Meeting Around the Cupping Table
By Wendy Rassmussen If there is a metaphorical heartbeat in the coffee industry, then my suspicion is that it exists around the cupping table. If you think about it, here is where the hard work of the farmer meets the desire of the consumer; here is where the “rubber meets the road;” or, more aptly, …
The SCAA Recognition Awards Process
By Timothy J. Castle Having participated on the SCAA awards committee for the past two years, this last year as chairman of the committee, some observations have come to mind that were not previously obvious to me with regard to the awards process. First of all, as an organization, we make a big assumptions when …
Ensuring the Sustainability of Coffee
By Kim Elena Ionescu It is in the best interest of every single one of the millions of people who depend on coffee for a living to protect the future of our industry—yet, few of us feel like it’s our job. Sure, it’s important, and maybe even interesting, but who has the time? As the …
Reflections from the Randy Wirth Fellow
By Mbula Musau When I applied for the Re:co symposium scholarship for 2016, I was just a curious Kenyan coffee girl, eager to learn what was happening in the world of coffee since I’d last checked a few minutes ago. In the coffee world, something new to you or your coffee friends is being unleashed …
Re:co Symposium: Building a Shared Understanding
By Jimmy Sherfey Re:co. It’s a just a name, but it’s a good one. It’s a play on memo speak, the email shorthand which most efficiently expounds on a shared understanding. The constant drive to reach an understanding, to share information that is best of our knowledge—this what Re:co is about. While the act of …
Barista Guild of America: The Largest Network for the Professional Barista
By Alexandra LittleJohn Why does anyone join a club, group, team, or guild? Because they want to be a part of that particular group’s vision, and help it become a reality. Well, at least that’s why I joined the Barista Guild of America (BGA). I wanted to be a part of building the world’s largest …
The Roasters Guild: Building a Community at the SCAA Expo
By Timothy J. Castle Embarking upon SCAA’s Annual Expo is always an amazing, adrenalin-filled experience for me. I feel like I’m about to get on a roller coaster! The opening receptions and meetings allow me to appreciate how much we’ve grown as an industry, and how much enthusiasm, energy, and commitment an ever-increasing number of …
SCAA’s Global Campus Network
By Kim Ta, SCAA Where can I get SCAA education? How do I start? How much does it cost? These questions, along with many others, are asked daily by many who are just starting in the specialty coffee industry, as well as those looking to further their careers. Since my beginnings at SCAA as a …
SCAA Explores the Development of New Guilds
Coffee Technicians Guild and Coffee Producers Guild By Mansi Chokshi, SCAA The Specialty Coffee Association of America is a mutual benefit trade association with many constituents in the coffee industry. To serve those constituents, we offer both organization and individual memberships. While the organization members are split by business type, the individuals are more commonly …
SCAA Introduces Scientific Poster Session at Expo
By Emma Sage, SCAA What can you expect at the first SCAA Scientific Poster Session? Make new connections Advance your coffee science knowledge Meet scientists Learn about the most recent, compelling research going on around the world on coffee. This year, why not take a few minutes to learn about something new? The first ever …
How Does Climate Change Affect Coffee?
By Hanna Neuschwander Experts agree that climate change poses a significant threat to coffee. But what is being done about it? A panel of industry leaders convened at Re:co Symposium to discuss just how far we’ve come since climate change first appeared on our radar over a decade ago—and just how far we have left …
SCAA Membership: The Value of Community
By Jenni Morse SCAA has been an instrumental partner to our company: Simpli Press Coffee. We are currently redesigning the French press (without the mess and yielding a smoother, more complex brew). Being new to the coffee industry and a startup, we needed to find our network, and fast. I joined SCAA to learn more about …