The Curb Kaimuki Archives - Page 5 of 36 - The Curb Kaimuki

When I first got into specialty coffee, I saved every retail bag I purchased. My goal back in those halcyon days was to eventually catalog them all, taking down notes about origin, flavor, my general enjoyment of the coffee, etc. I was gonna crack this whole fancy coffee nut through diligent study. Well, I never did catalog them, but that didn’t stop me from continuing to save every bag, which I convinced myself I would turn into an art project. That art project also never happened. What did happen about a year ago, though, is that I finally gave in and threw away over 400 coffee bags.

Even with my admission of lacking the gumption and requisite artistic skill to save those bags from their ultimate fate, it would have been nice if there was a way for SOMEONE to find a use for them. To combat this with their own bags, Wilmington, Vermont’s Brandywine Coffee Roasters has created a brand new rewards program. Called the Brandywine Upcycled Rewards Program (BURP), the coffee company is offering discounts on future orders for returned bags, which will then be given to local artists to use in their work.

The program is simple: the more bags you return, the better the reward you receive. Send in five bags and receive a free six-ounce bag of BURP-exclusive coffee. 10 bags earns you the same coffee plus a BURP sticker and pin. 20 bag earns you the coffee as well as 10% off your next coffee order.

BURP is also available to Brandywine customers outside Delaware. Per the coffee company’s website, to receive your rewards, “send your mailing address, number of bags to upcycle, and past order number to info@brandywinecoffeeroasters.com to get your free return shipping label, and let the upcycling rewards roll in!”

The collected bags will then be given to artists “who used upcycled materials to make magic.” The first two artists selected are Todd Purse—Brandywine’s Creative Director who also designed the company’s bags, featured here—and Clara Logue, who will be making collages on wooden canvases and coffee bag pouches, respectively. Those items will then be sold in Brandywine’s web store, and the artists are taking direct commissions for their upcycled works as well.

In the future, Brandywine states they will be switching to a new version of the Biotre bags from Pacific Bags. In the meantime, Burp provides a creative solution to curbing the number of bags that make it to a landfill. For more information about the Brandywine Upcycle Rewards Program or to buy or commission a custom upcycled work, visit Brandywine’s official website.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Brandywine Coffee Roasters

The post Bring Your Bag, Get Some Swag: Brandywine’s New Upcycle Rewards Program appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Laetitia Mukandahiro (Photo courtesy Laetitia Mukandahiro)

Welcome to The Sprudge Twenty Interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty.

Nominated by Chelsea Thoumsin

Laetitia Mukandahiro is an accomplished coffee professional born and raised in Rwanda. Originally from the village of Musasa, located near the famed Dukundekawa cooperative, Mukandahiro distinguished herself early in her career as an accomplished and capable professional cupper. She’s worked for the Rwanda Smallholder Specialty Coffee Company (RWASHOSCCO), for the washing station management firm KZ Noir, and today for the noted Rwandan coffee exporter Bufcoffee, where she serves as Quality Control and Sustainability Manager. Mukandahiro is a certified Q Grader and has served on multiple international Cup of Excellence judging panels. Her continuing work with Bufcoffee includes establishing a training center and affording ongoing opportunities for Rwandan youths interested in a career in coffee.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed. 

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

The issue I care for the most is that in developing countries, the younger generation is not interested in the coffee sector. I am afraid for the next years.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

Coffee is my life and my passion.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

The New York [C Market] price is not equal to the small producers and their efforts. Here in Rwanda, many are considering leaving the coffee sector and investing in other subsistance agriculture crops.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

Coffee makes friends. It is a universe of opportunities.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

Yes! When I cupped the 2018 Rwanda Cup of Excellence winner, Twumba Coffee—OMG!

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

Coffee happiness to me is seeing that your production is in high demand and your reputation in the sector is bright.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

My favorite position in the coffee industry would be:

• Quality control, as I am well experienced in this—I’ve been working in this area for 15 years.
• Marketing, because I enjoy discovering new people and I love talking about coffee across the cupping table.

Who are your coffee heroes?

I have many! My parents, who are coffee farmers and have been for many years. Tim Schilling from World Coffee Research, Lindsey Bolger From Green Mountain (my trainer), Geoff Watts from Intelligentsia Coffee (also my trainer), Cup of Excellence head judge Paul Songer, Susie Spindler, and Grant Rattry (RIP).

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Tim Schilling is my role model. He taught me to work hard until it pains, because poverty hurts much more.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

If I was not in coffee I would be dreaming to be an actress or a nurse.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

My mentors are my former employer Gilbert Gatali and my partner at my training center, Uzziel Habimana.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

I would like to hear that I am able and everything will be alright, because in my time everyone told me that coffee is not good for my health and other many discouraging words.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

French press, coffee cup, and small grinder machine.

Best song to brew coffee to?

The best song is anything Classical.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I hope that in 20 years I am a producer and exporter of good micro lot coffees in Rwanda. I hope to have a succesful training center and to be an inspiring woman.

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

My breakfast was juice with some digestive biscuits and a banana.

When did you last drink coffee?

I took a cup of coffee during my break at 9 am.

What was it?

It was a cup of black coffee.

Thank you. 

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

The post Laetitia Mukandahiro: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

You asked for more book tour, and more book tour ye shall receive.

Through the last quarter of 2018 Sprudge Media Network’s founders, Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen, embarked on an epic book tour across the United States, appearing in book stores and coffee houses, event spaces and chic espresso bars. The tour crisscrossed the continent, with appearances from Los Angeles to Manhattan and most points in-between: axe throwing in Salt Lake City, Gritty hangs in Philly, an epic culinary experience in Columbus, a rainy, dreamy night in San Francisco, a vintage comics-fueled tour of Pittsburgh, and many more.

The New Rules of Coffee now available on Amazon.

But it wasn’t enough! We heard from readers across the great US of A a mighty query: “Why didn’t you visit our city?” That’s why in June 2019 we’re picking back up the road bindle and heading back out for a new set of dates, stopping by to see friends in three cities we missed on the first go-round. Those would be Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and Chicago, dates for which we’re thrilled to announce today.

On Wednesday, June 12th join us Las Vegas, Nevada at PublicUs (1126 Fremont Street) for an evening book event. This event runs from 5pm until 7pm and includes local food and beverages, a live reading of chapters from the book and community Q&A. Join us for our first-ever Sprudge event in Las Vegas, with community food partners Atomic Kitchen, Hatsumi, and Gaucho’s Sacred Flavors.

On Friday, June 14th join us in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Dogwood Coffee for a two-part event. That morning from 11am to noon we’ll be signing books and hanging out at the stunning new Dogwood Coffee HQ and cafe (1209 Tyler Street NE). These are some of our favorite styles of events—come meet us, get your book signed, have a chat and enjoy the cafe vibes. Then that evening we’ll be throwing a big event with Dogwood and community partners Mill City Roasters, Cafe Imports, Rustica Bakery running from 7pm to 10pm. Expect a live reading from The New Rules of Coffee, community Q&A (moderated by the good folks at Cafe Imports), tastings, delicious stuff, and ping pong.

And on Sunday, June 23rd we are thrilled to bring The New Rules of Coffee to the great city of Chicago for an all-day experience with Intelligentsia Coffee. By day we’ll be touring Intelli coffee bars across the city in an epic Instagram caffeine crawl; by night join us for a party at Intelligentsia’s Fulton Street HQ (1850 W. Fulton Street) from 6pm to 9pm for a live episode taping of the Coffee Sprudgecast and sampling the city’s many delights, with more details announced soon.

Visit Sprudge.com/booktour to view past events and check out updating event info for our 2019 dates. Can’t make it to a book event? Order your very own copy of The New Rules of Coffee direct from Amazon, out now on Ten Speed Press (a division of Penguin Random House).

We’ll see you on the road!

The post The New Rules Of Coffee: New Tour Dates Added In Chicago, Las Vegas and MPLS appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

On May 23rd, we reported on a recent podcast published by Santa Cruz-based coffee roasting and cafe brand Cat & Cloud. In the episode, titled “Being Sued By Caterpillar Inc.“, co-founders Chris Baca and Charles Jack stated their company was being sued by the Peoria, Illinois-based construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar to “cancel their trademark.” Shortly after the podcast was released, a petition on Change.org was created titled “Tell Caterpillar Inc. to Stop Bullying Cat & Cloud and Other Small Businesses.” As of publication it is approaching 12,000 signatures.

Before reporting our coverage on May 23rd, we reached out to both Caterpillar Inc. and Cat & Cloud for comment. Both brands have since replied with statements, which we are publishing here in full today.

Up first, the full statement from Caterpillar, sent to us by Rachel Potts, Manger-Corporate Media at Caterpillar Inc.:

Caterpillar serves customers around the world, many of whom earn their livelihood with one or two machines and often a good pair of work boots. We value all of them and strive to provide exceptional products and services. This means we have a responsibility to protect and maintain the brand they love and rely on every day – including our existing trademarks.

We are not suing Cat & Cloud, not targeting a small business and not focused on Cat & Cloud’s primary interest: coffee. We’ve simply asked the U.S. Trademark Office to remove Cat & Cloud’s trademark registration on footwear and apparel only, products for which Caterpillar has longstanding trademarks and a considerable business. We hope to resolve this issue quickly.

Next, here is full comment from Cat & Cloud co-founder Jared Truby:

Caterpillar has released a blanket statement that seems to lead people to consider that we may be negatively affecting their merchandise sales. They also fail to state that we are going to have to go to court to defend our Trademark. They are attempting to cancel our trademark and therefore this is far more than a ‘cease and desist’.

The most notable things to us are the lack of attempts to go after Targets “Cat & Jack”, Dr Seuss’ Cat & the Hat and whats most weird is the attempt to own the term “Cat” which would mean no more printing the term Cat on any clothing for anyone ever without potential for lawsuit. We feel bullied. We feel that we aren’t even close to effecting a $54 billion company.

At the end of the day, we are sucked into what will be an expensive legal battle and we feel we need to defend, not only ourselves, but the other small businesses with lesser voices & community support. America is special because of small businesses with authentic character. This feels like an attack on all of us even if it isn’t meant to be.

We are so grateful for support from the community. We will be starting a gofundme to help with current & future legal fees that will continue to mount & undoubtedly be thousands more.

To those that are willing, please connect with any influencer’s, any media outlet and or just post the petition to spread the word. Please note the money donated to Change.org helps fund the exposure levels, it does not go to Cat & Cloud.

Wish us luck as we are attempting to stay focused on opening our 3rd and 4th location this year.

Much love to you all,
Jared & the Cat & Cloud fam.

This story is developing…

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Brand House Direct

The post The Plot Thickens Between Caterpillar And Cat & Cloud appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

In the hazy afterglow of the Milan Coffee Festival (and a bustling after-party at their brand-spanking new Art & Caffeine Flagship Store), espresso machine pioneer Faema was on my mind.

With the emblematic Duomo of Milan eternally bound to the company logo, Faema started its operations in the city of Milan in 1945 and shortly thereafter started producing its first espresso machines. The brand lays claim to an extensive list of technological innovations, none bigger than being the first coffee machine with a volumetric pump—it allows the machine to maintain a specific amount of pressure (nine bars of atmospheric pressure, to be specific), which is an important variable in producing a consistent espresso. The company was also among the first to acknowledge that intrinsic bond between professional cycling and espresso culture in 1956—from there to modern-day sponsorships and community involvment, Faema has long been an active player in the waves of coffee’s subcultural revolution.

Shortly after the festival I toured the brand’s impressive new flagship HQ. I arrived on a Monday and was greeted by the store’s in-house coffee specialist, coffee trainer, and hospitality ambassador Angelo Sportelli.

Gesturing to join him, Sportelli posted up in front of an all-white Faema E71E espresso machine featuring a rear copper panel with an inlay of the “Art & Caffeine” logo, and invited me to pick from a selection of five different coffees to dial in together.  I thought for just a second that it might be a little late in the afternoon for me to taste a dozen shots of espresso, but then suddenly couldn’t resist the urge to indulge. I found myself hypnotized by the overarching third eye above the words in the giant mural on the wall: “Sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation.”

As we pulled through a half-hopper of shots, a few members of the marketing team joined us in assessing how some of the new features of the E71E affect flavors of espresso extraction. In between sips and pensively staring into demitasse cups, they started to explain some of the features of the campus and the upcoming classes.

In just the following three weeks after my visit, the Flagship hosted a holiday-themed latte art throwdown, a master class with 2018 Italian Latte Art Champion Manuela Fensore, and a two day master class with 2018 World Barista Champion Agnieszka Rojewska. 

Faema’s Flagship during a raucous party.

The building was as stunning as in the day as it had been at night, but the daylight and lack of partygoers unveiled the incredible depth of the space. The first floor is fully equipped with a customized Giesen W1 for coffee roasting courses, several espresso performance bars, a multi-purpose bar equipped for coffee mixology innovation, and practicing alternative brewing methods. You could of course find more than a couple ways to lounge in between all the caffeine.

Rossella Musarra, Faema coffee specialist and sales promoter, was in the background practicing her routines for the 2019 Coffee in Good Spirits competition. When a large group of guests arrived to visit the space and took over Sportelli’s focus, I took it as a cue to see if I could get my hands on one of Musarra’s presumably delicious drink trials. After all, the sun was setting, and an aperitivo was on the horizon.

I hadn’t considered that these drinks would be secret recipes for an upcoming competition, but as usual, a little spark of Italian hospitality illuminated my moment of potential disappointment. Musarra took time from her routine to whip up her decadent “Improved Irish Coffee” for me in a to-go cup just in time to head back out into the cool Milanese air.

If you’re visiting Italy for coffee experiences, today’s modern scene will have you spoilt for choice. But if Milan in particular is your destination, well—make Faema’s stunning new Art & Caffeine Flagship store your first stop before exploring the rest of this beautiful and historic city.

Alexander Gable (@mrgable) is a freelance journalist based in Milan. Read more Alexander Gable for Sprudge.

Disclosure: Faema is an advertising partner on Sprudge Media Network. 

The post Milan: Inside The Faema Art & Caffeine Flagship Cafe appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

The home automatic coffeemaker has come a long from the days of the Mr. Coffee. No longer just satisfied with letting a machine do much of the morning time heavy lifting, consumers are seeking a product that delivers a cafe-quality product in an easily repeatable fashion. The biggest breakthrough on that front in the past decade or so has been the automatic machine that brews coffee at specialty coffee-approved water temperatures, and there have been quite a few entries into that space (we even featured a brand new one last week).

Even with a glut of products on the market, little headway has been made in the way of brew customization in a home machine. Until now, that is. Known as GEESAA, the new automatic pour-over device gives the user complete control over how their coffee is brewed—water temperature, pour speed, even where the water is poured in the brew bed—and it’s on Kickstarter now.

Created by Taiwanese coffee professionals with a combined 40+ years experience, GEESAA is the product of three years of research and development. Using a placement-adjustable spout and a turntable-like base to rotate the carafe and brewing device, GEESAA mimics the motion of hand-poured coffee to bring the cafe experience to the home. But what really sets GEESAA apart from other automatic brewing devices currently on the market is how customizable it is. Using the smartphone app, GEESAA users can select a water temperature between 75 and 96 C (167-204.8 F), a flow rate between one and eight cc/sec, where on the brew bed the water is poured, how many phases the water is poured in, and the time intervals between those phases up to 120 seconds.

Or if you are just looking to make a good cup of coffee, you can choose from one of your own saved recipes or choose from a list of “barista recipes” available in the app.

With a little over four weeks left on the Kickstarter campaign, GEESAA has already surpassed its $25,000 goal, but there are many deep discounts still available for would-be backers. Set to retail at $1,000 USD, the campaign has a few Super Early Bird deals priced at $599. After that, the Early Bird pricing will take effect at $699. GEESAA comes in both 110v and 220v power, and according to the Kickstarter backers can expect to receive their rewards in October 2019.

For more information or to back the campaign, visit GEESAA’s Kickstarter page.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

All media via GEESAA

The post Now On Kickstarter: GEESAA Is The Super Customizable Automatic Brewer appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Laura Gonzalez – @StrongWomenOfCoffee of Vancouver, British Columbia

Our coverage of the Sprudge Twenty interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series continues this week on Sprudge. Read more about the Sprudge Twenty and see all of our interviews here.

Nominated by Stacey Lynden

Laura Gonzalez is the founder of @StrongWomenOfCoffee, an Instagram account documenting the work and achievements of female-identifying and non-binary coffee professionals around the world. Born in Guadalajara, today Gonzalez is based in Vancouver, where she works at Genius, an espresso equipment supply and tech service. Through this work, she has helped lead multiple tech training seminars and info sessions, affordably priced and focused on offering resources to women and marginalized members of the coffee community.

This interview has been lightly edited. 

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

There are a lot of playing fields in the industry that aren’t exactly equal. For example, people who compete [in barista competitions] and are able to buy “fancy” coffees and expensive gear for competitions often end up with a bit of an edge. I think it should be equally accessible for as many people as possible and I want to help with that.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

Bringing people together and how passionate our community is in working toward a sustainable future.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

I don’t think this issue is overlooked, because most of us are aware of the problem of female producers fighting to have the same respect, support, and opportunities as their male counterparts in many countries where coffee comes from. It is such a big part of their culture and is so deep that I think many of us might not even understand, and I think it is unbelievable that so much teaching is still necessary that women are equal and should have the same opportunities.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

The opportunity to never stop learning. Coffee is such a complex world that it constantly amazes me.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

A major revelation moment came when I started working in coffee and was sitting at a table with 12 males and I was the only female. That’s when I started to realize how male-dominated this industry was. Not sure if that counts as a coffee revelation…

It absolutely does. What is your idea of coffee happiness?

It would be amazing to be one of the first industries to have equal pay and diversity in all sectors of the industry. Of course, we’re close in the service end, but there’s so much more that’s often not considered in how coffee gets to a consumer.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

I’d love to learn about green coffee buying. I think it is one of the most interesting jobs in the coffee chain with tons of responsibilities. They need to be aware of the global market, quality, sustainability, ethical producers, etc.

Who are your coffee heroes?

Everybody in a marginalized group in the coffee industry is my hero. So many are fighting to have a more inclusive industry: womxn, LGBTQ+, non-gender conforming, POC, etc.

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Gertrude Stein strikes me as someone who really knew how to entertain and converse. I’d love to hear about Saturdays at her salon, with Picasso, Matisse, and Hemingway. She must have had some interesting stories to tell. And Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a woman I’ve always admired. I wonder if she’s a coffee drinker.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

It is very difficult for me to picture what I’d be doing if I wasn’t in coffee. This is not because it was my dream job, and been part of my life for a long time, but because as an immigrant sometimes our opportunities are uncertain. I was just lucky to get offered a job in coffee and find a community that is welcoming.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

Anybody who is willing and happy to share their coffee knowledge with me is a mentor and there’s always something new to learn from other people.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

Get out of your comfort zone as soon as possible. Great things will happen if you do.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

I guess hand grinder, a Chemex, and a scale.

Best song to brew coffee to

Any song by Selena Quintanilla is a good song.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I try not to think about the future too much—it gives me anxiety—so I just try to focus on one day/week at a time.

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

Shakshuka. My first time—I loved it.

When did you last drink coffee?

Three hours ago.

What was it?

It was a Chinese washed pour-over.

Thank you. 

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

The post Laura Gonzalez: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Ithaca Coffee Company brings bold colors and rainbow holofoil to its brand new packaging. The fifteen-year-old small-batch specialty coffee roaster out of its namesake Ithaca, New York operates out of two shops in the city. “Coffee is our primary focus, but we also have a nicely curated gourmet market and craft beer selection,” says Marketing Director Aaron Rovitz.

“There is a popular local saying that states ‘Ithaca, New York: 10 square miles surrounded by reality.’ We like to think of ourselves in that way,” Rovitz explained to us over email, “Our shops, and even our coffee, provide an opportunity to escape the day to day insanity while discovering something surprising, delicious, and… gorges (sorry… had to).”

Boxes from the side.

When did the coffee package design debut?

We first rolled out the new package in our stores and online in early April 2019. Shortly thereafter we were selected to be featured in the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo Design Lab where we debuted to the WORLD!!!! Woo-hoo!!! But in all seriousness, we really did appreciate the acknowledgment and exposure, so thank you SCA for keeping the Design Lab going.

How different is it from your previous design?

Our previous package was a tall 12oz kraft box using black ink printing, with some splashes of color coming from a few sticker labels. It had an earthy feel, but still reflected the sense of care and quality on which we pride ourselves.

Our new package is still a 12oz box, but we have changed up the dimensions and format slightly so make it a bit more user-friendly. We also chose to print this box with fresh and vibrant colors, the two things we hope come first to mind when you think of Ithaca Coffee Company. We chose to feature bolder, cleaner, and more simple imagery while bringing the bling with our rainbow holofoil logo panel.

What was the inspiration for the new design?

We wanted the new package to better reflect our personality and principles as a specialty coffee roaster. The clean, fresh, and colorful design is meant to reflect the clarity and vibrant flavors highlighted in our roasting aesthetic, with a focus on sweetness and aroma. The side and back panels recognize the unique charm and beauty of our home city as well as our dedication to small-batch roasting. Finally, the labels are meant to acknowledge that as the coffee roaster we are merely the final link in the product chain, highlighting farmer or farm first, followed by region and country above our logo. Ultimately we hoped for a design as fun, exciting, and compelling as the coffee inside!

Who designed the package?

The package was conceived, designed, and executed 100% in house. The concept came from our head coffee roaster Chris Ganger, who worked with our graphic designer Nina Widger on creating the first pass. Then after some team input and collaboration, we ended up with the final design.

View of the back.

What coffee information do you share on the package?

On the front the customer sees the farmer or farm, region, and country. On the top we elaborate on this with altitude, variety, and processing information. On the back we add a brief tasting profile outlining flavor, acidity, and body.

From the top.

Why are aesthetics in coffee packaging so important?

For many people the package is their first introduction to your product, so of course you want something that is going to catch the eye and make them pick up the box to find out a little more. You also want it to be something that adds to their brewing ritual at home, something they can leave out on the counter or shelf that will enhance the experience with a pleasing visual element. For us, the most important aspect is to somehow convey something about the coffee inside as quickly and simply as possible. They aren’t able to smell and typically can’t see the coffee they are purchasing so they’re really taking a gamble if they’re just giving you a try without doing any research. If the aesthetics of the package can signal toward the aesthetics of the coffee, it can serve as a great guide to the customer.

For package nerds, what type of package is it?

Our boxes are printed and assembled by Professional Image who have been great to work with on this and past projects. The exact dimensions of the box are 4 x 3 x 6.5 inches. Our new box is printed on 18pt C1S stock, and used a matte aqueous finish. Our logo is printed on using a holographic foil from Infinity Foils.

Where is it currently available?

On our website and in our two retail locations in Ithaca, NY. We are also in Wegmans Markets in Ithaca and Johnson City Binghamton, and occasionally in the Kingston, NY Adams Fairacre Farms market. We are always looking for new wholesale customers and would be happy to ship some samples.

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge.

The post Coffee Design: Ithaca Coffee Company appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Chris Baca and Jared Truby, the chill Santa Cruz coffee bros better known as Cat & Cloud, are being sued. Did they steal someone’s killer wave? Did they harsh someone’s vibe in a felonious manner, possibly related to a wicked 360 ollie of some sort? No and no. They are being taken to court by Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar, “the world’s largest construction equipment manufacturer with net revenue exceeding $54 billion in 2018,” owns the trademark for “CAT”, the shorthand moniker they go by that is plastered over all their equipment. Cat & Cloud owns the trademark for their name as it relates to the coffee space. Caterpillar is suing Cat & Cloud to “cancel their trademark.”

In a podcast published on May 20^th, Baca and Charles Jack—the third founder/owner of Cat & Cloud—share their side of the story. According to Cat & Cloud, the initial notice of potential litigation came on August 4^th, 2018. After filling out “70-question interrogatories” and spending thousands of dollars on legals fees—the coffee company expects to spend upwards of $20,000 once it’s all said and done—Baca and Jack say they have decided to not “roll over” but to fight what they consider to be a frivolous law suit.

Now, a petition has been created on Change.org to “tell Caterpillar Inc. to stop bullying Cat & Cloud and other small businesses.” In a little over a day, the petition has already received over 500 signatures, and the number continues to grow with each subsequent browser refresh.

The saga of Cat & Cloud v Caterpillar Inc. appears to be just the latest example of brands vigorously pursuing copyright claims in the coffee space. This is an issue we profiled at length in Jenn Chen’s landmark three-part investigative feature on intellectual property in coffee, which you should definitely read here (part one) (part two) (part three).

Sprudge Media Network have reached out to both parties for comment and will update this article once we hear back.

This story is developing…

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image from Inside Cat & Cloud’s Santa Cruz Dream Cafe

The post Cat & Cloud Is Being Sued By Caterpillar Inc. appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Are you a Bay Area coffee professional looking to take the next step in your career? Or how about a non-coffee professional considering removing the “non” from your title and embarking on a specialty coffee journey? If you are either of these things, then Oakland’s Royal Coffee would like to have a word. Taking place at The Crown on June 28th, the green coffee importing company has teamed up with coffee companies from across the Bay Area to host the first-ever Specialty Coffee Job Fair.

Completely free to attend, the Specialty Coffee Job Fair runs from 10:00am to 2:00pm and includes premier coffee companies like Blue Bottle, Andytown, Equator Coffees, and Red Bay Coffee, with even more expected to be added. The goal of the event, per Royal Coffee’s website, is “to give coffee professionals the opportunity to connect with hiring managers and learn about employment opportunities.”

As well as being a hub for potential employment in the coffee sector, the Specialty Coffee Job Fair doubles as an educational opportunity. During the four-hour event, the Bay Area Coffee Community will host a panel discussion “on key topics facing job seekers in the specialty coffee industry.”

And make sure you come dressed for success. Royal suggests all attendees come in “professional attire” and bring with them printed résumés and cover letters.

It all gets going at 10:00am on June 28th at The Crown in Oakland. While the event is free to attend, Royal does ask that all interested parties RSVP via Eventbrite, which can be done here. For more information, visit Royal Coffee’s official website and check out the Specialty Coffee Job Fair Facebook event page.

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Disclosure: Royal Coffee, Blue Bottle, and Equator Coffees are advertising partners with the Sprudge Media Network

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Source: Coffee News