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Lately I tend to come across a number of interesting coffee-related newspaper articles. Just the other day I read one about all the advantages linked to coffee at work. As it seems, coffee at work really does make a difference. An extract. Coffee is loved Nobody can live without it. 65% of the employees drink coffee at work, on average 3 cups a day. And given the current prices at coffee shops, it doesn't come as a surprise that employees appreciate it when their company offer this black gold for free. Coffee makes people work more efficiently Or at least, it keeps you awake so you can actually get some work done. Morning people may not need it all that much, but others need a daily dose of caffeine in order to survive the morning hours. Coffee improves the work atmosphere A coffee break brings colleagues closer together and companies can only benefit from them: 40% of the employees have had productive conversations about work at the coffee machine. Or at least, that's what they say... Coffee is good for the working moral Employees feel more validated when they receive free benefits from their employer. Even more so in times of crises, when everybody has to work harder. By keeping the coffee free, companies give the message that the situation isn't hopeless and everything will be ok. (source: businessinsider.com)
Last week we received the last committed coffee and as tradition goes, we celebrated this closing of the buying season with a nice dinner, followed by a great karaoke evening last Friday. On the other hand, closing also means shifting our focus on the upcoming season, so this week we organised an internal workshop and had the first trainings of 2011. The first ones were a training for a village community, held in the kitchen of one of the families living there, and another one in cooperation with Pu'er Coffee Growers' Association of agricultural technicians from all counties in Pu'er. One of the most expensive and exclusive types of coffee is produced in Indonesia and the Philippines. It's probably also one of the most environmentally friendly processed coffees, but just as likely not to everyone's taste... Whereas normally machines are involved in processing coffee, in some parts of Indonesia and the Philippines civet cats take this role upon themselves. The pulp that surrounds the cherries is removed by the cats when they eat it and fermentation takes place in the stomach since the cats cannot digest the parchment beans. All one has to do afterwards, is collecting the coffee beans from the cat's faeces. And despite the cats doing all the hard work, one cup of this coffee can apparently cost up to 50$! Though I'll leave it up to you to discover whether or not it's worth it, I think I'll just stick to my daily cup of Yunnan coffee. If you're interested, you can find more info in this article.
Last Friday was the last day of the 2010/11 buying season. It was the end of a long and very busy period. Coffee prices hit the highest levels in 30 years, which resulted in huge numbers of deliveries, especially by smallholders, and hence in very long working days. The end of a buying season always leaves me with mixed feelings. On the one hand I'm happy to successfully finish a season, but on the other hand I'll be missing the contact with the farmers, the tasting sessions and everything else within one week after closing. Though, by now I already know the best remedy consists of starting with the preparations of the upcoming season and arranging trainings and field visits. So instead of farmers coming to us, we will be visiting them the next months.
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AuthorI wouldn't be surprised to find out I was born with a passion for coffee. For the life of me, I can't remember not loving coffee. And by that, I don't just mean drinking it, but everything involved from its cultivation over the processing to the final product that is my loyal companion throughout the day. Archives
February 2014
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