With 100,000 cups of its teas drunk every hour, globally, Traditional Medicinals shares its herbal remedies and teas with two million people a day, providing itself the opportunity to inform, to be transparent, and to raise issue of importance, as well as bringing them each a little bit of nature in every cup.

Traditional Medicinals’ story begins more than 50 years ago, when Drake Sadler who co-founded the company with Rosemary Gladstar, met in the woods of Northern California where they were both living in the late 1960s. Gladstar collected plants and was teaching students and young people about the herbs and formulas that had been passed down through her family.

“Her great grandmother was a herbalist from Armenia [who taught her daughter], [who in turn, taught her daughter]. All this knowledge was passed down, as it always has been, in an oral tradition with women from generation to generation. They were the ‘medicine women’ in their communities and Rosemary was the medicine woman in her community,” explained Sadler, chair of Traditional Medicinals. Gladstar had a small shop and people would come to see her seeking remedies for their ailments.

Meanwhile, Sadler came from a background of social development. He worked for the US government on what was called the War on Poverty, setting up social programmes in poor communities. At this time, Gladstar wanted to further educate the community about herbal education, so she started packaging her herbal formulas and inserting inside information she had written to provide further explanation about the herbs they were using to treat the illnesses. This was the founding purpose of Traditional Medicinals – herbal education – and why the pair decided to launch it as a business.

The second founding principle came as Sadler and Gladstar began to visit the countries and communities from which they were sourcing plants. There they discovered that the herb and spice communities were quite impoverished. “This then triggered the evolution of the company’s second purpose,” said Sadler, “which was to build sustainable communities where these plants came from.”

Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat packaging circa 1980. Image: Traditional Medicinals

When Traditional Medicinals began, it offered nine products, each chosen to meet specific consumer needs and address ailments people had come in for, such as sore throats, problems sleeping, digestive troubles or morning sickness. “But that quickly expanded. I think within the first two or three years we had about 20 products,” commented Sadler. “People were like, why can’t I get this? What about that? So, Rosemary was formulating remedies that people needed. We weren’t trying to come up with the latest flavour or something, it was all about consumer needs.” Now Traditional Medicinals has more than 60 products (teas, lozenges, and capsules), which still change according to consumer needs and the ingredients they are interested in, such as dandelion, raspberry leaf or hibiscus.

These trends and demands also vary by region; Joe Stanziano, newly appointed CEO of Traditional Medicinals (see the announcement in People News) added, “according to industry data, the stress/relaxation segment has the highest regional share in California and has the lowest regional share in the mid-south; whereas the immunity segment has the highest regional share in the mid-south and lower in the northeast [of the US].”

Sustainable from the start

The majority of these products are distributed across the United States, but its market generally covers Central and North America. “The products are in a lot of countries I visit, but we don’t have a strong foreign strategy,” said Sadler. “There’s only so many places we can be and be there successfully […] There’s a limit: there’s a limit to these plants, there’s a limit to our capacity to produce […] We’re not trying to be the biggest, we’re just trying to be the best.” This notion is something integral to the workings of Traditional Medicinals.

Sadler spoke about how both he and Gladstar were interested in Buddhism during the origins of the company, one of the principles of which is ‘right livelihood,’ which he said they have always strived to embody within the company. “The notion of right livelihood is how business, or how people, should conduct themselves when they’re doing business. And the fundamental of right livelihood is to do no harm. So, conducting business in a way that helps people and does no harm, no harm to the environment, does no harm to each other, does no harm to the community.” This is something Sadler said distinguishes Traditional Medicinals from many other businesses.

This ethos also guides the company through purchasing and working with organic and fair-certified suppliers. Traditional Medicinals made a commitment to using quality and efficacious ingredients to deliver tangible health benefits. Its first certified organic products were in the late 70s, and then fair-certified ingredients began in the 90s. “The company has a real commitment to its stakeholders from these supply communities all the way through our trading partners […] We operate from a place of integrity,” said Sadler, and sustainability has always been a part of this, whether it is environmental or social.

When Sadler and Gladstar first started visiting their source communities, they would find children working in fields and not going to school, because their parents needed them to work and often there weren’t schools for them to go to. “So, then the next time that we would come back to those communities, we would bring books; we’d bring books written in the language of that country, school books. And we’d ask, ‘Can we hire a teacher and have children learning in the evenings? Would you give them room to study? We will hire the teacher and bring the books,’” recounted Sadler, explaining how the company’s opportunities for scale of impact have expanded since its founding. “Now we build schools. We have five schools in one remote area of Rajasthan [India], five schools just in this little remote area and there’s 2,000 kids going to school there every day.”

Traditional Medicinals now works in 43 countries through fair certification projects and partnerships. Its community projects in these regions impacts tens of thousands of farmers and collectors and their families, in areas such as health, hygiene, education, economic development, food and water security and women’s empowerment, the latter of which is especially crucial, said Sadler.

Historical Traditional Medicinals packaging. Image: Traditional Medicinals

Since the beginning of humankind, people have been experimenting with plants for food and medicine, for clothing and for shelter. Now in modern times, 50 percent of the world’s medicine contains plants, 80 percent of which are not farmed and must be collected in the wild, Sadler shared. It is in these remote areas that they grow and are collected by indigenous people, the vast proportion of which are women. This is why “we want to work on projects that empower them, raise their voices in the community, educate them better. And make sure that their daughters are going to school.”

While these practices have been embedded in the company since its founding, Sadler noted that there has been a strong increase in demand for sustainable activities from consumers, particularly young consumers who are wanting more information about the products they buy. “Young consumers really want education, they want to know what they’re consuming, they want to know about the ingredients, they want to know where those ingredients come from, they want to know who’s involved in the production of those ingredients, whether they’re farmed or collected, and how they’re manufactured and under what conditions,” he said. “They really demand transparency and this is wonderful. This is the way it should be. We should be knowledgeable about the products that we’re using and under what conditions they’re produced.”

Not business as usual

Integrity, right livelihood or transparency, however Sadler’s Traditional Medicinals’ ethos manifests itself, it is all under the umbrella of sustainability, and safeguarding resources and people’s livelihoods for the future, a pressure that is becoming increasingly urgent, something Sadler feels keenly. “There’s no more business as usual. We’re done with business as usual. I’m fed up with business as usual. I’m fed up with corporate America. I’m fed up with billionaires who are acquiring wealth,” he emphasised.

“That’s not the answer for the future. That’s not how we’re going to survive as a species. It is my belief that business has not only an opportunity, but an obligation to lead in the evolution of business as a platform for social change.”

Sadler said he is now focused on creating a structure of ownership within the company that ensures this purpose “is embedded in the company’s operating system, it’s part of its daily governance. So that it can’t be disrupted,” long after he is no longer there to steer it.

Newly appointed CEO, Stanziano, is taking up this mantle, and explained how he hopes the company will continue to evolve. “Traditional Medicinals has built a strong legacy as a leader in herbal wellness and as a Certified B Corporation, deeply rooted in sustainability and social responsibility. As we look to the future, my vision is for Traditional Medicinals to continue advancing its mission-driven approach, placing people and the planet at the forefront of every decision we make, even as we adapt to the evolving market landscape and changing consumer needs.”

Stanziano said that in the next 20 years, he sees Traditional Medicinals “solidifying our position as a global leader in herbal wellness by broadening our market presence and diversifying our product portfolio. We’ll achieve this through our strategic partnerships and collaborations with local communities and suppliers, ensuring that our sourcing and production practices remain sustainable and transparent.

Our commitment to environmental stewardship is unwavering, and in 2023, we took a significant step by aligning with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), setting ambitious goals to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42 percent by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” he said, adding, “looking 50 years ahead, I envision Traditional Medicinals sharing more of its leadership position to inspire – empowering global communities and consumers to embrace the healing power of plants and live in harmony with nature. Our focus will be on innovation, continuous improvement, and expanding our impact, ensuring that we remain a trusted source of wellness for generations to come.”

Over the last 50 years, from its roots as Rosemary Gladstar’s homemade herbal remedies, passed down through generations, and shared with her community, to a far-reaching company, who’s impact stretches even further than it’s teas, Traditional Medicinals has managed to maintain its founding ethos and principles throughout.

This is something that Sadler articulates accordingly, “People think we’re a tea company. We’re actually not. We’re a tea company, but the tea company is actually the means to an end. It’s the work in those supply communities and educating people about herbal medicine, that’s really what we do and the products are the means to an end. They’re what financially support the purpose. It’s not the other way around.”

• Kathryn Brand is an associate editor with T&CTJ, while still writing for several of Bell’s other magazines. She joined Bell Publishing at the beginning of 2022 after graduating from the University of East Anglia with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She may be reached at: kathryn@bellpublishing.com.

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The Educator Summit 2024 Series will take place in the USA on 1 October hosted at the Lavazza Training Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and in Houston, Texas at host venue Katz Coffee on 12 October. The Educator Summit 2024 Series will also take place in three events across Asia in South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan this December.

Educators are a vitally important part of the specialty coffee community imparting knowledge across the entire coffee value chain. If you are a coffee educator or aspiring to be one, you will not want to miss this opportunity to learn and connect.

This event is designed to enrich coffee educators’ knowledge through enhancing coffee education, advanced insights into the SCA Coffee Value Assessment, and the most current and effective teaching techniques.

Key Areas of Focus:

• Enhancing Coffee Education – Simplify complex coffee-related concepts to empower learners and improve overall coffee education.
• Teaching Techniques – Gain actionable insights from leading instructors and experts to enhance presentations and foster effective learning environments.
• Coffee Value Assessment – Understand the sensory science and economics behind affective assessment, and gain advanced insights on using and teaching the SCA Coffee Value Assessment.

Key Sessions Include:

• Making Water Chemistry Accessible
• Introducing Affective Assessments to Learners
• Teaching an Accurate History of Coffee
• Getting in Harmony with Your Visual Aids
• Designing Informal Assessments
• Coffee and Networking

Registration for the USA locations will open soon with a number of discounts available, which can be combined, including an early-bird discount. More information will be available on education.sca.coffee.

Subscribe to the SCA Education Newsletter at education.sca.coffee/newsletter to receive updates on the Educator Summit Asia events, taking place this December.

Learn more about Educator Summit at education.sca.coffee/educator-summit.

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The SCA Skills Diplomas comprises four diplomas that give learners in-depth knowledge and practical experience that can be immediately applied in an industry setting. Each diploma requires a combination of advanced level learning and foundational coursework from all three of the SCA Certificate Programs; Coffee Skills Program, Coffee Sustainability Program, and Coffee Technicians Program.

SCA Skills Diplomas are:

• Café Diploma – Hands-on learning to help you create, prepare, communicate, and
  promote specialty coffee experiences.
• Coffee Trade Diploma – Learn about handling, evaluation, sensory analysis, and trade of green
  coffee.
• Roastery Diploma – Deep dive into the development, production, quality assurance, and
  communication of roasted coffee.
• Sustainable Coffee Diploma – Expand your knowledge about the development and implementation of
  best practices and projects that promote a more sustainable coffee industry.

Speaking about the development of the SCA Skills Diplomas, Dorit Lessard, education officer at Specialty Coffee Association, said, “Our aim with the introduction of the SCA Skills Diplomas is to offer a recognition that clearly connects to specific jobs on the market. Each diploma’s prescribed set of courses were specifically chosen so holders of the diplomas are ready for success in several predominate roles in the consumer sector of the specialty coffee industry. If you are new to coffee, or want to grow your career in coffee, pursuing one or more of the SCA Skills Diplomas is a great next step.”

Image: SCA

Diploma holders will have two ways to share their accomplishments with the world. In addition to printable certificates, learners will also be awarded a digital badge. These highly shareable icons can be embedded into social media bios, email signatures, websites and more. Viewers will be able to click on the badge to learn about the skills and courses they represent, to communicate the earner’s accomplishments to employers, clients, and peers.

Explore each diploma and learn about their specific focus and required courses at education.sca.coffee/sca-skills-diploma

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According to the organisers, “Packaging is no longer just a means of protecting products; it plays a pivotal role in sustainability, brand recognition, and consumer engagement. Recognising this, the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging has designed a comprehensive and industry-relevant Diploma in Packaging Technology that equips students with expertise to address modern packaging challenges.”

Luciana Pellegrino added, “It is an honour to be part of such an important moment to the history of packaging industry in Sri Lanka and WPO is proud to support such holistic initiative. I was particularly proud of being invited for the inaugural class in a program that will be conducted by seasoned professionals and experts in the packaging field both locally and globally. Their industry experience and academic prowess will ensure that students receive top-notch education and guidance throughout their learning journey. The faculty members also foster a collaborative learning environment, encouraging students to think critically and creatively.”

The curriculum of the Diploma in Packaging Technology, which was developed by a resourceful team of experts, covers an array of subjects and topics, ranging from the packaging for global society and markets, packaging manufacturing and application process, principles of packaging design and materials science to logistics, marketing, and environmental impact assessments. Students gain a deep understanding of various packaging materials, their properties, and their suitability for different products. The programme emphasises the importance of sustainable packaging solutions, encouraging students to explore biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable alternatives.

“As the world embraces a more sustainable and technology-driven future, the role of packaging technology has become increasingly pivotal”, completes WPO president, Pierre Pienaar. “The Diploma in Packaging Technology equips participants with foresight and adaptability to stay at the forefront of industry trends and innovations, by fostering a deep appreciation for sustainable practices, the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging with the support of the Ministry of Industries is moulding responsible packaging professionals who can shape a greener and more prosperous future.”  

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Lisa Boalt Richardson, director of World Tea Academy, commented, “I am thrilled to be a part of World Tea Academy for the last eight years. Starting off as a substitute instructor for Donna Fellman in 2015 and then hired as the assistant director in May 2018. I became the director of World Tea Academy in July 2019 and have loved running World Tea Academy. There isn’t another tea programme that offers the curriculum with breadth and depth of tea classes. These classes have been created with the help of our advisory board and an unprecedented group of tea industry experts and luminaries.

“It is amazing to watch the growth of our students as they start off with our Core classes and continue taking our Advanced classes. It is such an honour to be a part of their tea education journey. I love to help students to learn about tea and in turn, it helps them to become confident and succeed with their tea goals and business endeavors.”

The Core Tea Certification focuses on creating a deep understanding of tea and building the foundational tea skills required for success as a tea professional in the industry. This tea certification will result in becoming a Certified Tea Specialist.

Students can continue their tea education and achieve one or more Advanced Tea Certifications. Students will need to complete all seven tea classes in their desired tea certification track to earn their advanced certification. The Advanced Certifications include: Certified Tea Professional, Certified Tea Sommelier, Certified Tea Health Expert, Certified Tea Blender, and Certified Tea Aroma Expert.

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This new centre opens at a community level at the Violeta Barrios School in Nueva Guinea, providing service to children of coffee working families of the area. This school joins the programme as part of the 6 “Cultivating Education” centres that will be opening this year with the purpose of providing care to more than 400 children during the coffee harvest.

“Cultivating Education is a programme that contributes to the economic and social development of the country’s coffee communities by offering free educational attention to the children of working families who participate in the coffee harvest, with a total investment of $317,000 for the creation of these integral development centres in Nueva Guinea and Jinotega in Nicaragua”, shared Rosa Rivas, director of Seeds for Progress Foundation.

Seeds for Progress Foundation has been present in the Nueva Guinea area since 2013 as part of its efforts to promote quality education in coffee growing regions. The Violeta Barrios School has been sponsored by Seeds for Progress Foundation since 2017 with contributions in infrastructure, school materials, teacher training and support for strategies that strengthen reading and writing in the first grades of primary education.

Thanks to the implementation of the Cultivating Education Program, starting this year, the Violeta Barrios School will have the capacity to serve up to 50 children whose parents participate in the coffee harvest. As part of the programme, this school was provided with didactic materials according to the different needs and age groups, in order to execute all the nutrition, health, and protection components of the programme.

Additionally, the project included the expansion of the school infrastructure with a kitchen, storage room, and dining room area, as well as the improvement of sanitary ware.

“The development of the Cultivating Education programme and the opening of these educational centres, which open during the harvest season, are part of the commitment of Seeds for Progress Foundation and Mercon Coffee Group to continue transforming lives in coffee-growing communities by offering alternatives that support the prevention of child labor in these areas,” said Rivas.

During 2020, Seeds for Progress Foundation in alliance with Mercon Coffee Group, benefited more than 5,000 students and 340 teachers in 24 schools in Nicaragua. It also invested $1.65 million through the implementation of its five education programs that contribute to the different levels of student training.

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The course, which can be completed in one or several visits was developed by Australian Tea Masters and has been successfully delivered by them for several years. The European Speciality Tea Association version was amended to suit European markets, the course is offered free of charge to their members and has a cost of 45 Euros (£40) for non-members. All successful students will be awarded a certificate jointly issued by both bodies.

Alexis Kaae, vice president and head of Education for European Speciality Tea Association said: “We had not originally planned anything like this as our main focus is developing our Tea Certification Programme which will be launched later this year, but we felt that offering TEA 101 to our members and other tea students who are unable to attend training in personwould be beneficial to them, and early results are very encouraging.”

Sharyn Johnston, CEO and founder of Australian Tea Masters, added: “As members of European Speciality Tea Association we wanted to support them in the education of tea beginners in Europe so we were happy to share our experience and success with TEA 101 with them.”

To join TEA 101, visit the website at: www.specialityteaeurope.com and click on the education tab for further details.

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According to the ESTA, the rationale behind the name change is to more accurately reflect the nature and purpose of the association as follows:

• The word ‘association’ is an inclusive and contemporary word, one that aligns with the values of the organisation, which are inclusive.
• The word ‘association’ describes much more accurately what the organisation is, which is a members association.
• Specialty Tea is very much at the heart of what the organisation does and believes in. It is enshrined in the association’s charter and mission and is now appropriately reflected in the name.

Whilst the branding and house style will remain unchanged to help promote consistency and continuity, there will be significant changes in many areas of the association, such as a new three-year strategic plan that will continue to foster the association’s growth and improvement.

ESTA has a strategic focus in Europe, its core market, and is also active, either independently or in collaboration with others, opportunistically in other areas around the world commercially and in accordance with their values. ESTA will provide and participate in a range of international events which engage the specialty tea community and promote tea excellence.

To grow its membership and assist in its mission to promote specialty tea, ESTA will be initiating a major membership drive to reach new and potential members across Europe. It will also be introducing new membership categories: one for producers in tea growing countries, and one for a new type of person in the tea community, the tea barista.

As membership grows, ESTA plans to recruit members in some new regions such as Russia. Once the world starts to get back to some sort of normality, ESTA will attend events around Europe in order to promote the association, promote specialty tea, engage with local tea communities, gain new members and deliver knowledge. The association also stated that it is looking to increase the number of competitions that it organises.

“Education and research are at the very core of the association’s value and mission, and we will be working extremely hard on our initiatives here, helped and supported by our growing team of volunteers,” said David Veal, executive director of ESTA, in a statement.

“We are just in the process of launching an online basic module, Tea 101, in conjunction with Australian Tea Masters, it is aimed at beginners and is really to help people who because of current restrictions of movement are not able to partake in more traditional methods of tea education. This module will be free of charge to European Speciality Tea Association members.”

He said that ESTA’s main focus is on launching its Tea Certification Programme, “which will be delivered through our members who are trainers, or who have schools or academies, and will cover a number of disciplines at two different levels including Camellia sinensis, brewing skills, sensory skills, botanicals, tea barista skills, health and agronomy.” A standalone Introduction to Tea course will be available after June, and the main programme will be launched as soon as things normalize, most likely in early 2021.

Supporting ESTA’s education programme will be an equally important research programme. Based at the University of Chester in England, the association has access to sensory laboratories both for ESTA research and that of its members. Veal shared that ESTA hopes to be able to collaborate with various universities around Europe.

For those interested in becoming members of the European Speciality Tea Association or for more information, visit: www.specialityteaeurope.com, email: hello@specialityteaeurope.com or call: +44 (0) 1244 515610.

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To support its franchisees, who are independent business owners, in hiring and retaining employees who embody the brand’s core values, Dunkin’ is also taking several steps to welcome new restaurant employees and promote the timely and much-needed opportunities its franchisees are providing.

“Dunkin’ Runs on You” campaign

Dunkin’ is launching its first-ever national advertising campaign aimed at recruitment. A series of new “Dunkin’ Runs on You” broadcast spots will provide a look at the spirit of teamwork and community, distinguishing jobs at all levels at Dunkin’ restaurants, and the extraordinary people who are proud to call themselves Dunkin’ team members. The campaign will also emphasise the benefits of working at a Dunkin’ franchise, which may include developing core skills and the foundation for professional growth, flexible and affordable education opportunities, flexible work schedules, competitive pay, and more. 

Created in collaboration with BBDO New York, the campaign launched in both English and Spanish on Monday 8 June and will be featured on TV and digital, including a full suite of customisable assets to be leveraged based on individual franchise needs, including social, radio, out of home, job templates, and in-store POP.

New partnership with Southern New Hampshire University

As a new initiative offering valuable education opportunities, business skills and training, and enhanced career prospects, Dunkin’ has launched a new partnership with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) to offer low-cost college degrees to its independent franchisees and their employees. Through this programme, Dunkin’ franchisees have the opportunity to offer their restaurant employees an affordable, flexible and supportive pathway to an associate or bachelor’s degree from SNHU.

SNHU is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 135,000 students online and on campus. Through its competency-based education programs, SNHU offers working adults the opportunity to earn an accredited degree by completing real-world projects and demonstrating the mastery of skills that are highly relevant and immediately applicable in today’s workforce.

Focus on Health and Safety

Dunkin’ says the safety of its franchisees, restaurant employees and guests remains a top priority. Dunkin’ was one of the first restaurant chains to close its dining rooms and Dunkin’ restaurants have implemented enhanced safety standards and measures, beginning with social distancing and required hygiene training, followed by distribution of single-use gloves, face masks, plexiglass shields for each restaurant’s front counter, and recommended restaurant employee health checks using infrared thermometers.

“Dunkin’ is committed to keeping America running and working. We are proud to support our franchisees who offer much-needed job opportunities, in a welcoming environment where people can feel appreciated and rewarded for serving both customers and their communities during this critical time,” said Stephanie Lilak, Dunkin’ Brands’ senior vice president and chief human resources officer.

“With the brand’s new partnership with SNHU, new advertising campaign, and in-store safety measures, our franchisees are providing both new and current restaurant employees a great workplace, and the chance to gain experiences and skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.”

To visit the Dunkin’ Careers page, go to: dunkindonuts.com/careers. People interested in Dunkin’ careers can also visit a local Dunkin’ restaurant and apply in person. All Dunkin’ restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees, independent business owners solely responsible for their own employees, who set their own wage and benefit programs that can vary among franchisees.

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Over a year ago, Saxbys hired vice president of coffee, David Amos, to develop a sourcing strategy that mirrored the brand’s core values and emphasised its mission to “Make Life Better.” Amos traveled the globe to thoughtfully source the best possible coffee for Saxbys’ guests while developing mutually beneficial relationships with growers and producers. Saxbys believes coffee should be the product of long-lasting relationships that start with a handshake where it was grown. At its core, the coffee program champions relationships rooted in mutual respect that the brand develops with producers at origin, and in turn, the relationships Saxbys has with its guests who enjoy the finished product.

“We firmly believe great coffee is a direct result of great relationships. We are committed to going to origin to continue our partnerships and develop new relationships that are both authentic and transparent. These relationships mean everything to us but ultimately we are there to find coffee we hope our guests will enjoy,” said David Amos, vice president of coffee.

“We take pride in doing this across our entire lineup — regardless of whether it is a single origin or a blend.”

The coffee is roasted locally in Saxbys’ new roastery located at 2415 Morris Street in South Philly. The facility, led by lead roaster Gregg Roberson, features a 728-ton yearly roast capacity and is instrumental to Saxbys’ four new blends and 10 upcoming single origin offerings.

The space boasts state of the art equipment, including 15- and 70 kilo stainless steel Loring Smart Roasters. The roasters employ tech-forward features from intuitive touch screens to built-in digital scales, all while using 80% less fuel than conventional roasters.

“We used to say, ‘we’re not in the coffee business, we’re ultimately in the hospitality business.’ As such, we became known as the company committed to making guests’ lives better through our team’s exceptional kindness and ongoing dedication to social impact,” said Saxbys founder and CEO Nick Bayer.

“But now, with a world-class team that brings over 50 years of combined industry expertise to the table and just as much unbridled passion to Make Life Better, we are equipped to offer product that’s as differentiating as our hospitality. Now we’re truly in the coffee and hospitality business – in a big way.”

The Saxbys Roastery is roasting and bagging four new coffee blends (with a range of single origins to come soon). They include:

• Pep Talk: Lively and well-rounded with notes of butterscotch, chocolate chips, and dark cherry.
• Liquid Courage Dark Roast: Satisfying and smooth, with dark chocolate, maple, and vanilla.
• Go-Getter Espresso: Tastes of burnt caramel, honey, and black tea.
• No Strings Decaf: Tasting notes of baker’s chocolate, nougat, and soft cranberry.

To learn more about Saxbys new coffee program and roastery, order coffee online and find a café near you, please visit hellosaxbys.com.

About Saxbys

Founded in 2005 by Nick Bayer, Saxbys is more than just coffee. With a core mission to “Make Life Better,” Saxbys brews real change in the communities it serves, while nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in team members who aspire to be make an impactful difference. In 2015, Saxbys launched its Experiential Learning Program to introduce exclusively student-run cafes to university campuses, complementing classroom learning with tangible experiences. Currently, eight Experiential Learning Program locations exist across seven campuses across the US.

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• Saturday Cupping with East Pole’s Founders (10 am) – Join founders Jared Karr, Jules Tompkins and Matt Chesla for a special anniversary edition of their Saturday coffee cupping class. Held at East Pole’s bar and in-house roastery, the class will guide guests on a 45-minute, interactive tasting of single origin coffees and explore the coffee-making process from bean to cup. Like all of East Pole’s weekly cuppings, the event will be free and open to the public, with sign up beginning at 9:15 a.m. Please see here for more details.
• New Seasonal Drink – East Pole’s new seasonal drink––“Piña Co-latte”––will be available at the bar starting Saturday morning. The 10-ounce, hot espresso beverage will feature whole or oat milk and a house-made, dairy-free syrup crafted with caramel, pineapple and coconut, then topped with candied pineapple and nutmeg.
• Super Special Coffee at the Bar – East Pole will be highlighting its Super Special series all weekend long. Super Special Coffee: Finca Monteblanco Pink Bourbon Washed will be on drip and the Monteblanco Natural will be on espresso.
• Free Coffee with Purchase – East Pole’s retail space will be stocked with the latest rotation of its freshly roasted coffee, and guests can enjoy a free drip coffee with every purchase of a retail bag throughout the anniversary weekend.
• Five Daughters Bakery Doughnuts – Beginning Saturday, September 14, the coffee bar will begin offering a selection of doughnuts––including a custom Orange Glaze flavor available only at East Pole––from Five Daughters Bakery, the family-owned bakery and shop serving made-from-scratch doughnuts, pastries and treats, every Saturday and Sunday.

Since it was founded in 2015, Georgia-based East Pole has made it their mission to “serve Atlanta well” and is committed to making specialty coffee more approachable for everyone. Recognizing that learning how to brew coffee is equally as important as the coffee itself, East Pole’s team provides guided training for staff members at restaurants and shops serving its beans, as well as free cupping classes to the public every Saturday and recurring ‘Sunday School’ classes, which cover various brewing methods for the at-home barista in training or anyone seeking to brush up on their coffee-making skills.

“We’ve been so fortunate to share our coffee with Atlanta over the past several years,” said co-founder Jules Tompkins. “Since opening our Armour Yards coffee bar and roastery two years ago, it has been a privilege to share so many cups of coffee with so many different people.

“We love what we do –– introducing people to dynamic coffees at our coffee bar, sharing our newest coffees with our Scuba Club and Yacht Club subscribers and training our wholesale partners’ staffs to prepare excellent coffee beverages. We’re honored to be a part of the continued escalation of the coffee craft in Atlanta, and we’re excited to celebrate how wonderful the last two years have been while at Armour Yards.”

About East Pole Coffee Co.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, East Pole Coffee Co. is a wholesale coffee roaster offering a selection of single-origin coffee, and in 2017, it opened a brick-and-mortar coffee shop and roastery at Armour Yards. East Pole coffee is available wholesale and for nationwide delivery through online ordering, including subscription plans. Its team also leads wholesale trainings and other coffee education classes.

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This year’s Scholars are:

• Perpetue Mukamusinga, barista training manager at Sustainable Growers Rwanda / Question Coffee Centre in Kigali, Rwanda
• Francisco R. Gudiño, manager at Silvestre Coffee in Tijuana, Mexico
• Dimitar Todorov, head barista at Takk in Manchester, UK
• Lisa Fanarioti, barista at Coffee Works in Dublin, Ireland

“Nestlé Professional has been focusing a lot on the training of coffee professionals, identifying the importance of supporting new generations of people who will build a better future for the coffee industry,” said Anestis Nedopoulos, Nestlé Professional senior brand manager.

“So, it was very pleasant news for us to hear that this year’s Barista Camp will take place in Athens, Greece. Having an already well-established collaboration with SCA, we felt it was our duty to sponsor this event. We are happy that the Nestlé Professional Scholarship program will give the chance to four young people from different parts of the world, to enrich their professional knowledge and become members of the exciting coffee universe.”

The scholarship is designed for people without the financial resources to attend Barista Camp on their own, who are part of the barista community, and deserve the opportunity for professional development. The scholarship award will cover winners tickets to Barista Camp Greece, accommodation on the nights of September 10-13, and flight to Athens, Greece.

“We’re so please to work with Nestlé to provide opportunities for professional advancement to dedicated baristas from all over the world for whom, without this scholarship, attending Barista Camp wouldn’t be feasible,” said Cindy Cohn, SCA chief events Officer.

Learn more about the Nestlé Professional Scholarship at baristacamp.coffee/scholarship-program.

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LEAD, launched at the Re:co Symposium in April 2018, is aimed at increasing diversity of leadership within the global coffee community by enabling access to professional development resources to people from underrepresented or marginalised communities. This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of S&D Coffee & Tea.

The 2019-2020 LEAD Scholars are:

• Sunghee Tark – co-founder and director of Bean Voyage in Costa Rica
• Karla María Boza Carbonell – marketing, innovation, and business relations for Finca San Antonio Amatepec in El Salvador
• Emi-Beth Quantson – CEO & founder of Kawa Moka Limited in Ghana
• MJ Engel – teaching fellow at Phillips Academy Andover in the United States
• Amara Sao – founder and coffee roaster at Homecoming Coffee Company in Cambodia

“We were pleased to work with SCA to develop the LEAD program in 2018. Our unified goal of providing access to resources otherwise beyond the reach to many in our coffee community is being fulfilled! The first year of this two-year inaugural cohort has exceeded our expectations, and we are so pleased that we decided to sponsor another five scholars for 2019-2020,” said Helen Griffith, vice president marketing, S&D Coffee & Tea.

“These scholars have the proven ability to create real change in the industry and we want to make sure they get off to an excellent start.”

As a global nonprofit organisation, SCA recognises that access to membership, coffee events, and education differ for individuals depending on their identity, background, and access to financial resources. The coffee industry has a lot of work to do to diversify its leadership at every point in the value chain and overcoming these obstacles will require proactive efforts and dedicated resources. LEAD is designed to be a small but important step towards progress in this area.

SCA executive director Yannis Apostolopoulos said, “The LEAD Scholarship Program is now in its second year, thanks to the generosity of our partners at S&D Coffee & Tea, and we receive dozens of applications from all over the world each year. We couldn’t be happier to work with these five professionals who will embark on a 2-year program with us that includes free participation at SCA’s industry events and educational activities, as well as career development and network expansion opportunities.”

Learn more about the LEAD program on the website at sca.coffee/LEAD.

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Designed for people at all points along the coffee supply chain, the program is founded on the principle that sustainability must be embraced by all actors in the coffee supply chain if the specialty coffee industry is to survive and thrive. As expectations for greater transparency and corporate responsibility grow in the industry, companies are rapidly increasing the size of their sustainability teams and seeking knowledgeable, experienced leaders to forge their path forward.

“The SCA Coffee Sustainability Program will help learners become more competitive in their existing lines of work as more and more companies, employers, and organizations crave greater integration of sustainability within their existing modes of doing business,” said Nora Burkey, founder and executive director, The Chain Collective, Coffee Sustainability Program Content Creator.

SCA’s Coffee Sustainability Program is designed to prepare learners to become competitive in this growing job field.

“The SCA saw a need for this curriculum for many reasons – increase in dedicated sustainability positions, faster growth by companies (including but not limited to coffee companies) with a sustainability focus/mandate, interest of younger people in working for companies with values that match theirs – and also because of the threats that specialty coffee production (and by extension, the entire industry) is facing,” said Kim Elena Ionescu, SCA chief sustainability officer

“Many of these threats have been building across generations but require action by this generation for the industry to have a viable future. As specialty coffee has gone mainstream, so have its thorniest issues, and with popular press articles regularly questioning the value that farmers derive from the product they grow, the labels used to communicate sustainability to consumers, and whether or not we’ll even have coffee worth drinking in 30 years, it’s reasonable to expect that anyone working in a coffee job needs a working knowledge of these issues.”

Three Levels

The program has three levels – the Foundation-level course is now ready, with Intermediate and Professional in progress and coming soon.

Foundation – The program’s first course covers the major sustainability issues facing the coffee industry today and offers baseline knowledge of what the term “sustainability” means, how it is connected to power dynamics, current and historical events and practices, as well as a variety of coffee projects.

Intermediate – The Intermediate course introduces learners to global sustainability challenges and prepare learners to begin thinking analytically about the impact they’d like to make in the sector.

Professional – The Professional level course offers an intensive, practical experience in which learners design, carry out, and assess their own sustainability project in accordance with their individual, organizational, or business goals and capabilities

Why Coffee Sustainability?

A 2018 GreenBiz report showed that the number of sustainability personnel in facilities has increased by 15% since 2014, and the number of sustainability people in supply chain departments has gone up even more, by 21%. Not surprisingly, the size of sustainability teams is also growing: 41% of report respondents at large companies said their team increased in the past two years.

Learn more about this program by visiting our website and search for courses in your area by visiting our class calendar. More information at https://sca.coffee/education/programs/coffee-sustainability-program

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Ally’s programs are designed to meet the diverse needs of roasters, baristas, and café owners by offering classes online and at its office in Greenville, South Carolina. Course formats are formalised, and customised for individual businesses, or community peer-to-peer workshops.

The Q Arabica Grader Combined Course and Exam, Exam Retakes, Re-Certification for lapsed licenses, and the Q Processing Generalist follow the curricula set by the Coffee Quality Institute. The next Q Arabica Grader Course and Exam is October 7-12.

“Communities of Practice are spaces for industry professionals, from novices to veterans, to meet and build the skills and community to better run their coffee businesses,” said Ildi Revi, Ally’s director of learning.

“Participants take meaningful, applicable knowledge back to their workplaces to build businesses that are responsible, sustainable, profitable, and inclusive forces for positivity.” The next Community of Practice is for Practitioners of Cold Brew November 7-8.

Further, Ally offers two customisable courses tailored and scheduled according to businesses’ or individual’s needs. Food Safety for Coffee Roasting Operations is a blended learning course, begun online and completed at a business’s location or via videocall to train a Preventative Controls Qualified Individual in compliance with FSMA legislation. Roasting Principles and Practice similarly begins online and culminates with in-person practice and application to train new roasters or move seasoned roasters’ skills to the next level.

Q Arabica Course Preparation is also available online.

No matter the location or level, Ally Coffee’s learning opportunities are open to everyone in the coffee community. Visit allycoffee.com/learning for full course calendar and descriptions.

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The donation is in addition to the 10¢ per-pound premium that InterAmerican already pays the young producers, for every pound of the coffees it purchases from them.

“Instead of celebrating just one day, we’d like to use the whole summer to raise awareness of Coffee Kids and encourage our Oct. 1 donation higher,” said Florian Benkhofer, CEO of InterAmerican Coffee. “We’d like to make Coffee Day a culmination and celebration of the efforts of everyone involved—from US roasters to the Coffee Kids team and of course to these young producers, who truly are the future of coffee.”

Coffee Kids is a program of the global nonprofit Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) that aims to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit of young men and women in coffee communities. It offers 18-month-long Rural Business Workshops (“business school for farmers,” as it sometimes describes it) that offer agronomy training, mentorship, access to financing and entrepreneurship skills that young farmers can use to make empowered decisions.

InterAmerican’s October 1 donation will mark its fourth year of support for Coffee Kids, which has offered Rural Business Workshops to more than 550 young farmers in Honduras, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador and Tanzania. While InterAmerican currently offers Honduras Coffee Kids UNIOCAFE, it plans to expand its offerings as more coffees become available.

“We are so thankful for InterAmerican Coffee’s support of these young farmers,” said Joanna Furgiuele, director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at HRNS. “Thanks to investments over the past year, we have been able to improve the quality of coffee from the group of youths who are part of UNIOCAFE and expand our program with 100 new youths in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Over the next year, our plan is to double the number of youths we reach in Huehuetenango.”

“When youth have the knowledge and skills to create their own local opportunities, and connect into a global community, they feel secure to build their futures right at home,” she added. “That’s good for coffee, and it’s critical for these communities.”

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The event is due to gather more than 3,000 international professionals from various industries, including grocers and retailers, coffee and tea houses, restaurants and foodservice, hotels, manufacturers, distributors and more. Attendees will gain insights about tea and new ways their business can profit from it, in addition to discovering the latest trends and products.

More than 60 industry experts will speak at the expo, presenting a cross-section of educational sessions on the latest tea trends, business-building strategies and industry issues.

Just some of the educational topics on the agenda include: Implementing a Tea Service Strategy to Increase Sales; Opportunities for Tea in Foodservice; Presenting Tea like Wine – For Restaurants and Their Customers; Bucking Traditional Retail Trends with Private Label Tea; Seven Steps to Building a Successful Online Tea Business; How to Break into the RTD Game; Making Tea from Leaf to Cup – An Experiential Green Tea Processing Workshop; Bringing CBD to the Mainstream with Tea; and The Future of Tea – What Will the Industry Look Like?; among many more.

Hundreds of new products will be showcased across the event. Rona Tison, executive vice president of corporate relations for ITO EN (North America) INC, one of the sponsors and exhibitors said: “We are excited to be bringing our new matcha teas and newly arrived first flush-Shincha to the lively World Tea Expo exhibit floor. The event is the perfect venue to connect and nurture new business opportunities, all while expanding ones knowledge of the ever growing market of tea. Especially, as tea is expected to grow exponentially in foodservice in the years to come.”

Some of the other companies participating on the expo floor include: International Tea Importers, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Dethlefsen & Balk, DMH Ingredients, East Indies Coffee and Tea, Rooibos Ltd., Flavor Waves, Harney & Sons, Martin Bauer Group, Rishi, t-sac and The Tea Spot.

Among the new additions at World Tea Expo is the first US national qualifying round of the Tea Masters Cup. The Tea Masters Cup is an international system of competitions for tea professionals held in four different categories: tea preparation, tea pairing, tea mixology and tea tasting.

Samantha Hammer, the World Tea Expo event director and World Tea brand leader, said: “World Tea Expo is the preeminent, global event for the tea community and vertical markets that sell, serve, manufacture or distribute tea. Each year, we’re thrilled to showcase the latest tea innovations, explore important tea issues, and focus on business-building strategies. The event is a must-attend for networking, conducting deals, and celebrating tea with leading professionals from more than 50 countries.”

Other highlights include The World’s Rarest Teas: An Exclusive Tasting Event, which will present a selection of teas from around the world. Curated by professional tea taster Kevin Gascoyne, owner of Camellia Sinensis, the experience will feature some of the rarest and most exclusive batches of teas.

The Global Tea Championship Winners Tasting Circle will allow attendees to taste Global Tea Championship medal-winning teas. And the 6th Annual World Tea Awards rounds out World Tea Expo, to honor some of the best and brightest from the tea industry.

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The 2019 Anniversary Blend is comprised of two washed coffees – one from Rwanda, the other from Colombia – that create an aromatic dark roast of floral and fruity flavors with chocolate notes. Both craft-roasted coffees are grown by remarkable women farmers. Through its Drink a Great Cup, Do a Good Thing program, Peet’s will donate up to $50,000 USD of the blend’s proceeds to an entrepreneurship program that empowers women coffee growers from Huila, Colombia. The program, led by Coocentral co-operative and Sustainable Harvest, will provide access to business training to one hundred women.

“Each spring we celebrate our anniversary with our beloved tradition of crafting a great coffee that gives back to a community at origin,” said Doug Welsh, vice president, coffee, Peet’s Coffee. “And with every cup of Anniversary Blend that you savor, you help support Women’s Entrepreneurship in Colombia. From business skills to income diversification, supporting the women of Coocentral co-operative means supporting the entire region. We can drink to that.”

The 2019 Anniversary Blend is available now in distinctive purple bags, and while supplies last. The blend can be purchased at participating Peet’s coffeebar locations  and at www.peets.com. To learn more, visit https://www.peets.com/anniversary-blend.

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Luv Tea focuses on world-ranked Oolong teas sourced from founder and Tea Master Jaesy Wang’s family farms in A-Li-Shan, Taiwan. It also offers other modern tea beverages that meet Jaesy’s exacting standards.

Class topics include a basic knowledge on Taiwanese oolong, understanding tea grading, how to conduct a tea ceremony, and other topics. One is creating authentic Bubble Teas, the most famous drink in Taiwan and popular in NYC. Most bubble tea shops sell pre-made bubble teas filled with milk powder, tea fanning, and artificial flavors – this class will teach students how to make bubble teas from scratch, how to design flavors that go together using natural ingredients, and how to make an excellent cup of bubble tea.

The internship program is designed to let students gain real-world experience in an operating tea shop. Luv Tea works with several affiliate tea shops throughout the East Coast who offer students internships. These programs range from weekends, to one month, and full year opportunities. This will help the students gain the experience needed to open their own tea business in the future.

Consulting services are intended to help experienced and aspiring teashop owners to either build, or expand their own successful tea businesses. This service will provide one-on-one meetings with Wan Di, the CEO of Luv Tea, and will be custom designed per individual. Whether you are a seasoned tea-master looking to get more out of your business or new to the industry and looking to take the first step, they are sure to give your business a boost.

Here’s a link where you’ll find an in depth look at all the classes, internship and consulting services offered https://luv-tea.com/classes/

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