Sarah Baker

Coffee Washing Station Rubagabaga wins Burundi Cup of Excellence

The Burundi Cup of Excellence (COE) international jury has awarded seven Presidential Awards to coffees scoring 90 points, the most scored in COE history. The Presidential-awarded lots, will be sold as two split lots during the auction on 2 October.  Greenco-owned Coffee Washing Station Rubagabaga won first place with a score of 91.43 for a coffee from the Kayanza region. Coffee Washing Station Munkaze Coffee, owned by Buja Coffee, placed second with 91.14 points.   Washing stations from all over Burundi submitted 331 coffee samples, which narrowed down to 29 coffees from five different provinces for the judging on 2 August in Bujumbura.  The judging panel represented markets from United States, South Korea, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Norway, Russia, Australia and Burundi.  
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Victorian barista Kevin Lim crowned Soul Origin Latte Art Champion 

Some of Australia’s best baristas and latte artists came together in Martin Place on 27 July to compete in Soul Origin’s National Barista and Latte Art Championship for 2018.  Victorian barista Kevin Lim from Chadstone proved he has the company’s best latte art skills, winning the Soul Origin Latte Art Championship and Eddy Siew placing second. Along with his title, Kevin has won a personal latte art master class with 2018 Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Australian Latte Art Champion Shinsaku Fukayama of St Ali. 
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Kenya launches National Coffee Platform

Global Coffee Platform has launched the first National Coffee Platform of Kenya, signifying a major step in the country’s journey towards coffee sustainability. Representing the diverse voices of the many stakeholders involved in the Kenyan coffee sector, the Platform, a locally-driven initiative, will serve as an inclusive, participatory forum to facilitate the alignment and collective action needed to achieve the national goal of doubling productivity and income of the 700,000 farmers who rely on coffee as a source of livelihood. “This is a really exciting occasion for all coffee people in Kenya. One of the biggest hurdles in transforming any sector is that preliminary step of aligning everybody behind a shared goal and agenda,” says Annette Pensel, Executive Director, Global Coffee Platform.
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A Brazilian commitment

On the day I spoke to Jose Francisco on 8 May, Monte Alegre Coffee was a hive of activity on the first day of harvest. Despite the early mark, conditions were “perfect” – a dry 26°C during the day, 14°C at night, and low 45 per cent moisture.  The cherries were ripe and mature, ready for round one of picking. It’s a process that will go until the end of August.  About 35 per cent is mechanically harvested, and 65 per cent done by hand, a balance of technology and craft to ensure the best cherries are picked.  Brazil’s special climatic conditions are one of the reasons the country has a reputation as one of the biggest coffee producers in the world, and an emerging specialty coffee scene. 
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CafeSmart

Support CaféSmart2018 today

Today’s the day to support CaféSmart 2018 and help fight homelessness. More than 600 cafés are participating in CaféSmart 2018 on 3 August, with $1 from every coffee sold at participating cafes directed to support grassroots homeless charities. Last year CaféSmart raised $285,500, including matched funding from partner philanthropists, and supported 156 homelessness projects across Australia. This year, CaféSmart is aiming to beat that total and raise $300,000 for critically underfunded services.
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Eco Barista 

Eco Barista, a supplier to the specialty coffee industry, has launched a new range of premium coffee bags designed to keep beans fresh and flavour locked in. Eco Barista coffee bags are available in a
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Teapigs

Teapigs has a great range of super premium tea. The whole leaves, herbs and flowers in its tea temples have been handled gently to maintain every drop of its precious flavour. Teapigs are housed in biodegradable tea temples, making it easy for baristas to prepare and for customers to see the quality of the product. 
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Coffee Masters – New York applications close 31 August

If you think you have what it takes to become a Coffee Master, then apply for the 2018 edition of Coffee Masters – New York. The competition will return to The New York Coffee Festival from 12 – 14 October at the Metropolitan Pavilion. For the chance to compete and represent your country on the world stage, interested participants must apply to compete, create a coffee-based Signature Drink inspired by New York City and showcase it in a one-to-two-minute application video. Applications will close on 31 August. To enter, click here.
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Automation reigns supreme in Barista Vs Machine competition

Veneziano Coffee Roasters hosted a Barista vs. Machine latte art smackdown on 25 July at Brew Bar in Canberra to test human skill and automation. Sixteen contestants went head to head in the smackdown event. Of the pair, one competitor was selected to use automation, using the Puqpress tamping device and Übermilk milk steamer, with the other using traditional methods of hand tamping and texturing on the espresso machine. Each had to prepare two milk coffees that were judged on speed, latte art, wastage. Joe Chalhoub of Barista Group, Ben Romeril of Veneziano Coffee Roasters and 2018 Australian Barista Champion Craig Simon judged the competition.
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Almond Breeze to find Sydney’s top Breezy Master 

Almond Breeze will host the Breezey Masters in Sydney to find New South Wales’ top latte artist on 7 August.  The latte art competition will take place at Haven Specialty Coffee in Surry Hills from 6pm to 8.30pm. The winner of this competition will go on to battle the best latte artists from across Australian the national Breezey Masters final, to be held in Melbourne in November.  The Breezey Masters is now in its third year. The event is a top class latte art competition that lets baristas showcase their skills using Almond Breeze almond milk. 
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