Coffee companies are going all in on automation. We’re told that it improves efficiency, cuts costs, and yields a better product. But what does it mean for the baristas whose labour these automations displace?
A very hefty roundup this week. Here’s some of what happened:
Coffee prices have been rising consistently for months, but while that’s generally good for farmers it has also led to an increase in thefts: specifically, coffee cherries are being stolen directly from the trees. In Uganda, producers are patrolling their plots during the night and have been urged to hire security guards or use animals like dogs (or bees!) to protect their land.
Starbucks’ new CEO just started in the role, and already he has big plans. His main one being to go back in time to when Starbucks was an actual coffee shop. “We’re refocusing on what has always set Starbucks apart—a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas”, Niccol wrote in an open letter posted on the company’s website.
A private equity company in Oregon bought up a bunch of struggling companies in 2020, including several coffee companies, and then—surprise!—proceeded to mismanage the whole thing, leading to lawsuits, evictions, and more.
In Seattle, workers at Cherry Street Coffee House went on strike, shutting down all four of the company’s stores in protest of owner Ali Ghambari’s support for a city council bill allowing small businesses to pay staff less than minimum wage.
Read more on all these, plus some Keurig coffeewashing, over at Fresh Cup Magazine:
If you missed it, you can catch up with my latest Pourover piece: the coffee shaming of Millennials by millionaire financial gurus and newspaper columnists:
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
