UK Coffee Week in September to raise money for Project Waterfall
It has been announced that one of the principal aims of UK Coffee Week, to be held in September this year, will be to raise £1 million in order to help provide clean drinking water and better education for some of the poorest coffee-producing nations on the African continent.
Jeffrey Young of Allegra Strategies has defined the strategy for Project Waterfall. It will seek to raise funds by displaying 5p charity tins beside the tills of coffee-shops across the UK.
It is also understood that coffee retailers might even be prepared to operate an optional levy on drink prices to raise the money, informing paying customers as to exactly what their charity will go toward.
Speaking about Project Waterfall, Jeffrey Young said “Allegra’s research reveals that UK consumers are extremely and generously receptive to Project Waterfall. I am convinced that together we can all make a huge and valuable contribution. Our first target country is Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, where an estimated 75 per cent of the population do not have access to safe drinking water.”
He continued “The majority of beverage industry leaders see this as a genuine opportunity to raise the profile of the industry, while also creating a valuable platform to collectively give back to extremely worthy causes.”
It has been announced that the 2011 UK Coffee Week will also include a London Coffee & Tea Festival. Allegra will be approaching the Mayor of London, to ask for further support from the event which, it is hoped, will secure London’s position as the capital of coffee culture in Europe.
Ugandan farmers to receive two million Robusta Coffee Wilt Disease (CWD) resistant plantlets this year.
The boost to Uganda’s coffee production industry was announced by Dr. Africano Kangire, the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), head of Coffee Research Centre (COREC).
“We have been able to achieve this coffee plantlet multiplication by using somatic embryogenesis, which uses cells from a coffee leaf plant. Each leaf produces up to 20,000 plantlets,” Dr. Kangire commented.
Coffee trees have more than 100 leaves, meaning that around two million plantlets could be produced in a single year, as opposed to more conventional methods that would produce around 60.
Kangire hopes that these plantlets will help to meet the target of 200 million others needed to replace those that were destroyed by CWD in 2002.
Ugandan coffee farmers have received training in the production of plantlets using the somatic embryogenesis method, and are now carrying out the process with seven CWD resistant varieties.
CWD first hit Ugandan coffee plants in 1993, after crossing over the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“By 2002, the disease had destroyed about 50% of the Robusta coffee in the countryside. We had to carry out research and develop seven Kituza CWD resistant varieties,” added Dr. Kangire.
The Ugandan Government is dragging its heels on investment in coffee research despite many feeling the need to develop drought resistant coffee varieties as fears over global warming continue to mount.
Last year, coffee production in the country fell by around 10% due to prolonged drought caused by severe weather conditions. It is hoped that the resistant varieties will help in redressing the balance.
Coffee grounds have potential to lead biofuel revolution
Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered a unique method by which to convert coffee grounds into biodiesel fuel.
At present, biodiesel fuel is mostly made from soybean oil, but researchers at the university have found an efficient process for extracting oil from the grounds.
The team began by drying used coffee grounds for six months. During this time oil was extracted from the grounds that could then be used to create biodiesel.
The goal is essentially to take the coffee by-product that would in normal circumstances be simply thrown away and extract the oil from it. The levels of oil found in coffee grounds are apparently similar to those found in soybeans.
The idea of using coffee grounds to create biodiesel fuel is not new, however, the process has not historically been deemed economically viable as the drying of the beans used considerable levels of energy in itself.
However, students at the University have created an entirely new way by which to extract oil from coffee beans. Bulent Koc, assistant professor in agriculture systems management said: “In our system, we developed a method that would allow us to extract oil from materials like coffee grounds without drying.”
The system devised has other distinct advantages over the use of soybeans, the coffee grounds being recycled in contrast with the need for raw produce and its associated production costs in soybean biofuel production.
The team plans to continue to test the efficiency of the biodiesel produced as well as further refining the most efficient methods by which to collect the recycled grounds.
Mexico to push ahead with explosion in Robusta coffee production
Mexico is aiming to position itself amongst the largest producers of instant coffee, with a huge increase in the volume of the Robusta variety set to be grown in the country.
The Mexican Government has teamed up with global giant Nestle to help coffee-farmers in the country to grow their own, high-yielding Robusta trees. The move is hoped to help decrease imports that at present stand at around 27,000 tonnes of Robusta coffee per year.
Some farmers are worried, however, as Robusta is seen as one of the lower qualities of coffee, and is usually sold at a lower price. At present, the Robusta variety currently accounts for around 40 per cent of coffee production in the country, as farmers tend toward the higher-quality Arabica variety which can be sold at higher prices.
Demand for Robusta is set to explode in Mexico, after Nestle announced plans to increase the capacity of its coffee plant in Toluca, outside Mexico City, by 40 per cent, making it the largest in the world. The development will cost an estimated $390 million and will be implemented over a three year period.
The move comes as a result of a greater global demand for instant coffee, which is commonly made from lower-quality varieties such as Robusta. Consumers have cut spending due to the economic crisis and some are shying away from more expensive coffee drinks made with Arabica-heavy espresso blends. In the traditional tea-drinking countries including Russia and China, instant coffee is also growing in popularity.
US coffee market set to increase by up to 23% according to new report
The 320 page report entitled ‘Coffee and Ready-to-Drink Coffee in the U.S.’ has provided an in-depth analysis of the US coffee market, covering everything from brewing preferences amongst consumers through to volumes of coffee sold for future brewing.
After analysing past and continuing sales trends in the country it has predicted that, as the economy continues to emerge from its recent downturn, sales in the product will increase by a staggering 23% by 2014 to reach $58.3 billion.
The slump in the global economy had originally appeared to pose a series of problems to the industry in the US. However, coffee retailers took advantage of the situation by realising the potential of upmarket coffee as an opportunity for consumers to treat themselves in an affordable fashion in times of hardship and uncertainty.
The result was an upscale trend in sales, as consumers switched their attention to speciality coffee varieties. This saw retailers evolve their branding to a rather more luxurious image.
The study paid particular attention to new product developments, detailed competitive opportunities, explored winning marketing strategies (with particular attention paid to the growth in web-based advertising campaigns) and offered detailed consumer profiling. It also researched the expansion of speciality drinks at fast-food outlets across the USA.
As the recovery continues, consumers are expected to demonstrate an increased willingness to purchase premium coffee products, together with their mainstream counterparts, all of which is set to fuel explosive growth in the industry in the USA and globally.
Questions surround the quality of Civet coffee as demand for the rare beans continues to increase.
Exceptionally high prices and an ever increasing demand may have contributed to a fall in the quality of exports of the unusual and extremely rare civet coffee beans that come from South East Asia as fake and low-grade beans flood the market.
Civet coffee is truly extraordinary. It is made unique by the fact that is procured from the droppings of the cat-like Civet mammal. The creatures are known to wander the floor of coffee plantations eating only the best coffee cherries. The indigestible beans are then fermented in the animal’s stomach before being excreted. The fermentation by stomach acids and enzymes creates a blend of coffee that is smooth, chocolaty and renowned for having no bitter aftertaste.
Civet coffee is the most expensive blend in the world, selling at around $500 a sack, with South Korea and Japan being the largest consumers of the product. In recent years however, the bean has increased its reputation in Europe and North America as coffee connoisseurs have been introduced to the drink.
The result has been an increase in harvests of the product and the setting up of Civet “minifarms” where caged animals are fed lower quality coffee cherries than those they would be eating in the wild. It has even forced many to reconsider exactly what makes the blend of coffee at all; whether it is the quality of cherries picked by the wild animals, or the fermentation that occurs in their stomachs.
Photo: Praveen Prakash
Michael Phillips wins 2010 United States Barista Championship
Michael Phillips has enjoyed back-to-back victories after coming out top in the Speciality Coffee Association of America’s 2010 United States Barista Championship (USBC). The top-class Barista has fast gained a glowing reputation amongst coffee connoisseurs in the US, after winning last year’s competition by a clear margin.
Phillips fended off stiff competition from a number of other top Baristas and coffeehouse professionals during the event, which took place between April 15th and 18th at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
The USBC is held once a year and grades participants on their skills in espresso drink preparation and quality of service. SCAA is the world’s leading coffee authority and largest coffee trade association.
During the competition, each Barista had to prepare and serve twelve orders, including four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original drinks of their own creation, all within a 15-minute time frame. Whilst in action, the Baristas had to engage with the audience in order to explain what they were attempting, their selections and what they were making.
The USBC-certified judging panel consisted of one head judge, two technical judges and four sensory judges, who scored contestants on cleanliness, taste, beverage presentation, technical skills and overall impression.
Phillips, who works with Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea in Chicago, Illinois, has already stated his intention to compete in the 2010 World Barista Championship, founded by both the SCAA and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, which is scheduled to be held in London this June.
Photo: Mark Shimahara
Apps to help the coffee go down
Technology has transformed the way in which we live our lives, not only does the world seem smaller, but the speed at which we live has also increased. Nowadays it seems that everything can be made that little bit faster with a click, including the morning cup of coffee.
Last September Starbucks began trialling a mobile app for US users of the iPhone or iPod Touch which allows quick living coffee lovers to pay for their lattes on the fly. The payment app lets customers put money onto a virtual Starbucks card, produces a unique bar code on the screen, which can then be scanned over a bar code reader at the payment counter. Due to the initial success of the app, the coffee giant has now taken the decision to expand the pilot system to 1002 shops.
Starbucks’ unprecedented growth is testament to its continual innovation and product development, since opening its first coffee shop in 1970. By taking advantage of new technology Starbucks has ensured that it can remain competitive in the modern market.
With the addition of technology it has never been so easy to track down a fresh cup of coffee.
Other mobile applications such as Bionic Eye, using the Augmented reality camera view, allow users to see reference points by simply pointing the lens in a given direction, 360-degrees. Virtually ‘seeing through walls’ the app displays locations such as high street retailers, including coffee shops, enabling parched consumers to rapidly find their nearest watering hole.
Ugandan coffee exports continue to decrease from last year’s figures
Coffee exports from Africa’s second-largest producer of coffee, Uganda, look set to fall by 10.6 per cent this month, compared to last year’s figures for the same period. If these expectations are realised the Uganda Coffee Development Authority predicts that production will fall by just over one thousand tonnes to 184,000 bags.
The fall has been attributed to heavy rains, in stark contrast to this time last year when the country experienced a serious drought that it said was as a result of global climate change.
In recent years Uganda has become a major player in the production of Robusta coffee after a crisis in the Ivory Coast saw the production in the former leading African nation reduce drastically. In terms of cumulative production, Uganda is the continent’s second biggest coffee grower after Ethiopia.
An official at the Uganda Coffee Development Authority said today: “For the month of April we’re looking at 184,000 bags. The main factor is rain. It affects the maturity of the beans. Harvesting and drying is impaired and roads deep into the villages may be inaccessible”.
Last year, exports from Uganda totalled 205,725 bags in the month of April, equating to around $19 million in revenue. Export figures have already been poor this year after March’s statistics revealed a 15 per cent decrease from last year’s equivalent.
If these trends continue, the country could be plunged into an ever greater financial crisis as coffee is one of the leading exports and foreign exchange earners for east Africa’s third largest economy.
Starbucks determined to conquer Chinese market
Howard Schultz, chief executive and founder of coffee giant Starbucks, has stated his intention to make China Starbucks’ second largest market after the US. Japan is currently holds that position, although Schultz has said that he wants to open ‘thousands of stores’ across China.
The first Starbucks stores were opened in China in 1999 and there are now 376 shops across the country. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Schultz said “Over time there will be thousands of stores in China. But it’s a complicated market that requires significant discipline and thoughtfulness”.
“Cracking the code in China for any company is not an easy task—there will be a number of winners and lots of losers of people who go there and rush to judgment and don’t succeed”, he continued.
It is believed that the main motive for the move is a recent decrease in sales in Japan where there are currently 876 Starbucks coffee shops. The company is therefore planning to develop stores in places where the domestic population will be the primary consumer, as opposed to tourists who visit those in the major cities.
The plan will be executed over several years and it is expected that Shultz will attempt to achieve his aim in China by following the method implemented across Japan, which saw outlets concentrating on including local flavours and reducing costs by sourcing local produce.
The company is also believed to be looking closely at markets in India and Japan.