Interviews by Will Frith Quang, La Viet Specialty Coffee Why do people leave coffee farming in Vietnam? All the young guys want to discover a new world; they’re attracted the bright lights of the city – even if they have to rent a house and get a very low salary, just enough to cover their …
Today we received news of the first national coffee cupping competition, held in Myanmar this past May, where two women smallholder farmers were awarded first and second place in their category and the overall event at Myanmar’s first national cupping competition held in Yangon. Results were announced and trophies presented at a formal ceremony last week in …
By Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director, SCAA We have had a chance to get a tremendous amount of input over the past few weeks on the regional barista competitions and their place in our community. All of the staff and directors at the SCAA recognize the value these events bring to a wide range of stakeholders, …
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA At SCAA, we love seeing members come into the office. This week’s coffee talk was a particularly special treat as Barista Guild of America Executive Council member Alexandra LittleJohn of Equator Coffees and Teas came by and prepared coffee for us. Alex came by and told us about a coffee and espresso …
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), the organization who produces the United States Coffee Championships, has announced changes to the prequalification system for the United States Barista Championship (USBC). Competitors will be able to register to compete at the USBC, beginning in the 2016 cycle, as follows: Baristas who either hold a level 1 …
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has published the 2014 Barista and Roaster Compensation Report, which shows that while some coffee professionals are paid only slightly over minimum wage, certification plays a key role in advancing their compensation. The objective of this report, conducted in conjunction with Marketing General, Inc. (MGI), is to recognize …
The first-ever specialty coffee cupping competition in the DRC, Saveur du Kivu, took place with great Congolese and international fanfare on June 2nd and 3rd. The events were hosted by the Government of South Kivu and the National Coffee Organization of DRC, and the competition followed Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) global standards to …
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has announced the selection of Kim Elena Ionescu as its new Director of Sustainability. Ionescu will be the first to hold the new role within the organization, which was created as part of a larger effort to grow SCAA’s work in the sustainability sector. “We are very pleased …
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA “Summer is just around the corner, which means that I start getting Facebook messages and reporters calling about iced coffee,” said Peter Giuliano at the beginning of this week’s coffee talk. “I’ve worked for over a quarter-century in coffee, and I swear I’m going to be remembered for my position on iced …
On Sunday, May 24, a team of nine women will embark upon Run Across Congo, seven marathons in seven days through South Kivu, in an effort to shine a light on the remarkable Congolese communities striving every day to improve their lives and build a sustainable future. “We hope that this light will be so bright it …