However, following years of colonial rule and several devastating hurricanes, the island’s coffee production declined significantly. But in recent years, there has been something of a resurgence – especially with growing higher-quality coffee.

In August 2023, a Puerto Rican coffee received 92 points on Coffee Review – the highest score ever for a Puerto Rican coffee on the website. This marks a momentous milestone for the island’s coffee sector, as well as an indication that quality is only improving.

So could Puerto Rico ever become a more prominent producer of specialty coffee? To find out, I spoke to Domenico Celli Borrero, founder of Forgotten Forest, and Eduardo Trabada, co-founder of Baraka Coffee. Read on for more of their insight.

You may also like our article on the rise of Caribbean coffee roasters.

Understanding the historical complexities of Puerto Rico’s coffee sector

Similar to many other producing countries, coffee was first introduced to Puerto Rico while it was under colonial rule. In 1736, Spanish colonial powers brought coffee to the island to grow as a minor cash crop. During this time, most coffee grown in Puerto Rico was consumed locally.

But by the late 19th century, production in Puerto Rico had boomed. At its peak, the island produced more than 30 million pounds of green coffee per year (or 13.6 million kg).

In 1898, however, the US annexed the island from Spanish colonial rule, and coffee production came to a halt. Instead, farmers were incentivised to grow other cash crops like sugarcane and pineapple.

Domenico is the founder of Forgotten Forest, a unique coffee farm in La Cordillera Central mountain range in Puerto Rico. He explains how the US government influenced the island’s coffee sector.

“From the 1950s onwards, there was a concerted effort to rapidly shift the social and economic structure of Puerto Rico, and to create a more modernised economy,” he explains. “This was often carried out in neglect of – and oftentimes in direct opposition to – sustainable local agriculture.”

Since then, the island’s coffee sector has never fully recovered. Despite concerted efforts from local farmers to boost production in the 1980s, spells of economic turmoil and natural disasters (including Hurricane Georges) have had devastating consequences.

A coffee sector still in recovery

According to Domenico, since the 1990s, over 10,000 Puerto Rican farmers have abandoned coffee production in search of more profitable cash crops.

In the 2010s, the island’s production hit an all-time low, and very little was exported. Sadly, in 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck Puerto Rico – and it’s believed up to 90% of coffee plants were destroyed.

In another devastating turn of events, Hurricane Isaias also hit the island in 2020, which seriously impacted its coffee sector again. Today, there are around 4,000 coffee farmers in Puerto Rico who collectively produce some three million pounds of green coffee every year (1.4 million kg).

“On paper, you would say that Puerto Rican agriculture, and coffee production in particular, is on the verge of extinction,” Domenico says. 

Moreover, the lingering effects of colonisation and strict control of the market means that coffee prices remain low, which further disincentivises farmers not to invest in growing high-quality coffee.

“Most pickers think we’re crazy when we ask them to only harvest ripe coffee,” he adds. “Most of them say it’s impossible to do.”

The Puerto Rican coffee industry today 

Although robusta production in Puerto Rico increased slightly in the 1970s, most coffee grown on the island is arabica. Some farmers also grow small volumes of excelsa and liberica.

La Cordillera Central is the island’s main growing region due to its optimal climatic conditions. Furthermore, the mountain range’s different microclimates produce various flavour profiles which are unique to different terroirs.

Most producers use washed processing methods as Puerto Rico’s tropical climate can make it difficult to carry out natural and honey processing successfully.

But as well as being a producing region, the island also consumes a lot of coffee.

“We drink around 30 million pounds of coffee every year,” Domenico tells me. “But Puerto Rico imports anywhere from 23 to 28 million pounds of coffee from Mexico and the Dominican Republic.”

This is understandable given that production volumes have dropped so significantly over the last few decades. However, there are strict regulations when it comes to importing coffee into Puerto Rico.

As part of a rather contentious relationship due to a complex history between the US and Puerto Rico, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture (PRDA) are the only entities that can legally import green coffee onto the island. 

In turn, many larger roasters, including the Coca-Cola-owned Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters, buy most of this coffee. This monopolises the market, which makes it harder for smaller roasters to become more established. 

Moreover, some larger roasters tend to blend Puerto Rican coffee with lower-quality imported beans.

‘“Most consumers in Puerto Rico have no idea that they have probably never tried 100% Puerto Rican coffee,” Domenico explains. “It’s a source of pride for people, but many have no idea that the island doesn’t produce as much coffee anymore.”

Increasing imports, decreasing exports

Eduardo is a co-founder of Baraka Coffee, a pioneering specialty coffee roaster in Puerto Rico.

He tells me that today, as little as 8% to 10% of total Puerto Rican-grown coffee is exported. In comparison, he says smaller roasters like Baraka export up to 40% of their roasted coffee to other markets.

Moreover, some larger roasters also buy semitostado (or semi-roasted) coffees from the PRDA, which they then blend with locally-grown coffee. While the government states this practice is to prevent pests and diseases (such as the coffee berry borer) from entering the island, others believe it helps to reduce costs and offset falling production volumes.

When it comes to Puerto Rican specialty coffee, the vast majority is exported before local roasters have the opportunity to source beans. Additionally, prices for specialty green coffee are upwards of US $25 per lb, which leads many coffee shops and roasters on the island to buy coffee from elsewhere.

Reinvigorating local coffee culture

In response to what they feel is an often neglected sector, many of the island’s younger producers are turning to specialty coffee production.

Eduardo explains that when Baraka Coffee started in 2014, he knew of only a few producers who were using natural processing techniques. Today, he knows more than a dozen farmers who are trying out more experimental processing methods, or even growing different varieties.

Similarly, younger generations of Puerto Ricans are also becoming more interested in roasting and coffee education. Eduardo says while many panaderias (traditional bakeries) still sell dark roasted coffee, an increasing number of local coffee shops are now offering specialty coffee. Additionally, more coffee businesses are investing in higher-quality equipment and barista training opportunities.

“More coffee shops have started to see that the average consumer in Puerto Rico is becoming more interested in high-quality coffee – and that they don’t just want a pretty-looking latte,” Domenico says.

But improving access to education is also becoming more prominent across the supply chain. Domenico explains that before he started partnering with local farmers, many of them had never cupped or tasted specialty coffee – or even their own beans – before.

In some ways, this is helping to democratise the Puerto Rican coffee sector – and show local producers that when there are improvements to the island’s coffee industry, everyone can benefit.

“It’s about what we call ‘making patria’ – building something that promotes the true essence of Puerto Rican culture through our coffee sector,” Eduardo says.

How are smallholder producers helping to boost Puerto Rico’s coffee sector?

To say that the first-ever 92-point score on Coffee Review for a Puerto Rican coffee was a huge achievement is something of an understatement.

Domenico, who produced the anaerobic natural “cordial cherry” processed coffee, says the experience was momentous for Forgotten Forest.

“When you’re neglected for so long, you often give up or forget how great you can be,” he tells me. “Here in Puerto Rico, we have knowledge that dates back several centuries, so there’s no reason why we can’t produce world-class specialty coffee.”

Eduardo agrees, saying: “[The 92-point score] was mind-blowing. Normally, most coffees grown in Puerto Rico score in the low to mid-80s, no matter how you produce them.”

Ultimately, given that post-harvest processing plays a huge role in improving coffee quality, Domenico believes trying out advanced processing methods is one of the ways forward for the Puerto Rican coffee sector.

He explains that Forgotten Forest started as his undergraduate project, which explored how to add value to smaller local coffee farms. But once they discovered the Typica 401 variety growing on an abandoned lot, it was an indication of the potential for high-quality coffee. Typica 401 is believed to be a mutation of the Typica variety, which was first brought to Puerto Rico in the early 1700s. Although it produces low yields, it has a delicate and complex flavour profile.

Forgotten Forest then decided to plant a Typica 401 microlot, which they were able to quickly scale following extensive local and national media coverage. Today, Forgotten Forest has a growing network of approximately 50 farms, which carry out various agroforestry and organic farming practices. 

Partner farmers also receive seedlings, organic compost, and technical support, as well as access to financial literacy education, a processing mill, and a platform to sell their coffee to international markets.

Facing the challenges ahead

Despite a great deal of promise for Puerto Rico’s coffee sector, the island’s specialty coffee producers continue to experience a number of challenges. These include labour shortages and US federal minimum wage standards, which increase the already high costs of production.

Moreover, there is little investment in promoting Puerto Rican specialty coffee on the global market. Although some organisations, such as TechnoServe, have provided support to producers, aid programmes have long been a contentious topic among some producers on the island. 

Following Hurricane Maria, for example, several organisations distributed millions of seedlings to coffee farmers – but most were high-yielding and low-quality varieties for larger farms.

“There have been cuts to local aid programmes over the last few decades,” Domenico says, “The availability of subsidies, fertilisers, calcium powder, and other common farming inputs have been in decline.” 

Raising awareness

As there is no official Specialty Coffee Association chapter in Puerto Rico, local producers and roasters have started to organise to raise awareness of the island’s specialty coffee sector.

Domenico explains that one solution is “radical traceability”. For instance, Forgotten Forest created a tracking platform where buyers can track its coffees across the entire value chain.

Baraka Coffee also promotes a similar level of transparency which helps to bridge the gap between consumers and producers.

“Producers are doing what they can to keep Puerto Rico’s coffee – and our cultural heritage – alive,” he concludes.

It’s obvious that coffee is incredibly meaningful to Puerto Rico and its culture. Despite years of hardship and challenges, the sector remains resilient and determined to improve. 

It will certainly take some time before the island starts to produce and export more specialty coffee. In the meantime, smallholder producers need to receive much more support and guidance.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on Puerto Rican coffee: The bittersweet history & rise of specialty.

Photo credits: Baraka Coffee, Sebastian Castillo, Chelsea Cloud, Chris Hamlet

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This includes pour over brewing methods. In recent years, we have seen some major changes in how coffee shops and competitors prepare pour overs – largely with an overarching focus on controlling as many extraction variables as possible.

In line with this, a much wider range of manual and automatic pour over brewers are now available – with some models designed to impact brewing variables in different ways.

So it’s clear that pour over coffee is changing. But what might the future hold?

To find out, I spoke to Dušan Matičič, the head roaster at GOAT STORY, Carlos Medina, a barista and the 2023 World Brewers Cup Champion, and Erik Freudenberg, the 2023 German Brewers Cup Champion. Read on for more of their insight.

You may also like our article on the future of espresso.

A brief history of manual pour over coffee

Around the world, filter coffee is immensely popular. In some countries and regions, consumption of filter coffee dates back centuries:

• In Latin American countries like Costa Rica, many people still use traditional wooden chorreador brewers and cloth filters (or bolsitas)
• Touba coffee (or Sufi coffee), which is prepared similar to pour over, is common in Senegal and other West African countries

One of the precursors in the evolution of pour over brewing, however, was the launch of the Melitta brand in the early 1900s. After Melitta Bentz fashioned a pour over brewer using a brass pot and a filter, the Melitta brand became one of the first to start selling commercially-available paper filters. This, of course, revolutionised modern pour over coffee.

Following this, many other companies started to design different variations of manual pour over brewers. In 1941, German scientist Peter Schlumbohm invented the iconic Chemex – which was named “one of the best-designed products of modern times” by the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Other notable manual brewers include the Hario V60 and Kalita Wave. In 2004, Japanese company Hario designed its revolutionary V60 brewer, which quickly became more popular in specialty coffee following the 2010 World Brewers Cup.

The flat bottom Kalita Wave, meanwhile, was officially launched in 2010 by Japanese brand Kalita Co. – which also helped to further elevate pour over brewing methods.

How has pour over changed?

Over the past decade or so, the number of manual pour over brewers available on the market has only continued to grow. Although the V60 still remains one of the most popular, specialty coffee shops are now using a wider range of manual brewers – including the Origami, GINA, Graycano, and Orea, to name a few.

Given the increasing diversity of pour overs, brewing methods are also changing. One of the most noticeable developments has been a much bigger emphasis on precision and controlling as many extraction variables as possible.

Effectively, specialty coffee has become more “scientific” about brewing filter coffee (and espresso), which has helped to deepen our understanding of how certain brewing variables impact extraction. 

Erik, who also works part-time as a barista and is an avid home brewer, explains how people have become more willing to experiment with different variables.

“We now know more about how many different brewing variables affect the extraction of flavour, so we therefore feel more comfortable to play around with them,” he says.

The influence of advanced processing methods

Since the early 2000s, specialty coffee has developed a clear preference for single origin coffees – which has thereby influenced filter brewing methods.

In more recent years, however, the increasing popularity of experimental processing methods is also changing how we prepare pour overs.

Dušan roasts coffee for GOAT STORY, which manufactures the GINA coffee maker. This brewer – which was famously used by 2018 World Brewers Cup Champion Emi Fukahori – utilises three different extraction methods (including full immersion, pour over, and cold drip) by turning a valve located at the bottom.

“When I look back to six years ago, as an industry, we were much more focused on clean and crisp washed coffees,” he says. “Pour overs are still the preferred brewing method to best highlight these characteristics. 

“Today, however, the diversity of processing methods is much wider,” he adds. “This helps to bring coffees to life. With coffees that have more intense flavour profiles, you need to fine-tune your brewing recipes.

“Generally speaking, it’s simply a matter of how to tone down or enhance complexity,” Dušan continues. “This can be done in so many different ways, from trying different pour over brewers to experimenting with different grind sizes.”

Carlos agrees, and explains how he tweaks his pour over recipes based on the processing method used.

“Heavily fermented coffees are more sensitive, so you have to adapt your recipe to fit,” he tells me. “For instance, I have roasted and brewed coffees which have been fermented for up to 720 hours. In this case, I had to grind coarser and use a lower brewing temperature to avoid extracting undesirable flavours.”

Blends

Despite single origins dominating the specialty coffee market, blends have made something of a comeback in recent years. While we mostly associate blends with flavours more suited to traditional coffee drinkers, there has been renewed interest in higher-quality blends – including at competitions.

This was most noticeable at the 2021 World Barista and Brewers Cup Championships:

• The 2021 World Brewers Cup Champion Matt Winton used a 60:40 blend of naturally processed Coffea eugenioides from Finca Inmaculada in Colombia and washed Catucai from Hacienda La Florida in Peru
• Andrea Allen and Hugh Kelly, who respectively placed second and third at the 2021 WBC, both used blends which included eugenioides
• Additionally, 2022 WBC Japanese competitor Takayuki Ishitani – who placed fourth – used a blend of robusta and an anaerobic fermented Gesha in his routine

Simply put, the process of developing blends has become much more thoughtful and deliberate to create new flavour experiences.

“Single origin coffees are a great way to showcase how terroir and processing impact the final cup profile, but blends can create synergy between different coffees and offer something truly unique,” Carlos says.

Considering that different coffees have different solubility levels, blends certainly impact pour over recipes – meaning we need to tweak brewing variables accordingly to achieve the best results.

Erik used a blend for his 2023 WBrC routine, saying it created one of the most memorable coffees he’s ever tasted.

“I think we’ve reached a point where single origins have become so good by themselves that in order to create an even better experience, we have started to blend multiple exceptional coffees together,” he says. “Blends can shift our perception of flavour altogether.”

Different brewers, different extraction

When preparing pour overs, the emphasis is very much on the “experience” of making coffee – similar to the Slow Food culinary movement. Essentially, brewing a manual pour over allows you to take your time and become fully immersed in the process.

With so many brewers now available, coffee shops, consumers, and competitors have to change their pour over recipes accordingly to get the best results. Factors such as the shape, design, and material of different manual brewers all influence how coffee is extracted. 

“Each model of brewer will have an effect on extraction – whether it’s enhancing certain qualities or making it easier to brew specific coffees,” Carlos says. 

For instance, a brewer’s ridge or groove design (as well as the number of ridges it has) will significantly impact flow rate. The V60 has spiral-shaped ridges which help to prevent the filter from sticking to the walls of the brewer – and thereby ensure a more even flow rate.

In comparison, the Orea V3 brewer only has four ridges at the base – which means the flow rate is much quicker. To get the best results between these two brewers, it’s important to change several brewing variables, such as grind size, water temperature, and level of agitation, to name a few.

The role of automation

Although manual pour over brewers have evolved significantly in recent years, it’s been hard to ignore how automation has shaped filter coffee brewing for the long term.

Alongside the more scientific approach to pour over extraction, more and more coffee shops have started to leverage the power of automation to serve high-quality filter coffee.

Automated pour over brewing systems can manage a number of variables – such as brew time, temperature, and water dispersion – much more precisely than humans. 

“In a coffee shop, automated brewers definitely have an edge on baristas,” Erik says.

Not only does this help baristas to free up more of their time and focus on other tasks, it massively increases the consistency of extraction. In turn, whether you embrace it or not, automation has played a key role in improving the quality of pour over coffee.

Similarly, now more than ever, consumers are also turning to automated brewing solutions at home. We’ve seen more and more companies and brands design high-quality automated pour over systems with a number of features, such as prewetting and blooming functions.

How could pour over coffee evolve in the future?

Given the rapid rate of innovation in specialty coffee, pour over brewing could change in many ways in the years to come.

“We are seeing a growing interest in pour overs,” Dušan says. “People are continuing to explore new ways of brewing, including how to highlight different flavours.”

Carlos believes as the industry’s knowledge of extraction continues to deepen, filter coffee will continue to evolve.

“From automated to hybrid to no-bypass brewers, pour over coffee is sure to evolve to become so much more,” he says.

Erik also agrees, saying: “We will see more super-specialist tools, brewers, and techniques, and we will also gain an even better understanding of the impact of different brewers on coffee flavour.

“I think we will also become more resourceful in our quest to perfect brewing coffee,” he says. “I simply hope that filter coffee becomes even better in the future.”

Pour over coffee has come a long way over the past century or so. And with an ever-growing range of manual and automatic brewers – as well as evolving recipes and a deeper understanding of extraction variables – it’s sure to keep on changing.

“There are so many varieties waiting to be rediscovered or cultivated, so the future is bright for filter coffee,” Dušan concludes. “And with the impact of climate change potentially leading to the emergence of new origins, this could bring a new dimension to pour over coffee.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the history of manual brewing methods.

Photo credits: Sinan Musly, SCA Germany, Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events, GOAT STORY

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The post What’s the future for pour over coffee? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

Mon, 9 Oct

• Reef Bessette wins 2023 Coffee Masters NYC at New York Coffee Festival. Bessette, the co-founder of the Coffee Movement, competed against 11 other contenders in the multi-disciplinary competition – winning the grand prize of US $5,000.

• The 2024 Swiss Barista, Brewers Cup, and Cup Tasters Championships winners announced at Swiss Coffee Festival. Cup Tasters Champion Bettina Hanimann and Brewers Cup Champion Masiu Yeung will compete at the 2024 World Cup Tasters and Brewers Cup Championships from 12 to 14 April in Chicago, US. Barista Champion Mathieu Theis will compete at the 2024 World Barista Championship in Busan, South Korea from 1 to 4 May.

• Spectator tickets now available for 2023 World AeroPress Championship finals. This year’s finals mark the competition’s 15th anniversary. The 2023 World AeroPress Championship will take place in Melbourne, Australia from 1 to 3 December 2023. Tickets can be purchased as one or two-day passes.

• Judge rules that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz illegally threatened a union supporter. Schulz allegedly told a pro-union Starbucks barista to “go work for another company”. A National Labor Relations Board judge ruled that the comments discouraged pro-union speech, which amounts to an illegal threat.

• Ratio Coffee launches crowdfunding investment campaign through WeFunder. Potential funders can invest as little as US $100 in Ratio Coffee as it plans to launch its single-cup brewer in 2024.

• La Marzocco and Marco Beverage Systems surrender intellectual property rights to integrated scale technology. La Marzocco and Marco co-developed the technology, but in an effort to “raise the general quality of the sector”, they have made the IP rights public – meaning other companies can utilise the technology to develop their own products.

• Technivorm Moccamaster announces Selfridges & Co as latest retail partner. Various Moccamaster brewers will be available through Selfridges’ Smartech brand from 9 October 2023 to 9 February 2024.

Tue, 10 Oct

• Café Business Expo 2023 takes place in London, England. The expo ran from 10 to 11 October at ExCel. The event featured more than 100 speakers, a product innovation exhibition, and an industry awards ceremony.

• Bonanza Coffee develops specialist ceramic cups to help baristas pour better latte art. In partnership with ACME, the specially-designed Unnecessarily Large cup includes an inner curve to better direct milk flow when pouring, as well as a wider surface area and shallower depth to create a larger canvas for pouring latte art.

• Kenya plans to sell coffee to Starbucks and other foreign buyers through direct trade channels. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says the move will help Kenyan farmers secure better returns for their coffee. The government will meet with Starbucks officials to establish a deal that will see Kenya sell directly to the coffee chain.

• Robusta prices remain at near-record high. The latest ICO report shows the I-CIP for robusta averaged US 120 cents/lb in September, despite exports increasing by 7.3% year-on-year in August.

• Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select becomes the latest SCA Certified Home Brewer. The Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select is the only European Coffee Brewing Centre-approved machine to prepare batches as low as 400ml.

• African Fine Coffees Association and Coffee Quality Institute sign Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement will see the two organisations support producers in eleven African countries – including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

• Team Sip ‘n Smile Squad wins first-ever Barista League Madrid event. The multi-disciplinary barista competition took place on 7 October, with winners Kaspar Grossfeldt and Georg Lepik securing their spots at the 2024 Mystery Vacation. Guest judges included Lance Hedrick of Onyx Coffee Lab and Dara Santana of Dart Caffeine.

• Cecafé says Brazilian coffee exports fell by 5.5% in September despite surge in robusta shipments. The Brazilian coffee export organisation adds that revenue fell by 23.2%, despite the fact the country exported 317% higher volumes of robusta during the same period.

Wed, 11 Oct

• World AeroPress Championship announces brand new format for Australian competition. WAC has partnered with several Australian roasters to introduce a multi-round, points-based format at this year’s national Australian competition. The event will take place on 1 December in Melbourne – one day prior to the 2023 World AeroPress Championship.

• Caravela Coffee publishes 2022 impact report. The company will present its latest report via a live webinar on 7 November, and is encouraging other industry stakeholders to join discussions around “reshaping the value of specialty coffee”.

• Stumptown partners with Alaskan Airlines to launch “altitude immune” blend. The roaster says the medium roast blend has been developed to avoid sensory perception issues related to changes in altitude, such as increased bitterness and weaker flavours. Alaska will serve the blend on all of its flights, signaling the end of its partnership with Starbucks.

• BIGFACE launches Dripkit single-serve products. NBA star Jimmy Butler’s lifestyle coffee brand now offers its DOUBLESTAR Ethiopian blend as Dripkit coffee bags. Each sachet contains 17g of ground coffee and brews around 295ml.

• Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association partners with Oritain to improve green coffee traceability. Oritain specialises in forensic origin tracing. The company will help the BSCA to improve traceability and transparency in the Brazilian coffee supply chain.

• ONA Coffee to host Carnival Party on 2 November to celebrate 15th anniversary. The Australian specialty coffee roaster will host the free event at its Melbourne shop, which will include food, drinks, and a live DJ.

• National Coffee Association calls for applications for the 2024 NCA Charity Showcase and Origin Charity of the Year Award. The NCA’s Coffee Gives Back Programme highlights charities dedicated to supporting coffee communities at origin. Submissions close on 1 December and the winners will be announced at next year’s NCA Convention on 7 to 9 March.

• Women-Powered Coffee Summit scheduled for 2 & 3 November in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The two-day summit returns for another dynamic and inclusive gathering, aiming to discuss a more equitable future for the coffee industry. Tickets are available now.

Thu, 12 Oct

• SCA announces new updated rules and regulations for 2024 World Brewers Cup and World Cup Tasters Championships. Updates to the World Brewers Cup rules include changes to how judges can assess aroma, as well as how judges score technical and customer service skills. Rules changes for the World Cup Tasters Championship focus on impartiality and competition procedures. SCA also announced the location for the 2024 World Cezve/Ibrik Championship, which will take place at World of Coffee Copenhagen in June next year.

• Covoya Coffee to host free webinar on 19 October. Special guest Catalina Gonzales – the specialty co-ordinator for Covoya in Colombia – will discuss topics such as crop surveys, the challenges farmers and exporters face, and the future of Colombian coffee.

• UK specialty coffee roaster Caravan to make retail debut at Waitrose stores on 16 October. Several of the company’s home compostable capsules will be available at Waitrose stores, marking its first foray into the supermarket space.

• Intelligentsia launches new range of plant-based lattes. The flash-chilled oat milk RTD lattes are available in Latte, Vanilla Latte, and Spiced Oat Latte editions.

• New study suggests global coffee production is under threat from loss of natural pollinators. Researchers say the combination of climate change and land use change has serious implications for insect pollinator biodiversity. Subsequently, coffee, cocoa, watermelon, and mango production are likely to be impacted.

• Reborn Coffee appoints Jennifer Tan to Board of Directors. Tan has over 30 years’ experience as a global entrepreneur, and will help the company’s expansion into new markets.

• UAE AeroPress Championship 2023 to take place on 25 to 27 October in Dubai. Competitors from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and elsewhere in the UAE will compete for a spot in the world final. The event will be hosed at the Almas Conference Centre.

• BWT water+more announces 2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um as global ambassador. Following on from his success at the 2023 WBC, Um – who is also the co-founder of Um Coffee Co. and Fazenda Um in Brazil – will help promote and showcase the company’s water filtration solutions around the world.

Fri, 13 Oct

• HostMilano begins in Milan, Italy with over 2,000 exhibitors. The 43rd edition of the HoReCa expo is taking place at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre until 17 October, featuring the latest innovations in product development from companies like Carimali and Flo-Smart. Over 800 events will take place at the trade show, including the 2023 Latte Art Grading System World Championship and the Smart Label Host Innovation Awards.

• Barista Attitude showcases new espresso machines at HostMilano. The coffee equipment manufacturer will host live demonstrations of several new products at its booth, including the single boiler Pilot espresso machine and the Tempesta GARA three-group – the official machine of the World Barista Championships. Brand ambassadors and WBC finalists Emi Fukahori and Michalis Michalis Dimitrakopoulos will assist with live demos.

• Sample evaluation begins for the 2023 Coffee of the Year competition. A record number of 518 samples were received for this year’s competition. The winner will be announced during the 2023 Brazil International Coffee Week in Belo Horizonte, set to take place from 8 to 10 November.

• Bazzara to host seventh Trieste Coffee Experts on 25 & 26 November 2023. The event returns to Trieste, Italy with a renewed focus on sustainability and the future of the coffee industry. This year’s Trieste Coffee Experts event will take place at the Savoia Excelsior Palace.

• Flash Coffee closes all Singapore stores after employees strike over late payments. The company says it will focus on “more promising” markets, but insisted it will help employees find new job opportunities with other coffee chains.

• Malkönig launches EK Omnia grinder at HostMilano. The new flagship grinder includes three grinding modes: Classic, Time, and Library modes. The latter allows baristas to save up to ten different recipes, and the EK Omnia can automatically adjust and pre-dose the correct weight of ground coffee.

• Cup of Excellence to host Sensory Education Training course in Hefei, China from 3 to 6 November. The course will be held at Beantimer Coffee Academy, and will include in-depth lectures and discussions about the Cup of Excellence programme.

• TONE launches boiler-less two-group espresso machine at HostMilano. The TOUCH E modular espresso machine includes temperature and flow control technology.

• International Women in Coffee Convention 2023 to take place from 16 to 22 October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This year’s convention will be held at the Skylight Hotel, and will feature industry-leading speakers such as ICO Executive Director Vanusia Nogueira and IWCA Global President Sharon Riechers.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Mon, 2 Oct – Incapto secures US $6.3 million to expand its specialty coffee subscription service. The Spanish start-up says it currently sells to around 20,000 customers.

• Fri, 6 Oct – Accademia del Caffè Espresso launches E-learning Espresso course. La Marzocco’s education centre says the 15-module course will teach participants how to extract exceptional espresso, among other topics.

• Fri, 6 Oct – Mahlkönig and La Marzocco launch new Sync System. Through the LM Pro app, users can link the Mahlkönig E80W Grind-by-Sync grinder with a La Marzocco espresso machine – which the companies say can help to improve extraction consistency and replicability.

• Fri, 6 Oct – Greece’s Vaso Papastamatiou wins 2023 EMEA Starbucks Barista Championship. Over 15,000 Starbucks baristas participated in the competition over several months, culminating in the finals which were held in London, UK.

• Sun, 8 Oct – Drinking unsweetened coffee may aid weight loss. A review of three separate studies found that consuming unsweetened coffee was associated with some weight loss among participants. However, adding just one teaspoon of sugar per day was associated with 0.09kg of weight gain over four years.

Coffee news photo credits: World Coffee Events

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The 43rd edition of the expo will showcase the latest innovations in technology and product development in the global coffee and HoReCa industries. In addition to its extensive exhibition, HostMilano will also hold several coffee competitions and awards ceremonies.

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to attend this year, with more than 2,000 companies exhibiting at the event – making it one of the most important in the global hospitality industry.

Read on to find out more about what’s happening at HostMilano 2023.

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

Coffee competitions & awards at HostMilano

HostMilano is one of the most influential and impactful B2B trade shows in the global HoReCa sector. Following the easing of pandemic restrictions, the 2021 event saw a record number of attendees with over 110,000 visitors and 1,345 companies present from across 144 countries. 

The expo is open to brands and companies in many food and beverage sectors, including:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Chocolate and cacao
• Bars and restaurants
• Bakeries and patisseries
• Pizza
• Pasta
• Gelato
• Vending machines
• Foodservice equipment

Every HostMilano trade show takes place in Milan, Italy – a city widely considered to be one of the design and fashion capitals of the world. Milan also hosted World of Coffee – another industry-leading event – in 2022. 

Alongside an expansive HoReCa exhibition, several competitions are also held at every HostMilano event. The 2021 expo hosted the 2021 World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Barista Championship – with a Colombian competitor crowned the World Barista Champion for the first time.

Espresso Italiano Champion 2023

The Italian Espresso Institute will host this year’s Espresso Italiano Champion contest at stands V21 and Z22 in hall 24P from 13 to 17 October. International coffee professionals will compete to prepare espressos and cappuccinos to a panel of sensory and technical judges, and must also deliver a presentation.

Competitors will use the Rancilio Specialty RS1 espresso machine and Eureka Helios and Atom grinders.

World Latte Art Grading System Championship 2023

This year’s World Latte Art Grading System Championship will take place on 16 October at stands V57 & Z58 in hall 22. Held in more than 50 countries, the competition assesses baristas’ technical latte art skills, as well as their creativity and flair. 

The championship has six levels (or grades), with each one corresponding to specific skills baristas must demonstrate to receive an award:

• White
• Orange
• Green
• Red
• Black
• Gold

Although any coffee professional can apply to take part in the World Latte Art Grading System Championship, competitors must know how to extract espresso, steam milk, and pour latte art.

Participants who pass the championship receive a graded Latte Art Grading Certificate – as well as a milk jug in the corresponding colour. Certified competitors are also listed in an online directory.

Gran Premio Delle Caffetteria Italiana 2023 competition

Founded in 2009, the 2023 Gran Premio Delle Caffetteria Italiana competition will take place on 14 October at stands V57 & Z58 in hall 22. 

Competitors will have 13 minutes to prepare two cappuccinos, two espressos, and two cold coffee drinks which contain traditional Italian ingredients. Eight baristas will proceed to the finals to compete for the title of 2023 Best Italian Maestro del Caffé.

Milano Latte Art Challenge 2023

The fourth edition of the Milano Latte Art Challenge will take place from 14 to 16 October at stand N23 in hall 14. Twelve competitors will take part in nine rounds using the Rancilio Specialty RS1 espresso machine. The challenges range in difficulty, from pouring simple latte art patterns to more complex designs.

The judges’ panel will also include several World Latte Art Champions.

Moka Challenge 2023

The second Moka Challenge will be held at stands V57 & Z58 in hall 22 on 17 October – and is open to anyone interested in taking part. 

Competitors will have ten minutes to brew and serve coffee in a three-cup moka pot – with finalists vying to win the title of best brewer of the traditional Italian coffee pot.

Smart Label Host Innovation Award 2023

As well as competitions, HostMilano also includes several awards schemes – including the Smart Label Host Innovation Awards.

The awards scheme recognises excellence in product innovation in the HoReCa sectors, including coffee. This year’s awards ceremony will be held at stands A44, B43, B49 & B50 in hall 6 – celebrating and honouring global leaders in their respective sectors. 

Categories included in the awards programme are functionality, technology, product performance, and social and environmental sustainability.

Smart Label Host Innovation Award 2023 winners include:

• Latte Art Factory Bar Pro
• Pietro grinder
• Wacaco Company’s Minipresso NS2
• Franke Mytico
• Simonelli’s Eagle Tempo

Who’s exhibiting and attending this year’s event?

More than 2,000 exhibitors are expected to attend this year’s HostMilano, including leading companies from over 50 countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the US, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, and China. 

Brands from the coffee, tea, bakery, professional catering, pizza, gelato, and tableware sectors will showcase their products to thousands of visitors.

Automated beverage solutions

Many of the coffee industry’s most innovative equipment manufacturers and distributors will be at HostMilano. This includes Flo-Smart – a manufacturer of automated beverage and milk dispensing solutions.

Keelan Hartnett is the Managing Director at Flo-Smart.

“Manual milk preparation can cost businesses a significant amount of time and money,” he says. “The sometimes slow and inaccurate process of pouring milk by hand only adds to baristas’ movements, and can also increase milk waste.

“Flo-Smart is designed to transform milk preparation to be more precise and efficient,” he adds.

At HostMilano 2023, Flo-Smart will showcase its automated beverage dispenser, which is suitable for any non-carbonated beverage – including different types of milks or pre-made batch brews. With its portion-controlled dispensing system, baristas can prepare and serve drinks at a faster rate. Additionally, coffee shops can also reduce their waste, and therefore save money and time.

Flo-Smart’s system dispenses beverages directly into milk jugs and other vessels from pergals or containers in undercounter fridges. The dispensing machine includes three different functions:

• Automatic: for automated hands-free dosing based on the size of milk pitchers
• Semi-automatic: for small, medium, and large pours
• Manual: for free-flow dispensing

The Flo-Smart also includes a built-in pitcher rinser, which helps to optimise and de-clutter countertop space.

To learn more about Flo-Smart, visit the website and stop by stand M83 in hall 18P at HostMilano.

Coffee machine manufacturers

Some of the sector’s leading machine manufacturers will be exhibiting at HostMilano 2023, including pioneering Carimali.

Roberto Gregis is the Marketing Manager at Carimali.

“Designing a booth with interactive experiences to showcase the latest trends in the coffee industry was quite challenging,” he says. “However, it’s allowed us to explore and understand shifting market needs on a much deeper level, as well as Carimali’s current role in the market and its future prospects. 

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to our booth, where they will experience unrivalled super-automatic coffee machine technology,” he adds.

At HostMilano 2023, Carimali will showcase its CARItower coffee station, which serves a range of customised drinks. Considering that coffee is often only one ingredient of several in a beverage (including milk, cocoa, and syrups), serving increasingly personalised drinks which combine multiple ingredients can cater to different consumer taste preferences.

Carimali will also showcase its new SilverAce Power coffee machine, which also serves a range of customised beverages. The SilverAce Power is designed for high-sales locations which serve up to 400 drinks per day. The brand’s new CARIcream milk system can also produce both high-quality hot and cold milk foam, as well as preparing up to five drinks simultaneously – making it ideal for convenience stores, lounges, and quick service restaurants.

To learn more about Carimali, visit the website and stop by stand G23 in hall 24P at HostMilano.

Other companies at HostMilano 2023

Alongside these brands, a number of other specialty coffee companies will exhibit and/or attend the event. These include:

• Marco
• Rancilio
• Gruppo Cimbali
• IMF
• Dalla Corte
• Sanremo
• Latte Art Factory
• WMF
• Bazzara

Other events & activities

In addition to competitions, awards schemes, and an extensive exhibition, other key events will take place at HostMilano 2023.

Coffee Addition

Organised by AICAF, Coffee Addition returns after the 2021 HostMilano expo, where it attracted hundreds of attendees. The unique event will be held at different stands throughout the exhibition.

A personalised seminar will be hosted at each stand, catering to the needs of each individual brand and company on how they can incorporate coffee into their products and services.

Design Talks

The 2023 Design Talks will include several sessions across all five days of the event, with an overarching focus on the wider hospitality industry.

All sessions will be held in Italian, with each seminar having 60 reservation spots.

After parties

Several after parties and events will take place during the 2023 HostMilano. These include Rancilio’s and The Barista League’s Barista Roulette Competition on 14 October at 20:00, which is a private and invite-only event. Eight baristas will go head-to-head in a series of fun competitions, alongside live music, food, and drinks.

Please note that some afterparties and events may also be invite-only, and attendees may need to register beforehand – with some possibly sold out.

For those attending HostMilano 2023, there are plenty of events and activities to engage with – as well as opportunities to network with other coffee professionals.

If you are taking part in any capacity, make sure to register and book for any events and activities prior to attending. 

To learn more about HostMilano, visit the official website here.

Photo credits: Flo-Smart, Carimali

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During the final round of 2023 World Barista Championship, we saw two competitors use the Pink Bourbon variety. Known for its slight pink hue and complex flavour profile, interest in this variety has been growing for some time now.

There is, however, very little verified information available about the origins of Pink Bourbon – which of course restricts our understanding of this unique variety.

But given that more and more roasters and coffee shops have started to offer this coffee in recent years, does it have potential to reach the same heights as Gesha or other similar varieties?

To find out more, I spoke to Rodrigo Sanchez Valencia, a producer at Finca Monteblanco and Aromas del Sur, Boram Um, co-owner of Um Coffee Co. and Fazenda Um, and Isaiah Sheese, owner of Archetype Coffee. Read on to learn what they had to say.

You may also like our article on the Ombligon variety.

What is Pink Bourbon & where does it come from?

Like many other new or “rediscovered” arabica varieties (or even species), the exact origins of Pink Bourbon are unknown.

Rodrigo is a producer and the owner of Aromas del Sur – a co-operative which unifies all the farms he owns and manages. He is often credited for helping to discover the Pink Bourbon variety.

“As part of a joint effort with importers and exporters that we were working with at the time, the Aromas del Sur team found Pink Bourbon in 2013,” he says. “We believe it’s native to southern Huila in Colombia.”

According to Rodrigo, the variety first appeared in the San Adolfo area of the Acevedo municipality in Huila during the 1980s.

“There is no verified information about its specific origins,” he tells me. “When coffee leaf rust (la roya) first appeared in the region in the 1980s, more producers started to grow this variety unknowingly because it was resistant to the disease – and was highly adaptable to its environment and produced higher yields.

“We were one of the first producers to grow Pink Bourbon as a commercial crop, so we set out to find other farmers who were growing smaller quantities and were unaware of its quality potential,” he adds.

Dispelling prior claims about Pink Bourbon

It’s common to hear that Pink Bourbon is a natural hybrid of Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties. However, recent research is likely to have disproved this theory.

In late September 2023, Café Imports published an article stating that after conducting genetic testing in partnership with RD2 Vision, Pink Bourbon is likely to have come from an Ethiopian landrace variety.

However, it’s important to note that this research has not been scientifically verified, so the variety’s exact origins and heritage can’t be known for certain.

Growing Pink Bourbon

Even in optimal environmental conditions, Pink Bourbon is challenging to grow successfully. Not only do producers need to meticulously maintain plants, they must also isolate them from other varieties to ensure successful cross-pollination.

Rodrigo, meanwhile, says Pink Bourbon’s resilience and productivity are beneficial. 

“To date, we’re not aware of any diseases which it’s susceptible to,” he explains.

Boram is the 2023 World Barista Champion, and used Pink Bourbon from his farm in Brazil in his winning routine. He tells me his experience growing this variety is very different to Rodrigo’s – possibly due to different terroirs in Brazil and Colombia.

“Pink Bourbon is very susceptible to certain diseases and fungus, which is why we grow it in a controlled and safe environment,” he says.

Isaiah Sheese placed fourth at the 2023 World Barista Championship, and also used Pink Bourbon. He says he has noticed subtle differences in the variety’s physical characteristics.

“Some cherries are longer and thinner like Gesha or Ethiopian landrace varieties,” he explains. “However, we have also seen cherries which are rounder, and therefore more dense – which could be a result of growing at a higher elevation.”

One of the variety’s most distinctive traits, of course, is its slight pink hue.

“The cherries are orange or salmon-coloured,” Rodrigo says. “The plants also have more elongated leaves, which are light green or yellow-green in colour. Newer leaves start off as more orange coloured.”

What does it taste like?

Pink Bourbon not only stands out for its strikingly-coloured cherries, but also for its sweet and complex flavour profile.

“It’s usually more acidic – like citrus fruit flavours – with delicate notes of white florals and honey-like sweetness,” Boram says.

Isaiah agrees, telling me: “Pink Bourbon usually cups similarly to washed Ethiopians or Panamanian Geshas – with floral, pink lemonade, honeysuckle, and jasmine flavour notes, and a very elegant silky texture.”

Rodrigo, meanwhile, often picks up more tropical tasting notes.

“It’s a very complex coffee, with flavours of peach, papaya, and melon, as well as more floral notes such as jasmine, rose, and green tea,” he says. “It’s a very balanced coffee in terms of body and acidity.” 

Using different processing techniques to highlight certain flavours

Similar to other varieties, choosing specific processing methods can help make Pink Bourbon stand out even more.

Rodrigo explains he has found that Pink Bourbon cherries contain higher amounts of sugar (or have a higher Brix level) than other varieties, which makes them adaptable to different processing methods.

“We can use a diverse range of processing techniques, ranging from conventional methods to more unique processes, such as cold fermentations and thermal shock,” he tells me. “Personally, in terms of improving complexity, I prefer using cold fermentation.”

For Boram, the variety’s stand-out flavour profile worked well with anaerobic fermentation – which led him to choose it for his WBC routine.

“I’ve found that anaerobic fermentation processing methods bring out its best potential, but the key factor is drying the cherries properly,” he says. “We slowly dry the coffee in a temperature and humidity-controlled dark room with no UV light.

“We then manage to highlight more of the sweet floral and honey notes,” he adds. “Pink Bourbon is a fairly new variety to Brazil, so it’s important that more producers try growing it, too.”

For his World Barista Championship performance, Isaiah used a Pink Bourbon sourced by one producer (Lucy Galindez of Finca Bella Vista in Colombia), and then processed by another (Diego Bermudez of Finca El Paraiso). Diego is well-known for creating the thermal shock process.

“We have always loved fully washed Pink Bourbon,” Isaiah says. “But when we tasted it using Diego’s two-stage thermal shock fermentation, it elevated the flavour notes even more. We were blown away.”

Roasting Pink Bourbon

With roasters offering more and more unique varieties, they often need to tweak their roast profiles accordingly to get the best results – and Pink Bourbon is no exception.

Isaiah worked with his team at Archetype Coffee to roast his competition coffee, which was roasted for espresso. 

“Compared to washed Pink Bourbon, the two-stage thermal shock processing method definitely changes how this coffee reacts to heat when roasting – it’s similar to a natural process coffee,” he says. “While washed coffees generally require a more aggressive and upfront approach, you need to be more gentle when you start roasting thermal shock processed coffee.

“What’s more, we used the Stronghold S7 to roast my competition coffee, which is a very different style of roaster than a traditional drum machine because it also includes a halogen-powered heat source,” he adds.

Boram also had to adjust his roasting technique for his Brazilian Pink Bourbon – which he explains was largely because of different climatic conditions.

“Coffees in Brazil are usually grown at lower altitude in a different kind of terroir, so they tend to be less dense,” he tells me. “So we roasted the coffee for longer using lower temperatures to make sure it developed properly.”

Could the market for Pink Bourbon grow in the coming years?

It’s clear the market potential for Pink Bourbon is huge, with interest in this variety steadily rising year after year. But considering that some farmers face a number of challenges when it comes to scaling production, we may not get to see the variety in as many coffee shops and roasteries as we would like in the coming years.

Rodrigo, however, is hopeful that Pink Bourbon has a permanent place in the Colombian specialty coffee sector.

“Pink Bourbon will remain one of the most important varieties in our market,” he says. “We are proud to be the pioneers of growing this coffee.”

Boram also believes the success Rodrigo and other Colombian producers have experienced with this variety could help increase its production – as well as in other countries.

“Given that Colombia produces such high-quality Pink Bourbon, I hope this will increase peoples’ interest in this variety, including in Brazil,” he concludes.

Specialty coffee is always on the lookout for the latest “it” variety, and now more than ever, there are many options to choose from. 

Pink Bourbon is eye-catching for a number of reasons, including its complex and desirable flavour profiles. As a result, there is certainly potential for this variety to become a new darling of specialty coffee – but this may take some time.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the Typica Mejorado variety.

Photo credits: World Coffee Events, Specialty Coffee Association, Aromas del Sur

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Damage from the fires has been devastating. As many as 115 people have been confirmed to have sadly passed away, with many others still missing. The fires also destroyed thousands of buildings, including residential homes and historic landmarks. Some national experts claim the “official” damage totals US $5.5 billion.

Many communities in Maui and other areas of Hawaii are still recovering from the fires, which is sure to take some time. To provide support to local coffee businesses and beyond, a number of fundraisers are helping to raise money and awareness.

To find out how the global coffee industry can support communities in Maui, I spoke to James “Kimo” Falconer, President of MauiGrown Coffee. Read on for more.

You may also like our guide to Hawaiian coffee production.

What happened in Maui?

It’s important to emphasise that wildfires aren’t uncommon in Hawaii. But over the past few decades, the total area burned by wildfires has increased significantly.

The Maui wildfires in early August 2023, however, were the most devastating by far – exacerbated by the state’s lack of resources and a number of climatic factors. As far back as June 2014, the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization reported that most of the Lahaina area (located on the northwest coast of Maui) was “extremely” vulnerable to wildfire burning.

Throughout early August, intense winds from a nearby hurricane and ongoing drought conditions worsened the rapid spread of wildfires across Maui. The fires destroyed most of the historic town of Lahaina, as well as many other areas of the island like Olinda, Pulehu-Kihei, and Kula. Thousands of people have been displaced, with many fatalities and serious injuries also sadly reported.

“We lost power at 4am on 8 August, the fire had started in a bush in a residential area,” Kimo says. “The fire was out of control in no time and burned down the entire town of Lahaina.”

On the same day, local authorities signed an emergency declaration, which included activating the Hawaii National Guard. By 9 August, Hawaiian authorities announced a state of emergency. On 10 August, US President Joe Biden issued a federal major disaster declaration.

How is the local coffee sector affected?

Every year, Hawaii produces around five million pounds (2.3 million kg) of green coffee. While Kona is one of the most well-known growing regions, the island of Maui accounts for roughly one-sixth of the state’s total coffee production.

Hawaiian coffee producers have been facing a number of challenges in recent years. These include the emergence of coffee leaf rust on several islands and legal battles over mislabelling of Kona coffee. But despite these difficulties, coffee production has been steadily rising over the last few years.

The wildfires in August, however, caused significant damage to coffee farms in Maui, as Kimo explains.

“We lost our mill, processing facilities, store, and most of our warehoused coffee,” he says. “Because of this, we won’t harvest any coffee this year.”

Other local coffee brands have also been impacted. The Maui Coffee Company, which is a family-owned and operated business, said in an Instagram post on 12 August 2023: 

“Maui Coffee and our family are okay. Lahaina is destroyed and it is heartbreaking. We have several employees who lost their homes and some of our operations were severely impacted, but we are trying our best to get things up and running for our employees, our customers, and our family.”

Sadly, even if coffee producers or local companies didn’t experience direct damage to their property, the majority of businesses had to close following hazardous conditions caused by the wildfires.

Fundraisers to support communities in Maui

Many communities and businesses are still recovering from the ongoing effects of the wildfires. In response, several fundraisers have been launched to provide support and resources:

Help Lahaina Get Caffeinated Again

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lahaina-get-caffeinated-again

The GoFundMe campaign is organised by Christina Pundyke, who is the owner of Alba’s Cuban Coladas in Maui. The campaign is raising funds to support coffee businesses in Lahaina.

Several coffee companies will receive a share of all donations, including:

• Bad Ass Coffee
• Belle Surf Café
• Café Café Maui
• VigiLatte Artisan Coffee
• Drift Coffee
• Keiki Bowls Café
• Maui Island Coffee

VigiLatte Maui Wildfire Fundraiser

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-vigilatte-rebuild

The GoFundMe campaign is raising funds to help VigiLatte Artisan Coffee rebuild its business and support its staff, many of whom are now homeless and without work. Neighbouring businesses also affected by the wildfires will receive a share of the donations. 

VigiLatte is also continuing to sell coffee online, and all sales proceeds will also go towards the fundraiser.

Maui Coffee Co. Wildfire Employee Relief

https://www.gofundme.com/f/maui-coffee-co-maui-wildfire-employee-relief

After three of its employees lost their homes due to the fires, the Maui Coffee Company launched a GoFundMe campaign. All three employees have worked for Maui Coffee Company for over two decades.

All funds raised through the campaign will be used to provide housing, food, and basic amenities to the employees.

Other fundraising campaigns

In addition to fundraisers focusing on the Maui coffee sector, there are also several organisations working to support the wider community on the island.

• Maui Strong Fund
  • Organised by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui Strong Fund is providing immediate and long-term financial support to local people
  • HCF is working closely with state and county leaders, non-profits, and community members to better understand the changing needs of those affected by the wildfires 
• World Central Kitchen
  • World Central Kitchen’s emergency response team is currently in Maui working with local partners Chef Hui and Common Ground Collective to provide food and water to impacted residents and first responders
  • Donations are helping to support WCK’s emergency food relief efforts in these communities
• People’s Fund of Maui
  • The People’s Fund of Maui is providing direct financial assistance to people in Lahaina and Kula who are affected by the wildfires
• Maui Mutual Aid Fund
  • Donations raised are being distributed directly to Maui residents, led by Kānaka Maoli community members to ensure the most vulnerable individuals and families receive the right level of support
• Maui Rapid Response Operating Support Fund
  • The fundraising campaign is providing ongoing support and supplies to Maui Rapid Response’s central hub – which is a disaster response team including individuals from the Maui community, as well as several non-profit and direct aid organisations
• Give Directly to Maui Residents
  • The spreadsheet is updated regularly to raise awareness of affected community members, their stories, and links to their respective GoFundMe campaigns and Venmo accounts
    • Please note: This is a crowdsourced campaign and individual entries are not verified
• Maui United Way
  • The disaster relief organisation is providing immediate assistance to local non-profits, as well as impacted individuals and families

Other ways to provide support

Fundraisers and donations are incredibly important ways to help local communities and businesses in Maui rebuild from the devastating impact of the wildfires.

With some coffee companies managing to reopen in Lahaina, another way to provide support is to buy coffee.

For example, Hawaiian company Big Island Coffee Roasters launched a Lāhainā Maui Strong Blend, with 100% of in-store and online proceeds going directly to the Maui Strong Fund. 

Unfortunately, following such significant loss of infrastructure in the Maui coffee sector, Big Island was unable to fulfill orders – leading the roaster to blend the coffee with Central and South American beans as a means of continuing sales.

Other local roasters who may be selling Maui-grown coffee include Maui Coffee Roasters, Maui Coffee Company, Origin Coffee Roasters, and Maui Oma.

Despite the many challenges ahead, Kimo remains hopeful that communities in Maui can steadily recover in time.

“‘Lahaina Strong’ is our motto and the town will rebuild,” he says. “[The ongoing support] touches everyone in the community.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on four things you should know about Hawaiian coffee.

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As a way of keeping up with innovation in the industry, coffee competitions have changed significantly over the past few years. Whether it’s different formats, judging techniques, or prizes, the diversity of specialty coffee championships has been noticeably increasing.

To learn more – as well as to explore the potential future of coffee competitions – I spoke to Tristan Creswick, Business Development Manager at Dalla Corte and founder of the World Espresso Championship. Read on to find out more of his insight.

You may also like our article on whether there is space for new coffee competitions.

Prominent competitions in specialty coffee

Now more than ever, coffee professionals have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of competitions. These include, for example, formal rule-based championships and multi-disciplinary inclusive events.

Some competitions, however, have more influence in specialty coffee than others – especially the World Coffee Championships (WCC) organised by World Coffee Events. The WCE currently hosts seven annual competitions:

• World Barista Championship
• World Cup Tasters Championship
• World Latte Art Championship
• World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship
• World Brewers Cup
• World Coffee Roasting Championship
• World Cezve/Ibrik Championship

Each of the seven WCC focuses on a different set of skills and field of expertise. For instance, the World Barista Championship (arguably the most innovative of all WCC events) requires competitors to prepare three different espresso-based drinks for a panel of judges. Additionally, participants must showcase their technical barista skills, coffee knowledge, and creative flair – with many choosing exclusive and rare arabica varieties or different species to do so.

In comparison, the World Cup Tasters Championship tests competitors’ abilities to identify different sensory attributes in coffee, as well as their speed and the accuracy of their palates.

Different formats and judging styles

Across the sector, the format and judging style of competitions can vary greatly. But despite the differences, the majority of coffee championships involve competitors taking part in several rounds to be assessed by a panel of judges.

At the World Brewers Cup, for example, the competition is split into two rounds: a compulsory service and an open service. For the former, participants must brew three filter coffees with beans provided by WCE. During the open service, competitors choose their own coffee. They also need to deliver a ten-minute presentation to three sensory judges and a head judge.

The six competitors with the highest scores then go on to compete in the final round, which is exclusively an open service. One competitor from the final round is then named the World Brewers Cup Champion.

How have coffee competitions changed?

With so many coffee professionals now becoming more eager and determined to showcase their skills and knowledge, the popularity of competitions has inevitably grown in recent years. In line with this, the events themselves have started to evolve, too.

One of the biggest changes in competition formats over the past few years has been a much more prominent focus on improving inclusivity and accessibility. Undoubtedly there is still more progress to be made, but an increasing number of competitions are becoming more reflective of the wider specialty coffee sector. This includes allowing plant milks.

Judging formats have also shifted to have a bigger emphasis on objective scoring. For instance, the SCA recently updated its cupping protocol and form to minimise “intersubjectivity” when scoring coffee. These new standards will also apply to judging criteria for some WCC events, too.

Addressing continuous challenges

It’s hard to deny the crucial role competitions play in driving innovation in specialty coffee. From renewing interest in “forgotten” varieties and species to introducing advanced processing methods, these events serve a unique and important purpose.

That’s not to say, however, there aren’t still issues to address in the competition scene. As one example of many, Tristan believes that these events no longer represent the realities of baristas’ and roasters’ daily work schedules. 

“Some of the participants that win or score highly in barista competitions don’t actually work as baristas,” he says. “Moreover, the chances of a working barista winning a competition without several years of coaching is incredibly low.

“Most barista competitions are about who can serve the judges coffee that they prefer on that specific day,” he adds. “It’s not really an honest competition if the judges have to compare apples and oranges. And this is especially apparent when you factor in the subjective nature of different sensory experiences.”

Tristan continues by comparing the assessment criteria for both coffee and sports competitions. He argues that while judges can objectively assess who wins a long jump or shot put championship, judges must agree who makes the “best” coffee in a coffee competition – a purely subjective decision.

To address this issue, Tristan explains that Dalla Corte launched the World Espresso Championship in 2022 at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo. The second event was held in Athens on 25 June earlier this year, with 2023 WBC second runner-up Jack Simpson announced as the winner.

As a means of mitigating subjectivity as much as possible, competitors are required to use the same water, coffee (including processing method and roast profile), and espresso machine. Participants are then allowed to tweak as many extraction variables as possible to try to pull the winning shot.

Launching new coffee competitions

With so many competitions taking place in the coffee industry every year, developing a new event which stands out in its own unique way can be tricky.

Tristan explains that Dalla Corte developed the World Espresso Championship with two main goals in mind.

“Firstly, we’re hoping to create an innovative space that pushes the limits of espresso recipes by giving competitors a lot more flexibility with their brewing recipes, as well as having highly experienced judges taking part, too,” he tells me. “Secondly, we’re hoping the competitions have a fun atmosphere that fosters progression and creativity.”

As part of this, competition registration is only open to current national and World Barista and Brewers Cup Champions.

“We want to ensure the World Espresso Championship receives the right kind of recognition in the coffee industry, so only the top-scoring competitors can take part,” Tristan says.

What are the rules?

During each round, two competitors are randomly selected, and then must extract their espresso at the same time. Each competitor has 15 minutes to dial in their espresso. They then have six minutes to prepare, extract, and serve four single espressos. 

Similar to other competitions, all participants must use the same espresso machine – which in the case of the World Espresso Championship is the Dalla Corte Zero. Competitors are encouraged to use the machine’s Freestyle Extraction feature, which allows them to change a number of brewing variables.

“Baristas can change water temperature and flow rate, as well as the dose and basket size,” Tristan says. Competitors can also use paper or metal filters in their portafilter baskets.

No matter which extraction variables they decide to tweak, Tristan explains each participant must serve four single shot espressos. Moreover, these must be within a 15g to 30g dose and a 25g to 35g yield.

A panel of selected judges then blindly evaluate each espresso without using any formal criteria or scoresheets. They then select their favourite one on the count of three.

The winners of each round proceed to the next stages, with the overall winner receiving a cash prize of €4,000 (US $4,225.20).

So what’s next?

Given the pace of innovation in the global specialty coffee industry, we’re sure to see competitions evolve even further.

Tristan tells me Dalla Corte is using feedback from the first two World Espresso Championships to expand its competition format.

“In the future, we will start running national heats. Each winner will be invited to compete in the World Espresso Championship,” he says.

Maintaining objectivity in scoring will also be key going forward in coffee competitions. With so many different kinds of coffee available to use in championships (including variety, processing method, and roast profile), organisers will need to establish more comprehensive rules and guidelines.

Every year, a number of high-level coffee competitions are held around the world – and the sector certainly pays attention to them. By following the various championships and contests, industry professionals are able to keep their finger on the pulse of specialty coffee.

While staying ahead of the latest trends in specialty coffee is important, it’s also clear that coffee competitions are evolving to better reflect the realities of the industry and create fairer scoring systems.

Ultimately, elevating the format of competitions will only help to serve the entire specialty coffee sector.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on carbon-neutral espresso machines.

Photo credits: Dalla Corte

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Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

Mon, 2 Oct

• Glitter Cat Barista closes after five years of providing competition sponsorship and support. Founded in 2018 by seasoned US Barista Championship competitor Veronica Pearl, the non-profit has provided free competition coaching to coffee professionals who are part of marginalised communities. More than 140 individuals received training from Glitter Cat, with 51 people progressing to national championships.

• Snoop Dogg pulls investment from INDOxys coffee brand. The US musician previously partnered with Indonesian businessman Michael Riady on the RTD coffee brand, but reports suggest he backed out amid concerns about Riady’s management.

• SCA calls for proposals for 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo workshop series. Proposals can be submitted until 27 October 2023, and successful applications will be contacted on 30 October 2023. Previous workshop topics include “Steaming Plant-based Milks”, “The Science Behind the Flavor Wheel”, and “Becoming a Certified B Corporation”.

• Louis Dreyfus Company opens instant coffee production facility in Vietnam. In partnership with Instanta, LDC opened the plant to meet rising demand. The new facility can produce up to 5,600 tonnes of freeze-dried instant coffee per year.

• The 2023-24 Indian Coffee Championship winners crowned at World Coffee Conference in Bangalore. Mohammad Afsar is the 2023 Indian Latte Art Champion, and will represent India at the 2023 World Coffee Championships in Taiwan from 17 to 20 November. Hrishikesh Mohite of Café De Meet is the 2024 Indian Barista Champion, and will compete at next year’s World Barista Championship in Busan, South Korea from 1 to 4 May.

• Submissions open for 2024-27 World Coffee Roasting Championship production roaster sponsorship. Applications are open to production roasters which have a 3 to 6kg capacity that are or will be in production by the end of the 2023 calendar year. Submissions are open until 10 November 2023.

• Saudi Arabia aims to plant 1.2 million coffee trees by 2026. The country currently has more than 400,000 arabica trees planted in several provinces, and now plans to drive economic growth through rapid expansion of its coffee sector.

• Yemen celebrates World Coffee Day with largest tasting in the Middle East. The Yemeni National Coffee Auction hosted the tasting session as part of Yemeni Coffee Week, and showcased more than 100 different varieties alongside live demonstrations and talks.

Tue, 3 Oct

• Cerrado Coffee Growers Cooperative exports record volume of green coffee. Expocacer reported shipping almost 29,000 tonnes of green coffee this season. The co-operative aims to ship more than 480,000 bags by the end of the harvest.

• Four Gesha lots receive over 90 points at 2023 Cup of Excellence Colombia. The top lot, which received 90.61 points, was produced by Duberney Cifuentes Fajardo at the Montreal farm in Tolima. The auction will take place on 21 November.

• Qima Coffee signs memorandum of understanding with Yemen Ministry of Agriculture. The company says the MoU is a significant step towards developing the country’s coffee sector. The agreement includes commitments to research collaboration, producer training, and infrastructure development.

• Junzhi Liu wins 2024 Spanish Barista Championship at this year’s Barcelona Coffee Awards. The founder of Brew Coffee Barcelona will represent Spain at the 2024 World Barista Championship in May next year. Nomad was also named Spain’s best roaster at this year’s Barcelona Coffee Awards.

• World Coffee Innovation Award winners & 2024 UK Brewers Cup Champion announced at Caffè Culture in London. Notable winners include Superkop (Traditional Machine Innovation), Hard Beans (Automatic Machine Innovation), Big Island Coffee Roasters (Speciality Coffee Roaster), Raw Material (Ethical Initiative), and Rokit Health (Ready-to-drink Product). Luca Croce of Gold Box Roastery placed first at the 2024 UK Brewers Cup.

• Blue Marble and Nestlé partner to provide weather insurance to Indonesian coffee farmers. The climate insurer says the pilot programme will provide more than 800 farmers with better financial protection against unpredictable weather. The project forms part of Nestlé’s Nescafé Plan 2030 sustainability goals.

Wed, 4 Oct

• illycaffè launches its first 100% certified regenerative agriculture blend. The company sources its Arabica Selection Brazil Cerrado Mineiro blend exclusively from regenagri® crops, which it says helps to improve soil fertility and biodiversity without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

• The 2023-24 Singapore Coffee Championships held at this year’s Specialty Coffee & Tea Asia expo. Alistair Seetho won the 2024 Brewers Cup, Terence Tan placed first at the 2024 Cup Tasters Championship, Jervis Tan won the 2023 Latte Art Championship, and Courtney Kheng is the 2024 Singaporean Barista Champion. The Specialty Coffee & Tea Asia event formed part of the 2023 Speciality Food & Drinks Asia expo, which attracted over 7,000 attendees from 49 countries. Next year’s event will return from 1 to 3 October at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore.

• Kaffe Bueno opens the world’s first coffee biorefinery in Copenhagen, Denmark. The facility features an R&D and production centre designed to meet increasing demand for natural ingredients and to “unlock” the health benefits of coffee.

• Early bird tickets go on sale for first-ever Nordic Coffee Fest. Touted as the world’s most sustainable coffee festival, the two-day event will take place at Eriksbergshallen in Gothenburg, Sweden on 24 & 25 February 2024 – and will host the inaugural Nordics Best Roaster competition.

• US judge rules Starbucks violated federal labour laws with exclusive pay increases to non-unionised workers. The judge asserted that unionised workers were left out of the company’s employee compensation plan – implemented in August 2022 – which was a direct violation of several labour laws.

• Go Fund Bean appoints new executive director following financial investigation. Director of Marketing Valorie Clark is now the interim executive director, replacing co-founder Adam JacksonBey. A recent internal investigation revealed a board member misappropriated the group’s disaster relief fund for personal and travel expenses.

• The Barista League celebrates successful return to Melbourne, Australia. The competition, hosted at Proud Mary Coffee on 22 September, attracted hundreds of attendees and several special guests, including 2022 World Barista Champion Anthony Douglas. The winners were Melanie and Aum of Team Udom.

Thu, 5 Oct

• Arabica futures fall to lowest price levels since January. The ICE arabica contract for December delivery fell by 0.3% to US $1.46/lb on Thursday, despite a weaker Brazilian currency. Meanwhile, the December ICE robusta contract rose by 0.3% after falling to a 5½-month low on Wednesday.

• Kaffelogic partners with Showroom Coffee as exclusive distributor in the US and Mexico. The Brooklyn business, which also distributes Arc roasters, will supply Kaffelogic coffee roasters in both countries.

• Melitta Canada achieves several new coffee sustainability certifications. The company’s coffee is now Rainforest Alliance, FSC, and BPI-certified, while several of its cone filters have also received FSC and BPI recognition.

• More than 500 people expected to attend this year’s Sintercafé event. Sintercafé International Coffee Week is an annual event which takes place in Costa Rica to promote the country’s coffee sector. This year, Sintercafé will be held from 8 to 10 November at Hotel Real Intercontinental in San José.

• UK Coffee Week 2023 to take place from 16 to 22 October. Coffee shops across the UK will raise funds for Project Waterfall, an organisation dedicated to providing clean drinking water for coffee-producing communities.

• Rancilio to host invite-only HostMilano after party in Milan, Italy on 14 October. The party, co-hosted with The Barista League, will include the Barista Roulette competition, where eight baristas will go head-to-head in a series of coffee-themed challenges.

• Atomo launches beanless “coffee” in the US. The company uses “superfoods” and upcycled ingredients to produce what it calls “the most sustainable coffee on the planet”. Its first release is an espresso-style blend, which is also available in a decaf option.

• Report says thousands of coffee-producing families are trapped in bonded labour in Karnataka, India. According to The Guardian, Adivasi Hakkugala Samanvaya Samiti (AHSS) – the coordinating committee on local tribal rights – has already helped 1,500 bonded labourers leave coffee farms in the Kodagu district. Despite being abolished in the 1970s, the committee says bonded labour is still widespread in India, creating a “vicious den of debt bondage”.

• East African producing countries set new record for EU coffee exports. Exports to the EU have more than doubled over the past four years, reaching US $118 million last year – up from US $89.3 million in 2018. Experts cite the EU-supported Market Access Upgrade Programme as a significant contributor.

• Blue Bottle launches limited-edition Nespresso capsules. The exclusive Blend No. 1 capsules include natural processed coffee sourced from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia and Rwenzori, Uganda. Blue Bottle and Nespresso are set to release future collaborations in the coming months. Select Nespresso boutiques will also host tasting sessions for customers to try the new capsules.

Fri, 6 Oct

• This year’s US, Brazilian & Mexican AeroPress Championships confirmed for October and November. The Brazilian competition will be hosted by Mixology at Guanabara Station in São Paulo on 28 & 29 October. The Mexican event will be hosted by Quentin Café at Casa Versalles in Mexico City on 4 November, while Onyx Coffee will host the US contest on 2 & 3 November.

• New York Coffee Festival takes place in Manhattan. The annual festival, which will run until 8 October, includes the Roasters Village, Latte Art Live, and the Coffee Masters NYC competition.

• Western regional Australian AeroPress Championship to take place 28 October in Osborne Park. The event will be hosted by Micrology Coffee Roasters at its roastery. The winner will earn one of seven spots at the 2023 Australian AeroPress Championship, which will be held one day before the world final in Melbourne, Australia.

• Café Business Expo 2023 to take place on 10 & 11 October in London, England. The event, which will be held at ExCel, will feature more than 100 speakers, a product innovation exhibition, and an industry awards ceremony.

• First-ever Barista League Milwaukee event scheduled for 21 October. The multi-disciplinary coffee competition will take place at The Back Room @ Colectivo. Guest judges include Arielle Rebekah of Trans & Caffeinated Consulting and Veronica Pearl of Glitter Cat Barista.

• The 2024 National Coffee Association Convention to take place in Nashville, Tennessee from 7 to 9 March. Registration is now open for the annual event, which will feature insights from expert coffee professionals from around the world, as well as numerous exhibitions.

• Oatly to host exclusive JNP Coffee cupping event in Berlin, Germany. JNP Coffee founder Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian will lead the cupping session at Mehringdamm 53-55 on 10 October at 17:30 local time. Attendees will be able to taste a wide range of Burundi coffees, and registration in advance is required.

• Registration opens for 2023 International Coffee Week. The annual event will take place at Expominas in Belo Horizonte, Brazil from 8 to 10 November. This year’s SIC will feature extensive exhibitions, lectures, workshops, competitions, and coffee tastings.

• Cimbali Group acquires major Swiss distributor. The coffee equipment manufacturer has fully acquired Vassalli Service AG, which Cimbali has worked with for more than 60 years. As part of a seamless transition and continuation of operations, current CEO Marc Schneider will retain his role and also become a Board of Directors member alongside Enrico Bracesco, who is the current General Manager of Cimbali Group. Bracesco will now also assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vassalli Service AG.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Wed, 20 Sep – EU to ban sweeping environmental claims by 2026 as it cracks down on greenwashing. According to Financial Times, new rules agreed in September will ban sweeping environmental claims like “climate neutral” and “eco”, as well as any statements related to carbon offsetting unless independently validated. The rules will also ban “green” labels from non-approved sustainability schemes.

• Wed, 27 Sep – Kenyan chain Java House to pursue IPO as parent company seeks to divest. Parent company Actis plans to offload the brand in coming months, while the Java House CEO believes the public market remains a real opportunity. The chain currently operates 68 stores in Kenya, three in Uganda, and two in Rwanda.

• Thu, 28 Sep – ofi says it has improved the lives of more than 100,000 coffee farmers since 2020. The food ingredient manufacturer says it has achieved more than half of its target to improve the livelihoods of 200,000 coffee farmers by 2025, as per its latest Coffee LENS report.

• Fri, 29 Sep – Eversys welcomes 2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um as global brand ambassador. Um joins Dale Harris and Simon Sun as a brand ambassador for the Swiss super-automatic coffee machine manufacturer.

• Fri, 29 Sep – International Coffee Organisation and Global Coffee Platform renew commitment to coffee sustainability collaboration. The two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding at the World Coffee Conference in Bangalore, India – pledging to renew and expand their partnership within the Coffee Public Private Task Force (CPPTF).

• Fri, 29 Sep – Origin Coffee Roasters opens its first café outside of London and Cornwall. The new Bristol location is the roaster’s sixth overall.

• Sat, 30 Sep – Study finds coffee may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease by up to eight times. Singapore’s National Neuroscience Institute reports that two cups of traditional kopi a day can reduce the risk of the disease between four to eight times in people who have Asian gene variants linked to the condition.

• Sat, 30 Sep – National Bank of Ethiopia launches probe into claims coffee exporters misused loans. The country’s Coffee and Tea Authority says 144 exporters were given special access to loans to mitigate financial constraints. However, it alleges that just 37 made proper use of the funds, while 58 didn’t export any coffee at all.

• Sun, 1 Oct – Data reveals just 2.3% of South Africans drink whole bean and ground coffee. The Marketing Research Foundation says more than half of all South African coffee consumers drink instant coffee, despite the growing number of coffee shops in major towns and cities.

Coffee news photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events

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Over the past few years, several national Barista Championship competitors had openly defied the prior rule which stipulated they could only use cow’s milk. Ultimately, these competitors’ decisions to willingly score zero in the milk course round played a key role in changing the format of the WBC – and many would agree for the better.

It comes as somewhat of a surprise, however, that the SCA Swedish chapter recently made the decision to host the first-ever fully plant-based national Latte Art Championship. Considering that plant milks often perform differently to cow’s milk, to say this is a bold move is an understatement.

So are we starting to see a wider, more inclusive shift across more of the World Coffee Championships? And if so, what could that mean for the future of the competitions?

To find out more, I spoke to Ioana Bombea, former Global Community Manager at Sproud. Read on for more of her insight.

You may also like our article on why more competitors didn’t use plant milks at the 2023 World Barista Championship.

Plant milks at coffee competitions

Plant milks are incredibly popular in the specialty coffee sector. Walk into almost any coffee shop in many countries and they will offer at least one type of non-dairy milk. In fact, some specialty coffee shops have even started defaulting to oat milk as a result of growing demand.

This rising interest in plant milks is also reflected in many coffee competitions. These range from local latte art throwdowns to events like The Barista League, where participants must serve a plant-based beverage to the judging panel.

As of December 2022, the World Barista Championship also allows plant milks – but this wasn’t always the case. Prior to this rule change, the 2022 World Barista Championship Official Rules and Regulations stated that:

“A milk beverage is a combination of 1 single shot of espresso (per the definition of espresso in the ‘Espresso’ section) and steamed cow’s milk.”

This meant national and World Barista Championship competitors had to use cow’s milk in the milk beverage course – or risk receiving zero points in the category. Of course, this would significantly decrease their chances of winning, but it was a risk some were willing to take.

Making a statement

The decision to drink plant milks can be an ethical, sustainable, or dietary choice – or even purely based on personal taste preferences. As such, prior to the 2023 WBC rule change, some national Barista Championship competitors decided to make a statement and use oat milk in their routines. Some of these include:

• Cristian Tellez, who used Minor Figures oat milk during his 2019 Canadian Barista Championship routine – effectively disqualifying him from the competition.
• In October last year, 2023 German Barista Championship competitor Mikolaj Pociecha also used oat milk for his milk beverage course.
  • Mikolaj even published an open letter to SCA Germany requesting it “refrain from the compulsory use of cow’s milk at all upcoming competitions”.

It was clear the SCA had been listening to these demands for some time, and officially announced the new plant milk rule for the 2023 competition late last year.

Given the growing pushback against the exclusive cow’s milk rule, it came as a surprise that very few 2023 WBC competitors used plant milk in their routines. One of the more notable examples was finalist Patrik Rolf, but even he only used a blend of 90% cow’s milk and 10% coconut milk.

Canadian competitor and semi-finalist Benjamin Put, meanwhile, used a blend containing 40% oat milk, while UK competitor Ian Kissick exclusively used freeze-distilled oat milk.

The first-ever plant-based national Latte Art Championship

In the years to come, it’s likely we’ll see more World Barista Championship competitors incorporate alternative milks in their routines. And at the same time, it seems the new plant milk rule is influencing other SCA competitions.

The 2023 Swedish Latte Art and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships recently took place in Stockholm, with Alexander Ntatsos winning both competitions. He will represent Sweden at both World Coffee Championship events at the Taiwan International Coffee Show from 17 to 20 November.

In an interesting twist, SCA Sweden decided to host a fully plant-based Latte Art Championship – reportedly the first-ever national competition to do so. 

As it stands, when it comes to milk, the 2023 World Latte Art Championship Rules & Regulations state:

“Competitors are required to use WLAC-provided milk during their performance. Provided milk will be whole milk,” – thus insinuating cow’s milk.

So what was the motivation behind SCA Sweden’s decision to use plant milk?

“The coffee industry is not always the most sustainable,” Ioana says. “But if there is one factor we really focus on, it’s our carbon footprint.

“Simply put, SCA Sweden and Sproud decided to show that you don’t have to sacrifice performance or taste while minimising your impact on the environment,” she adds. “We can safely assume that this year’s Swedish Latte Art Championship had the smallest carbon footprint yet!”

A sustainable choice – but what are the broader considerations?

Reducing the coffee industry’s environmental footprint can only be a good thing. Making the switch to plant milks, however, brings about a number of technical considerations.

“Hosting a fully plant-based national Latte Art Championship is a really bold move,” Ioana tells me. “While the popularity of non-dairy milks has increased considerably in the past years, their performance also varies greatly.”

Many baristas will know that plant milks must be treated differently to cow’s milk when steaming and pouring latte art. This ranges from how much air you need to incorporate into the liquid to the temperature range you should heat it to.

Moreover, despite how well some plant milks can replicate the texture and mouthfeel of dairy, it’s often more difficult to pour crisp, high-contrast latte art with plant-based drinks.

So given that WLAC judges assess several aesthetic attributes of competitors’ latte art – including foam quality, contrast between coffee and milk, level of difficulty, and overall visual appeal – using the best-performing milk is absolutely essential to receive high scores.

“You want to give all competitors a fair chance, so hosting a fully plant-based SCA-accredited competition is somewhat of a risk, and it opens the door to criticism,” Ioana explains. “SCA Sweden chose Sproud because it closely replicates cow’s milk – and we’re always trying to make it even better.”

So could the WLAC change?

Does this mean plant milks will be used at future World Latte Art Championships? More importantly, will WLAC competitors be able to choose between cow’s milk or plant milks?

While the answers are largely unknown for now, the latter question raises a valid concern that competitors who use dairy will potentially score higher. Essentially, without a level playing field, WLAC participants using plant milks could be at a disadvantage.

As it stands, the World Latte Art Championship will continue to exclusively use cow’s milk. Following the recent WBC rule update, however, this could always change.

“Now that the World Barista Championship allows plant milks, we’ll get to see more of them on the global stage,” Ioana concludes.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on what the new plant milk rule means for the future of the WBC.

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Many of these events, however, are held in export market countries and regions, including the US, Europe, and Australia. While this isn’t to say these events don’t serve an important purpose when hosted in such places, it can often mean many coffee professionals at origin aren’t able to participate and contribute on a similar level.

This leads to a number of complex issues along the coffee supply chain. Chief among these is a lack of knowledge sharing in producing countries, in addition to concerns that producers’ perspectives and opinions are not acknowledged to the same extent as those of other industry professionals.

To address these problems, some coffee companies are organising their own events to make sure more value is retained at origin. I spoke to three people who attended the first-ever Ally Open Summit held in Brazil on 19 and 20 September 2023 to find out more. Read on for their insight on why hosting events in producing countries is so important.

You may also like our article on why coffee competitors should go on origin trips.

A growing number of coffee events

Now more than ever, there is a more diverse range of events in the coffee sector. Industry professionals have the option to attend a broad range of festivals, expos, and competitions, as well as organised trips to coffee farms.

The latter naturally take place in producing countries, where green buyers, roasters, and baristas can tour farm facilities and understand more about coffee production.

Although origin trips can be a useful way for producers to connect with other coffee professionals, networking and knowledge sharing often take place in much less formalised settings.

Ricardo Pereira is the COO of Ally Coffee, which has been hosting an annual Champs Trip event since 2016 as an opportunity for US and World Coffee Champions to visit producing countries.

This year, he explains Ally Coffee also organised the inaugural Ally Open Summit as part of the 2023 Champs Trip.

“Ally Coffee decided to launch the first Ally Open Summit as an evolution of our annual Champs Trip because we wanted to take advantage of having so many incredible coffee professionals join us from all over the world,” he says.

Along with several leading figures in the Brazilian coffee industry, Ricardo spoke at the opening ceremony of the event on 19 September, before joining the How to add value to coffee production panel with producers from Colombia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

“It’s great to visit farms, see post-harvest processing, and meet producers, but we can also go beyond this,” he tells me. “If we’re going to invite coffee professionals with different backgrounds and experiences then why don’t we create an opportunity for knowledge sharing and making more of a meaningful impact at origin.”

Creating space for producers’ perspectives

With so many events held in export market countries, many producers and other coffee professionals at origin miss out on attending them. This is especially true for smallholder farmers who may have fewer financial resources to travel.

Inevitably, this means producers’ voices and opinions can be left out of important conversations. But without their perspectives, it’s impossible to understand some of the biggest issues the global coffee industry faces today.

Diego Campos is the 2021 World Barista Champion, and also recently opened his own coffee shop in Colombia. He attended the Ally Open Summit at Fazenda Minamihara where he spoke on the How to add value to the cup panel with several other World Coffee Championship competitors.

“Hosting events at origin makes it much easier for producers to showcase where coffee comes from,” he says. “Baristas and roasters can see with their own eyes what it takes to grow coffee and understand more about coffee production.”

Similarly, producers also have the opportunity to learn from traders, roasters, baristas, and other coffee professionals – which allows them to gain new insight as well.

“It’s always important for producers to be able to attend these kinds of events because then we get to expand our knowledge,” Diego says. “Conversely, more people can comprehend the work we do on farms and how we improve coffee quality.

“Everyone has different ideas and concepts about coffee, so it helps to combine and share them,” he adds.

Why does more knowledge sharing need to take place at origin?

It’s no understatement to say education is one of the main driving forces of the specialty coffee industry. With both industry professionals and consumers becoming more and more informed, the sector only continues to evolve.

Events play a key role in improving access to coffee education, too – with many including panels and lectures, workshops, cuppings, and networking sessions. In turn, hosting more events at origin means industry professionals in these countries have the chance to participate and engage in a more accessible and meaningful way.

“Knowledge is power,” Ricardo tells me. “As my father said when I was younger, if there’s one thing that people can’t take from you, it’s knowledge.

“So bringing coffee events to producers is so important,” he adds. “As an industry, we must understand the struggles that producers face, as well as finding ways to resolve them and create opportunities for sharing information.”

Hosting more events in producing countries

Alongside the Ally Open Summit, a small but growing number of producer-focused events have been held at origin – with the aim of placing coffee farmers at the forefront of important industry-wide discussions. These include Producer Roaster Forum, which Ally Coffee sponsors every year.

“Producer Roaster Forum is an incredible platform that Ally Coffee is very proud to have sponsored since the first event,” Ricardo says. “Empowering producers and creating opportunities for knowledge sharing at origin is a powerful tool for the coffee industry.”

Diego Campos, who also owns Finca Diamante in Colombia, emphasises that these events allow for two-way communication.

“Giving feedback to producers is very important,” Diego Campos tells me. “It’s not just about asking them to try different things, but building a relationship and creating consistency.

“Events like the Ally Open Summit allows us to see where coffee quality is at right now, as well as what consumers are asking for and what the future of coffee looks like,” he adds. “We need to listen to everyone along the supply chain because there are many unique challenges – which makes connecting the coffee chain even more important.”

Effectively addressing issues in the coffee industry

As well as offering the chance to connect and network with other coffee professionals, attending events held at origin means producers have more of a platform to speak about the difficulties they face in an ever-evolving industry.

“Finding ways to provide real support and create new learning opportunities for producers is essential,” Ricardo says. “We can ask them about the social and environmental aspects of coffee farming, and understand how we can join forces as an industry to invest in the sustainable future of coffee.

“For instance, the average age of coffee producers around the world is only increasing,” he adds. “So how can we motivate younger generations to show them that coffee has a future which depends on them?”

He continues to say that he sees attitudes shifting, particularly in Brazil.

“Younger people are becoming more interested in coffee and more involved in their family businesses,” he continues. “We’re seeing more third, fourth, or fifth generations now working in coffee and telling their stories.”

Ensuring a more diverse range of coffee professionals benefit

There is often much discussion about how we can improve sustainability and equity along the supply chain – which are prominent talking points at many coffee events.

These conversations are certainly necessary and important, but they can exclude insight from producers when held in places like the US and Europe. Moreover, farmers are usually the most affected by issues such as fluctuations in coffee prices and the impact of climate change, which means their perspectives are invaluable in addressing these challenges.

“There’s so much we can learn as an industry,” Ricardo explains. “When we were talking to Diego Campos for our new podcast Rooted in Coffee, he said something that really struck me. He told me that when coffee professionals go to origin, they’re sometimes trying to tell producers what to do, but they don’t want to share any of the risk.

“But the truth is that we can learn so much more from producers than we can actually teach them,” he adds. “So if we can create opportunities like the Ally Open Summit where producers can participate and share their experiences and knowledge with other farmers, traders, roasters, baristas, equipment manufacturers, and technology brands, then we can bring all these different facets of the industry together in one place.”

Bringing producers together to create more value

Diego Baraona is a producer at Los Pirineos in El Salvador. He took part in two panels at the first-ever Ally Open Summit entitled How to add value to coffee production and How to add value in coffee sales. 

He explains how connecting with other coffee professionals helps him to deepen his knowledge of coffee.

“As a producer, it’s really interesting to interact with competitors because they are the ambassadors of specialty coffee,” he says. “It’s a mingling of different experiences and perspectives.”

Furthermore, he adds that meeting producers from different countries is also invaluable.

“I’m feeling inspired because I shared a lot of my own knowledge, but I also took in a lot of information, too,” he tells me. “It’s really cool to share knowledge between producing countries because we are all different. It’s interesting to see the large scale of production in Brazil, yet also experience how producers keep quality and processes consistent.

“Also, the cost of production is lower in Brazil, which inspires me to bring costs down while also focusing more on implementing organic farming practices,” he adds.

Improving the diversity of events at origin

With specialty coffee consumption steadily growing in some producing countries, the types of events taking place in these regions are also broadening. For example, according to research from the Specialty Coffee Association:

• Brazil’s specialty coffee market share doubled between 2016 and 2018 from 6% to 12%
•  In 2018, the estimated value of the Colombian specialty coffee market was around US $1.52 billion – and is likely to have grown since
• It’s believed specialty coffee accounts for between 3% and 5% of Mexico’s coffee consumption, with more and more specialty coffee shops opening in bigger cities

Given this growth, more events are launching in producing countries which focus on roasting and brewing. One of these is Torrando Ideias, which was held from 21 to 23 September 2023 in Patrocínio, Brazil. In addition to workshops, presentations, and cuppings, there were several panel discussions at the event – bringing together a wide range of coffee professionals from different countries.

“Ally Coffee has a strong presence in Brazil, so having a lot of networks in the country really helped us to facilitate the first Ally Open Summit,” Ricardo concludes. “But we don’t intend to only host the Ally Open Summit in Brazil – we’re exploring holding it in other producing countries as well.”

Ultimately, if we want to grow as an industry, there needs to be more groundbreaking events held in producing countries. By doing so, we can help to retain more value at origin – and create a more equitable and knowledgeable supply chain.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why more producers don’t market their own coffee.

Photo credits: Ally Coffee

Perfect Daily Grind

Editor’s note: Perfect Daily Grind attended the Ally Open Summit on 19 & 20 September, and was invited to speak on a panel alongside other industry professionals.

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