COFFEE NEWS ROUNDUP: WEEK ENDING APRIL 13TH
As everyone knows, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day (especially for attendees of Camp Crystal Lake). However, it is also seemingly unlucky for coffee news writers because, this week, there just isn't that much.
A few interesting tidbits, sure, but nothing particularly weighty or significant. No Proposition 65 ruling this week; not even a sugar-laden Jason Vorhees-inspired Starbucks latte to be snarky about.
This week, then, after we go over the few pieces of interesting news, we'll move on to some of the coffee-related articles that have come out over the past seven days, and why you should take the time to read them.
Onward, then, to the news.
This Coffee Chain Wants to Turn Some of Its Stores Into Marijuana Shops - via Fortune
Did you know that Canada is getting ready to legalize marijuana?
It's true—by July 2018, Canada plans to allow recreational use of cannabis throughout the country, fulfilling an election pledge by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It's estimated that this legalization could be worth upwards of $4.5 billion by 2021, and one coffee company is trying to get in on the ground floor. Second Cup—familiar to fans of Scott Pilgrim Vs The World—plans to turn some of its three hundred existing locations into dispensaries and, eventually, pot lounges.
Whether they will try to sell cannabis-infused coffee remains to be seen.
Read more here.
Waitrose to remove all disposable coffee cups from shops this year - via the Guardian
Giving away free coffee is a surefire way to get people to visit your supermarket. However, as Waitrose found out last year, awful people will always find a way to take advantage of your generosity (even if your generosity is a blatantly-signposted ploy to loss-lead customers into your overpriced store).
Now though, Waitrose has announced that it will be removing all disposable cups from its stores by the autumn, meaning customers will have to bring their own reusable cup in order to take advantage of the free freebie. The company claims the move will save 52 million cups from landfill across the UK each year, which is not to be sniffed at (although the UK does throw away 2.5 billion cups every year, so it's really a drop in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch).
Read more here.
New Study Finds Undetectable Levels Of Acrylamide In Coffee - via Sprudge
Oh hey guess what, that ridiculous Proposition 65 lawsuit in California a couple of weeks ago is already being discredited.
As mentioned here before, the lawsuit seemed designed more for the financial benefit of lawyers and interest groups than protecting the public. Now, a new study in which coffee from nine leading brands was tested for acrylamide levels found that none of them contained harmful levels (or really, any levels at all).
The research from non-profit group Clean Label Project found undetectable levels of acrylamide in the off-the-shelf coffee, levels more than 40 times lower than has been found in a large portion of French fries.
So that clears it up, right? Well, probably not. But it's a start.
Read more here.
Is coffee good for you?
Seems like it, this week.
It can help fight colon cancer, according to scientists at the University of Texas, and can help you lose weight, according to, er, some nutritionist. That clears it up then.
What to read
OK now to the more interesting part of this week's Coffee News Roundup. There have been quite a few great articles published this week that don't technically fall under "News", but that are definitely worth your time.
First, Indigenous Trans Women Find Sanctuary on Colombia’s Coffee Farms by Heather Brady with stunning photographs by Lena Mucha, is a fascinating look at the difficulties of being a trans woman in Colombia and the important role coffee farms can play in their lives.
Next, Coffee Review focused this month's reviews on women-produced coffee, and they received 110 samples from across the country. The summary of the top 17 (all of which scored above 93 on the cupping table), provides an interesting rundown of women roasters, importers, farmers and business owners working in the industry today.
Janice Nadworny and Rémy Vandame, in a piece for Daily Coffee News, investigate how bees could be an important part of the future of coffee, looking at, among other things, research which shows that pollinators impact both coffee productivity and quality.
And finally, Jordan Michelman in Sprudge discusses coffee drink nomenclature and defends his favorite drink, the Danny DeVito. It's a good read.
Until next week, drink good coffee. Maybe try a Danny DeVito (I know I'm going to).
