Oct – UK Coffee Week 2021 to be held from 18 to 24 October. The charity scheme is Project Waterfall’s flagship fundraising campaign – providing access to clean drinking water for coffee growing communities. UK businesses can register to take part and raise funds.

Wed, 13 Oct – Mokha Institute to be official organising partner for 2022 National Yemen Coffee Auction. The Yemeni non-profit will help to co-ordinate Yemen’s first public coffee auction, which will be held in May 2022. The Mokha Institute will host a webinar on 6 November discussing the lead-up to the auction.

Wed, 13 Oct – Uganda to leave ICO. Managing Director of the Ugandan Coffee Development Authority Dr. Emmanuel Lyamuleme Niyibigira issued a letter stating the authority will not extend the agreement past 1 February 2022. The reasons for leaving remain unknown.

Wed, 13 Oct – Costa Rica opens Laboratory of Molecular Biology for research on CLR. The Coffee Institute of Costa Rica opened the new research centre in partnership with the EU and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Researchers will develop more climate-resilient varieties and identify new coffee plants.

Thu, 14 Oct – Hotel chain Hilton partners with Bluestone Lane coffee roasters. The premium coffee chain will co-create food, coffee, and beverage programmes for Hilton’s Tempo brand hotel properties. Bluesone Lane will also act as Tempo’s exclusive provider of coffee and tea products.

Thu, 14 Oct – Smile Coffee Werks launches biodegradable straws. The single-use straws are certified home compostable by TÜV Rheinland DINCERTCO. The new products are available with or without paper sleeves.

Thu, 14 Oct – Nescafé Azera partners with The Prince’s Trust on packaging design campaign. The By Design campaign includes exclusive designs from artists from the UK youth charity. Nescafé will donate £150,000 (US $204,438) to The Prince’s Trust to support its programming for disadvantaged youth.

Thu, 14 Oct – Rancilio to provide technical support for 2021 Gelato Festival World Masters. Competitors in the final round will use the RS1 espresso machine and Kryo 65 OD grinder. The final will take place in Anzola dell’Emilia, Italy.

Thu, 14 Oct – Goshen Coffee to unveil new 2022 branding. The Illinois roaster welcomed a new CEO and COO in January 2021. As part of its 20th anniversary, Goshen will soon announce new branding, including its website and café interiors.

Thu, 14 Oct – WCR to host Producing more coffee—good or bad for farmers? webinar on 20 October. The virtual event will explore research from LSE and University of Naples Parthenope on the effects of coffee productivity on farmers, using data from Enveritas. The webinar will be held at 16:00 CEST.

Fri, 15 Oct – UN FAO hosts A Dialogue on Tea and Coffee webinar for World Food Day. The virtual event, taking place at 14:30 CEST, will discuss the cultural significance of tea and coffee. Speakers include illycaffè chair Andrea Illy and deputy editor of The Economist Tom Standage.

Fri, 15 Oct – Brazil coffee exports hit 4-year low. Cecafé says that all forms of Brazilian coffee exports fell by an average of 26.5% in September. Green arabica exports fell to 2,422,269 bags, while green robusta exports fell 51.8% to 326,045 bags.

Fri, 15 Oct – US coffee businesses may be eligible for Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) grant programme. Grants can range from US $1,500 to $20,000 for small businesses and non-profits working in agriculture and food production. Applications close on 22 November.

Fri, 15 Oct – Kaffe Bueno receives €2.5 million (US $2.9 million) grant from European Innovation Council. The coffee research organisation will use the grant to build the world’s first coffee biorefinery in Denmark. Kaffe Bueno will focus its research on breaking beans into base components to produce functional, health-forward ingredients for the food and beverage industry.

Here are a few news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

Fri, 1 Oct – Cecafé and BSCA host global events for International Coffee Day. A number of in-person events were held in countries such as Italy, Australia, and India. Cafés in Sydney served 7,000 coffees in personalised cups with QR codes to promote consumption of Brazilian coffee.

Tue, 5 Oct – Chemex launches Funnex filter brewer. The double-walled glass brewer can be placed on mugs and carafes to extract single cups or batches. Chemex filters can be used with the new brewer.

Tue, 5 Oct – illycaffè renews partnership with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. The ceremony is set to take place from 3 to 5 October in Antwerp. The 100% arabica illy blend will be served at the event.

Wed, 6 Oct – BSCA hosts 20th episode of The History of Special Coffee web series. In partnership with Café Editora, this episode focused on the importance of the roasting stage on the supply chain. New episodes are uploaded every Wednesday.

Wed, 6 Oct – Oatly experiences supply chain shortages. CEO Toni Petersson stated the company is currently able to fulfil around 70% of demand. He added that the new US and UK production facilities will enable Oatly to fulfil 100% of demand. Shares of Oatly have decreased by some 50% since its IPO launch in May 2021.

Thu, 7 Oct – Asia-Pacific plant-based milk market to reach US $19.8 billion by 2031. China is expected to see the most growth as consumers opt for more functional and health-focused beverages. Almond milk is a key driver of market growth throughout the region.

Thu, 7 Oct – Tchibo launches pop-up coffee shops in Chicago. As part of the company’s campaign for International Coffee Month, the mobile coffee tour was available from 7 to 10 October and will also be open from 14 to 17 October.

Fri, 8 Oct – Löfbergs partners with Circle K on Rescued Coffee project. The new initiative produces exclusive blends from coffees that would otherwise be wasted due to damage to packaging or roasting and grinding issues. The dark roast South and Central America and southeast Asia coffee blend is sold in Circle K stores.

Sun, 10 Oct – Applications close for 2022 NCA Charity Showcase and Award. The annual award event honours charities supporting coffee-growing communities. The ceremony will take place on 8 March 2022 at the NCA’s annual convention.

Sun, 10 Oct – Gruppo Cimbali debuts new Faemina at 2021 Vienna Coffee Festival. The prosumer and small business espresso machine includes two boilers and water softening technology. The festival took place from 8 to 10 October in the Austrian capital.

Sign up to our weekly coffee news recap to get a summary of all the biggest stories in the sector, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.

Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s stories.

The post Coffee News Recap, 15 Oct: Coffee prices up 60% since January, WCC Covid-19 travel guidelines released & more appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Coffee News Recap, 15 Oct: Coffee prices up 60% since January, WCC Covid-19 travel guidelines released & more published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

Why is the C Market Up?

The C market is now trading at $2.15/lb, back above the level reached immediately following the Brazil frost this summer (southern hemisphere winter). This is in spite of nearly ideal rainfall patterns in Brazil. Drought no longer seems to be on the table. The primary reason for the increase is a draw down in certified […] Why is the C Market Up? published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

How to host a sustainable latte art throwdown

In recent years, latte art throwdowns have become a staple of the coffee sector, allowing baristas and coffee enthusiasts to celebrate one of the more artful sides of coffee brewing. While they are broadly more small-scale than national latte art competitions, they can also play an important role in bringing together local coffee communities.

However, with sustainability higher up the agenda than ever for the coffee sector, there are understandably concerns about the sheer volume of milk and coffee that is wasted at each latte art throwdown.

Recognising the popularity of these events and the need to be more sustainable, zero-waste latte art throwdowns have become more popular in recent years. But how are they different? And how do their hosts cut down the waste? To learn more, I spoke to two latte art champions. Read on to find out what they said.

You may also like our article on creating a coffee shop food menu that minimises waste.

What is a latte art throwdown?

Gregory Raymond is Head Barista and Events Manager at Carasso in Geneva. He is also the 2019 and 2020 Swiss Latte Art champion.

He says: “In addition to the national championships, we have small friendly competitions between baristas to have fun and share latte art.”

Although both national and international latte competitions have strict rules for competitors, throwdowns tend to have more relaxed guidelines. 

They are usually hosted by coffee shops, who can invite both the public and local coffee professionals to take part – although experience pouring latte art is preferred.

“As many people can compete as possible,” Gregory says. However, generally, an even number of competitors is favourable, as participants usually compete in “knockout” rounds.

Each throwdown host can create its own rules for the competition, but the main aim of a throwdown is to produce the most visually-appealing latte art. For example, The New Zealand Barista Guild has a set of latte art throwdown judging guidelines based on symmetry, colour contrast, use of space in the cup, and overall visual appeal.

Milk should be free-poured, and ideally, there should be no spilling down the side of the cup. Competitors are provided with both milk and espresso, and will usually have the espresso shots extracted for them. This allows them to focus solely on steaming and pouring milk.

The size of each drink is around 260ml (8.8oz), which is the typical size of a small latte in most specialty cafés. This size provides more experienced participants with enough space in the cup to pour high quality latte art.

Competitors will either be told to pour a specific latte art pattern, or can pour a pattern of their choice. Common designs include a heart, rosetta, or tulip.

Each round is timed, typically giving competitors a few minutes to prepare their milk and pour latte art for one beverage. Once poured, the beverage is presented to a panel of judges who decide on a winner for each round.

Producing coffee and milk waste

The global coffee supply chain produces some 23 million tons of waste every year. In coffee shops, this includes leftover steamed milk, spent coffee grounds, and incorrectly-extracted espresso. 

This has a cost for businesses, too. Scott Rao estimates that every day, each café in the US wastes around US $15 of milk by pouring too much into pitchers. 

Even if baristas pour 30ml (1oz) extra milk into the pitcher for each beverage they make, this could translate to annual losses of around US $700 on milk waste alone.

However, at latte art throwdowns, it’s not only leftover milk and coffee grounds that are classed as waste. The beverages that competitors produce are also technically waste, as they are not being purchased by customers. 

“It takes at least 300ml of milk per participant per round, including the shots of espresso,” Gregory explains. “If you have about 20 participants, it creates a significant amount of waste.”

Furthermore, for less-experienced throwdown competitors, it can be difficult to assess how much milk is required for each beverage, especially without measurement indicators in jugs. This can lead to more leftover milk at the end of each round, increasing waste significantly.

Manuela Fensore is the co-founder of Barlady Café and Academy, and the 2019 World Latte Art champion. She believes that good waste management is necessary for throwdowns.

“Event organisers can track milk and coffee usage based on the number of event attendees,” Manuela says. 

However, as some throwdowns have no real limit on the number of participants, the number of beverages that are produced can in theory be immense. This, in turn, leads to huge amounts of wasted coffee and milk.

Why do we need to reduce waste?

Around the world, it’s estimated that food waste has an annual global carbon footprint of around 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2.carbon dioxide. 

This is largely because most food waste ends up in landfills. In this anaerobic environment, it cannot biodegrade under optimal conditions, and produces significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than it otherwise would.

Furthermore, while milk and espresso can be poured away, coffee grounds are solid food waste. Latte art throwdowns often include 20 or more participants competing in several rounds, so there can be up to several kilograms of spent coffee grounds at the end of the competition.

Around the world, a number of different initiatives are working to create a circular economy that reuses spent coffee grounds. For instance, bio-bean collects coffee grounds from local cafés to create biofuel, turning them into barbecue coals and biomass pellets. 

Coffee grounds can also be used as compost or plant food; GroCycle, for example, reuses coffee waste to grow mushrooms that can be commercially sold. Finally, in The @wastingcoffee Guide to Not Wasting Coffee, author Umeko Motoyoshi encourages cafés to donate coffee grounds to any similar local initiatives.

Beyond coffee waste, there is also the issue of the milk to contend with. Cow’s milk is typically used at throwdowns as it generally performs better for latte art than plant-based alternatives. 

However, one litre of dairy milk produces around 3.2kg of greenhouse gas emissions – compared to 1kg for soy, or 0.7kg for almond. Last year, it was estimated that the largest dairy companies in the world emit the same levels of greenhouse gases as the entire population of the UK.

In response to concerns over using dairy at throwdowns, more plant-based events have been organised in recent years. For instance, at the 2015 New York Coffee Festival, Pacific Foods hosted a throwdown using only coconut and almond milks to promote more environmentally-friendly coffee events. 

Hosting a zero-waste latte art throwdown

Firstly, some events have in recent years started to reuse the beverages that competitors prepare after the event. Once cooled, lattes can then be used to create mocktails or cocktails for attendees or spectators, for instance.

“I participated in an excellent zero waste throwdown as a judge at MAME,” Gregory notes. “All cups were reworked and served as cocktails.”

Oatly has even hosted a number of international zero-waste latte art throwdowns, where competitors’ oat milk beverages are made into beverages for spectators and Umeko also points out in their book that beverages prepared during throwdowns can even then be used in cooking or baking.

But, are there any ways to completely eliminate the use of coffee and milk at latte art throwdowns?

“You can actually replace milk and coffee with alternative products,” Manuela tells me. “Coffee is usually replaced with food colouring; more recently, soap products have been added to water to create the same effect as milk foam.”

One of these products is BCB, Gregory tells me. “It is a liquid which, when added to water, transforms to become [the] equivalent [of] steamed milk,” he explains.

This BCB-water mixture can then be steamed using an espresso machine. One 30ml bottle of BCB can replace up to 20 litres of milk, and will still produce high-quality latte art with every cup. 

Manuela also notes that high-level training can also help competitors reduce waste at throwdowns.

“One thing you can do is keep the wrist trained with milk jug exercises,” Manuela explains. “My partner and I, Carmen Clemente, created the ‘Gym Latte Art’, which helps the latte artist with muscle memory.

“It is a programme that trains the muscles that are used while pouring latte art. We have noticed that training these muscles can actually reduce any waste of milk and coffee.”

Alongside training, using better equipment can also minimise waste. Milk jugs used for competitions tend to have smaller and more precise spouts, which allow baristas to pour with more control. 

Using these jugs, as well as those with measurement indicators for more precise dosing, can help competitors pour the optimal levels of milk – and waste less.

Although organising coffee events can be challenging, ensuring events remain sustainable is essential in today’s coffee sector.

Wasteless latte art throwdowns can inspire coffee communities to seek out creative ways to be sustainable, and they can even help baristas to be less wasteful during their day-to-day work. 

If competitors seek to use as little milk and coffee as possible at throwdowns, they can translate this focus on sustainability to their day-to-day job role. In turn, this helps minimise a coffee shop’s environmental impact, and can save the café more money in the medium and long term.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how to organise a latte art throwdown in seven steps.

Photo credits: Adrian Huber, Gregory Raymond

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post How to host a sustainable latte art throwdown appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

How to host a sustainable latte art throwdown published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/

[cliftonsteen]

A guide to Tanzanian coffee production

Tanzania is the fourth-largest coffee producer in Africa, behind Ethiopia, Uganda, and Cote D’Ivoire. Despite this, the local coffee industry has faced challenges in recent years, with yields falling since a peak in the late 1990s. 

Despite this downward trend, coffee remains a key driver of the Tanzanian economy, and is the country’s largest export crop. So, how are things changing, and what are producers looking to do?

To answer this question and learn more, I spoke with a local coffee industry expert. He told me more about Tanzania’s coffee industry and how it aims to increase its production figures. Read on to learn more.

You may also like our article on the origins of coffee in Africa.

Tanzania’s coffee industry: A profile

Coffee was introduced to Tanzania from the Réunion, a French island off the east coast of Africa formerly known as Bourbon. Although it arrived as early as the 16th century, it did not receive major attention in the region until the arrival of German missionaries some 200 years later. 

Since the 19th century, coffee has been one of the most important exports in the country. It only makes up 0.7% of the global coffee trade, but it is the largest export crop in Tanzania – and has only recently been overtaken by other industries, such as tourism and mining.

It is estimated that over 320,000 smallholder farming households are responsible for 95% of the coffee production in the country. 

These families farm an average area of 0.5 to 1.0 hectares each, with the remaining 5% of all coffee produced by some 110 estates. An estimated two million additional people are employed either directly or indirectly in Tanzania’s coffee industry.

However, since the late 1990s, production figures have stagnated and fallen in various parts of the country, settling somewhere around 50,000 metric tonnes. They reached a brief peak in the mid-2000s, but broadly speaking, the industry is struggling to increase its production volumes.

This is for a number of reasons, but perhaps most notable was the arrival of coffee wilt disease in 1997. This disease (which affects both arabica and robusta plants) is caused by the tracheomycosis fungus, and results in the irreversible death of the coffee plant. 

Since the late 1990s, coffee wilt disease and a number of other environmental challenges have meant that individual plant yields have decreased. Furthermore, farmgate prices in Tanzania remain low. 

Growing regions and production profile

Keremba Brian Warioba is director and founder of Communal Shamba Coffee, a Tanzanian organisation that describes itself as a “catalyst for long-term social change”. Its works with smallholder farmers in the country’s Southern Highlands to support them to harvest and process their coffee.

Keremba says that Tanzania produces both robusta and arabica coffee, over 90% of which is exported. He notes that arabica is principally produced in the Ruvuma, Mbeya, Arusha, and Songwe regions, which are all located in the country’s Southern Highlands. 

However, coffee is also cultivated on the Tanzanian slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru in the northern reaches of the country, often under the shade of banana trees.

Keremba adds that arabica comprises 70% of all coffee grown in Tanzania, and says that the main varieties are Bourbon and Kent. However, other popular varieties include Typica, Nyassa, and N39. 

The Tanzania Coffee Research Institute has also released some more experimental varieties to local producers, which include SC 3, SC 11, SC 14, SC 9, and KP 423.

Robusta, however, makes up the remaining 30%. “This is produced primarily in the Kagera region, in the north west of the country, by the shores of Lake Victoria,” Keremba explains.

As with many major African origins, Tanzanian arabica is classically associated with the washed coffee profile: clean, bright, and floral. 

However, the split in arabica production between the country’s mountainous Northern Zone and rainy Southern Highlands means that there is a distinct difference in flavour between the two.

Northern coffees tend to have a pleasant aroma, a rich acidity and mouthfeel, and a sweet, balanced taste. These characteristics are derived from the mineral nutrients found in the region’s mountainous volcanic soils.

Southern coffees, meanwhile, are characteristically medium-bodied with fine acidity. They generally have good fruity and floral aromas and flavours. 

Harvest & processing

Harvest periods in Tanzania depend on the region, but the ICO includes the country in its July group.

Keremba says: “In the north, harvest runs from July to December, and the same is true in the south. However, in the west, harvest runs from May to October.”

However, once the coffee is picked, processing can be an issue for farmers who are far from washing stations. Some will depulp using hand pulpers and process themselves, but many deliver their cherries to central pulping units.

“Many co-operatives own these units,” Keremba says. “Some of the members carry out a level of home processing before delivering it to these societies. 

“There are curing stations in Tanzania that aim to add value to cherries by processing it to high-quality, very marketable green coffee.”

Some 90% of the arabica produced in the country is washed. After processing and drying, however, coffee is then graded. Tanzania has its own grading system with a dozen individual grades: AAA, AA, A, B, PB, C, E, F, AF, TT, UG, and TEX. 

It goes without saying that the bigger the size, the more money the bean fetches. Perhaps the most popular among the grades is the Tanzanian Peaberry (PB), which is extremely sought after in both Japan and the USA.

Robusta, however, is typically natural processed. After drying, it is also graded according to size. However, Keremba notes that some experiments are underway with washed robusta and both natural and honey arabica, as producers try to diversify the cup profile of their crop.

Structure of coffee production & processing

“Smallholder farmers are organised into what we call agricultural marketing co-operative societies (AMCOS),” Keremba says. “Each AMCOS is the equivalent of a traditional co-operative.”

The AMCOS model became more prominent after the government introduced a number of dramatic, sudden regulatory changes to the coffee sector in 2018. 

Before these changes, both private buyers and exporters could buy both cherry and parchment, alongside co-operatives purchasing them from individual farmers. However, the new regulations stipulated that only co-operatives could buy cherry and parchment. 

These regulations came into effect with little notice just a few years ago. In the months afterwards, several local banks in coffee producing regions were forced to close, and a handful of private investors pulled out completely. 

Today, the AMCOS model is prominent in the Shilanga, Itete, Ilomba, Idiwili, Shinzingo, and Sambewe regions, among many others. 

Trade and marketing

“In Tanzania, large estates are licensed to process and sell their own coffee,” Keremba says. This is usually through direct export.” 

In the past, coffee buyers, exporters, and coffee processors in Tanzania generally preferred to buy coffee cherries, rather than green beans. This gave them more control over the washing process, as the quality of washing and drying can vary widely between smallholder farmers.

This was the case until 2018, when the new regulations came into effect. Now, coffee is broadly only sold as green, either through auction or through direct export. 

There are a number of regional coffee exchanges in Tanzania, including Songwe, Mbinga, and the main auction in Moshi. Auctions are held weekly on every Thursday, depending on the season and volumes. 

At these auctions, AMCOS offer coffee on behalf of farmers, and only licensed buyers and coffee dealers are allowed to bid.

However, beyond the auction system, there is an active “internal market” in Tanzania. This is where farmers sell their coffee to private coffee buyers, farmer groups, and co-operatives at farmgate prices. Coffee is sold as both cherry and parchment.

Some farmers of higher-quality coffee are also permitted to bypass the auction framework and sell their coffee directly. This enables farmers to establish long-term relationships with roasters and international traders.

The main export destinations for Tanzanian coffee are Japan, Italy, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Finland. 

Challenges facing the industry

Alongside the aforementioned issues with coffee wilt disease, there are a number of reasons that Tanzania’s coffee production figures are stalling.

Firstly, Keremba notes that Tanzanian coffee plants are broadly very old. 

“A large number of older coffee trees in Tanzania are not capable of realising their full potential of yields,” he says. “Farmers are paying the price for it. 

“Beyond that, highly volatile coffee prices and other factors cause dramatic fluctuations in Tanzania’s coffee production.”

Infrastructure is also an issue. A lack of access to mechanised irrigation systems is one of the biggest challenges facing smallholder farmers, who often struggle to source water at critical periods during the growing season.

“Tanzania also suffers from poor agricultural practices in many cases because of a lack of extension services and technical support,” Keremba adds. “This hampers production and thereby increases the cost of production.”

He concludes by noting that farmers also struggle to access credit and farming inputs. Generally, he says, fertiliser and pesticide use is low, leading to issues with pests and diseases.

Finally, there is a reputational issue with the country’s coffee in Tanzania itself. Most Tanzanian coffee is exported, and very little remains for the underdeveloped internal market.

As a result, a 2020 report suggested that most Tanzanians consider local coffee to be low in quality, as the best product is exported. Even then, remaining good-quality coffee is generally sold to tourist attractions and does not make its way into the Tanzanian internal market.

While this is still an issue, things are changing, and domestic consumption is an upward trajectory. Around 7% of Tanzanian coffee is now consumed locally, up from 2% a couple of years ago.

Looking ahead

Despite these challenges, Keremba says that the future of the Tanzanian coffee sector looks very bright. Stakeholders across the supply chain are taking the sector seriously, with emphasis on quality, reducing production costs, and improving yields.

He says: “The Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB) is implementing a government sponsored coffee programme that aims to increase production to more than 300,000 tonnes by improving agricultural practices.”

This strategy will focus on seedling production and distributing agricultural inputs across Tanzania. It has already seen some success, with a reported 73,000 tonnes of green coffee produced in the 2020/21 crop year, up from figures of 50,000 tonnes in the past few years.

Farmers are also planting improved varieties, while the private sector is being encouraged to establish new farms entirely. Keremba adds that “high potential” areas are being developed to realise the full output of the sector.

Through a combination of efforts by co-operatives and the government, Tanzania’s national average yield is expected to increase from the current 250kg/ha to 600kg/ha as productivity initiatives take shape.

One of the country’s largest issues remains the lack of a prominent local coffee culture. If this hurdle can be overcome, perhaps the country’s perception of coffee will change, leading to progress throughout the production chain.

Keremba concludes by saying: “Watch out Kenya, watch out Ethiopia, the small brother is ready to step up. We are going straight to the top. In the next five to six years, we aim to be at the top of the production charts.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on tackling the challenges of trading coffee in East Africa.

Photo credits: Peter Gakuo, Unsplash

Perfect Daily Grind

Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter!

The post A guide to Tanzanian coffee production appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

A guide to Tanzanian coffee production published first on https://espressoexpertweb.weebly.com/