March 2012

March 2012 Vol. XXV No. 3

www.CoffeeTalk.com

Do we still need Certifications?

Four guest writers wade into the debate page 8

This Month: 6

NCA show listings

14

Coffee Cups – What’s your message?

16

Retailer Profile

18

Rocky Rhodes RU11 “Roots”

Contents

6

NCA Exhibitor listings

8

The View

From Miles & Kerri

The Death of Coffee Certification

by Jim Stewart

8

Calendar

10

The View continued

Coffee Cups – What’s your message?

Organic Certification Not only Relevant Today, but Vital

by Sandra Marquardt

Dazbog Coffee Co

Sunrise, Sunset…Sunrise

by Bill Fishbein

12

Q&A with Fair Trade USA

14

Coffee Cups – What’s your message?

Rocky’s “Roots”

by Ashley Prentice

16 18 19 21

Retailer Profile – Dazbog Coffee Company Rocky Rhodes

Who We are Owners

CEO/Publisher/Advertising Director Kerri Goodman-Small, ext 1 | 877.426.6410 | 206.795.4471 kerri@coffeetalk.com Editor-in-Chief Miles Small, ext 2 | 206.795.2835 miles@coffeetalk.com

Special Correspondents

Newsbites Advertiser Index

Feature

Dan Bolton, 204.788.1359 dan@coffeetalk.com

Rocky Rhodes, 818.347.1378 rocky@coffeetalk.com

Design

Print Design Marcus Fellbaum, ext 5 marcus@coffeetalk.com Web Design Justin Goodman, ext 6 justin@coffeetalk.com

Administrative

Administrative Director, Accounting, Subscriptions Ashley Prentice, ext 4 ashley@coffeetalk.com

Mailing Info

Certifications?

Mail: HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW Vashon, WA 98070 Phone: 206.686.7378 Fax: 866.373.0392 Web: www.coffeetalk.com

Disclaimer CoffeeTalk does not assume the responsibility for validity of claims made for advertised products and services. We reserve the

right to reject any advertising. Although we support copyrights and trademarks, we generally do not include copyright and trademark symbols in our news stories and columns.

Circulation: CoffeeTalk (ISSN 1084-2551) is mailed monthly (10 times per year) with combined June/July and November/ December issues, also bonus mailing/distribution for Education Guides and foodservice/hospitality and coffee conventions/shows throughout the year.

Postmaster: Send address changes to HNCT, LLC, 25525 77th Ave SW, Vashon, WA 98070 Subscription: The cost of a subscription in the U.S. is $47.50 per year; in Canada, the cost is $72.00. Free to qualified industry professionals. Non-qualified requests may be rejected. Publisher reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions. For subscription inquiries, please call 206.686.7378 x1 or subscribe online at www.CoffeeTalk.com.

Copyright © 2012, HNCT, LLC, All Rights Reserved

4 Marchj 2012

Please Make Sure to Visit These NCA Exhibitors ACE/ Cup of Excellence

(406) 542-3509 The Alliance for Coffee Excellence is a global organization whose mission is to "Advance Excellence in Coffee" with its core program being Cup of Excellence.即

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www.cupofexcellence.org

American Packaging Corp.

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(515) 733-1407 www.ampkcorp.com American Packaging is a flexible packaging converter specializing in 10-color Flexographic and 10-color Rotogravure printing, multi-ply Extrusion and Adhesive laminated specifications for rollstock, lidding, and preformed pouch applications. see our ad on pg 7

Avery Dennison Designed and Engineered Solutions (440) 878-7274 Designed and Engineered Solutions introduce a new patented one-way coffee valve offering better adhesion and leak resistance versus conventional rigid coffee degassing valves.

Central South Carolina Alliance

(803) 733-7143 The Central South Carolina Alliance is a public-private regional economic development organization that works to recruit capital investment and new jobs.

Coffee Network / Hencorp

(305) 808-9868 CoffeeNetwork provides in-depth commentary from the leading experts, breaking news, key weather information, real time prices for all futures markets and charting with technical analysis tools.

CoffeeTalk & the Daily Dose

21

www.averydennison.com

16

www.centralsc.org

7

www.coffeenetwork.com

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(206) 686-7378 www.coffeetalk.com Bible of the industry since 1994. Free subscriptions for all industry professionals.

DreamPak

(877) 687-4662 DreamPak is a leading innovator of single-serve liquid coffee concentrates.

Our patent-pending DreamBrew technology delivers shelf-stable, preservativefree coffee in various packaging formats.

ExImWare, Inc.

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www.dreampak.com

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(215) 721-4600 Supplying Customers with pre-made bags, custom printed rollstock, degassing valves, packaging machinery, pod equipment and service. Fres-co System USA has been the coffee industry's packaging expert for over 30 years. see our ad on pg 3

www.fresco.com

Fresh Cup Magazine

2

(800) 868-5866 www.freshcup.com Since 1992, Fresh Cup Magazine has served as "the voice of the specialty beverage industry,"providing cutting edge business information and marketing tips for the specialty coffee & tea professional.

Grounds for Health

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(802) 241-4146 www.groundsforhealth.org Cervical cancer kills more women in developing countries than any other form of cancer. We can stop these unnecessary deaths. Join us at www. groundsforhealth.org see our ad on pg 23

Hartley Transportation LLC

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(800) 427-8539 As a leader in green bean and processed coffee transportation, Hartley Transportation is able to assist with any of your Truckload, LTL and rail shipments!

www.hartleytrans.com

Horizon Systems Inc.

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(785) 842-1299 www.horizonsystems.com Horizon Systems, Inc. is a global provider of tailored material handling and process solutions. Since opening in 1983, we have focused on producing integrated process line solutions.

Innovia Films

(877) 822-3456 Leading producer of flexible packaging including NatureFlex', an award-winning line of renewable, compostable films that are very well-suited for coffee, tea and a variety of applications.

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(800) 323-8100 www.flavorchem.com Flavorchem Corporation, specializes in creating and manufacturing flavor and color solutions for food and beverages. Flavorchem will showcase the latest in coffee bean flavor technology.

Plitek

(847) 827-6680 Our patented valves and valve applicators are the most efficient, reliable, and cost effective solution for degassing freshly roasted coffee in its packaging.

Pod Pack International, LTD.

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www.natureflex.com

Intersystems

(914) 909-5270 www.eximware.com ExImWare, Inc. (eximware.com) is a leading provider of internet-based commodity trade, risk management, certification and traceability software serving global coffee importers, exporters, processors, traders and sustainability agencies.

Flavorchem

Fres-co System USA, Inc.

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Jacob Tubing L.P.

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Pacific Bag, Inc.

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(901) 566-1110 www.jacob-tubing.com The Jacob Modular Tubing system is used throughout the coffee industry for every phase from green beans to ground coffee to air movement.

(800) 562-2247 www.pacificbag.com PBi has been a packaging resource to specialty coffee for over 25 years with quality product, outstanding service, and continued commitment to the coffee industry. see our ad on pg 21

Rancilio

by

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www.podpack.com

www.ranciliogroup.com

Shore Measuring Systems

28

Sonoco

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(217) 892-2544 www.moisturetesters.com Shore Sales Company has over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, marketing and servicing commercial grade moisture meters and testers for coffee, tea and cocoa.

(843) 383-7000 www.sonoco.com Sonoco is Changing the Way the World Sees Packaging速 Founded in 1899, Sonoco today serves many of the worlds largest consumer and industrial products companies with packaging and services.

Spiroflow Systems, Inc.

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(704) 291-9595 www.spiroflowsystems.com Spiroflow offers equipment for handling coffee beans, through finished products. Range includes Bulk Bag Fillers, Dischargers and four types of bean, powder and granule Conveyors. see our ad on pg 13 (952) 882-4337 Telvent DTN, now part of Schneider Electric, is a global, industry-leading provider of trading tools and information.

The Heatwave Mug

24

www.telvent.com

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(801) 393-1635 www.theheatwavemug.com The Heat Wave Mug. Worlds 1st reheating, REUSABLE Non AC/DC powered mug. Just Set, Re Set, Re Use.

UltraFlex

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(718) 272-9100 www.ultraflex.com Ultra Flex Packaging Corporation are suppliers of flexible packaging for the coffee industry. Specializing in high barrier foil and non-foil structures.

Vicam 19

(508) 482-4935 www.vicam.com Dedicated to developing USDA and AOAC-approved diagnostics for the detection of mycotoxins. Trusted in over 100 countries and supported by world class customer service.

Xeltron

22

www.xeltron.com

NCA Sponsors PLI-VALV

速

PACKAGE DEGASSING SYSTEM by

March 2012

速

PACKAGE DEGASSING SYSTEM

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(630) 427-1703 The Rancilio Group is comprised of two superior brands, Rancilio and Egro. The EGRO ONE is a revolutionary super-automatic espresso machine. See it at NCA.

(506) 279-5777 Xeltron is in the forefront of color sorting technology innovation. Extremely high sorting precision an efficiency are the basis of Xeltron's worldwide leadership in premium Arabica coffee processing.

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PLI-VALV

(225) 752-1160 Pod Pack International is your specialist for private labeling and national branding of coffee and tea pods, including espresso and single cup pods. see our ad on pg 20

Telvent DNT

(800) 228-1483 www.intersystems.net Intersystems designs and manufactures a complete line of material handling equipment. Intersystems is based in Omaha, Nebraska in a 200,000 square foot facility and is ISO 9001 and 14001 certified.

6

www.plitek.com

Striving to treat your customers to that perfect cup of coffee? We have it.

Clean and delectable, fresh roasted 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. We know freshness matters, fresh roasted beans delivered to you in less than 5 days. Our bag is an 8 oz. resealable valve bag.

Call or email us for pricing and further info, ask for Adam Direct Line - (704) 530-6647 email - coffee@jonathancate.com Corporate Ph. 1-888-665-2326 Retail Web - shop.jonathancate.com/coffee

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The View Editor’s Note: The question of the future need for social and environmental certification – and their associated costs – is very much on peoples’ minds. Instead of the regular “View” from us, we decided instead to devote this space, and much of the rest of this issue, to opinions from prominent members of our community. First off is Jim Stewart, co-founder of Seattle’s Best Coffee and one of our industry’s early pioneers in how to do “specialty.” Farther on we hear from Bill Fishbein, co-founder of Coffee Kids and Founder of the Coffee Trust; Sandra Marquardt joins in supporting Organic certification; and Fair Trade – USA™ participates with a Q&A about their resent policy changes. We hope you enjoy this exchange of opinions.

The Death Of Coffee Certification

Let's hope

by Jim Stewart, Guest Writer

I

n my opinion, certifications in the coffee industry are a crutch used by roasters and to some degree, by producers as well. It facilitates them not taking the time to get on an airplane, flying to a producer country, and forming their own close personal relationship with a coffee producer. Why should a producer pay a fee to some certification group, plus then an exporter and an importer each pay another fee to be in the program, and finally the roaster pays yet more fees, so some stranger can verify their story? Why not tell it yourself? Surely, your customers will trust you! Let me tell you why. You get the little sticker so when Mrs. Housewife comes in and says I want Fair Trade, shade grown, rain forest friendly, etc. etc. etc. coffee, Mr. Roaster can point to his little sticker or maybe 2, 3, or 4 little stickers and say, “yup” we got it lady. What a cop out!

Let’s back up I live on Vashon Island in Washington State. A very unique place, in fact I expect the second coming to occur there. With lots of creative, sensitive, organic, earth friendly, results oriented, opinionated types of folks. They are on the cutting edge of many trends that are way ahead of their time.

So, early one morning in Costa Rica watching CNN, sipping my farm’s wild harvest typica coffee, on the screen appears a ring of 24 naked lesbians toe to toe forming a “circle of peace” on the cold wet rocks of a Vashon Island beach. It was the first public nationally televised protest of the Iraq invasion. As I said these Vashonites are the leaders of many trends.

I would say, it was maybe 5 or 6 years ago that some of these same people, primarily the Vashon organic produce farmers said “NO”! NO MORE, to organic certification. Why, they said, should we pay a total stranger in New York City who may not have as much as a flower pot in his or her window a fee that says to my customers that I am an organic farmer? Further. I know my customers and they know me. They are welcome to visit the farm and see first hand what my farming practices are. See my children playing in the fields and know for sure that it is safe. They can choose to trust me the farmer, their neighbor and not rely on the word of a total stranger. This is hard to argue with in itself and we have not even touched on the added cost to the consumer for this service. This cost, when push comes to shove, is meeting with high resistance at the consumer level. Fact is in my 40 years at SBC the customer never was willing to pay for all the certification costs and much of it was born by the company.

Calendar

8

Several years ago, I stood up, totally out of character, and stated the above at a certification symposium in Costa Rica’s Sintercafe. My point being that I predicted the end of the coffee certification folly in the next five years based on the actions of the Vashon Island organic produce farmers. The room, mostly made up of producers and roaster retailers plus 6 to 8 of the various certification groups exploded in applause.

I hate to complain if I cannot offer an alternative or a solution. I went on to explain that I, in 1977 as a tiny break-even-at-best coffee roaster retailer got on a plane and traveled throughout Central and South America visiting coffee exporters and producers and how that trip lead to buying directly from producing countries (always thru exporters). I formed personal business relationships and friendships that I still keep today. I spoke directly to farmers about my concerns and recommendations with regard to the environment, traditional preparation, the variety of tree, social wellbeing, etc. etc. etc. You see I was the buyer offering to buy their product at a premium when my suggestions were followed. I was not from some certifying organization charging for my service, and leaving the farmer with a dream that buyers would be clamoring for their coffee and paying magnificent prices because they had some stamp of approval. I went on to explain how these relationships lead to the formation of The Vashon Island Coffee Foundation (the second best kept secret in the coffee industry). Thru this foundation we returned some of the international value of the coffee we purchased directly to coffee producing communities in many countries but in particular to Santiago de Atitlan in Guatemala. In that community, we built two schools, a water system, a road, and a clinic. You see we did that because we thought we should, because it was right, and not because it was a marketing strategy. You guys can do it too, you can, and I know you will, in time, just like those Vashon Island produce farmers did.

The moderator then gave the certifying guys a chance for rebuttal and I will never ever forget what Chris Willy of The Rain Forest Alliance said! “We don’t want you building schools!” I was so shocked I could not respond. "‘Scuse me ‘scuse me, what did you just say?" I was so stunned that I never did go to him for clarification. We were so proud of the work we did, those projects changed lives, and they were the greatest projects. What could he have possibly have meant?

I made these comments after I had sold SBC and was very clear then as I am now that these are my personal feelings and have nothing whatsoever to do with current SBC policy, supposing they have any policy.

I more or less forgot about it, went on about my business of enjoying life and then about three years ago I began helping two roasters, one on Vashon Island and the other on Whidbey Island buy coffee directly from producing countries. These roasters are continuing my personal relationships and making them their own. They have traveled to the farms that supply their coffee to witness first hand the dedication and passion. They also testify to their own commitments, passion, and appreciation for the producer’s effort. The roasters use the experience to educate their customers thereby supporting and justifying the value and price of the product. This further creates a great feeling for the customer for their contribution to raising the standard of living for coffee workers in developing countries.

You can imagine my glee when this January I asked the roasters how much certified organic coffee they wanted and they both said, “none!” Independent of one another they both said we are dropping certified organic. “The government regulations have become too difficult, too expensive, and we do not need the aggravation. The volume does not support the headache and the cost. We are developing our own programs based on our travels and explaining this to our clients directly face to face, one on one. The folks like it better to be sharing with us our personal experiences and feel a real connection to the coffee farmers.

Quite honestly there has been a lot of resistance to the added cost of certification.”

Food for thought!

Jim Stewart, along with his brother David, founded Seattle’s Best Coffee within their ice cream parlor called the Wet Whisker. Seattle’s Best grew to become one of the preeminent specialty coffee companies world-wide. An early true believer in specialty coffee, Stewart is truly one of our industry’s greatest luminaries.

March 4-6

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show - New York City

April 19-22

US National Barista Competition - Portland, OR

March 4-6

Ultimate Barista Challenge - New York City

April 18-22

SCAA Symposium & Exhibition - Portland, OR

March 9-11

SW Regional Barista Championship - Santa Cruz, CA

April 24-28

2012 El Salvador Cup of Excellence Competition - Salvador

March 9-11

Latte Art Championship - New York City

April 24-28

2012 Nicaragua Cup of Excellence Competition - Nicaragua

March 9-11

Coffee Fest - New York City

April 25-27

NAMA OneShow - Las Vegas, NV

March 22-24

NCA Annual Convention - Charleston, S.C.

April 27-29

London Coffee Festival

March 25-27

Tea & Coffee World Cup Europe - Vienna, Austria

April 29-30

Northwest Foodservice - Seattle, WA

March 2012

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Organic Certification - Not only Relevant Today, but Vital

T

here has been talk lately about whether organic certification is relevant to the specialty coffee sector, especially along the lines of direct relationships and directly paying the farmer the equivalent of the organic premium required from roasters, regardless of the production method. I asked several luminaries in the coffee arena if they would like to comment on this position and the following are their thoughts.

Dr. Robert Rice, Geographer with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center of the National Zoo and Coordinator of its Bird Friendly® shade-grown coffee certification program: There certainly is nothing wrong with direct relationships between grower and roaster. There is a long history of those arrangements that reaches back into the 1800s; it is not a new phenomenon. But to focus solely on the amount of money paid to growers misses the point. Surely, there exists a group of organic producers who have gotten certified organic strictly for the economic benefits that brings them. We have seen that growers in countries like Guatemala or Kenya or others can get upwards of a $0.30 to $0.40 premium for the organic seal.

Where volume and markets allow them to sell all of the coffee as organic and get the premium because it is organic, the return has been hefty.

However, many growers have gone the organic route from the standpoint of ideology or worldview. They see themselves as protectors of the land, and believe that good land stewardship is a responsible approach that they want certified. Given the multitude of brochures/pamphlets/websites that proclaim the behaviors and benefits associated with certified organic production, it is difficult to chalk those up to mere greedy greenwash. My own interaction with growers over the years convinces me that many growers with organic certification are in it for all the right reasons, i.e., because it is a responsible way to farm and a certification is the only independent, non-conflict of interest way of identifying one's farming techniques.

I do not think anyone should need convincing of the fallacy of self-reporting, selfmonitoring, etc. that accompanies a lot of the direct relationship arrangements.

Of course, a number of roasters have developed their own set of criteria and thirdparty evaluation. But that rarely, at least in my readings/experience, involves the use of synthetic fertilizers and/or pesticides. And even if it does, I have never heard of a roaster refusing the coffee from one of his favorite sources because of non-met criteria in the evaluation. But all of these arguments ignore the very basic issue of what certified organic means for the consumer and for the land upon which the coffee is being produced.

Coffee quality in the specialty market reigns above all else; that is a truism. But I would argue that there are a host of coffee consumers who would rather drink a very good certified organic coffee than opt for an excellent “relationship” coffee that is plied with high levels of petroleum-based fertilizers and sprayed with toxic cocktails of pesticides. Ask the grower who has benefited not only from the premium but also from a soil (a fundamental variable in producing coffee in terms of quality and quantity) that only gets richer with time as the organic practices are applied year after year.

Rick Peyser, Director of Social Advocacy and Supply Chain Community Outreach, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a leader in specialty coffee and coffee makers: Organic certification of products including specialty coffee focuses on how products were grown, i.e., on healthy soil, without synthetic chemicals, etc. This certification is conducted by an independent third party. Any argument that solely advances the economic benefit of this certification to producers misses the mark. While economics are critically important, so are the environment and

by Sandra Marquardt watershed where the farmers and their families live. The promise of higher yields via intensive and expensive inputs has contributed to deforestation and the general degradation of the environment that has had a negative impact on soil fertility, waterways, migratory birds and other wildlife, and on human health. The “premium” paid for organic certification, while helpful to the small-scale farming family, is still by itself usually not enough to lift this family out of poverty. Paying the farmer the “equivalent” of the organic premium in lieu of organic certification limits the farmer’s audience of buyers, potentially locking the farmer in to one buyer with its own proprietary certification that is not well recognized by most consumers. This “equivalent” premium is still not sufficient for the farmer or the greater environment. More is needed.

Daniele Giovannucci, Executive Director, Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA), which offers a highly regarded global benchmark used by leading global companies and international development agencies: A good price is very important as are good relationships; this is not in question. But we have learned that this is not enough. Quite simply: price is necessary but not sufficient for sustainability. Considering only the financial component is very short-sighted and can negate the other considerable factors operating in any production system: social, environmental and economic ones. This has been amply demonstrated by thousands of COSA surveys and by a number of other credible scientific investigations just in the past few years.

We no longer live in a world of arm's-length transactions where we all know and trust each other, so third-party certifications, such as organic, have become a vital way to reasonably ensure that consumers (and firms) get what they expect for their money. Equally important, if not more so, we need clear assurances that the approaches we use enable producers to also achieve their own goals of satisfaction, healthy environment, and a decent livelihood.

Stephen Schulman, Director of Business Development/Corporate Division, S&D Coffee, which, as the nation’s largest custom roaster, is bringing sustainable coffees to scale: There has been a paradigm shift among U.S. consumers. As can be seen by the rapid trajectory in growth in the organic market (which reached almost $29 billion in 2010), today’s U.S. consumers want “all things organic,” and assume and expect that anything organic is “better” or “higher quality.” The segment of the consumers committed to the organic lifestyle is increasing, and they want to support all that organic represents. Let’s look at the figures. Organic coffee sales continue to grow rapidly, as can be seen from the Organic Trade Association’s 2011 Organic Industry Survey. This report showed that sales of organic coffee were up 17.5 percent in 2010 from those in 2009. Similarly, sales of organic coffee certified to the SMBC’s Bird Friendly shade-grown coffee production standard rose from about $1.5 million in 2005 to more than $4 million in 2010 (assuming $9 per pound). The three years from 2007 to 2010 saw an average of 25 percent annual increase in the volume of Bird Friendly roasted and sold in the North American market, a growth mirrored globally as well. Consumers care about the organic label, and what it represents to the environment and producers.

The experts have spoken. Organic certification is important not only from an economic perspective, but also because consumers expect it and are seeking it out, and both society and the environment benefits from it. There is more to specialty coffee than money.

Sandra Marquardt is the coffee spokeswoman for the Organic Trade Association and President of On the Mark Public Relations.

Sunrise, Sunset...Sunrise

Fair Trade

R

ecent developments around the Fair Trade front have shocked the Fair Trade world. Fingers are pointed at those considered villains. Perceived betrayal has led to feelings of righteous indignation. My own voice has been amongst the chatter. A few days ago, I took a moment to look at the broader reality of what is happening to Fair Trade. In so doing, I came to a significantly different point of view.

Fair Trade certification was born in the late 1980’s from a cadre of individuals motivated by the rampant injustice experienced by coffee farmers, in the face of record profits earned by coffee merchants selling the world’s most traded food commodity.

Let’s call them the Idealists.

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At first, the Idealists pushed their way into the market and the dominant coffee culture balked. But, soon it became apparent that Fair Trade would become a very popular ‘brand’ that could be applied to anyone’s coffee, as long as the coffee purchased met certain standards. Rightly or wrongly, the name Fair Trade became synonymous with sustainability, and Fair Trade coffee became the hottest selling coffee on the market. Along with its success though, came a plea from one Fair Trade faction to loosen the certification standards in order to free up supply. Let’s call that faction the Pragmatists.

by Bill Fishbein, Guest Writer That plea evolved into a Fair Trade civil war between the Idealists and the Pragmatists over the inclusion of estate grown coffees under the Fair Trade label, which had previously been limited to small-scale farmers from democratically run cooperatives. The Pragmatists are keenly sensitive to the power of the market and its capacity to pull millions of pounds of Fair Trade coffee on to supermarket shelves. The Pragmatists also see Fair Trade benefits reaching millions more farmers.

With lower standards, the Idealists are particularly concerned that the level of those benefits to farmers will be significantly reduced, and that the newly certified estates will siphon off sales from small-scale coffee farmers. The Idealists also worry that flooding the market with the Pragmatists’ estate coffee will also pressure cooperatives to lower their own certification standards to increase their own supplies.

Of course, the Pragmatists’ ship has already sailed. So, let's take a look at the reality.

The reality is that in the course of a generation, the coffee world has become a far better place because Fair Trade pushed its way into the dominant market and continued on page 12 March 2012

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carved out a powerful place and brand image for itself. Consumers are far more aware that their purchases affect life at origin, and far more coffee farmers benefit from their participation in Fair Trade cooperatives today than in 1987. And, with the advent of Fair Trade certified estates, millions more will benefit.

The level of those benefits may not have reached the level intended by the Idealists.

But, the overall extent of Fair Trade’s impact cannot be minimized. That said, raising standards at this junction will not be easy, as the Pragmatists clearly believe that increasing Fair Trade sales is the single most important mission, and improved standards are an impediment to those sales. The Pragmatists are not reaching for the stars. But, they are consolidating the base.

Fair Trade, as it was originally envisioned by the Idealists, with their high ideals and high standards, is dead. The new norm may be well below the Idealists’ intended mark, but the numbers stand to be increased exponentially along with an everincreasing presence in the marketplace. The question begs how to increase standards in a market overly focused on volume, sales and profits. Herein lies the missing piece and an enormous opportunity.

The opportunity to repeat what began in 1987, to relive the Idealists’ dream, the excitement, the energy, and the burgeoning entrepreneurism that pushed its way into the market, is ripe to happen all over again. This time though, the jumping off point will be from a much higher level, with higher standards already in place. Yes, the standards are lower than originally intended, but higher than pre-1987 by a long shot.

Of course, in order to take advantage of this opportunity, the Idealists must create a new name, a new brand and new, stricter standards that will challenge the Pragmatists to raise their own standards. Roasters, retailers and consumers will be challenged to think, and engage in a more open dialogue about where their coffee comes from. If done with integrity, a fierce competition will be born between the Idealists and the Pragmatists, and the playing field will be those standards.

All coffee farmers will stand to benefit from rising standards. Consumers will get a better glimpse of the complexities at origin, as those complexities will have to be addressed within the competitive environment. This will be a refreshing change from the more common approach of pandering to consumers with sound bites and superlatives that have little meaning origin.

The time is right for a new generation of Idealists to pick up the baton and run so fast even the Pragmatists’ heads will spin. The next movement will require creativity, courage, commitment, and a serious investment in energy and capital.

Breaking through to a higher level will not be easy, however it is quite doable. Let there be no doubt that it can be done. Remember, it was already done in 1987, and it was a much harder sale back then.

Bill Fishbein is Founder of the Coffee Trust, as well as the one of the original founders of Coffee Kids, along with Dean Cycon. One of our industry’s great humanitarians, Fishbein not only represents the best of our purposes, but also advocates for all of us to reach toward higher goals.

Q&A with Fair Trade USA

C

an you tell us about some of the changes occurring in Fair Trade Certified coffee?

According to the World Bank, more than two billion people live on less than two dollars a day. Today’s Fair Trade model reaches only a small percentage of them. Fair Trade can and must do more.

That is why we are building on the momentum of the past 12 years to bring greater impact to farming communities around the world. Our new vision, aimed at doubling the impact of Fair Trade by 2015, will: • Strengthen farming communities by investing in cooperatives and partnering with others to provide more impact • Innovate the Fair Trade model to include more people in more communities around the world • Ignite consumer involvement to increase awareness and sales in order to grow the Fair Trade movement Today Fair Trade principles are applied somewhat inconsistently. In some product categories, like coffee, cocoa and sugar, Fair Trade certification has been limited to cooperatives. In other categories, like bananas, tea and flowers, farm workers on large farms can also receive Fair Trade benefits.

To eliminate these inconsistencies Fair trade USA is adapting existing standards and applying them to independent smallholders and farm workers on large farms, beginning in coffee.

This more inclusive model brings the benefits of Fair Trade to far more farmers and workers; enables more businesses to develop reliable and ethical supply chains; allows more retailers to offer more Fair Trade Certified products; and gives consumers a broader selection of high quality Fair Trade Certified products from which to choose.

Is Fair Trade concerned about quality, and if so, how?

Fair Trade is absolutely concerned about product quality, from the farm to the cup.

While Fair Trade USA does not certify against quality, we do support investment in quality. It is a win-win situation-- higher quality means higher prices and greater impact for farmers, and a better product for consumers.

In addition to the minimum or market price, Fair Trade requires that buyers pay community development premiums. Farmers democratically decide how to spend these premiums – historically about 50% of premium dollars have been used on projects that improve lives – things like education, healthcare, housing – and about 50% have been used for projects that enable more environmentally sustainable farming practices and higher quality product. In coffee, we have gone one step further: of the twenty-cent per pound community development premium, five cents must go directly to quality initiatives.

Fair Trade USA has also partnered with key international research groups, NGO’s and industry partners to enhance coffee quality. For example, Fair Trade USA is currently working with the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative (GCQRI), a collaborative research program of the specialty coffee industry, to help all members of the Fair Trade coffee supply chain improve quality and yields in the face of climate change.

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How does Fair trade USA engage coffee drinking consumers and grow consumer awareness?

Not only does Fair Trade USA support the work of individual brands and companies to increase awareness and drive sales of Fair Trade Certified coffees, we are also

able to step outside these individual brand efforts to grow the Fair Trade movement as a whole. Some of these national efforts include programs like: Fair Trade Towns and Universities, Fair Trade Month (every October), and various marketing, public relations and online digital media programs throughout the year that engage consumers on a much larger scale.

Why does Fair Trade USA work with large companies?

Fair Trade USA certifies and promotes Fair Trade products, with the aim of alleviating poverty through trade.

While the majority of Fair Trade USA’s coffee partners are small to medium size roasters, it’s our philosophy that any company of any size should be able to embrace Fair Trade and commit to sustainable sourcing. Any commitment to Fair Trade is an important one, which is why we support both large and small brands in buying and selling Fair Trade Certified coffee. When there are more Fair Trade products on store shelves, more consumers are able to choose Fair Trade and that means more impact back to farmers.

What do Fair Trade USA’s service fees go to?

Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty through trade. In addition to market linkage, we offer a comprehensive range of services to support the sourcing of Fair Trade Certified goods, provide credible verification of responsible sourcing practices, and empower farmers and workers around the world to earn a fair price and improve their communities.

Specifically, Fair Trade USA’s service fees go to: Developing the supply of high-quality, Fair Trade Certified coffee Market access and supply chain stability are core objectives of Fair Trade. We constantly recruit, train and certify new producer groups, expanding benefits to more farming communities each year. Additionally, importers and roasters frequently enlist our support to help them identify and partner with high-quality Fair Trade farms. We also partner with leading NGO’s and industry groups to help strengthen existing Fair Trade cooperatives.

Standards & Certification Fair Trade USA sets rigorous social and environmental standards, certifies farms against those standards, and conducts regular audits to ensure long term compliance. Fair Trade USA also audits thousands of business transactions each year to ensure the integrity of every product bearing the Fair Trade Certified label.

Building the Fair Trade Movement and driving consumer awareness and demand Without a sale, Fair Trade can provide no impact back to farmers. Fair Trade USA invests in growing consumer awareness to drive demand and benefit far more farmers and workers around the world.

Measure & Report Impact Fair Trade USA works with farmer organizations around the world to capture and summarize the impact that results from participation in Fair Trade. Fair Trade USA shares this information through detailed impact reports and impact stories that help connect consumers with the people behind the products.

It is also important to note that in 2011 Fair Trade USA reduced service fees for coffee roasters across the board. Now, there are zero fees on the first 20,000 pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee purchased, and all fees beyond 20,000 pounds have been reduced as well.

March 2012

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13

Coffee Cups - What's Your Message?

by Ashley Prentice

F

or many people, going out for coffee or tea is not only about getting a caffeine fix, it is about an experience.

Whether consciously or unconsciously, customers notice every aspect of a coffee shop: the aroma, people, chairs, noise, even what their drinks are served in. It will all play a role in the quality of the overall experience and the message you are trying to convey. Ask yourself, what impression do you want to give?

Based on the type of café or coffee shop you want to be, and your mission as a business, it is important to decide what message you want to communicate to your consumers. If you are promoting high quality beans and specialty drinks, it is important to select in house mugs that will give that impression as well.

According to Mitch Bangert, Owner of Offero, LLC “placing more emphasis on great cups shows more respect for the drink.” Bangert continues to add “Offero cups differentiate themselves visually and by function, we created the extended back and belly of our cups to enhance the drinking pleasure by enhancing the nose of your drink.”

While in house mugs may play a smaller part in the entire coffee shop experience, to-go cups are what represent you outside your walls. Larinda Becker, Vice President of Foodservice Marketing at Solo Cup says, “We have found that the consumer perception of value is enhanced by the right cup. The right look, comfort, feel of warmth, leak resistance, and secure closure all make the product value worthy to the patrons they serve.” The wrong cup could give out an overall impression or lower quality.

In today’s world, there are a plethora of inventive, original, and high quality cups to fit every need. For example, “For premium roasts, Solo offers Duo Shield®, a double wall, paper insulated cup set that will upgrade the operator’s image, making quality of the experience tops with no sleeves or double cupping required. When used with a Solo Traveler® lid the cup offers the ultimate experience in coffee drinking,” says Becker. On the other hand, Seda’s double walled cup “Insulation characteristics are superior with drinks staying hot longer while protecting hands and giving warm pleasant touch. The cup is one piece with no sleeve or double cup needed improving operations,” says Cliff Albert, Commercial Director of Seda North America. Features such as single or double walled; plug in lids; built in French press; and even lid’s that change color depending on the temperature; can make it easy to pick your individual style and stand out once you determine your mission and the message you want to communicate.

Environmental Sustainability

An industry, like coffee, that depends entirely on the environment cannot afford the luxury of neglecting it.

Ecological responsibility is not only an obligation of the producers or the people who work directly in the farms.

Each individual involved in the process, from crop to cup, is responsible for the sustainment of the environment.

According to the International Coffee Association, it is estimated that 1.6 Billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide each day. Imagine how much waste that produces every year?

Committed to Sustainability: The Sustainable Forest InitiativeBy John Mulcahy Vice President of Strategy & Category Effectiveness for Georgia- Pacific.

The Sustainable Forestry initiative is a fully independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. Their forest certification standard is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value.

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In November 2010, Georgia-Pacific announced an updated policy to address issues of increasing interest to our customers and to consumers, such as the conservation of endangered forests and special areas and the maintenance

As a café or coffee shop, if you are thinking sustainable, and you should, the best way to portray that message is with the cups you use. Buzz Chandler, President of Asean Corporation says, “All of our companies products are 100% plant based, we use no petroleum or other similar materials. Our company motto is "100% compostable, it's all we do" and we continue with that tradition. If our products are not certified compostable, we simply will not make or sell them.” This is a great example of a company that not only sells a compostable product but also lives by the standard. Chandler continues to say, “The use of our products by shop owners, show how the business is thinking sustainable, which more and more customers either are demanding or prefer over your standard single use disposables.”

Expanding your revenue basis with mugs

Traveler mugs are a great way to diversify your product line. Moreover, if you customize the mugs with your brand, your customers will be promoting you everywhere they go! According to Erez Toker, President of Vessel Drinkware, “When developing a retail merchandise program cafés should emphasize variety of body styles, materials, and design. By doing so, the café will attract the largest cross section of customers to their retail merchandise selection.” Stylish and trendy mugs will increase appeal and usage; customers will be attracted to your mugs and therefore your brand. “The best programs we create utilize designs that resonate with the end consumer. That emotional appeal is the initial attraction of the customer to the product, and those positive feelings encourage the customer to use the product, creating a bond between retail consumer and product. These positive feelings ultimately translate through to the retailer. Everybody wins,” adds Toker.

Encouraging your customers to bring their own mugs will not only promote sustainability, but will reduce your inventory expenses. Offer your customers a discounted price if they bring their own mug, and an even lower price if the bring a mug bough at your café!

We live in a society where the concept of cups and mugs has been revolutionized. Taking not only into account the comfort of the consumer, but also the importance of brewing methods for coffee and tea, when creating different cup designs. Companies have made it a point to create innovative cups that take into account every essential factor. For instance, TRAVELER ZITA™ is a multifunctional double-wall tumbler for cold and hot drinks. According to Christian Justus, CEO (and creator of the tumbler) “It’s exceptional and appealing look is largely owed to its lid, which resembles a tea cup with a new spill-proof cork mechanism at it’s spout. This makes the tumbler ideal for mobile use… TRAVELER ZITA™ can also be used with its patented Tea Control™ Kit, which allows control of the brewing process with a simple turn of the lid.”

When selecting the type of mugs and cups you will serve your coffee or tea in, remember what you stand for. Do you want to convey a message of Quality?

Sustainability? Sophistication? Uniqueness? Despite the famous saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” when it comes to buying a product, we all do. of natural hardwood forests. GP’s Statement on Forest Protection and Sustainable Practices takes us beyond certification in two key areas: (1) our commitment not to procure from endangered forests as they are defined and mapped in our key supply regions and (2) our commitment to avoid procuring pine fiber from plantations established after July 1, 2008, on sites that were natural hardwood forestlands immediately prior to their conversion.

At GP, we understand the value that healthy forests have for our environment and for our business. Healthy forests help clean our air and water while providing economic livelihood for millions of Americans. Paper comes from a renewable resource and can be recycled.

March 2012

Retailer Profile: The Coffeemunist Manifesto

by Maxim Vershinin Dazbog Coffee Company 1090 Yuma Street Denver, CO 80204 www.dazbog.com coffee@dazbog.com

G

ood morning! Do not be surprised when your neighborhood gets a new coffee shop with Russian writings all over it.

It will probably have a catchy name and Soviet inspired designs. No, the communists did not take over the world just yet, but the Dazbog franchise arrived in your town. Brothers Leonid and Anatoly Yuffa, who fled the Soviet Union to escape the regime and start a new life here in Denver started Dazbog from scratch. I met with Leonid, so that we could find out more about their success story; here it goes: V. Dobroe Utro Leonid! I love your company name: it is solid, intriguing, and Russian. Could you please explain what it means?

Y. Thank you. “Dazbog” is a common term in Russia. When you start a family, have a new business, move, or get a new job, everyone that you know says “dazbog” to you, so that you will be fortunate in your endeavors. The term symbolizes happiness, health, wealth, and success in every part of your life. We thought it was very appropriate for our business because when one consumes coffee he/she experiences happiness and peace of mind, even if it is just for a slight moment during their lives.

V. I am not too familiar with Denver’s coffee scene, how would you describe it and is there something one needs to consider before opening up a business here?

Y. Denver’s coffee scene is very similar to Seattle’s and Portland’s because of the weather lots of rain, so the coffee culture has boomed a lot faster than it has in other parts of the country.

Our company has 26 cafes in Colorado and lots of wholesale business, but Starbucks, for example,

has over 400. The issue for any business owner in Colorado becomes the rent factor: it is still very expensive here, especially in the Denver metropolitan area, compared to other parts of the country with similar demographics. In addition, the lack of density (there is a little less than 6 million people in the entire state) further worsens the situation by limiting the amount of revenue one can receive from a local business.

V. How did Dazbog come to be? Did your family have some previous experience with the coffee business in Russia?

Y. No, our family had nothing to do with coffee in Russia. I graduated from CU with an Accounting and Finance degree in ‘92, decided to open up a coffee shop, and did more research than I probably should. At the time, it was really in the infancy of the gourmet coffee industry, because even in Italian restaurants here you couldn’t get an espresso cappuccino. I decided to import some espresso equipment to train and a few years later stumbled on the fact that I had a great palate for beverages, for coffee in particularly. So, in ‘96 my brother and I started Dazbog.

V. So Dazbog started from just one shop back in time?

Y. I actually didn’t end up opening a coffee shop.

We started off doing strictly wholesale business focusing on our branding, quality and service.

Our customers were coffee shops, cafes, resorts and specialty stores. Only in the last five years we have been doing franchising. We started with one corporate store and from there we opened more stores, and then franchising.

V. What was your motivation to become involved in retail after 10 years of successful wholesale?

Y. You know the more we branded, the better our retailers and our wholesale customers did, and at a certain point we decided to test the brand on the streets to see how viable it was to have a stand-alone brand. So, we opened up the first store, which is still blooming for us, and we have never looked back. People really have accepted our brand because it gets them interested in trying it, and we deliver with the content in the cup.

V. Successful franchising is hard to organize and manage in any type of business. It appears to be like a walk in a park for your company, what is your secret?

16 March 2012

Y. It all came together for us in the right way and the right time. I believe that most coffee companies out there who attempt to start franchising and corporate stores do not understand the distribution business and how to get products to their stores. For us, we became experts in distribution, manufacturing, and fulfillment, so we are now able to make sure that our stores are getting the high quality products on time with all of the support. It is the opposite of how most retailers are doing it, but in our opinion, it really worked out for the best. However, we are very particular in who we do business with in terms of franchising especially. We want people that do not only have passion for coffee, but have a passion for our brand as well.

V. How would you characterize your roasting philosophy?

Y. I believe the best cup of coffee is just a naturally sweet cup, but still retains the character of its origins. For that reason we are big proponents of the medium roast, which to us is chocolate brown with natural sugars caramelizing and with oils just starting to come out.

V. What do you think is the main reason behind your success?

Y. You know, one word that comes to mind is that we are authentic. Authentic in all terms of the word: we are who we are, we tell a story through our brand, and we are not making things up. The brand serves as a canvas for telling our story. In addition, the story of every origin needs to be told. We translate it into the cup by representing the true sweetness and the natural character of the beans, and that is the authenticity of the coffee and how it relates to us.

V. Any future plans?

Y. Smiles… People ask me all the time when are you going public? When are you guys going to sell? What is your exit strategy? To me it is like: what exit strategy? I love what I do every day, and I love that it is just me and my brother. Why would I ever want to stop doing what I love? We grow organically and healthy based on what we can afford to grow without harming the farms. As long as I am having fun, I could be doing this for the rest of my life, and there is no reason for me not to be doing any of those things.

17

I found my “Roots” to coffee in Africa

by Rocky Rhodes

T

his is not a story of an epic journey like Alex Haley’s to find his ancestry, but I did discover a pretty cool tie to my present situation in the coffee world and to a shrubby little coffee plant in Kenya.

If you were to really do the in-depth research, like Mr. Haley did in his book, ‘Roots’, the coffee person would find themselves embracing their ancestry in Ethiopia where coffee began. That is assuming of course your family history included the Arabica ancestry. If you were of the Robusta lineage, your genealogical journey would end in Uganda. My revelation only dates back about one generation and lands me in a little town called Ruiru about an hour outside of Nairobi, Kenya.

In the SPECIALTY coffee family, specifically the Coffee Quality Institute clan, there is a key figure in the family.

Let me introduce you to Ruiru 11. This scrubby little guy is about 4 feet tall.

Don’t let its small size fool you. It was built to be resistent to CBD (coffee berry disease), which is a big problem for Kenya Coffee Farmers. It is the creation of the Coffee Research Fondation located in Ruiru. The problem was the mixed reviews it was getting for cup quality. It was at this moment that MY roots in coffee begin.

Malic Acid is the “apple acid” as it can contribute to the perception of green apple tartness and sweetness in the flavor of coffee. It is produced when the coffee matures more slowly. Higher altitudes and shady conditions will allow a coffee to mature at a reduced pace due to lower temperatures. If the coffee has time to ripen slowly, the acidic development is greatly enhanced as the ‘citric acid cycle’ is allowed to continue and the plant will produce more acids.

Phosphoric acid is developed when coffee absorbs phosphates in the soil.

These can be naturally occurring or added to the soil through fertilizers.

The most notable feature of phosphoric acid is that is does not have a taste per se, but it adds to the brightness or the perception of acidity in the taste.

Phosphates also make the bubbles in sodas. This adds to the ‘excitement’ of the soda but does not affect the flavor. (If you let a soda go flat, it still tastes the same, but its taste is boring or stale.) The interesting thing about these two acids is that they each have very small amounts in coffee compared to other acids. They are the smallest acids having the best impact on flavor.

The Coffee Reasearch Foundation needed some objective help to define the flavor characteristics of Kenyan Coffee so they could compare the Ruiru 11 to those norms. Then they could say once and for all if the taste characteristics were better / same / worse.

They found an upstart organization, a committee really, under the SCAA called the Specialty Coffee Institute. It was co-founded by Ted Lingle who was then the Executive Director of SCAA. The one employee they had, Joseph Rivera, was charged with doing research for the group. He was put on this project as well.

Joseph used several coffees from Kenya. This included a lot that just garnered a superior price at auction, some SL28 and Ruiru11. The goal was to do an analysis of the organic acid makeup of this coffee and to try and compare it to other coffees. Thereby an understanding of the flavor differences in the coffee created by the various organic acids might be achieved. This research became one of the cornerstones to understanding quality in coffee and led to additional research as to how to develop certain acids in coffee.

Some Science & Coffee

Here are some things that we know as a result of the research and subsequent studies. The acids that created the biggest positive changes in the Kenyan coffee were Phosphoric and Malic acids.

Let’s look at each one, how they are created, and there effect on coffee flavor.

So why was the Kenyan Coffee so different? The study concluded that the Kenyan coffees had more phoshoric and malic acid than a washed Colombian used in the study. You can imagine that this had a dramatic impact on the coffee. WARNING: It would be foolish to assume that ALL Kenyan coffees have this trait anymore than you can say that ALL Indonesians have lower body. Some generalizations are helpful but it all comes down to the individual lots. As we just demonstrated, different growing conditions and different soil make up can cause a coffee to have a dramatically different profile than other coffees of the same country. Joseph Rivera summarized, “The study really shed the light on the role of acids and how they interact to effect coffee flavor.

It’s amazing how relatively small changes in coffee brew compositions can bring about entirely new flavor profiles, even within the same coffee.”

So how does this relate to MY coffee roots? Rivera shared this with me, “I think the study played a huge role in initially bringing about a greater level of awareness to the whole issue of coffee chemistry. Since then, we have seen the development of the Q-Program, sensory tests, as well as several tools in an effort to objectively assess coffee quality. Prior to this, I think the industry was more of an ‘art’ with little to any ‘science’.”

Specialty Coffee Institute soon became CQI. CQI had a new mission: The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) is a nonprofit organization working internationally to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produce it.

The Q-Coffee system, the Q-Grader course, and the science that supports it manifested from this original research.

I became a Q-Grader instructor in 2010 and I now travel the world sharing this information. And only coincidently I ended up teaching at the Coffee Research Foundation in Ruiru, Kenya, the very lab in which Ruiru 11 was created. I was back to my coffee roots.

I would like to personally thank the Coffee Research Foundation and Coffee Quality Institute for their research and desire to improve quality in the supply chain. Because of them, I get to do what I do! Oh and just to beat the ‘Roots’ theme to death: “I FOUND you! Ruiru11 I FOUND you.”

18 March 2012

NewsBites

Everyday should be Epic!

Start your mornings with a burst of nutrition! Epic Oatmeal - Mobile Nutrition for active lifestyles, is a healthy, all-natural oatmeal available in four tasty varieties: Adam’s Apple N Cinn, Berrie ‘Nilla Thrilla, Coco-kaBanana, and Kick N tha Nutz. Nutritious, healthy, complete, and delicious too! Ready in 3 minutes, this is perfect for those needing a quick, complete, breakfast leaving you feeling full over a longer time.

Epic Oatmeal is a very high source of fiber (9g), low in sodium, has no preservatives, sweetened with turbinado sugar and is made with 100% Canadian Oats. Available today from Stillcreek Distributing Ltd. Stillcreek is a wholesale distributor specializing in coffee-related beverage products. Established in 2005, Stillcreek’s customers include multi-chain retailers to independent grocers, coffee roasters, coffee shops, and other foodservice distributors. www.stillcreek.ca

Traveler Zita

A rocking innovation: finum’s® latest product, TRAVELER ZITA, is a double-wall tumbler for cold and for hot drinks. It includes the world-wide patented Tea Control™ Kit (as well as further pending patents), which avoids weak tea and the packing waste of overpacked tea bags. By simply screwing the lid on the tumbler the tea is sealed, thereby containing the brewing of the tea and keeping its taste uncompromised. This durable and elegant tumbler is made from BpAfree Tritan® (FDA approved material). As a result,

delicious tea is now made to everyone’s personal taste and the waste of overpacked tea bags is avoided.

Finum’s® attention to quality and convenience meets the contemporary minds of design oriented and health-conscious people around the world. www.finum.com or www.teafriends.com/facebook

Zagnoli Trading is pleased to announce our newly designed website!

Zagnoli Trading Company doors opened in 2008 with many years of foodservice beverage experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for being the best in the business.

We trade our industry knowledge, fluency, and navigation of the industry to support your goals in a challenging business environment.

Our specialties include innovative concept development for coffee, tea & non-carbonated foodservice beverages as well as consulting in Foodservice Beverage Advisors, Business Development Strategists, Forensic Sales Specialists, and Idea Merchants. Regardless of the size of your business, or whether you are in supply chain or chain business, we can help you connect the dots for a profitable future. For more information visit www.zagnolitrading.com

Nealanders International Inc announces the introduction of CinGx™ CinGx™ is an AllNatural Way to Reduce Risk Factors Associated with Diabetes for the 118 million diabetics and pre-diabetics in North America. A unique additive that improves healthy

blood glucose metabolism increased physical capacity brain and cognitive function, This amazing powder can be easily incorporated into many different food and beverage applications. Only 0.4g per day is required to be effective making this an ideal value added ingredient for dry mixes for smoothies, crystal beverages, sweetener packets, and tea bags. "We are very excited about moving forward with this revolutionary new additive," says Steve Owen, VP Sourcing, Product Development & GM – Ontario. “With the added value CinGx™ brings to our customers’ products and the important health benefits for consumers, everybody wins.” For more information call David Solomon at 416 630-1221 or Judy at (905) 593-1657

American Packaging Corporation completes $17.5 Million Expansion

American Packaging Corporation recently completed its $17.5 Million plant expansion at its Rotogravure Printing and Laminating facility in Columbus WI. The project included the purchase of several new pieces of equipment, facility upgrades as well as 100,000 square feet additional operating space.

The continued investment by American Packaging demonstrates its confidence in its business and desire to grow with its customers. This expansion follows a $12.7MM expansion at its Extrusion Laminating and Coating facility in Rochester NY completed in 2009 and a $16.5MM expansion at its Flexographic Printing and Laminating, Story City IA facility in 2010. Phone (585) 254-9500, Fax (585) 254-5801, www.ampkcorp.com

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NewsBites

The New Curtis Gold Cup…Brewing Perfect Coffee, One Cup At A Time

The Curtis Gold Cup Brewer, the best single cup brewer on the market that brews a perfect cup of coffee, every time. State-of-the-art components and revolutionary G4 technology set this remarkable brewer apart from every other single cup machine. Besides its ability to extract impeccably perfect cups of coffee, it’s the one machine that brews American style, drip filtered coffee. Consistently reliable and priced to fit in any foodservice environment, the Curtis Gold Cup Brewer is a true “open source” machine, so there’s no limit to the coffee or packaging used to create a profitable program. Brewing to the SCAA’s “golden cup” standards, the Gold Cup gives operators precise control over crucial variables that results in brewing a true SCAA standard, Golden Cup of coffee. Powerful G4 digital controls bring accelerated functionality to the unit through an instinctive touch screen and icon-driven interface. wilburcurtis.com/goldcupbrewer

Cooling off this summer with Weldon Coffee Flavorings!!

With Spring and Summer just around the corner Weldon Flavorings can liven up your Iced Coffee Drinks or frozen beverages without adding a lot of extra calories or artificial sweeteners. These flavorings are just pure liquid flavoring that add that special taste to any hot weather treat without adding a lot of unwanted ingredients. Healthy conscious consumers are demanding more quality from all their beverages. They want their iced drinks to be healthier for them and have less sugar, fats, calories, sodium and artificial sweeteners. Weldon Coffee Flavorings come in 12 flavors and seasonal favorites are available. They can be purchased individually or in an attractive counter caddy, The Weldon Gourmet Flavor Station™ that holds your three favorite flavors. The premeasured pump dispensing system allows for quick and

accurate flavoring. These flavorings can be used any place coffee is served: restaurants, offices, home, or drive-thru. Weldon Coffee Flavorings can be purchased online at www.WeldonFlavorings.com For additional product information, contact Weldon Flavorings at info@weldonflavorings.com or (502) 797-2937.

Coffee Fest announces new hire

Coffee Fest, a division of LifeStyle Events Inc., is pleased to announce the newest addition to their team. Levi Andersen has been chosen as the new Coffee Fest Attendee Registration and Educational Programming Manager for the organization. Levi’s job is to support the needs of attendees, presenters and sponsors at Coffee Fest, including attendee show registration, educational presentation planning and all related communications. He will work closely with the leadership and support staff at Coffee Fest doing his part to ensure that each show exceeds the expectations of all attendees, presenters and sponsors. Coffee Fest’s objective is to continue the growth and success of the shows which serve to contribute significantly to the bottom lines of all participants. He joins the Coffee Fest team with seven years experience in the specialty coffee business, has attended Coffee Fest shows locally and as far away as Minneapolis, has participated as a latte art competitor, has attended Coffee Fest Focus Group meetings and proudly participated at Fishing Fest III.

Coffee Fest Announces 64 Barista Latte Art Tournament At Coffee Fest New York, March 9-11, 2012 Coffee Fest is proud to present the newest and most exciting barista competition to be produced at any coffee event anywhere. Coffee Fest Latte Art Championships debut its set-up for 2012 at the Jacob Javits Center , when 64 of the world’s finest baristi come together to compete in a tournament style double elimination competition modeled after a real-life barista’s experience. Competitors from as

far away as Romania, Isreal, Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Canada pouring attractive lattes quickly and efficiently. Each cup will be judged based on five discrete criteria – aesthetic beauty, definition, color infusion, degree of difficulty and creativity and speed. Industry stalwarts, Kerri Goodman, Publisher of CoffeeTalk Magazine and The Daily Dose, Jan Weigel, Publisher of Fresh Cup Magazine and Thommy Thwaites, head trainer of IASC and owner of Coda Coffee Roasters will perform judging duties. Scores are posted immediately to a tournament bracket that moves competitors up or out after each round. For more information about all the shows, go to www.coffeefest.com

Entenmann’s Announces Partner White Coffee as Licensee for Flavored Coffee and Cocoa

Entenmann’s Bakery, one of the nation's leading sweet baked goods companies, has partnered with White Coffee Corporation for its new signature collection of flavored coffees and cocoa. The premium 100% Arabica coffee is currently sold at Burlington Coat Factory, Dollar Tree and Entenmann’s Outlets, with expected 2012 sales in mass market, supermarkets, club stores, drug stores and food service nationwide. The new line of Entenmann’s Coffee will be offered in 10 oz. bags and in gift packs featured in flavors such as “Cinnamon Crumb Cake,” “Hazelnut,” “Vanilla” and “Chocolate Donut,” reminiscent of Entenmann’s sweet baked goods enjoyed by over 26 million households across the U.S. Entenmann’s cocoa will be available in “Original” and “Mint” varieties. These items are available in retail outlets throughout the United States, on-line at www.whitecoffee.com or call (800) 221-0140 for more information.

Bean Scenes “Often imitated, never duplicated”

by Plastic Parameters Inc.

Whole bean and brewed coffee merchandising systems and accessories FF 704 Chrome

FF 715 Chrome

Patented Dispensing Ball

Tel: (905) 944-0805 • Toll Free: 1-877-594-0805

E-mail: plasticparameters@rogers.com www.plasticparameters.com

20 March 2012

Advertisers Index

Company.................................................................Phone.................................... Web.................................................................Page................. NCA Booth # Agtron............................................................................................. 775.850.4600..................................

American Packaging Corp.......................................................... 515.733.1407..................................

Bridge Brand Chocolates............................................................. 415.677.9194..................................

BriteVision....................................................................................... 877.479.7777..................................

Coffee Fest..................................................................................... 800.232.0083..................................

Curtis............................................................................................... 800.421.6150..................................

Custom Card Solutions, Inc.......................................................... 303.790.0400..................................

Daterra Coffee............................................................................. 330.941.2555..................................

Descafeinadores Mexicanos SA de CV....................................+522.717.127.066.........................

Eagle Web Press........................................................................... 800.800.7980..................................

Ekobrew.......................................................................................... 206.571.0289..................................

Espresso Me Services................................................................... 360.213.0715..................................

Everpure......................................................................................... 800.942.1153..................................

Finum by Riensch & Held GmbH & Co. KG..............................+49.407.34240...............................

Follett Corporation....................................................................... 610.252.7301..................................

Fres-co System USA, Inc............................................................... 215.721.4600..................................

Georgia-Pacific Professional...................................................... 866.435.5647..................................

Grounds for Health....................................................................... 802.241.4146..................................

Hypercat Advanced Catalyst Products.....................................610.692.3490..................................

Inbru................................................................................................ 314.991.1700..................................

International Coffee Consulting Group....................................818.347.1378..................................

Java Jacket.................................................................................... 800.208.4128..................................

Jonathan Cate Inc......................................................................... 888.665.2326..................................

Knutsen Coffees, Ltd..................................................................... 800.231.7764..................................

Melitta SystemService USA, Inc................................................. 847.717.8900..................................

Nealanders International, Inc..................................................... 905.593.1657..................................

Offero, LLC..................................................................................... 303.298.0848..................................

Orleans Coffee Exchange........................................................... 800.344.7922..................................

Pacific Bag, Inc............................................................................... 800.562.2247..................................

Pack Plus Converting.................................................................... 909.902.9929..................................

Plastic Parameters Inc................................................................... 877.594.0805..................................

Pod Pack International, LTD......................................................... 225.752.1160..................................

Scolari Engineering S.p.A............................................................ 856.988.5533..................................

Seattle Barista Academy............................................................. 253.236.1501..................................

Service Ideas, Inc.......................................................................... 800.328.4493..................................

Smoothie Essentials Supplement-Boosts....................................415.382.6535..................................

Spiroflow Systems, Inc.................................................................. 704.291.9595..................................

Stalkmarket Products (Asean Corporation)..............................503.295.4977..................................

Stillcreek Distributing LTD............................................................ 800.957.4318..................................

TekPakSolutions............................................................................. 416.505.3839..................................

The San Franciscan Roaster......................................................... 866.957.9233..................................

Tightpac America inc.................................................................... 888.428.4448..................................

Track the Impact............................................................................ 619.889.1997..................................

Venco Business Solutions.............................................................. 800.762.9962..................................

Vessel Drinkware........................................................................... 855.883.7735..................................

Vita-Mix Corporation................................................................... 800.437.4654..................................

Walker Coffee Trading Company............................................. 713.780.7050..................................

Weldon Flavorings........................................................................ 502.797.2937..................................

White Coffee Corp...................................................................... 800.221.0140..................................

Zagnoli Trading Company, Inc.................................................... 978.729.5897..................................

www.agtron.net ................................................................. 23 www.ampkcorp.com ......................................................... 7..................................................... 18 www.bridgebrandschocolate.com ................................. 23 www.britevision.com ......................................................... 11 www.coffeefest.com ......................................................... 5 www.wilburcurtis.com ....................................................... 11 www.ccsicards.com ............................................................ 22 www.daterracoffee.com.br ............................................. 13 www.descamex.com ......................................................... 23 www.eaglewebpress.com ................................................ 9 www.ekobrew.com ............................................................ 20 www.espressomeservice.com .......................................... 22 www.everpure.com ........................................................... 23 www.finum.com .................................................................. 22 www.follettice.com ............................................................ 9 www.fresco.com ................................................................. 3..................................................... 25 www.gppro.com ................................................................ 15 www.groundsforhealth.org .............................................. 23......................................................4 www.hypercat-acp.com ................................................... 22 www.inbru.com/Inbru-Sample-Pack_p_61.html ......... 21 www.intlcoffeeconsulting.com ......................................... 22 www.javajacket.com ......................................................... 17, 23 www.shop.jonathancate.com/coffee ............................. 7 www.knutsencoffees.com ................................................. 23 www.melittasystemservice.com ....................................... 9 www.coffeetalk.com/images/CinGx.pdf .................... 19 www.theoffero.com ........................................................... 22 www.orleanscoffee.com ................................................... 22 www.pacificbag.com ........................................................ 21................................................... 29 www.packplus.com ........................................................... 22 www.plasticparameters.com ........................................... 20 www.podpack.com ........................................................... 20................................................... 30 www.scolarieng.com ......................................................... 24 www.seattlebaristaacademy.com .................................. 23 www.serviceideas.com ..................................................... 23 www.smoothieessentials.com ........................................... 21 www.spiroflowsystems.com .............................................. 13......................................................5 www.stalkmarketproducts.com ....................................... 2, 23 www.stillcreek.ca ............................................................... 19 www.tekpaksolutions.com ................................................ 19 www.sanfranciscanroaster.com ....................................... 17 www.tightvac.com ............................................................. 23 www.tracktheimpact.com ................................................. 23 www.vencosolutions.com .................................................. 22 www.vesseldrinkware.com ............................................... 13 www.vitamix.com/thequietone ....................................... 23 www.walkercoffee.com .................................................... 17 www.WeldonFlavorings.com ........................................... 22 www.whitecoffee.com ...................................................... 23 www.zagnolitrading.com ................................................. 21

Flavor Any Coffee

(314) 991-1700

With Inbru and your favorite coffee, enjoy a new and exciting flavor experience every day.

see the entire collection at inbru.com

A compostable barrier bag with a valve?

In case quantities?

You better believe it...

Pacific Bag, inc. www.pacificbag.com 800.562.2247

21

www.packplus.com Toll Free: 1.877.722.5888

Home of the widest selection of packaging products for coffee, tea, food and other specialty items.

Call us for a FREE quote on customized packaging!

E: info@packplus.com

CUSTOM PRINTED CARDS MAGNETIC STRIPE HICO/LOCO EMBOSSING/TIPPING SIGNATURE PANEL ENCODING BARCODES

22 March 2012

AllStar Tools Water treatment

Air Pots

Decaffeination

Sleeves

Cups & Lids

Descafeinadores Mexicanos SA de CV

Java Jacket

StalkMarket Products

Everpure

Service Ideas Incorporated

800.942.1153 www.everpure.com

800.328.4493 www.serviceideas.com

The leading manufacturer of water treatment equipment for foodservice applications.

Everpure offers filtration, reverse osmosis, softening, and scale control systems plus complete customer support programs and services.

Introducing the Color Me SVAC! 4 sizes: 2.2, 2.5, 3.0 & 3.7 Liter; NSF® Approved 4-6 Hour Insulation.

Designate contents with 5 colors available: Black, Blue, Brown, Green & Orange.

Blender

Vitamix 800-4DRINK4 www.vitamix.com/ thequietone

800.208.4128 www.javajacket.com

503.295.4977 www.stalkmarketproducts.com

Finally you can drink a great tasting water decaf.

Our process that has been organic certified since 2003, preserves the original characteristics of aroma and flavor of the green coffee beans.

Java Jacket provides the best insulation of all sleeves on the market. Protects customers from hot or cold to-go beverages, and provides a more grippable surface than other coffee sleeves.

StalkMarket Products, a leading provider of compostable products, offers the world’s first certified compostable Ingeo™ hot cup and lid system from Planet+ that meets the rigorous composting requirements of Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).

Training Resources

Chocolate

Vacuum Container

Green Coffee Importers

Seattle Barista Academy

Bridge Brands Chocolates 888.732.4626 www.bridgebrands.com

Tightvac

Knutsen Coffees, Ltd.

888.42.TIGHT www.tightvac.com

800.231.7764 www.knutsencoffees.com See us at SCAA Booth 5132

1-800-927-3286 www.seattlebaristaacademy.com

+522.717.127.066 www.descamex.com

Well known for delivering incomparable versatility and value through its revolutionary product performance, Vitamix once again delivers an industry first, The Quiet One™. Engineered to provide dramatic sound reduction, world-class reliability, unparalleled speed of service and a perfect blend every time.

The Seattle Barista Academy is your source for Professional Barista Training. We offer espresso training classes with handson experience in grinding coffee, steaming, extraction, drink fabrication, latte art, barista training with barista certification, and education materials and CDs.

Coffee Lover’s Chocolate pairs irresistible quality chocolate with coffee, and irrefutably drives up retail sales.

Private label options make a good concept even better.

Tightvacs are the ultimate Coffee & Tea container!

Our unique patented Tightvac closure system allows the gasses from the beans to escape – without letting oxygen back into the container.

Tightvacs guarantee the smooth flavor your customers pay for.

Award winning purveyors of the finest green coffees in the world. Call us about our exclusive 100% Estate Grown Jamaican Blue Mountain grown at over 4,000 feet on a farm established over 200 years ago. Supplies EXTREMELY limited.

Erna Knutsen, President & Founder.

Roasted Coffee

Charitable Giving

Non-Profit

GOURMET FLAVORINGS

Coffee Analysis

White Coffee Corp.

Track the Impact 619.889.1997

Grounds for Health (802) 241-4146

Monin

Coffee Analyzers

800.221.0140 718 204 7900 www.whitecoffee.com White Coffee creates customized blends and packaging for industry leaders. Wide variety of varietals and flavors available. Exclusive licensee of Kahlua, Entenmann’s & MoonPie flavored coffees.

Fair Trade, Organic, Kosher, NSF certified.

www.tracktheimpact.com

www.groundsforhealth.org

800.866.5225 www.monin.com

How do you measure and track your social impact? Is it easy and cost-effective? Do you do it? Profits4Purpose connects for-profits with non-profits so we all profit.

Grounds for Health works with coffee-growing communities to establish sustainable cervical cancer prevention programs.

Together with our coffee cooperative partners, we break down the barriers that stand between women and preventive care.

With 200 of the finest flavored syrups, sauces and purees available to the coffee industry, Monin ensures ultimate taste and creativity for successful beverage solutions.

775.850.4600 www.agtron.net

THE TOP ROASTERS WORLDWIDE CHOOSE AGTRON Trust the consistency and quality of your roasted coffee.

Made in the USA, simply the most accurate and repeatable Roast Analyzers available.

And remember, only an Agtron reads like an Agtron. Support and roasting instruction provided by Carl Staub.