2008

2008

Volume 71: Sense of place

by

Steve Aronson
published Dec 2008.

I'm just a coffee trader, right? Once upon a time I was tasting coffee and buying it by the ton. We exported 8,000 tons of raw coffee beans from Costa Rica to roasters all over the world and had 100 employees who mostly hauled bags. How did we get from there to here? We realized that less is more…and we discovered our sense of place. Read more...

Volume 70: Doing business in a new world

by

Steve Aronson
published Oct 2008.

When the Wall Street investment banks crashed, the world changed, but fine coffee and chocolate is still our passion. Our major countries of operation, Costa Rica, Perú and Chile, are somewhat insulated from the latest episodes of the crisis. The impact of high oil prices already had us hunkered down here. Read more...

Volume 69: The art of the cup

by

Steve Aronson
published Aug 2008.

People always wonder how they should make coffee. You know all those myths about how to make the perfect cup; how much to use. Excuse me if some of you think this is really elementary, but a lot of these questions come up all the time. Read more...

Volume 68: Crocodiles, palm trees… and chocolate-covered oranges?

by

Steve Aronson
published Jun 2008.

Miami is called the crossroads of the Americas. It’s also known as the capital of Latin America. And for good reason! This city is vibrant, multicultural and tumultuous. Read more...

Volume 67: Certifiable

by

Steve Aronson
published Apr 2008.

People today want assurances. They want to know that the companies they do business with protect the environment and pay their suppliers fairly. That’s why certification programs like Fair Trade and The Rainforest Alliance have become household words in our business – brand names. Read more...

Volume 66: More than just the first

by

Steve Aronson
published Feb 2008.

My father was from the town of Kovno in Lithuania. He told me about a tailor shop he knew as a young man there called “Misha’s – The Best Tailor in Kovno.” One of Misha’s employees decided to set up his own shop. Read more...