Anne-Marie Hardie
The New Age of Consumer Loyalty
With inflation and costs of goods rising thereby pinching consumers’ wallets, as well as so many options, brands are fighting for consumers’ attention, purchasing decision and their loyalty, but how to do so is not easy.
Small but mighty: it is time to connect with Generation Alpha
They may still be young, and most of their purchases are still being made by their parents, but Generation Alpha already has a powerful voice, and these ‘new’ consumers, who are the most racially and ethnically diverse group to date, are intent on being heard when it comes to what they like and dislike, what they believe in, and what products and brands align with their values.
CSR – consumers demand action, not aspiration
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has long been something brands/companies aspired to, but it was rarely inherent in their mission statements or business practices. Those days are gone as today’s consumers are demanding that companies ‘walk the walk’ and no longer ‘talk the talk’ when it comes to CRS.
Lessons from the pandemic
The pandemic was the most difficult challenge most companies had – or will ever have had – to face. However, through it all coffee and tea companies showed resilience, creativity and strength, and the importance of being flexible and adaptable.
It’s time to pay better attention to the health benefits in tea
After attending the Sixth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health, one thing was clear: I need to drink more tea. The half-day symposium explored several areas of health, from cardiovascular to immunity, but what really intrigued me was the research on cognition.
Mitigating the risk of cancel culture
The digital world in which we live has given rise to ‘cancel culture’. Holding brands/companies accountable for their words or actions is nothing new but doing so has never been easier than it is today, making the risks greater and the recovery – which is not always possible – more challenging.
The business case for sustainability
Implementing sustainable initiatives throughout the coffee and tea supply chains is not only good for the environment, the people and the product, it is simply good business.
Cultivating a circular economy in coffee
The potential to reuse coffee pulp, organic waste from pruning and other field activities as well as wastewater from coffee processing is underestimated. Used appropriately, these wastes can enhance the productivity of coffee farms and livelihoods of farmers.
Fostering connections beyond the holiday season
The holiday season presents an opportunity to draw new consumers to your brand and reconnect with past consumers. However; a quick glance at any grocery store shelf or online shop will confirm that consumers have a lot of options to choose from. So how do you make your brand stand out?
CAC Conference stressed the need to do more for the entire supply chain
The Coffee Association of Canada virtually gathered the coffee community on 16 and 17 November, with informative and entertaining reflections and concrete strategies that embodied the conference’s theme of Refilling Our Cup.
Tea and Herbal Association mid-year meet up encourages the industry to Level Up
On 28 September 2021, the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada (THAC) hosted a two-hour virtual event, Level Up, to provide valued insights on international logistics, diminishing carbon emissions, and an overview of the consumer buying practices. Anne-Marie Hardie reports.
Securing the production of coffee
The sustainability dialogue has shifted from securing a living wage to ensuring a prosperous livelihood for coffee producers in the past year. Although several sectors of the industry have adopted this new mindset, there is still a long road ahead to make this change a reality.
Sintercafe revealed that we are all in this together
This past November, the global coffee community virtually gathered at Sintercafe to share insights, challenges and opportunities in this evolving world. In this guest blog, Anne-Marie Hardie discusses the talks at Sintercafe that shared positive attributes the pandemic has revealed about the coffee industry.
Fostering connections in a virtual world
The virtual world has never been more important. But with the upswing of online commerce and conversation, how does a business stand out from others in this space?