Flavoring syrups: to use or not?
Back in 2007 when this article was originally written, syrups and flavorings were still a common item on specialty coffee menus, however the times have changed. Today's preference is to eliminate as many flavors from menus as possible - anyone can pour sickeningly...
Starbucks: The $6 billion gorilla
Reprinted with the permission of Nation's Restaurant News Espresso, historians tell us, was given to the world by Italians in the early 20th century. It would take a quirky Seattle retailer with New Age proclivities to move it into storefronts, malls, airports and...
"Bitter Brew" One year later
A little more than a year has passed since The Slate ran its popular online article Bitter Brew - I opened a charming neighborhood coffee shop. Then it destroyed my life by Michael Idov. I read the article again just recently and found that its lessons remain as true...
RIP Alex Fisenko
Alex Fisenko, known in the coffee industry as the "godfather of espresso," and founder of his popular Espresso Business Success Program passed away on January 21st, 2007. We remember Alex for his role as a pioneer in our industry, having inspired and assisted coffee...
Brazil Sees Its Best Average Cup of Excellence® Auction Price
After eight years of conducting the Cup of Excellence program the Brazil winning farmers saw their average price per pound rise up to over $5.00lb. Yesterday’s online auction took many by surprise as all 28 coffees had bids within the first 25 minutes, and a record...
Coffee is Hot in Foodservice for 2007
The word is out ...and it's about time! In 2006, we started to see the wheels of the foodservice industry turn to take notice of consumers demands for better specialty coffee. There's still a long way to go, but clearly coffee is now in the minds of the best and...
Specialty coffee and the future of foodservice
It was not so long ago that "red or white" were the only wine options for patrons of a typical restaurant in America; it was a simpler culinary time, a time when people accepted what wine they were served with few complaints. No matter how bad that wine tasted or how...
Competition from Starbucks helps, not hurts, independents
Starbucks put me out of business is the scapegoat of choice for coffee shops that are operated poorly. Competition is as much an opportunity for specialty coffee businesses as it is a threat. Starbucks does not put independent coffee shop operators out of business:...
KLM Takes Off with Sustainable Coffee!
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has pledged to serve Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee on all its flights, a first for any European airline. KLM, which serves more than 22 million cups of coffee every year, will get at least 30 percent of its beans from coffee farms that...
Bearclaw Coffee Expands Board of Directors
Press release from our friends at Bearclaw Coffee: CHELSEA, MI: Bearclaw Coffee Co. (Bearclaw) of Chelsea, Michigan, has expanded its Board of Directors with the addition of Ms. Mary Jean Raab. The announcement was made by Bearclaw President and cofounder, Debi...
SCAA Hires New Executive Director
Experienced Association Executive, Dawn Jantsch, to Take the Helm in November LONG BEACH, Calif. U.S.A. (October 27, 2006) --- Following a four month search and selection process, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) announced today the hiring of Dawn...
It's a Grind promotes quality, comfort in crowded coffee segment
In this interview with Nation's Restaurant News on the state of America's fast growing coffee chains, I comment on franchisor It's a Grind's chances of becoming #2 behind Starbucks. Reprinted with the permission of Nation's Restaurant News Long Beach, Calif.- Marty...