News

by Emily Oak, Director, WBC and AIR Training & Development Manager

From June 23-25th at Olympia, in Kensington London, the world’s best baristas and coffee professionals gathered together under one roof to celebrate all facets of the specialty industry. Baristas from more than 50 countries represented their individual nations competing against each other in a bid to win the global title.
This year was fresh and even more interesting for two main reasons. Firstly, it was the first time a semi final round was introduced into the competition. This added a layer of complexity and difficulty for competitors and judges. Secondly, there were more than 15 second or third time champions competing. This mean the standard of performance was higher than it has ever been before. Australia’s reining Barista Champion Scottie Callaghan, (who was also World Latte Art Champion 2006 and Australian Barista Champion 2007) put in a solid performance, making it through both the preliminary and semi final rounds to the final of the championship, no easy task at all. Scott came away with the third place trophy, making him the third best barista in the world. Combined with the efforts of the rest of ‘Team Australia’ competing in a whole range of competitions (Latte Art, Good Spirits and Cup Tasting) Scott’s placing helped secure the overall team trophy for Australia…. Well Done!

What’s the election of Barak Obama in the US got to do with coffee in Australia? – Sydney roaster Campos Coffee have come up with a new blend they’re calling the OBAMA BLEND.
When you realise that both Will Young, Director of Campos Coffee in Sydney and John Ronchi, who heads the Queensland Campos Coffee, graduated with Political Science degrees, it’s not so surprising that they came up with the concept.

(more…)

Sept 17th 2008

The London-based International Coffee Organisation estimates that global coffee production in 2008/09 will reach about 131 million 60kg bags, up from a previous estimate of 128 million, according to Reuters Business News.

The revised estimate comes as Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry’s crop supply department, Conab, raised its estimate for Brazil’s 2008/09 coffee crop to 45.85 million bags, up from 45.5 million projected in May. The ICO estimates the 2007/08 global coffee crop unchanged at 118.2 million bags.

World coffee consumption was seen climbing to around 128 million bags this year if current growth rates continue, up from 124.7 million in 2007. The report didn’t give details on the expected implications for future coffee prices.

A 60-year-old Winnipeg woman successfully battled a carjacker this week, armed only with a cup of coffee. Sandy Bruderer was driving to work early on Wednesday and was stopped at a red light when a man with a knife opened her car door and ordered her to get out.

Bruderer instead started screaming and leaned on the horn. “Then I realize I’m leaning on the horn like this because I’ve got hot, hot coffee. So, wham, I just flung that coffee at him, and I know I got him, because there was no coffee in the van,” she told CBC News. (more…)

EDITORIAL
21st August 2008

As you may know, this magazine is a supporter of the concept of fairly-traded coffee, but it’s interesting to see how the Fairtrade organization (run under the auspices of Oxfam aid organization) has become proprietary about the use of the ‘fair trade’ terminology.

Several newspapers have reported a recent spat between McDonalds, which uses Rainbow Alliance coffee [www.rainforest-alliance.org], and the Fairtrade Organization. It centres around the use of the word ‘fair’. The problem is that McDonalds have recently been running TV commercials showing South American coffee farmers, and using the words ‘a fair deal for workers’ in their script.

Click here to go directly to this topic on the Crema Forum to share your opinion and read what others have had to say, or/ (more…)

Prices of coffee in key international markets are expected to stay firm on the short term, after an overall increase in the cost of agricultural and mineral commodities.

Analysts said the trend would further be supported by a sizeable drop in export volumes of the commodity following hitches in several producer countries including Brazil.

A market report by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) showed that exports during the first nine months of the coffee year 2007/08 fell by 4.3 per cent to 71.29 million bags-triggering a tight market condition that upholds prices on demand factors. (more…)

Editorial 30th July 2008

Well, it had to happen. Not wanting to say ‘I told you so’, but we’ve been forcasting the demise, or at least the diminishing, of the Starbucks’ empire in Australia for a number of years. 

A recent article in The Australian newspaper refers to recent sour news out of the company’s US [Seattle] headquarters as a possible reason for Starbucks’ abrupt decision to close 61 of its 84 Australian stores, but we have felt for a long time that there was a much stronger reason – the inherent strength of Australia’s domestic espresso industry.

On observing Starbucks’ worldwide rise over a number of years, they have clearly been a phenomenal success story in most countries where their tentacles have reached, but for a few countries – most notably Italy, and now Australia. And the reason is clear – its the strength our own domestic espresso culture.

A recent second place in the World Barista Championships in Copenhagen, along with three consecutive winners of the World Latte Art Championships are testament to this. It’s actually a huge compliment to the increasing strength and depth of our own unique espresso culture!

Ashley Felderhof, Founding Director of Crema Magazine, was interviewed by ABC News Radio to give his opinion on the demise of Starbucks in Australia. Click here to listen to the interview.

A story just in from Reuters Kampala, written by Frank Nyakairu, reports that changing weather patterns in Uganda may lead to the extinction of the east African country’s key export, coffee, in coming decades.

The story goes on to explain that Uganda is Africa’s second biggest coffee producer after Ethiopia and has become a major player in robusta coffee production after political unrest in former top grower Ivory Coast slashed output.

“The outlook is bleak. If the average global temperatures rise by two degrees or more, then most of Uganda is likely to cease to be suitable for coffee..this may happen in 40 years or perhaps as little as 30,” the report said. (more…)

Reuters Nairobi has reported that Kenya’s coffee output will rise 38 percent to 57,830 tonnes in 2008/09 (Oct/Sept) crop year, from an estimated 41,861 tonnes this year, on improved farming practices and good weather, a trade association said on Monday.

A terrible bout of Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) caused a drop in production in 2007/08 but a crop survey by the Kenya Coffee Traders Association (KCTA) held in May showed that unseasonal rains caused flowering in January-March.

“Due to unusual intense flowering of the coffee trees in January, a big proportion of the late crop will mature and ripen earlier than normal by nearly two months,” the Kenya Coffee Traders Association (KCTA) said in a report. (more…)

Sydney turned on a perfect winter’s day for this years Aroma Festival, bringing with it people by the thousands, and thousands… and thousands! The smell of coffee, spice and all things nice filled the air as the western bank of Circular Quay through to the Overseas Passenger Terminal thronged with the sound of bands playing and people chatting over their $1.00 cups of coffee.

Roasters and baristi converged from all over Australia to showcase their coffee – and the crowds took the opportunity, as they lined up 20-30 deep at each stand, of tasting some of the best single origins and blends that Australia has to offer. (more…)