Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/300684
70 Fresh Cup Magazine | freshcup.com COUNTER INTELLIGENCE PEOPLE & PRODUCTS ORIGIN OF EXCELLENCE The Alliance for Coffee Excellence announced that Brazil Late Harvest 2014, January's Cup of Excellence auction, the program's ninetieth, surpassed an impressive $40 million in proceeds. The Cup of Excellence program—focused on rewarding quality and transparency at origin— donates approximately eighty-three percent of total auction proceeds directly to farmers, with seventeen percent to country organizers to offset the cost of the com- petition. Cup of Excellence will hold ten more competitions in ten coun- tries throughout 2014, ending the year with its hundredth competition in Brazil, home of the first Cup of Excellence competition. (503) 208-0872. allianceforcoffeeexcellence.org FROM THE FARM Califia Farms' newest product brings the company's commitment to farm-fresh into the café, with a latte-friendly version of their popular almond milk line. While most almond milks steam at too low a temperature to make good microfoam, Barista Blend has a body and richness designed to steam and blend well with espresso. The thirty-two-ounce, Tetrapak, shelf-stable blend is engineered to make it easier for café owners to bring a versatile milk alternative to their customers without sacrificing quality and taste. califiafarms.com TO THE TROPICS The Tea Spot's new Tropical Tea line is nothing if not colorful. Inspired by warm nights and sandy beaches, the new line of premium teas includes flavors such as Coconut Cabana (a milk oolong with coconut), Mango Tango (a Ceylon with passionfruit and mango), and Big Chill (a tart hibiscus and mint blend). The transporting teas can be purchased in individual tins or in bulk on the company's website. (303) 444-8324. theteaspot.com LONDON BREWING In testament to England's thriving coffee scene, The London Coffee Fest (April 3-6), the flag- ship event of UK Coffee Week, received a twenty-five percent rise in visitor numbers this year, with about 22,000 people in attendance. The festival boasted a variety of tasting events, dem- onstrations, and exhibitions, and over 250 coffee and food stalls. The event also crowned the UK Barista Champion, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood of coffee roaster Colonna and Smalls in his second UK victory. Sebastian Stephenson, also from Colonna and Smalls, won first place in the 2014 UK Brewers Cup Championship, while Jason Gonzalez, again from Colonna and Smalls, won the UK Cup Tasters Championship. londoncoffeefestival.com FIRST BLOOM Silicon Valley start-up Pooki's Mahi expanded their award-winning tea line into blooming teas with the release of Halo Tea, the first unveiling in the forthcoming Blooming Tea Collection. A flowering white tea infused with blueberry and white peach, Halo Tea is elegantly perfumed and beautiful to brew. When steeped in hot water, handsewn white tea leaves part to reveal an exotic peach colored lily, and a string of amaranth and jasmine flowers. pookismahi.com May14_magazine.indd 70 4/18/14 10:46 AM