Small anoyances are the normal state of life, and as a general rule, I try not to let them suck me into their vortices. This of course doesn’t apply to our ability to get really top quality coffee from around the world for you, so I was bummed when I found this in my newsfeed today:

Reuters reports a frost AND shipping problems from Brazil (https://apple.news/ALM3jf_JbTPOjSsZWc0uB2g) expected to severely impact coffee availability and price. The frost is more worrying than the temporary global shipping slowdown for me. Coffee bushes take up to seven years to start producing once planted.

At the same time, Colombia is experiencing political and labor tensions with the government that resulted in the government’s order to hold all export ships in port. As far as I know, they are still arguing, and the coffee isn’t shipping yet.

We have seen COVD-19 disrupt all phases of the supply chain, and the supplies in stock are reaching the bottom. Still, suppliers have some new stock. What I worry about is quality. And cost, too.

I just want to say to my wonderful customers that I’ll continue to be picky about which coffees I roast for you, and if I have to get creative to get what you want to taste in your cup, I’ll let you know. This might be, for example, running out of a fruity dry process Ethiopian and substituting a similar tasting coffee from Uganda or East Timor. What will rule is the taste profile, not the origin name.

As always, I consider it a privilege to roast for you, and I am very thankful for you, my dear customers. I’m always happy to hear your feedback, too. Please stay safe until this dumb pandemic is over at last.

To better days…

susan