Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1542133
STiR coffee and tea 7 Executive Editor Diana Jendoubi diana@coffeetea.media Coffee Correspondent Fionn Pooler (Scotland) Contributing Writers Mainbayar Badarch (Mongolia) Emilio Bonnet (Colombia) Billy Dietz (USA) Roopak Goswami (India) Adam Monaghan (USA) Bhavi Patel (India) Thomas Schmid (Thailand) Marten Verch (Germany) Art Director Somjet Thitasomboon snt@octobermultimedia.com Administrative Assistant Sommai Jekaram asj@octobermultimedia.com Subscriptions Malisa Kongkatitum malisa@stir-tea-coffee.com Sales Director Emerson Leonard edl@octobermultimedia.com Director, October Inter Co., Ltd. Boonthin Tubsongkroh brt@octobermultimedia.com Founding Editor & Publisher Glenn Anthony John glenn@coffeetea.media c/o October Inter Co. Ltd. 159/19 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 110, Saphan Sung, Bangkok 10240 THAILAND. Tel: +66818299409. www.coffeetea.media Published by A Member of In This Issue F Subscribe to STiR Coffee and Tea Magazine 1 Year – US$60.00 2 Years – US$110.00 3 Years – US$150.00 For inquiries, contact: accounts@octmm.com Secure online payment: https://www.stir-tea-coffee.com/subscribe lagging coffee and tea markets are being revitalized as new life and energy sweep across producing nations, while others are finally receiving the recognition they de- serve. This issue of STiR highlights coffee and tea's growing association with health and wellness and how the concepts of strength and vitality apply not only to the finished product but also to the producers themselves. STiR coffee correspondent, Fionn Pooler, examines coffee's official classification as "healthy" by the US Food and Drug Administration, along with multiple studies proclaiming coffee's benefits in his article Coffee's Healthy Moment (page 36). Bhavi Patel also links coffee to longevity and vitality in Caffeine Might Be Nature's Antiaging Compound (page 9). Health and wellness trends continue to shape tea markets as Chinese consumers shift to- wards reduced sugar and sugar-free RTD iced tea brands — see Mainbayar Badarch's ar- ticle on page 13 for more. Meanwhile, China's growing interest in wellness beverages has led to renewed interest in South African rooibos tea (page 15). Billy Dietz discusses the harm of associating tea bags with microplastics and questions the methodology behind those stud- ies in Reexamining the Microplastics-Tea Narrative (page 16). Despite the abolition of US coffee and tea tariffs, Fionn Pooler writes that coffee prices re- main high (page 8). Influenced by record-breaking arabica prices and the fluctuating patterns of climate change, the world is witnessing the rise of robusta (page 9) and the recognition of liberica and excelsa. In our interview with Justin Metcalf at the Asian International Coffee Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, he discusses the importance of appreciating and under- standing these varietals and the uniqueness of Southeast Asian coffees; see Redefining ASEAN Coffee: Q&A With Justin Metcalf (page 29). As formerly glorious coffee regions regain their strength (Brewing Change: Revitalizing West and Central Africa's Coffee Sectors (page 16) by Thomas Schmid, Mexico's Coffee Market Finds a Second Wind (page 23) by Emilio Bonnet, and Yemeni Coffee: Reclaiming an An- cient Legacy (page 42) by Mainbayar Badarch), new ones emerge — see Badarch's article Saudi Arabia Builds Largest Coffee Farm in the Middle East (page 11) and ASEAN: Becom- ing a Global Coffee Powerhouse (page 10) by me. Marten Verch highlights the surprisingly dynamic and discerning Czech tea market in Czech Republic: A Hidden Gem in Europe's Specialty Tea Landscape (page 39). The importance of consumer education and traceability led Seth Griffin to uncover the true origins of some of China's most expensive and famous teas, as described in Dark Tea's Dark Secret (page 26). While many coffee and tea professionals are concerned about the proliferation of AI technol- ogy, Bhavi Patel discusses its potential benefits in her article, AI: Rewriting Coffee's Future From Bean to Cup (page 32). Finally, to better understand what lies ahead for the coffee industry, Adam Monaghan challenges us to examine its complex past in his perspective piece, Untangling Coffee's Colonial Roots (page 45). Focusing on growth, health, and vitality helps the coffee and tea industries gain traction in an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable world. Diana Jendoubi Executive Editor