Conflating Your Personal Brand With Your Coffee Brand is a Risky Strategy
For paid subscribers: Recent stories show the dangers of building too much of a coffee company’s image around its founder’s personality. When things go wrong, it can blow back on the brand.
Starbucks Workers in Chile Show that Winning a Union Contract Is Possible
In the U.S., Starbucks workers continue to fight for a union contract after years of roadblocks and retaliation. The struggle seems endless—but organisers in Chile offer a vision of what can be achieved.
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 Cynical Evolution of Coffee Substitutes
We used to grudgingly turn to coffee alternatives in times of turmoil. Now, however, there is a new breed of venture capital-backed substitutes, with a more antagonistic relationship to coffee.
Who Will Fund the Future of Coffee?
For paid subscribers: some thoughts on the loss of USAID funding for coffee research, and the possibly misguided hope that corporations will step up.
Musk and Trump’s ‘Plutocratic Coup’ Could Upend the Coffee Industry
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are bulldozing the U.S. government. While nothing is certain, the impact on the coffee industry is already significant.