Around the Industry

Best of Panama issues statement on “Infused Coffees” and then proceeds to set Global pricing record $$$

• Highlights: Best of Panama is an annual auction showcasing some of the most impressive examples of coffee quality in the world. Hundreds of coffees from Panama are evaluated and ranked by global judges – Cole included

• This year, controversy struck the 28th Annual coffee competition when four coffees were disqualified from the competition due to “foreign additives” or “altered coffees”

• Insights: The highly anticipated BOP Auction concluded after a 12 hour marathon this week, with 50 coffees of 20kg selling for a collective $1,383,719, with TWO different coffees exceeding the $10,000/kg threshold. No, we did not spend all of our money on any coffees in the auction – though, we tried.

Look for a conversation with the President of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama and Black Moon Farms owner, Hunter Tedman, coming next week to Buy the Drip.

Breaking down the Business

Let’s calculate the BOP economics and see what it would cost for us to enjoy a cup;

1kg of green coffee will yield ~850g of roasted

$10,000 / 850 g = $11.76 per gram

based on “the golden ratio” of 1:16 when brewing, here’s what it would COST the buyer to brew the volumes below, using a few relatable volume comparisons;

150mL = standard wine glass = ~10 grams = $118

250mL = 1 metric cup = ~15 grams = $176

750mL = 1 bottle of wine = ~50 grams = $588

this is assuming no error, no wastage, no recipe creation, no labour and forgiving my ~approximates for easier math.

Based on these metrics, the final consumer would likely pay around $200 for a 150mL cup in order to achieve profits. Would your local market pay these prices? Will this record coffee price be broken in the future?

Dave says he’d be hesitant to pay that. Cole, on the other hand, he’s going to order the “bottle of wine” size. What’s your take?

Reading, Watching, Listening, Brewing

a weekly highlight of content that we’re fascinated to share

• Reading: What Color Is Your Coffee? Research into developing new roast color standards for the coffee industry. 70% of coffee consumers said that they were “much” or “somewhat” more likely to buy a coffee when “the roast level was specified”

• Watching: Tour through an incredible vintage espresso machine collection at the Bakke Coffee Museum

• Listening: Whether you love him or hate him, Howard Schultz has undeniably shaped the coffee industry. Tune in to the team at Acquired Podcast as they discuss with Howard the journey of starting and growing Starbucks. It’s a fascinating listen.

• Brewing: Longboard Natural Old-growth Typica in cezve from #2 in Canada, #1 in your hearts, Mr. Scotty ‘Scott Will’ Sanger. Because most people won’t 🔥

the Grind Diaries

our open accountability structure related to personal, physical or business growth

• Distance: a year ago neither of us were runners; this year, we’ve both clocked over 500km on our way to the 1000km goal.

want to join us as we hit the road? let’s connect on Strava! or, join our Whoop group – just respond to the email and let’s grind together!

“Consistency is what transforms the average into the excellent”

BIG Brewing Energy

a weekly shoutout of epic brew bars, be it real life, home or business, or wherever your imagination takes you.