Also making its return to Peet’s Winter Menu is the Ethiopian Super Natural. For the last 20 years, this blend has become a staple on the brand’s coffee-first seasonal menu and is known for distinctive notes of wild blueberries and white flower that are balanced with a candied citron sweetness. The Ethiopian Super Natural is offered only as bagged coffee for purchase in-store or online. The blend is also displayed as whole bean, but can be ground to the customer’s preference upon purchase. The Ethiopian Super Natural is available for $22.95/lb.

Peet’s Coffee Winter Beverage menu includes:

•  Espresso: A single shot of Espresso Forté delivers rich layers of flavor and perfect crema. Opening notes of hazelnut are followed by notes of caramel and citrus zest.
• Traditional Cappuccino: A single shot of Espresso Forté gets a refreshing dose of microfoam for the perfect espresso to milk proportion—all served in a 6 oz. cup.
• Caffè Macchiato: Simply satisfying, our Caffè Macchiato features a ristretto (short shot) marked with a dash of perfectly steamed milk and foam.
• Golden Caffè Latte: Our Golden Caffè Latte pairs Espresso Forté with perfectly steamed milk and a syrup with notes of turmeric, honey, and ginger.
• Caffè Cortado: Invented in Spain, “Cortado” means “cut” in Spanish. Here at Peet’s, we cut a shot of bold espresso with an equal amount of velvety steamed milk.

The Winter Menu offerings will be available beginning 3 January 3 at local Peet’s Coffee stores.

The post Peet’s Coffee launches Winter Beverage menu appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Hagen (The Hagen Project), is a premium coffee brand born out of Copenhagen and founded in London.

“Hagen is focused on delivering premium specialty coffee and committed to doing that sustainably,” said Tim Schroeder, founder of The Hagen Project. “By partnering with Bellwether Coffee to roast our coffee blends in-house on the all-electric, ventless machine, we are continuing to provide our guests with the best in Danish hospitality while reducing our carbon footprint. It allows us to strengthen our brand even further with increased quality and product control, which in turn will grow our business for the future.”

“Our partnership with Hagen marks an important step in the electrification of coffee roasting, as it is the first in Europe to implement our clean technology that is revolutionising the industry,” said Ben Ireland, European managing director of Bellwether Coffee. “Hagen will pioneer electric roasting in London and prove to discerning European coffee consumers that sustainable on-site roasting with Bellwether provides the trifecta of superior taste, quality, and sustainability.”

The post Bellwether Coffee collaborates with Hagen on electric roasting appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Sumidagawa Brewing.
Image: Yumi Nakatsugwa

Asahi YOU. US, Ltd has found an innovative way to further the circular economy. The wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Group Japan, Ltd, was established in January 2022 with a focus on sustainable products and activities, not only within the Asahi Group but also in collaboration with municipalities, universities as well as other business entities. Coffee and tea companies are now benefitting from two of its craft beers, Kuramae Black and Sayama Green, which are using coffee and green tea remnants or by-products that are infused into the beer.

Kuramae Black is a coffee-blended stout beer, named Kuramae after the location of Asahi’s initial product partner, Ennoki coffee roastery. The company hopes Kuramae Black will become popular among the local community and be recognised as a special product of the region. As a coffee roaster, Ennoki conducts test roasts before finalising the roasting profile of each coffee bean. They were concerned that there was nothing to do with the remaining test-roasted beans after cupping, other than discard them. Subsequently, Asahi YOU. US developed the idea of making a craft beer using the test-roasted coffee bean.

Kuramae Black launched in July 2021. It is brewed in Sumidagawa Brewing, which had been experimenting with a coffee-flavoured beer for a long time, and it was aware that stout beer could be the best to blend with brewed coffee, as it has some similarities in colour and flavour. “Since we source the test-roasted coffee from Ennoki and another two roasters now, we cannot expect a high level of consistency unlike when we order the specific blend for the product. We closely communicate with those roasters about when and how many beans we need for the next batch so that they can prepare the stock,” said Ichiro Moda, unit leader of Asahi YOU. US. “However, it is inevitable that the taste and flavour of the bean as well as those of Kuramae Black are slightly different each time. We positively see this variability as one of the characteristics of Kuramae Black.”

Sumidagawa Brewing, a microbrewery located on the premises of the Asahi Group’s head office, produces craft beers such as Kuramae Black and Sayama Green. It was originally established in 1995, and now is under the management of Asahi YOU. US. When making Kuramae Black, it brews stout beer and coffee separately, then blends them at about 70 and 30 percent, respectively. The stout beer contains 7-8 percent alcohol, which is reduced to 4.5 percent in Kuramae Black.

Left: Kuramae Black. Right: Sayama Green
Images: Asahi YOU. US, Ltd

Going Green

Sayama Green is beer blended with a green tea infusion, which launched in April 2022. Sayama in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, is one of the most famous tea-producing districts in Japan. When making Sayama Green, they use a by-product of sencha called keba-cha (hairy tea). Keba-cha is the surface of the stem of the tea leaves that comes off during the rolling and drying process and is separated from the sencha in the final cleaning by a sorting machine.

When producing Sayama Green, keba-cha is brewed in room temperature water for three hours in order to extract a clear liquor with sweetness and umami, without much bitterness or astringency. After the infused keba-cha is strained, the liquor is boiled for a few seconds to sanitise it. Finally, the cooled infusion is blended with an Indian Pale Ale (IPA) of 30 to 70 percent, with an alcohol content of 4.5 percent.

Keba-cha is sourced from three young tea producers in Sayama: Okutomien, Yokotaen and Ishidaen. Masahiro Okutomi of Okutomien explained, “When neatly shaped whole leaf sencha is sorted, some by-products are collected separately such as stems, powdery leaf, keba-cha and so on. Those by-products are still drinkable and usable teas. They are refined by firing or roasting, then sold as stem tea, roasted tea, or powdery tea in tea shops. Keba-cha can be added to tea bags after cutting into smaller particles.” He said that it is also helpful to clean up the tea- processing machines before resuming manufacturing, since the hairy keba-cha can absorb tiny dust or odour in the machines. “We are pleased to offer keba-cha as a raw material for Sayama Green, that is a unique and effective way to utilise keba-cha and increase its value.”

Asahi YOU. US supplies its craft beers in barrels for catering services, mainly beer restaurants or pubs in the neighbouring areas. The canned products are also sold in liquor shops or ecommerce sites. The company produced 3,300 litres of Kuramae Black in 2022 and estimates it will produce 4,200 litres in 2023. Asahi YOU brewed 4,050 litres of Sayama Green in 2022 and expects 4,100 in 2023.

• Yumi Nakatsugawa has been working as a freelance writer specialising in food and restaurant management. While freelancing, she developed a love of black tea as well as tea- producing countries and tea people. Her passion for black tea has brought her to Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea to see tea production firsthand. Based in Japan, Yumi may be reached at: ym_n@nifty.com.

The post Crafting sustainable beer with coffee & tea appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

“Even in an extremely competitive marketplace, demand for our coffee and tea products, especially our nationally famous Santa’s White Christmas coffee, is strongly combined with the ability to maximise and internalise usage of our high-capacity Dietrich roasting equipment,” stated CEO of Barnie’s Coffee, Ron Pecora.

In 2023 alone, more than 10 million cups of Santa’s White Christmas Coffee were consumed year-round. The total roasted coffee production in 2024 is projected to be more than 500,000 pounds.

Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Company, founded in 1980, offers whole bean and ground coffee, plus flavoured single serve cups. Next year, six new Limited Time Only flavours will be created and available to sip. Barnie’s Coffee plans to bring customer favorites back from the Barnie’s vault, too.

In addition to their online store, the 43-year-old company offers products on other online platforms such as Amazon and in select grocery stores like Publix and Winn Dixie throughout the Southeast. Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Company has a flagship café located in Winter Park, but also operates in collaboration with partnered cafés in the Orlando International Airport Terminal C, the Hitt Library at the University of Central Florida, Stetson University, Rollins College, Seminole County Schools, and the Orlando Science Center.

The post Barnie’s Coffee adds a further roasting line to double output appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

“I firmly believe that we need to play our part in reshaping the coffee industry for the better,” said Nicolas A Tamari, CEO of Sucafina. “To encourage society as a whole to make more responsible choices, companies must take the lead. Sucafina welcomes this responsibility and will continue to act on it, as we’ve shown through the farmer connect traceability venture and our IMPACT responsible sourcing programme. Together, we can create opportunities to improve lives and drive significant change towards making coffee the first net positive commodity.”

Coffee roasting with zero emissions and superior energy efficiency

At the heart of this project lies CEE’s innovative technology. This utilises electricity powered by green energy to eliminate the need for fossil fuels. As a result, it produces zero CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion. Moreover, this technology boasts an impressive energy efficiency rate, using approximately 2.5 times less energy than the current industry standard and also outperforming hydrogen alternatives.

“We are on the brink of a clean industry revolution,” remarked Koen Bosmans, CEO of CEE. “Our collective goal is to implement this game-changing technology across the entire coffee sector at an industrial scale. Additionally, we are already applying this technology to many large bulk food categories, from coffee to cocoa, malt, and nut manufacturing. Replacing fossil-fuel-based technology in these sectors is our primary objective, and our technology makes it already achievable.”

A new era of coffee roasting

The new technology not only contributes to environmental sustainability but also enhances coffee quality and safety. The high-precision continuous roasting process gently roasts coffee beans at lower temperatures. This marks a departure from traditional roasting methods.

“At Beyers Koffie, our vision is to be the leading sustainable private-label coffee roaster,” said Cory Bush, CEO of Beyers Koffie. “We want to go further and inspire our entire industry to do more. That’s why we’ve partnered with CEE to scale up this zero-emissions roasting line. They are a partner who not only shares our ambition but also our values.”

The post Sucafina unveils fully electric coffee roasting line appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

The award, named after the visionary leader of illycaffè and the son of the company’s founder, celebrates the work that the Trieste, Italy-based company has been doing every day for the last 30 years, side-by-side with coffee farmers, to offer the best possible sustainable coffee. The award was presented to the winner by illycaffè chairman Andrea Illy during an event held at the New York Public Library in New York.

EIICA celebrates the finest Arabica coffees sourced from all over the world. This event aims to recognize growers for the quality coffee they tirelessly work to produce. The award was assigned by an independent panel of nine experts who examined the best batches from the 2022-2023 harvest through a blind tasting of nine coffees from the nine finalist countries: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua, and Rwanda. Prior to being evaluated by the panel, each batch of coffee was analysed by illycaffè’s quality control labs and rated in terms of richness and aromatic complexity, the elegance and balance of its flavour and intensity of its aroma.

Guatemala’s Finca Danilandia di Luis Arimany Mondonico won the Coffee Lovers’ Choice Award, assigned by a panel of consumers who, in the weeks prior to the event, carried out blind taste tests of the coffee samples in illy cafés in Trieste, Milan, Paris, London, Sao Paolo and New York and ranked their preferences.

“The absolute victory of the Brazilian coffee coming from regenerative agriculture – chosen blindly among the nine best coffees in the world – fills me with joy. Indeed, the history of the Ernesto Illy Award began in Brazil in 1991 and this confirms that the rewards received, by illycaffè for having transformed Brazil from a leader in quantity to a leader in quality are well-deserved,” said Andrea Illy. “After more than 25 years of neverending and tireless work by our team of agronomists and the University of Coffee, the leap has finally happened thanks to regenerative agriculture, which we decided to develop in 2018 for the benefits it brings to the environment and everyone’s health.”

The panel that voted for the Best of the Best award included Guatemala’s professional taster Silvia Escobar; the President of Federação dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado, Brasilian Glaucio De Castro; the director of the CoffeeLab quality laboratory, Indian Sunalini Narayan Menon; chef Ricard Camarena, who has been awarded two Michelin stars and a green star for his dedication to sustainability at his Ricard Camarena Restaurant in Valencia; American chefs Carrie and Rupert Blease, who manage the Michelin-starred Lord Stanley restaurant in San Francisco; Andrea Aprea, a Michelin-starred chef with a restaurant bearing his name in Milan; French writer and journalist Adelaide de Clermont-Tonnere, editor-in-chief of Point de Vue magazine; Inga Griese, founder and editor-in-chief of ICON, the style supplement of the German newspaper Welt Am Sonntag; Angelina Villa Clarke, a journalist contributing to prestigious English-language publications including Forbes.

Commenting on the winning coffee, the jury said, “This year’s Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award winner is a rounded, wholesome, and fully bodied cup, with rich yet mellow flavors of a balance of chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted almonds on a bed of refined brightness, with a lingering finish of mild, gentle, yet harmonious sweetness. It truly represents the finest taste characteristics of its origin.”

Martha Stewart, Matilda De Angelis, Pat Cleveland, Coco Rocha, Candela Pelizza, Tamu Mc Pherson, Carlo Sestini, Simon and Marina Ksandr, Nick Lowry, Tesa Pesic are some of the celebrities who attended the gala event at the New York Public Library, hosted by chef and TV star Marcus Samuelsson, to celebrate the best coffee producers who work behind the unique illy blend.

The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award is also an unmissable networking opportunity for all those involved in the coffee industry, from producers to exporters, from traders to institutional representatives. In the morning they all met at the United Nations Headquarters to attend a panel discussion on protecting the future of coffee. Alongside illycaffè chairman Andrea Illy, speakers included Vanusia Nogueira, executive director, International Coffee Organization; Jeffrey Sachs, professor of economy at Columbia University and co-chair at the Regenerative Society Foundation; Oscar Schaps, president of the Latin American division of Stone X Financial Inc; and Glaucio de Castro, president of the Federação dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado Mineiro. (For a full recap of the event at the UN, see the Editor’s Blog: “The time is now” to invest in regenerative agriculture (teaandcoffee.net).

The post Brazil’s São Mateus Agropecuaria wins top award at the 2023 EIICA appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

This holiday season, Peet’s is debuting its Iced Peppermint Mocha Black Tie. A tantalising take on a holiday classic, the Peppermint Mocha Black Tie infuses Cold Brew with aromatic peppermint and pairs it with decadent layers of house-made chocolate, and sweetened condensed milk, topped with a cascade of half and half.

The 2023 holiday menu, available 2 November through 2 January 2024*, also features the highly-anticipated return of other familiar and customisable favourites including:

• Holiday Spice Latte (hot/iced): A returning favourite, the Holiday Spice Latte recalls the comfort of homestyle baking. Each cup warms with the Espresso Forte®, freshly steamed milk, and Peet’s Holiday Spice syrup, topped with a dusting of baking spice. Available hot or iced.
• Peppermint Mocha (hot/iced): A holiday classic, Peet’s Peppermint Mocha infuses Espresso Forte with rich, house-made chocolate sauce, and fragrant, sweet peppermint, topped with a cloud of whipped cream.
• Holiday Blend: This year’s blend, a dark roast, offers notes of Guatemalan chocolate, smooth Kenyan black currant, and Ethiopian candied peel with a full Sumatra finish. Roasted with the finest beans of the year, the Holiday Blend is also available in decaf and K-Cup pods. MSRP: $22.95 for 16 oz bag in coffee bars and Peets.com.
• Free Drip Coffee: To wrap up 12 Days of Peet’s, consumers can also look forward to the return of a free drip coffee or tea on Christmas Eve. For more information on Peet’s holiday line up and full offers, visit peets.com.

12 Days of Peet’s
As we countdown to the most wonderful time of the year, get ready for different ways to celebrate in-store and online starting 13-24 December with BOGO deals on select holiday beverages from noon to close, to discounts on merchandise and coffee beans (terms & conditions apply).

During the 12 Days of Peet’s, USD $1 from every purchase of Peet’s Holiday Blend, both in-store and online at peets.com, will be donated to No Kid Hungry, which is focused on ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring that all children get the healthy food they need every day to thrive. (Every $1 donation provides 10 meals.)**

“We think of the holidays as peak Peet’s,” said Jessica Buttimer, vp brand, Peet’s Coffee. “Every year, we go to great lengths to make sure coffee people are never without a great cup of coffee all season long, from roasting our best of year Holiday Blend to creating instant on-the-go classics like our new Iced Peppermint Mocha Black Tie.”

*While supplies last
**Peet’s will donate up to a maximum of $30,000 for qualifying purchases made from 13-24 December 2023.

The post Peet’s Coffee brews up holiday cheer with festive beverages & special offerings appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) reported that world coffee consumption increased by 4.2 percent to 175.6 million bags (60kg) in c offee year 2021/22 and by a further 1.7 percent to 178.3 million bags in 2022/23.

This increase in consumption, the ICO noted, is expected to trigger another year of deficit in the world market with an estimated shortfall of 7.3 million bags in coffee year 2022/23.

According to the ICO, Africa and Asia and Oceania’s consumption would expand by the most, increasing by 4.1 percent and 3.1 percent to 13.4 million bags and 44.2 million bags respectively. The two regions’ shares of world coffee consumption would, as a result, grow to 7.5 percent and 24.7 percent, respectively.

As consumption grows, coffee producers are endeavouring to sustain or improve the flavour of their coffee, especially during the post-harvest processing phase to satisfy the taste and volume demand of consumers. One of the trends that has recently gained traction among coffee producers is co-fermentation of coffee.

Image: Lucia Solis

What is Coffee Co-Fermentation?

US-based green coffee company, Ally Coffee, which connects roasters with specialty coffees sourced through sustainable partnerships, said these co-fermented coffees “offer distinct cup profiles defined greatly by added flavour agents in the fermentation process, imparting difficult-if-not-impossible to achieve flavours to the coffee.”

Ally Coffee, through its Ally Open, a platform for roasters to purchase a curated selection of mall-box specialty green coffee, said some of the coffee producers complete the processing of their crop with little-to-no additives leaving the fermentation process to the naturally occurring microbes and sugars from the coffee cherries.

However, there are others who “have adopted the use of extra ingredients during processing to achieve a number of results including batch consistency, labour efficiency, and differentiated flavour profiles.”

Co-fermentation, explained Joseph Rivera, senior research scientist at Ireland-based public food company, Kerry Group, is an emerging trend that could give coffee farmers control over their coffee fermentation “by intentionally infusing commercially available yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly used in wine and baking to allow a more uniform colonisation of microbes in their tanks.”

Moreover, there is an increasing interest in co-fermenting coffee with fruits and spices such as orange peels, peaches, pineapples, cinnamon, and hops, among other additives.

“The addition of these non-coffee products alters the natural biome in the fermentation tank, introducing new flavours compounds such as terpenes, oils, ester, to ultimately create more complex flavours than traditional coffee fermentations,” added Rivera.

The putting of additives in the fermentation tank/bag, stated Vietnam’s processing and export firm, Helena Coffee, “will help control fermentation by providing sugar for existing microorganisms.” Furthermore, “it also enriches the microflora of the solution or changes its pH and thus regulates the type of microorganisms that will be active during the fermentation process,” Helena stated in a blog.

The co-fermentation process begins soon after harvesting of the coffee with farmers utilising either the washed or dry post-harvest process.

In the washed coffee, the coffee cherry is mechanically de-pulped thus removing the outer layer of skin or exocarp and exposes the encased coffee bean. The encasing of a thin sticky layer of mucilage must be removed to release the bean or endosperm locked inside the cherry.

The conventional method of removing the mucilage is placing the de-pulped coffee into a tank of water and allowing it to sit for 8-24 hours and in some extreme cases, up to 72 hours, explained Rivera. “Due to the presence of yeasts and bacteria naturally found on the surface of the cherry, the tank becomes inoculated whereby microbes begin to consume the sugar in the solution to create a wide host of acids, aldehydes and esters, hence driving the pH of the surrounding solution down and, along with the
pectinases, help dissolve the sticky mucilage off de-pulped coffee.”

Co-Fermented Coffee Challenges

The potential of allergens in co-fermented coffee has dominated discussion within the coffee industry, with some stakeholders suggesting more transparency when it comes to labelling co-fermented coffee.

“For the most part, co-fermenting does not introduce allergens into the fermentation stage,” said Rivera, “however, there have been reports of farmers experimenting with co-fermenting with ‘milk’ (here I’m broadly speaking of cow’s milk, but can also include almond, coconut, soy).”

There is a possibility, he added, of the non- coffee additives introducing allergens, although these novel fermentations have generally been confined to small scale research and development experiments.

Even if there were allergens, such as lactose and nut proteins present in the coffee, “we need to remember that coffee is roasted to ~200-250°C (~392- 482° F) during roasting, which effectively provides a potent ‘kill-step’ thereby rendering any, if not all, of any allergens inactive,” Rivera reminded.

The lack of consensus on allergens in co-fermented coffee is an indicator of existing concerns within the coffee industry that need to be addressed to ensure the safety of coffee
consumers.

Elsewhere, there exists a vacuum when it comes to approved standards on the labelling of co-fermented coffee that makes achieving transparency more challenging. But even then, some in the coffee sector are pushing for a little more clarity on all ingredients in co-fermented coffee.

“The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a non- legal organisation, has stated that co-fermented coffees will not be allowed in the barista competitions and must be clearly labelled if a non-coffee product has been added,” Riviera shared. He cited the most recent World Barista Competition rules and regulations which rule out coffee having any “additives, flavourings, colourings, perfumes, aromatic substances, liquids, powders, etc, of any kind added at any point between the time the coffee is picked (as cherry) to when it is extracted into beverage.”

Rivera said that these are just recommendations for now, but “we could see a push to legally define
labelling requirements and standards of identity for these emerging novel coffees in the future.”

However, the position by many coffee roasters further down the supply chain is that co-fermented coffees “should be clearly labelled if any non-coffee additives have been added for both safety and transparency.”

For example, the National Coffee Association of the United States said that due to the various
formulations, flavours, and preparation methods, coffee has become more complex, making labelling
“very complicated.” In many consuming markets, including the US, failure to label coffee properly “can lead to recalls that can impact your bottom line, your brand – and even pose a threat to your
customers.”

With global coffee consumption growing, more coffee producers, roasters and even foodservice
providers are expected to be more innovative in improving the flavours of the coffee cup with
co-fermentation probably becoming a major feature in post-harvest processes but more likely in a more regularised environment.

• Shem Oirere is a freelance business journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He has spent more than 25 years covering various sectors of Africa’s economy including the region’s agribusiness. He holds BA in InternationalRelations and Diplomacy from the University of South Africa and earned a higher degree in journalism from the London School of Journalism and is also a member of the Association of Business Executives (ABE).

The post Coffee co-fermentation gaining traction appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

While innovation and new/upgraded technology are always key themes, similar to most exhibitions of late, the main theme was sustainable innovation, with exhibitors touting their sustainable/eco-friendly machinery and initiatives.

For example, Cimbria’s new SEA.IQ Optical Sorter is designed to recognise all defects and imperfections. It features cameras with integrated RGB, NIR and SWIR or UV working multifrequency to match multiple data collected during thousands of scans per second.

Goglio introduced a coffee capsule equipped with a degassing valve. This design makes it possible to immediately package fresh coffee without having to wait for the degassing process, which reduces storage times and preserves the aroma of the coffee. The capsule is also available in a 100% compostable version to meet the regulations being discussed in Italy and Europe, and is already certified as industrially compostable.

Mikafi, a Swiss startup, launched its electric tabletop roasting machine at Host Milan. The founders believe that in a world where sustainability, personalisation, and quality experiences are becoming more important, coffee roasting must be ‘rethought’. Designed for the HoReCa market, and in partnership with Thermoplan, the MikafiOne is a fully automated roasting system that uses AI and IoT that offers pre-programmed roast profiles – so non-baristas or inexperienced roasters can use it – as well as customisable roast profiles. “Anyone can roast the coffee, you do not need a roast master and it frees up the barista, said co-founder and CPO, Claudio Vögtli. He shared that the MikafiOne roasts 1 kilo of coffee, which enables businesses to offer a special roast daily in addition to their standard coffee assortment.

Caffe Vergnano was highlighting its ‘Women in Coffee’, which is the company’s women-focused sustainability initiative developed by CEO Carolina Vergnano. Launched in 2018 in collaboration with the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), the initiative is aimed at supporting women working in small coffee plantations. The initial project in 2019 focused on the Dominican Republic, followed by Honduras beginning in 2020. This year’s project is a further evolution of the Honduras initiative, which will provide equipment for the library (that was built between 2021 and 2022) and a cafeteria. Proceeds from the Women in Coffee items – all pink – that are sold online and in WIC Cafés around the world, contribute to the project. For more information or to purchase items, visit caffevergnano.com.

After being decimated during the pandemic as stay-at-home orders were implemented globally, the office coffee service (OCS) industry is making a comeback this year. At Host Milan, OCS machine manufacturers exhibited a range of products that are stylish, fully automated, offer high quality beverages, and, most importantly, are durable, easy to use and easy to maintain. Bravilor Bonamat, Rancillo and Bunn were just a few of the companies that showcased the latest in OCS technology.

The 44th edition of Host Milan will be held at fieramilano from 17 to 21 October 2025.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

The post Host Milan returns to full form hyping the latest technologies and sustainable innovation appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

As well as an extensive trade show, lectures, panels, workshops, and cupping sessions, PRF El Salvador also hosted several coffee competitions – including the inaugural Global Coffee Roasting Contest.

On 14 & 15 September 2023, PRF will return to the Plaza Mayor venue in Medellín, Colombia. The event will host three coffee competitions: the Cold Brew Championship, the second edition of the Global Coffee Roasting Contest, and the Olla Coffee Championship (or Campeonato de Olla in Spanish).

PRF returns to Colombia

Every PRF forum welcomes thousands of industry professionals to a prominent or renowned producing country in Latin America. Although many different supply chain actors and stakeholders attend, the event is one of few in the global coffee industry which focuses primarily on producers. 

The overall goal of PRF is to empower producers and place them at the forefront of conversations which discuss the most pressing and important issues that the industry faces today. Moreover, PRF drives green coffee sales in the host country, and champions Latin America as a global coffee knowledge hub – and thereby helps to retain more value in producing countries. 

Which competitions will take place at PRF Colombia?

This year, PRF Colombia will host three championships which will assess a broad range of competitors’ skills and expertise, as well as celebrating Latin American coffee culture.

Global Coffee Roasting Contest

Following the inaugural Global Coffee Roasting Contest which was held in El Salvador earlier this year, the second iteration of the event will take place at PRF Colombia. The unique judging format of the competition is unlike any other in the coffee industry, with one of the two winners chosen by PRF attendees.

Specialty green coffee sourcing company, !FEST Coffee Mission, is the Official Roasting Sponsor for the Global Coffee Roasting Contest. Dimitri Slukin, the CEO and green coffee buyer at !FEST Coffee Mission, commented, “We buy direct trade coffee and one of our main business values is developing long-term relationships with producers,” he says. “PRF gives us the opportunity to do both – to establish new direct connections and to strengthen our existing relationships. We want to be seen as a direct link between producers and consumers, so sponsoring the Global Coffee Roasting Championship at origin was the right thing to do,” he added.

The competition will take place on 14 & 15 September 2023, with all coffees roasted on day one and judged on day two.

Practice round (13 September)

• Each competitor has 30 minutes to roast a 500g green coffee sample
• All competitors receive identical samples supplied by !FEST Coffee Mission for both the practice and competition rounds, and will receive them on 13 September
• Competitors must arrive at the venue at a scheduled time to practise using ROEST machines
• Competitors will need to show venue staff their PRF ticket and confirmation of participation to gain entry

First round (14 September)

• Each competitor has 15 minutes to correctly identify primary and secondary defects in their green coffee sample
• Competitors then have 30 minutes to roast a 500g sample of green coffee using ROEST machines
• PRF attendees can watch competitors take part in the contest
• All roasted samples will be left to degas overnight for the second competition round

Second competition & judging round (15 September)

• A panel of carefully selected judges will review and cup all samples according to Specialty Coffee Association cupping protocols (not according to the new Coffee Value Assessment protocols)
• Judges will score all coffees based on flavour, aroma, and competitors’ timing
• The five top-scoring competitors will proceed to the final round

Final round

• While the judges decide on a technical winner, all finalists’ samples will be served at the Brew Bar
• PRF attendees can taste all five samples and anonymously cast a vote for their favourite coffee via a ballot box
• Attendees need to show their PRF ticket at the Brew Bar to try the competition coffees
• Two winners will be announced: a technical winner based on the judges’ scores and a “people’s choice” winner

At least eight coffee professionals will compete in the Global Coffee Roasting Contest, which is open to international applicants. Participants need to apply in advance, and have at least two years’ roasting experience – as well as experience working with a wide range of roast profiles. Applicants should be able to cope well under pressure and in a competitive environment, and they must have a PRF ticket to take part.

The registration deadline for the Global Coffee Roasting Contest is 15 August 2023, and you can apply by filling out this form.

Cold Brew Coffee Championship

The third edition of the Cold Brew Coffee Championship will take place at PRF Colombia. Sixteen competitors will go head-to-head to prepare two cold brew-based beverages for a panel of judges.

Toddy is the Official Cold Brew Sponsor for PRF, and will supply the competition equipment: a set of three Toddy Cold Brew Cupping Kits, clean water, and two choices of filters (either paper or “tree free”). Competitors are responsible for their coffee, signature drink ingredients, and any other items not included on the final equipment list. Julia Leach, president at Toddy, commented, “We’re excited to connect with producers and roasters, to learn from them, and to understand more about how we can best support them,” she said. “We are proud to sponsor the Cold Brew Coffee Championship at PRF Colombia. Since most coffee from Latin America is exported, understanding how these coffees can be used as cold brew at origin allows us to tell the stories of these coffees more effectively,” she concluded.

Competition process

All successful applicants will need to attend a mandatory virtual preparation meeting with the contest coordinator on Friday 25 August 2023

Day one:

• Each competitor prepares their batch of cold brew for a technical judge, who will assess brewing technique
• All batches of cold brew will be securely stored at room temperature or below

Day two:

• Competitors present their cold brew as two different beverages in a ten-minute routine for a panel of three judges
• Cold brew concentrate or diluted concentrate (minimum 30ml)
• Designer non-alcoholic drink which includes cold brew concentrate
• The three judges include a technical judge, a sensory judge, and a customer service judge. The first will assess food safety in drink preparation and service, the second will score sensory quality, and the third judge will assess customer service skills

Scores from all three judges will be combined to create a final score for each competitor. Participants who place first, second, and third will each receive a Toddy prize package and a certificate at 16:00 on 15 September.

Participants must have at least two years’ professional coffee experience to compete. While the competition is open to international applicants, PRF also encourages Spanish-speaking presentations to honour and recognise Latin American culture. Prospective competitors must apply in advance and have a PRF Colombia ticket to take part.

The registration deadline for the Cold Brew Coffee Championship is 15 August 2023, and you can apply by filling out this form.

Olla Coffee Championship

In partnership with Colombian coffee company Amor Perfecto, PRF will host the third edition of Olla Coffee Championship (or Campeonato de Olla in Spanish). The competition celebrates and honours the traditional Olla coffee pot – a popular brewing method in many Latin American countries.

The Olla Coffee Championship consists of three rounds: elimination, semi-final, and final. Each competitor will have their own workspace which includes a kettle or other heating device, an Olla coffee pot, and three identical serving cups. Four hours prior to the competition, participants will receive 250g coffee. Competitors can then experiment with different recipes, but must keep some of this sample to brew coffee for the judges.

Competition process

• Competitors have three minutes per round to prepare their workspace, ingredients, and utensils, as well as to test their equipment
• During this time, they will not be able to brew coffee or prepare any drinks
• Per round, each competitor will have six minutes to brew 500ml coffee using the Olla pot
• Competitors must serve their brewed coffee in three identical cups and present these drinks to a panel of judges. Participants must also explain their brewing recipe
• In all three rounds, a panel of three judges will each assess one beverage according to several categories: sweetness, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, and overall impression
• Each category has a total of 20 points, with a total of 100 points across all five categories. This means the maximum score from all three judges totals 300 points
• The top twenty highest-scoring competitors in the first round will proceed to the semi-finals, while the top four highest scorers will compete in the final round
• Scores will not accumulate between rounds

Participants must have their own Amor Perfecto Olla coffee pot (which can be purchased at a discounted price from the company’s offices in Medellín or Bogotá), as well as a PRF Colombia ticket.

Applicants must also send a signed image rights agreement form to eventos@amorperfectocafe.net. To find out more information visit the Amor Perfecto website and apply by filling out this form.

What else is happening at PRF Colombia?

As well as the three competitions that will take place at PRF Colombia, there will be an extensive trade show featuring exhibitors from across the global coffee supply chain. Visitors will also be able to attend lectures, presentations, speeches, and panel discussions hosted by some of the foremost experts and leaders in the industry. 

Additionally, there will be interactive workshops hosted by Mayorga Coffee, Toddy, StoneX, and Sigma Advisers. Moreover, PRF Colombia will include several cupping sessions led by Ally Coffee, !Fest Coffee Mission, Those Coffee People, Global Cafés, and Cata Cafe Export. 

On the morning of the second day at PRF, the No Filter panel series will take place. This groundbreaking discussion format serves as a platform for industry experts to have difficult and challenging – but also necessary – discussions.

This year, panellists can choose from the following three panel discussion topics:

• Is the coffee industry moving forwards or backwards with exporters buying cherry rather than parchment?

• What’s more important: Price per lb or cost of production?
• Specialty vs commercial: Which makes more of an impact on producers’ livelihoods?

For more information about Producer & Roaster Forum, visit the PRF website here or email the team here.

Please note: PRF does not cover any travel, accommodation, or other costs for speakers and panellists.

The post PRF Colombia returns with three coffee championships appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

This important work is being made possible through cooperation from Continental Terminals, a third-generation, family-owned warehousing company that has been a partner in the coffee value chain for more than 50 years.

US-based roasters can now send their used liners to Continental Terminals locations in Keasbey, NJ, or Alameda, California, via their preferred service (USPS, FedEx, UPS or DHL) or by personal delivery. Once the bags reach a Continental Terminals warehouse, they’ll be prepared to continue their journey to a unique recycling facility.

How it works

Participation is simple:

• Begin by emailing sustainability@grainpro.com saying you’ll be sending bags; an automatic response will offer helpful details and answers to FAQs.
• Next, put clean, empty bags in a box or GrainPro bag; adhere a label addressed to a Continental Terminals location; and apply postage. OR: Bring the bags to one of the warehouse addresses during a coffee pickup.

The warehouse addresses are:

CTI Annex                                        CTI NJ
300 Mitchell Ave                            300 Mac Lane
Alameda, CA 94501                       Keasbey, NJ 08832

“It’s our goal to be a responsible partner and leader in the green coffee industry, which means guiding the way toward improved sustainability,” said Nicolas Rueda, CEO of Neumann Gruppe USA. “We’re delighted to encourage the success of this effort by communicating its availability to our clients and networks.”

Neumann Gruppe USA (NGUS) represents InterAmerican Coffee, Rothfos Corporation and Atlas Coffee Importers, the three US-based import companies of Neumann Kaffee Gruppe. The NGUS companies have long-established relationships with roasters of every size and need across North America, as well as decades-old relationships with coffee producers, cooperatives and associations. Prioritising the future of coffee — via the social, environmental and economic factors impacting it — works in service of NGUS clients on both ends of the supply chain, as well as the NGUS vision to lead with responsibility, respect and an unwavering dedication to the product and people elevated through its best work.

In the near future, GrainPro and Neumann Gruppe USA plan to expand their partnership to similar collection efforts across Europe.

Without question, improving sustainability will require industry-wide approaches and collaborations. GrainPro and Neumann Gruppe USA are hopeful that coffee roasters — true to their passion for coffee and commitment to the environment — will agree to be the essential additional collaborators in this effort and take this powerful step toward a more sustainable tomorrow.

The post NKG and GrainPro collaborate on coffee bean liner recycling scheme appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Both the Gold Medal Tea Competition and the Tea Sustainability Awards will once again take place during the NATC.

The Gold Medal Tea Competition will judge teas from the same origin against each other in order identify and recognise ‘Gold Medal Teas’. Any and all origins entered will be judged — teas will be judged by origin regardless of production type or grade. It is up to the participating producer to decide what style of manufacture their entry should be. Teas will be judged purely on the ‘Best Cup per Origin’ basis. Submissions must be received by 25 August.

The Tea Sustainability Awards recognise all the hard work being put forth globally across the tea industry, to further the goals of sustainability. The purpose of these awards is to:

• Celebrate the work that goes above and beyond pure business metrics, to improve the health of the Industry, the environment in which it operates and the people who work in it or are associated with it.
• To share these efforts with the tea industry in order to build a shared responsibility, broaden and share knowledge of the state of the industry.
• To inspire others to replicate the ‘above and beyond’ attitude of recipients in their own environs and to further the efforts of moving tea to the status of Hero crop.

Because all positive actions have merit, Tea USA and THAC have changed the awards structure from that of prior years to be more inclusive and recognise a wider scope of participants so all entrants feel their work will be acknowledged and applauded.

The Sustainability Awards competition is free of charge and all sustainable efforts and submissions will be displayed at the conference. The deadline for submissions is 25 August.

“Whether you are attending the conference in person or from afar, we encourage all tea-producing nations to participate in our two competitions,” said Peter F Goggi, president, Tea Association of the USA.

This is the first in-person NATC to take place in the United States since 2019. For more information about or to register for the NATC, as well as to view competition rules and access submission forms, visit: teausa.com.

• Aubrye McDonagh Leigh

The post There’s still time to enter the Gold Medal Tea & Tea Sustainability Awards Competitions appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Coffee roasters are increasingly exploring ways to make their business climate positive, turning to advanced roasting machines to lower carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. Roasting machine manufacturers, in turn, are putting ample effort into developing sophisticated solutions to meet their customers’ expectations.

On average, it is estimated that roasting contributes to around 15 percent of the overall footprint of coffee’s journey from field to cup. Making the roasting business more sustainable, among other things, helps the environment and helps companies to capitalise on responsible consumption trends.

A recent study by the United States think tank First Insight showed that a lion’s share of Gen Z shoppers prefers to buy sustainable brands, and they are most willing to spend 10 percent more on sustainable products. The report also found that Gen Z, along with millennials, are the most likely to make purchase decisions based on values and principles, including environmental.

In light of this, the leading coffee companies rolled out sustainability initiatives, looking to lower the carbon footprint throughout the supply chain to the maximum possible extent, including in the roasting segment.

Illycaffè has embarked on a decarbonisation roadmap which consists of actions along all the value chain: from green coffee to finished products, taking into account all the different steps, including transportation, packaging, distribution and use of coffee machines, said David Brussa, chief total quality and sustainability officer of illycaffè. The eventual goal is to reduce the carbon footprint to reach carbon neutrality by 2033 as a company.

“We strongly think that we need to act quickly to avoid impactful problems for the next generations—a climate disaster. As we often hear, the non-return point is very close to being reached, and we need to start acting responsibly for the sake of our planet and of the generations to come. We have a limited amount of time to put in place the necessary changes. But the change we should aim for is cultural first of all,” Brussa explained.

Nestlé has made the commitment for 100 percent of its coffee to be produced sustainably by 2025. In the roasting segment, the company said it considers lowering emissions by working in the field of consumption of energy, water and protecting atmosphere gases at factories. In addition, machinery use, waste generated at factories, employee commuting, and business travel are also to be reviewed and, if necessary, adjusted. Again, advanced technology is due to play a vital role.

Image: Bühler

Engines of sustainability

Sustainability consists of three basic pillars; all are necessary but not sufficient. Therefore, all must coexist to have a sustainable process: lower environmental impact, lower social impact, and lower economic cost, commented Elena Parmi, a spokesperson for Brambati Spa.

“The first engine of sustainability is tangible affordability for the user, basically lower energy consumption, lower maintenance cost, and lower operation cost. Automatically it leads to less environmental impact, meaning less energy is equal to less greenhouse gas, less social impact, meaning less need for night staff and emergency intervention leads to greater worker welfare, and greater economic sustainability as less need for energy, less need for spare parts, greater staff efficiency allows lower cost of operation,” Parmi said.

Brambati’s development program, which is already in place includes reducing the consumption and reuse of residual energy, reducing the number of components that make up the machinery, and permanent monitoring of the entire system with AI (artificial intelligence) that allows all operating variables to be under permanent analysis.

Parmi said that this is similar to if a person were being monitored with an electrocardiogram, blood analysis, and brain activity while doing a swimming competition or other physical and/or intellectual activities.

“Any deviations from optimal values are promptly identified when they are incipient, thus enabling timely intervention when appropriate and not in an emergency, avoiding the costs of interventions, spare parts and lost production,” Parmi said.

Among the concrete examples of how Brambati’s technological solutions help lowering carbon footprint, Parmi lists the elimination of transmissions with mechanical gearboxes, resulting in increased efficiency and reductions in components, weight, lubricants and maintenance. In addition, the reduction in energy consumption is achieved with regenerative and other innovative exhaust air abatement systems, as well as through intelligent system monitoring and management.

Preserving energy

Other companies also see energy consumption as the key segment, which could do wonders in terms of lowering carbon emissions. For instance, Berkeley-based coffee roastery Bellwether Coffee told Forbes in 2020 that its recirculating roasting technology eliminated particulates and volatile organic compounds in real-time during the roast process, eventually reducing the carbon footprint of each roasting cycle by 90 percent on average.

The company estimated that if a roaster uses renewable energy sources, it can save more than 157 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. In addition, traditional coffee roasters use a single-pass system that intakes fresh air from outside the roaster, flash-heats it to roast the coffee, then releases it as exhaust through ventilation stacks. Bellwether’s roaster takes the exhausted air, cleans it, and reuses it. This provides hot, stable air throughout the roast cycle.

Image: Scolari Engineering

Energy efficiency and renewable energy are in the spotlight of several technology suppliers. “We focus on the efficiency of the roasting process by means of very fine control of the burner and energy recovery from the roaster stack, always focused on the coffee quality,” said Fabio Clivio, coffee roasting machinery engineer with Scolari Engineering SpA. “We have been doing this for years, so we have fine-tuned the software and the roaster to always get the best aroma from the coffee. We are using a smart green coffee preheater totally synchronized with the roasting cycle.”

In addition, Clivio said, the company has been continually reducing the quantity of CO2 emitted for a batch of roasted coffee by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Scolari realised that the roaster does not need a long warm-up, and when it is on standby, the software activates the energy-saving mode to reduce airflow and gas consumption.

“The preheating follows a specific profile of temperature and time; in this way, as the roaster is ready to load the new batch, the software ensures that the green coffee reaches the target temperature at the same time, with no risk of leaving the green coffee ìn the GBPH longer than necessary. In that way, the quality of the roasting process is guaranteed,” Clivio said.

“We are testing a roaster using a mix of natural gas and hydrogen. Also combined with electrical heating. The combination of hydrogen and electrical heating is the key for carbon-neutral coffee roasters,” Clivio explained, adding that the company uses the last generation of burners already designed to run with a mix of hydrogen and natural gas. “As the hydrogen will be available on industrial bases, our customers will be able to switch to hydrogen.”

Smart heat use

Bühler Group also has a roaster, though not for coffee yet, in its portfolio, running on hydrogen, commented Michael Blatter, head of business segment coffee and nuts, Bühler Group. “We are not only looking at the roaster but the entire value chain, and I think with our sustainability team, we are capable of offering unique customised solutions which are helping in various aspects of sustainability. The roasting process is one step, and we do have solutions in reducing fuel consumption, changing the type of fuel used and using the energy for alternative processes within a factory.”

Among the concrete measures applied to lower carbon footprint, Blatter lists, recirculation of hot air to reduce fuel consumption, preheating of coffee beans with off air from the roaster, and the use of heat recovery systems. In addition, a sustainability service analyzes the CO2 footprint of a factory and implements solutions into existing plants.

“We are working together within different businesses to use ideas and concepts, which already exist,” Blatter said, adding that the company has an R&D roadmap and is working on several solutions called to curb carbon emission of the roasting operations. However, Bühler is not disclosing the concrete details to the public, he added.

• Vladislav Vorotnikov is a Batumi, Georgia-based multimedia B2B freelance journalist writing about the tea and coffee industry since 2012.

The post High tech is key to reducing coffee roasting’s carbon footprint appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Bühler and IKAWA came to the coffee marketplace following different paths. Bühler has an industrial background with more than 50 years of coffee engineering competence and has worked with many medium and large roasters to set up coffee processing plants globally. Bühler’s RoastMaster series comprises four sizes with throughput per hour ranging from 70 kilograms up to 1 ton.

IKAWA is leading the adoption of digital roasting, making sample evaluation easy and accessible. IKAWA entered the coffee stage in 2010 as a start-up and is today known throughout the global coffee supply chain for its precise, app-controlled, and user-friendly micro-roasting technology, aimed at helping coffee business make better and quicker purchasing decisions. The IKAWA Pro Series comprises the Pro50, Pro100, and the brand-new Pro100x which includes the industry first IKAWA humidity sensor.

Bühler’s integration across the coffee supply chain, its service support footprint, and IKAWA’s global presence in the specialty coffee market make them well positioned to team up for innovation in a market that has much room for development.

“Partnering with IKAWA and strengthening our presence in the coffee roasting market is a key step for Bühler in many ways. Working together with IKAWA will help us to take new perspectives and therefore create innovative ideas to address the needs between micro and medium- to large-scale coffee roasting,” says Michael Blatter, head of market segment coffee at Bühler.

Andrew Stordy, founder of IKAWA, said, “Bühler brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in engineering and manufacturing. This experience will complement the user-centered approach to design we have become known for in sample roasting.”

Aligned with this approach, IKAWA will lead the first phase of user research by inviting professionals from the roasting market to participate in feedback and testing sessions. “Our aim is to deeply understand the goals and challenges users face in production-scale roasting and to use this to inform design solutions that improve what is already available in the market. To do this we need as many people as possible to get involved by sharing ideas and taking part in user testing,” Stordy said.

Bühler and IKAWA are inviting roasting experts interested in getting involved in the innovation process to sign up here.

The post Bühler and IKAWA partner to innovate in the coffee roasting space appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

The Teas of the World international contest is organised in two distinct parts:

1. Teas – monovarietal teas (camelia sinensis and camelia assamica), blends, and scented blends, with or without flavours. 
2. Infusion plants – monovarietals (infusion plants other than camellia sinensis and camelia assamica), blends and flavoured teas.

This year the jury is chaired by Carine Baudry, expert in sensory analysis and founder of Quintessence.

The AVPA international contest objective is to promote the recognition of exceptional producers by focusing primarily on organoleptic aspects.  All this according to a jury of tea professionals, who classifies the samples, eliminating where needed, and submitting its selection to a jury of fine tasters and enlightened amateurs where the Gourmet medals are awarded.

Registration forms and samples are expected on or before 31 August 2023, at the AVPA headquarters in Paris.

Please see the video How to register.

The entire AVPA team and in particular, Ksenia Hleap (ksenia.hleap@avpa.fr) in charge of this project remain at your disposal to answer any questions.

The post AVPA launches its 6th Teas of the World International Contest appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

During the year, the illycaffè quality laboratories analyzed the samples from the 2022/2023 harvest and selected the best lots and producers, based on both the company’s quality and sustainability parameters.

The finalists of this edition are from Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua and Rwanda.

“Our mission is to delight lovers of goodness and beauty all over the world with the best coffee that nature can provide, enhanced with the best technologies and art – comments Andrea Illy, Chairman of illycaffè – the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award allows us to stimulate the production of increasingly good and sustainable coffee”.

The 27 finalists of the Ernesto Illy International Award 2023, in alphabetical order, are:

Brazil:
Luis Manuel Ramos Fachada M. da Silva
Raimundo Dimas Santana Filho
São Mateus Agropecuária

Costa Rica
CoopeelDos R.L.
CoopeSabalito R.L.
Finca San Carlos

El Salvador
Finca Agua Caliente
Finca Monterrey
Finca San Rafael

Ethiopia
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. – Dawit Zerihun Kasahun Washing Station
Legesse Sherefa P.L.C. – Germa Adere Debele Washing Station
Tracon Trading P.L.C. – Guji Hambela Washing Station

Guatemala
Finca Buena Vista
Finca Danilandia
Pequeños Productores Santa Cruz Naranjo

Honduras
Finca Los Chagüites
Finca Mi Cafetal
Finca Santa Martha

India
Kogilehalla Estate
Nullore Estate
Woddaegooda Estate

Nicaragua
Finca San Antonio
Finca Zaragoza/Exportadora Atlantic
Proyecto LIFT Wiwilí

Rwanda
Kayumbu Coffee Washing Station
Mubuga Coffee Washing Station
Nyakabingo Coffee Washing Station

The ranking of each of the 9 finalist countries will be announced on 16 November at the United Nations in New York during an encounter where the coffee producers will know who has won access to the finale of the Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award 2023.

The 9 finalist coffee samples will be evaluated by an independent multidisciplinary jury of international experts (chefs, journalists, tasters, and professionals), who will analyze them and establish who will be awarded the title of ‘Best of the Best’.

Consumers will also be invited to taste the 9 finalist coffees and to express their preference through a series of blind tastings organized in illy’s flagship stores around the world in the weeks leading up to the award. The coffee most voted by consumers will win the “Coffee Lovers’ Choice” award.

illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients. The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans in the world. Every day 8 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors.

Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification. Since 2013 the company is also one of the World Most Ethical Companies. Everything that is “made in illy” is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 125 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers.

With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 25 countries around the world. In 2021, Rhône Capital became a minority shareholder of illycaffè with the aim of contributing to the company’s international growth plans. In 2022, the company had 1230 employees and a turnover of €567,7 million. The illy single-brand network has 190 points of sale in 34 countries.

The post illycaffè announces The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Awards 2023 finalists appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Under the theme “20 Years of IWCA: Power of the Past & Force of The Future,” the IWCA Convention will be a momentous occasion celebrating the achievements and contributions of women in the coffee industry. This event will provide a platform for industry professionals to engage in meaningful discussions, share insights, and foster business partnerships.

IWCA Board president, Sharon Riechers, said “I am thrilled that the IWCA will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a momentous event – the IWCA Convention in Ethiopia. This historic occasion marks the first time the convention will be held in Africa, and it is a testament to the growth and impact of the organization. I invite all industry professionals, and advocates for empowerment to join us as we celebrate the contributions of women in the coffee value chain. Together, we will forge a path toward greater empowerment, collaboration, and success for the coffee industry.”

Attendees can expect a dynamic program featuring a wide range of activities. Highlights include thought-provoking panel discussions, cuppings featuring coffees from producing chapter members, an expo hall showcasing innovative products and services, origin trips to experience the birthplace of coffee, inspiring keynote speeches from industry leaders, cultural activities highlighting Ethiopia’s rich heritage, and much more.

Sara Yirga, president of the IWCA Ethiopia Chapter, said ” The Women in Coffee Ethiopia (WiCE) hosting the IWCA Convention in Ethiopia will be a tribute to the generation of mothers that carried our coffee culture and traditions. It will also celebrate the progress women have made in the coffee industry over the past 20 years. We look forward to welcoming the international coffee community to the land of origins.”

Early bird registration discounts will be available through 31 August, providing an opportunity for attendees to secure their spots and take advantage of reduced rates. Join us for this milestone event as we celebrate the achievements of women in coffee and chart a course toward a brighter future. For more information and to register for the IWCA Convention, please visit wicethiopia.org/events

The post IWCA Convention 2023 dates announced appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

2023 Retreat attendees can look forward to lectures, workshops, cuppings, gain exclusive access to the
industry’s leading machines in the Roasting Tent, experience collaborative networking during the Team
Challenge, and get a first-hand look at the Coffee Value Assessment and its tools. For those looking to
compete in a future US Roaster Championship, Retreat also offers a US Roasting Championship
preparation workshop!

Past attendees at CRG Retreat have described the event as “summer camp for coffee professionals” and “the most down-to-earth, diverse, and fun overall industry event I’ve attended.” Baylee Engberg, Pacific Northwest account manager at Ally and managing director at #shestheroaster shared, “Coffee Roasters Guild Retreat is returning! Not only is Retreat my favorite coffee event, but arguably the most beneficial for roasters and tasters alike. Whether you’re looking to learn to roast from scratch, form stronger community connections, taste the coffee lexicon, try your hand at a new machine, or simply just win the Team Challenge — this event is for you.”

The Coffee Roasters Guild and Diedrich Roasters are pleased to offer the 2023 Diedrich Roasters
Scholarship Program for CRG Retreat. The Diedrich Roasters Scholarship Program will be awarded to five scholars and is designed to offer financial assistance to members of the coffee community to help further their knowledge and take advantage of the opportunity to develop and advance their skills in roasting.

Applications are open through to 18 August 2023. Learn more about the Diedrich Roasters Scholarship
Program here.

In addition, this event is supported by 2023 Diamond Sponsors, Barista Attitude and Sanremo Coffee
Machines, whose contributions help make this event possible.

Registration is now open with early bird pricing available through 31 August 2023. More information
available at CRG Retreat.

The post Registration is now open for CRG Retreat 2023 appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

NuZee will produce a full line of specialty coffee products, including its proprietary single-serve DRIPKIT pour-overs, single-serve brew bags, whole bean 12 oz coffee bags and Industrial Compostable capsules all to be branded under the Stone name. Previously, NuZee provided Stone with highly coveted seasonal coffees corresponding with special-release beers.

The new line of coffee will adopt the branding and flavour characteristics of three of Stone’s most popular brands: Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager and Stone Xocoveza. Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale is heralded for its bitterness and bold attributes. NuZee-produced coffees will reflect the same arrogance of this legendary ale. Stone’s Buenaveza coffee offering will reflect the cross-border influence of the beer with beans sourced from Mexico. Stone Xocoveza coffee will adopt the indulgence of Stone’s favourite winter beer, brewed with the key ingredients found in Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Masa Higashida, NuZee’s CEO, commented, “We are delighted to build upon the success of our past collaborations and expand our partnership with our San Diego neighbours at Stone. Our team will capitalise on the remarkable brand recognition and expanding influence of the Stone brand, synergizing it with our exceptional coffees and coffee-related offerings. We believe that this agreement will drive significant revenue growth, which will significantly increase shareholder value. We look forward to serving Stone’s expansive consumer audience and effectively driving long-term shareholder value.”

Erin Smith, Stone Brewing senior vice president of marketing said, “There is a definite overlap in what attracts people to craft beer and to craft coffee. Quality, intention, and passion are what our fans seek and we’re confident that this new line of first-class specialty coffees will be an exciting new way for them to enjoy the Stone brand.”

To learn more about NuZee, visit mynuzee.com.

The post Nuzee to co-manufacture and distribute Stone Brewing Coffee appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

In the 1800s, British industrial workers started taking tea breaks in the afternoons to help keep them fuelled, alert and to subdue hunger.

A strong, earthy blend of rich Assam and smoky Lapsang Souchong will take you back in time to a Victorian Camden, according the company, where canal workers, railway men and raffish aristocrats lived, worked.

The idea occurred to Anneke and Jerome when they began work designing their worker mugs. They had the idea that they could offer tea with their mugs, but they wanted to make it their own.

Anneke Short said, “We got in touch with our friends over at Brew Tea Co. and they loved the idea. After months of blending, tasting, designing labels and sipping on cups of tea, we finally have our very own signature blend. So we present to you the Worker’s Blend loose leaf tea. 80% Assam and 20% Lapsang Suchoung, it’s smoky, rich and oh so Camden.”

Priced at RRP GBP£9.50 per packet, the tea is available in their stores and online:  Worker’s Blend Tea – The Camden Watch Company.

The post The Camden Watch Company teams up with Brew Tea Co. to produce the Worker’s Blend Loose Leaf Tea appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.