Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee has long been regarded as a treasure of the coffee world, winning the favor of countless enthusiasts with its scarce production and outstanding flavor. However, Jamaica's main coffee-growing regions have recently suffered multiple blows including heavy rains and earthquakes, with frequent mudslides and landslides, causing the new season's coffee bean production to be expected to decline by about 25% compared with the same period last year. Facing this severe situation, the Jamaican government has announced that it will invest billions of dollars to launch a crop recovery and establishment plan, aiming to revive the production of Blue Mountain and High Mountain coffee varieties within five years, benefiting more than 5,000 coffee growers. This article will sort out the causes of this production reduction, its impact, and the specific contents of the official revival measures. [more…]

Kenya's annual coffee production is approximately 51,000 metric tons, and the government is pursuing a series of strategic initiatives to raise this figure by 49,000 metric tons in order to better meet international market demand and strengthen the country's economic influence. To this end, the Kenyan government recently decided to allocate 6 billion shillings (approximately US$37.62 million) to support the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund and the production segment, with funding starting in Makueni County and gradually extending to 37 coffee-growing regions including Machakos, Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Kirinyaga, and Murang'a. Meanwhile, the Rainforest Alliance is also taking action in Kenya, partnering with the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union to launch a regenerative agriculture landscape coffee project, helping local coffee obtain certification that meets global standards in order to address the export threshold brought about by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Whether this series of measures can take Kenyan coffee a step further on the international stage is worth continued attention. [more…]

The Liberian government recently announced that it will reintroduce the Liberica coffee variety native to the country as a key measure to revitalize the coffee industry and promote agricultural diversification. This West African nation, whose coffee industry was long stalled by civil war, is now seeking to return to the international market amid rising global coffee consumption and tightening supply, leveraging Liberica's advantages such as strong disease resistance and low caffeine content. At the same time, the incoming Minister of Agriculture pledged to review the national agricultural investment plan within 100 days to ensure that economic crops such as coffee receive substantive support. This article will outline the revival path of Liberia's coffee industry and its potential opportunities in the global coffee landscape, and, from the perspective of Front Street Coffee, present the future possibilities of this producing region. [more…]

Tanzania is located in East Africa, bordering Kenya, Uganda, and several other countries, and its unique climatic conditions provide a diverse environment for coffee cultivation. The history of coffee in the country can be traced back to the 16th century, and today it has developed Typica, Bourbon, Kent, and independently developed disease-resistant varieties. Since its establishment in 2001, the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) has continued to promote the revitalization of the industry, releasing 23 improved varieties, including KP423. At the same time, Kenya's well-known variety SL28 and Panama Geisha are both inextricably linked to Tanzania. Front Street Coffee has also selected washed beans from the Kilimanjaro volcanic region in the northern highlands, presenting a tea-like flavor with citrus, berry, and honey notes. [more…]

Since the 1920s, Rwanda has been renowned worldwide for its Arabica coffee with fruity sweetness and grassy notes. This article will take you deep into the coffee-growing conditions of this "Land of a Thousand Hills," the unique flavors of the Bourbon variety, and the revitalization journey of the local coffee industry. At the same time, we will also recommend a Front Street washed Red Bourbon coffee that fully embodies Rwanda's characteristics, and break down in detail its producing region, grading, roasting, and tasting points, helping coffee lovers gain a more comprehensive understanding of the charm of this African specialty coffee region. [more…]

Yemen, the birthplace of the coffee trade, has been actively revitalizing its coffee industry in recent years. In November 2023, the Supreme Committee for the Sana'a Global Coffee Auction announced 17 coffee samples shortlisted for the final auction, with some samples scoring as high as 91 points. The auction will be held on January 11, 2024, and will be open to eight countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Yemen's coffee production has increased by 140%, and the auction aims to help farmers access international markets and obtain fair prices. Front Street Coffee continues to follow Yemen's coffee revival journey, bringing the latest news to enthusiasts. [more…]

Starbucks is about to welcome its new CEO, Laxman Narasimhan, who will officially take over in April, while Howard Schultz will continue to serve as interim CEO during this period and assist with the transition. Narasimhan faces multiple challenges: the unionization process of baristas in the United States, slowing global competition, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating coffee prices, as well as the need to revitalize some sluggish markets, explore new businesses, and renovate stores. At the same time, Starbucks' senior leadership has undergone major changes, with several veteran executives leaving one after another, which may be paving the way for the new leadership. Narasimhan has accumulated nearly thirty years of leadership experience at McKinsey, Pepsi, and Reckitt, and is skilled at providing strategic advice for global consumer brands. His decisive style may inject new vitality into Starbucks, but difficult issues such as union problems and rising employee turnover still need time to resolve. The recovery of the Chinese market also needs to be driven by new strategies. This article provides an in-depth analysis of Starbucks' 2023 business strategy and future development trends, and includes the professional perspective of Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Rwanda, an East African highland country known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills," is claiming an increasingly important place on the global specialty coffee map. From coffee's introduction in 1904, to the post-1994 genocide effort to revive the economy through coffee, to breaking into the specialty market through the Cup of Excellence, Rwandan coffee has traveled an extraordinary road. Among its regions, the Lake Kivu production area—with its unique lake-and-volcano microclimate and benchmark washing stations such as Twumba—has become the emblem of Rwandan specialty coffee. This article takes you deep into the terroir code of the Lake Kivu region, along with related product information recommended by Front Street Coffee. [more…]

The Philippines' coffee story is full of ups and downs—in the 19th century it ranked among the world's four largest coffee exporters, yet widespread coffee leaf rust once reduced it to an importing country. Today, this Southeast Asian archipelago nation is steadily rebuilding its coffee industry, and thanks to its unique advantage of being able to grow four coffee varieties at once—especially the high-quality Arabica produced in Mindanao in the south—it is gradually returning to the view of specialty coffee lovers. At the same time, specialty coffee's extreme pursuit of freshness has also made pour-over and other brewing methods that highlight the original flavors highly regarded. This article will guide you through the producing regions and varietal characteristics of Philippine coffee, and recommend worthy everyday bean options to watch—Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Nicaragua's coffee industry has weathered repeated upheavals due to political turmoil, but today private owners dominate the market, and specialty coffee has been revitalized. The high-altitude zones of the north and center, especially Jinotega and Nueva Segovia in Matagalpa, produce high-quality coffee with moderate acidity and an alluring aroma. These coffees are mostly classified as Strictly High Grown (SHG) and are suitable for dark roasting for espresso. Lower-grade beans are often used in blends. Front Street Coffee recommends paying attention to this region's unique flavors and market shifts. [more…]

Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG), the number one player in the global green coffee trade, recently announced the termination of its factory operations in Kenya, directly due to its failure to obtain an operating license from the government. This incident occurred after Kenya implemented the 2019 Coffee Regulations and the 2020 Capital Markets (Coffee Exchange) Regulations, both aimed at enhancing transparency in coffee trading, introducing digital management, and reshaping the regulatory framework. However, delays in license issuance during the implementation of these reforms have already led several companies into operational difficulties—local producer Eaagads saw its sales revenue plummet by 99% within half a year, with a net loss of 33.1 million shillings. Industry insiders worry that if the licensing issues continue to escalate, more traders will choose to exit because they cannot conduct business normally. [more…]

The Kenyan coffee industry is facing a dual test of declining production and policy changes. A USDA report shows that due to heavy rain and reduced planting area, Kenya's coffee production in 2024/25 is expected to drop to 750,000 bags, a year-on-year decrease of 6.3%. Although the government plans to increase production by 55% to 102,000 metric tons by 2027 and has introduced support measures such as debt write-offs and a cherry fund, recent tax-increase protests and clashes triggered by a finance bill have cast a shadow over the industry's prospects. Coffee beans are traded in US dollars, and the 16% value-added tax will push up farmers' operating costs; new coffee regulations have led to processing plants halting operations, cherry rotting, and exports being hindered. Front Street Coffee notes that although the president has withdrawn the tax-increase plan, the industry still expresses concern about policy uncertainty. [more…]

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is renowned for its balanced trio of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, but many coffee enthusiasts wonder: can this top-tier washed bean be made into iced coffee? Can it be used for espresso extraction? And how would the flavor present itself? Front Street Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee beans come from Clifton Estate. This article will systematically answer these questions, covering Blue Mountain history, origin regulation, processing methods, pour-over parameters, and SOE extraction, while sharing the complete flavor performance of Front Street Blue Mountain No. 1 in both pour-over and espresso directions, helping you consistently replicate a balanced, rich cup of Blue Mountain coffee at home. [more…]

Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee producer, and its Arabica output ranks second globally. Among its many producing regions, Huila stands out as one of the country's most renowned specialty coffee origins thanks to its high altitude, volcanic soil, and abundant water resources. Front Street Coffee's entry-level selection of Colombian coffee beans comes from right here. This article will guide you through the development history of Colombian coffee, the unique terroir of the Huila region, and how the Caturra variety expresses rich tropical fruit aromas in Huila's high-altitude environment. [more…]

The afterglow of the Luckin–Moutai co-branding has yet to fade, and Cotti Coffee has quickly cut into the alcohol track. In December 2023, the Moutai Public Welfare Foundation and Cotti jointly established two funds at the Moutai Hotel in Guizhou, and authorized Cotti to exclusively sell Moutai Bu Lao Jiu and Maotan Jiu, donating 10 yuan for every bottle sold. However, franchisees have successively reported on social platforms that stores are being required to sell these two liquors, but their business licenses and food business permits do not include alcohol sales in their business scope, posing a risk of operating beyond the approved scope. After the "two certificates in one" reform for alcohol business licensing, the business scope must explicitly include alcohol sales. Whether Cotti stores can legally sell alcohol has become a hot topic of industry attention. [more…]

Costa Rica has long been renowned for its deep-rooted coffee tradition and high-quality beans, and coffee cultivation was once a cornerstone of the national economy. In recent years, however, this Central American country's coffee industry has been in steady decline—production has fallen from 3.5 million bags (60 kg/bag) in the 1990s to 1.7 million bags (60 kg/bag) today. Exchange rate fluctuations, policy adjustments, labor shortages, and competition from other coffee-producing countries in the Americas have combined to drive the downturn. At the same time, Costa Rica's economic structure has been transforming rapidly: tourism, pharmaceuticals, and IT are booming, and the service sector now accounts for nearly half of domestic economic output, while agriculture's role is increasingly marginalized. Climate change is affecting coffee quality, geopolitics is driving up the cost of inputs such as fertilizer, and tighter immigration policies are making seasonal labor even scarcer. Looking ahead, industry views are divided: some believe that investment and support can help the industry overcome its difficulties, while others worry that smallholder farmers and traditional growing regions will fall behind in global market competition. This article reviews the current state of and challenges facing Costa Rica's coffee industry, along with related observations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

During the first New Year's mini-holiday after the adjustment of pandemic control policies, people who had recovered from COVID-19 began traveling in large numbers, rapidly heating up the food and beverage consumption market. Long queues reappeared outside milk tea and coffee shops, with some stores seeing orders surge, and even scenes of ordering systems showing queues of over a hundred cups. From Auntea Jenny to Naixue Tea, sales data from multiple brands rebounded significantly, and foot traffic in many commercial districts recovered to 60 to 80 percent of the same period in previous years. Although the pace of recovery remains uneven, the city's lively atmosphere is gradually returning, and the industry is full of expectations for a comprehensive rebound in spring. [more…]

Coffee trees cannot be grown just anywhere in the world. They only grow in a narrow belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, commonly known as the "Coffee Belt." This golden growing belt nurtures three major coffee-producing regions—Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Among them, Latin America covers Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and South America, and is known for its balanced, rich, and full-bodied flavors. The region includes thirty-three countries and several non-independent territories. It is home to major producers such as Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama, as well as relatively niche origins such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Hawaii in the United States. Front Street Coffee will guide you through the coffee history and current situation of these countries one by one. [more…]

The Andes Mountains run the length of South America, nurturing numerous coffee-producing countries, and Colombia is among the most outstanding of them. After years of war and social upheaval, Colombia's coffee industry, supported by FNC's standardized management and its unique topography and climate, gradually grew into the world's third-largest coffee-producing country. Beyond well-known regions such as Cauca and Huila, the province of Nariño is emerging with highly complex flavors and floral characteristics, and Hacienda Santa Ana even secured runner-up in Colombia's 2023 COE. This article takes you deep into the natural conditions and historical context of the Nariño growing region, as well as the Geisha cultivation stories of Hacienda Santa Ana and Finca Bohemia. Front Street Coffee continues to follow developments in Colombian specialty coffee, bringing first-hand regional news to enthusiasts. [more…]

Taiwan Tea No. 18 Ruby Black Tea is a unique cultivar developed by the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station, grown beside Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou. It is a hybrid of the Burmese Assam strain and native Taiwanese wild mountain tea. The liquor is deep amber in color, with a complex aroma of mint, eucalyptus, pepper, and jam, very low astringency, and a clean, rich flavor. For brewing, it is recommended to steep it in 90°C hot water for 3 to 4 minutes, and it can be re-steeped multiple times. The Ruby Black Tea and Ruby GABA Black Tea recommended by Front Street Coffee are both worth trying. This article will guide you through this cultivar's origins, flavor characteristics, and the best brewing methods. [more…]