For 18 months, the coffee industry has remained mostly silent about the ongoing destruction of Gaza. A new fundraiser hopes to raise money—and jolt the industry awake.
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.
To meet demand and cut costs, many coffee companies—legally—mix sought-after Kona beans with cheaper coffee from other regions. Now, Hawaii has passed a law mandating that bags labeled as Kona actually contain 51% coffee from the Kona region, upping the percentage from 10%. However the law has proven divisive, with some in the industry worried that it could increase prices and deter customers from buying the more expensive beans.
More influential industry voices are adding to the growing calls to delay implementation of the European Union’s deforestation legislation. Vanusia Nogueira, director of the International Coffee Organization, told a coffee summit in Honduras: “We can’t meet that date; it is not possible.”
Demand for coffee is increasing—whole bean coffee in particular—indicating a growing interest in home brewing. A new report looking at Amazon data shows that demand for whole-bean coffee has increased 46% over the last year.
In case you missed it, here’s my latest deep dive—on Starbucks’ attempts to market itself as a community gathering space (successfully at first, less so in recent years):
I'm the creator and writer of The Pourover. Based in Scotland, I have over a decade of experience in the specialty coffee industry as a barista, roaster, and writer. Ask me about coffeewashing.
Fionn Pooler
