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GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2020 www.gourmetnews.com RETAILER NEWS 1 0 grow. That is now changing, as recognition like that offered by the Good Food Awards creates an American market that rewards consumer products that can trace their ori- gin back to a specific farmer who produces an excellent product, according to Bir. "The market has changed in the last 10 years and so have we. We wanted to meet more producers, make more relationships because relationships are at the core of who we are," he said. "Consumers have grown to appreciate more nuanced products, more conscious, intentional products. That in- tentionality has driven the coffee market to have more transparent coffee relationships. Consumers used to be specific about coun- try. Now we talk about single farms. This is not Limmu region, Ethiopia. It's a lot more specific, and a lot more intentional." Bir works with Crimson Cup's Friend2Farmer program, started seven years ago as a way to connect the company directly with farmers and to help them grow better coffee so the farmers can earn premium prices without working through conventional certification programs, which often focus on their own particular objec- tives rather than on the needs that the in- digenous growers identify for themselves, Bir said. "We're very adaptive. A lot of cer- tification programs have a certain protocol, maybe an emphasis on bird-friendly, some that focus on clean water, some that focus on social good," he said. "We don't know what different regions need, so we just ask. We've done everything from clean water projects, building a Specialty Coffee Asso- ciation campus in Peru, quality control lab in Uganda, computers for students in Hon- duras. We're adaptive, and that's what makes us different." Another thing that makes Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea different is its unique busi- ness model that's focused on helping other entrepreneurs start and grow their inde- pendent coffee houses. Not long after founding Crimson Cup in 1991, Greg Ubert, who is still the company's President, realized that his real goal was in sharing his knowledge about how to build a successful coffee shop so they could be good cus- tomers for Crimson Cup coffee. He wrote a book called "Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry" as a handbook for coffee shop start-up and operations. "That established our model of how we wanted to help people with retail expan- sion," Bir said. Today, more than 200 entre- preneurs in 38 states have bought the book and used it as their blueprint to start their own coffee businesses through the com- pany's Power of the Cup ® retail support program. "They buy the book, attend classes. Unlike a franchise, we will do the training, help with site selection, help with menu design," Bir said. "We don't have a franchise fee. If our partners are successful, then we'll be successful." Crimson Cup's Kossa Kebena coffee is available both to retailers partnered through Power of the Cup and to others. For more information, visit www.crimsoncup.com. GN Crimson Cup Continued from PAGE 1 Kebena, is a coffee that's naturally processed – dried on raised drying beds while the coffee beans are still clothed in the pulp that surrounds them in the cherry. In the cup, it has a syrupy body and tasting notes of bright fruit and sweet berries. "The cup itself is fruity but very clean for a nat- ural-process coffee," Bir said. In addition to the finalist recognition from the Good Food Awards, Kossa Kebena won a bronze medal at the 2019 Golden Bean North America roasting competition. Despite their long history of producing a product that's now prized by American cof- fee drinkers, whose palates have become more discriminating with respect to their coffee over the past few decades, the Ethiopian farmers behind that coffee haven't had much in the way of opportunity to profit from the quality of the beans they Sweets & Snacks Expo Opens Registration, Rebrands The Sweets & Snacks Expo is launching a fresh new look as it opens registration for the 2020 show. Held annually at Chicago's McCormick Place and organized by the Na- tional Confectioners Association, the Sweets & Snacks Expo (May 19-21, 2020) is the largest show in North America representing the confectionery and snack industries. This week, NCA debuted a new logo and look for the Sweets & Snacks Expo to sup- port the continued evolution of the brand. The new creative reflects the balance of confectionery and snack products available at the show, showcases the fun and enjoy- ment consumers have when they savor a fa- vorite treat and highlights the Sweets & Snacks Expo as the place where actionable inspiration is available to all who attend. With more than 15,000 industry profes- sionals in attendance, the Sweets & Snacks Expo is where the candy and snack indus- tries come to be inspired, make meaningful connections and share their passion for de- lighting shoppers. The show draws more than 90 percent and 75 percent of the con- fectionery industry's and snack industry's buying power, respectively. "We like to think of this new look as 'a wink and a nod' to everything Sweets & Snacks has stood for since it first began, all with an eye toward delivering even greater value in 2020 and beyond," John Downs, NCA Chief Executive Officer and Presi- dent, said. "For our industry, the year starts at the Sweets & Snacks Expo, and this new look will help the show's branding be as fun and unique as the products it celebrates." To learn more about the Sweets & Snacks Expo and register, visit www.sweetsa ndsnacks.com. GN

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