While the global demand for coffee is steadily increasing, climate change and other threats are posing significant challenges to the future of coffee production. STEPHANIE ALCALA explores the current state of genetic diversity and how we can create climate resilient crops, as she shares some highlights from her research project investigating the genetic composition of the beloved Panamanian Geisha.

Pure water is a thing of ephemerality – outside of a lab in nature or civilization, water is never by itself. MARCO WELLINGER of ZHAW (Wädenswil, Switzerland) explains why alkalinity is more important than pH and why you should adjust your water recipes to your beverage ratio and extraction method.

Until recently, Paris was renowned more for its cafés than the quality of its coffee, but the past decade has seen the city experience a growing wave of specialty coffee shop openings. NOA BERGER traces how French cafés and roasters navigate the “glocalization” of specialty coffee. All photos by Albin Durand for La Fontaine de Belleville.

This year, South Korea's Jooyeon Jeon was crowned the 20th World Barista Champion at the World Coffee Championships in Boston. KELSEY KUDAK traces the evolution of the global competition and its impact on the specialty coffee industry over the past 20 years.

Great coffee is often given distinction through great design. In an increasingly crowded specialty coffee retail market, great design also serves an important function in distinguishing one product from another.

Winners in each of this year’s four Design Lab categories were declared yesterday afternoon – meet them below!

Last year, Coffunity was awarded two Best New Product (BNP) Awards during the Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle: One for Best in Technology and the other for Best of Show.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce the winners of the Best New Product and Design Lab Awards at the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo in Boston.

Looking to learn more about this year’s other competitions at Expo? We’ve put together a handy map of where to find all things 2019 Best New Product Awards and Design Lab on the show floor.

Each year the SCA recognizes three categories with Sustainability Awards. We're thrilled to announce this year's winners, who will receive their awards at Re:co Symposium the 10-11 April 2019.

Welcome to Issue 8 of 25, your quarterly SCA publication sharing specialty coffee research, insights, trends, and stories from our specialty community.

Dr. JOSEPH KING explores the role of specialty coffee across two case studies of conflict and development efforts in Rwanda and Eastern Congo.

LEAD Scholar SMAYAH UWAJENEZA reflects on her personal experience working as a specialty coffee professional in Kigali, Rwanda in a 25 Magazine online exclusive.

One of the most reliable ways of starting a passionate argument, at least in a room filled with coffee aficionados, is to ask a simple question: What is the best shape for a drip brew filter basket? Postdoctoral fellow Dr. SCOTT FROST, Professor JEAN-XAVIER GUINARD, and Professor WILLIAM D. RISTENPART share early results of an ongoing research project in partnership with the SCA and Breville Corporation.

Professor CHARLES SPENCE of Oxford University’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory explains the impact sound has on your perception of flavor.

When you hear the words “inclusive or accessible,” what images come to mind first? HOBY WEDLER and TREY MALONE explore a broader understanding and application of inclusive design practice and how it stands to benefit the specialty coffee industry.

Issue 08 sponsor BELLWETHER COFFEE shares its approach to maintaining an inclusive mindset.

The SCA’s Executive Director YANNIS APOSTOLOPOULOS shares the outcomes from the organization alignment meeting that took place in Madrid this past January.

Beginning September 2018, the SCA's Research Center partnered with Square to release the 2018 Square Coffee Reports, a series of five reports highlighting interesting insights and trends in coffee consumption. SARA VERA shares a first look at the aggregate comparative results.

In September 2018, Rick Peyser traveled to Bali for a two-day coffee conference known as Temu Kopi, an annual gathering that brings together Indonesian farmers, roasters, retailers, and exporters.