Last month, I was fortunate enough to lead the Roasters Guild Origin Trip to Peru on behalf of the RG Executive Council. Our trip began in Lima where we were invited to participate at the ExpoCafe 2014, which gathered almost 5,000 people together, comprised of farmers, fertilizer suppliers, and processing equipment manufacturers. We had the …
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) announced today that Willem Boot has stepped down from the SCAA Board of Directors and thanks him for his efforts and significant contributions to the industry. Aida Batlle, a notable coffee producer from El Salvador with SCAA member company Everest S.A., will fill this open spot on the …
By Sarah Leslie, Regional Manager and Trainer, Gimme! Coffee “The Specialty Coffee Experience” is a topic that I find very exciting—but also overwhelming. With each new barista I train or coffee that I taste, I am always thinking: How can I ensure that specialty coffee is attainable and approachable? How can I provide opportunities for …
By Sam Lewontin, Cafe Manager, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY During the last decade, the preparation and service elements of specialty coffee in the United States have developed at a dizzying rate. Thanks to the care and intentionality of professionals at all stages of the game, the coffee that we’re drinking and serving now is leaps …
By John Barnett and Anna Burles, JB | AB Design Designing a coffee shop isn’t just about getting the right look. Or serving the best coffee. It’s about creating an experience which not only shouts about the amazingness of your coffee, and how that makes people feel good, but also an experience which gives a …
By Christopher Schooley, Coffee Shrub How do you talk about roasting with your customers? This is a question I’ve asked a number of coffee roasters over the years. Some roasters talk about profiles and development of flavors, some talk about the roasting machine and technology, and some simply don’t talk about it and focus more …
Interview With Richard Young, Food Service Technology Center Chronicle: Your work focuses on promoting energy efficiency practices in the food service sector. What are some of the ways you explain why it is important to care about these efforts? Richard: Commercial food service operations, from cafes to cafeterias, are very energy-intensive. Most operators have no idea what …
By Colin Whitcomb For those who build and run specialty coffee shops, the big question is: How do we want people to experience coffee? It’s a loaded question, as answering it requires probing even further: How do we want people to drink coffee? How do they interact with coffee? Should they be drinking black coffee …
By Michael Kaiser I was not born a coffee farmer, but providence would introduce me to one. In July of 2011, one month after moving to El Salvador, I found myself across the table from Emilio Lopez Diaz, listening to the story of Cuatro M, the collection of coffee farms, processing facilities and their exporting …
Who are you and what do you do in coffee? I’m Andy Sprenger, the owner of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters in Lakewood, CO. Right now I’m working on building out the space for the roastery/cafe, and everything else that opening a business involves. Soon we’ll be roasting and brewing beautiful coffee for the good people …