awards Archives - Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

SCA Sustainability Award nominations are now open

Kathryn Brand — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 15:46:22 +0000

Nominations are now open for the 2024 SCA Sustainability Awards. The deadline to submit a nomination is 31 January 2024.

The Sustainability Awards were created in 2004 to promote, encourage and honour the efforts of those serving as role models through sustainable projects in the specialty coffee sector. Each year, aligned with our Sustainable Coffee Agenda, an ad hoc SCA Sustainability Committee reviews dozens of applications from around the globe. The deadline to submit an application is 31 January 2024. The 2024 Sustainability Awards will recognise for-profit and non-profit organisations that advance sustainability in the coffee sector while inspiring others to design and initiate similar endeavors innovations.

Nominations for each category below can be submitted at sca.coffee/sustainabilityawards.

Sustainability Award: For-Profit

This award recognises the role that for-profit companies play in the sustainability of the coffee sector. Please note that this award is for businesses that have been operating for at least three years. Products, projects, and ideas do not qualify for the award.

Sustainability Award: Non-Profit

This award celebrates a non-profit organisation (or one of its projects) that advances the coffee sector’s pursuit of sustainability. Please note that this award is only for organisations/projects that have been operating for at least three years. Products, companies, business models, and ideas do not qualify for the award.

A note on the previous category of the Individual Award: The SCA is reevaluating how to best identify and celebrate individuals from across the value chain who have contributed to advancing sustainability in the coffee industry and will pause the Individual Award until further notice.

Finalists will be announced in February of 2024.

The Sustainability Committee of the SCA Sustainability Center will review all applications and consider a wide range of applicants, reflecting the depth and breadth of sustainable work being done in all areas across the specialty coffee industry.

If you have any questions on how to complete your application, contact
sustainability@sca.coffee.

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Novus Tea’s Rooibos Espresso wins Great Taste Award

Kathryn Brand — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:27:17 +0000

Importer, manufacturer and blender of premium tea for over two decades, Novus Tea has won a Great Taste Award for its latest creation, Rooibos Espresso which, as its name suggests can be made using a traditional espresso machine in much the same way as coffee is.

The Great Taste Awards are held annually, with the results being announced in August where, this year Novus won one of the ten prestigious Triple Gold Medals (the highest award) in the ‘Alternative lattes and cold brew infusions’ category.

Rooibos Espresso tea has been designed to be drunk as an authentic tea latte and produces a prominent tea note which cuts through the textured latte milk. The tea itself is recovered from the sieving process at a South African plantation to produce Novus Tea’s super grade long-cut Rooibos.

Allan Pirret, sales director for Novus Tea, explains the roots of the award-winning beverage: “While Rooibos is a herbal tea, from the Western Cape Region, it is a red leaf tea with real depth and body, which is why it can be prepared in a standard espresso machine.

Although we have been buying from the grower for some years, our decision to start distributing the Rooibos Espresso came about as the result of discussion during the pandemic, when they explained to us about the very fine particles which they had started recovering from the sieving process, which would otherwise go to waste. These are so fine they can be processed in a standard espresso machine, though we have had to design and produce a special filter basket which we offer to customers. This slows the extraction process down – and produces a crema which has the latte milk added afterwards.”

The judges were commented on the new tea; “Visually beautiful with a surprising amount of body and we really liked the earthy floral subtle bergamot undertones – a delightful drink.”

Another added: “Sweet and herby on the nose – this carries through well to the palate. The sweet reddish colour is stunning – we loved the new way of drinking Rooibos, heavenly with milk,” and a third judge observed: “The product works well as a latte, with the addition of milk adding to the complexity and depth of fruit and floral flavours.”

Essentially, Rooibos tastes of honey, orange and vanilla, with buyers liking its many sustainable features: the fact that it is naturally decaffeinated means that it does not need to be processed to remove the caffeine content. Plus, it is produced from what is arguably waste material and is vegan-friendly, so is right on trend for those looking for a healthy alternative in their tea.

Recently sampled at London Coffee Festival by coffee fans and experts, the taste was exceptionally well received, with tasters enjoying the vibrant orange colour of the tea latte.

Available in packs of six, 1kg pouches, the wholesale price comes in at just over GBP £18 per kilogram. It will also be available online in 250g form for consumers.

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Oceana Coffee awarded medals in five of the Golden Bean competition categories

Kathryn Brand — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 09:05:24 +0000

The world’s largest coffee roaster competition, the Golden Bean, has just concluded its North American event.

Florida-based coffee roaster, Oceana Coffee, entered coffee into five different categories and took home medals in all 5 categories entered, including a silver medal in the alternative milk category. Planet Oat’s oat milk was paired with Oceana Coffee’s espresso blend for this award winning combination.

“It has been another amazing year being involved with Golden Bean North America. We have been entering coffees into the Golden Bean competition since 2015 and every year it gets a lot more difficult to win a medal at any level. So to have our coffee’s win medals and do well is amazing, it certainly helps me to stay relevant and keep up with methods along with our green coffee sourcing and selections. I am very proud of our team and our product and look forward to sharing our coffees for years to come,” commented Scotty Angelo, co-founder of Oceana Coffee.

The Golden Bean, which originated in Australia 17 years ago before creating its North American competition ten years ago, judges espresso, milk and filter coffees with medals awarded in 11 categories: Espresso, Milk Based, Pour Over Filter, Alternative Milk Based, Decaffeinated (Milk Based), Elite (green coffee costing over $60lb) , Franchise / Chain Store Espresso, Franchise / Chain Store Milk Based, Franchise / Chain Store Pour Over Filter. Coffees, Super Automatic, and Single Serve categories are judged through a blind tasting format by roasters who attend and participate in the event and conference.

The Golden Bean invites roasters to not only send in their entries but also to participate in the seminars and fun sponsored evenings. This creates a valuable opportunity for roasters to network and form alliances within the industry.

Oceana Coffee is open daily at two locations in Palm Beach County, Florida for dine in, take out, and online ordering.

Oceana Coffee Roastery: 221 Old Dixie Hwy #1, Tequesta, FL 33469, (561) 401-2453

Oceana Coffee Cafe: 150 US-1 #1, Tequesta, FL 33469, (561) 768-7887

For more information on Oceana Coffee, visit oceanacoffee.com.

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Nominations open for CAC awards

Kathryn Brand — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:00:50 +0000

Nominations are now open for the Coffee Association of Canada’s (CAC) inaugural awards programme. Winners will be announced at the CAC’s annual Conference on Thursday 9 November in Toronto.

“It’s time to acknowledge the people and organisations who are exemplifying excellence in the coffee community,” said Robert Carter, CAC President. “We want to celebrate the pioneers who have led the way in the coffee industry in Canada, and also the innovators and new and growing up-and-comers who are already making an impact!”

The 2023 CAC Awards categories include:

Lifetime Achievement Award – The CAC’s highest recognition for an individual whose extraordinary and ground-breaking contribution(s) has been a driving force of positive change and has had a significant, profound, and lasting impact on the coffee community.

Innovative Achievement of the Year – This Award recognises a company, product or service that the Canadian coffee industry widely views as a progressive achievement that will positively benefit the future of coffee. Bonus if there is a goodwill aspect (eg charity component, environmental or sustainability impact).

Small Chain – Big Impact Award – A coffee business with a minimum of 3 and a maximum 40 locations in Canada that is creating a buzz in the industry – from a marketing, product innovation, diversity & inclusion, charitable or other perspective.

Volunteer of the Year – This Award recognises an outstanding volunteer whose overall leadership and contributions stood out during the past year.

For more details and to submit a nomination click here.

The deadline for nominations is 9 October 2023.

Nominations will be judged by an external committee. Winners will be announced at the CAC Conference on 9 November 2023 at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto.

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Entries open for Leafies 2023

Kathryn Brand — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 11:12:52 +0000

The UK Tea Academy (UKTA) has announced the reopening of entries for The International Tea Academy Awards, The Leafies 2023. Building on the success of last year, this year’s awards introduce new changes, including nine new ‘Bestseller’ categories specifically tailored for retailers. Another notable addition is the ‘New Region’ category, recognising gardens and estates in non-traditional tea regions that have been producing exceptional teas for less than five years.

The Leafies were launched last year by the UK Tea Academy, establishing the first dedicated tea awards in the UK. These prestigious awards aim to celebrate beautifully crafted teas from all corners of the globe. With the participation of nine expert judges from diverse tea-producing regions, nearly three hundred teas from over 27 countries were blind tasted and evaluated, resulting in an impressive selection of Highly Commended and Gold-winning teas.

A selection of last year’s Gold winners are currently available from the Rare Tea Counter at Fortnum & Mason’s flagship London store. As the official partner of The Leafies this year, Fortnum & Mason will once again provide the opportunity to sell some of the exceptional winning teas.

Expressing her enthusiasm about the continued partnership with The Leafies, Ottilie Cunningham, tea buyer at Fortnum & Mason, said, “It is a real joy being part of The Leafies. The combined knowledge of the judges really is second to none, and we have discovered some exciting new teas for the counter as a result. I very much look forward to what this year’s competition will bring.”

As part of its mission to educate more individuals about high-quality tea, the UK Tea Academy has introduced new categories for The Leafies, specifically tailored to retailers. Jane Pettigrew, director of studies at UKTA, explains, “We had such outstanding teas at last year’s awards, but of course they are often small batch, high value, and not readily available to the general public. This year, by introducing dedicated retail categories, we can encourage retailers to enter and demonstrate that great-tasting, loose-leaf teas can be both accessible and affordable.”

Online entry forms can be completed until Monday 11 September, with the judging week scheduled for early October. The winners of The Leafies 2023 will be presented with the awards at a ceremony in London later this year. Visit the ukteaacademy.com to find out more. To enter The Leafies 2023, please click here.

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FoodBev unveils World Coffee Innovation Awards

Kathryn Brand — Tue, 02 May 2023 08:00:31 +0000

FoodBev has launched the World Coffee Innovation Awards, to celebrate the gamechangers and trendsetters who have elevated coffee as we know it. From beans and pods to equipment and speciality drinks, the Awards recognise innovations that push the industry forward.

With a whopping two billion cups of coffee consumed globally each day, the World Coffee Innovation Awards are all about showcasing the unsung heroes behind the scenes – the people, brands and companies that are shaping the future of coffee.

From farms to roasting plants to cafes and individual innovators, the Awards shine a spotlight on the cutting-edge advancements that often go unnoticed, for example, revolutionary machines, unique packaging, novel blends, or a spin on an old classic.

Winners will be announced at Caffe Culture Show in October at Islington’s Business Design Centre, London. Being shortlisted for the World Coffee Innovation Awards is a mark of excellence that will prevail long after the ceremony and can demonstrate the impact a company or individual is making in the food and beverage industry.

Find out more about the World Coffee Innovation Awards here.

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Steeped Coffee chosen as NEXTY Awards finalist for Best New Product

Sarah McRitchie — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 13:17:52 +0000

Steeped Coffee, a Certified B Corp, has been announced as a NEXTY Awards Finalist for ‘Best New Product’ for its French Roast Fair Trade Organic Breakwater Blend. Steeped Coffee is a top three finalist in the ‘Best New Tea or Coffee’ category for the coveted NEXTY Award, and award winners will be announced live at the annual Natural Products Expo East, held from 23-25 September in Philadelphia, USA. Steeped will be at the expo at Booth No. 1214 and showcasing its revolutionary single-serve Steeped Brewing Method and Guilt-Free Packaging.

The NEXTY Awards recognise the pinnacle of excellence in the natural products industry, highlighting brands and products that inspire a healthy, sustainable future for people and the planet. Nearly 600 products completed this year with over 700 category nominations, with only 78 selected as finalists. Brewed similar to tea, fully compostable Steeped Packs require no machines or specialty brewing equipment and are quickly becoming the sustainable standard in single-serve coffee.

“Steeped doesn’t take its Barista-Approved standards lightly and we’ve worked closely with industry experts to validate every aspect of the Steeped Brewing Method, from freshness and quality to extraction and shelf life. We are delivering consistency and authenticity for specialty coffee lovers in a sustainable single-serve format,” said Josh Wilbur, founder and CEO, Steeped Coffee. “We are proud to make quality coffee accessible to more people with our revolutionary, simple brewing method that helps reduce our lasting impact on the planet.”

The Natural Products Expo East is the industry’s largest event on the east coast, featuring more than 1,500 brands. Exhibitors showcase the latest innovations shaping the future of organic and natural food and beverage, personal care and supplements. The NEXTY Awards recognise the most progressive, innovative, inspiring and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Finalists are chosen based on the NEXTY criteria centered around innovation, inspiration, integrity, and impact.

Steeped partners with more than 300+ top roasters across the country to deliver sustainable quality coffee in each single-serve cup. The company’s original Breakwater Blend is made from 100% specialty grade coffee that is ethically sourced, with Fair Trade and USDA Organic Certifications, from the Tolima region of Columbia. Each Steeped Pack contains craft-roasted, freshly ground pre-portioned coffee that is triple nitro-sealed to guarantee each perfect cup.

“Steeped Coffee’s single-serve brewing method is disrupting traditional coffee service for individuals, companies, and the hospitality industry,” said Wilbur. “We all have a role to play when it comes to protecting the world we live in and we take that responsibility seriously. That’s why our award-winning Guilt-Free Packaging that is certified commercially compostable takes every possible step to ensure that your sacred coffee rituals go unnoticed by the next generation.”

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SCA now accepting submissions for Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards

Sarah McRitchie — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 15:49:33 +0000

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is now accepting submissions for the Best New Product Competition and Display, and the Coffee Design Awards taking place at Specialty Coffee Expo in the city of New Orleans, 30 September – 3 October 2021.

Best New Product Competition and Display

All submissions will be placed on permanent digital display on the New in Coffee platform. Submissions are open to Specialty Coffee Expo 2021 exhibitors from 30 June 2021 and close on 13 August 2021.

Competition categories include:

Coffee Accessories
Commercial Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment
Commericial Cold Brew Preparation and Serving Equipment
Consumer Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment (Electrical)
Consumer Coffee Preparation and Serving Equipment (Non-Electrical)
Open Class
Roasting Equipment and Tools
Specialty Coffee Beverage Flavor Additive
Specialty Non-Coffee Beverage Stand Alone
Technology

More information about Best New Product is available on the event website at coffeeexpo.org/best- new-product-competition.

Coffee Design Awards

Great design serves an important function in distinguishing specialty coffee. The Coffee Design Awards celebrates innovation in design in four categories: coffee spaces, branding, coffee vessels, and packaging. All submissions to the Coffee Design Awards will be placed on permanent display on the Design in Coffee platform. Submissions are open from June 30, 2021 and close August 13, 2021. The Coffee Design Awards 2021 Packaging category is sponsored by TricorBraun Flex.

More information about the Coffee Design Awards is available on the event website at coffeeexpo.org/coffee-design-awards.

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Farrer’s wins three Great Taste awards

Sarah McRitchie — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:30:19 +0000

The team at Lake District based tea and coffee merchants John Farrer & Co, Kendal, has been awarded three 1-star Great Taste awards for its first ever entries, putting the company in the top 30% of roasters in the UK.

The team was awarded the internationally recognised awards for Farrer’s Colombian single origin ground coffee, Farrer’s Colombian Nespresso compatible capsules and Farrer’s Lakeland Special Tea.

As well as selling tea and coffee to a range of retail and hospitality businesses up and down the country, the UK’s oldest coffee roasters (founded in 1819) also provides its products to customers through its website, as well as a coffee subscription service.

The Great Taste awards celebrate the very best artisan and specialty producers, with 12,777 products from around the world entered into this year’s awards, with only 3,818 being awarded a 1-star accolade. Judged by 144 of the most discerning palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, buyers, retailers, and producers, as well as food writers and journalists, Great Taste is the most coveted of all food and drink awards.

Dave Walsh, Farrer’s general manager, commented: “We are delighted to have won three Great Taste awards. Not only do these awards show the hard work of our team, but they demonstrate that we are doing justice to the tea and coffee that we source.’’

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teapigs wins 23 Great Taste Awards

Vanessa Facenda — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 13:00:45 +0000

teapigs has announced it has received a company-best total of 23 Great Taste Awards.

With 15 one-star awards, 7 two-star awards and even a three-star award for their honeybush and rooibos infusion, this haul of 23 awards brings teapigs’ total to 137 prizes to date.

All teapigs’ teas are certified plastic free and are carefully selected and slurped by Louise Cheadle, teapigs’ co-founder and chief tea taster who has over 20 years of professional tea tasting experience.

“We’re really excited about these awards,” said Louise, “and we’re looking forward to bringing even more quality teas to the range. We do our best to source the best quality and best tasting tea out there and it’s brilliant to get feedback like this. Since day one we’ve been on a mission to get people drinking real tea again so it’s fantastic to be recognized for the work we’ve done so far. So, if you’re looking for a core classic flavour for your tea menu or something unusual to attract your customers, we’ve got an award-winning tea that fits the bill!”

Taking pride of place this year with a three-star award is teapigs’ honeybush and rooibos. This blend of two naturally caffeine free and nutrient rich South African plants was given the highest accolade of three stars with the judges describing this “beautifully aromatic infusion” as “full of vim and vigor, yet sweet and gentle with it” and that it was “hard to imagine how this could be improved, it’s stunning.”

Two other award-winning teas from the teapigs range were their everyday brew and single-estate breakfast tea, both of which were awarded two stars, and both contain quality black tea from Rwanda. These two teas are at the heart of teapigs’ ethical scheme. Some of the finest black teas in the world are sourced from Rwanda, and teapigs are committed to giving back to the communities that bring them their premium, whole leaf tea. teapigs donate 5-15 pence from every pack of everyday brew and 50p from every single estate breakfast tea they sell to the Point Foundation; an organisation that supports orphans and vulnerable young people in Rwanda. To date they have raised over £350,000 from pack donations alone and have done various other fundraising events to help this awesome cause.

teapigs’ everyday brew is also 100% Rainforest Alliance certified – meaning that the tea estates their everyday brew is sourced from have been audited to meet standards that require environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

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The Republic of Tea wins two sofi Gold Awards

Sarah McRitchie — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 11:29:30 +0000

The Republic of Tea, leading US purveyor of premium teas and herbs, has received two 2020 sofi Gold Awards by the Specialty Food Association. The Republic of Tea’s organic SuperAdapt Burnout Blocker won the tea category and the Beautifying Botanicals Daily Beauty was deemed best in class in the functional beverage category.

The Specialty Food Association’s sofi Awards have been honouring the best in specialty food since 1972. The two winning teas are part of 148 winning products selected by a national panel of specialty food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 39 categories. Every eligible entry is carefully assessed by food professionals including chefs, culinary experts, academics, food writers, and category buyers. Products are blind judged on taste, including flavour, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality and innovation. This year, for the first time, sofi judging was held at the prestigious Rutgers Food Innovation Center following strict safety guidelines.

“We are deeply honoured and humbled to receive this coveted distinction for two of our great-tasting teas by the Specialty Food Association,” said Kristina Tucker, minister of Enlightenment and Commerce at The Republic of Tea. “SuperAdapt Burnout Blocker is a lusciously delicious herbal blend with organic ginger and cinnamon combined with the medicinal mushrooms, chaga and cordyceps. Daily Beauty steeps an enchanting violet colour with sweet notes of blueberries and lavender. This herbal blend quickly became a favourite since its introduction in 2019. We are thrilled that these innovative flavour profiles and high-quality teas are being recognised and celebrated.”

The SuperAdapt collection of teas feature adaptogens, a category of healing herbs to help handle stress. The SuperAdapt Burnout Blocker is caffeine-free. Its air-tight tin contains 36 round, unbleached paper tea bags and retails for $13.75.

Beautifying Botanicals Daily Beauty is a collagen-promoting blend of nourishing ingredients including the exotic blue butterfly pea flower, hibiscus, rose hips, bamboo, and schizandra berries. This caffeine-free herbal tea is a beauty ritual, hot or over ice, with blueberries and lavender. It retails for $13.75 per tin.

Both award-winning teas are available at www.RepublicofTea.com as well as natural and specialty retailers across the US.

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ProFood World moves award presentations to Pack Expo International

Sarah McRitchie — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:58:04 +0000

ProFood World and PMMI have cancelled the 2020 ProFood Live conference in view of recent stay-at-home requests and out of concern for the safety and health of staff, attendees and customers.

However, although the live event will not be taking place, the food and beverage manufacturing community will be able to access the conference content in the coming months; ProFood World will also host educational webinars featuring ProFood Live presentations.

With the support of PMMI, ProFood World will recognise its winners of the Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards and the Manufacturing Innovation Awards at Pack Expo International and Healthcare Packaging Expo in Chicago, from 8-11 November 2020. The awards will be presented at Innovation Stage 1.

The dates and times are as follows:

4:00 PM – 8 November 2020 | Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards
4:00 PM – 10 November 2020 | Manufacturing Innovation Awards

Some of the winners to be honored in November include:

J.M. Smucker’s — New Uncrustables plant in Longmont, Colorado
Atelier Hermes Boissons – First in the world to HPP bulk process juices that are sent directly to filler
Lotus Bakeries – Manufacturers of the popular Biscoff cookie –first plant in the U.S.

“While it’s disappointing the conference has been canceled, we’re glad we have the ability to bring some of the conference to food and beverage manufacturers virtually,” said Joyce Fassl, editor in chief of ProFood World and content director for ProFood Live.

“We’re also grateful the award-winning companies can be honored at Pack Expo International and Healthcare Packaging Expo in November. We hope many in the manufacturing community will join us for these events.”

For more information, visit: ProFoodWorld.com

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Steady State Roasting receives Good Food Award

Sarah McRitchie — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 16:14:59 +0000

Steady State Roasting, the award-winning small-batch coffee roaster and café located in Carlsbad, CA, received a coveted 2020 Good Food Award last month, for its La Pradera Mokka blend in the coffee category. The win establishes Steady State Roasting as a leader in exceptional flavour and social and environmentally conscious practices; the roastery was the only San Diego company to receive a Good Food award this year.

“We’re elated to receive a Good Food Award; it’s a reflection of our values and commitment in this industry,” said owner and head roaster Elliot Reinecke. “More than anything, however, proud to share our practices in hopes that others will choose transparency and responsibility in the industry. That’s the true honor.”

Steady State Roasting produces specialty coffee which is responsibly-sourced from around the globe. Additionally, Reinecke, adhering to Steady State’s notion of building trust and community — and supporting those who are relentlessly committed to their craft, has personally met the farmers who produce the roastery’s beans.

With a focus on honesty and accountability — and opting to take the transparency pledge, Steady State shares harvest dates, producers, regions of origin and prices of purchase for green coffee beans on its website. This is done in the hope of bringing awareness to pricing decisions that support living wages for farmers and producers and aiding consumers in making informed decisions on where to spend their money.

The roastery’s sensory lab welcomes guests to travel the world through taste, by sampling flavour profiles from various countries in espresso drinks, pour-overs and specialty beverages. From Steady State Roasting’s humble beginnings in a shed behind Reinecke’s rental home, his passion for the craft and dedication to responsible sourcing has elevated the roastery to a distinguished local business, with global merits. As an up-and-coming leader in the coffee industry, Steady State also takes pride in educating coffee aficionados about the work that goes into a daily cup of coffee, as well as inviting local coffee dreamers to rent out its roasters by the hour, to create their own specialty roasts.

“We now offer free cuppings at our San Marcos roastery,” said Reinecke, “Often, we find that people have the perception that all coffee tastes the same, or that it’s the additions that change the flavor. In reality, a cup of coffee tastes different depending on where it was grown, how much rain the region saw that year and a slew of other factors. Adding the education element has both been fun for customers and helpful in creating a respect for the lengthy process that creates your morning pick-me-up.”

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Spirit of Peace Ex-Combatants named Best of the Best at Illy Awards

Sarah McRitchie — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 13:58:16 +0000

At the fourth annual Ernesto Illy International Coffee Awards, illycaffè, named Colombia’s ‘Spirit of Peace Ex-Combatants’ – Asacafè (represented by Carlos Arturo López Guarnizo and Oscar Rodrigo Campo Hurtado) as the “Best of the Best”.

An independent jury of nine top culinary and coffee connoisseurs from around the world gathered for a series of blind coffee tastings, brewed individually from the harvests of nine different countries, to thoughtfully determine the best bean of the 2018-2019 season.

Twenty-seven top grower representatives from nine countries (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua and Rwanda) were recognised and celebrated for their sustainable quality. Each lot, before being examined by the independent jury in New York, was selected through intensive analysis at illy’s Quality Lab and then judged on aromatic richness/complexity, balance/elegance and aroma intensity/strength.

“It is an honor and a pleasure to recognise Colombia, ‘Spirit of Peace’ and Asacafè for their achievement, as well as applaud all of our finalists who are focused on producing the highest-quality coffee through sustainable methods,” said Andrea Illy, chairman of illycaffè.

“This award celebrates and honors the Spirit of Peace project, that we have supported since the very beginning, with the aim to give a chance for the rural Colombian coffee community to become the engine of a bigger transformation through the economic reintegration of the ex-combatants and their victims in the Cauca region.”

The “Coffee Lover’s Choice” honour was awarded to Rwanda’s Ngamba Coffee Washing Station, represented by Ms. Celine Niwemugeni, for the second consecutive year. Presented by illycaffè CEO Massimiliano Pogliani, the prize was determined by a demanding jury of its own: more than 1,000 discerning visitors to flagship illy cafès locations in London, Milan, Paris, Shanghai and San Francisco.

The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award, named after illycaffè’s visionary, second-generation leader, celebrates the company’s hand-in-hand work with farmers for nearly 30 years to offer the best sustainably grown coffee to the world, as well as its commitment to improving the wellbeing of the world’s coffee growers.

“The Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award starts with the unique illy blend, developed consistently year after year, which gives us a deep knowledge of the coffee origins. We then combine this expertise with our direct sourcing model, working hand-in-hand with coffee growers to produce the highest quality Arabica beans sustainably,” said Massimiliano Pogliani, illycaffè CEO.

“Coffee lovers and connoisseurs around the world are becoming more and more interested in learning and understanding not only about aromatic and taste profile typical of a specific terroir – very similarly to what happens int the wine world – but also how their coffee is produced and who produces it. This is the deep meaning of this Award, which wants to shorten the distance and bring together growers & consumers.”

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Awards honour tea changemakers

Sarah McRitchie — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:21:36 +0000

The Tea Association of the USA and the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada have announced the winners of the 4th annual Sustainability Awards held at the North American Tea Conference.

The annual Sustainability Awards for the tea sector encourage tea growers to not only deliver a delicious beverage, but also a healthy product that is socially responsible with a positive impact on the environment.

From water and sanitation to sustainable agriculture and farming, here’s how these tea changemakers are creating a sustainable future:

Apeejay Tea – Apeejay Tea is working with 1,200+ small tea growers who are now part of the supply chain linked to 12 factories manufacturing tea. The company has given all of them a Supply Chain Certification. Manufacturers of green tea leaf from small tea growers is predicted to reach 5 million kg in 2019, up from 3.6 million kg in 2017.
Sorwathe Ltd. – Sorwathe Tea Factory is situated in Rulindo District in Rwanda and employs around 2,500 workers a day and 2,500 tea farmers. Working with the Rwanda government, Sorwathe is investing in agriculture to reduce poverty and to target the lack of funds to plant tea, assist in the livelihood of the farmer and dependents of current land that are being converted to tea, and improve the lack of knowledge in organic tea cultivation.
Finlays – Globally, Finlays has been involved in water stewardship programs with the aim to provide safe access to safe water. In Argentina, Finlays work within the Tabay river basin to ensure the flow of water throughout the basin. Their efforts are environmental (diagnosis, recovery of degraded areas), production (co-ordinate with government programs), and social (collaborate for management of roads, bridges and transportation).
Eastern Produce Ltd. – In 2018, the EPK initiated its project for helping schools in Nandi County, Kenya gain access to water after realising how much rain water was wasted through existing systems. Through rain water harvesting programs, a total of 12,600 pupils and students have more sustained access to water. 21 schools have benefited from a sustained and self-sufficient water resource and absenteeism rates have reduced.

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Voting now open for the Tea & Coffee Global Supplier Awards

Sarah McRitchie — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:54:12 +0000

Voting for the inaugural Tea & Coffee Global Supplier Awards is now open.

The awards will celebrate excellence within the tea and coffee industry, and will offer everyone within the tea and coffee supply business a chance to shine.

There will be two awards presented: Best Tea Supplier and Best Coffee Supplier.

Unlike other awards, people within the industry will have the opportunity to vote for their preferred supplier, via the Tea & Coffee World Conference website. This means that the Tea & Coffee Global Supplier Awards are truly independent, and voted for by their industry colleagues and peers. To ensure neutrality, only one vote, per person and multiple votes from one person or excessive votes from one company (50+) will be discounted.

Voting is open now

Vote for the Best Tea Supplier

Vote for the Best Coffee Supplier

Voting for the Awards is open now, and the winners will be announced in September.

The post Voting now open for the Tea & Coffee Global Supplier Awards appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

TC Transcontinental wins big at PAC Canadian Leadership Awards

Sarah McRitchie — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 08:28:51 +0000

TC Transcontinental Packaging has won the Sustainable Packaging category at the 2019 PAC Canadian Leadership Awards with its Harney & Sons Fine Teas 100% recyclable packages with barrier. These awards fully support the corporation’s pledge for 100% of its plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

“We are thrilled to have our innovations recognised at the PAC Canadian Leadership Awards,” said Alex Hayden, senior vice president, R&D, innovation and sustainability, TC Transcontinental Packaging.

“Our focus is to develop packaging solutions that meet our customers’ needs and are ahead of market trends. We collaborate with partners from across the plastic value chain and make sure to use a circular approach in every step of our product design, from sourcing to end-of-life. We are poised to continue developing industry leading sustainable packaging and to increase the amount of recycled plastics in our portfolio.”

The Harney & Sons Fine Teas and Les Aliments Jardi packages are both 100% recyclable, multilayer barrier stand-up pouches. They hit all notes: 100% recycle ready for in-store drop off, EVOH barrier for product preservation, seal strength, and durability. The challenge with barrier films from a sustainability perspective is that it is not easily broken down and recycled, therefore hindering its reuse and contribution to positive environmental change. Dow’s Retain resin technology provides the solution to this concern by compatibilising the barrier, thus allowing for a multilayer film to be fully recyclable and attain sustainability goals.

Additionally, TC Transcontinental Packaging won a Silver award in the Sustainabiltiy Category with its and Les Aliments Jardi package, a Silver award in the Rebrand, Food & Beverage category for its Diamond Brand Shelled Walnuts pouch as well as a Silver award in the Rebrand, Non Food category for its Golfgreen Nitrogrow pouch from Canadian Tire.

The 2019 PAC Canadian Leadership Awards celebrate craftmanship in brand package design and innovation with a vision to showcase the power of packaging.

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Winners from the Cup of Excellence Award in Honduras

Sarah McRitchie — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 14:17:03 +0000

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) awarded six scores of 90+ at the Cup of Excellence (COE) awards in Honduras, South America, showcasing the diversity in region variety and process.

The competition was held at the IHCAFE Center for Research and Training in La Fe Ilama, Santa Bárbara with COE in country partners Instituto Hondureño del Cafe (IHCAFE). The panel represented markets from Japan, China, South Korea, Colombia, Bulgaria, Russia, Australia, USA, Netherlands and Honduras.

Farmers submitted 290 samples from 12 departments across Honduras, which included 20 different varieties and blends. After careful evaluation the jury selected 30 coffees to go the COE Auction from 7 different departments with the varieties of Bourbon, Catuai, Gesha, Pacas, Parainema and Typica and 4 different processes of Washed, Natural, Honey and the first appearance of an Anaerobic process coffee for COE Honduras. These coffees will be available through an internet auction on Thursday, 11 July.

Sandra Hermsen from Simon Lévelt Coffee and Tea in Netherlands said: “COE Honduras has been a great for me. I have never attended to a COE competition before and feel honored to have had the opportunity. I was amazed by the high quality and flavor complexity of the Honduran coffees. The international jury found several fruit flavors like peach, cherries, bergamot and tropical fruits, as well as floral notes and caramel. At times it was a carnival in our mouths with flavors that were competing with each other for attention. Many thanks to the coffee producers, IHCAFE, COE, the national jury and all volunteers that made this competition possible.”

The COE International jury gave scores of 90 and above to 6 lots, with the top lot receiving the second highest score in COE Honduras history of 94.84.

Russia based, Eugene Schukin from Kafema said: “The coffees presented at COE Honduras 2019 were diverse. Coffee of different processes of washed, natural and honey. Different varieties – gesha, pacas, catuai, and others. All this gave a wide variations of flavor profiles from washed gesha with jasmine and earl grey aroma, light elegant body, peach, apricot and green tea flavors to natural coffees with honey, dried fruit flavor, full syrupy body, high sweetness, chocolate flavor, tropical fruits and strawberries.”

Desarrollos Santa Lucia S.A. took first place with a 94.84 washed Gesha from the farm Santa Lucia. Eleane Mierisch from the winning family said: “I want to thank my father Dr. Mierisch, my brothers Erwin and Steve Mierisch for all the knowledge that they have been passed to me but most importantly for always believing in me. Last but not least thank you to the entire Fincas Mierisch team whom without this never has been possible. I am honored to receive our first time first place in Cup of Excellence.”

In second place was a coffee from the region of La Paz from the producer Roger Antonio Dominguez Marquez with a score 92.25. Mr. Marquez received this score with a Natural Catuai from the farm Las Flores. Alma Aydee Pineda Alvarado scored 91.84 for third place from the farm La Sierra with a Washed Pacas.

For the full list of Honduras competition winners follow the link https://allianceforcoffeeexcellence.org/honduras-2019/

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UK Coffee Shop Sector to ‘shout of their success’

Sarah McRitchie — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 08:28:50 +0000

The £10 billion UK coffee shop market, which grew by 7.9% in turnover last year is being encouraged to champion its own success in 2019.

The SME National Business Awards has introduced a new category of Coffee Shop of the Year for 2019. It will include a public vote meaning loyal customers everywhere can have a say in their favourite local coffee shop being recognised on the national stage.

“There is no doubt that the 20 consecutive years of sales and outlet growth of coffee shops across the UK needs to be recognised on a national business awards stage.” said Damian Cummins, director of the SME National Business Awards.

“Research is telling us that branded coffee shops secured a robust growth in 2018 to reach 8,149 stores.” he added. “I want to ensure the whole business community across the nation recognises this immense contribution to the UK. That is why we are proud to have Coffee Shop of the Year as a fundamental part of our awards in 2019.”

The SME National Business Awards is challenging coffee shops who have a brand name that brings people into their shops but also keeps them coming back time and time again.

“We want to hear from coffee shops where customers know what they are getting when they step through the door.” Damian added. “It is about quality drinks and a high standard of customer service. The winners will provide an exceptional all-round experience as standard and we can’t wait to hear from the four corners of the UK.”

Coffee Shop of the Year will form part of the 4 public vote categories at the SME National Business Awards 2019 which also includes Best Customer Service, Pub of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.

Each nomination in the public vote categories will be required to fill out an application form to complete their entry with independent businesses, franchises, and branches of larger businesses permitted to enter the public vote categories.

The competition is open to all businesses nationally who commenced business before January 2019. Nominate your favourite coffee shop by Thursday 16 May here: http://bit.ly/SMENominate

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Best New Product and Design Lab Awards 2019 winners

Sarah McRitchie — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 14:13:17 +0000

The winners of the Best New Product and Design Lab Awards at the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo in Boston have been announced.

The 2019 Best New Product winners are:

Kruve Inc. EQ: Coffee Accessories
Bellwether Coffee: Commercial Coffee or Tea Preparation & Serving Equipment
Breville Barista Pro Model BES 878: Consumer Coffee or Tea Preparation & Serving Equipment – Electrical
Cafélat Robot Espresso Maker: Consumer Coffee or Tea Preparation & Serving Equipment – Non-Electrical
Cometeer Coffee Capsule: Open Class
Steeped Coffee S-101: Packaging
1883 Maison Routin elixirs d’ exception ~ truffle: Specialty Beverage Flavor Additive
Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Powder: Specialty Beverage Flavor Additive (Honorable Mention)
Dona Chai Spiced Soda Pink Peppercorn Lemon: Specialty Beverage Stand Alone
Ifinca Coffee Chain: Technology
Tierra Nueva Nudge Coffee Butter: Food

The 2019 Design Lab Winners are:

Rishi Tea. Design by Studio MPLS: Branding Category
Greater Goods Coffee Roasters. Design by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture: Spaces
Blue Bottle Coffee Can. Design by Elaine Fong and Neil Day: Packaging
KRUVE EQ Glassware Line by KRUVE Inc. Design by Michael Vecchiarelli: Vessels

Learn more about the Best New Product and Design Lab Awards on the Specialty Coffee Expo website at https://coffeeexpo.org/.

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