Tariff Chaos

It's been quite a week, all things considered. At least the coffee news will be calm and unremarkable, right? Right??

Well, here's a brief summary of what happened:

• The Trump administration's sweeping tariffs against, well, everyone, have thrown the global economy into chaos. But they are also going to impact the coffee industry. The U.S. imports 18% of all coffee produced worldwide, and the new tariffs on everyone from Brazil and Colombia (10%) to Vietnam (46%) will push up prices along the supply chain. (I have a longer piece on all this in Fresh Cup coming out probably tomorrow, so keep an eye out.)
• FairWave, the private equity-backed "collective" that has been buying up coffee companies across the Midwest, has now acquired North Carolina-based Black & White Coffee Roasters. It's a pretty big get, considering Black & White's standing in the specialty coffee world, and also somewhat ominous for the rest of the industry.

Could a Private-Equity-Backed ‘Collective’ Offer a Template for Specialty Coffee’s Future?

FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective is acquiring coffee brands across the Midwest, promising a localised approach to growth. Is this a model for the industry—or just another consolidation strategy?

The PouroverFionn Pooler

• In less bleak news: Researchers are using fun-sounding devices called electronic noses to help pinpoint a coffee's origin. They used the e-noses (which aren't actually robotic noses, unfortunately) alongside various gas chromatography devices to analyse and identify coffee origins based on each coffee's aroma.

For more on all these stories, plus how Brazilian and Colombian farmers are coping with the climate crisis in very different ways, check out the full Roundup over at Fresh Cup Magazine:

Coffee News Club: Week of April 7th

Click to find out what an electronic nose looks like. Here’s all the coffee highlights from the week of April 7th.

Fresh Cup MagazineFionn Pooler

I've started doing a monthly series of Q&A interviews called Coffee Conversations, sent first to paid subscribers and then to everyone else a month later. Over the weekend paid subscribers received a chat with Tony "Tonx" Konecny of Yes Plz all about blending coffee.

If you missed it, here's Ana Vizcaino of Finca Esperanza in Guatemala from last month:

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.

The PouroverFionn Pooler

If you'd like to support my work and get first access to these interviews, plus biweekly bonus articles, consider becoming a paid subscriber!

I'll be back on Friday with a new longform article, but until then it's goodbye from Clem and Jun, who are making the most of some momentary sun: