The Royal Blog

The Problem with Plastic (and single use cups) Part I: Our Plastic Reality I am lucky enough to know some real, sweat-and-blood environmental activists, or environmental warriors. These are people who live zero-waste and plastic-free lifestyles, who organize beach clean-ups, protest for water rights, eat vegan and create turtle sanctuaries; people who work tirelessly to […]

Editors note: A version of this article first appeared as a two-part series in Barista Magazine Online on September 15 and  September 18, 2018. By Sandra Elisa Loofbourow Lately, I’ve been writing about how people dress up their coffee in various parts of the world, as well as how people consumed caffeine before the advent […]

Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in Coffee T&I Magazine, June 2018. Download a PDF here, including fully cited references. Coffee often exists as a routine, a caffeine delivery mechanism, well before any of us begin taking pleasure in its flavor. Like many things in life, enjoyment is usually cultivated over time, enhanced […]

Culture, Conflict, and Coffee: Tastings from Uncommon Origins Paired with History You Haven’t Heard (at Blue Bottle in Culver City, Los Angeles) – FREE Register & Learn More Here! Saturday, August 18th, 2:00pm – 4:30pm We’d like to explore a little about why the roasted seed of a fruit, cultivated in diverse conditions, holds such […]

Editor’s note: this story first ran in Daily Coffee News on May 14, 2018. On January 14, 2018, Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa dissolved the Tanzania Coffee Development Trust Fund, claiming it was redundant and depriving farmers of their money. At the same time, he directed the revocation of all licenses for traders purchasing coffee directly […]