Alan Bruce of Flight Coffee Roasters in Auckland has won the 2020 New Zealand Cup Tasters Championship, held at Ozone Coffee Roasters in Auckland on 28 February.
In the final round, Alan scored 7/8 correct cups in 2.13 minutes. Read more
IWCA Australia celebrates International Women’s Day
The Australian branch of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is hosting cupping and networking events in Sydney and Melbourne to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March.
The Melbourne event will be held at Veneziano Coffee Richmond on the day from 2:30pm, and the Sydney event will be held the next day at Condesa Co Lab from 6pm. Read more
How minerals in water influence the taste of coffee
Coffee taste depends to a certain extent on the overall mineralisation – sum of all the minerals – and alkalinity – carbonate hardness – of the water.
Water is an excellent solvent that consists of more than just the pure chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen, i.e. H2O. Substances from the environment and minerals are dissolved in drinking water. These influence the taste of coffee because they determine the chemical properties and solvent behaviour of the water. Read more
Volunteer at the Australian Coffee Championships
The Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) is calling for volunteers at the Condesa Co Lab 2020 Australian Coffee Championships, taking place in Adelaide from 27 to 30 March.
Volunteers who love all things coffee, want experience in event management, or to find out what goes behind the scenes at a national event, are encouraged to apply. Read more
Royal Queensland Coffee Awards to reward nation’s best roasters
The Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show has launched the Royal Queensland Coffee Awards, providing Australian coffee roasters another chance to benchmark their products.
International coffee judge, Q Grader, and Q Roasters Owner Lachlan Hosking, who has 35 years of experience in the industry, has been appointed Chief Judge of the competition. Read more
Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend expands across Australia
Last year, specialty coffee roaster Toby’s Estate partnered with Califia Farms to launch the latter’s Oat Barista Blend in Australia.
Beginning in New South Wales, Califia Farms has announced the partnership has now taken Oat Barista Blend nationwide. Read more
Ethiopia Cup of Excellence receives record-high number of entries
The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) has revealed that its first Cup of Excellence (COE) program in Ethiopia has received a record-high number of 1459 samples entered into the competition. The amount surpasses the previous COE record by more than 400 sample entries. Read more
Colombian government launches $97 million coffee price stabilisation fund
The Colombian Government has announced the launch of the Coffee Price Stabilisation Fund (FEPC) worth COL$218 billion (about $97 million). The FEPC aims to secure the nation’s coffee farmers against volatile international coffee prices.
“It is an instrument that gives certainty [and] tranquillity to coffee producers that they will receive predetermined prices for their product. [Now they] can be dedicated to growing the best coffee in the world and not worry about those price fluctuations,” says Alberto Carrasquilla, Minister of Finance. Read more
Australian dairy and soy sector set to reach $13.2 billion by 2023
Analytics company GlobalData forecasts the Australian dairy and soy food sector to grow from $10.8 billion in 2018 to $13.2 billion by 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4 per cent.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Country Profile: Dairy & Soy Food in Australia’, reveals that milk is the largest category in the Australian dairy and soy food sector, accounting for 32.2 per cent value share in 2018. Read more
Ona Coffee to #giveupthecup, cease using single-use cups
Ona Coffee has announced a new sustainability campaign, #giveupthecup to eliminate all single-use takeaway cups from its venues and wholesale distribution.
The announcement comes as Ona Coffee enters its 12th year and follows the conversion to solar energy of its headquarters and roastery in Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory. Read more