When you wake up to a great cup of coffee, sip one in the afternoon, or have one at a cafe with friends, you hardly think of what it took to create that cup of enjoyment. That cup coffee started in a far-off country with great passion and toil. If it was a good cup of coffee it was probably served by a roaster or barista that put care and passion into making it. Regardless of when and where you had your coffee, a coffee importer had to put due diligence into assessing and acquiring the highest quality green beans to ensure exceptional flavors and aromas. As wholesale coffee suppliers, importers have the immense responsibility of understanding the art and science of coffee roasting, brewing, and especially tasting (cupping) coffee. If coffee importers get it wrong, there is hardly much a roaster or barista can do to make it great. Wholesale coffee suppliers …

In my last visit report back in May 2018, I explained that it had been a tough year so far for Sumatra exporters. Both the winter and the spring crops had been well below normal and projected volumes. The fallout of such a tough year was evident during this trip, with 3 multinational companies having completely shut down their operations in Aceh and one Dutch trading company, based in Aceh, going out of business. Despite this locally based companies appeared to have weathered the storm far better. Their stronger local and cultural ties combined with a longer term vision has enabled them to work with clients to ensure coffee is secured and contracts are fulfilled. The winter crop is about 2 months late, having only just started, with coffee trickling into the mills. Furthermore, the crop will yield a steady flow over the next 6 months, rather than the normal peak during November and December, …

As most of the recipients of this email are likely already aware, the requirements of the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) have slowly been working their way through the system and now apply to importers.  Importers fall under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) portion of FSMA.  FSVP in its simplest form, requires that the same food safety controls be placed on foreign suppliers as those put on domestic suppliers.  In the case of green coffee and other similar Raw Agricultural Commodities (RAC), the requirements have been simplified, based upon the need for further processing prior to consumption. In accordance with 21 CFR 1.504, Intercontinental Coffee Trading has conducted a hazard analysis of the green coffee that we supply and have determined that there are a few hazards that require control prior to consumption by roasters.  These hazards and the steps ICT is taking to comply with the FSVP program are detailed …

To our valued customers: As you may be aware, Nicaragua is currently being rocked by political unrest in response to the government’s plans to reform the nation’s social security program. While President Daniel Ortega has announced that the changes are being reversed, violent protests have continued. Regrettably some 30 people have died in clashes between protesters and the government thus far. http://www.latimes.com/…/la-fg-nicaragua-protests-20180423-… Our contacts in Nicaragua have informed us that coffee exports may be impacted by these events. Many export offices are operating on limited schedules or encouraging their staffs not to report to work out of safety considerations, and security at ports is a matter of serious concern. The U.S. Embassy is reducing staff presence in response to the dangerous situation in Managua. As there is currently no indication that the situation is becoming less serious, it is possible that significant delays in coffee shipments may become a reality. ICT will continue to monitor …

ICT Reports From Origin: Severe Sumatra Shortages Continue Our CEO and founder, Lisa Colon, recently visited Indonesia to research the current supply crisis. She was accompanied by ICT Vice President Jason Remmer. Our comprehensive report from the trip in linked below. The situation remains very serious and ICT will continue to monitor it going forward – please reach out to us with any questions you may have. Sincerely, ICT Coffee Sumatra Report March 2018

ICT Origin Update: Severe Sumatra Shortages Are a Reality Based on reports from our sources at origin, ICT believes we are in the midst of a deepening supply crisis with Indonesia.  According to the Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industry, Indonesia’s coffee production will drop to its lowest level in 7 years (as reported by Kompas, Southeast Asia’s largest new organization, on 2/14/18).    Here is a summary of the latest information: The Cause For the most part, the current supply issues are the result of weather conditions in Indonesia during the Fall 2017 crop season.  The rainy season in Indonesia extended several weeks past its normal termination.  As a result, a huge amount of coffee from the Fall crop was rendered unusable and the harvest was dramatically smaller than usual.  Prior to the season, the main crop in North Sumatra was expected to be only 20% of the regular volume from that specific region …

Our new Trader, Banks Thomas, sat down to tell us a little more about his coffee journey: