Coffee Features
A collection of all in-depth coffee features on The Pourover.
‘Sustainable’ Airline Coffee Is a Contradiction in Terms
How can supposedly ethical coffee brands pitch themselves as environmentally conscious while partnering with airlines?
Travel Warnings and Detainments Cast a Shadow Over America’s Biggest Coffee Trade Show
Amidst the U.S. government’s crackdown at the border and a raft of anti-trans legislation in Texas, some coffee professionals are skipping the Specialty Coffee Association’s Expo in Houston.
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.
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.
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.