Taking a Look at Brazil’s Specialty Coffee Industry During ICW

Welcome to Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer. What happens here shapes the coffee industry around the globe.

So it’s no surprise that 20,000 people turned up to Brazil’s Semana Internacional do Café/International Coffee Week (ICW), held at the end of 2018 (the 2019 edition has already been announced and will run from the 20th to the 22nd November in Belo Horizonte). There, they experienced:

• Four world coffee championships
• Brazilian green coffee quality contests
• 200 cupping sessions
• Workshops, training sessions, and sustainability forums
• Business opportunities (around US $10 million USD of deals closed during the fair)

And more. Let’s explore what happened.

The Roaster’s Village. Credit: Nereu Jr / NITRO for ICW

ICW in Three Quotes

Caio Alonso Fontes is the director of Café Editora, one of the event’s organizers. He tells me that International Coffee Week is a “meeting of the [coffee] chain and all of the chain’s links, where we are able to create connections between people, and these connections have the objectives of generating business, providing education, and promoting Brazilian coffees.” [Translated from Portuguese.]

Companies from across the different sectors of the coffee industry attended the event. Reymar Coutinho de Andrade, President of Pinhalense, a manufacturer of coffee processing equipment, tells me that the event “was a turning point for the coffee-growing culture in Brazil, especially because it addressed some important subjects [and hosted] the Championships, which brought a new public to Brazil and allowed this public to know a little more about the properties of the [Brazilian] coffees.”

And Andre Eiermann, coffee educator, Authorized SCA Trainer (AST), and 2017 Swiss Barista Champion, says, “The stands are high quality and also the way [ICW] integrated the four world championships is amazing; it’s really well organized… I truly enjoyed this time here.”

But what exactly left the attendees and exhibitors so impressed?

ICW hosted four world coffee championships. Credit: Nereu Jr / NITRO for ICW

Brazil’s Specialty Coffee Flavors

Cuppings were a key part of ICW 2018, showcasing coffees from single estate farms like Daterra in the Cerrado Mineiro region; associations such as IWCA Brazil, the Brazilian branch of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance; coffee groups such as 3Corações; regional flavors, and more (see the full list here).

Then you had the many, many coffee cuppings held by producers, cooperatives, and roasters at their own booths. In total, ICW offered visitors more than 200 cupping sessions.

Agnieszka Rojewska, 2018 World Barista Champion and winner of multiple other coffee competitions over the years, was at ICW to compete in the World Latte Art Championships. She tells me, “When you are here and you are able to try different types of Brazilian coffees, you can actually change your perspective.

“Because we basically think that coffee from Brazil is chocolate, hazelnut, bitter and it’s not very balanced. But as for now, I tried a lot of fruity coffees, I tried a lot of complex coffees with complex acidity, and this is mind-opening for me.”

She was not the only one to have this experience. Andre says, “I came here with a mix of expectations because, from a specialty coffee point of view, we look at Brazil as just being the biggest coffee-producing country in the world. We see it more like quantity than quality.

“But during the last couple of days, I was truly impressed. So of course, you still have a lot of coffee, but at the same time [Brazilians] improved massively the quality. I had the great pleasure to taste some coffees and I wouldn’t have bet that they came from Brazil… [they were] super fruity… One especially, it seemed like a Geisha, but it’s not a Geisha, so the coffee farmers here are doing an amazing job.”

Cupping samples for Coffee Of The Year. Credit: Nereu Jr / NITRO for ICW

World Coffee Championships

But the event wasn’t just about displaying the best of the coffee industry. It was also about competing for that coveted position.

ICW hosted four of the official world championships from World Coffee Events, with representatives from over 60 countries in attendance.

Agnieszka tells me, “What is a great opportunity for me is to actually compete in an origin country, which is much more different because here you can actually meet producers.

“And you can [compete] in the United States, you can do it in Europe, you can do it in Asia, it’s just that people there don’t grow coffee. So here… there is a closer bond [with producers], so we can get more knowledge, we can get more experience, so this makes this event unique.”

Let’s take a look at the four championships and who walked away with the titles.

• World Latte Art Championship

Across three rounds (preliminary, semi-finals, and finals), competitors demonstrated their mastery with free-pour and designer latte art patterns. And the winners?

1. Irvine Quek Siew Lhek, 103 Coffee Workshop, Malaysia
2. Michalis Karagiannis, Manor House, Greece
3. Liang Fan, Fan Coffee Lab, China
4. Shinsaku Fukayama, St. Ali, Australia
5. Agnieszka Rojewska, independent, Poland
6. Wonjae Choi, Café ONEWAY, South Korea

• World Brewers Cup

In this championship, the best manually brewed coffee took the prize. Presentations and coffees were evaluated by three sensory judges and a head judge, who are evaluating – among other things – uniformity and overall workflow. The winners were:

1. Emi Fukahori, Mame, Switzerland
2. Regine Wai Yee Beng, Page 2 Cafe, Malaysia
3. Stathis Koremtas, Taf Coffee, Greece
4. Pang-Yu Liu, independent, Taiwan
5. Kaoru Kamiyama, Maruyama Coffee Co. Ltd, Japan
6. Yeo Qing-He, Singapore

The Brewers Cup Championship finalists: Emi Fukahori, Regine Wai Yee Beng, Stathis Koremtas, Pang-Yu Liu, Kaoru Kamiyama, and Yeo Qing-He (left to right). Credit: Ivan Petrich

• World Cup Tasters Championship

Competitors demonstrated their ability to distinguish between different coffees through triangulations, in which one of three cups was different from the others. The goal was to identify the odd one, and the one who correctly identifies the most cups won. The results were as follows:

1. Yama Kim, Australia
2. Niels Te Vaanhold, The Netherlands
3. Walter Acevedo, Colombia
4. Waruth Tangsuriyapaisan, Thailand

• World Coffee in Good Spirits

Baristas and mixologists competed to create the best alcoholic coffee cocktails. In the final round, competitors had to craft four drinks: two identical hot/warm or cold drinks and two hot/warm Irish Coffees. They were evaluated on the flavor, visual appearance, and technical skills demonstrated. The six finalists were:

1. Dan Fellows, Origin Coffee, UK
2. Manos Mamakis, The Underdog Roasters, Greece
3. Danny Wilson, Ona Coffee, Australia
4. Artem Bakurov, ONE LOVE Coffee, Ukraine
5. Min-Seo Kang, Mariscoffee, South Korea
6. Dan Bacaintan, independent, Italy

Emi Fukahori, our new World Brewers Cup Champion, tells me, “I’ve been competing since 2015… So, Seattle, Dublin, Seoul, Amsterdam… and here in Belo Horizonte.” And her experience? “Big fans, always a lot of new people, nice people, a lot of good connections, familiar faces, new faces. It’s nice!”

She adds, “My [competition] coffee is from Brazil. The one I’m competing with is from Daterra, from the Cerrado Region.” In other words, not only did Brazil host the World Barista Championship, but a Brazilian coffee helped Emi to win it.

World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion Dan Fellows with his trophy. Credit: Ivan Petrich

Green Coffee Quality Contests

It’s not just baristas and cup tasters who were competing, however: so too were Brazil’s producers.

• Coffee of The Year

Organized by ICW, this contest was created to recognize the best coffees produced from across Brazil. After a pre-selection process, 150 Arabica samples were evaluated by a team of Q-Graders (certified professionals who grade arabica coffees following SCA Standards), while 30 Robusta samples were evaluated by a team of Q Robusta Graders (certified professionals licenced by The Coffee Quality Institute).

Finally, these samples were assessed blind by a popular jury who then voted for their favorite.

Arabica Winners:

1. Afonso Lacerda of Café Forquilha do Rio, Dores do Rio Preto, Caparaó Region, Espírito Santo. This was the second time Lacerda took first place in this contest. Coffees from Caparaó, a mountainous region with dense Atlantic forests, are frequently in the top 10.
2. Deneval Vieira of Café Cordilheiras do Caparaó, Iúna, also from Caparaó Region, Espírito Santo.
3. Alessandro Hervaz of Honey Coffee, São Gonçado do Sapucaí, Mantiqueira de Minas Region, Minas Gerais.
4. Luis Eduardo dos Santos of Fazenda Boa Esperança, Bragança Paulista, Média Mogiana Region, São Paulo.
5. Lucas Ribeiro Vinhal of Fazenda Estrela, Serra do Salitre, Cerrado Mineiro Region, Minas Gerais.

Robusta Winners:

1. Luis Claudio de Souza of Grãos de Ouro, Muqui, South of Espírito Santo.
2. Lucas Venturim of Fazenda Venturim, São Domingos do Norte, Noroeste Capixaba Region, Espírito Santo.
3. Francisco Venturim of Fazenda Venturim, São Domingos do Norte, Noroeste Capixaba Region, Espírito Santo.
4. Diones Mendes Bento of Chácara Rio Limão, Cacoal, Rondônia.
5. Isaac Venturim of Fazenda Venturim, São Domingos do Norte, Noroeste Capixaba Region, Espírito Santo. This means the same farm took second, third, and fifth place.

Afonso Lacerda, winner of Coffee of The Year – Arabica. Credit: Ivan Petrich

• Aroma BSCA

Created by the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), this contest awards sustainably produced coffees in two categories: Natural Processed Coffees and Pulped Naturals.

The rules are simple: all lots must be cupped at 84 points or above by SCA standards. The five best 84+ coffees for each category are the champions. The winners receive premium prices for these coffees, which the BSCA then sells to associated coffee shops, roasteries and exporters.

Naturals Winners:

1. Fazenda Rainha, São Sebastião da Gama, Média Mogiana Region, São Paulo.
2. Fazenda Sertãozinho, Botelhos, South of Minas, Minas Gerais.
3. Café Filomêna Estefânia, Patrocínio, Cerrado Mineiro Region, Minas Gerais.
4. Sítio da Torre, Carmo de Minas, Mantiqueira de Minas Region, Minas Gerais.
5. Fazenda Barinas, Araxá, Cerrado Mineiro Region, Minas Gerais.

Pulped Naturals Winners:

1. Fazenda Sertãozinho, Botelhos, South of Minas, Minas Gerais.
2. Monte Alegre Coffees, Conceição dos Ouros, South of Minas, Minas Gerais.
3. Fazenda Monte Verde, Ouro Fino, Mantiqueira de Minas Region, Minas Gerais.
4. Fazenda Rainha, São Sebastião da Gama, Média Mogiana Region, São Paulo.
5. Fazenda Barinas, Araxá, Cerrado Mineiro Region, Minas Gerais.

• Concurso Florada Premiada

Launched for the first time in 2018 and promoted by 3Corações in partnership with the BSCA, this competition awards female producers of exceptional micro lots. Lots must range between three to ten 60-kilo bags in size.

The contest is part of Projeto Florada, which translates to project in bloom. This is an initiative designed to increase the visibility of women in coffee production and also support female producers through training and meetings. The contest is the second to last stage: get their coffees awarded and sold for premium prices.

Naturals Winners:

1. Tainã Bittencourt Peixoto of Chácara Vista Alegre, Piatã, Bahia, Chapada Diamantina.
2. Inácia de Fátima Silva Juliano of Sítio Batista, Pedralva, Minas Gerais, Mantiqueira de Minas.
3. Luciene Aparecida Santos Mota of Alecrim Dourado, Pedralva, Minas Gerais, Mantiqueira de Minas.

Pulped Naturals Winners:

1. Creuza Silva Santana of Fazenda Gerais, Piatã, Bahia, Chapada Diamantina.
2. Patrícia Rigno de Oliveira Rosa of Fazenda Ouro Verde, Piatã, Bahia, Chapada Diamantina.
3. Deuseni de Oliveira of Sítio Cafundó, Piatã, Bahia, Chapada Diamantina.

The winners are announced for Coffee of The Year. Credit: Bruno Correa / NITRO for ICW

Sustainability Seminars

Education is one of the key themes at ICW, the team at Café Editora tells me. And this year, it hosted two sustainability seminars: the Global Coffee Sustainability Conference and the Sustainable Coffee Forum.

Mariana Proença is the Director of Content at Café Editora and one of the event organizers. She tells me, “The Global Coffee Sustainability Conference (GCSC) is conducted by the Global Coffee Platform and, for the first time, it took place in a producing country. It was a public success, with 350 attendees from 16 countries.

“The event has brought together important players within the coffee sector to discuss sustainability through the whole production chain.” [Translated from Portuguese.]

As for the Sustainable Coffee Forum, she says, “The forum, conducted November 9th in the Great Auditorium of the International Coffee Week, has this objective: to bring together top professionals in the sector to discuss the actions already taken in coffee production and the next steps for the sustainable development for future generations.

“It’s promoted by the ICW organizers, who nominate the main speakers for the event, based on their technical expertise. This year’s theme was Trends and Challenges for Coffee Production.”

The Global Coffee Sustainable Conference. Credit: Gustavo Baxter / NITRO for ICW

Workshops & Courses

Numerous roasting courses, sensory skills workshops, and more were held during the event. Caio tells me, “There were more than 30 parallel events happening throughout the week… more than 190 hours of speeches and workshops happened during the three days. So, it’s a very nice amount of information, of content, of training.” [Translated from Portuguese.]

Here are some of the highlights:

SCA Certified Courses: For those who wanted the official SCA certification for basic sensory skills, barista skills, and brewing, six authorized trainers conducted these courses at the event.

Roasting Courses: Sponsored and organized by Atilla Coffee Roasters, there were seven different courses for roasters. Topics included the challenges of being a micro roaster, the science behind coffee roasting, roasting Robusta vs roasting Arabica, roast flavors, global roasting trends, and more.

Fermentation Techniques: Edwin Enrique Noreña Garcia has been a coffee producer in Colombia for more than 15 years, as well as an agroindustrial engineer. He led a course spanning everything from harvesting to storage, with a focus throughout on the different types of coffee fermentation and their results in the cup.

Workshop: Managing a Coffee Shop: Isabela Raposeiras is the owner, roaster, and barista behind the Coffee Lab, a café-roastery in São Paulo. She addressed topics related to the challenges of opening and running a coffee shop, such as reasons to open a coffee shop, how to select your suppliers, and “cents that are worth millions”.

Attendees gather around to learn about different roasting techniques for Robusta and Arabica. Credit: Nereu Jr / NITRO for ICW

Equipment on Display

And last, but certainly not least, let’s take a look at all the equipment that was on display at ICW. Mariana tells me, “There were dozens of products launched during the event. Each one of the 160 exhibitors brought innovations to present to the public.”

The product that stood out the most to me was the CoffeeClass: a prototype of a machine that can evaluate coffee quality by optic analysis of the grounds. Yes, you read that right: it can identify coffee quality from ground roasted coffee: no hot water, no Q graders needed. It’s just a matter of a microscope and Artificial Intelligence.

The aim is to improve efficiency when analysing coffee quality. The CoffeeClass works by interpreting patterns in amplified images of roasted and ground coffee. It then compares them to a data set of patterns that has been correlated with coffee quality.

To achieve this, the machine applies reflectance and fluorescence, which use differentiated light sources under the coffee sample to identify those compounds linked to the beverage’s quality.

During the event, the state-owned Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) and Brazilian Coffee Industry Association (ABIC) signed a contract to join forces and make this prototype available in the market in the next years.

ICW: A Space For Collaboration

ICW brought coffee professionals from around the world together to discuss some of the industry’s most pressing sustainability issues, celebrate quality coffee lots from a range of producers, discover the latest technology, and more.

As Sasa Sestic, former World Barista Champion, entrepreneur, and the person behind Project Origin and ONA Coffee, says looking back at the event: “We can learn from each other. I guess we all work for the same goal. We want to create beautiful coffee, beautiful opportunities for everyone: for farmers, for roasters, for cuppers… and this is the unique opportunity that we can all learn and grow together.”

Vanusia Nogueira, Executive Director of the BSCA, had a similar impression. “Everything we achieved at ICW 2018 was a dream very well dreamed,” she says, “which has shown us that, with strength, determination and professionalism, we can reach our goals.”

Written by Ivan Petrich.

Please note: This article has been sponsored by International Coffee Week.

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Un Recorrido Por Las Tiendas De Café Especial De Shanghái, China

Shanghái es la ciudad más grande de China y una de las que está creciendo más rápidamente. El consumo de café está creciendo con la misma rapidez en los centros urbanos de China y Shanghái no es la excepción. Dado que es un centro internacional y financiero importante, la ciudad acogió a la cultura del café.

Existen cientos de sucursales de cadenas de tiendas muy conocidas. Pero también hay excelentes tiendas de café especial y tostadurías locales. Demos un vistazo a algunas de las mejores opciones de especialidad en esta metrópoli ajetreada.

Read this in English A Specialty Coffee Shop Tour of Shanghai, China

Un latte SOE en Blacksheep Espresso. Crédito: Chloe Chang

¿Por Qué Estas Cinco?

Hay muchas tiendas de café de especialidad en Shanghái con servicio y bebidas excelentes, así que elegir la mejor es imposible. Recomiendo estas cinco por su servicio excelente y café de calidad, y porque son mis favoritas.

1. OPS Café

OPS se fundó en 2017. Con solo 9 metros cuadrados, gran parte de los clientes bebe café de pie, pero la falta de asientos no los aleja. El menú con bebidas de autor se cambia según la temporada.

La característica más innovadora de este lugar es el “servicio de barista móvil”. Sin importar en qué lugar te encuentres, el barista irá hacia ti y preparará tu café delante de ti. Te explicarán el proceso y los orígenes del café mientras lo hacen. Es difícil superar este nivel de servicio.

También te puede gustar Explorando La Industria Cafetera De China

El interior de OPS Café. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Dónde	Calle Taiyuan 177, distrito de Xuhui
Estilo	Acogedor y amigable
Máquina de espresso	Dalla Corte Mini
Molino	Mahlkonig EKK43
Oferta de café	Bebidas a base de espresso, bebidas emblemáticas
Bebida recomendada	Bebidas emblemáticas de temporada
Comidas y otras bebidas	No hay menú de comidas
Lugares cercanos	Cerca de la casa histórica de la Antigua Residencia de Jiang Jieshi y el Museo de Arte y Artesanía de Shanghái.

 

Una bebida de autor en OPS Café y su servicio de barista móvil. Crédito: Chloe Chang

2. Seesaw

Esta pequeña cadena comercial fue fundada en 2012 y hoy tiene 20 tiendas en China. Seesaw se consagra al café de Yunnan y tiene sus propios cafetales y tostaduría. Mediante el proyecto Seesaw Yunnan, crea conciencia sobre el café de esta región.

La tienda en la calle Huaihai central en el centro de Shanghái ofrece bebidas a base de espresso, vertidos y productos de panadería en un espacio inspirado en el estilo industrial con paredes negras. Haz una parada aquí para descansar mientras recorres o vas de compras en este distrito comercial ajetreado.

Un café lavado de Yunnan preparado con un método de vertido en Seesaw. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Dónde	Calle Huaihai central 755, distrito de Huangpu
Estilo	Moderno y en boga
Máquina de espresso	La Marzocco Strada 3G
Molino	Mazzer Major Electronic, Ditting KR804
Oferta de café	Bebidas a base de espresso, bebidas de autor, vertidos, té
Bebida recomendada	Vertido Yunnan
Ofertas al por menor	Granos de café tostados, equipos para café
Comidas y otras bebidas	Productos de panadería y postres
Lugares cercanos	Distrito comercial de la calle Huaihai, Parque Fuxing y Museo de la Antigua Residencia de Sun Yat-sen

3. Moon Coffee Roasters

Hay decenas de pequeñas callejuelas saliendo de la calle Maoming. Entre los diseñadores independientes está esta tostaduría de café al estilo japonés tradicional. Es un lugar tranquilo y precioso para tomar un descanso y disfrutar una taza de café tostado en la casa.  

El interior de Moon Coffee Roasters. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Dónde	Calle Maoming norte, Avenida 75, No. 2, distrito de Jing’an
Estilo	Tranquilo
Máquina de espresso	La Marzocco GS3
Molino	Nuova Simonelli Mythos One, Mahlkonig K30, Ditting KR804
Oferta de café	Bebidas a base de espresso, bebidas de autor, vertidos, té
Bebida recomendada	Vertido
Ofertas al por menor	Granos de café tostados, equipos para café
Comidas y otras bebidas	Productos de panadería
Lugares cercanos	En excelente ubicación para visitar el distrito comercial de la calle Nanjing oeste y el Parque de esculturas Jing.

 

Un café para llevar en Moon Coffee Roasters. Crédito: Chloe Chang

4. Blacksheep Espresso

Cuando entras en esta tienda de café, el barista te preguntará si te gusta el chocolate, el tomate o las uvas pasas y luego te preparará un latte según en tu preferencia. Pero si esto no te gusta, no te preocupes: ofrecen muchas otras bebidas a base de espresso y vertidos en este espacio moderno y luminoso.

La barra en Blacksheep Espresso. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Dónde	Calle Jianguo 169-4, distrito de Huangpu
Estilo	Relajado y acogedor
Máquina de espresso	Synesso 2G
Molino	Nuova Simonelli Mythos One, Mahlkonig Peak, Anfim Super Caimano Barista, Mahlkonig EK43
Oferta de café	Bebidas a base de espresso, vertidos, té
Bebida recomendada	Latte
Ofertas al por menor	Granos de café tostados, equipos para café
Comidas y otras bebidas	Productos de panadería
Lugares cercanos	Cerca de boutiques, bares y restaurantes de la zona histórica de Tianzifang.

5. Café del Volcán

Esta tienda de café sirve cafés de gama alta de todo el mundo, incluyendo a los granos emblemáticos de la finca familiar del propietario, ubicada en Guatemala. Café del Volcán toma en serio su café, ya que ofrece cursos de barismo y granos al por mayor, así como accesorios para la extracción.

El lugar es luminoso y moderno, con ventanales de piso a techo. También hay asientos afuera desde donde puedes admirar la ciudad mientras disfrutas tu café.

Café del Volcán desde afuera. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Dónde	Calle Yongkang 80, distrito de Xuhui
Estilo	Relajado
Máquina de espresso	La Marzocco PB 2G
Molino	Anfim Super Caimano Barista, Mazzer Mini, Ditting KR804
Oferta de café	Bebidas a base de espresso, vertido, té
Bebida recomendada	Vertido con granos emblemáticos de Guatemala
Ofertas al por menor	Granos de café tostados, equipos para café
Comidas y otras bebidas	Productos de panadería
Lugares cercanos	Cerca del Museo de Arte y Artesanía de Shanghái y el parque de Shaoxing.

 

La tostadora en Café del Volcán. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Hay un enorme abanico de opciones para beber café en Shanghái, pero, en mi opinión, estas cinco se distinguen por su dedicación al café especial de calidad. Ya sea que visites Shanghái por trabajo o por placer, agrégalas a tu recorrido.

¿Disfrutaste este artículo? Lee La Revolución Del Café en Shanghái

Escrito por Winnie Yeh.

Traducido por Laura Fornero. Traducción editada por María José Parra.

Imagen principal: Una sucursal de Seesaw desde afuera. Crédito: Chloe Chang

Todas las opiniones en este artículo pertenecen al autor invitado, que es de Shanghái, y no representan el punto de vista de Perfect Daily Grind.

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The La Marzocco KB90: Better Living Through Ergonomics

Houston: Get Skilled At Lift And Learn

It is the great catch 22 of finding employment in the coffee industry (any industry really). In order to get a job you need experience, but you can’t get that experience without having a job. But the climb isn’t over yet. Baristas who want to transition to other areas of the coffee industry can find themselves facing the same conundrum. But in a new event, the Houston Coffee Collective is helping to close the gap between experience needed and experience possessed. Happening Tuesday, February 5^th, Lift and Learn is a free event teaching tech, barista, and brewing skills to coffee professionals and would-be professionals alike.

Taking place at GEVA Coffee, Lift and Learn is a collaborative effort between the HCC, Urnex, and Counter Culture that will give attendees a chance to learn “tech building preventative maintenance skills” and “barista brewing and espresso skills.” Led by Pit Crew’s Allen Leibowitz, Counter Culture’s Eli Ramirez, and Blacksmith’s Antoine Franklin, folks can sign up for classes on steam wand rebuilds, grinder preventative maintenance, basic hand skills, and espresso fundamentals.

It’s not all learning (and lifting) though, food trucks will be on-site for anyone who works up an appetite, and beer is being sponsored by Slow Pour Supply. A hard day’s works deserves a coldie, y’know.

The event gets started at 6:00pm at GEVA Coffee on Tuesday, February 5^th. Attendance is free, but an RSVP is required via Eventbrite, which can be done here. For more information, visit the Houston Coffee Collective’s official website.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via the Houston Coffee Collective

Disclosure: Counter Culture and Urnex are advertising partners with the Sprudge Media Network

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In Melbourne, Debunking The African Gang “Crisis” Over Coffee

The social and political climates of every economy in our world are undergoing widespread change. Whether or not it’s realized, the laws of our lands and the commentary that comes with them affect every facet of our lives. Coffee isn’t immune to this—as a global industry, it depends on the exploitation of black and brown farmers and international laws of trade to thrive.

We look to coffee professionals in Iran, who are currently barred from participating in SCA events and WCE competitions thanks to the Trump administration, and Guatemalans leaving coffee behind in search for a better, safer life. Not only are these examples of the close relationship coffee has with politics, but the way our media portrays these people and events often demonizes them instead of informing the general public. As a result, portions of this public sometimes feel emboldened to react in dangerous ways.

In the state of Victoria in Australia, similar things are happening. Over the last year, unfair, racist media and political persecution has heavily affected Sudanese-Australians. Apparently, Melbourne is experiencing a rise in violence due to “African gangs,” but this is a myth. The sensationalism by Australian media outlets is doing more harm to these communities than good.

In the world of coffee, stepping in to stand up for the underserved and wrongly persecuted has become a new norm. It’s an acknowledgement of the very communities that produce the fruit an entire industry is built off of. From Sprudge’s multiple national fundraisers for refugees and asylum seekers to Department of Brewology’s Filter Coffee, Not People campaign—both helped send a message in strong support of people banned at US borders.

1951 Coffee Company in Berkeley, California offers employment to refugees also. Across the world in Singapore, Bettr Barista puts its focus on at-risk youth and marginalised women within their own community.

Despite the industry as a whole often toeing the line of humanitarianism and White savior complexes, it’s needless to say: the world of coffee has a heart to act for the social good of people because people are its core.

But in Melbourne—a city globally known and highly revered for its cafe culture—there rings a silence toward mobilizing for this cause in the coffee scene.

This isn’t true for every cause—there was an outpouring of community support for Australia’s vote to legalize gay marriage, and cafes have worked together nationally to raise money for the homeless. Richmond cafe Long Street Coffee also joins the list of places that employ refugees and recent migrants to Australia. Since we are in the age of coffee businesses utilizing their place in society as social third spaces to take strong stances for marginalized people everywhere, this could be an opportunity for Melbourne to join in. But as time passes, the current silence is beginning to speak volumes.

i.O.G.

In North Melbourne at Auction Rooms Cafe, three Sudanese-Australian artists—members of the collective Burn City Movement: Wantu Tha One, i.O.G, and Prince Leo—gather over coffee. They speak openly with Sprudge about their experience being seen as outsiders in a society they grew up in, and how the coffee community could play a role in fighting back against the political and media circus.

“Growing up in Australia was a wild experience,” i.O.G begins. He’s lived here almost half his life, having moved to Melbourne from South Sudan in 2006. “I grew up in the suburbs, where it was safer than most. Over the years, it’d been peaceful. But now it’s getting serious.”

I.O.G is referring to the recent rise in race-related incidents since the media’s reporting on the “African gang crisis” in the state of Victoria. This sensationalism has lingered in the media all year. Isolated incidents of South Sudanese youth committing crime have been exaggerated, so much so the Prime Minister himself spoke out against the so-called issue.

Wantu Tha One

“The Prime Minister of Australia is blurting out nonsense about African gangs and Sudanese-specific communities, while the police commissioner says this is far from a crisis; just a group of young people getting together now and again committing petty crimes,” says Wantu Tha One. “The statistics don’t add up to what they’re saying.”

And he’s right—crimes committed by Sudanese people in Victoria accounted for 1% of all crime in 2017. While many Victorians know and understand the demonization of South Sudanese people in Australia is to cause unwarranted fear for political party votes, Sudanese-Australians question why it comes at the expense of their own communities. At the same time, some are trying to find creative ways to address these problems while bringing everyone together.

This is where coffee can come in.

Wantu says, “The first thing—[Melbourne] coffee culture would have to find a way to welcome people of all backgrounds. And from there, we can feel more comfortable utilizing these spaces to come together.” Although they’re not the only black people in the cafe on this particular Sunday afternoon, they stand out. The stares from patrons of the cafe are glaringly apparent, but the vibe isn’t inherently unwelcoming.

“[Coffee shops] are more friendly in the city,” Wantu continues. “You find more open minds, and you’re greeted with a friendly smile. There are other areas where you walk into the shop and you feel out of place automatically.”

In the decades following the White Australia Policy ending in 1973, Australia promoted multiculturalism. The City of Melbourne proudly calls itself home to “one of the world’s most harmonious and culturally diverse communities,” reflected heavily in the city’s culinary spread, including coffee. But when you walk into one of the numerous cafes residents and tourists alike have to choose from, folks on both sides of the bar look mostly the same.

There’s a chance for Melbourne cafes to not only open their space to have these conversations and mobilize for the community, but offer jobs, as well. After all, being a barista is considered a serious profession in Australia—often viewed as a trade.

Certain politicians have suggested Sudanese people aren’t adjusting quickly enough to Australian culture. This is an interesting point to make considering the lack of support received overall after migration from a war-torn country to a society much different than their own. But maybe it’s here—at the coffee shop—where the lines that have clearly been drawn to divide Australians can begin to blur.

Prince Leo

Prince Leo asserts, “I don’t drink coffee on a daily basis, but I do respect the culture. Over here, it’s more than coffee. It’s social. It’s a vibe. We can use that to bring more awareness to what’s happening right now.”

The idea of spending time behind the espresso machine riles up the conversation as the group sips on cappuccinos and gazes at the baristas working. Wantu says, “Being a barista, you get to meet and connect with a lot of different people. And the idea of having coffee meet-ups to have a space for these connections could make a change.”

In a city where coffee is woven into the fabric of society, the amount of influence the coffee community has is immense. The community can take a stand for its fellow Australians and help change the narrative hurting Sudanese communities. If diversity is truly something we should champion and celebrate instead, standing by silently while certain groups of people are demonized is a step in the wrong direction.

Very recently, Victoria voted to re-elect Labor Party leader Daniel Andrews to office in the state elections. Similar to the American Democratic party, Victorians rejected “a campaign based on fear and division“ in overwhelming numbers. If this is truly the case, there’s no better time for the people of Victoria to band together and slow the ripple effects of this year’s political and media storm.

As Melbourne-based lawyer, activist, and Sudanese-Australian Nyadol Nyuon put it in the Saturday Paper:

“When the voting is done, and political careers are secured or lost, when the journalists put down their ‘pens’ and head to their families or bed, and when the publishers are onto the next story, the resultant scars from this episode of moral panic will still be carved into our lives. And they will still be there, weakening the ties that bind us into a shared identity as Victorians.”

Perhaps these ties can be strengthened again, if at the very least, over a cup of coffee.

Michelle Johnson (@thechocbarista) is the publisher of The Chocolate Barista. Read more Michelle Johnson on Sprudge.

The post In Melbourne, Debunking The African Gang “Crisis” Over Coffee appeared first on Sprudge.

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How Madagascan Deforestation Puts World Coffee At Risk

Madagascar has a breathtaking array of wildlife. Over 90% of the island’s reptiles, approximately 89% of its plants, and around 92% of its mammals exist nowhere else on Earth.

Among these are various species of Coffea arabica – wild coffee plants. But deforestation puts most of this wild coffee at risk. And that could have a huge impact on your daily cup, even if it’s a single origin from Guatemala or Brazil. Read on to find out how.

You may also like Sustainability in Coffee: What Are The Main Issues?

Montagne d’Ambre National Park, Madagascar. Credit: Nicole Motteux

Global Biodiversity At Risk

“The loss of a single hectare of forest in Madagascar can have a larger effect on global coffee biodiversity than anywhere else in the world.”

That bold statement comes from Dr Sarada Krishnan, a coffee geneticist at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado. Her studies focus on conservation genetics of wild coffee in Madagascar.

Of all known wild coffee species, almost half are found only in Madagascar. But they aren’t commercially consumed. In fact, many have low or negligible amounts of caffeine. You might wonder why that matters to your daily brew made with beans from Colombia or Ethiopia. Well, Madagascar’s wild coffees plants have pest and disease tolerances, climate adaptations, and potential genetic value that could be important for sustained production of commercial coffee species.

The genetic resources in these wild coffee plants are important to the resilience of global coffee production. And as we tackle the growing impacts of climate change, as well as the persistent threats of coffee leaf rust and the berry borer beetle, this is more important than ever.

So it’s not an overstatement to say that deforestation in Madagascar is threatening your daily cup of coffee.

Anelluc Nugafy finds coffee growing wild, Montagne d’Ambre National Park, Madagascar. Credit: Nicole Motteux

Understanding The Spread of The Coffee Plant

But let’s take a step back and understand why there is such variety of wild coffee in Madagascar.

Based on genetic analysis, it’s likely that Coffea originated in West Africa (likely Lower Guinea) and spread eastwards, with the centre of genetic diversity for Arabica in the Ethiopian highlands.

Dr Aaron Davis is Head of Coffee Research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. He has dedicated a lot of his research to discovering new coffee species and understanding their genetics and unique characteristics. He tells me how coffee has evolved and migrated.

“It’s now known that the Coffea species spread to Madagascar from the African mainland as a result of single dispersal event,” he says. “This means that one species came to Madagascar from the African continent, and then all the diversity now found in Coffea in Madagascar evolved from that one ancestral species.”

Pressed coffee collection, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Credit: Nicole Motteux

The wild coffee species that grow in northern Madagascar are genetically similar to Coffea species found on Grande Comore in the Comoros – a volcanic archipelago off the east coast of Africa, near Mozambique. Other species have spread from Madagascar to Mauritius and Reunion Island.

“From this, we have calculated the coffee dispersal occurred around 500,000 years ago, after the appearance of the volcanic island of Grande Comore,” says Aaron.

The spread of plants in this family is linked to primates, in particular the lemurs native to Madagascar. The animals eat whole coffee cherries without gnawing, so the seeds pass through their digestive system unharmed and are dispersed in new areas. Over thousands of years, the plants have adapted to Madagascar’s unique environment.

Coffee beans parcels at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Credit: Nicole Motteux

Deforestation & Environmental Destruction

While Madagascar is incredibly beautiful and one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, it is also one of the poorest. Almost 80% of the population lives below the poverty line and the majority is dependent on subsistence farming.

This survival standard of living has an environmental impact. A huge amount of the country’s original forest has been lost in recent years. Global Forest Watch reports that from 2001 to 2017, Madagascar lost 3.27 Mha of tree cover, equivalent to a 19% decrease since 2000. The WWF states that less than 10% of Madagascar’s original forest cover exists today.

Fuelwood is the primary source of cooking fuel in Madagascar, followed by charcoal. Credit: Nicole Motteux

When grassland is burned for agriculture and trees cut for fuel, the sandy earth collapses and creates dramatic canyons. Sediment is then washed downhill during the rainy season, spoiling drinking water and blocking irrigation canals.

Population growth, environmental damage from zebu cattle overgrazing, and slash and burn agriculture all have an impact. The collection of and reliance on fuelwood and charcoal production are other relevant factors.

As Madagascar’s forests disappear, so do the wild coffee species and the ecosystems on which they rely. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains 14 critically endangered Coffea species, as well as 40 endangered, 22 vulnerable, and nine near threatened. Of these 85 coffee species, 47 are in Madagascar.

Learn more in Disease & Deforestation: The Cost of Coffee in Madagascar

A Malagasy herdsman and his zebu cattle. Credit: Nicole Motteux

Coffee Conservation Efforts

Coffee has long been recognised as an important global commodity and there are formal efforts to preserve it.

In the 1960s, a French research organisation started to collect wild Madagascan coffee species for preservation and established the National Centre of Applied Research and Rural Development’s (FOFIFA) gene bank in Kianjavato. In 1974, the Malagasy government took over the project.

In the early 1980s, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden created a joint initiative to preserve coffee samples.

Dr Franck Rakotonasolo presses coffee samples at the Kianjavato Coffee Research Station. Credit: Dr Sarada Krishnan

“Dr Franck Rakotonasolo is the Malagasy coffee hero,” Aaron tells me, speaking about the biodiversity team leader of the Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre. “We have worked together since 1997. He taught me how to find wild coffees in Madagascar. During the course of 11 dedicated coffee hunts, we described 15 new and exciting species of Coffea from Madagascar.”

Aaron says that Franck’s dedication and his knowledge of coffee and the local landscape have been instrumental in finding and identifying wild coffee. Their collaboration has led to discoveries of coffee throughout Madagascar’s widely varied ecosystems, from lowland forests to high mountains. He tells me that they have recorded plants with varied features including supersized beans and hairy berries.

Kianjavato Ahmanson Field Station is a hub of research and community outreach projects in southeast Madagascar. The Kianjavato Coffee Research Station (FOFIFA) is here. This gene bank contains over 2,600 specimens of Madagascan coffee, which are used for local breeding and research programs. If environmental destruction continues, the collections held here may become the only representatives of some species.

Dr Franck Rakotonasolo collects plants in western Madagascar. Credit: Dr Aaron Davis, RBG Kew

Conservation At Risk

Knowing that there are samples stored in a gene bank may seem like an insurance policy against species loss. But if FOFIFA were to stop functioning due to lack of funding or lack of political will, it’s likely we could lose important genes that could confer drought tolerance or disease resistance.

And this is could very well happen. Tackling poverty takes precedence over funding for coffee conservation in Madagascar. Research and development is challenged by under-investment, poor research infrastructure, and inadequate human resources.

“The lack of secure gene bank funding is a worry for the broader coffee community,” says Sarada. “Coffea arabica is not a genetically diverse species and the wild populations of other Coffea species face real threats due to deforestation caused by the increase in grazing livestock, other forms of agriculture, human settlement, and the collection of fuelwood. Once the species is gone in the wild, it may be gone for good.”

Fortunately, FOFIFA has found external sources of funding. Over the last decade, the Japanese Ueshima Coffee Corporation has supported pioneering research and funded 90% of the gene bank, preserving this valuable resource.

A wild coffee sample, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Credit: Nicole Motteux

Conserving Coffee Is a Global Concern

It’s hard to confirm how many people depend on coffee for their livelihoods, but tens of millions of small producers throughout more than 80 producing countries survive by growing coffee. And the industry expands beyond that into a global trade.

“We fear that the erosion of coffee genetic diversity could reduce the resources needed to sustain the global coffee industry,” Sarada tells me. “Changing behaviours and driving conservation results can only come about through the efforts of many actors,” she says.

In 2017, World Coffee Research (WCR) in collaboration with the Global Crop Diversity Trust published the Global Coffee Strategy in an effort to ensure the conservation and use of coffee genetic resources. It calls for governments, research organisations, donors,  and private companies both local and global to unite and draw on individual strengths to conserve Coffea genetic diversity.

Kianjavato Coffee Research Station Madagascar. Credit: Dr Sarada Krishnan

Saving the coffee industry starts with preserving Coffea’s genetic legacy – that is, preserving the forests where wild coffee grows, and supporting research and breeding programmes.

Aaron explains the work at FOFIFA to me. Working in partnership, researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, WCR, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, and CIRAD undertake critically important coffee research.

They share knowledge and expertise on coffee diversity to support farmers. Together, they help to improve livelihoods by enhancing the agrobiodiversity of coffee and reinforcing forest conservation. Aaron tells me that they do this through demonstrations and on-site learning.

Young women sift and winnow grain in Ankarafantsika, Madagascar. Credit Nicole Motteux

Environmental Sustainability Means Social Sustainability

Although Madagascar has experienced economic growth in recent years, this has not impacted positively on the living conditions of the rural population. The majority of Madagascar’s population survives on subsistence agriculture and almost half of its households face food insecurity. In this context, it’s unrealistic to simply tell local people to stop using destructive agricultural practices.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, WCR, and other involved parties recognise the need to work together and with local communities in their efforts. This includes partnering with organisations including Conservation International, which works across 30 countries and support thousands of projects worldwide.

Sahondra Rajoelina is Director of Operations at Conservation International in Madagascar. She tells me “we strongly advocate for a sustainable coffee sector. Sustainable coffee is about integrating agricultural production, environmental conservation, and social goals. Addressing these issues needs to bring about a win-win for nature conservation and community livelihoods.

“Together with other partners, we take an active role to fulfil multiple commitments on different international conservation interventions to enhance local livelihoods and contribute to sustainable development, while at the same time conserving biodiversity and halting its loss and adverse impacts,” she says.

Ambongo coffee (Coffea ambongensis) in western Madagascar. Credit: Dr Aaron Davis, RBG, Kew.

Preserving Madagascar’s wild coffee species is a complicated undertaking that is directly related to the country’s economic and political situation. But it’s an important part of preserving genetic diversity and protecting the future of both commercial coffee crops and wild ecosystems.

Find this interesting? You may also like The Daily Life of Madagascar’s Coffee Vendors

Written by Nicole Motteux with input by Lilani Goonesena and image editing by Angie Lázaro. With thanks to interpreter and guide Mr Harry Rakotosalam.

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