coffee business strategies

Friend and colleague Shawn Steiman scores high marks in this month’s Roast Magazine with The Points Principle, a point/counterpoint look at the 100-point cupping system and its alternatives, with rebuttal by Ken Davids of Coffee Review. I give the article a solid 92.

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A 2009 retrospective in February 2010, you ask? Well, I’ve been hard at work for the last 6 weeks or so (which you will see in the 2010 wrap-up), so it’s going to have to do. What, you want a refund? This is my second annual year in review, started in 2008 and inspired by [...]

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We are pleased to announce that the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe’s annual origin tour is coming to the Island of Hawaii for the first time ever this October 26-31st, organized and led by Andrew Hetzel of Cafemakers (Kamuela) and author of The Hawaii Coffee Book, Dr. Shawn Steiman of Coffea Consulting (Honolulu). Approximately 20 [...]

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A short article in the September Restaurants & Institutions Magazine discusses the latest tactics employed by Caribou Coffee, Corner Bakery, Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and McDonald’s to refocus (or in some cases, build) their brand image in a depressed market. I weigh-in specifically on the approach taken by Dunkin’ and McDonald’s to capitalize on the cost [...]

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Hooray! The August / September James Beard Foundation member newsletter is here! That’s right, the current JBF Notes includes my profile, quotes and a picture in the article titled “Will Work for Food,” which is at this very moment on its way to the mailboxes of the world’s culinary elite. Even for someone who is [...]

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