Fresh Cup

OCT 2011

Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.

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OFF THE WIRE Continued from page 18 the health care side of AHP, the company also offers folks in the cof- fee industry other insurance options—including life insurance, dis- ability and dental. The firm also recently rolled out an equipment- financing package to help operators more easily secure loans for espresso machines and other products. Dominy and Chokshi both say they sensed a palpable excitement in the barista community when the BGA health care initiative was first announced ("Right away we had a lot of people re-Tweeting," says Chokshi), but it's yet to be seen how many members will actu- ally take out policies through the AHP partnership. Chokshi advises members to take advantage of the resource by contacting AHP and reviewing the options available to them, even if they're not in a position to shell out for health care right now. She adds that shop owners who are SCAA or BGA members can get their businesses listed with AHP for free, and that step will give employees the option of exploring their own health care options with the company (employees would then pay the premiums on their own). "Without even buying anything, you can tap into the resource and ask questions," she says. "This new BGA benefit was designed to take the guesswork and stress out of understanding and finding the best possible health care options, allowing baristas to stay healthy and focus on what they love." Dominy says he's hopeful that the recent steps by the BGA will give some coffee pros more optimism about a long-term career in cafés. "I personally know lots of people who have injuries and other things, and they can't go to the doctor because they're afraid of the bills that will come," he says. "A lot of people get out of the coffee industry because they don't have access to insurance. We want and need those people to stay." —Dan Leif SEEING RED: RUSSIAN FESTIVAL BRINGS BARISTAS TO THE PARTY When Russia's five-day Spasskaya Tower festival kicked off in August, it had all the elements that make it a must-see event in the country, from large-scale fireworks displays to performances from military bands hailing from Russia and beyond. More than 40,000 people turned out for the festival, turning historic Red Square into a frenzy of activity. But nestled among the event's traditional features was another highlight one might not expect from a military-themed gala: a coffee tent featuring drinks served by seven champion baristas from around the world. Even for baristas who are used to traveling the globe in the name of specialty coffee, this was a setting like no other. "It was definitely really different from a lot of things we usually do," says reigning U.S. barista champion Pete Licata. Coffee's entrance into the Spasskaya Tower festival was the work of Soyuz Coffee Roasting, a Russia-based roaster that wanted to use the high-profile festival to promote its brand. "They wanted to go big," says Andrew Hetzel of consultancy Cafemakers, which worked with Soyuz on its launch. "They wanted to make a big splash in the market." To make that impact, Soyuz assembled seven national barista champions: Alejandro Mendez of El Salvador (the 20 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com

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