SCA / NAMA ONE 2019 | Vol. XXXII No. 3 www.coffeetalk.com
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CONNECT. GROW. PROSPER!
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Contents
6
THE VIEW
8
Bean-to-cup Coffee Brewing Catching Fire
10
Roaster's Rock
What To Look For When Buying A Roaster
12
New Environmental Rules
16
How To Ace Your Cold Brew
18
Yeast Fermentation And Quality Trends In Coffee Processing
19
Show Listings SCA and NAMA One
Old Roastery Permits
"Morning Beer�
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A Time To Attend, A Time To Participate
22
6 Mistakes Your Coffee Business Might Be Making on Your Website
24
Sustainability, Packaging, And Saving The Planet
26
2019 NCDT: National Coffee Data Trends
Coffee Service Corner
Coffee at a Crossroads
28
Newsbites
30 Ad INDEX/CALENDAR/WHO WE ARE
Feature
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Bean-to-cup Coffee Brewing April 2019
THE VIEW Kerri Goodman
Guest The View from CoffeeTalk’s former Editor, Ashley Prentice
How the Model Works - Distance is not a barrier anymore! Our model shifts the traditional paradigm in how consumers can purchase freshly-roasted, high-quality coffees and how home-roasters can purchase green beans. Through our platform, we are helping other producers cut the traditional value chain and reach the end consumer as well. In this globalized era, we are leveraging technology, e-commerce, and innovative logistic models to access the end consumer. Distance is not a barrier anymore. Also, we are striving to promote high-quality consumption in country. It is ironic how in our producing countries for centuries we have exported all our best coffees leaving the leftovers at origin. However, today it is exciting to see the next generation of coffee producers (at least those that have not lost interest) pursuing higher quality, new markets, and value-added activities.
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aradigm Shift Required At this moment when the C-Market has been below the $1.00 marker for months, one must question the sustainability of the coffee sector and how the future will look like (as I write this the C-Market is at a critical level of $0.9465). Even when the market is at a “higher” level, income for farmers is not enough to make ends meet, and many small-holder farmers are living in vicious cycles of poverty. Do we need to ask ourselves what are we doing to help farming families prosper? In a broken system where antiquated buying models and incredibly long value chains predominate, it is easy to forget the reality of farming communities: they are struggling and living in scarcity. Unfortunately, even though we hear about numerous “sustainability initiatives” helping producers at origin, most of them are marketing and “greenwashing” schemes” that come sadly short of having any real impact. The Time has Come to Revolutionize Value Chains Gento Coffee’s model seeks to break away from the current inefficient and volatile dynamics of the market. This new model puts farmers FIRST and leaves value-added in the country of origin assuring farmer prosperity by allowing farmers to access a more efficient trade model. Gento Coffee seeks to promote 100% origin coffee and improve conditions in farming communities through the following efforts: Better incomes for farmers and full transparency; education and training programs for producing partners; and profit-sharing to invest in programs of education and food security in the communities that we source from. 100% origin coffee means all the value is added at the country where the product is grown. For our roasted coffee, the coffee is grown, roasted, and packaged in the country of origin - in our case Guatemala. This means we make our supply chain as short as possible, no middle-men, and keep direct relationships with the producers we buy from throughout the year. Furthermore, 100% origin products guarantee various hands are employed in-country, and the activity generates revenue and raises taxes locally, benefiting the country of origin. Then it is shipped to the end consumer, freshly roasted to order. Pretty much as fresh as it gets!
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Beyond Fairly Traded - 400% Increases for Farmers Because we are a social enterprise, having a positive impact in coffee communities is our mission. We partner with growers to produce more and better coffees by collaborating and sharing knowledge continuously. Thanks to our model, we are able to pay farmers on average 400% above market price. Instead of using the C-Market as a price discovery mechanism, we work intently with producers to determine the price of their coffee based on costs of production and quality. Furthermore, work longterm plans with producers to improve efficiency and quality at the farm and establishing profitable farm models. Increasing farmers’ incomes have a tangible positive impact on the family that can then invest in healthy and nutritious diets and better education for their children. As businesses, we need to seek to have a positive impact whether, in our local community or the communities where we source our products from, this is why our model aims to share 10% of our profits in education and food security programs in the communities that we source from. We are in critical times, and if we want sustainability, we need to reassess how we are doing business. As an industry, we need to leverage technology and re-invent the wheel on how we trade coffee. As farmers, we need to seek new markets, focus on innovation, diversification, and value-added activities at origin. As roasters, we need to connect better with the consumer and be true allies with producers to create stable and strong relationships to ensure their prosperity. As consumers, we need to be conscious of the products we source and choose to only buy from brands that promote transparent and ethical purchasing behaviors. And of course, we all need to drink more quality coffee! Guest View by Ashley Prentice, Founder of Gento Coffee
April 2019
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Bean-to-cup Coffee Brewing Catching Fire
by David Isett, Managing Director, First Hills Partners LLC
A
t a recent Coffee, Tea and Water show it seemed all anyone wanted to talk about was Bean-to-Cup (B2C) coffee brewers. It’s not surprising why: The global bean to cup coffee machine market was valued at nearly US$ 1.5 Billion in 2017 by Credence Research and estimated to grow with a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period of 2018 through 2026. In the highly competitive beverage marketplace, OCS operators, restaurants, convenience retailers and commercial foodservice venues are all looking to meet the rising consumer expectation for fresh, high quality, specialty coffee. “We are very bullish on bean-to-cup products for our customers,” states Karalynn McDermott, SVP Market Development for Bunn. “Beyond the drive for freshness, additional factors leading to this trend include critical labor shortages and the high growth in unattended retail.” Further, the growing concerns for sustainability and green initiatives increase consumer interest for B2C over single-use coffee capsule brewing products. Description There is an extensive range of bean to cup brewers on the market all with different and unique feature sets. In general, each machine has a few hoppers which hold one to two pounds of whole bean coffee - typically at least one hopper for premium “regular” coffee and one for “decaf.” The beans are ground for each cup, steeped in a brewing chamber and dispensed into the cup at just the right time for the freshest beverage possible. Several systems also can add fresh or powdered dairy products. There are several different styles of brewing mechanisms within B2C brewers. Some of the earliest units trace back to the “Reverse French Press” brewing mechanism developed by Alan King and marketed by Vendking commencing back in the 1960s. (Vendking, interestingly, became VKI Technologies and is now a subsidiary of Keurig Canada.) Other systems use a sealed pressurized brew chamber that forces the water through the grounds and a microscreen filter. There are also systems in the market now that can brew espresso beverages in the same unit, which require entirely different levels of water pressure, grinding, and programming. Economics Wholesale prices for high-quality bean-to-cup brewing systems typically range from $3,000 to more than $7,500 depending upon features – much higher than simple batch brewers or capsule/pod machines. “Margin opportunities, however, are far greater for an OCS operator with bean-to-cup products,” states Klarc Snowden head of National Accounts and Strategic
Partnerships for de Jong Duke. “Thanks to Keurig-style products, OCS customers have become accustomed to paying 40-55 cents per cup for the coffee. Now, operators can deliver much higher quality at a comparable price, but yield greater operating margins.” Consumer Interface Nearly all B2C systems are used in a self-serve environment. Accordingly, the user interface is critical in explaining the dozens of beverage options available, the types of coffee offered and how to operate the system. “If a system does not offer touchscreen technology, it isn’t even in the game,” according to Snowden. Plus, this technology offers unique marketing opportunities and customized experience for customers. B2C isn’t right for all environments… On-demand coffee brewers are probably not economically justified in venues that serve just a few cups per day due to the high initial costs and the on-going maintenance tasks. Additionally, there is still a place for batch brewing – when a large volume of coffee is required in a short amount of time, such as banquets and catering. Another potential drawback is a more limited range of beverage offerings, particularly with only one B2C unit. In corporate breakroom environments, people often become accustomed to the rack of capsules or pods from multiple roasters. A success story B2C Brewing is not just for office breakrooms. A leading convenience retailer, RaceTrac, has 4 - 5 commercial B2C brewers in each of their 500 stores. “RaceTrac’s freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee allows guests to be their own barista by selecting their favorite blend that grinds before their eyes into a delicious cup of coffee,” states Tiffany Simmons, Category Manager for the chain. “We believe our coffee offering hits three major product requirements: high-quality cup of coffee, reduced labor effort, and reduced cost of goods.” And that is precisely why this technology has caught fire in the marketplace.
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David Isett is a veteran of more than 20 years in the specialty coffee industry, having served as the president and CEO of Concordia Beverage Systems. Today he is Managing Director of First Hill Partners, a Mergers and Acquisitions advisory firm, as well as an industry consultant, speaker, and author. david@firsthillpartners.com April 2019
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Roasters Rock
What to Look for When Buying a Roaster
I
f you are about to enter the world of roasting, there is a deluge of information being dumped on you which you have to decipher to make a buying decision on a roasting machine.
Much of this information is written by the marketing departments of the various roaster companies explaining feature-benefit of their engineering choices and throwing shade on other manufacturer choices. You can choose to wade through every review, blog, brochure, website, YouTube channel, etc. but you may end up more confused than where you started. This article is designed to put some sanity and process, to the process! To help focus the conversation, we are going to use an analogy of car buying. While it is demeaning to compare coffee roasters to cars, the process can be a similar one. It all starts with WHY you are buying this thing in the first place. The questions you need to ask PRIOR to feature – benefit research should include the following: What is the volume of coffee I will be roasting THIS YEAR with this coffee? In car terms, you don’t need a 12 set van to drive two people to work. Even if you consider growing to a family of 12, you are likely to trade up or add a second vehicle when outgrowing the two-seater. The trick is to be able to predict your roasting needs between now and the next 12-18 months. Anything beyond that is just wild guessing or using hope as a measuring tool. If you have massive growth in the 18 months then congratulations, you will be able to afford the bigger roaster! So figure out your volume needs this way: take the number of pounds you think you need every day during your first full work week. Add that up for the week to get a weekly amount. This is your theoretical MINIMUM need. A roaster, with heat up, cool down, cleaning and breaks can do about 18 roasts in an 8-hour shift. That is 90 roasts in a single shift per week. Take your pounds needed per week, divide by 90 and you have the MINIMUM STARTING SIZE of your roaster. Example: Bill and Mary are about to open a roastery, and they want to do 25 pounds per day or 125 pounds per week. 125 / 90 = 1.38 pounds per batch. A 1kilo (2.2pounds per batch) is usually the smallest production roaster would meet the immediate needs with some growth. The reason to think in weeks instead of days is for roasting efficiencies. If you can roast five days of coffee in one day, it would probably be a good thing, and you can start to predict the real functional throughput on a single roaster in
by Rocky Rhodes
a single shift per week. A better size roaster for Bill and Mary would be one that could do their immediate need roasting in one day leaving four days of growth: 125pounds / 18 roasts = 6.94 pounds per batch. This is about a 3-kilo roaster. IMPORTANT NOTE: Most manufacturers rate their machines in GREEN capacity which will be 16-20% MORE than what you will get out roasted. Ask each manufacturer if you can really roast the green volume they claim. It will be important in doing your math for sizing. What kind of roasting are you going to do – bulk blend roasting or single varietal profiling? Do you like to use cruise control and enjoy the ride or do you like to drift corners and hug the wall? It all comes down to how much control you want to have over the moving parts of the roaster and how much you are willing to learn to drive the machine. It can be argued that you will need less finesse in roasting blends – same thing every time, multiple times per day – than in single origins where complex changes in conductive and convective heat draw out maximum cup attributes. Many will want a roaster to do both. Take into account your business plan and figure out what percentage of your coffee will be blends like an espresso blend or house blend and how much will be single varietals used for hand drip or single origin espresso. Except for very committed single origin roasters, most find that blends make up close to 80% of roasting. Make sure you are not buying a high-performance 12 cylinder sports car when you need a reliable sedan. Perhaps you want to be able to do both as well. What does ‘Control’ mean to you? Coffee people like to control everything about everything in some roastersavant way. The truth is, very few can tell you WHY they want the control and what they can do with it. If you were given a drift break in a BMW M3 E36 you COULD control a drift, but would you know how? Most use of the word ‘control’ falls into two categories. The first is control over the variables in the roasting machine. These variables include fuel, airspeed, air volume, air temperature, drum speed, drum pressure, bean temp, rate of rise, drum skin temperature, and application of conductive and convective heat on purpose. There is virtually no machine that allows you to control ALL of these. The other use of the word control is describing the consistency of repeating the same roast over and over. This requires a stable roasting environment and usually an automation control that can handle fuel adjustments to keep you perfectly on track. Now go shopping! Once you know your volume, type of roasting and amount of control you want you are ready to start your research. You will be prepared to refine your answers based on what you learn about the different features of the equipment. Talk to manufacturer representatives first and look at blog postings last. Social media is full of strong opinions and little information. Buy the car/roaster that is right for you.
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Rocky Rhodes is an 18 year coffee veteran, roaster, and Q-Grader Instructor, and his mission now is to transform the coffee supply chain and make sweeping differences in the lives of those that produce the green coffee. Rocky can be reached at rocky@ INTLcoffeeConsulting.com April 2019
Photo by Trish Rothgeb
Old Roastery Permits. New Environmental Rules by Scott Stouffer, Vice President, Probat Inc.
I
n my job I visit many coffee roasting plants ranging from small to large and new to old. At many older and smaller roasting facilities, I find roasters operating with no pollution control equipment or with pollution control equipment that is not functioning properly. When I inquire about the functional state of this equipment, I frequently receive an answer like, “My roaster is grandfathered.” My reply to this is short: “You are living a lie! Your roastery is one complaint away from a ‘Consent Order’ or a ‘Notice of Violation’. It is not a matter of if, but when.” In this article I’ll attempt to answer the following: • What laws apply to roasting plant environmental permits? • Why do emission laws vary from one location to another (Los Angeles compared to New Orleans)? • Why do roasting plant owners / operators believe their facilities are grandfathered? • How do you know if you need a permit or if your permit should be updated? Let’s start with a review of the regulations that shape present US roasting plant environmental permits: In 1970, the U.S. Congress passed The Clean Air Act, (CAA, https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/clean-air-actrequirements-and-history). This legislation, created to promote clean up of air over the cities in the U.S., established the basis for our how air emission permits are issued and governed. The CAA limits specific emissions that cause smog, acid rain and other damaging pollution that may be emitted. Under the law, US States must regulate pollution within their borders. The law further requires States to regulate air pollution that moves from their State to another region. Finally, the CAA requires stationary sources to use Best Available Control Technology (BACT) to control emissions. In 1990, Congress passed significant amendments to the Clean Air Act (https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview). These amendments required the U.S. EPA to define and adopt a National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS, https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table) for the protection of human health and public welfare. The NAAQS sets air quality limits for specific pollutants CO, PM, NO2 and others, for durations of time (i.e. 8-hours, 3-months or 1 year). These limits are the basis for regional air quality standards, which occasionally make the news. For example, during an inversion in Denver, CO, the smog or particulate may increase above the NAAQS for an 8-hour period and the air quality could be deemed unhealthy.
The CAA in combination with the NAAQS amendments forces local Air Quality Management Districts, AQMDs, to enforce air regulation specific to their areas. If emissions in an AQMD are above the threshold limits set by the NAAQS, the area is in non-attainment. AQMDs in non-attainment are obligated to enact rules to reduce offending air pollutants. A well-known example of local regulation in a non-attainment region is the continuously increasing emission regulation in California and its various AQMDs. California has globally fought smog through Nation leading automobile emission regulation. The South Coast AQMD (Los Angeles Region) has further regulated smog producing emission sources through the enactment of Rule 1153, (https://arb.ca.gov/drdb/sc/curhtml/r1153-1.pdf), which obligates stationary sources to use low NOx and ultra-low NOx burners.
In 1995, the U.S. EPA published their first edition of section 9.13.2 of AP 42. In advance of this publication, the EPA conducted numerous source tests at Maxwell House, Hills Bros, Melitta and other coffee roasting facilities. The EPA measured emissions; CO (carbon monoxide), VOC (volatile organic compounds as Methane), and PM (filterable particulate matter) at the emission point of coffee roasters. In AP42, 9.13.2, the EPA published emission factors for these compounds as a function of the type of roaster and the pollution control device used. For examples, for a batch roaster with a thermal oxidizer, an average emission of 0.85 lbs of PM was found per ton of green coffee roasted. This document is noted as the first, definitive statement of BACT for coffee roasters. US EPA AP42 emission factors are noted today in many current roasting plant environmental permits!
12 April 2019
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Old Roastery Permits If all AQMDs are required to regulate emission sources through BACT, how can any roasting plant be “grandfathered”? No roasting plant is grandfathered. If your roasting plant permit was issued prior to 1990, then it was issued prior to the NAAQS Amendments and the AP42 definition of BACT. Your permit was current then, but not now. Today, your roasting plant is permitting time-bomb. Your plant is one odor or opacity complaint away from an AQMD enforcement officer visit. Before arriving at your plant, the AQMD official will review your permit. She (or he) will see the permit is obsolete and will arrive at your plant with statements of current rules. You will be required to define a plan to bring your equipment to current standard. If you are required to sign a Consent Order, this will stipulate a time period after which your equipment must be repaired or otherwise made compliant. You may be obligated to complete a Source Test after you implement the corrections to prove your new or repaired equipment is compliant. What should you do if you know your plant is not compliant with your AQMD requirements? If your permit is current, and your plant is not compliant, fix it! Don’t wait for a complaint and the subsequent Notice of Violation. If your permit is not current, you should confirm the local AQMD requirements and develop a plan to make your roasting plant compliant. Schedule a meeting with your local AQMD permitting engineer to re-permit your roasting plant. If you arrive at the AQMD office with a plan, your new permit process will be a smooth process. If you are installing new emitting equipment, any installation with a stack, you are required to amend your facility environmental permit. This is a good opportunity to remediate any non-compliant equipment and update your permit.
How do these regulations define your roasting plant emission permits? If your roasting plant is in an attainment zone, region with air quality measurements below the thresholds set by the NAAQS, your local AQMD will require your roaster to use BACT to control emissions as required by the CAA. This could include a thermal or catalytic oxidizer to control roaster emissions, a cyclone to control cooler emissions and dust collectors to limit particulate emissions from green coffee cleaning equipment. In most AQMDs within attainment opacity is limited to 20% for no more than 5 minutes per hour. (The following link references this regulation for the State of Tennessee with reference to several other SE States, https://www.epa.gov/ sites/production/files/2017-11/documents/chapt-05-2017.pdf.) This opacity limit will subsequently require all roasters to use an AP42 BACT device to control roaster emissions.
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If your roasting plant is in a non-attainment zone, like CA, Western WA, or most NE States, your AQMD is obligated to enforce rules such as SCAQMD Rule 1153, or PSCAA (Puget Sound Clean Air Agency) zero opacity regulations. These rules result in local definitions of BACT for coffee roasters. SCAQMD BACT definitions include ultra-low NOx burners for coffee roasters. PSCAA BACT statements require 1450F thermal afterburners or regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) for roaster and cooler emission control.
If you have 28+ year old, obsolete environmental permit and have installed new equipment within the past 28 years that is not listed on this old permit, you are in violation! The equipment installed over the past 28 years must comply with current rules. You must remediate and update your permit. Can a roaster be too small to require a permit? The U.S. EPA and most AQMDs exempt roasters with a batch size less than 10 lbs / batch from most air quality regulations. However, an operator of a small roaster may still be obligated to comply with local AQMD rules, such a low NOx burner or zero opacity. Please consult your local AQMD website to see if your small roaster is exempt. Need help? If you need help determining what to do about your permit or how to fix your pollution control equipment, please contact your roaster manufacturer or a local environmental consultant. We are here to help!
April 2019
Scott Stouffer, Vice President, Probat Inc.
“Morning Beer” by Randy Anderson
How to ACE Your Cold Brew
I
t is a hot summer morning in the very near future. At 8 AM, the temperature is already 79°F, and a familiar face walks into her favorite locally owned coffee shop looking for relief from the heat. She comes to the bar and asks the barista for a fresh glass of “Morning Beer” otherwise known as nitro cold brew. The barista rings up the order, smiles and says “It’ll be just a few minutes.” The customer says “Great! Glad you have some cold brew made already!” The barista says, “No, I don’t have any cold brew in the shop, but don’t worry, I ground some coffee a few minutes ago, and it won’t be long now.” He returns shortly with the fresh cold brew – from ground coffee to glass – while the customer waits. This is not the future - this is now. While the idea of while-you-wait cold brewing seems fantastic, it is real, and I have seen it and tasted the results. In most cases, the yield is higher, the notes more nuanced and clarity and taste much cleaner. There are options available now but are very expensive or only available as custom made. Others are proprietary and will never see the light of day outside the companies that own the technology and use it to brew their own products. I can confidently say that models large and small will be available soon for purchase that will brew very quickly and cleanly. I think it is safe to say that they will not be based on immersion style brewing that requires double-digit hours to brew. It is my opinion that they will incorporate Active Cold Extraction or ACE, brewing in as long as an hour or two and as little as minutes and possibly seconds. Larger systems such as the Brew Bomb and Bkon Storm are available now and already brew large batches very quickly, cleanly and in a small footprint. For decades, all of the cold brewing solutions available have had one thing in common – time. Whether it is immersion style or Kyoto, patience is required. The accepted “rules” of cold brew are simple - coarse ground coffee, cold water and time… lots of it. Of these ingredients, time is the one thing that disallows for a truly fresh, on-demand brewed cold brew. The definition of “fresh cold brew” need only require that it has been “steeped” in the past 24 hours. To put it plainly, the commonly accepted rule of cold brew - that it requires a long period of time for cold extraction - no longer exists. Fresh brewed cold brew coffee will be on demand, and this will be the new definition of what “Fresh Cold Brew” is. In my experience as a cold brew expert and consultant, I have had the privilege of seeing behind the curtain. NDA’s aside, I can promise you that the future has arrived and will not be nearly as expensive as you might think. In viewing several models (either selling
this year or in the coming year) one thing has become abundantly clear – time is hardly a factor in the extraction of cold brew coffee. Additionally, no matter which system I have looked at, none of them include immersing coffee grounds in water and waiting for hours upon hours. Each one of them contains one or more steps that activate the brewing method in a way that decreases the time drastically. In some cases, it takes nearly the same amount of time that it takes to brew hot coffee. This “activation” is different than when the water sits static or “passive” over a long period. This is why I differentiate Active Cold Extraction from Passive Cold Extraction. This understanding has changed everything about how I see, taste and experience cold brew both in taste and production. This has led me to name these as separate categories in cold brewing methodologies – Active Cold Extraction or ACE Brewing and Passive Cold Extraction - PCE. ACE brewing offers cold brew that is clean, needing no post filtering (in most cases). It requires a fraction of the time of PCE, and in nearly every case, the yield is higher (by as much as 50%). You may be looking for a smaller, on-demand brewer to sit on the front or back counter in the front of your shop to serve up truly freshly brewed cold brew. Maybe you are delivering to customers in kegs, cans or bottles and in need of a large batch brewer. Fortunately, these high efficiency/small footprint brew systems are a fraction of the size and cost of current tank based systems. One thing is sure, ACE brewing is here to stay, and cold brew will continue to evolve. Randy Anderson is the owner of Caffrios, a cold brew coffee and cascara solution provider. His services include consultation, production planning, scalable brewing solutions, education, large scale cascara supply, and marketing advice. Randy can be reached by email at coldbrewconsulting@gmail.com or by phone at 360-524-2003. For more info go to www. caffrios.com
16 April 2019
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Yeast Fermentation and Quality Trends In Coffee Processing by Matthew Dahabieh, Ph.D and Jason Hung, M.Sc
U
nlike wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages, the use of fermentation in coffee remains largely unknown to many consumers of the drink. Even many coffee processors themselves are unaware of the potential for harnessing fermentation as a tool for improving coffee’s quality and consistency. In reality, almost all coffee goes through a fermentation process, with the main methods of production being wet and dry processing. Conventionally, spontaneous fermentation of the beans is facilitated by wild microbes, e.g., bacteria, yeast and filamentous fungi1. These microbes not only assist in the removal of the mucilage layers surrounding the coffee bean, they also produce some of the flavor precursors expressed during roasting and brewing. The effect of fermentation on the flavor and aroma of coffee has measurable impacts on the cupping score of coffee2 once roasted and brewed. For example, coffee beans processed via the wet method had a superior aroma profile highlighted by fruity and floral aromas, while coffee that underwent mechanical processing (without fermentation) contained many unpleasant chemical compounds3. One study looking at adding a yeast starter during dry processing found that some yeast produced higher sensory scores, and ultimately a higher-quality coffee with aromas of caramel, herbs and fruits; others did not4. This difference is due largely to the fact that different microbes consume and produce different chemical compounds that are converted into the volatile compounds that comprise coffee’s unique sensory characteristics. This parallels the production of wine, in which it is well known that the local microbiome is an important factor in terroir5. Taken to the next level, the visible parallels between coffee processing and wine production provide a potential competitive advantage to forwardthinking coffee producers seeking to improve their consistency, quality and flavor. For millennia, fermented beverages such as wine, beer and spirits were also produced through spontaneous fermentation. Sometimes this yielded fantastic results, but in many cases the product was undrinkable, depending on what microbes took control of the fermentation.
Photo credit: Renaissance BioScience. Today, coffee processing operates mainly in this spontaneous fermentation “black box” of uncertainty. While coffee producers and scientists are fully aware of the impact of coffee fermentation, what actually goes on during the process and, more importantly, what microbes are good, bad or even important, are not fully understood. However, investing the time and effort into studying fermentation can certainly pay dividends. Since the 19th century, the wine, beer and spirits industry has been continually refining and developing its fermentation processes. Today, the use of techniques such as strain isolation and domestication, and selective breeding and adaptive evolution, have further optimized Saccharomyces yeast strains to the point that modern brewers and vintners now have at their disposal style-specific Saccharomyces strains that contain the positive attributes of several strains yet produce none of their faults. In addition, highthroughput non-GMO yeast development techniques are now being applied to quickly develop large numbers of novel beer yeast strains with improved flavor and aroma profiles, all while maintaining overall fermentation performance6. A focused effort in developing and utilizing coffee-specific Saccharomyces and other microbial strains should deliver similar quality improvements. First and foremost, using predetermined, pure and optimized microbial strains will allow the coffee farmer and producer much more control, consistency and specificity in their products. This also means they could modulate green coffee beans to suit changing consumer preferences or capitalize on current trends, without significant infrastructure changes such as planting new coffee cultivars or establishing new plantations. For larger organizations that source coffee beans from multiple farms and/ or co-ops, often from multiple locations around the world, standardization of the coffee fermentation process should produce more consistent green coffee, resulting in less variation in roasting and brewing (especially when factoring in different locations and roasters). In turn, more consistent green coffee ultimately reduces the need to store and blend coffee from multiple locations, while still meeting consumer brand expectations.
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Pulped coffee before the fermentation process begins. Photo credit: Renaissance BioScience.
Optimizing coffee fermentation will also give farmers and producers the ability to express the full range of flavor and aromas possible from their plantations and coffee trees. For example, farmers can use selected yeast(s) to highlight a specific flavour and aroma profile, or accentuate a trait already valued in their product. Furthermore, sorted batches of the same coffee harvest can be fermented with different sets of microbes to highlight specific roasting and brewing methods, e.g., coffee farmers could process green coffee beans differently if destined for drip coffee rather than espresso.
April 2019
in and impact on coffee quality, have largely been left out of the discussion; this is because no one yet truly understands what makes for good coffee fermentation, or what microbial strains would be most beneficial in terms of yielding overall flavor and aroma improvements. However, this is all set to change: today, the modern tools and expertise needed to determine the relationship between coffee and microbes — and then leverage that information into the development of coffee-specific fermentation yeasts — are both feasible and available. Put all of this together and what you end up with are possibilities for coffee lovers that are limited only by the bounds of imagination.
Arabica coffee plant. Photo credit: Renaissance BioScience. Today, the coffee industry is at the cusp of taking the same leap the beverage industry took years ago — namely, the use of pure, optimized fermentation cultures as tools in processing. Coupled with an increasing consumer-driven trend toward quality, diversity and value, the industry has an opportunity to highlight the immense care and attention that farmers, roasters and baristas put into their creations. For now, however, coffee fermentation, and its role
About the authors: Matthew Dahabieh, Ph.D, is Chief Science Officer of Renaissance BioScience Corp. while Jason Hung, MSc., was Associate Science Writer at Renaissance BioScience Corp. _______________ 3 4 5 6 1 2
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740002008001305 http://sasasestic.com.au/reco-speech-budapest-2017/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157506001529 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096399691300642X http://www.pnas.org/content/111/1/5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4249010/
Please Make Sure to Visit these Exhibitors
Add A Scoop / Juice Bar Solutions Inc..................... ............................................................SCA Booth #671 addascoop.com..................................... (415) 382-6535 Supplement-Boosts for blended beverages & oatmeal. Zero Taste-Kosher-Vegetarian-Halal-Non GMO-Gluten Free
Coffee Holding Company..............SCA Booth #549 coffeeholding.com.............................. (800) 458-2233 From one bag to a full truck, Coffee Holding Company provides green coffee solutions to specialty roasters including exclusive Daterra Estate and Organic Certified coffees.
AeroPress Inc...................................SCA Booth #349 aeropressinc.com................................ (650) 493-3050 AeroPress, Inc. manufactures and sells the AeroPress coffee and espresso maker
Concordia Beverage Systems...... SCA Booth #1162 concordiacoffee.com..........................(800) 995-9019 Precision Engineering Meets Pure Coffee Obsession. Our reputation is built on outstanding products and on our ability to stay ahead of the competition with innovative features, customization, outstanding service, and ease of use.
See our ad on page # 29
See our ad on page # 27
Brewista............................................ SCA Booth #885 mybrewista.com...................................(307) 222-6086 Bringing smart and honest innovation to the marketplace, Brewista designs, manufactures and distributes the finest brewed beverage products available.
See our ad on page # 29
Bühler Inc........................................ SCA Booth #1241 buhlergroup.com.................................(763) 847-9900 Bühler covers the entire range of coffee production from green coffee handling, cleaning, to advanced color and foreign material sorters, to coffee roasters and grinders.
See our ad on page # 21
C2 Imaging/ Identabrew.............. SCA Booth #1135 c2spark.com/beverage-dispenser-branding/............ ..................................................................(888) 872-7200 Since 1997 we have provided the beverage industry with IdentaBrew products. From design to installation, we brand your beverage dispensers and retail POP graphics.
See our ad on page # 29
Cablevey Conveyors........................SCA Booth #301 cablevey.com........................................... (641) 673-8451 Cablevey Conveyors’ cable & disc technology gently move materials such as coffee through enclosed tubes without the use of air. Material degradation is essentially eliminated.
See our ad on page # 13
Club Coffee L.P................................ SCA Booth #865 clubcoffee.ca.........................................(800) 387-4367 Custom roasting/packaging of coffee & hot beverages for food service and retail applications in a variety of formats from whole bean to single serve
See our ad on page # 5
Coffee Blenders...........................NAMA Booth #966 pourovercopacking.com.................... (760) 842-5522 NuZee, Inc. DBA Coffee Blenders is the only single serve pour-over private label coffee manufacturer that is SQF, Kosher, Organic, Fair Trade Certified.
See our ad on page # 21
See our ad on page # 11, 23
See our ad on page # 9
Eastsign Int’l Ltd..........................SCA Booth #352 & ....................................................... NAMA Booth #768 eastsign.com Eastsign is specialized in producing Instant Tea Powder with 2000MT annual capacity. Certificated by ISO22000, KOSHER, ORGANIC NOP. Main products: Tea Stick, Tea / Coffee Pod (Single Serve), Pyramid Tea Bag and Coffee Pod Filling and Sealing Machine etc.
See our ad on page # 4
Fres-co System USA, Inc............... SCA Booth #909 fresco.com...............................................(215) 721-4600 Fres-co’s is synonymous with quality and reliability in flexible coffee packaging. Visit www.fresco.com, or call 215-721-4600 for more information on machinery and individual components.
Nestle Professional Coffee-mate............................... ...................................................... NAMA Booth #1341 cmfeelthelove.com..............................(800) 637-8534 Coffee-mate®, America’s #1 creamer, is dedicated to foodservice and helping you build your business, with 7 creamer formats to meet your unique operational needs.
See our ad on page # 7
Plitek................................................. SCA Booth #922 plitek.com...............................................(847) 827-6680 PLITEK’s complete coffee degassing solutions include: • One-way degassing valves • Applicator systems • Testing and quality assurance systems • Design, building, installation, service &support
See our ad on page # 25
Probat Inc......................................... SCA Booth #749 probatburns.com.................................. (847) 415-5293 Probat is the world’s most trusted name in providing comprehensive coffee roasting solutions. We deliver end-to-end solutions from design to manufacturing to installation to service.
See our ad on page # 31
Vessel Drinkware..............................SCA Booth #618 vesseldrinkware.com............................(855) 833-7735 oneVessel by Vessel Drinkware provides retailers with high-quality, reusable drinkware featuring lifestyle driven artwork to capture the attention of your customers. Please visit us at www.vesseldrinkware.com, or call (206) 763-0366
See our ad on page # 27
See our ad on page # 17
Wilbur Curtis Company Inc........SCA Booth #795 & .................................................... NAMA Booth #1454 wilburcurtis.com.................................... (800) 421-6150 For over 75 years, the Wilbur Curtis Company has provided state-of-the-art coffee and tea brewing equipment, including the worldrenowned G4 Gem-X® and ThermoPro-X® Brewing Systems.
Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc................................ ....................................................... NAMA Booth #435 realcup.com.......................................... (800) 387-9398 RealCupTM is a trademark of Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, one of the largest coffee and tea manufacturers in North America.
Xeltron SA....................................... SCA Booth #1178 xeltron.com............................................ (254) 935-8766 Xeltron’s latest XV CCD CAMERA sorter comes in 1,2 & 3 trays, sorting 2 to 18 tons/h. Small footprint, easy operation and excellent sort!
See our ad on page # 15
Java Jacket..................................... SCA Booth #1215 javajacket.com.......................................(503) 281-6240 The Original Green Coffee Sleeve. Comes in 100% Recycled Natural Kraft or White. Can be custom printed with your design.
See our ad on page # 2
See our ad on page # 3
See our ad on page # 29
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Coffee Service Corner
VENDING, MICRO MARKET AND OCS INFLUENCES BEYOND TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES by Ken Shea A TIME TO ATTEND, A TIME TO PARTICIPATE
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he approach of the vernal equinox coincides with the beginning of trade show season. For many, it began with the National Coffee Association’s Crossroads convention in Atlanta March 7-9 in Atlanta. As I listened in on keynote sessions, participated in education sessions and visited with old friends and made new acquaintances, the value of attending trade shows such as this was apparent. My opinion regarding the value of trade show participation has not wavered as I migrated through various positions throughout my career, including assignments in Sales, Marketing, Operations, Purchasing and more in varying degrees of responsibility. In each career situation, I was faced with justifying the expense against the value. While I seldom attended more than four to five trade show events annually, I have made it a point to optimize my reason for attending. At the risk of being declared master of the obvious, I note many of the benefits of attending these events and attending with a plan. Networking – As a seller or a buyer, what better place is there to reach such a large number of prospects and clients than at a trade show convention. Booth visits, structured meetings, breakfast and dinner events as well as social hour meet and greets all provide the opportunity to have meaningful exchanges and lay the groundwork for opportunities. A well-orchestrated plan over a three-day show as an example should easily result in a dozen or more meaningful calls while still allowing ample time for structured events. This can represent some excellent relief to one’s travel budget, especially when you can connect with those more remote prospects. Moreover, most trade associations publish attendee lists in advance of their events, allowing for efficient pre-show contact and making meeting arrangements. Education – Most shows offer concurrent education sessions of noncompetitive content allowing for traveling teams to divide and conquer. As an operator, I fancied our company to be “in the know” and a progressive leader. Upon returning from these events, our team of attendees would reconvene and report our findings. Almost always there would be the discovery of multiple “nuggets” that we could evaluate and possibly implement. In the Coffee and Water Service industries, I have always been amazed by the willingness of operators to share success stories with competitors. Coffee breaks and receptions can be as fruitful as the formal sessions…and quite enjoyable.
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New Products – Looking back over the last 30 plus years in the Coffee and Water Service classes of trade, there have been many industry-changing events. In the 1980s thermal decanters began replacing glass bowls. We then witnessed the impact of Starbucks and the coffee shop craze that changed fractional pack batch brewing forever. Then came brew by pack single cups. Today whole bean brewing systems are the latest trend with many product and brewer options from which to choose. Those that attended trade shows back then and now, have usually been provided a jump start on the nonattendees for these innovations. Sure, the 3-4 national operators and a few
regional stalwarts are traditionally given a peak before the rest, but in our historically fragmented industry, that leaves a large number of operators behind the others unless they take the opportunity to see the latest and greatest at the industry gatherings. Recruiting – Industry roll up, and divestiture has always been a catalyst for career changes. More times than not, the acquiring company chooses to retain its own in the numbers game having no need for redundant sales or operations managers. As these talented individuals are displaced, trade shows are a comfortable gathering place for prospective employees and employers to explore new career opportunities. Speaking from experience, I have found trade show prospecting to be a more effective tactic for recruiting than traditional methods. Non Traditional Opportunities – As suppliers and operators alike consider venturing beyond the comfort of their traditional lines of industry definition, why not look to the trade show associations that support these new possibilities. As an example, as an OCS operator in the 1990’s, we acquired a regional operator that served several dozen convenience stores. We were impressed by the relatively high sales volume, a manageable menu of offerings and profitability of these accounts, though our company had never pursued C-stores. We promptly scheduled a few team members to attend a NACS show (National Association for Convenience and Petroleum Retailing). Upon learning at the time that more than 100,000 stores were serving almost 150 million people daily, we recognized the potential. We found our niche and began to approach the 5-20 store chains and built an excellent base of business. The education that we received by attending the national trade show enlightened us as to both the opportunities as well as potential pitfalls. Industry Advocacy – In every industry, some rules and regulations can both help and stifle our efforts. Individual companies do not have the where with all to tackle these things. A strong trade association will bargain on behalf of its constituents and help shape policy in a manner that is good for the consumer, supplier and operator alike. Be Involved – Your industry needs you! Moreover, we all need trade associations to remain strong. There are ample opportunities at state, region and national levels to join a committee, participate in a panel or offer your services on boards of directors. The time demands are not that strenuous, and you will find the experience to be most rewarding. I recall the words of advice given to me by my late great grandmother, Annie Hall, “Leave a little more than you take!” Until next time, Ken
April 2019
Ken is President of Ken Shea and Associates and also serves as V.P. of Coffee Service for G&J Marketing and Sales
Specialty Coffee Expo April 11-14, 2019 Boston, MA
Visit us at booth
1241
RoastMaster™20 Great flavor creation Uniform and efficient coffee roasting Now both small and medium-sized companies can use cutting-edge roasting technology by Bühler. The RoastMaster™20 comes with a stateof-the-art control system for parameter optimization and process control. The proven drum roasting technology and the seperate cooling and heating fans ensure uniform roasting. Have a question? Let’s talk about it. buhler.minneapolis@buhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com
Innovations for a better world.
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6 Mistakes Your Coffee Business Might Be Making on Your Website by Peter Ruchti, Founder, Coffee Marketer, CoffeeMarketer.com
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ou, like many coffee business owners, may see your website as not only an evil, but as the enemy. A website is not always that bad, but creating one and maintaining it can be incredibly frustrating. You may feel as if you are participating in a never-ending battle with code, changing images and negotiating a bunch of techie-lingo terminology with your web provider. But just as soon as you finish your website, it already feels outdated. You may be asking yourself: “Why do I even have a website?” It’s not enough to have the right content, a cool background photo and a website that loads quickly. You must have a website to increase your sales. More customers = More orders = More coffee sold. Through my experience owning a coffee cafe, roasting and wholesale company, I learned a number of tips that can make a big impact on your business. These techniques are not only easy to understand, but simple to implement on your own website. Your Website: Your New Sales Engine #1 — Business Essentials Take a look at your website and start with the basics. Doing so not only helps your customers, but also your Search Engine Optimization (SEO ranking on search engines). Your website should contain your address, hours of operation, phone number, and, if you have a storefront, a “street-view” photo. The number of people who miss these vital details would surprise you. #2 — The Right Language Your content should speak directly to your target audience. If you sell coffee to businesses, your wholesale page should describe how your coffee will benefit their operation. Will it help morale? Can your services make it easier for the business to provide coffee? How do the equipment and delivery work? If you own a cafe, use headlines that describe your shop. Is it moody or bright, cozy or open, a great venue for a meeting, or a quick place to grab a coffee to-go? Speak to your customers and discuss their desires. Talk about the items your customers are looking for, while maintaining an on-brand voice and tone. #3 — Keep Them Coming Back One of the best ways to retain customers is through an email newsletter. Add
a signup box on your website and describe the benefits of membership. Cafe owners can keep a printed sign-up list on a clipboard in the cafe. Send your customers updates about your latest coffee roasts, specials and discounts, any other exciting news, and maybe even a birthday treat! #4 — Intuitive E-Commerce Selling your coffee on your website is becoming more important every day. If you have already set up an e-commerce site, try to purchase a few different products from the customer’s POV. Identify the frustrating sales. If the product page does not properly describe your coffee or you encounter other difficulties, imagine how your customer would feel. Making your site more user-friendly can be as easy as adding tasting notes, making the “checkout” button larger or adding higher-quality product photos. #5 — Photos (And Maybe Even Videos) Every business is unique; in fact, a book could be written about each. If a photo speaks a thousand words, you should be writing your own “book,” that is, creating a website that features vivid, descriptive imagery. Show interior and exterior photos as well as attractive shots of your product. If you have the resources to make a video, utilize it. In the early days of my coffee business, I created a basic website as more of a “referral-validation” resource. When I had the funds to move from validator to sales engine, I began by creating a video. After it launched on my homepage, the average time spent on the site rose from 19 seconds to 52 seconds. #6 — The Call to Action At the end of your homepage, you need a prompt that leads your visitors to where you want them to go next. For wholesale inquiries, provide a simple form to fill out. Cafes receive an option to get directions. End every page with a clear call to action that guides your visitors to the next logical step. The Payoff It’s easy to miss these six common mistakes. If you complete the items listed here, your website will generate more revenue for your business. Consider your website as the sales engine for your business. You have three ways to grow your revenue: Raise your prices; grow the number of customers; and increase the frequency of your customers. Create a website sales machine that can complete two of these, and, hopefully, enough demand to allow you to increase your prices.
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CoffeeTalk
May 2009
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Cup for Education’s mission is to help poor, rural coffee communities around the world build schools within their communities, and assist in providing them with teachers and the basic tools needed to educate the future generations of coffee farmers. Remember those back to school adventures shopping for your new loose-leaf or spiral notebook, the perfect pencil case, or the coolest book covers? In in these rural communities there are no pencils to put in those cases, nor books to cover. The children in these areas do not have the basics. With our help though, they can have the materials they need to study hard, create a better future, improve their coffees, their lives, and their countries. A little goes a long way in these countries. For $1,900 you can sponsor a teacher for an entire year in Nicaragua. You can put a roof on a school for $500. Imagine how many pencils $25 can buy. Books cost money, and many of the schools do not supply them to the students. These are just some of the ways your donations can help. Please join in our cause of improving the educational situation of our partners in this wonderful industry of coffee. As we send our kids off to school with their backpacks weighted down with books after downing our morning java, let’s give a thought to who picked the beans, processed them, and helped create that wonderful brew.
Library created through raffle held at SCAA 2003. Jinotega, Nicaragua
Cup for Education is a non-profit organization with 503(C) tax-exempt status. 100% of all donations go to our projects.
Donations can be sent to: Traveling Library in Chacaya 2013. The Traveling Library was created to bring story hours and book kits to rural schools in Santiago Atitlan.
Cup For Education 3475 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, NY 10314 Or Paypal at www.cupforeduction.org www.CoffeeTalk.com
The teacher on the right was sponsored by Coffee Holding Company (Brooklyn, NY) through a Cup for Education project
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Sustainability, Packaging, and Saving the Planet by Travis Gorney, President & COO, Coffee Blenders
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very day we are seemingly becoming much more accepting of hyperpaced change and have become acclimated to knowing what is relevant today may be a thing of the past tomorrow. We have come to expect that eventually, over time, everything will change as we continuously push forward with technological advancements. In the day and age of BYOB, no not a reference to your hazy college days but rather Bring Your Own Bag, and the recent retro back to the paper straw we are all heading in the right direction. It is clear that we now have the ideology that if we are all mindful of our individual impact on the environment, we can collectively make a big difference in reducing our overall destruction. Whether you view coffee as the cornerstone of your specialty café’s success, or the fuel in which your morning cannot start without, it is impossible to ignore the sudden changes we are currently seeing industry wide. Historically if you study coffee when it was originally discovered in Ethiopia in the 11th century up until now, there has been very little change in comparison to the last two decades. Recently Coffee has evolved and has broken into several categories and sub-categories which can be found everywhere from the RTD (ready-todrink) section to the center store aisles and many places in between. We are now experiencing more change than ever with the explosion of single-serve capsules, cold brew in just about every form from protein to flavored and functional, and the sudden comeback of soluble coffee with specialty brands like Mount Hagan and Four Sigmatic leading the pack. Others are blazing new trails with hybrid mixes of evolution meets revolution with the recent launch of many start-up brands introducing CBD infused coffees. The biggest and fastest evolution in the coffee category currently is sustainability and packaging in single serve or single-use coffee and alternative delivery methods. The main driving force around this change seems to be centered around the packaging the coffee is in and rightfully so. There are a staggering 60 Billion single capsule cups sold globally every year which is enough waste to circle the globe many times. If the image of this is not enough to wake us up and encourage us to take part in and applaud the change imagine the magnitude of the damage that will be done after just another decade of consumers turning a cheek on the whopping additional 600
Billion cups that would equate to sitting in our landfills. This is the bigfoot of carbon footprints in the coffee category. “The ongoing challenge in the future for single serve is to address the environmental issues associated with the high volume of capsules being used and placed in the landfills. As coffee industry members, we must find the best balance among these main things – shelf life, functionality, cost, and green (recycling, composting, biodegrading). Maybe we should consider thinking outside of the box and look for ways to eliminate the capsule?” – Tom Martin - CEO Pod PACK International, LLC. Thankfully, like the evolution of functional coffees and revolution of coffee infused with cannabis byproducts, there are companies ahead of their time by raising the bar and pushing the envelope in the industry on the packaging side as well. This will ultimately have an industry-wide positive impact as the changes trickle-down to the consumer. NuZee, a California based single-serve pour over manufacturer, is one example offering an innovative alternative to the single-serve capsule seeking to solve the pollution issues associated with single capsules while elevating the experience to the consumer by providing an arguably much better cup of coffee. “I wanted to share with the U.S. market a simple and effective solution to the challenges the singleserve industry is currently facing by bringing to market in America a delivery format which is better to the environment while producing a high-quality drip brewed coffee with the same convenience of a single-serve capsule so I established NuZee to revolutionize the way single serve coffee is enjoyed in America” – Masa Higashida CEO – NuZee, Inc. The single-serve pour over also known as a drip cup is a delivery method that surprisingly enjoys an annual volume of over 3 Billion cups sold annually mostly in Japan and other Asian countries but is also experiencing rapid growth in the United States.
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Illustration by Armen Buchaklian
April 2019
It is up to us collectively as an industry to help guide and educate the consumer into a more environmentally conscious option, and right now the single-serve coffee industry is primarily focused on two main points, the focus on finding a solution to waste in the single capsule market and scalable alternatives to the capsule like the single-serve pour over coffee.
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2019 NCDT: National Coffee Data Trends
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3% of American adults drink coffee daily, according to new market research announced at the NCA Annual Convention in Atlanta. The NCA NCDT report has tracked the consumer behaviors and perceptions shaping coffee trends in the US for almost 70 years.
Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that coffee offers potential health benefits, from liver health to longevity. Yet many coffee drinkers remain misinformed about coffee and health, skewed by confusion and caffeine concerns.
“Coffee is America’s most beloved beverage – and for good reason,” said William (Bill) Murray, NCA President & CEO. “New consumer values have changed the game for coffee. But the industry is adapting – and thriving – by embracing innovation and transparency.”
“Coffee and health is an opportunity for the coffee industry to connect with consumers,” Murray said. “The message is clear – coffee is good for you. But it’s up to the industry to share that story.”
From sustainability to wellness, these realigned priorities mean that consumers are paying more attention to what’s in their cup than ever before. And while we’re not seeing a significant change in the quantity of coffee that people are consuming, there is a clear change in the quality and consideration of each cup. Most tellingly, in 2019 the share of gourmet coffee consumed past- day reached a new high of 61%. The data showed similar dynamics across espresso-based beverages, traditional coffee – gourmet, and gourmet coffee beverages on a past-week basis.
THE NEW NCDT The NCDT report is more than a set of static statistics. It’s an industry tool for delving into the behaviors and perceptions driving the coffee industry in a historical context. In 2014, the NCA released an interactive dashboard to allow customizable reports. To that end, the 2019 NCDT has been redesigned as a PowerPoint file, to make the data, charts, and statistics more accessible for professionals to use.
This shift is also seen in emerging consumer behavior patterns. Driven by younger coffee drinkers, we’re seeing a gradual but steady increase in the share of coffee prepared out-of-home and consumed after breakfast. The under-40 demographic is a formidable force in the coffee market. They’re driving remarkable growth in cold brew and ready-to-drink are also demonstrating exciting growth trends. Considering how recently they’ve reached mainstream markets, awareness of these beverages is high – 80% and 89% respectively. Both of these categories offer opportunities for innovation, from preparation methods to functional ingredients.
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PURCHASE THE 2019 NCDT The NCDT is a strategic investment for your entire organization. When you purchase the 2019 NCDT, you will receive the full report, plus one year of access to the NCDT online interactive platform, which includes the ability to customize on-demand reports by key demographics (see the video above to learn more). This year, we’re making the report itself available in as both a PDF and Powerpoint file to improve usability – whether for a customer meeting or internal brainstorming. If you have additional questions, please contact us at info@ncausa.org or 212.766.4007.
INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITY The latest NCDT also offers insight into potential opportunities for the coffee industry to connect with consumers.
Discounts apply for all eligible employees of the NCA member companies.
April 2019
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NewsBites First Hill Partners Adds M&A Focus for Specialty Coffee Beverage Technology and Equipment Seattle based investment bank First Hill Partners announced David E. Isett, former president/CEO of Concordia Coffee Company, has joined their team to spearhead investment banking services within the Food and Beverage Technology and Equipment sector. “David brings a wealth of industry knowledge in the food and beverage industry” states Richard Wood, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of FHP. “His leadership experience allows him to bring a unique first-hand experience in understanding the complex needs of business owners, investors, and managers.” Tremendous consolidation is taking place within the specialty-equipment industry; Few investment banks specialize in this aspect of the marketplace. “More than $40B worth of M&A transactions occurred in 2018 in the Food and Beverage sector, we believe the coming year will be equally as exciting ”, states Isett. Companies need to be preparing to successfully exit their business long before they begin a sales process or seek strategic financing partners. Aeropress, Inc. Debuts Brand-New Aeropress Go Travel Coffee Maker At SCA Expo The new AeroPress® Go™ portable coffee maker, debuting in booth #349 at the Specialty Coffee Expo, quickly and easily produces up to 16 ounces of delicious Americanstyle coffee that is remarkably richer, smoother and lower in acidity than coffee brewed by conventional coffee makers including conventional presses. All it takes is coffee, hot water, and around a minute of time. The AeroPress Go is compact, lightweight, and durable, making it ideal for coffee lovers who wish to enjoy their favorite coffee while away from their kitchen. It travels self contained in its mug, making it easy to fit in a suitcase, desk, camping pack, RV, or boat. The AeroPress Go gives busy travelers everything they need to conveniently brew superb coffee anywhere they want. And clean up takes just a few seconds. Once you are finished enjoying your coffee, pack the AeroPress Go into its travel mug and you are ready to go. For more information visit aeropress.com
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The Coffee Trust Named 2019 NCA Coffee Charity Of The Year The National Coffee Association is proud to name The Coffee Trust as the recipient of the 2019 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award. “We’re excited that the Coffee Trust was selected as this year’s winner,” said William (Bill) Murray, NCA President & CEO. “I hope this recognition helps Coffee Trust to attract even greater support, so that they can continue their integrated, farmer-led approach for helping coffee communities.” “It is truly amazing how many companies, organizations, and individuals are working to help coffee farmers,” said Murray. “We started this program to raise the visibility of just some of those efforts – and to encourage even greater support for those organizations.” To learn more, visit the NCA website or contact Terri Bartlett, Director of Member Relations, at trbartlett@ncausa.org or at 646-924-4039. MediDate Coffee Signs Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Ginger Shots MediDate Coffee LLC. The First and Largest Producers and Manufacturers of Date Seed Coffee in the world. MediDate Coffee has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Ginger Shots Inc. Under the terms of the agreement Ginger Shots will have the exclusive rights to produce and distribute MediDate RTD worldwide. “Ginger Shots (Tulua) is very experienced in the promotion, distribution, sale of products similar to MediDate’s Ready-To-Drink beverages and we cannot be more excited to see how well MediDate will do in the Untied States,” stated Laith Alkhawaja CEO of MediDate Coffee. For more information email Laith@ medidatecoffee.com. Illycaffè Named One Of 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies® For Seventh Year in A Row illycaffè S.p.A., the global coffee industry leader in quality, direct trade and ethical supply chain practices, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies. illycaffè has been recognized for the past seven years. “Ethics are essential to the long-term sustainability of any organization,
which is not built overnight, but as a core value that is aligned with measurable commitments and actions”, said Andrea Illy, chairman of illycaffè S.p.A. and author of A Coffee Dream and Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality. “The role of the private sector is key to creating a sustainable society, of which companies represent the building blocks. If we want a better society for the next generations, we need to start from better companies. We are proud to be recognized by The Ethisphere Institute and thank them for their continued role in recognizing ethics leadership.” For more information contact illy@360pr.plus New, Super-Stylish Curtis ThermoProX™ Brewer Makes a Great “Fresh Impression” The ThermoProX Brewing System is the latest in the line of innovative, style-forward products from one of the world’s leading manufacturers of coffee brewing equipment, the Wilbur Curtis Company. Engineered with all the advanced features of the renowned Curtis ThermoPro® brewing system, the new ThermoProX offers a new, sophisticated design and styling that adds immensely to the counter appeal of any operation. It has modernistic rounded corners, an elegant sloping top, slender side panels, plus a textured honeycomb front panel that will truly turn heads. Stainlesssteel, vacuum-insulated servers keep coffee fresh, flavorful and at the perfect serving temperature without using external heat. With features like one-touch brewing, pre-set recipes and self-diagnostics, onboard Curtis G3 and G4 Technology make brewing Golden Cup coffee instantly simple, while keeping operators in control. What’s more, with Thermal FreshTrac® (TFT) technology, staff can monitor coffee freshness at a glance—from across the room. www. wilburcurtis.com. Chicago, Illinois –PLITEK® reduces environmental footprint and eliminates oil in one-way degassing valves! Plitek® announces their newest innovation, OilFree One-Way Degassing Valves! This product will help coffee roasters protect and preserve the quality of their roast, allowing them to offer the best coffee to their customers.
April 2019
The oil-free feature saves time, decreases scrap, and reduces clean-up efforts by eliminating the need to oil valves during the packaging process. With environmental footprint in mind, the product uses less material compared to a button valve. This breakthrough innovation offers an outstanding opening and closing pressure allowing for the quickest release of CO2 and the most efficient preservation of roasted coffee. For over 25 years, in conjunction with the current line of PLI-VALV one-way degassing valves, PLITEK® has been custom engineering valve applicator systems that can be integrated on customers’ packaging machinery providing full customer support and simplifying the source of degassing systems. PLITEK® will showcase the Oil-Free One-Way Degassing Valve at the Specialty Coffee Association Convention in Boston, booth 922. Paul and Michael Higgins of Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Receive Appointment to Order of Canada
Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. is pleased to announce the Company’s Co-Chairmen and members of the founding family, Paul Higgins Jr. and Michael Higgins, will be appointed Members of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour in the country. Established in 1967 as a fellowship, the award recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Mother Parkers is a Canadian family-owned company and one of North America’s largest manufacturers and distributors of coffee and tea products. Over the years, Paul and Michael Higgins have been recognized by their peers and industry partners on many occasions. In honor of their late father and to mark Mother Parkers’ 100th Anniversary in 2012, the brothers successfully launched a campaign that raised $1 million for research into finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, photos or interviews, please contact Kerry Morgan at kmorgan@motherparkers.com
Coffee Holding Announces Skill Building Sessions for Coffee Roasters Please join us for the Roaster Sessions, skill-building sessions for Coffee Roasters. Upcoming Roaster Sessions will be held at Organic Products Trading Company (OPTCO) Wednesday May 15 & Thursday May 16, 2019. We will explore Coffee Aromatics and the Dynamics of Flavor, Le Nez du Café, Comparative Cupping and Triangulation Cupping. Save the dates, May 15 & 16, 2019 8:30
am – 4:30 pm. Lead Instructor, Kathi Zollman of Coffee Holding Company is known throughout the coffee industry for her extensive contribution to the science of coffee roasting. Her work has been published in in various Coffee Trade Journals. As a trainer, Kathi brings decades of experience and enthusiasm for coffee. To register or for additional information please contact Coffee Holding Company (KZollman@ coffeeholding.com) , Organic Products Trading Company (MFerguson@optco.com) or Sonofresco (RPenrose@sonofresco. com).
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Advertisers Index Account Name........................................ Phone.....................Website.........................................................Page....SCA Booth......NAMA Booth Add A Scoop / Juice Bar Solutions Inc...............(415) 382-6535.............. addascoop.com............................................................. 29......... 671 AeroPress Inc.......................................................(650) 493-3050............ aeropressinc.com.......................................................... 27......... 349 Brewista...............................................................(307) 222-6086............ mybrewista.com........................................................... 29......... 885 Bühler Inc............................................................(763) 847-9900............ buhlergroup.com.......................................................... 21.......... 1241 C2 Imaging/ Identabrew....................................(888) 872-7200............. c2spark.com/beverage-dispenser-branding/............ 29......... 1135 Cablevey Conveyors............................................(641) 673-8451.............. cablevey.com................................................................. 13.......... 301 Cirqua Inc.............................................................(310) 428-8726............. cirquainc.com................................................................ 21 Club Coffee L.P.....................................................(800) 387-4367............. clubcoffee.ca................................................................. 5........... 865 Coffee Blenders...................................................(760) 842-5522............. pourovercopacking.com............................................... 21.................................................. 966 Coffee Holding Company...................................(800) 458-2233............ coffeeholding.com........................................................ 11, 23.... 549 Colombian Coffee Growers Federation.............(305) 532-7950............. federaciondecafeteros.org........................................... 10......... 709 Concordia Coffee Systems..................................(800) 995-9019............ concordiacoffee.com..................................................... 9........... 1162 Costellini’s............................................................(877) 889-1866............. costellinis.com............................................................... 29 Don Pablo Coffee Roasting Company...............(305) 249-5628............ cafedonpablo.com........................................................ 27 Eastsign Int’l Ltd........................................................................................ eastsign.com................................................................. 4........... 352...................................768 Fres-co System USA, Inc.....................................(215) 721-4600............. fresco.com..................................................................... 15.......... 909 International Coffee Consulting.........................(818) 347-1378............... intlcoffeeconsulting.com.............................................. 29 Java Jacket..........................................................(503) 281-6240............. javajacket.com.............................................................. 17.......... 1215 Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc........................(800) 387-9398............ realcup.com................................................................... 2....................................................435
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WHO WE ARE Phone: 206.686.7378, see extensions below Publisher Kerri Goodman, ext 1 kerri@coffeetalk.com Administrative Director Laurie Veatch, ext 4 laurie@coffeetalk.com Web Design Justin Goodman, ext 6 justin@coffeetalk.com Print Design Marcus Fellbaum, ext 5 marcus@coffeetalk.com
Nestle Professional Coffee-mate.......................(800) 637-8534............ cmfeelthelove.com....................................................... 7................................................... 1341 North Atlantic Specialty Bag..............................(877) 827-5270............. northatlanticbags.com................................................. 27 Plitek....................................................................(847) 827-6680............ plitek.com...................................................................... 25......... 922 Primera Technology Inc......................................(800) 797-2772............. primeralabel.com.......................................................... 29 Probat Inc............................................................(847) 415-5293............. probatburns.com.......................................................... 31.......... 749
Mailing Info Mail: HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070 Phone: 206.686.7378 Fax: 866.373.0392 Web: www.coffeetalk.com
Texpak Inc | Scolari Engineering........................(856) 988-5533............. scolarieng.net................................................................ 32 Vessel Drinkware................................................(855) 833-7735.............. vesseldrinkware.com.................................................... 27......... 618 Walker Coffee Trading LP...................................(713) 780-7050............. walkercoffee.com.......................................................... 4 Wilbur Curtis Company Inc................................(800) 421-6150............. wilburcurtis.com........................................................... 3........... 795................................. 1454 Xeltron SA............................................................(254) 935-8766............. xeltron.com................................................................... 29......... 1178
Calendar
For complete and updated show information visit our online calendar: http://coffeetalk.com/industry-calendar/
April 10-11
Re:co Symposium, Boston, MA, USA
April 11-14
Specialty Coffee Association, Boston, MA, USA
April 14-15
The Northwest Foodservice Show, Portland, OR, USA
April 24-26
The NAMA Show, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
May 18-21
National Restaurant Show, Chicago, IL, USA
May 25-27
Paris Coffee Show, Paris, France
May 31-June 2
Coffee Fest, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
June 6-8
World of Coffee, Berlin, Germany
June 11-13
World Tea Expo, Los Vegas, NV, USA
June 13
Grounds for Health Auction
June 12-13
GCA Convention,Houston, TX, USA
June 17-19
Let’s Talk Coffee, Kigali, Rwanda
June 30- July 2
Summer Fancy Food Show, New York, NY, USA
Disclaimer CoffeeTalk does not assume the responsibility for validity of claims made for advertised products and services. We reserve the right to reject any advertising. Although we support copyrights and trademarks, we generally do not include copyright and trademark symbols in our news stories and columns. CoffeeTalk considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible. However, reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk. Postmaster: Send address changes to HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070 Subscription: The cost of a subscription in the U.S. is $47.50 per year; in Canada, the cost is $72.00. Free to qualified industry professionals. Non-qualified requests may be rejected. Publisher reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions. For subscription inquiries, please call 206.686.7378 x1 or subscribe online at www.CoffeeTalk.com.
30 April 2019
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W H E N I T CO M E S TO CO F F E E ,
TH E S O U L REVEALED I S A PA S S I O N I G N ITE D
There has never been a better time to own a premium quality Probat artisanal roaster. Proudly built in the USA, our time-tested technology provides lasting value and competitive pricing. See for yourself at Booth #749.
www. probatburns .com
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