COFFEE SPEAKS FRENCH

Autumn 2021 is going to be an exciting season for coffee exhibitions in Paris and Monte Carlo. We are looking forward to attending coffee events in person

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PARIS, FRANCE

The main coffee event in France this year, the Paris Coffee Show, will take place in Paris on 11th, 12th and 13th September 2021. On 2,550 m² exhibition surface, you will find more than 80 exhibitors and everything regarding coffee.

Source: Paris Coffee Show website

At the Paris Coffee Show you will be able to find: countries producing and importing green coffee; roasting equipment manufacturers; manufacturers of coffee machines, percolators and filters; manufacturers of coffee grinders, roasting companies, coffee shops and packaging machines.

Apart from coffee, which is the main topic of this exhibition, the Paris Coffee Show has much more to offer its visitors: chocolate and biscuit makers; syrup manufacturers; alcohol, milk and cream; sugar; packaging and bags; water treatment equipment manufacturers; porcelain and tableware; tea houses; delicatessen; publishers of books on gastronomy and coffee. So, even if you don’t like coffee at all, you cannot miss the opportunity to be in Paris on September 11th, 12th and 13th.

Paris, France-June 09, 2016 : The famous cafe Les Deux magots located in parisian Saint Germain des Pres district. It had ben frequented by Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso…

From the exhibition to the organization of events, to meetings between peers, everything is done to allow exhibitors to easily present their products and know-how to the greatest number of visitors. In order to facilitate the identification of the types of visitor, badges of different colors will be given to coffee enthusiasts and professionals. Thus a simple and practical markup will allow exhibitors to easily differentiate B2B from B2C visitors.

The event will see the participation of many Italian coffee companies, some of which will have also sponsored the Paris Coffee Show.

Fonte: (Gaggia Milano, 2021)

THE ORGANIZERS

Collectif Café (Comité Français du Café, CFC) is the main French employers’ federation representing all professionals in the French coffee sector, including importers, coffee roasters, baristas, and coffee shops. Collectif Café was founded in 1959 with the aim of sharing information about coffee and promoting coffee awareness in France. It plays a vital role in the protection of the interests of importers, roasters, baristas and coffee shops, and works to promote the sector and all its stakeholders (Collectif Café, n.d.).

It also organizes the 1st French event dedicated to coffee and its universe – the Paris Coffee Show – as well as national coffee competitions such as: the competition of France’s Best Roaster, the competition for the best coffee blend in France, the Barista Masters France and, new since 2019, the Junior Café Masters. Collectif Café helped to register the profession of roaster in the competition “One of the Best Workers of France”, the first edition of which took place in September 2018 during the roasters conference in Bordeaux.

Vintage Paris Café poster

AN ECO-FRIENDLY EVENT

This year, the whole Parisian team will take special care of the environment by creating an event as eco-friendly as possible! The show’s stands, equipment, carpets and paper parts will be used in a reasoned manner with the aim of being reused for the next edition. Because coffee comes from nature, it is fundamental to share its values and to be in harmony with our environment.

World Environment Day web template illustration of green eco friendly lettering quote labels with copy space. Natural text typography signs for planet conservation

The 2021 edition adapts to the health context by offering you an event with a reduced surface and with a lot of fresh air, an exhibition space at the heart of this new edition, with redesigned entertainment spaces. The objective is to give everyone the opportunity to meet again safely.

Keynote speakers of this year’s Paris Coffee Show are going to be Nathalie Schraen-Guirma (French radio and television and coffee marketing), Pierre Hermé (World Best Pastry Chef in 2016), Victor Delpierre (Coffee in Good Spirits World Champion) and Vincent Ferniot (French radio and television, inventor of the Carré de Café – 1st coffee to chew on tablets).

THE COFFEE ROASTERS VILLAGE

You will be able to meet the roasters, taste their coffees and exchange your opinions with them, and to learn how to taste Brazilian coffee types in the dedicated cupping area.

ATTEND THE FRENCH SCA MODEL ROASTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Attend roasting masterclasses with two roaster manufacturers to discover all the aspects of roasting. And of course, take advantage of this event to come and support the candidates of the Competition for the Best French Roaster!

CONFERENCE SPACE

Take part in the conferences and listen to speeches by recognized producers and professionals on the stakes of the sector! Three days full of discoveries and teaching, with debates and exchanges of opinion.

MONTE CARLO

Paris will not be the only French speaking city with an event for coffee lovers this Autumn! We are glad to tell you that also Monaco will host an important exhibition: the 25th Monte-Carlo Gastronomie, taking place from November 26th to 29th.

Monte-Carlo Gastronomie offers visitors to taste and buy varied products, rigorously selected just a few days from the end-of-year celebrations. More than 100 producers of gourmet French, Italian and European products over an area of 2,500 m2, in a refined and friendly setting.

Our event is supported by numerous associations such as Monaco Goût et Saveurs, the Italian and the French Maitre d’Hotel Associations, the Monegasque Association of wine tasters, the Slow Food Riviera Côte d’Azur Association and the association of Monegasque Hotel Industry. Fine products selected with care, where the authentic flavors of the French, Italian and European regions mix: wines, champagnes, cognac, armagnac and liqueurs from the producers’ domains, but also salmon, foie gras, seafood, truffles, caviar , chocolates, sweets, cheeses, cured meats, organic products, jams … . The art of the table, the kitchen utensils and original gift ideas also make this event unique, the show of elegance and refinement.

 

The event could be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. We will keep you informed.

ALAIN DUCASSE AND HIS COFFEE ART

Monaco is a world capital for top quality food and cuisine. We can remind you of Mr. Alain Ducasse with his restaurant “Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse” at the Hôtel de Paris. Mr. Ducasse, born in Monaco, is a worldwide famous chef with restaurants and cafés in Paris and London. He was one of the first chefs offering his guests different types of single origin coffee.

Le Café Alain Ducasse in London offers a wide range of blends and single origin coffee from all around the world, the most expensive one coming from Yemen (you can read our article about Yemeni coffee here). A very exclusive coffee variety served by Alain Ducasse in London is Geisha (you can read our article about it here, while here you can find our “Panama Geisha – Dona Elvira” offer), a single origin coffee coming from a volcanic region in the north of Panama (Reporter Gourmet, 2021).

Alain Ducasse

Bibliography

Collectif Café. (n.d.). Le collectif. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://collectifcafe.fr/

Ducasse Paris. (2021). Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Ducasse Paris website: https://www.ducasse-paris.com/

Gaggia Milano. (2021). AU PARIS COFFEE SHOW, ON S’Y RETROUVE ? Retrieved August 3, 2021, from https://gaggiaprofessional.evocagroup.com/fr/news-presse/actualites/au-paris-coffee-show-sy-retrouve

Hôtel de Paris. (2021). Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Hôtel de Paris website: https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/restaurant-monaco/le-louis-xv-alain-ducasse-hotel-de-paris

Monte Carlo Gastronomie 25. (2021). Monte-Carlo Gastronomie edition 25. From November 26th to 29th. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Monte Carlo Gastronomie website: https://montecarlogastronomie.com/en/

Paris Coffee Show. (2021). Paris Coffee Show. Premier Evenement Cafe en France. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Paris Coffee Show website: https://pariscoffeeshow.fr/

Reporter Gourmet. (2020). La tazzina di caffè più costosa del mondo: 17 euro per l’espresso di Alain Ducasse a Londra. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Reporter Gourmet website: https://reportergourmet.com/177758/la-tazzina-di-caffe-piu-costosa-del-mondo-17-euro-per-lespresso-di-alain-ducasse-a-londra.html

Wikipedia. Alain Ducasse. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Wikipedia website: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Ducasse

Picture credits: when not otherwise specified, the pictures were purchased by the ArtOn Café director

COFFEE PRICES SOAR AFTER FROST DAMAGE IN BRAZIL

A rare event of frost hit large areas of Brazil’s coffee belt, sending coffee prices to a six-year high. Before the frost came a drought that jeopardized the 2021 crop

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Brazil below zero? Nearly 10% of Brazilian Arabica producers woke up on Tuesday morning to see sub-zero temperatures and frost on their plants. Although it had been predicted that a cold front would occur, the severity of the frost was much worse than forecast. To put this into context, it was only a couple of months ago that we reported on how the Brazilian government had issued a water emergency alert for severe droughts in five Brazilian states, the first time in 111 years that a warning of this type had been issued: it’s certainly been an atypical weather year for Brazil (DRWakefield, 2021).

Farmer with hat standing in a coffee plantation field

The cold snap is the second weather shock in recent months to strike farmers in Brazil, threatening to drive up costs at cafes and breakfast tables around the world. Before the frost came a drought that parched the 2021 crop (The Wall Street Journal, 2021).

Brazil is the biggest producer of Arabica in the world, so of course anything that will reduce or increase its harvest will have a sizeable effect on global supply. We know the impact of the frost will reduce Brazil’s 2022/23 harvest and the industry is attempting to price in that expected supply shortage. I say “attempting” since, as with any forecast, there is always variation between market participants (DRWakefield, 2021).

“If the damage is extensive, farmers will be forced to prune the trees severely, leading to a sharp fall in production,” said Carlos Mera at Rabobank. Pruning of trees will have to be undertaken in the key coffee-growing areas of South Minas and Mogiana in Brazil, meaning no harvest next year (BusinessToday.In, 2021).

Aerial view of deforested area of the Amazon rainforest caused by illegal mining activities in Brazil. Deforestation and illegal gold mining destroy the forest and contaminate the rivers with mercury.

Take a look at the video published by The Wall Street Journal: Coffee prices are heating up, and experts say an even bigger price hike could be coming. WSJ explains the web of economic forces that help determine the cost of coffee. Illustration: Mallory Brangan/WSJ

Last week, the market opened at 160.50 c/lb and rose to a high of 209.50 c/lb on Friday, before closing the week out at 189 c/lb, 17.8% (28.5 c/lb) higher than it started (DRWakefield, 2021).

“The reason for the price surge is the cold snap in Brazil, which saw frost hit key arabica growing areas last week, especially in the largest coffee-growing state of Minas Gerais,” Commerzbank said in a note (Nasdaq, 2021).

The Brazilian coffee industry was severely hit by a cold snap that froze the coffee growing regions. This extreme weather event might compromise the production of 4 to 6 million bags for the next season (2022/2023) and it is therefore also affecting coffee prices, which  have been rising to 220 USD cents per pound and then falling back to 190/195 (Barrera, 2021).

The following is an excerpt of the Belco article about the frost in Brazil and its overview of similar past events (Barrera, 2021):

These frost events in Brazil are not new and have always had a direct impact on international coffee prices, in a brutal way. In July 1975, as in 1994, frosts destroyed the current and future harvests and caused international coffee prices to rise to over USD 300 cents per pound (USD 6.60/kg) on two occasions. If this situation were transposed from 1975 to today, prices would probably more than double… Last week, a first frost affected all Brazilian coffee regions. The damage to the next harvest has yet to be measured, but the current campaign does not seem to be compromised. By November, after the rainy season, we will probably be able to estimate Brazilian production for the next harvest with more precise figures, in order to assess the real impact on international coffee prices.

[…] It means that in the next 3 months, we will probably have a speculative market, but realistically, it will remain bullish. Coffee prices have been very low for the last 10 years and in the current context (pandemic, explosion of freight in Asia, national strike in Colombia, civil war in Ethiopia, increase in consumption due to the end of lockdowns…) it is not ready to come down.News from our friends at FAF who are preparing for the cold weather with the installation of greenhouses for the youngest coffee trees or the spraying of a potassium sulphite solution for the biggest.

Source: (Barrera, 2021)

LONDON/NEW YORK, July 26 (Reuters) – Severe frosts last week damaged a large part of the plantations in the main Brazilian coffee belt and a new polar air mass is forecast to move over the same areas later this week, which will be the third strong cold front to hit crops this year.

Coffee trees are extremely sensitive to frost, which can cause severe damage and even kill trees completely. If a farm needs to replant trees, production would take around three years.

Minas Gerais, Brazil, June 02, 2006: worker makes manual harvesting coffee on a farm in the mountains of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

Preliminary estimates from the Brazilian government’s food supply agency Conab said that last week’s frosts had affected 150,000 to 200,000 hectares – about 11% of the country’s total arabica crop area.

Arabica coffee futures have risen by about 35% since the end of June, raising the prospect that major brands may have to raise prices in the coming weeks.

“Over the last 12 months we have seen a sharp rise in ingredient, freight and other costs, which will require us to take appropriate measures,” JDE Peet’s, one of the world’s largest coffee companies, said in a statement.

“Historically, significant fluctuations in green coffee prices have been reflected in the market and we expect that precedent to continue.”

Vevey, Switzerland – August 14, 2020: Nestle Headquarter office buildings with Logo in Canton Vaud, Swiss. Nestle is largest multinational company in food sector in the world

Starbucks and Nestle, which are also among the largest coffee processors and retailers in the world, declined requests for comments regarding possible impacts to the industry and the prospect of reduced availability next season.

Smaller players would certainly suffer, while consumers will have to pay more (Reuters, 2021).

Bibliography

Barrera, A. (2021, August). A Frosty Spell in Brazil. Belco. Retrieved from https://www.belco.fr/green-coffee-article.php?article=501

BusinessToday.In. (2021). Coffee prices soar to 7-year high on Brazil frost fears. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from BusinessToday.In website: https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/world/story/coffee-prices-soar-to-7-year-high-on-brazil-frost-fears-302268-2021-07-24

DRWakefield. (2021). Fortnightly Market Report 26/07/21. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from DRWakefield website: https://drwakefield.com/market-reports/fortnightly-market-report-26-07-21/?utm_source=Newsletter+Mailing+List+May+2018&utm_campaign=245efa3f72-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_12_11_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2aa19fb26-245efa3f72-434305845

Google Maps. (2021). State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Google Maps website: https://www.google.it/maps/place/State+of+Minas+Gerais,+Brazil/@-18.5246924,49.948063,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0xa690a165324289:0x112170c9379de7b3!8m2!3d-17.930178!4d-43.7908453

Jeffrey T. Lewis, Joe Wallace. (2021). Coffee Prices Jump to Six-Year High as Brazilian Frost Threatens Crop. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from The Wall Street Journal website: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coffee-prices-jump-to-six-year-high-as-brazilian-frost-threatens-crop-11627380128

Nigel Hunt –  Reuters. (2021). SOFTS-Coffee prices surge as Brazil frost damage assessed. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Nasdaq website: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/softs-coffee-prices-surge-as-brazil-frost-damage-assessed-2021-07-26

Nigel Hunt, Marcelo Teixeira. (2021). Coffee prices surge as unusual cold threatens Brazilian production. Retrieved July 28, 2021, from Reuters website: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/coffee-prices-surge-unusual-cold-threatens-brazilian-production-2021-07-26/

Picture credits:

  • If not otherwise specified, the pictures were purchased by the ArtOn Café director
  • Opening picture: coffee plantations of arabica type in Carmo de Minas, in the Serra da Mantiqueira, in Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Final picture: Commemorative design for National Coffee Day with gunny sack with stamp, promoting exportation quality over Brazil map, steamy coffee cup, stain and stirrer (texts written in Portuguese)

Mission: carbon neutral

In the process towards a more sustainable world, achieving carbon neutrality is one of the main goals

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Sustainability is the key word of these years and therefore fair trade and sustainability certifications and short, mid and long term strategies play an increasingly important role.

Agriculture, coffee production, and sustainability issues

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global agriculture accounts for 10-12% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Perfect Daily Grind, 2021). Agricultural emissions are also significant at national levels, as they seem to be contributing an average of 35% of emissions in developing countries and 12% in developed countries (Wollenberg et al., 2016). Carbon dioxide is the most dangerous and prevalent greenhouse gas driving the climate challenges worldwide (Nunez, 2019). It keeps rising and agriculture is strongly concerned in and with it.

Smoking factory pipe against cityscape clear sky. Plant pipe with dark smoke. Carbon dioxide emissions. Environment contamination. Pollution of environment co2. Vector illustration in flat style

Most of the greenhouse emissions in coffee production are caused by fertilisers and wastewater at washing stations. Moreover, coffee production is responsible of contributing to deforestation and it affects the climate also because of packaging and transportation (Perfect Daily Grind, 2021).

The emissions generated in coffee production vary depending on the country. Not only this makes accurate measurements more difficult, but also it makes the process for finding a unique solution to cut carbon emissions more challenging. In fact, farmers often face the problem of poor-quality soil. This is for example what generally happens to smallholders in countries such as Rwanda, where farmers tend to respond by using chemical fertilisers that are often ineffective – as the main problem is a lack of organic matter in soils – and yet represent a major source of carbon emission (Perfect Daily Grind, 2021).

Hand holding crushed egg shell and spent coffee grounds in bowl. Natural organic fertilizers for gardening rich in nitrogen, calcium and potassium

The importance of reducing carbon emissions

In today’s world, greenhouse gas concentration – notably carbon dioxide – affect the environment and the climate systems, resulting in global warming, but also in extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting wildlife populations and habitats (Nunez, 2019).

Human activities such as agriculture play an important role in gas emission. This is why governments and organizations such as the IPCC are measuring and tracking the greenhouse gases and their effects in order to find solutions to this global problem (Nunez, 2019).

The Paris Climate Agreement signed in 2015 represents a landmark in this process towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement, in fact, is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It aims at limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. In order to achieve this goal, countries aim to reach global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. The final objective is to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century (United Nations, n.d.).

The Paris Agreement requires economic and social transformation at all levels, based on the best available science. It works on a 5-year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action carried out by countries, that support each other in this mid and long-term strategy (United Nations, n.d.).

Sustainability in the coffee field

Sustainability being the main goal in today’s business, the coffee industry is considering its environmental footprint to find solutions and ways to reduce or even eliminate its carbon emissions.

Coffee is in fact extremely exposed to climate variations – as we have underlined in previous articles such as the one about climate challenges in Colombia – and this peculiarity is encouraging numerous players in the coffee industry to find ways to reduce their emissions, compensate them or even to completely abolish them (Global Coffee Report, 2021).

For example, in 2020 Starbucks committed to a resource-positive future, aiming at cutting its carbon, water and waste footprints by half. Moreover, the company has committed to carbon neutral green coffee and to conserve water usage in green coffee processing by 50% by 2030 (Starbucks, 2021).

Starbucks partners with Feeding America to launch its FoodShare food donation program with a goal to rescue 100 percent of food available to donate from U.S. stores by the end of 2020.
Source: (Starbucks, 2020)

Another major coffee company that promotes the shift towards sustainability is Illy. The company has started its path towards a more sustainable future by promoting new sustainable models and aiming at reaching carbon neutrality by 2033 (Illy, 2019).

 

Nespresso, on the other hand, sets even sooner goals. In fact, the company commits to achieving full carbon neutrality across its supply chain and product life by 2022. This means that Nespresso commits that every cup of Nespresso coffee, both for at-home and for professional customers, will be carbon neutral by that date. The company’s ambition is based on more that ten years of work during which it has progressively reduced its carbon emissions and compensated the remainder through agroforestry (Nespresso, 2020).

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – JUNE 26, 2018: Nespresso Showcase Store in Taipei 101 Mall, Taiwan. Nespresso Machines Brew Espresso and Coffee from Coffee Capsules or Pods in Machines for Home or Professional Use

Sustainable Event Park

The coffee industry is also connected to the events industry, as there are expos, fairs, trade shows and competitions – take a look at the upcoming events in the coffee sector and at the Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo – promoting and showcasing new products and giving professionals the chance to meet each other.

Nowadays, considering the combination of technological evolution and the restrictions caused by the pandemic, the events industry is shifting towards virtual and hybrid events, always considering sustainability as a central element.

For example, V-Ex (Virtual Exhibitors), which is a pioneer of virtual and hybrid events, has launched the Sustainability Event Park, an interactive venue dedicated to sustainability taking place throughout 2022. It includes space for conferences and virtual exhibitions, and offers an outdoor amphitheatre for presentations and numerous smaller interactive attractions and pitches all over the park area. Visitors, speakers and organisers can access it by registering on the dedicated website (V-Ex Virtual Exhibitors, n.d.).

The Sustainability Event Park is an interactive online venue dedicated to sustainable topics
Source: (V-Ex Virtual Exhibitors, n.d.)

Make sure you take a look at the V-Ex website to access all details!

ArtOn Café and Sustainability

We at ArtOn Café want to promote sustainability and raise awareness about this crucial topic. For this reason, we offer 100% recyclable tins and self-protected compostable capsules, and on some of our items we have printed a “save the planet” message.

Brigitte blend packaging with a “Save the planet” message on the right
Source: (ArtOn Café, n.d.)

Bibliography

Global Coffee Report. (2021). Can coffee be carbon neutral? Retrieved from https://gcrmag.com/can-coffee-be-carbon-neutral/

Illy. (2019). Sustainable Value Report 2019. Retrieved from http://valuereport.illy.com/index.php?lang=en

Nespresso. (2020). EVERY CUP OF NESPRESSO COFFEE WILL BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2021, from https://nestle-nespresso.com/news/every-cup-of-nespresso-coffee-will-be-carbon-neutral-by-2022

Nunez, C. (2019). Carbon dioxide levels are at a record high. Here’s what you need to know. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/greenhouse-gases

Perfect Daily Grind. (2021). Understanding carbon-neutral coffee production. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2021/07/understanding-carbon-neutral-coffee-production/

Starbucks. (2020). Starbucks Sustainability Timeline. Retrieved August 3, 2021, from Starbucks Stories & News website: https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-sustainability-timeline/

Starbucks. (2021). Starbucks announces coffee-specific environmental goals. Retrieved July 30, 2021, from Starbucks Stories & News website: https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/starbucks-announces-coffee-specific-environmental-goals/

United Nations. (n.d.). The Paris Agreement. Retrieved July 30, 2021, from https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement

V-Ex Virtual Exhibitors. (n.d.). New online event venue focuses on sustainability. Retrieved July 30, 2021, from https://www.v-ex.com/new-online-event-venue-focuses-on-sustainability/

Picture credits: if not otherwise specified, the pictures were purchased by the ArtOn Café director