Yale University to use sustainable coffee

BY KATHERINE STEVENS
Staff Reporter

Beginning in September, Yale residential dining halls will fill their coffee makers with Fair Trade java.

Wednesday morning, the Yale Sustainable Food Committee voted unanimously to replace all non-flavored coffee with Fair Trade coffee, which comes from companies that pay coffee growers a living wage. The change reflects lobbying efforts by students and is part of a larger international Fair Trade movement to ensure living wages for coffee farmers.

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Starbucks Japan still mired in profit slide

UPDATE - Starbucks Japan still mired in profit slide
Reuters
Wednesday February 19, 4:27 am ET
By Nathan Layne


TOKYO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Starbucks Coffee Japan (2712.OJ) said on Wednesday its operating profit fell 70 percent in the nine months to December due to a prolonged sales slump that has the coffee chain forecasting red ink for the full year.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Opening a Coffee Business

How much does it cost to open a coffee business?

Coffee Cart: Usual start-up cost is $15,000–$20,000 to open and stock.

Kiosk: Depending on the size and what menu items are offered, it will usually cost between $50,000–$60,000.

Drive-Thru: The cost of opening a drive-thru espresso business operation can vary dramatically. We know of people who have opened very small units for less than $30,000. These units are usually manned by one operator, are on wheels, and skirted. A beautiful drive-thru can cost between $80,000–$180,000. There are many variables.

Sit Down: The cost of opening a sit-down coffeehouse is comparable to the cost of opening an upscale drive-thru. Start-up costs for most 1200 sq. ft. coffee bars average $120,000.

How long does it take from the time I sign the lease until I open?

In most cases, from the day you sign your lease and go through the process of designing your coffeehouse, planning your menu, and building out your store, the time frame is four to five months. Some people want to do it faster, but the process can rarely be completed in less time.

How much does consulting cost?

It truly depends on what needs you have. We work with many clients who only ask for one or two of our services, others who want us to help them from start to finish. No matter what services you require, Bellissimo has the expertise to help you solve any problem or answer any question you may have while building your business.

How do I find good information about opening a coffee business and know it’s not a sales pitch to buy products?

You want to get information from a reputable company like Bellissimo. Bellissimo has been producing training and informational videos and books for over 10 years. The company is the Switzerland of the coffee industry, and does not have ties to ANY manufacturer. Our goal is to supply credible, factual information that will prevent our clients from making costly mistakes. People who use our services know they can depend on us.

Can I call former Bellissimo clients?

Of course you can! We have a different approach than many consultants. We respect our client’s privacy, so we don’t post their names and phone numbers on the Internet. Please call us and we will give you contact information. We will always call our clients first and make sure it is not an infringement on their time and privacy.

Bellissimo

Does coffee contain any anti-oxidants?

Scientific research has demonstrated that a serving of coffee contains up to four times as much anti-oxidant activity as a serving of green tea, and that each cup of coffee has a large amount of anti-oxidant "polyphenols" in its roasted form -- whose strength is not diminished by adding creamers or by decaffeination.

Through the protective effects of anti-oxidants, scientists believe it may be possible to prevent, postpone or limit a number of degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, cataracts, and diseases of the nervous system.

Indeed, epidemiological studies have already shown that intake of polyphenols in the diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in an elderly population and in a cross-cultural population.

Chlorogenic acid is the most prominent polyphenol in coffee, though there are others. Robusta coffee can contain up to 7-10% chlorogenic acid, where the concentration in Arabica coffee is slightly less at 5-7%. That means a cup of coffee can contain anywhere from 15 to 325 milligrams of chlorogenic acid, depending on the composition and method of preparation.

Another polyphenol found in coffee (caffeic acid) has been found to effectively protect cells against oxidation and also directly contributed to the anti-oxidant system in clinical tests on laboratory animals.

coffeescience.org

Coffee with Cream — And a Conscience

Does fair trade mean it tastes better? A guide to "cause coffees"
By LISA MCLAUGHLIN

Choosing the right blend in your local coffee bar just keeps getting more complicated. Now java junkies are faced with terms like organic, shade grown and fair trade. Each of these "cause coffees" usually costs a few dollars more a pound, forcing consumers to balance issues of ecology and politics against their budgets. That can be a difficult task before the first dose of caffeine in the morning. But we're here to help:

--Shade-grown coffee is exactly what it says. Instead of clearing the forest, farmers plant the crop among the forest plants, thus saving the local ecosystem. Shade trees furnish habitats for birds, and the Atlanta Audubon Society has found that 90% fewer species are found in sun-grown coffee areas. Shade trees also protect coffee plants from harsh elements, and the birds that are attracted provide natural pest control, which reduces the need for synthetic pesticides. As a bonus, many coffee drinkers find shade-grown varieties less bitter than those grown in the sun.

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The bean stops with him

Jim Reynolds' job is to make sure Peet's pursues the perfect cup; for him 'the coffee lives,' says chain's founder
By Jessica Guynn
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

EMERYVILLE - With near religious concentration ridging his frothy brow, Jim Reynolds pours 6 ounces of hot water over 10 grams of freshly roasted grounds in the two dozen glass cups lining an 18-foot table in the Peet's Coffee & Tea headquarters.

He waits a few minutes, then uses a soup spoon to pierce the thick brown crust that has formed on the surface of the coffee and takes a whiff.

After stirring, Reynolds lets the coffee steep for another few minutes before skimming the excess grounds. Again, he waits, letting the coffee cool to a few degrees above room temperature.

Then, with a monastic deftness that comes only with decades of practice, he lifts the spoon and slurps with the force of a vacuum cleaner, swirling a small amount of coffee before spitting it into a spittoon, not once spilling a drop on his Mark Twain mustache.

Reynolds appraises the appearance (a quarter pound of each type of bean sits in plastic blue trays on the cupping table), aroma (maybe flowers or chocolate), flavor (sometimes blackberry or cloves), body (how the coffee feels on the tongue) and acidity ("a liveliness detected on the back and sides of tongue"). And then moves onto the next cup.

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Port of Houston approved as a coffee port

Associated Press
The Port of Houston got a jolt of caffeine today when the New York Board of Trade approved its designation as a green coffee port.

The designation makes Houston the fourth delivery site, joining New Orleans, New York and Miami for futures contracts on Board of Trade's coffee, sugar and cocoa exchange.

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California coffee chain moves into Starbuck's turf

Saturday, February 15, 2003

By HELEN JUNG
AP Business Writer

SEATTLE -- Forget the Starbucks on the corner. Ignore the coffeehouse across the street and the espresso drive-through a block away.

Seattle needs another coffee chain. Really.

At least that's the story from California-based Peet's Coffee & Tea, which will open its first Seattle coffeehouse in June in the Fremont neighborhood -- a nervy move into the home turf of resident caffeine king Starbucks Coffee Co.

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