Blogs
Was 2020 the year to be forgotten or not to be forgotten?
It is still a bit unfathomable, but we have now all been living in a Covid-19 world for a year! So, has it been a year to be forgotten or not to be forgotten? That is the question Shabnam Weber, president of the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada, asked at the opening of her state of the industry report during the World Tea Virtual Summit, ‘Strategies for Success,’ which took place 15-16 March.
T&CTJ has a lot planned for our 120th anniversary!
I referenced it in a blog earlier this year but did not really tout that in 2021, we are celebrating Tea & Coffee Trade Journal’s 120th anniversary! It is still hard to imagine reaching such a milestone, but we are extremely proud of this achievement, especially amid the challenging, odd, and unprecedented environment last year and this year. To honour the occasion, we have several exciting – and beneficial to our readers and advertisers – rollouts planned for this year.
Coffee as a conversation starter
Dolly Parton echoed the sentiment of millions of coffee drinkers when she referred to coffee as a “cup of ambition” in her classic song, 9 to 5. And for many consumers, coffee is just that — a caffeine “kick” or “fix” that they use to start their days or when they need a “pick me up.”
Fighting back for the benefit of coffee
The National Coffee Association kicked off its annual convention in virtual form this week (3-5 March), and there has been a strong focus the first two days on highlighting coffee’s health benefits and fighting back against misinformation and sensationalized stories to “grab eyeballs.”
The benefits of black tea continue to emerge
New research highlights the health benefits of thearubigins – a polyphenol found only in black tea.
Will we see the return of reusable products?
There is no question that the impact reusable products were having in the hospitality industry was nothing but significant, with its importance only growing. Over the last year they have been widely forced aside and the question now, however, is whether the catering, hospitality, and takeaway industry will ever see a widespread return of them? Catering24 CEO Steve Lloyd reports.
Celebrating Cupid with coffee & chocolate
Valentine’s Day is this weekend, and although it is another holiday affected by Covid, it’s actually one that many (both couples and singles) might enjoy spending at home. And, curiously, it appears that along with chocolate, coffee is top of mind with those celebrating the “love holiday.”
US coffee sales remained steady in 2020, perking up in 2021
Good things are brewing for coffee in 2021, per the National Coffee Association’s (NCA) recent webinar, that is.
New survey reveals increase in loose-leaf tea consumption in UK during lockdowns
A new consumer survey by JING Tea has revealed several evolving tea trends that have been occurring in the UK since Covid-19 lockdowns began in March 2020, and topping the list, along with taste, is sustainability.
Harnessing the innovation of carbonic maceration in coffee
Carbonic maceration is undoubtedly having a moment within the specialty coffee industry. Borrowed from the wine world, carbonic maceration is a fermentation process that can have a significant impact on flavour development, as Jennifer Poole, co-founder of Those Coffee People, explains in this week’s guest blog.
Coffee companies need to prove their sustainability impact
According to a new report being released today (14 January), coffee companies must start proving their sustainability impact.
The 2020 Dietary Guidelines miss an opportunity with coffee
While the USDA’s 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include coffee in healthy eating patterns, the National Coffee Association asserts that they miss opportunities to note coffee’s association with specific health benefits.
2021 cannot come soon enough!
This is it – the last day of 2020 – and good riddance, most would agree. Although, at least as the year was winding down the Covid-19 vaccine was approved and vaccinations began. Hopefully, by mid-2021 the vaccine will be available to “the masses” and life can return to normal (or at least somewhat normal) …
The coffee partnership driving landscape-level sustainability in Mexico
The partnership between Olam Coffee, part of Olam Food Ingredients, and the Rainforest Alliance in Mexico is part of the Alliance for Sustainable Landscapes and Markets, funded by USAID, which is working to conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable farmer livelihoods in the biological corridor of the La Frailescana region of Chiapas.