For paid subscribers: A look at what makes coffee health studies so attractive to news organisations and readers, and how such stories also benefit the coffee industry.
Coffee is always in the news, from health studies to novel products to stunt job postings. But what do these “earned media” stories tell us about the motivations behind such coverage?
A pretty quiet week, news-wise, but a few coffee things still happened:
World Coffee Portal put out their latest report on the state of the “branded coffee shop market” in the United States (that is, the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin as well as smaller companies that “graduated to branded coffee chain status after surpassing five outlets”). The TL;DR of the report is that competition is heating up and everyone’s a bit glum over the short term future, leading to a focus on value to entice more price-sensitive customers.
Young Vietnamese entrepreneurs are going against their parents’ wishes and eschewing more traditional careers in favour of opening coffee shops. These youngsters are “using espressos to challenge family expectations around work,” according to the AFP’s Alice Philipson.
Unionised Starbucks employees won a contract! However, it’s not Starbucks Workers United—these workers are in Canada, the first of five Ontario cafes represented by United Steelworkers to secure a collective bargaining agreement. In the U.S., organisers continue to negotiate with the company.
Read more on all these stories, plus some new research on the safety of coffee consumption during pregnancy, over at Fresh Cup Magazine:
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
