De’Longhi SpA will acquire the stake from parent company De’Longhi Industrial, as well as from other minority shareholders. Together with La Marzocco and Eversys (which De’Longhi fully acquired in May 2021), the Italian small appliance manufacturer will create a powerhouse global coffee equipment hub.

Although La Marzocco will continue to operate independently, De’Longhi SpA will control over 61% of the new business. And there is no doubt the company is gearing up to capitalise on the renowned espresso equipment manufacturer’s branding as much as possible.

So with acquisitions becoming more and more common in the industry, are they the end goal for successful specialty coffee brands? And if so, is this truly beneficial to the wider sector?

I spoke to Benjamin Hohlmann, founder of Kaffeemacher, to find out more.

You may also like our article on why Chobani’s acquisition of La Colombe shows roasters can’t be complacent about RTD coffee.

Behind the acquisition: The history of De’Longhi and La Marzocco

Both De’Longhi and La Marzocco are hugely successful Italian brands, but their relationship extends beyond this. In April 2021, De’Longhi Industrial purchased an additional 33.34% stake in La Marzocco International – increasing its shares to 62.6%.

The move received some criticism from the coffee industry. Shortly after, La Marzocco CEO Guido Bernardinelli publicly stated that only De’Longhi Industrial had shares in the company. Additionally, he specifically mentioned that De’Longhi SpA (the division of the group which manufactures and sells home kitchen and coffee appliances) did not – in a possible attempt to retain La Marzocco’s premium brand identity.

However, De’Longhi Industrial’s stake in the espresso machine company will now reduce to 26.6% as De’Longhi SpA will acquire more than 61% of shares in the first quarter of 2024. La Marzocco International minority stakeholders’ shares will also drop from 37.4% to 12%.

So this means the NewCo will include:

• Small domestic appliance manufacturer De’Longhi SpA, which specialises in coffee and food preparation equipment
• Premium home and commercial espresso machine and grinder brand La Marzocco 
• Swiss superautomatic coffee machine company Eversys – which De’Longhi SpA fully owns
  • All three companies will continue to operate independently

La Marzocco: a “cult” brand

Although De’Longhi is one of the leading entry-level domestic coffee appliance manufacturers, it doesn’t command quite as much respect as La Marzocco – especially in specialty coffee.

Founded in 1927 by the Bambi brothers, the company was one of the first to patent both a horizontal and a dual espresso machine boiler in the mid-1900s. And over the past few decades, La Marzocco has developed some of the most well-known machines in the industry, including:

• The semi-automatic dual-boiler GS in 1970
• The redesigned GS2 in 1982, which was used in Starbucks stores for many years
• In 1990, the company launched the Linea Classic – which became one of its most recognisable machines
• The Linea PB in 2013, which allowed the user to control extraction time and yields
• The Strada AV – the “barista’s espresso machine”
• In 2015, La Marzocco developed the Linea Mini – a dual-boiler home machine with thermal stability technology

Benjamin Hohlmann is the founder of Swiss company Kaffeemacher. He is also a Q-grader, a German Cup Tasters Champion, a Swiss Brewers Cup Champion, and runs a coffee YouTube channel.

“La Marzocco is a cult brand,” he says. “It’s highly regarded in the specialty coffee community and its machines are found in many coffee shops.”

The company’s position as one of the leading espresso machine manufacturers also stemmed from its sponsorship of the World Barista Championship from 2000 to 2008 – helping to establish the pioneering competition.

“La Marzocco is where it is today because baristas worldwide identify with its brand, in stark contrast to De’Longhi,” Benjamin adds. “De’Longhi is known for price-accessible, ‘transition’ coffee equipment which it has built its brand on.”

Could this stifle coffee equipment innovation – or drive it even further?

Considering the history between the two companies, the acquisition was certainly foreseeable. But there are other obvious reasons – including the expertise that De’Longhi and La Marzocco (and Eversys) bring to the table.

Arguably, De’Longhi will benefit the most. The company experienced a 2% decline in full-year 2022 revenue, citing a “tough geopolitical” environment in Europe and “unfavourable inflation dynamics” affecting consumers’ disposable income. 

Its coffee equipment sales that same year, however, were strong – no doubt driven by the brand’s acquisition of Eversys in 2021 and an ad campaign featuring brand ambassador Brad Pitt. So leveraging La Marzocco’s wealth of knowledge and strong brand identity is sure to add to this.

“For B2B customers, a company salesperson can now offer a premium espresso machine and a high-quality super-automatic coffee machine – depending on which product is right for them,” Benjamin says.

La Marzocco, on the other hand, also stands to gain from the business move.

“The merger between Eversys and De’Longhi is huge, and also offers potential for the further development of La Marzocco’s products,” Benjamin tells me. “Eversys has succeeded in developing some of the best super-automatic coffee machines on the market.

“So, are we going to see increasing automation with La Marzocco espresso machines in the future? It’s not unlikely,” he adds.

However, while the three companies are clearly going to leverage one another’s knowledge and brand power, what does the acquisition mean for the wider coffee equipment market?

Well, considering that La Marzocco and Marco Beverage Systems recently surrendered intellectual property rights to their integrated scale technology, other companies can utilise this to develop their own products. So the push for innovation could certainly continue – if De’Longhi permits, of course.

Another sign that acquisitions are inevitable?

Every year, the number of acquisitions in the coffee industry continues to grow – and is only going to continue. Whether you think they truly benefit specialty coffee businesses or not, acquisitions are a huge part of how the industry will evolve and scale into the future.

This then raises questions, however, about how smaller regional businesses can remain profitable, and whether successful brands “need” to be acquired to maintain their place in the market.

“When larger companies acquire smaller ones, there is always the question of whether values and goals will remain the same after the smaller company is absorbed,” Benjamin explains. “I would like to see more smaller companies look towards new solutions.

“Baristas identify with the La Marzocco brand,” he adds. “With this in mind, there should have been transparent communication about ownership and shares two years ago. This could lead fewer people to resonate with the core brand in the future.”

De’Longhi’s acquisition of La Marzocco is a huge milestone for the coffee equipment market, and is sure to shake up the sector for the ensuing years. And with Eversys also a part of the new subsidiary, the three companies could become a force to be reckoned with.

What this means for the wider coffee sector, however, remains to be seen. In an ideal world, innovation in coffee equipment will continue to thrive.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why acquisitions are becoming more common in the coffee industry.

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One of the latest and most prominent acquisitions was in July 2023, when Keurig Dr Pepper purchased a US $300 million minority stake in La Colombe. As part of its 33% stake, KDP now sells and distributes La Colombe’s ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee beverages, and also manufactures, sells, and distributes La Colombe-branded K-Cup coffee pods under a licence agreement in North America.

More recently, however, iconic US Greek yoghurt brand Chobani bought La Colombe for US $900 million. The two companies have a close history, with Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya often publicly stating his interest in the pioneering coffee roaster.

So it’s clear that Chobani wants to expand even more into the RTD coffee segment, and La Colombe is determined to maintain its grip on the market. But what does the acquisition mean for the future of RTD coffee — and what does it say about the opportunities for smaller specialty coffee roasters?

To find out, I spoke to Tony Dreyfuss, co-founder and co-president of Metropolis Coffee Company.

You may also like our article on whether Keurig Dr Pepper’s minority stake in La Colombe is a sign that acquisition is inevitable in specialty coffee.

Chobani & La Colombe: A history

Given how influential both brands are, the reasons for the recent acquisition are quite clear. But it’s also important to consider that the relationship between Chobani and La Colombe dates back some years.

Founded in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti, La Colombe was one of the first roasters to help establish third wave coffee culture in North America, with the vision “to make the world better through coffee”.

With this focus on craft and quality – alongside a commitment to supporting both local and coffee-growing communities and improving sustainable practices – La Colombe quickly became a pioneer in the industry.

Fast forward nine years and it had started manufacturing RTD cold coffee drinks, including cold brew and its innovative draft lattes. The latter include a valve mechanism at the base of the cans which injects the liquid with nitrous oxide – mimicking the creamy mouthfeel of steamed milk.

Around the same time, Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya expressed interest in investing in La Colombe. Between 2014 and 2015, Ulukaya has previously offered La Colombe US $60 million for a controlling stake in the company. And since then, the brands have collaborated several times – ranging from projects supporting refugees to cold brew creamer beverages.

It’s also easy to point to this as a natural partnership between the two brands. Chobani’s historic focus on alternative milks and La Colombe’s pioneering RTD beverages both align with where specialty coffee is going — making it a perfect match.

What does the acquisition mean for RTD & the wider coffee industry?

There’s no doubt that this acquisition will see La Colombe’s operations expand and continue to push sales for its wildly successful RTD draft lattes. Within 18 months of their launch, the draft lattes already comprised more than 1% of the total US RTD coffee market share.

Most notably, the acquisition shows just how important RTD really is for coffee roasters. This is a landmark, high-value acquisition in a segment that the industry has long since heralded as being fast-growing.

For roasters who are able to tackle RTD and diversify their beverage portfolio, this acquisition shows the sheer amount of potential in the segment. It’s also important to acknowledge that it reflects the direction of consumer behaviour.

Most modern specialty coffee consumers are interested first and foremost in factors like convenience and customisation rather than chasing down higher quality micro lots at any costs. In other words: RTD is a key segment for specialty coffee brands looking to diversify and reach a wider audience. This understandably presents a huge opportunity for brands who can access the market.

However, consolidation like this does inevitably mean that it can be challenging for smaller roasters to compete in this market — especially compared to distribution networks like Chobani’s and La Colombe’s.

Metropolis manufactures and sells canned cold brew, kegs, and concentrates in partnership with co-packers, so Tony has an in-depth understanding of the market.

“Distribution of RTD coffee products can be very complicated because it’s all cold chain,” he says. “Unless you’re backed by a big company which specialises in cold chain distribution, it’s difficult to have access to that kind of network.

“What’s more, most specialty coffee companies aren’t interested in shelf-stable RTD products because they tend to be lower quality, so they have to sell and distribute on a smaller, more local scale for a higher price,” he adds.

How can smaller brands keep up?

This acquisition is just another sign that the investment into RTD coffee is only continuing to grow. As we’ve said, it might not be easy, but for the companies who can reach this consumer base, there is an immense amount of potential.

Despite the focus on convenience and customisation, it is important to meet the quality standards that consumers have come to expect — especially as more and more players recognise how valuable this segment is.

“Sales of our RTD cold brew are more than five times the amount they were over three years ago – mostly through kegs and concentrate sales, as well as through food service distributors,” Tony says.

Ultimately, however, it’s about more than just using high-quality coffee and creating innovative RTD drinks.

“Marketing is essential,” Tony tells me. “Consumers don’t really know many of the smaller RTD coffee brands outside of their home market, so you need to invest a lot of money on marketing and branding.

“You need to consider a combination of factors, including manufacturing availability and costs and distribution issues,” he adds. “But there’s still a massive market for smaller players.”

By delving deeper into the relationship between Chobani and La Colombe, the recent acquisition makes a lot of sense. But the industry definitely needs to keep an eye on how this strategic partnership influences the RTD coffee market in the coming months.

We can surely say that it will only drive RTD coffee quality even further – and specialty coffee roasters will need to stay ahead of the game if they want to keep up with the bigger brands.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why acquisitions are becoming more common in the coffee industry.

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Additionally, there is another practice that coffee professionals and enthusiasts have been using for some time now to assist with espresso (and filter) preparation: the Ross Droplet Technique (or RDT). Quite simply, it involves spraying roasted coffee with water prior to grinding.

We have known for quite some time that the RDT helps to reduce static during the grinding process. But more recently, a newly published study indicates that this practice can improve the ability to extract more “favourable” flavours.

While this could certainly be true, one question still remains – is it really that practical for coffee shops to carry out?

To find out, I spoke to Christopher Hendon, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon.

You may also like our article on channelling and how it affects espresso extraction.

What exactly is the Ross Droplet Technique?

Although the exact origins are hard to verify, it’s believed the RDT was first developed by coffee professional David Ross in 2005. It then took several years for the practice to be more widely adopted, particularly in the home barista community.

The method itself is very simple. Most people place the handle of a spoon (or a similar utensil) under running water and then use it to stir their dose of roasted coffee beans. In theory, this evenly distributes the water droplets across the surface of the beans.

As well as being an Associate Professor at the University of Oregon, Christopher Hendon is also a co-author of Water for Coffee. He explains one of the biggest impacts of adding a very small amount of water to roasted whole bean coffee.

“It reduces the surface charging, which decreases both the mess made on the counters and grinder retention to almost zero,” he tells me.

Whether you’re a barista or a home brewer, you will have certainly encountered ground coffee either clinging to the grinder chute or dispenser chamber, or ending up on the counters. This is because there is an imbalance between the charge of the particles in the coffee and in the grinder – which means they repel one another. 

By adding water (but always in very small amounts), however, the static charges are conducted more easily – which reduces grind retention and mess.

Does it help improve extraction?

Many coffee professionals and enthusiasts can attest to the benefits of the RDT in terms of reducing static build up – and thereby minimising waste. But what about improving extraction?

According to a recent study published in Matter, the addition of water – by spraying the beans once – prior to grinding can help extract more desirable flavours. The research team (which included Christopher) used a range of roast profiles and categories the coffees into three different groups:

• Natural
• Washed
• Decaffeinated

After calculating the electrical charge of all the coffees, the researchers measured how much electrical static accumulated on each dose once ground using a Mahlkönig EK43.

Christopher mentions other findings which the team picked up on: “When adding sufficient water, particle size distribution changes, which in turn impacts flow rate.

“The effect is more pronounced for more charged and drier coffees, such as darker and espresso roast profiles,” he adds.

Can coffee shops actually use the RDT effectively?

Across the board, very few coffee shops use the RDT when preparing both espresso and filter – although it’s more commonly used for the former because of finer grind sizes. 

Following one of James Hoffmann’s YouTube videos released in 2017, however, the practice is fairly popular with home baristas who have much more capacity to carry it out.

In response to the Matter study, one of Hoffmann’s latest videos tests the RDT using different grinders with around four sprays of water per dose (around 18g), but found significantly different results between various brands and models. While there certainly is the need for more controlled studies, this indicates that results may not always be consistent.

Additionally, the practice of either spraying or stirring each dose just before grinding could be too time consuming – especially during busy rushes.

“Implementing the RDT in a coffee shop setting may be limited to places which only pre-dose and then use single-dose grinders,” Christopher says. “At least for now anyway – until someone adapts the process to be more suitable for on-demand grinders.”

In the quest to perfect espresso extraction, there’s no doubt the Ross Droplet Technique could help baristas and home brewers. There are, however, many more important variables to consider which have more of an overall impact.

And as for carrying it out efficiently and consistently in coffee shops, it doesn’t seem particularly likely for now.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee shops can use espresso machine technology to their advantage.

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To make the process a little bit easier, we’ve compiled a list to suit a range of budgets and interests.

Read on for the 2023 Perfect Daily Grind holiday gift guide!

You may also like our guide to choosing the right specialty coffee gift.

Stocking fillers

Most often, the smallest gifts can be the most thoughtful and appreciated. Take a look at some of our suggestions below.

Try a new roaster

Prices vary

Gifting someone a bag of coffee is always a great go-to option. And trying a new roaster is one of the best ways for them to experience new origins, varieties, and processing methods.

For European customers, TAF is a roaster based in Athens, Greece. It offers a range of different coffees, including single estate beans, competition blends, and exclusive Taloumis Family Limited Reserve lots.

One of TAF’s gift options is the Taloumis Family Limited Reserve Exotic Varieties range, which includes coffees from award-winning and pioneering farms from around the world.

Coffee plant puzzle

From USD 19.40; EUR 18,00; GBP 15.42

For something a little different – but still very much coffee related – this 1,000-piece jigsaw coffee plant puzzle from Tens Hundreds Thousands is a unique gift idea.

Designed by water colour artist Victorinus “Terra” Bahtra, the jigsaw makes for a striking lifelike image of a coffee plant, including cherries and flowers.

Huskee reusable coffee cup

From USD 25.17; EUR 23.35; GBP 20

Huskee manufactures reusable cups from coffee husk – the thin layer that surrounds the beans. However, the certified B Corp recently launched its HuskeeRenew range, with all products made from 50% post-consumer recycled material.

The range includes cups and saucers, and are available as single items or in four-packs.

Orea V3 MK2 brewer

From USD 37.75; EUR 35.02; GBP 29.99

A new pour over brewer is always a safe option for a coffee professional or enthusiast, allowing them to experiment with different recipes and techniques.

The Orea V3 MK2 is one of the latest and most talked about manual brewers on the market. With its uniquely designed base, the V3 MK2 allows for a more consistent flow rate – even with finer grind settings.

How to make the best coffee at home book

From USD 21.38; EUR 19.84; GBP 16.99

James Hoffmann’s latest book teaches industry professionals and coffee lovers alike how to create repeatable brewing recipes – for both filter and espresso – at home.

As well as exploring how to make better-tasting coffee, Hoffmann’s book covers a range of topics, from understanding water and extraction levels to how to get the best results from your grinder.

Under the tree

At a slightly higher price point, these gifts are a great way to surprise a loved one.

Green coffee for a roaster

Prices may vary

Gifting green coffee can be an excellent choice for the roaster in your life – and there are many options to choose from. Balzac Brothers has been supplying green coffee since 1917 green coffee, and sources coffee from many different origin countries, including Papua New Guinea.

Caravela Coffee is a specialty coffee trader and supplies coffee to roasters in Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US. Every year, Caravela helps to train 2,000 producers through its PECA programme.

Mercon Specialty first launched in 2019, and offers a Small Box Program for roasters of all sizes. All boxes are 20lbs and come fully sealed with free shipping.

Family-owned and operated Royal Coffee sell 22lb Crown Jewel green coffee boxes. Each one comes with a five-part analysis discussing the producer’s story, general information about the green coffee, roast and brew profiles across multiple roasters and brewers, and cupping notes from the Royal team.

Ally Open coffee courses

Start at USD 195; EUR 180.91; GBP 154.95

Ally Open is an initiative launched by specialty coffee supplier Ally Coffee to provide specifically-selected green coffee lots to roasters, as well as offering a number of online courses.

The Essential Coffee Roasting Course features industry expert and consultant Rob Hoos, and is a self-paced online programme designed for professional roasters looking to develop their skills.

PRF Guatemala ticket

Start at USD 106.74; EUR 99.07; GBP 84.84

PRF will return to Guatemala on 7 and 8 March 2024 at the Anacafé venue in Guatemala City. Thousands of visitors are expected to attend the two-day forum, which will include lectures and workshops, as well as pioneering competitions.

Tickets are available now, including for the Sourcing Trip Experience.

Baratza Encore ESP

From USD 199.95; EUR 185.61; GBP 158.96

Baratza manufactures some of the world’s most popular home coffee grinders. Recently, it has revamped its iconic Encore grinder for espresso, too.

As well as being able to grind fine enough for espresso, the Encore ESP also includes a dosing cup, and is available in black or white.

AeroPress Clear and XL

From USD 69.16; EUR 64.20; GBP 54.99

The AeroPress is one of the most beloved coffee brewers in the industry. This year, the company launched its all-new AeroPress Clear and the first-ever AeroPress XL, which comes with its own carafe.
The new AeroPress organiser stand also makes a great gift, and is compatible with the original, Clear, and XL brewers.

Premium

If you have a bigger budget for someone special in your life, here are a few gift ideas which have slightly higher price tags.

Flair 58 and 58 Plus

From USD 580; EUR 538.46; GBP 461.09

Manual espresso machines are a great opportunity for home baristas to truly experiment with dialling in – and Flair Espresso has several options.

The Flair 58 includes a 58mm portafilter, Preheat Temperature Controller, and a new valve plunger and a puck screen. The Flair 58 Plus, meanwhile, also includes an articulating shot mirror to ensure more even extraction.

Dalla Corte Studio

From USD 4,614.46; EUR 4,285.90; GBP 3,670

Dalla Corte’s latest single-group espresso machine is designed to fit anywhere. With its small compact size, the multi-boiler machine allows the user to control a number of variables, including temperature and extraction time.

The Studio is also available in eight customisable colours to suit a range of preferences.

Rancilio Silvia

From USD 1,710.78; EUR 1,588.71; GBP 1,360

The Silvia Pro X is a single-group, dual-boiler home espresso machine which includes a number of unique features, such as thermal stability and soft infusion technologies.

Rancilio’s latest home espresso machine is available in four colours: stainless steel, black, white, and pink.

Faemina

From USD 6,162.57; EUR 5,722.69; GBP 4,899

The dual-boiler Faemina home espresso machine can be used to extract both espresso and filter coffee, and also includes a manual and automatic steam wand to create high-quality microfoam.

The machine can also be connected to Faema’s app, which allows the user to remotely set different extraction parameters at any time.

Marco Ottomatic® 2.0

From USD 322.45; EUR 312.51; GBP 270

The Marco Ottomatic® 2.0 is a fully automated pour over coffee machine, designed to be used with the Chemex.

Marco’s automatic brewer includes pulse-brewing technology to ensure even extraction, and even features an iced coffee mode.

Baby Hardtank

From USD 4,524.43 ; EUR 4,200; GBP 3,595.41

The Baby Hardtank is a quick and efficient cold brew solution, and even won the 2021 SCA Best New Product award. 

Hardtank’s countertop machine can prepare up to four litres of cold brew tea or coffee in less than one hour, and can be controlled using a touchscreen or app.

Giving gifts can go a long way during the holiday season – no matter how small. We hope our 2023 coffee gift guide gives you a few unique or exciting ideas for a coffee enthusiast or professional in your life.

Happy holidays from all of us here at Perfect Daily Grind!

Looking for more gift ideas? Then read our Perfect Daily Grind holiday gift guide 2022.

Photo credits: AeroPress, Flair Espresso, Huskee, Marco Beverage Systems, Rancilio

Prices were converted using the XE currency converter in December 2023, and may not be accurate at the time of reading. They do not include shipping/delivery.

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The post The 2023 Perfect Daily Grind holiday gift guide appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

So in line with this, it seems more and more water products designed specifically for brewing high-quality coffee are becoming available. The latest one is DesignerWater – developed in partnership with Kenneth Luciani, founder of Espresso House Denmark, Danish company Peter Larsen Kaffe, and the University of Copenhagen.

But it’s also important to question whether the market is becoming saturated with these products, and if they are still adding as much value to specialty coffee.

To find out more, I spoke to Maxwell Dashwood, founder of Colonna Coffee and water for coffee expert, and the team at DesignerWater.

You may also like our article on how cafés filter water for coffee.

Specialty coffee’s fixation with the “perfect” brewing water

As an industry, we already know that water quality and hardness have a huge impact on final cup quality. The topic has been explored almost endlessly. But many coffee professionals and enthusiasts are still in search of the most effective way to treat and filter water for brewing coffee.

In addition to being a three-time UK Barista Champion and WBC finalist, Maxwell is the co-author of Water for Coffee – a book which explores the science behind water and its effect on coffee.

“Water is definitely playing an important role in the industry these days and so new products make sense,” Maxwell explains. “We’re also seeing it in education, whether it’s books or online courses, water is really emphasised as being vital to cup quality.”

Alongside notable products like the Peak Water filter jug, Third Wave Water mineral packets, and reverse osmosis (RO) systems, there is an ever-growing variety of options.

The most recent is bottled water brand DesignerWater, which will officially launch in 2024. The company uses patent-pending RO systems and then adds optimal levels of salt and minerals to “enhance” the flavours in coffee.

“The industry’s focus on coffee quality, skills, and equipment naturally leads to increasing attention on the biggest ingredient by volume – water,” says the team at DesignerWater. “The results from our research with the University of Copenhagen are improved taste, easier equipment maintenance, and potentially prolonged equipment lifespan.”

But is there such a thing?

With so many water filtration systems and ready-to-use solutions now available, how can we know which is best to use?

While it ultimately depends on the quality and hardness of your original water source, there are also many other factors to consider when choosing a system or product to use, including:

• Cost
• Functionality
• Convenience

“We wrote the first Water for Coffee book back in 2015, and one of the things we talked about was the idea of making your own water with mineral salts,” Maxwell says. “Now that we’re writing the second edition, I’m thinking about how much of that has been adopted and how much it’s changed.

“I think the solutions that use some kind of deionised and demineralised water and then add mineral salts are the most controllable,” he adds. “But when I take part or judge an AeroPress Championship, I can taste that people have added too many minerals to their water. I definitely think there is a trend of adding too many mineral salts.

“But the reason that it’s so popular is that it offers control,” Maxwell continues. “So if you live in an area where your water source isn’t very good, then adding mineral salts is a good solution.”

A passing trend, or here to stay?

There’s no doubt that the industry’s fixation on water for coffee will remain – and is likely to keep growing in the future.

“I definitely see more people trying to explore that space,” Maxwell says. “It’s also interesting from a consumer point of view because I think there’s still a lot of confusion around water – it’s a complex subject.

“But more and more people are aware of water and are playing around with trying to improve it – and awareness is key,” he adds. “There clearly is demand for these products. There’s recognition that water is really important not just from baristas and coffee enthusiasts, but also from more mainstream coffee drinkers.”

At the same time, however, we need to understand which water filtration systems and ready-to-use solutions are adding the most value to the industry. And to a certain extent, the answer is subjective as it largely depends on the quality of your water in the first place.

The search continues

Given his level of expertise, Maxwell believes that more work is necessary to not only know more about water for brewing coffee, but also to find the best options.

“As an industry, we’re going to develop our understanding of water even further. I think we’re going to see more and more products, and it’s very interesting to see which ones will be the most effective with consumers,” he says. “A lot of what I’m seeing is just people playing around with different ways of repackaging mineral salts, either as salts themselves or made into concentrations.

“There is still more to learn about water and coffee,” he adds. “We know bicarbonate is massively important, and controlling it has the biggest impact on the way the coffee tastes.

“We know that the other minerals also matter, specifically calcium and magnesium, and we’re trying to control them more,” he concludes. “However, I think that a convenient water solution that is effective and produces the best tasting coffee is still something that the industry is searching for. I’m not sure anyone’s made it.”

In the end, maybe there is no one-size-fits-all solution to creating the perfect water for brewing coffee. With this in mind, considering your options – and understanding where your water comes from – is a vital first step.

It can be a complicated topic, but by knowing how to optimise water for coffee, you are able to potentially experience a whole new world of flavour.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how baristas can maximise water quality and consistency.

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The post Danish researchers develop water specifically for coffee brewing – but just how valuable is it? appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.

To a certain extent, as with every year, we have an idea of what might happen at the World Barista Championship. Undoubtedly, baristas will be showcasing some truly excellent coffees, alongside their flair for creativity and innovation.

In addition to our expectations, however, the Specialty Coffee Association recently released the updated rules and regulations for the 2024 WBC. 

“Rules changes are focused on minor language clarifications to current practices around judging, conflicts of interest, and the milk beverage,” the organisation said in a press release. “Additionally, the tactile experience section of the espresso evaluation protocol has been updated.”

So let’s break down these new rules and how they could impact the competition – as well as any other trends we might see at next year’s event. I spoke to Daniele Ricci, 2023 WBC runner-up, and Anthony Douglas, 2022 World Barista Champion, to discuss further.

You may also like our article on what happened at the 2023 World Barista Championship.

Reflecting on previous changes to World Barista Championship rules

Before we take a look at next year’s WBC rules and regulations, we must first revisit the changes made to the 2023 competition format. These were some of the biggest the industry has ever seen.

By far the most significant rule changes were:

• Competitors will be able to use “commercially-available animal and plant-based milks” in the milk beverage course
  • Prior to this rule change, a milk beverage had to contain cow’s milk. If not, a competitor using any other type of milk would score zero in the milk beverage round
• No additional ingredients added to milk for the milk beverage course. If not, the competitor will receive zero points in the “Taste Experience” category
• Brewing temperature can be anywhere between 90.5°C and 96°C (or 195°F and 205°F)
  • Competitors can also select individual group head temperatures
• Updated scoresheets, which are now in compliance with the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment

Examining the latter specifically, there are now four types of scoring at the WBC:

• A yes/no score (or 1/0) for the Evaluation Scales stage
• A numeric score from 0 to 3 for “accuracy”
• A numeric score from 0 to 3 for “impression”
• A numeric score from 0 to 6 for “experience”

Additionally, for the espresso course, scoring aftertaste is now part of the “Taste Experience” category, as opposed to assessing tactile descriptors. Similarly, WBC competitors need to provide descriptors for the thickness and texture of their espresso, which the judges will assess. 

And finally, beyond technical skills, judges are also scoring competitors based on the originality of their routine and concept – alongside wider considerations for assessing the total impression score.

So what are the new 2024 rules and regulations?

Following on from the 2023 WBC rule changes, next year’s competition was already going to be an interesting one. But with the SCA announcing new and updated 2024 rules and regulations, what else could be in store?

Anthony Douglas is the Head of Research and Development at Axil Coffee Roasters in Melbourne, Australia. He also won the 2022 WBC.

“I’m genuinely enthused about the direction of the new rules and regulations for the 2024 WBC in Busan,” he says. “These changes signal a progressive shift, encouraging more of an expression of the specificity and complexity of descriptors, as well as giving more weight to elements of the scoresheet directly attributed to a barista’s ability to dial in their coffee.”

Milk Beverage 3.2

Once again, the biggest change revolves around the milk beverage course. Although the new rule has been added for clarity – and doesn’t formally impact current practices – there are still nuances that competitors should be aware of:

“All commercially available unflavored milks can be used. Plain (sweetened or unsweetened) plant-based milks and animal milks can be used. Combining and blending commercially available milks is allowed, provided all milks are commercially available and prepared as directed, if required (e.g. commercially available milk powders may be used, if prepared as directed on the package). Outside of combining milks, no additions may be made to milk, regardless of the type of milk chosen. Competitors can remove elements from commercially available milks (e.g. through freeze-distillation) provided that no ingredients or additives are used in the process of distillation.”

One of the biggest takeaways from this could be that we see more competitors use plant milk blends – or even animal and plant milk blends. If so, baristas would be following in the footsteps of several 2023 WBC competitors. These include finalist Patrik Rolf, who used a blend of 90% cow’s milk and 10% coconut milk, and semi-finalist Benjamin Put, who used a blend containing 40% oat milk.

Tactile experience 15.1.15

Similar to one of the 2023 rule changes, the way judges assess lingering mouthfeel is now distinct from aftertaste:

“The tactile experience that is present after the coffee has left the mouth will be taken into consideration in the Tactile Experience (e.g. astringent or silky).”

Considering that mouthfeel is not directly related to aftertaste, this rule change seems logical. And it could potentially make the judging process slightly easier.

Espresso 3.1 

For the 2024 competition, one of the more interesting rule changes refers somewhat to infused or flavoured coffees:

“Coffee is the accumulation of roasted product of the seed of the fruit of a plant of the genus Coffea. For the purposes of this competition, no additives of any kind may be added to coffee after it reaches the “green coffee” stage, i.e. seeds of the Coffea genus, dried as a part of the post harvest process, and free from all pericarp layers. This includes exposure to aromatic substances, flavorings, perfumes, liquids, powders, etc.”

While the SCA again states this rule was updated only for clarity, it is maybe an unexpected addition.

Ultimately, it means competitors won’t be able to use any infused or flavoured coffees in their routines. That is unless additional ingredients were added during processing before the coffee was dried.

How could the new rules affect next year’s competition?

Reflecting on the 2023-24 updated rules and regulations, a couple of things stand out regarding what might happen in Busan.

First and foremost, it would be unusual to not see more competitors incorporating plant milks in their routines. Although baristas may not choose to go fully plant-based during their performances, it’s likely that more will include at least one type of plant milk (most probably oat) during the milk beverage or signature drink courses.

“I think the increased freedom given in the milk beverage course more closely aligns with the signature beverage rules, in the sense that competitors can explore different milks and ratios in order to work with specific aspects of their coffee – creating and tailoring new and interesting experiences,” Anthony tells me. “We saw a little bit of this at the 2023 WBC in Greece, and I think there will be even more creative expression in Busan next year.”

Moreover, the rule change about additives and green coffee may encourage competitors to be open and transparent if they choose to include infused or flavoured coffees in their routines. This could push the boundaries of the championship even further.

Daniele Ricci is the head barista at MAME Specialty Coffee in Zürich, Switzerland. He is also the 2023 WBC runner-up.

“We will for sure see a higher number of competitors using plant-based beverages, as well as more in-depth innovation and knowledge regarding infused coffees and/or new fermentation techniques,” he says.

Additional trends to look out for

Of course, we should always expect to see high-quality varieties and species on the WBC stage. These include Gesha, Sidra, and eugenioides, to name a few. And considering that so many 2023 WBC finalists used Colombian coffees, there is a chance this trend could continue.

“I think competitors will keep using Panamanian and Colombian coffees mainly, and a few new countries perhaps,” Daniele tells me. “Pure natural and washed coffees will be difficult to find at next year’s competition. Especially in the second and final rounds.”

Finally, given the surprising lack of female representation at the 2023 competition, we should also hope to see more diversity on the global coffee stage.

The 2024 World Barista Championship will take place from 1 to 4 May at the inaugural World of Coffee Asia event in Busan, South Korea.

While we won’t know what will happen for sure, for now, the new rule changes provide us with some insight as to how the competition is changing.

“In summary, these recent updates not only foster greater creativity, but also empower baristas to more expressively showcase their expertise and individuality on the global stage,” Anthony concludes.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why more people didn’t use plant milks at the 2023 WBC.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Championships

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But recently, there have been noticeable declines in revenue for some of the biggest decaf coffee manufacturers. And while there could be many reasons for this, it’s important to ask whether people are still drinking as much decaf coffee.

To find out more, I spoke to Clara Malmros, Business Development at Decadent Decaf Coffee Co. – read on for more of her insight.

You may also like our article on whether low-caf varieties could replace decaf.

Breaking down decaf

The earliest decaffeination process dates back to the turn of the 21st century, when German merchant Ludwig Roselius boiled coffee in salt water and then flushed it with benzene (which was quickly found to be carcinogenic).

Since then, the industry has established several food safe ways to remove caffeine from green coffee. These include:

• The Swiss Water Process, which is one of the safest and most natural ways to strip caffeine from beans
• The Mountain Water Process, which is similar to the above method, but involves changing different variables (such as water flow, temperature, and pressure)
• Carbon dioxide method, where manufacturers soak green coffee in liquid CO2
• The sugarcane method, which involves applying a natural ethyl acetate extract to green coffee

Given that Roselius’ rudimentary decaffeination process clearly wasn’t in line with current health and safety standards, some people still unfairly perceive decaf coffee to be harmful to their health. Alongside these often false claims, there are also negative connotations attached to decaf – particularly regarding quality and flavour.

However, many specialty coffee roasters (and even competitors) are working to change these perceptions. As part of a general push to source higher-quality coffee, it’s clear that decaf options are getting better and better, too.

In turn, demand for decaf has been growing over the past few years – especially during and following the pandemic when at-home coffee consumption rose sharply. For instance, according to data from Mintel, one in five coffee drinkers in the UK opted for decaf in 2021. 

With more people brewing coffee at home, coffee drinkers naturally started to become more aware of their caffeine intake and saw decaf as a more viable and dependable option.

So is decaf coffee becoming less popular?

Although the global decaf market is predicted to grow over the next seven years, recent data shows that some of the bigger decaffeinated coffee manufacturers are experiencing declines in revenue. But is this necessarily related to a fall in consumer sales?

Well, not exactly. Canadian company Swiss Water, as one example, reported a 29% drop in 2023 Q3 revenue on 8 November. In a press release, the company stated:

“The decrease is the result of the expected period of reduced sales volume due to capacity limitations caused by the exit from the Burnaby site prior to the completion of the second production line at Delta. This was partially offset by increased volume demand from customers in the first quarter. In addition, green coffee prices were materially lower when compared to the same periods in 2022.”

Considering these circumstances, it’s likely that falling revenue is not permanent.

“We believe recent revenue decline is temporary, and that there are still great opportunities to grow the decaf market as more people need or want to manage their caffeine intake,” Clara says.

She adds, however, that there is still room for improvement.

“I think that the quality of decaf coffee just isn’t good enough right now,” she explains. “We recently did some market research and purchased a wide range of big brands’ decaf options, and found that many just didn’t taste great.”

Ultimately, Clara believes that roasters should be more accountable for maintaining quality. 

“Generally speaking, what the coffee industry needs to do is put more effort into roasting great decaf coffee,” she tells me. “It shouldn’t be an afterthought, and serious coffee roasters shouldn’t be roasting the cheapest beans they can find.”

Low-caf varieties: are they really a solution?

Despite falls in revenue for large decaf manufacturers, it’s evident that consumer sales remain strong. But at the same time, we’ve also seen naturally low-caf varieties like Laurina and AC1 emerge in recent years.

While these varieties pose a potential solution to drinking higher-quality coffee while also reducing caffeine intake, the market for them remains very small. And with farmers unable to scale production anytime soon for a number of reasons (including their low caffeine levels), these varieties can’t yet compete with the decaf market.

“In general, the coffee industry as a whole needs to embrace decaf more,” Clara believes. “Less ‘death before decaf’ and more ‘cheers to great coffee without caffeine’ – similar to the rise of the no or low-alcohol movement.

“We are seeing a range of high-quality Swiss Water Decaf coffees available, and we expect that this will pique the interest of people who might not have explored decaf coffees before,” she adds. “We also think there is great market potential for half-caf and naturally low-caf varieties.”

Decaf has and always will be popular. With many consumers wanting to manage their caffeine intake for a number of reasons, demand will continue to stabilise or grow further.

At the same time, further research on how producers can grow naturally low-caf coffee is essential for the global industry to unlock the true market potential of these varieties.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how decaf coffee is made.

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On 23 October 2023 – for the first time in 24 years – CoE updated its rules to now include three distinct categories: dry process, wet process, and experimentals. 

“We’ve observed a necessity to evolve and adapt in ways that will continue to uplift the incredible work and dedication of coffee producers,” said Erwin Mierisch, Executive Director of Alliance for Coffee Excellence, in a press release. “This categorisation allows us to honour the diverse methodologies in coffee processing and recognise excellence in its many forms.”

So it’s clear that CoE wants to focus on and highlight a wider range of processing methods – some of which are becoming increasingly popular in specialty coffee. But how could the new rules affect producers who want to submit their coffees to the competition?

I spoke to Erwin Mierisch and Henrique Cambraia, president of the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association, to find out more.

You may also like our article on how specialty coffee roasters buy rare lots at auctions.

How does Cup of Excellence work?

Since the first competition took place in Brazil in 1999, the format of CoE has remained the same:

• Each farm, estate, or co-operative in a participating country can submit one sample for free
• A pre-selection stage takes place where a national jury cups all samples
  • All samples that score 86 points or above advance to the next stage (which includes no more than 150 samples)
• Two rounds of cuppings are led by a national jury, with coffees scoring 86 points or above whittled down to 40 samples
• Three rounds of international jury cupping
  • In the first round, judges cup all 40 samples
  • A maximum of 30 samples that score over 87 points are cupped again in the second round to be awarded the Cup of Excellence
  • The international jury then cup the ten highest-scoring samples one last time to determine final rankings

It’s also important to note that all cuppings are blind to ensure fairness and impartiality.

Around six weeks after the international jury cuppings, the top 30 coffees are sold via an online auction on the Alliance for Coffee Excellence website. The three highest-scoring coffees are split into two lots if they score 90 points and above. 

Winning farmers are also recognised at an awards ceremony, where producers who submit coffees that receive over 90 points are given a “Presidential award” to acknowledge their hard work and dedication.

Breaking down the new rules

So with the new rules announced, what has actually changed?

Each participating country can now choose to include three categories in its competition – and thereby the auction as well. These are:

• Dry process (natural processing methods)
• Wet process (including washed, honey, pulped natural, and semi-washed processing methods)
• Experimentals (which includes both wet and dry processes with special treatments, provided that the producer doesn’t use any additives other than water)

If a participating country decides to follow this new format, all coffees will be divided into these three categories so they can be cupped and scored separately. This will result in three sets of CoE winners. 

Henrique Cambraia is the owner of Fazenda Samambaia in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and also manages Sancoffee – a carbon-neutral co-operative in the same region of the country. In addition to being the president of the BSCA, Henrique has been a member of the association for over 20 years.

“We believe that these new categories reflect the constant evolution in coffee processing,” he says. “Therefore, separating lots with specific characteristics will provide better opportunities both for growers that use different methods, but also for coffee buyers that may have preferences in terms of cup profile.”

What does this mean for judges & competitors?

Erwin is an award-winning third-generation coffee producer at Fincas Mierisch – a collective of 14 farms in both Nicaragua and Honduras. Fincas Mierisch also hosts its own Los Favoritos Private Collection Auction in partnership with Alliance for Coffee Excellence. Private auctions are becoming increasingly popular in specialty coffee, and can often fetch eye-watering prices.

In July 2023, Erwin was appointed executive director of both CoE and ACE following the resignation of Darrin Daniel, who had held the position since 2017.

“Cup of Excellence’s new rule change marks a significant evolution in the coffee industry fostering a culture of excellence and innovation,” he tells me. 

“The rule change is a game changer, especially for younger, less experienced cuppers,” he adds. “In previous competitions, analysing cleaner, more subtle, and nuanced coffees alongside ‘louder’ and less refined ones posed a challenge.”

It’s certainly true that in a competition environment, cupping different processed coffees alongside one another isn’t exactly an easy task. In terms of assessing quality, comparing cleaner, brighter flavours of a washed coffee to the more complex and funkier notes of anaerobic fermented lots, for example, is difficult to say the least – even for experienced coffee professionals.

Moreover, it’s possible that judges can also exhibit unconscious bias towards washed and honey processed methods. As these techniques tend to result in sweeter flavour profiles that are more expressive of terroir, these coffees tend to perform well at certain CoE competitions.

The decision to include three distinct categories certainly opens up CoE to be a little more inclusive. In theory, it could make it easier for natural and experimental processed coffees to score higher at certain competitions – especially in countries where washed processing is the most popular.

Impact on future Cup of Excellence competitions

The first competition to take place since the launch of the new format was the 2023 Brazil CoE, with the results announced on 28 October. The winners of each category are:

• Experimental category – a 91.32 anaerobic fermented Gesha from Fazenda Rio Verde
• Dry process – a 91.38 natural Gesha from Fazenda Rainha
• Wet process – a 92.15 pulped natural Gesha from Fazenda Rio Verde

Over the years, many coffees have received 90 points or more at CoE Brazil competitions, so these results aren’t particularly surprising. And given that the majority of Brazilian coffee is processed using either natural or pulped natural methods, the 2023 CoE Brazil results are unlikely to accurately reflect how the new rules could impact other competitions – particularly ones where washed and honey processed coffees tend to perform better.

For example, at the 2023 CoE Guatemala competition, the vast majority of the top 28 coffees were washed, with three scoring over 90 points. In line with this, participating countries like Guatemala – and other Central and South American and African countries – could decide to stick with the original format where judges cup and score all coffees together. Whether this puts them at an advantage or disadvantage is up for debate.

Acknowledging more novel processing methods

For competing producers, one of the biggest advantages of categorising coffees by processing method could be creating more space to celebrate and reward new and advanced processing techniques.

In recent years, more experimental processing methods like anaerobic fermentation, carbonic maceration, and lactic fermentation have become increasingly popular in the specialty coffee sector. Enjoyed by both coffee professionals and consumers, these methods have helped to change and enhance the experience of drinking coffee – and opened up a whole new world of flavours. In some cases, they can also help to fetch higher prices, too.

“Now, with these revisions, we are comparing apples to apples in order to allow the next generation of coffee enthusiasts to appreciate and understand the attributes of different processing methods,” Erwin says. “We’re helping to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation in our ever-evolving coffee landscape.” 

Fair game?

At the same time, however, not all producers have the means and resources to implement these processing techniques successfully. It requires great skill and specialist equipment to carry out most advanced processing methods – or farmers risk a drop in coffee quality.

The outcome of opening up the competition to have more of a spotlight on different processing methods could go in several directions – for better or for worse. At the 2023 CoE Brazil event, “marco aerobic system”, “Pedro Bras Top”, and “CD Honey” were some of the more unique-sounding ones – but how do we even define these processing techniques? 

According to the new CoE standards, they must not include any “additives other than water”, which obviously rules out certain methods.

What’s more, over the past few years, we’ve seen more and more experimentally processed coffees included in the top 30 highest-scoring coffees. It’s becoming more common to see anaerobic washed or natural coffees receive 87 points or above for certain participating countries, so the new rules could see this trend continue.

Whether the CoE rule changes will have a positive or negative impact on the future of the competitions is purely a matter of opinion, and people are sure to have plenty.

With the Ecuador and Indonesia CoE competitions soon to take place, it will be interesting to see if they follow in Brazil’s footsteps and adopt the new category format. And if they don’t, it leads us to question the reasons behind these decisions.

Enjoyed this? Then read our guide to green coffee auctions.

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Next year, PRF will return to Guatemala on 7 & 8 March. The two-day forum previously took place in the prominent producing country in 2019, and attracted coffee professionals from around the world.

The 2024 edition will be even bigger – with thousands of attendees able to take part in lectures, workshops, cuppings, and competitions at the Anacafé venue in Guatemala City.

As with every PRF event, prominent figures in the global coffee industry will present on a number of topics. If you would like to speak at PRF Guatemala on a subject you are passionate and knowledgeable about, speaker applications are now open.

Read on to learn more about PRF, speaker requirements and responsibilities, and how you can apply.

Learn more about PRF here.

Why Guatemala?

The overall aim of PRF is to drive green coffee sales in the host country, as well as to champion Latin America as a global coffee knowledge hub. A large part of this revolves around bringing producers to the forefront of conversations and discussions at the event to make sure their insight and perspectives are heard and valued.

As part of this, the event serves as a platform to discuss the most important issues that the coffee industry faces today, as well as encouraging discussion on providing solutions.

So why is PRF returning to Guatemala?

Coffee production is integral to Guatemala’s economy, with more than 125,000 families across the country working in the sector. According to the International Coffee Organisation, it ranks in the top ten producing countries in the world – with an estimated 44% of Guatemala’s coffee grown by smallholder farmers.

Around the world, Guatemalan coffee is revered for its high quality and unique flavour profiles. In 2018, the government even recognised coffee production as an intangible heritage of the country – a clear sign of Guatemala’s pride for its coffee.

Luisa Fernanda Correa is the General Manager at Anacafé. The association was established in 1960 to represent the values and best interests of all coffee producers in Guatemala.

Anacafé will be the Host Country Sponsor for PRF Guatemala, and the two-day forum will take place at the association’s headquarters in Guatemala City.

“For Anacafé and Guatemalan Coffees, it is very exciting to once again host PRF,” Luisa says. “The event will offer some amazing opportunities to our coffee producers, and will be the perfect platform for international buyers to get to know our spectacular country and discover the amazing coffee that we produce.”

What’s happening at PRF Guatemala next year?

As with every previous PRF event, the two-day forum in Guatemala will include a series of thought-provoking and insightful lectures. Guest speakers will be able to share their knowledge, expertise, and passion about a wide range of topics with the expected 4,000 international attendees.

In addition to speeches and talks, PRF will also feature workshops, cuppings, an exhibition, and a VIP dinner for further networking opportunities.

Additionally, PRF Guatemala will host several coffee competitions, including:

• The third Global Roasting Contest, which includes a groundbreaking judging format never seen before seen in the industry
• The fourth Cold Brew Championship

Speaker applications are now open

Every year, PRF brings together leading experts and professionals from across the supply chain. Although the event has a specific focus on producers and roasters, all actors and stakeholders are welcome to apply.

Speakers and lecturers will be able to share their knowledge, experiences, and visions for the future of the coffee industry. Moreover, PRF creates a platform for people to discuss some of the issues which matter to them the most.

Martin Mayorga is the founder of Mayorga Coffee, which is the PRF Diamond Sponsor. At every PRF event, Mayorga Coffee sponsors around 500 smallholder farmers to attend the forum through its Beca Mayorga scholarship programme.

Martin also spoke at PRF Colombia on 14 & 15 September 2023 about how the industry can better support producers beyond paying higher prices for coffee.

“PRF helps us to connect and talk to smallholder producers, who have been quite disconnected from the market,” he said at the event. “Here, we can do the most important thing, which is to start the conversation, because if we really want to create change and make an impact, we have to know what farmers’ goals are and the challenges they face.”

Next year, PRF will focus exclusively on lectures to add more value to the experience for both attendees and speakers.

Who can apply to speak at PRF Guatemala?

If you are an English or Spanish-speaking coffee professional in any capacity, you are eligible to apply to become a speaker at PRF Guatemala. 

Applicants must have at least five years of experience in their respective fields, as well as some degree of public speaking experience. All presentations should be around 20 minutes.

Most importantly, speakers need to provide a beneficial or educational experience for attendees. Lectures at previous PRF events have discussed topics such as:

• Roasting coffee for competitions
• Bridging the age gap in production
• Experimental processing methods & fermentation
• The economics of green coffee trading

Speeches at PRF events also focus on the specific needs of the host country, with the aim of delivering value for key industry stakeholders in the country – especially producers. 

In line with this, speeches should be tailored to an audience of Latin American coffee professionals – including roasters, green coffee traders, baristas, and coffee competitors. As such, Guatemalan coffee professionals are specifically encouraged to apply.

It’s also important to note that PRF will record all speeches and post them on YouTube in the weeks following the event. Speakers will also be featured on the PRF website, social media channels, and newsletters.

Alongside a series of lectures, PRF Guatemala will also host workshops and cupping sessions. Applicants are welcome to apply to lead these sessions, too.

How can I apply?

If you would like to speak at PRF Guatemala, please apply by 1 December 2023. The event will take place on 7 & 8 March 2024, so the PRF team will approve the final speaker line-up long before then.

To apply, please fill out the speaker application form in English here and in Spanish here. The PRF team will carefully review and consider each application.

If successful, you will hear from the PRF team shortly after submitting your application. All speakers will receive a full-access ticket to the event. However, please note that speakers are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

PRF’s return to Guatemala will be one of the biggest events so far. The two-day forum will take place on 7 & 8 March 2024 at the Anacafé venue in Guatemala City. The PRF team will announce more details about the forum in the coming weeks.

To find out more about tickets for the Sourcing Trip Experience, a separate package which also includes access to the two-day PRF event, you can find more information here.

You can also take a look at lectures from previous PRF events here.

Apply to be a PRF Guatemala speaker by filling out this form in English or this form in Spanish.

Please note: PRF does not cover any travel, accommodation, or other costs for speakers.

Photo credits: Producer & Roaster Forum

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What has changed in the past few years, however, is the quality of coffee offered on commercial flights. With most airlines partnering with larger roasters and companies like Starbucks and illycaffè (to name a few), there has been little focus on using higher-quality coffee.

The lack of specialty coffee options on commercial flights even created the trend of brewing coffee onboard using the AeroPress – otherwise known as the rather tongue-in-cheek “Mile High Brew Club”.

But it may appear that more airlines are starting to offer higher-quality coffee. On 11 October 2023, Alaska Airlines – the fifth-largest airline in North America – announced it will serve Stumptown Coffee on all its flights by 1 December 2023. The two companies developed a custom blend which is “specially crafted to be enjoyed up in the air” as filter coffee.

This signals the end of Alaska’s partnership with Starbucks, and is a clear indication that the airline wants to serve better quality coffee to its passengers. So is this also a sign of specialty coffee becoming more popular, or is the Stumptown-Alaska Airlines collaboration to be expected?

Read on to find out more.

You may also like our article on whether airlines are starting to offer better coffee.

Serving coffee 30,000 feet in the air

If you’ve ever drank coffee on an airplane, you’ve probably noticed that it doesn’t quite taste the same as usual. This is for a number of reasons, including:

• Airlines generally using lower-quality commodity-grade coffee
• Poor-quality brewing water onboard
• Limited brewing equipment
• Drinks are served by flight attendants, who are naturally less experienced than baristas or specialty coffee enthusiasts

One of the most important factors, however, is altitude. When we’re at higher altitudes, our ability to perceive flavours and aromas diminishes significantly. In fact, while on a plane, the sensitivity of our taste buds can be reduced by up to 30%. In turn, we tend to taste less acidity and sweetness, while bitterness is accentuated.

To avoid these issues, Alaska Airlines worked with Stumptown to develop a custom blend, which uses the same base coffee as Holler Mountain – the specialty roaster’s signature blend. Stumptown describes the organic blend as “roasted deep enough to bring out notes of toasted marshmallow and dark chocolate, while remaining exceptionally smooth and balanced”.

As part of developing this coffee, the two companies brewed over 200 pots of filter coffee and experimented with 20 different variables such as grind, dose, and types of paper filters. In addition to blind customer tastings, Stumptown and Alaska also conducted numerous tasting sessions both in the air and on the ground to make sure altitude had minimal impact on coffee flavour.

Other coffee-airline partnerships

Stumptown and Alaska Airlines are not the first to develop a custom “altitude-immune” coffee blend. In 2018, British Airways partnered with UK roaster Union Coffee to develop a medium roast Peruvian blend that was able to maintain flavour complexity at higher altitudes.

The coffee, however, was only available to British Airways passengers flying in first and business classes, as well as in the airline’s airport lounges.

We have also seen other roasters partner with airlines to serve their coffee onboard flights, such as:

• Hawaiian Paradise Coffee, which provides all coffee for Hawaiian Airlines – the largest operator of commercial flights to and from Hawaii
• Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union’s roasted coffee brand OneKoo, which supplies green and roasted coffee to Ethiopian Airlines

Similarly, more and more specialty coffee roasters have started to open locations in airports in recent years, including:

• US brands like Stumptown and Intelligentsia
• Colombian roaster Café Pergamino, which operates a location in José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín
• Greece’s Taf Coffee, which has a location in Athens International Airport

So is the Stumptown-Alaska partnership a sign of specialty coffee’s growing popularity?

It’s clear that more and more airport operators and airlines want to start serving higher-quality coffee to passengers. But does this necessarily mean that specialty coffee is becoming more mainstream?

When it comes to Stumptown and Alaska Airlines, maybe not. In fact, the partnership is something of a no-brainer. 

Both companies originate from the Pacific Northwest – with Stumptown founded in Portland, Oregon and Alaska headquartered near Seattle, Washington. Moreover, both Stumptown and Alaska lean heavily on their roots in their branding and marketing strategies, and proudly represent the Pacific Northwest.

It’s also important to consider that Alaska partners with other “artisanal” PNW brands. These include Portland-based craft ice cream company Salt & Straw, Oregon’s farmer-owned dairy co-operative Tillamook, and Seattle’s small-batch beer brewery Freemont Brewing. So given the airline’s intentional decisions to work with local, quality-focused companies, the recent deal with Stumptown only makes more sense.

The two companies also share other similarities which help to explain the recent partnership. Alaska Airlines has a clear focus on sustainability, and plans to become carbon net-zero by 2050. Additionally, the company says it was the first airline to implement an inflight recycling programme, as well as to eliminate plastic cups, straws, and stir sticks onboard. 

This clearly aligns with Stumptown’s sustainability strategy, too. The roaster, which is a B Corp, plans to stop sending all waste from its manufacturing operations to landfill by 2025. What’s more, the company defaulted to oat milk across all its coffee shops earlier this year in a bid to reduce its environmental impact.

A positive influence on specialty coffee?

Despite the Stumptown-Alaska partnership being rather obvious, it will undoubtedly have some benefits for the specialty coffee market.

According to Statista, over 41.6 million passengers flew on Alaska Airlines services in 2022. Clearly there is potential here to introduce a wider range of people to specialty coffee – and possibly pique their interest in drinking higher-quality coffee when they’re not flying, too.

However, Alaska’s flight attendants will need to make sure they brew Stumptown’s coffee to high enough standards if the new partnership is to have as much positive impact as it sets out to. Otherwise, with poor-quality water and a lack of attention to detail, passengers may not be able to tell the difference.

Given the proliferation of larger commercial chains in airports, and many airlines’ decisions to serve low-quality coffee onboard, it’s refreshing to see companies like Alaska choose to work with specialty coffee roasters like Stumptown.

And while this specific partnership may not necessarily indicate that specialty coffee is becoming more popular, hopefully it encourages other airlines and travel companies to follow suit.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on if following “The Road to Milan” the World Barista Championship is becoming more mainstream.

Photo credits: Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Alaska Airlines

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