Coffee Features
A collection of all in-depth coffee features on The Pourover.
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.
Embrace, Extend, Extinguish … Espresso?
How a Microsoft business strategy from the ’90s explains Starbucks’ new cortado—and the general flattening of modern coffee culture.
Rudy Giuliani and Our Uneasy Fascination with Celebrity Coffee Brands
Today, there are more celebrity coffee companies than ever. But as Rudy Coffee has demonstrated, that might not be a good thing.
2024 Was a Warning
The past year of climate shocks and surging coffee prices has felt portentous. Without significant investment and industry cooperation, coffee’s future seems increasingly uncertain.
The Purpose of the Coffee Industry Is What It Does
Coffee brands love to tout their ethics and human rights policies, yet the supply chain is still built on poverty. At some point, we have to judge the industry not by what it says but by its actions.
Coffee, Community, and a Year of Silence
The coffee industry loves “community”, but it doesn’t always love the solidarity that the word signifies. Nowhere is this more obvious than in its reaction—or lack thereof—to the genocide in Gaza.
From South to North: Farmer-Owned Coffee Companies Are Challenging the Industry's Power Structures
Companies in the Global North capture most of the profits generated along the coffee supply chain. But farmer-owned coffee roasters offer a more equitable model—and a path forward for the industry.
There Is No Such Thing as an 'Unskilled’ Coffee Job
Baristas and other hourly coffee workers are undervalued and underpaid—but they are far from unskilled, despite what the pernicious stereotypes suggest.
Corporate Philanthropy Will Not Save the Coffee Industry
Coffee companies love to fund projects that look good in press releases and impact reports. However, corporate philanthropy is mostly a shield to deflect criticism, protect power, and avoid regulation.
Starbucks and the Myth of the Third Place
Starbucks wants to be known as a community gathering space, even after morphing into the ultimate convenience-focused coffee chain. But was it ever truly a third place in the first place?
Please Just Let Millennials Enjoy Our Coffee
That latte you just bought is the reason you won’t be able to retire, according to the financial gurus. But why has coffee become such a potent symbol of Millennial misspending in the first place?
The Pesticides Underpinning Coffee’s Healthy Image
Coffee is widely considered to be healthy—for the drinker, at least. For those who handle and spray the pesticides that fight pests and boost production, however, it can be anything but.