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Specialty Coffee in Bolivia: The Growth of an Industry
Editor’s note: This article was first published in Roast Magazine’s Sep/Oct 2021 issue, and is reprinted here with permission. Author's note: I remember the first time I talked to Felix Chambi of Cooperativa San Juan. It was a fall afternoon late in 2019; we had been texting back and forth and he...
2021 Green Coffee Staff Picks for Fall & Winter
Editor's note: A version of this article first ran on the blog in December of 2018. This year, our Sales Associate, Spencer Ford, updated the list and will be updating it throughout the season. Even in the strangest of years in recent memory, there’s at least a little comfort to the impending...
The C Market and Our Prices
About a month ago, I discussed some factors that led to the C market's rise. Now that the C market has gone above the highs of the drought-driven market of 2014-15, I want to address our pricing specifically. While prices have increased due to freight and higher internal prices for cherry and...
Royal Coffee 2021 Holiday Ordering Info
Dear Royal Coffee Customer, As the holidays approach, we wanted to send a note about LTL freight and outbound shipments. During the holiday season carriers always expect higher than normal volume, but driver and dock staffing shortages have never been so severe as they are this year. Outbound...
Examining the Precision of our Green Coffee Density Methodology
It’s no secret that I love a good density reading. In terms of ease of measurement and how much it can tell you about your green coffee, the metric is unmatched. I’m also a giant nerd for amateur data sleuthing, and looking back over many years of Crown Jewel data recently led me to wonder a...
Escalating Turmoil in Ethiopia
Just this afternoon our colleague, Haile Andualem, in Addis Ababa has reported that a State of Emergency has been declared nationwide throughout Ethiopia, in response to the ongoing civil war in the northern Tigray region. In particular, the Amhara region directly to the south of Tigray is...
Why is the C Market Up?
The C market, as of October 14th, is trading at $2.09/lb, back to the levels reached immediately following the frost in Minas Gerais and other coffee regions of Brazil this past July. This is in spite of nearly ideal rainfall patterns in Brazil. Drought no longer seems to be a primary concern,...
High Altitude Ethiopia Coffee: METAD Staff Picks
High Altitude Ethiopia: METAD The wait is over! We have some stellar offerings from METAD. METAD is a third-generation family-owned business managed by the Adinew brothers. Their high-altitude estate is blessed with lush soil and heirloom plants; perfect conditions for unforgettable coffee. Staff...
Beyond Labels: What Certifications Really Mean for Your Coffee
This is an incredibly useful The Crown Podcast episode with Certifications Specialist Lauren Cropper and The Crown's Director of Education Chris Kornman unpacking the 5 most common coffee certifications that Royal carries. Beyond Labels: What Certifications Really Mean for Your Coffee Chris: So...
Grinder Alignment: An Evaluation of Consistency, Cupping Settings, and the Impact of Roast Degree
Editor's note: This article was first published in Roast Magazine's May/June 2021 issue, and is reprinted here with permission. Grinder Alignment: An Evaluation of Consistency, Cupping Settings, and the Impact of Roast Degree Experiment design, operation, summary and analysis by Chris Kornman and...
The Latest in Coffee Science: Observations from the 2021 ASIC Conference
Editor's note: This article first ran in Daily Coffee News on July 12, 2021, and is republished here with permission. The 2021 Association for Science and Information on Coffee (ASIC) biennial conference concluded in Montpellier, France, on July 1, and I’m feeling pretty lucky to have been able to...
Frost in Brazil: What does it mean?
“Frost in Brazil.” Whisper the phrase in a trader’s ear and watch the market ticker spin. What Happened? Tragically last week, an unexpectedly severe weather system hit 3 coffee-growing regions in Southeastern Brazil (the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo [Mogiana], and Paraná) at a time when...
“Coffee Needs Research”
The UC Davis Coffee Center Receives its Official Dedication and is Open for Business Friday, June 25th, was the day of the official dedication ceremony for the UC Davis College of Engineering Coffee Center, a 6,000 square foot multi-bay laboratory building currently on its way to becoming the...
The Crown Gallery Artist Interviews: Mark Fisher
The Crown seeks to give exposure to local and international artists through The Crown Gallery, and hosts new artists each quarter. The Crown Gallery is currently accepting submissions for the Fall of 2021, and is seeking artists who approach issues related to environmental sustainability,...
The Real Cost of Cheap Coffee | Guest Post by Marcelo Pereira
Editor's note: This article is written by Marcelo Pereira Magnere. In his own words: "I am a coffee lover, quality specialist and private consultant. I have focused my career on improving smallholder coffee farmer’s revenue and competitiveness, by relying on their advantages rather than on the...