A newsletter about coffee—its culture, politics, and how it connects to the wider world.
‘Sustainable’ Airline Coffee Is a Contradiction in Terms
How can supposedly ethical coffee brands pitch themselves as environmentally conscious while partnering with airlines?
Travel Warnings and Detainments Cast a Shadow Over America’s Biggest Coffee Trade Show
Amidst the U.S. government’s crackdown at the border and a raft of anti-trans legislation in Texas, some coffee professionals are skipping the Specialty Coffee Association’s Expo in Houston.
Starbucks Workers in Chile Show that Winning a Union Contract Is Possible
In the U.S., Starbucks workers continue to fight for a union contract after years of roadblocks and retaliation. The struggle seems endless—but organisers in Chile offer a vision of what can be achieved.
Latest
Yes, Starbucks Engages in Coffeewashing. But Don’t Let Reactionaries Weaponise It.
For paid subscribers: I’ve written before about Starbucks’ myriad climate issues, but now conservative activist shareholders are trying to weaponise those failings in service of a climate denialist goal.
Coffee Conversations: The Joy of Blends with Tony Konecny of Yes Plz
For paid subscribers: The third wave veteran discusses his blending philosophy, why blends are still overlooked by many in the industry, and taking a culinary approach to coffee.
Conflating Your Personal Brand With Your Coffee Brand is a Risky Strategy
For paid subscribers: Recent stories show the dangers of building too much of a coffee company’s image around its founder’s personality. When things go wrong, it can blow back on the brand.
Coffee and Climate
2024 Was a Warning
The past year of climate shocks and surging coffee prices has felt portentous. Without significant investment and industry cooperation, coffee’s future seems increasingly uncertain.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Disposable Coffee Cups?
Single-use coffee cups are choking the planet. From discounts to levies to bans, solutions are out there—but changing consumer behaviour is the bigger challenge.
Coffee, Sustainability, and Shifting Perceptions
As the climate crisis comes for coffee, new ideas are needed. But some solutions are already out there—we just need to recognize and embrace them.
Connecting the Dots: Inside the 2023 Coffee Barometer
A conversation with the landmark report's lead author Sjoerd Panhuysen.
Coffee & Politics
Musk and Trump’s ‘Plutocratic Coup’ Could Upend the Coffee Industry
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are bulldozing the U.S. government. While nothing is certain, the impact on the coffee industry is already significant.
Rudy Giuliani and Our Uneasy Fascination with Celebrity Coffee Brands
Today, there are more celebrity coffee companies than ever. But as Rudy Coffee has demonstrated, that might not be a good thing.
Coffee, Community, and a Year of Silence
The coffee industry loves “community”, but it doesn’t always love the solidarity that the word signifies. Nowhere is this more obvious than in its reaction—or lack thereof—to the genocide in Gaza.
Please Just Let Millennials Enjoy Our Coffee
That latte you just bought is the reason you won’t be able to retire, according to the financial gurus. But why has coffee become such a potent symbol of Millennial misspending in the first place?
Corporate vs Specialty Coffee
Embrace, Extend, Extinguish … Espresso?
How a Microsoft business strategy from the ’90s explains Starbucks’ new cortado—and the general flattening of modern coffee culture.
Corporate Philanthropy Will Not Save the Coffee Industry
Coffee companies love to fund projects that look good in press releases and impact reports. However, corporate philanthropy is mostly a shield to deflect criticism, protect power, and avoid regulation.
Starbucks and the Myth of the Third Place
Starbucks wants to be known as a community gathering space, even after morphing into the ultimate convenience-focused coffee chain. But was it ever truly a third place in the first place?
Equity Crowdfunding and the Democratisation of Coffee Investing
While many specialty coffee companies turn to venture capital to fuel their growth, others are going in the opposite direction: utilising equity crowdfunding to share ownership with their communities.
Coffee Unions and Labour
There Is No Such Thing as an 'Unskilled’ Coffee Job
Baristas and other hourly coffee workers are undervalued and underpaid—but they are far from unskilled, despite what the pernicious stereotypes suggest.
Where Are All the British Coffee Unions?
While a wave of coffee unionising washes over the United States, across the pond there’s barely a ripple. Why is that?
Private Equity vs. the Coffee Workers
Big money pours into specialty coffee with one goal: wealth extraction. But as soon as things go wrong, workers are the first to suffer.
The Ongoing Fight For a Union Contract at Starbucks
Will 2024 finally bring a contract for the 370+ unionized Starbucks, or will the company's obstinance continue? The jury's still out.
Sustainability
The Cynical Evolution of Coffee Substitutes
We used to grudgingly turn to coffee alternatives in times of turmoil. Now, however, there is a new breed of venture capital-backed substitutes, with a more antagonistic relationship to coffee.
Coffee, Sustainability, and Shifting Perceptions
As the climate crisis comes for coffee, new ideas are needed. But some solutions are already out there—we just need to recognize and embrace them.
Connecting the Dots: Inside the 2023 Coffee Barometer
A conversation with the landmark report's lead author Sjoerd Panhuysen.
Upcycled Coffeewashing
Putting coffee grounds into shoes and luxury watch straps isn't sustainable—it's a distraction.
Interviews
Coffee Conversations: Ana Vizcaino on Battling Climate Change in Guatemala
The owner of Finca Esperanza and Two Birds Coffee talks about the challenges of growing coffee during the climate crisis, the price surge, and what it all means for the future of coffee in Guatemala.
Coffee Conversations: Morgan Eckroth on Judging Coffee Competitions
The 2022 U.S. Barista Champion and social media star on taking a break from competing, becoming a judge, and what it’s like being on the other side of the clipboard.
‘No Billionaires Were Enriched Through The Sale Of This Coffee’: An Interview With Author John Green
The bestselling author on being a coffee influencer, raising money for Partners In Health, and his love-hate relationship with Twitter.
Critical Pedagogy and Coffee: Bartholomew Jones on Education, Music, and his Documentary 'Cxffeeblack to Africa'
The educator, barista, rapper, and co-founder of Cxffeeblack discusses his new project and much more.
Coffee history
Ballad of the Indian Coffee House
Despite evolving tastes and increased competition, India’s oldest and largest coffee chain—a communist-founded, worker-owned cooperative—is still going after 70 years.
Camp Coffee, Colonialism, and the Evolution of a Brand
How a 19th century Scottish instant coffee brand has adapted, evolved, and survived.
Weird Coffee
The Cynical Evolution of Coffee Substitutes
We used to grudgingly turn to coffee alternatives in times of turmoil. Now, however, there is a new breed of venture capital-backed substitutes, with a more antagonistic relationship to coffee.
The Graveyard of Coffee Kickstarters
There are a lot of coffee gadgets on Kickstarter. Some are successful, others less so. This is the story of the latter.
Why is Beanless Coffee?
Coffee-less coffee is marketed as the sustainable solution to the climate crisis. But is it? And what about the farmers who will be left behind?