Supreme Bean acquired Groundwork Coffee Wholesale
The Supreme Bean Coffee Roasters and Groundwork Coffee Company have entered into a strategic partnership to better serve the customers of both organizations. Under terms of the agreement, Supreme Bean will add Groundwork's wholesale portfolio to its business and...
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival 2008 Training workshops
Espresso training, coffee roaster training, a farm tour and a new professional coffee tasting class will be held ahead of this year's Kona Coffee Cultural Festival on the Big Island. The Hawaii Coffee Training Workshop series sponsored by the Kona Pacific Farmers...
California to require calorie counts on chain menus
https://www.coffeestrategies.com/2008/09/30/california-to-require-calorie-counts-on-chain-menus/In a law signed today, starting July 1, 2009, all chain restaurants with 20 or more locations in the State of California will be required by law to list calorie counts for food items on their menus and overhead menu boards. I applaud the move, but question how...
Big Island coffee farm productivity down
Despite an increased number of farms and acreage, coffee production on the Big Island of Hawaii was off by about 3% in the 2007 season. I find it interesting that the Pacific Business News prefers to look at the "glass is half full" side of this story, emphasizing...
WBC runner-up David Makin featured in The Australian
2008 World Barista Championship runner-up and reigning Australian Barista Champion David Makin is featured in this article about the barista profession and competitions: TO many people, a cup of coffee is just a cup of coffee. To a few, it can be a work of art, if a...
European coffee body seeks new UK co-ordinator
An article (job advertisement, actually) announces Steve Penk's shift to focus full-time on the World Barista Championship, thus leaving his position as the regional SCAE coordinator available: The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, the trade body for the modern...
WBC announces espresso machine and grinder sponsors
LONDON (August 29, 2008) – The world’s top baristas will test their coffee making skills in competition using the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia espresso machine and MAHLKÖNIG K30 espresso grinders at World Barista Championship events in 2009 – 2011. Once every 3 years,...
Cup of Excellence Returns to Brazil
After a one year hiatus, the Cup of Excellence competition returns in November to Brazil, the origin where there first COE was held in 1999. You can read all about it in the organization's press release: The Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) announces with...
Kent Bakke of La Marzocco opens chocolate business
Yes, I realize that it is not about coffee, but there is a connection. Kent Bakke (shown left) is a co-owner of La Marzocco.... and also happens to be one of the nicest and most respected fellows in the business. From The Seattle Times One of the biggest names in...
Coffee Quality Institute Q-Graders featured in LA Times
Dora Jaramillo slides off the top of a wooden box to reveal 36 numbered vials of "perfume." Each number in the kit corresponds to a different aroma commonly found in coffee, some positive (lemon and butter) and some not so positive (medicinal and rubber). These...
Starbucks: Big Investors’ Divorce Grounds
BusinessWeek features the story of big investors dumping their interest in Starbucks in a new feature article. RESTORING LUSTER But Schultz faces a tough battle in bringing back the company's traditionally prolific growth. As recently as 2004, Starbucks' stock traded...
Turkish Coffee World featured in LA Times
Congratulations to Mustafa Arat on his LA Times article coverage this weekend. Being a fan of Turkish coffee, I was very pleased to see it receive attention -- hopefully a sign of more to come. If Turkish coffee gets hot, he could get rich By Utku Cakirozer, Los...