Study shows coffee reduces risk of oral cancer
More evidence of coffee's healing powers were recently reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology. In a Japanese study with 38,679 participants over 13.6 years, the incidence of cancer was cut in half for those drinkers consuming 1-2 cups per day, with strong...
World Barista Championship launches search for executive director
LONDON (November 17, 2008) – World Barista Championship UK Ltd. has launched a worldwide search to fill the newly created position of executive director. The World Barista Championship (WBC) is the world's largest coffee competition, drawing competitors from more than...
Taiwanese Barista Competition hosts Stephen Morrissey
News about the Taiwanese Barista Competition and a couple of related events, straight to Cindy Chang, from Cindy to Emily Oak, Emily to me and then me to you. I always take the most direct route to get breaking news. The semi-finals round of the Taiwanese Barista...
New judges certification workshops for WBC
Two new judges certification workshops will be held in Long Beach, California and Melbourne, Australia for applicants who aspire to judge at the 2009 World Barista Championship (WBC) competition in Atlanta. On April 16-19, 2009, national barista champions from over 56...
Coffee roaster recognized for its way with beans
The Topeka Capital Journal shows some love for PT's Coffee in this morning's edition, rightfully boasting that America's Roaster of the Year is based in none other than their own hometown. Congratulations again go out to Jeff, Fred and the whole PT's team! Coffee...
Career advice for a coffee newbie
What advice would you give to a newbie in the business - a barista who wants to start a business based on their accumulated coffee knowledge? My response: Don't do it. The coffee business may look like fun in your current position as a barista and you dream of being...
PT’s Coffee is Roaster of the Year
PT's Coffee Roasting Co. Named Roaster of the Year by Roast Magazine PT's Coffee Roasting Co. has been named Roast magazine's Roaster of the Year for 2009 in the publication's November / December 2008 issue released today. The annual "Roaster of the Year" title is...
Supermarket Guru with Andrew Hetzel on consumer coffee spending
Phil Lempert, a.k.a. The Supermarket Guru, weighs in on the current state of the out-of-home coffee marketing in the article "FACTORING COFFEE IN TODAY'S BUDGET: MORE TAKE-HOME BEAN SALES YET NO TOTAL ABANDONMENT OF THE COFFEE SHOP" The Small Business Association...
In bad times, people hold onto little luxuries
This Associated Press article, redistributed in papers like the Sun Times, describes the psychology behind the "lipstick factor," or how affordable luxuries (like coffee) can be largely immune to wide scale economic downturn. CHICAGO (AP) Since Marty O'Rourke lost his...
Bearclaw grabs for Detroit’s gourmet coffee customers
Bearclaw Coffee scores again with their latest successful public relations stunt. Note that public relations stunts are positive things, when orchestrated correctly. This week, the company dispatched one of its mobile coffee vans to the site of their recently...
Coffee shop boom time as chains defy crunch
A short but sweet article from the London Evening Standard succinctly hits the key factors behind the ongoing success of coffee retailers despite the economic downturn. There's no hard data in the story, but after all, the subject matter expert interviewed is selling...
Tips to improve coffee shop profits
A coffee business trade magazine writer contacted me today searching for ideas about how to improve coffee shop profits. My notes looked like they may make a useful blog entry, so I've included them here: Improve Coffee Shop Profits Eliminate low margin items that do...