Operations & Menus
Beyond the Bag: How Coffee Brands Are Turning Subscribers Into Communities
Roasters are layering perks, exclusives, and shared spaces on top of recurring deliveries to give customers reasons to stick around.
Coffee Local News — News and stories from cafés, roasters and coffee-growing regions.
Skills & Education
Sarah Posma: A Fairbanks Coffee Leader's Path From Barista to Manager
An Alaska-born coffee professional reflects on eleven years at a Fairbanks roaster, a long-distance barista competition, and the rituals of winter café life.
People
Q&A with Christophe Montagnon: Coffee Research Priorities and Climate Realities
Christophe Montagnon, scientific director at World Coffee Research, reflects on 2016 breakthroughs and outlines goals for 2017—from the International Multilocation Variety Trial to new arabusta breeding work.
Latest news
- Asia-Pacific
A Farmer's Legacy: The Rise of Yunnan Coffee
Hu XiXiang's journey from rubber and tea technician to coffee cooperative leader illustrates the perseverance and community focus driving Yunnan's coffee sector.
- Events & Trade Shows
Copenhagen Show Highlights Five Standout Espresso Artifacts
From a Bialetti moka pot to a Faema E61, these pieces trace espresso equipment’s design evolution at a Danish cultural institute.
- Skills & Education
Staying Centered Behind the Bar: Practical Grounding Methods for Baristas
Working in customer service brings stress that can't be avoided, so having grounding strategies on hand is vital for baristas to remain composed and focused during tough moments.
- Prices & Trade
Decoding Coffee Certifications: What Those Little Logos Really Tell You
From organic to B Corp, certification seals on coffee bags promise transparency—but understanding their distinct aims and limitations is key to making informed choices.
- Coffee Competitions
From Beekeeping to Bean Champion: A Conversation with Keith J. Feigin
The co-founder and president of a Ukiah, California roasting company reflects on small-town pride, team achievements at the Golden Bean North America competition, and the evolving coffee landscape.
- Books, Media & Art
Beyond the Bean: One Roaster's Fight to Redefine Canephora
A new multi-contributor volume edited by Amsterdam-based roaster Mikołaj Pociecha assembles producers, researchers, and writers to challenge the coffee world's dismissive stance toward Coffea canephora.
- Coffee Competitions
Dylan Johnson on AeroPress Competition Culture and Extraction Principles in New South Wales
An email interview with Australian AeroPress champion Dylan Johnson, covering his path into coffee, the brewer's growth in New South Wales, his competition preparation, and his extraction philosophy.
- Roasteries
Inside Alma Coffee: A Canton Roastery Where the Farm-to-Cup Journey Is on Full Display
At Alma Coffee in Canton, Georgia, a cafe and roastery share one space, letting customers follow each step from green beans to packaged bags while the company’s three pillars—improving lives, sustainable practices, and extraordinary coffee—guide operations from Honduras to the retail counter.
- Skills & Education
Rachel Apple on Opening Doors in Coffee: Mentorship, Hands-On Learning, and the Courage to Ask
Coffee consultant and Cup of Excellence head judge Rachel J. Apple talks about her path from a frustrated barista to a knowledge-sharing educator, why tactile roasting skill can't be replaced by online shortcuts, and how newcomers can find mentors by simply speaking up.
- Cafe Design
Inside Ipsento 606: How a Chicago Café Turns Limited Space into a Multi-Use Hub
Tim Taylor's second Chicago café, Ipsento 606, trades bottlenecks for breathing room while packing in a slow bar, a dual Slayer espresso setup, beer taps, and a basement utility system.
Cafe Profiles
A Coffee Haven Nestled in Traverse City’s Opera House
Brew café in Traverse City, Michigan, combines prime location, community spirit, and a focus on coffee to create a welcoming space for locals and visitors alike.
Staffing & Labor
Safeguarding Baristas: A Guide to Preventing Common Café Injuries
Strategies for café owners to reduce barista strain and injuries through ergonomic design, equipment choices, and staff education.
Coffee Competitions
Lemuel Butler on Competition, Signature Drinks, and Coffee Craft
The five-time Southeast Barista Champion shares his journey from reluctant barista to industry mentor, and explains how competition shaped his approach to coffee.
Roasting Craft
How Bicarbonate in Water Shapes the Way Coffee Is Roasted
A roaster's account of discovering that the water used for brewing—not just the roast profile—can decide whether a coffee tastes bright or ashy.
South America
Rondônia’s Robusta Revolution: How Amazonian Coffee Grew Without Clearing Forest
In Brazil’s Rondônia state, public breeding programs, agroforestry and Indigenous-led quality projects turned canephora coffee into an economic engine while planted area shrank — a model that challenges assumptions about farming in the Amazon.
Farmers, Labor & Equity
Behind the Cup: The Daily Lives of Women Coffee Pickers in Nicaragua
A visit to a Nicaraguan coffee farm reveals how women pickers juggle demanding harvest work with childcare and household duties, often relying on each other for support.
Coffee Science
Beyond the Roast Date: Rethinking What 'Fresh' Means in Coffee
Roast dates on bags shape how many of us judge quality, yet sensory tests and barista experience suggest older coffees can still deliver. Here's why the industry's freshness assumptions deserve a second look—and how careful brewing and roasting choices can keep good coffee out of the bin.
Opinion
Minnesota's Independent Cafes Turn Community Talk Into Action Against ICE
When federal immigration enforcement descended on Minnesota, the state's independent coffee shops moved beyond the usual community-hub branding—offering free coffee, shelter, donations and solidarity to neighbors living in fear.
Company News
Peet's Acquires Two Specialty Coffee Leaders Within Weeks
Peet's Coffee and Tea purchased Stumptown Coffee Roasters outright, then took a majority stake in Intelligentsia Coffee, all inside a single month. The deals drew both alarm and approval from the specialty coffee sector.
Reporting on the cafés, roasters and growers behind your cup.
Coffee Local News covers specialty coffee from farm to counter: openings, profiles, competitions, origins, sustainability and the business of coffee.
About Coffee Local News →