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Crown Jewel Outlook: September-December 2026

Get an early look at the Crown Jewel coffees arriving through the end of 2026, from Ethiopian naturals and rare Guatemalan cultivars to Colombian co-ferments and new origins in Asia.

Ethiopia Green Coffee Export Review

Ethiopia remains coffee’s genetic homeland and one of its most iconic origins, prized for bright, juicy cups with dazzling clarity. With a record 11.56 million bags produced in 2025/26 and exports moving primarily through Djibouti’s port, the country’s smallholder-and-cooperative model continues to deliver standout lots from Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Guji, Harar, and beyond even as fuel shortages and rising cherry prices test the supply chain.

Uganda Green Coffee Export Review

Uganda ranks among the world’s top 10 coffee producers, with Robusta making up roughly 80% of its output and Arabica the rest. As a landlocked country routing exports through Kenya’s port of Mombasa, Uganda has long been known for heavy-bodied, chocolate-forward cups but a new wave of specialty lots is revealing floral, tea-like, and fruit-forward profiles rarely associated with the origin.

Buy Great Coffee and Help Build a Digital Learning Center in Ethiopia

We expected a quick visit. Instead, it became one of the most memorable moments of the entire trip.

IEEPA Tariff Refunds: Where Royal Coffee Stands

IEEPA Tariff Refunds: Where Royal Coffee Stands

CBP’s new CAPE refund portal is live, and Royal Coffee has filed its Phase 1 claims. No refunds have been issued to date, and timing at the customer level remains unconfirmed. Here’s where things stand.

What is microlot coffee?

What is microlot coffee?

Article Summary:  Microlot is a third wave term and represents highly traceable coffee in the 7-50 bag range.  Elevation, processing techniques, cultivar, farm name, region, farm size producer name, producer story and more are all elements that can be provided when purchasing a microlot...

Why Don’t We See More Organic Coffee?

Why Don’t We See More Organic Coffee?

Organic coffee didn’t disappear. It just stopped being the headline.

While global demand continues to grow, specialty roasters have shifted focus to varietals, processing, and story, pushing organic into the background. At Royal Coffee, it remains a core belief: without sustainable farming, there is no future for coffee.

Now Hiring – Barista for The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room

Now Hiring – Barista for The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room

Now Hiring: Barista for The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room Passionate about specialty coffee & service? This is for you! Barista Responsibilities: Stellar Customer Service & Beverage Excellence in The Tasting Room (core responsibilities)  Create and serve drinks to the high...

Colombian Coffee Regions and Varieties

Colombian Coffee Regions and Varieties

Coffee grows throughout Colombia, with fresh harvests available nearly year-round. More than half a million coffee producers contribute to the country’s status as third in global export volume. Farmers grow traditional varieties, engineered hybrids, and even bespoke “discovered” coffee plants, and demonstrate uncommon innovation in production, processing, and fermentation. 

Understanding Decaffeination: Methods, Logistics & Quality Impacts

Understanding Decaffeination: Methods, Logistics & Quality Impacts

Article Summary  There are two main types of decaffeination processing, indirect and direct solvent. Indirect solvent method uses Green Coffee Extract (GCE) which draws out caffeine through diffusion. GCE molecules then become saturated with caffeine while the green coffee is essentially free of...

Understanding The IEEPA Tariff Refund Process: What Coffee Roasters Need to Know

Understanding The IEEPA Tariff Refund Process: What Coffee Roasters Need to Know

Recent court rulings around tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) have created understandable confusion across the coffee industry. In this article, we break down what the Supreme Court ruling actually means, where the government refund process stands today, and what coffee roasters should realistically expect as the situation develops.

Scoring Specialty Coffee – What do the Numbers Mean? 

Scoring Specialty Coffee – What do the Numbers Mean? 

This article outlines how coffees are graded and scored under commonly used systems, and works to define “specialty” coffee while examining the nuance and complexity of cup score values. Sections of note include definitions of individual attributes, a breakdown of what cup scores mean, and a discussion of recent, controversial updates to the tools professional graders use to evaluate a coffee’s quality. 

Notes Between Cuppings Entry 2

Notes Between Cuppings Entry 2

Notes between cuppings 2/4/2026  Offer samples flooded my desk these past few weeks. Tanzania, Guatemala, Brazil… a bit of an unusual crowd for early February. These are the doldrums, the dead of winter, the quiet hours of waiting.  With Brazil tariffed much of 2025, purchases from the country...

Coffee Market Recap

Coffee Market Recap

This article is a summary of market commentary originally created by StoneX with contributions from our Trading Team. All market data and primary analysis are attributed to StoneX unless otherwise noted. 

Is Frozen Coffee the New Fresh?

Is Frozen Coffee the New Fresh?

Editor’s note: This article in its entirety is published in the January/February 2026 issue of Roast magazine. Below is the author’s expanded cut of the introductory paragraphs, plus a short summary of the research project. Chris and Isabella also recorded a podcast on our findings that you can...