EDITOR’S NOTE Global Coffee Report
PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST Ethan Miller ethan.miller@primecreative.com.au
STAY STRONG STAY SAFE IT’S SURPRISING HOW quickly your world can turn upside down. In early March, I ventured to my local café for a morning brew. I paid in cash. I shook hands with new people I met. I went to work in a packed city office. I didn’t flinch when someone coughed. I didn’t hesitate in going out for dinner with friends, and I certainly didn’t think twice about exchanging hugs goodbye. In the space of 48 hours, I, like so many others around the world, lost that freedom as the faceless villain that is coronavirus made its presence felt. Flights were cancelled, borders closed, mass gatherings banned, self-isolation imposed, and social distancing became a ‘thing’. This was our new reality, and maybe still is by the time you read this. Amid the lockdown, I spoke with Lars Appelqvist, CEO of Swedish roaster Löfbergs. He admitted he had considered cancelling our interview fearing it would be “just another coronavirus chat”. Rather, we talked about everything from his athletics career to accidental employment, business failures, and market success. An hour later he thanked me for the “welcome distraction”. If Appelqvist was concerned about the impact the virus would have on his company and its operation, he didn’t show it. His role, from day one at the helm of Löfbergs until today, despite the global pandemic, remains the same: make clear decisions and make people feel safe and strong. They are the markings of a true leader. There’s little doubt the supply chain will suffer some sort of impact from this crisis.
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Some producers will be left with large supplies and fewer buyers. As one friend described it, coronavirus is the “leaf rust equivalent”. On the other hand, businesses are adapting to the environment and thinking outside the box. Roasters are using online services, and still-standing coffee shops are operating as takeaway- and deliveryonly, or as reinvented general stores. Some may argue they are more in-touch with consumer needs than ever before. When we go back to ‘normal life’, it’s likely some of our newfound behavioural traits will stick. Perhaps we’ll see a continued rise in the retail sale of beans, at-home coffee consumption, investment in home brewing devices, or maybe a greater appreciation for our baristas from our time in isolation. This pandemic may be a harsh lesson to value time spent with loved ones and demonstrate kindness to others, but it will also teach us strength and resilience. Just like Appelqvist, we too can make bold decisions in uncertain times and make it through the other side. We’re in this together.
Sarah Baker Editor, Global Coffee Report
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