Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491350
10 STiR tea & coffee industry international NEWS sealed to ensure consistency of quality and flavor. Clients include Saxbys Coffee, Woodshed Roasting Co., and Kilambé among others. "The Upshot Solution made it easy for ABCD to successfully launch a much-desired business model for smaller roasters with premium beans and blends," said ABCD's president Bob Melikian. The result meets the customer's exact specifications using filters that brew a better cup of coffee with a strong message of sustainability – two things our customers desire and value." ABCD invented the original single-serve format with its PodPerfect® line. Learn more: www.abcd-pods.com Fairtrade Labor Standards Fairtrade International has published a Standard for Hired Labor establishing principles of workers' rights for those employed in producing tea, herbs and herbal tea, flowers and plants and fresh fruit and vegetables. The Standard establishes requirements for certification that include freedom of association, living wage benchmarks, recommendations on the use of migrant labor and the right to decide how the Fairtrade premium is invested. According to a Fairtrade press release the orga- nization's representatives traveled to 14 countries and visited with more than 400 workers to develop the standards. Fairtrade conducted 18 workshops and spoke to 170 management representatives from Fairtrade certified plantations and factories and received 120 responses from certified producer groups, traders, retailers, labor unions and non-government organi- zations. The standards are "grounded firmly in the daily reality of Fairtrade workers across three conti- nents. Some of the changes had nearly unanimous support; others were hotly debated even among workers themselves," according to Fairtrade Inter- national. Learn more: www.fairtrade.net World of Coffee 2014 rimini, italy – The Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) and World Coffee Events will host the World Barista Championship June 10-12 at the World of Coffee. The three-day event is expected to attract 5,000 international coffee professionals and suppliers to Europe's largest specialty coffee showcase at the Rimini Fiera Trade Fair Centre (www.riminifiera.it). In addition to the barista champion, the World Brewers Cup and World Coffee Roasting Champions will also be named. More than 200 coffee industry suppliers will promote their prod- ucts and services, said David Veal, SCAE executive director. "We are thrilled to bring this exciting event to the home of the espresso and the renowned Rimini Riviera," he said. SCAE is hosting its annual business summit, the SCAE Awards for Coffee Excellence and New Product recognition. Learn more: www.worldofcoffee-rimini.com GYP Acquires Gloria Jeans Singapore-based GYP (Global Yellow Pages) has acquired 800-store Gloria Jean's Coffees, its master franchisor busi- ness and "It's A Grind" intellectual property. "We have been looking for some time for the right partner who shares our guiding values, our dedication to excellence and our vision for the future. As a result of months of discovery and ongoing con- sultation, we are confident that in GYP we have found the right partner to take the business to the next level," said Nabi Saleh, executive chairman of Gloria Jean's Coffees. Learn more: www. gloriajeanscoffees.com ICO Coffee Finance Report The International Coffee Organization has published the findings of its third consultative forum on coffee sector finance, which it hopes will serve as a road map for implementing strategies for risk management and finance solutions for coffee cooperatives worldwide. The forum, which was held last September, brought together coffee experts from around the world to examine the challenges and opportunities facing coffee producers. The result was an exhaustive list of the driving and restrain- ing forces that affect coffee producers' ability to aggregate and form cooperatives. This list was then narrowed down to the most significant handful of factors in each category. The top four restraining forces are: • Lack of female participation • Lack of education about cooperatives • Poor legal framework and corruption • Risk aversion risk management These top factors will be addressed by the Core Group of the International Coffee Council. View the full report: www.ico.org Geisha Origin Discovered gesha, ethiopia – Genetic research by Dr. Sarada Krishnan, Denver Botanic Gardens, shows that the likely origin of Panama Geisha coffee is in a remote Ethiopian forest that has escaped the rampant deforestation in the region. The objective of the research, initiated by consultant Willem Boot, was to find the "mother source" of this unique coffee variety. In Panama, Geisha has been breaking price records since 2004 and appears to be resistant to coffee leaf rust. Learn more: bootcampcoffee.com/geisha