Blogs
Is There an Equitable Solution?
Is there an equitable solution to raising coffee producers’ profitability? A few weeks ago, I attended the World Coffee Producers Forum in Medellin, Colombia (I recapped the event in my blog that week).
Coffee Producers Have a “Forum” to Speak
This week I attended the inaugural World Coffee Producers Forum in Medellín, Colombia. The conference, which took place 10-12 July, was conceived by coffee associations and organisations from producing countries around the world and organised and hosted by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC).
Catching Buyers’ Eyes
It’s a good thing I attend only one Fancy Food Show per year — my waistline could not handle a second show!
Beauty and Business in Budapest
I choose events to attend by organisation, content offered and participants—not by location. But I must admit, the Specialty Coffee Association’s (SCA) selected city for its World of Coffee 2017, has long been on my “travel bucket list.”
Move Over Millennials, Here Comes Gen Z
Perhaps the most over-used word in today’s lexicon is “millennials.” But now, a new group is emerging—Generation Z—and their influence and spending power is growing.
Taking charge of the situation
Caffeine is back in the news—and not for the right reasons. A 16-year old high school student from South Carolina recently died from an accidental caffeine overdose, more accurately, a caffeine-induced cardiac event causing a probable arrhythmia, according to the medical examiner.
Challenges abound for coffee but progress continues
At the conclusion of every SCAA Expo I’ve attended since joining T&CTJ, I always have the same thought, “I need more time.” I continually feel there are more booths I need to visit, people to see and of course, coffee to taste.
Not the friendly skies
United Airlines’ appalling behavior towards passengers–its customers–is not “new news” but because its latest atrocities happened in between two of my recent trips, they’re still top of mind with me.
Women require a seat at the table
The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) held their annual luncheon on March 25th during the NCA Convention in Austin, Texas.
Celebrating 300 years of family tradition
Given its purported health benefits, I have been trying to find ways to incorporate green tea into my diet (I’m not a fan of its grassy taste), and I think I may have finally found the perfect way—matcha latte martinis!
Interest in “functionality” remains high
I recently attended the ERCM Coffee, Tea & Cocoa EPPS in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I was a presenter and moderated a panel discussion. The two-day conference featured pre-scheduled 20- and/or 10-minute meetings in which suppliers of coffee, tea and cocoa had the opportunity to present new items and promotional opportunities to buyers across a variety of retail channels.
Expanding tea-usage occasions
We New Yorkers like our seasons—yes, even winter. We embrace the cold and snow (as long as it’s not excessive, then we will complain) and the winter-related activities. Recently, Central Park held its annual ice sculpting festival and the snowstorm a couple of days prior (in which NYC received 8-10 inches) made for quite a picturesque ambiance.
Apparently, the customer Isn’t always right…
I do not typically drink flavored coffees; the flavors of the terroir are usually enough for me. However, I admit that, particularly in the cold-weather months, I often like an espresso-blended beverage–of the mocha variety–as an afternoon pick-me-up.
In memoriam, Frederick A. Lockwood, T&CTJ’s former publisher
It is with sincere sadness that I report the sudden passing of Frederick (Fred) A. Lockwood, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal’s former long-time publisher, who died on January 17, 2017.