Coffee

Every people have their own experiences to share when you talk about coffee, especially those who drink coffee from ages 18 and up. Many specialty coffee shops can be now found in almost any corner of the city, that’s because of our addiction to coffee. And because of this, I’m sure that those specialty coffee shops are making more money by serving thousands of caffeine lovers every day.

One of the fastest growing food industries in the world is the specialty coffee industry. These kind of shops are now almost every where. Try walking in the downtown area, and you will notice that there now a lot of shops serving caffeine lovers. To produce a gourmet or premium coffee, is should be grown in the world’s most ideal coffee producing climates, like in Costa Rica, and prepared according to exacting standards. And Specialty Coffee Association of America or SCAA set all these quality standards.

Specialty coffee industry have their own trade association, and this is SCAA. To maintain the quality, SCAA put standards for roasting, growing, and brewing of coffee. This association consists of coffee roasters, producers, retailers. Some coffee equipment manufacturers are also member of this association. As you may know, SCAA provide its own information of specialty coffee in terms of cupping, brewing, roasting, and more.

The first method, cupping, is the systematic evaluation of coffee beans based on its aroma and taste. This method is commonly used by coffee growers, buyers, and roasters to determine the quality of a specific coffee sample. There is a formal step-by-step evaluation process for doing a proper cupping and it requires the observance to an exacting set of brewing standards. A cupper generally looks for six characteristics to identify its quality, these include aroma, taste, fragrance, aftertaste, nose (vapors release by the coffee in the mouth), and body.

To enhance the taste of the coffee, proper brewing should be done. And it is properly done if the proper amount of flavor was extracted from the bean. The six essential elements of proper brewing are coffee to water ratio, optimum brewing method, properly operating brewing machine, a coffee grind that matches the brewing time, high quality water, and an appropriate filtering medium.

So, that is all. There is variety of reasons why premium coffee hit off the market. One, it needs to follow certain standards in order to produce a great tasting coffee drinks and simply because they taste better. If the coffee industry is continuous in implementing these high quality standards, it will continue to soar.

John Platiko is the created a website Coffee A Day for coffee lovers. Coffee lovers can also get the latest Starbucks Coffee Store discounts from the website.

Author: John Platiko
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The coffee economics and numbers and details related to coffee production and consumption is extremely mesmerizing for marketers. A glimpse of some of the facts is given below

- Coffee consumption in North America and Europe comes to about one third of the tap water consumed.

- Throughout the world, nearly 25 million small producers derive their livelihood from coffee.

- In Brazil alone, which is the worlds largest producer of coffee, about 5 million people are involved in the labor intensive activity of cultivating and harvesting 5 billion coffee plants with hardly any automation available.

- 6.7 million tons of coffee was produced annually in 1998-2000 and this is slated to touch a figure of 7 million tons by 2010.

- In the United States, the number of retail specialty outlets including cafes, kiosks, coffee carts, and roasters touched 17,400 selling $8.96 billion worth of coffee in 2003.

- According to SCAA, 16% of adults in USA drank coffee daily at one of these specialty coffee outlets.

Considering these scope of these numbers, it is normal that coffee drinkers would be concerned about the price that they have to pay for their daily cup of coffee.

The price of coffee as a commodity has seen huge fluctuations in the recent past, especially after the breakdown of the International Coffee Agreement of 1975-1989 and the lifting of the US imposed trade embargo on Vietnam. The flooding of Robusta beans from Vietnam, which are cheaper and therefore preferred by larger companies, resulted in a crash in the commodity price of coffee. By 2001 the prices had reached abysmally low levels. As it became financially unviable it resulted in loss of livelihood for many coffee farmers in Africa, Indonesia, and South and Central America

The coffee growers retaliated by forming co-operatives and were able to get a better price. The major coffee companies were compelled to pay almost 3 to 4 times the price that they were paying to individual farmers. The Dutch brand ‘Max Havelaar’ also pitched in with a concept of fair trade which tried to guarantee a negotiated pre-harvest price to the growers. Nowadays, the price of coffee is also impacted by the trading done in futures and options on the commodity exchanges. These are financial assets based on a standardized contract for future sale or purchase at a settled price.

The correct perspective of the economics of what you pay for a cup of coffee is revealed by what transpires after coffee reaches the manufacturer’s premises. Raw beans are roasted, grinded, and packed for distribution. This adds to the cost but still would not tantamount to the kind of prices that you pay. A cup of coffee would still cost you hardly anything above a few cents to make at home and a bit more at a small coffee shop. Still customers are ready to pay much more in espresso bars at premium locations.

The consumer who visits a café is concerned not only about the quality of the coffee but also the service that comes with it. This need of the discerning consumers is met by companies that open outlets that sell specialty coffees within an ambience.

Specialty coffee is not purchased on the commodity exchanges and is an entirely different economic product than the wholesale coffee that is traded in these exchanges. Large companies usually enter into multi year private contracts at prices sometimes doubles the price that one gets to see in the newspapers’ commodity columns. When you go to a specialty retail outlet, you are not only getting your coffee the way you relish it but also the service and the ambience that accompanies it.

The discerning consumer looks for an experience that may be relaxing, fun, lavish or pampering. One look around the décor, the lighting, and the ambience in specialty retail outlets like Starbucks, The Hard Rock Cafe, FAO Schwarz, Niketown, and The Geek Squad will give an idea about the manner in which experiential marketing is taking the world by storm.

Coffee City | Offers extensive articles and resources on coffee, espresso, coffee beans, coffee making, etc.

Author: Mel Ng
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It is commonly believed that the Governor of Oahu, Chief Boki, was the first to introduce coffee to the Hawaiian Islands in the year 1825. While on a British warship, he acquired the coffee plants from Rio de Janeiro. The first coffee plants were planted and flourished in the Manoa Valley in Oahu. Since then, the growth of coffee plants has spread all over the islands, including the Kona Coast, which now produces the world famous Hawaiian or Kona coffee.

The perfect blend of all the six elements comprising of rich soil, proper elevation, cloud cover, sunshine, rain and a moderate slope helping in the drainage of the roots provided by the Hawaiian islands, have ensured an ideal environment to produce some of the richest coffee in the world. The season of growing coffee starts in January and continues until the month of June. Every year the coffee growers wait patiently for the blossoms after the early rains that eventually produce coffee berries. Under the close watch of the farmers, the coffee berries ripe in the trees before they are individually harvested. Each phase of coffee making is looked after meticulously, starting from roasting and flavoring to dry milling. The typical Hawaiian coffee is rich in its color, density, and acidity with a great flavor.

The Hawaiian Islands, being the only state growing coffee in the US, produce an average of seven million pounds of coffee every year. While the Kona coffee remains one of the most favored around the world, a majority of the other islands have also started growing coffee now. Apart from the Kona coffee, some of the top flavors of the Hawaiian coffee include Kauai’s coffee, Ka’anapali Maui coffee, Haleakala Maui coffee, Molokai’s coffee, Waialua coffee and Macadamia Cream to name a few.

Due to its taste and overwhelming popularity, the Hawaiian coffee is very expensive, although the experience of tasting a quality cup is worth the money.

Coffee provides detailed information on Coffee, Coffee Makers, Gourmet Coffee, Coffee Shops and more. Coffee is affiliated with Gourmet Flavored Coffee.

Author: Alison Cole
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Peru is the third largest South American country and the world’s sixth largest coffee producer. Almost 90% of all Peruvian coffee produced is exported and it is one of Peru’s major exports.

Because of the mild nature of most coffee produced by Peru, it is used primarily for blending, French-roast and as a flavored-coffee base. However, Peru’s Central Region in particular, has gained recognition as a high ranking producer of quality, certified organic coffee.

Peru’s coffee and agricultural producing regions include the Northern, Central and Southern Regions. They are situated in the heavily forested north-eastern slopes of the Andes. The coffee growers are small farmers who produce a mild Arabica, with exceptions among farmers who are devoted to producing organic coffee only.

A formidable obstacle to any agricultural production is the challenge of the Andes mountains, the lack of good transportation networks and the complex Amazon River basin system. Such challenges add to the production costs and make coffee farming more complicated in Peru than in other countries. The good news is that coffee producers, coffee exporters and the government are working together to improve the image of Peruvian coffee worldwide. One can say with confidence that the future looks bright for Peruvian coffee.

A few interesting facts about the Peruvian coffee regions,

Northern Region: The largest coffee growing areas in this region are Jan, Bagua, San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Piura, Amazonas and San Martin.

• Coffees from this region are typically the most unreliable and difficult to categorize. This is the newest area to produce coffee, with the highest number of uneducated coffee farmers and traders, and the biggest distance from Lima. Clean northern coffees have a smoky, earthy flavor and are the mildest of Peru. There are, however, some northern coffees that have a superb full body and delicate sweetness as well such as from the Cajamarca area.

Central Region: This region is well suited for coffee shade farming techniques. Many coffee growers follow sustainable agricultural practices and they adhere to organic fertilization and weed control methods which are very good for the environment. The most established coffee farming areas in this region include Villa Rica and La Merced.

• The peak harvest in the Central Region is usually a few months apart from the peak harvest availability of washed Central American coffees. This gives Peruvian coffee producers an advantage in coffee markets although weather fluctuations often have unpredictable effects that can change the supply and demand quickly.

Southern Region: This region includes the smallest coffee growing area of Quillabamba with towns such as Ayacucho, Cuzco and Puno.

• Puno coffees are full-bodied and very citrus-like tasting. Unfortunately, their production is very low per year and they are very rare due to their remote location on the high Bolivia-Peru border. Cuzco is one of the oldest and largest producing areas of Peru. Cuzco is also home to the famous Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. Cuzco coffee offers fruity acidity and it is among the most consistently balanced Peruvian coffees.

What about a delicious cup of Peruvian Shade Grown Organic coffee?

Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “The Gourmet Coffee Guy.” He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com
Also visit: http://www.squidoo.com/coffee-lensography-TheGourmetCoffeeGuy

Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: Timothy S. Collins
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You might have heard this buzz phrase while sipping a mocha latte certified organic coffee but what exactly does that mean? And what’s the difference between organic coffee and organic fair trade coffee? Understanding the basics behind the buzz can help you make an informed decision when you buy your next bag of coffee beans.

Organic Coffee Versus Conventional Coffee

What’s the difference between regular coffee and organic coffee? Organic coffee plantations focus on using practices that protect both the environment and the workers who grow, harvest, roast and pack the coffee.

Conventional Coffee Plantations

Conventional coffee plantations use several practices that are not good for either the environment or the workers. Many of the fertilizers and pesticides used by conventional coffee growers have been shown to leach into groundwater supplies, streams and rivers killing off wildlife, causing plants to overgrow and overtake lakes and rivers, and polluting the drinking water supplies used by the locals.

Traditional farming methods involve clearing forest (sometimes rainforests), resulting in lost topsoil and lost forest area. With the lost forest comes displaced birds and wildlife that no longer have places to live, threatening endangered species. Many of the coffee growers still use antiquated chemicals such as DDT. These chemicals endanger the workers, who are exposed to cancer-causing agents as they work with these dangerous chemicals.

Organic Coffee Plantations

Plantations that use organic farming methods refuse to use dangerous chemicals or fertilizers to protect or enhance their crops. They also focus on growing coffee in the shade even though this process takes longer and is more difficult. When you read a label that lists “organic shade grown coffee,” you’re holding a package of coffee that has been grown the way coffee was intended to be grown in the shade of higher vegetation or trees, without the use of chemicals.

Shade-grown coffee is richer in flavor, but it takes longer to grow and is more costly to produce. Shade-grown coffee is also called “bird-friendly” coffee because it protects the habitat needed by many birds. All of these practices protect the workers (who labor to provide for their families) and the environment.

Fair Trade Coffee

Fair trade coffee regulations were created in order to protect human rights for plantation workers. On many conventional coffee plantations, the workers are paid very little and work long hours.

Under the fair trade regulations, coffee farmers are paid a fair trade premium so they will have enough capital to invest in health care, education, fair worker wage and community infrastructure. As a reward for adopting safe and environmentally friendly farming practices, these farmers are given resources such as improved equipment and training so they can compete with the current market. If these farmers also decide to use organic practices, they receive an additional financial incentive. This benefits the workers, the community and society as a whole.

How do you know if the Coffee is Truly Fair Trade Coffee?

Look for the certification from Transfair, an organization which oversees the certification of fair trade coffee around the world. Go to www.transfairusa.org for more information on which coffee plantations and producers are certified as fair trade coffee producers.

The Best of Both Worlds: Organic Fair Trade Coffee

The purposes of both these business models are the same: to help promote a way of conducting business that supports a sustainable society. Organic coffee production protects the environment and the health of the coffee workers, and fair trade regulations protects the rights of the workers so they are ensured fair pay and decent working conditions.

Why Pay Extra for Organic Fair Trade Coffee?

Unfortunately, organic fair trade coffee is more expensive than the competition. This is because these practices although best for the people and environment are more costly than the conventional options.

For more information on coffee, visit the food section of Life123.com.

Author: Rachel Mork
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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