Category

News

What Does ‘Direct Trade’ Actually Mean? A Specialty Coffee Reality Check 
By Isabella Vitaliano and Chris Kornman  Article Summary Direct Trade originally popularized by specialty roasters in the late 1990s to improve transparency and relationships with producers, the term suggests direct communication and pricing agreements between...
Coffee Shipping Timelines Explained: Intend Ship Date, ETA & Real Transit Averages

Understand the difference between Intend Ship Date, ETA, and Expected Delivery, plus real transit averages by lane to help you plan your green coffee purchasing with confidence.

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.

Popular Categories

The Crown

Coffee News

Crown Jewels

Education + Resources

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...

Notes Between Cuppings Entry 1

Notes Between Cuppings Entry 1

Off the cuff thoughts Jan 7, 2026  With the New Year upon us, we were inspired to try something… well not new per se… in truth it’s a bit of a return to our roots: some more personal reflections in our newsletters.  I met with Royal co-founder Bob Fulmer casually last month, we chatted about this...

What We Accomplished in 2025 and the Work Ahead

What We Accomplished in 2025 and the Work Ahead

Community > Chaos  2025 delivered volatility across both the global economy and the entire coffee supply chain. Yet one thing never shifted: the strength of our community and the collective impact we can make when we act together. As we look back, we’re grateful for the ways our team,...

Royal Coffee and Grounds for Health Ethiopia Trip

Royal Coffee and Grounds for Health Ethiopia Trip

Editor’s Note: This field report accompanies Royal Coffee’s ongoing partnership with Grounds for Health, an organization dedicated to providing life-saving cervical cancer screening and treatment to women in coffee-growing communities. Royal is currently raising funds in support of this work, with...

Green Coffee Tariff Updates & Customer FAQs

Green Coffee Tariff Updates & Customer FAQs

Updated November 20, 2025  TL; DR  On Nov 20 2025, the U.S. signed an order that removes the 40% additional duty on certain Brazilian agricultural imports, including coffee.  The relief is effective for goods entered/withdrawn for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. ET on Nov 13, 2025. Tariffs on...

Royal Coffee 2025 Holiday Ordering Info

Royal Coffee 2025 Holiday Ordering Info

Dear Royal Coffee Customer, As the busy holiday season approaches, we want to help you prepare for successful shipments. During the holiday season, carriers always experience higher than normal volume, and driver and dock staffing shortages tend to accumulate. We have seen recent delays due to...

Excerpt: Additive Fermentation: “Infused” Coffee is Gaining Popularity and Sparking Industry Debate”

Excerpt: Additive Fermentation: “Infused” Coffee is Gaining Popularity and Sparking Industry Debate”

Co-fermented coffee is a new processing approach where producers add natural ingredients like fruit, hops, or spices during fermentation to enhance flavor complexity. Unlike flavored coffee, these additives interact with the beans before drying, creating unique taste profiles while sparking debate over labeling, transparency, and authenticity within the specialty coffee industry.

Celebrating 30 Years of Royal New York

Celebrating 30 Years of Royal New York

We are proud to celebrate an important milestone for our sister company, Royal New York. For 30 years, they have been a trusted partner in specialty coffee and tea, known for their dedication to quality, service, and education.  Coffee, Tea, and The Lab  Royal New York operates across three...

Market Update: Brazil Rains Shift Coffee Prices 

Market Update: Brazil Rains Shift Coffee Prices 

Article Summary: Coffee futures plunged. The sharpest drop in 17 years with arabica down 7.6% and robusta down 10% as rains return to Brazil. Improved weather may boost the 2026 crop, but short-term volatility remains. U.S. imports from Brazil are falling while Vietnam’s shipments surge. Freight...