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Gillies Blog

Buying Green Coffee

The study of coffee futures as an investment vehicle is fascinating and the results can be treacherous for those who attempt to ride the tiger of this soft commodity market. I have seen many in the roasted and the green coffee business lose their footing and be overwhelmed in a market turn.

Dubai, Choices, and Universal Human Rights

In 1958, a modest and compassionate American said, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world.”

35th Anniversary of the Founding of SCAA

This year commemorates the 35th Anniversary of the founding of SCAA. To those of you who remember when I had 20/20 vision, black hair and a 33” waist, I raise my SCAA mug to each of you in turn, and wish you well , and thank you for your service to the trade.

Meister for SCA Board

Ms Meister’s vision is, “to contribute to the specialty-coffee professional community and make high-quality coffee more accessible for all through education, communication, ethical traceability, support, promotion, enthusiasm, sticktoitiveness, boosterism, and openness of heart and mind.”

Crain’s New York Stories: Profiles of Business Owners in the 5 Boroughs

Crain’s Publisher Jill Kaplan meets with entrepreneurs around the city and learns of their stories of success, failure, determination and resiliency. In this episode, she meets with our own, Donald Shoenholt. 

CBD in Coffee

Some of our friends in the trade are telling us that there is a pile of money to be made in CBD blended coffee. Maybe there is. Dealing in CBD today is not dissimilar to dealing in alcohol during prohibition under The 18th Amendment, in the 1920’s.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

It is unfortunate that SCA has positioned itself such that it can no longer serve the American trade as envisioned by SCAA’s Founding Fathers. I believe this was unintentional.

GMO IN COFFEE: Perish The Thought or Maybe Not

The NCA website says, “…NCA is not aware of any GMO coffee in the marketplace.” We should be aware that Nestle, “has obtained a patent on a genetically modified coffee plant that will improve the solubility of instant coffee powder made from its beans,”[...]

Coffee Skyrocket

The crunch in supply is caused in part by Covid; in part by the world-side shortage of shipping containers; a drought in Brazil; the recent Suez blockage; La Nina weather (a warm wet weather pattern between Australia and the Western Hemisphere); a national strike in Colombia; [...]

Why Coffee Prices Are Soaring

Yesterday we were met with an additional unexpected event. There has been a frost in the coffee-growing areas of Brazil, and the New York market responded by shooting up 7% in one trading session.

SCOTT REED, coffeeman

We are only human. We try to stand erect, we trip, and slip and fall, and grab at something and pull ourselves up. Sometimes we are lucky, and we triumph over our challenges. Sometimes we fail. 
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