Browsing the archives for the coffee tag.

Green coffee beans

About Espresso

Source: http://www.pjstar.com/mysource/food/x89698147/Green-beans-Decrease-the-environmental-effect-of-your-daily-cuppa

By Allecia Vermillion

Think your morning cup of coffee is too small to make a difference? Most Americans (56 percent) drink coffee every day, according to the National Coffee Association of USA. This volume is what makes coffee beans the world’s most-traded commodity after petroleum. It’s not difficult to green your daily jolt of caffeine, whether you brew your own or hit up your neighborhood coffee shop.

The beans

Organic, fair-trade coffee beans are widely available at grocery stores, specialty shops and coffee houses. Since coffee is a major cash crop in many developing countries, the “fair trade” certification means the farmers growing the coffee beans get paid a living wage. These products must also meet certain environmental standards.

Some coffee harvesters rely on chemical pesticides and harvesting practices that involve removing overhanging tree canopies. Stripping away these leafy habitats for migratory birds wreaks havoc on the region’s biodiversity. Coffee labeled “shade-grown” or “bird-friendly” avoids these practices.

If coffee isn’t your thing, look for organic and fair-trade tea and cocoa as well.

The equipment

While at-home coffee makers are becoming increasingly high-tech, many purists are rediscovering the allure of the French press. In addition to delivering a more flavorful drink, this simple hand-pulled brewing device doesn’t need to be plugged in. In fact, it requires no energy at all — besides a bit of arm muscle.

Commercial coffee shops now have more ways to green their operations. Like traditional cleaning supplies, cleaning agents for professional-grade espresso machines are now available in greener formats. The Full Circle brand offers washes and cleansing tablets made from naturally derived ingredients.

The gear

Much like a reusable shopping bag, a washable coffee cup is a small concession that can add up to major waste reduction — and savings — over time. A plethora of travel versions exist, many made from sustainable materials.

Unbleached or washable coffee filters can also cut down on waste for at-home brewers.

Can’t kick the coffee shop habit? Bring your own coffee cup cozy and avoid the single-use cardboard sleeves. You can knit your own, or hit up craft fairs or sites like www.etsy.com to find a stylish handmade version.

Recycling tips

Can you recycle disposable coffee cups?

The short answer: It depends on the city. And the cup. A few advanced municipal recycling programs are able to handle the cups with their slick inside coating. Some coffee shops offer recyclable and even compostable take-away cups for patrons, although these are more expensive. Ask your local coffee shop about recycling options. Better yet, bring your own cup. Many places offer a modest discount (usually about 10 cents) for patrons who BYOC.

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Lavazza pursues stake in Green Mountain Coffee

General

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jRcbrc-73wErHoT-5be3R-2hB1fwD9HHHR201

By EMILY FREDRIX (AP) – Aug 11, 2010

NEW YORK — For an extra jolt to its finances, Green Mountain Coffee Rosters Inc. is selling a 7 percent stake to Lavazza, Italy’s best-selling espresso brand, for $250 million.

Together, the companies plan to develop new single-serving espresso machines and espresso capsules that will complement Green Mountain’s popular Keurig coffee makers, which brew single cups of tea or coffee.

The deal is expected to close in September and advances both company’s strategies, they said late Tuesday.

Green Mountain wants to expand its successful single-serve K-Cup lines, and Lavazza has been buying companies in India, Brazil and Argentina to fuel its growth. This is Lavazza’s biggest foreign acquisition.

Lavazza, based in Turin, has agreed to buy newly issued shares at 10 cents par value common stock at a price equal to the 60-day volume weighted average price at closing, less 7.5 percent. The deal includes the possibility of buying additional shares up to 15 percent of Green Mountain.

The deal must be approved by U.S. antitrust regulators.

The companies’ new single-serve products aren’t expected to reach the market until at least 2013.

The Keurig system’s success has been fueling growth for Green Mountain, which is based in Waterbury, Vt.

As shoppers cut spending at cafes during the recession, the systems presented a less-expensive alternative. Rival Starbucks Corp. jumped into the market in September with its Via instant coffee line.

Last month Keurig said its third-quarter revenue rose 64 percent to $311.5 million, thanks largely to rising sales of Keurig machines and accessories, which accounted for about half of the company’s revenue. It expects shipments for K-Cup packs to rise as much as 76 percent this fiscal year.

Green Mountain’s $300 million acquisition of Diedrich Coffee Inc. — one of four roasters licensed to produce K-Cups — closed in May.

The Lavazza investment will let Green Mountain make more purchases, Janney Capital Markets analyst Mitchell Pinheiro told clients in a note Wednesday. It also brings Lavazza’s brand value and expertise to Keurig products and could help with launching Keurig in Europe, he said.

He reiterated his “Buy” rating on the stock and $40 price target.

Shares of Green Mountain fell 47 cents, or 1.5 percent, to close at $30.99 Wednesday.

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Italians are coming!

General

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gXjW1rzsvwdakXTZmEfHr68flG9Q

MILAN — Italian coffee maker Lavazza said on Wednesday it would buy seven percent of US company Green Mountain Coffee Roasters for 250-million-dollars (191 million euros).

The two companies will also work together to build and market espresso machines and single-serve espresso capsules designed by the Italian company, Lavazza said in a statement.

The investment is expected to be approved in September by US authorities.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sells more than a hundred specialty coffee brands in the United States and Canada and is one of the leader in the sale of espresso machines in North America.

It closed 2009 with revenues of 803 million dollars.

Family-owned Lavazza said the deal was the biggest it had ever made abroad and part of its recent aggressive push in international markets.

Over the past four years the company has made acquisitions in India, Brasil and Argentina.

Lavazza operates in 90 countries and in 2009 posted a turnover of more than 1 billion euros.

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Coffee and your health

Health and Safety

Source: http://www.espressomachines-review.com/the-health-effects-of-coffee-on-your-body/

Can Coffee be a Health Drink?

A few years ago, there were studies saying that coffee may be related to cancer. This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink. A couple of years after that study, researches have recounted the study quoting that the investigation is flawed. Current research have indicated that coffee can give the body a lot of benefits.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when drank regularly, may be a remedy for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer. It might even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems. It could even be drank to lower risk of cavities.

Studies show that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent scarcer to have Parkinson’s disease. While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can lessen the risk of cancer of the colon by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk. It can also slash the risk of gallstones by half. There are even studies showing that individuals who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage as a result of their coffee intake.

So, what causes these benefits? It is the anti-oxidants, and surprisingly from the caffeine also. Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed. These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component. Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and tocophenols which are antioxidants. These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity. When we speak about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin.

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound that is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste, also has advantages. It may be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive. These stop the formation of dental cavities.

But can everybody drink coffee?

Regrettably, not everybody is in a position to drink coffee. Individuals with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid coffee drinking altogether. Averting coffee drinking is also advised to expectant women and those with high risk of brittle bones.

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be ignored, then it is recommended just to drink 1 or 2 cups a day. Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary rationality why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee.

Excessive caffeine intake can also result in nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat. The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work over the top. Brittle bones patients are likewise advised not to coffee. Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of brittle bones. But the effects may be reduced if milk is combined with coffee.

For some individuals, coffee can likewise be addictive. Individuals who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal signs. They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, trouble in being focused, get aggravated easily and occasionally even get depressed.

Over caffeine ingestion can also have a sway onto the skin, since it adds to the chance of developing stretch marks. Caffeine can also play a role in weight gain. Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-run, but in a longer time of time, coffee can result in gain in weight.

Coffee both has good and bad effects. Similar to other beverages and food, when it is accepted at big amounts, then it is likely that they could have undesirable effects to your body. Whether coffee can be thought to be a health drink, it is your decision to make the choice.

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Did you know? Espresso is good for you!

About Espresso, Health and Safety

Source: http://www.espressomachines-review.com/how-does-drinking-coffee-impacts-your-lifestyle/

Nowadays, finances different kinds of meals and beverages which have particular results on the body. Although there are several drinks that could damage your quality of life like alcoholic beverages as well as difficult liquors, there are also common healthy beverages that are good for your health.

Beverages with anti-oxidants are recognized to enhance the every day intestinal movement of the person. This has the ability to clean a person whole system by removing the toxics inside the body.

Espresso is one of the most frequent drinks that have a high degree of antioxidant that is excellent for you. It’s primarily produced from organic materials that help the body. It is often sold looking for different purposes. Inevitably capuccinos are really good for individuals who desire to stay awake throughout the night.

Nevertheless according to the latest study within Harvard; coffee can be the most effective remedies to avoid you against getting type2 diabetic issues as well as the potential for loss of colon cancer malignancy. It can lessen the chances of buying various diseases due to it’s substance aspects of qualities. An additional good thing about consuming your favorite early morning beverage is the fact that it has no chemical substances or preservatives that may trigger unwanted effects towards your quality of life.

Finances several advantages or positive results associated with drinking coffee. A regular walk each and every morning will work for the body. It encourages proper circulation of blood within your entire system.

According to some dental practitioners, coffee can also help you against keeping away from cavities. Additionally, it may unwind your own stressed mind. It provides you with the feeling of great tranquility because of it’s fragrance and unique flavor. It is also a useful source of natural anti-oxidants for your body.

There are two different types of coffee. The first one is the instant coffee that is popular to the buyers. It’s mainly produced from a certain coffee coffee bean. Coffees tend to be then prepared as well as go through a number of stages of purification in order to eliminate any kind of unwanted aroma or even taste that will affect the whole taste from the espresso.

The 2nd kind of coffee which is considered to be more expensive is the brewed espresso. It’s includes a more powerful impact compared to instant coffee. It may be acquired using a coffee maker. In contrast to instant coffee, made espresso is actually created through using roasting coffee beans.

If you really love drinking coffee you may think about your self in purchasing a coffee maker machine. Although it may look like an easy and old-fashioned machine you will surely find it very helpful especially if you value consuming made capuccinos. You can instantly make your own brewed espresso if you use this particular machine.

There are several forms and styles associated with coffee maker machines that will surely fit in order to your needs and choices. It is certainly easier to prepare an instant coffee, however the producing your personal brewed espresso utilizing a coffee maker machine is unquestionably rewarding. You should not be afraid of utilizing a coffee maker machine because it very simple to use.

A daily cup of coffee will surely make your day complete. Espresso is best recognized for being able to prevent prostate cancer and even type2 diabetic issues.

Nevertheless certain types of capuccinos have more nutrients when compared with individuals available in the department stores. You must try to use the coffee maker machine if you really like in order to tste the amazing benefits associated with real espresso. You will never surely are sorry for the risk of making your personal made espresso.

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Starbucks getting even more creative!

General

Source: http://blogs.bnet.com/business-news/?p=3025

As it plots its comeback from the great store-count implosion of 2008, Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) is doing some tinkering with its stores. It’s great to see, even if not all the ideas seem like winners.

On the plus side, the company is toning down its corporate green-and-white color scheme and building stores that look more like homey neighborhood coffeehouses, done in more subtle earth tones. Starbucks’ 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea store in Seattle started this trend, which another experimental store in Seattle’s busy Capitol Hill neighborhood, Olive Way, will continue when it reopens in the fall after a remodel.

Another winner was Starbucks’ decision to go to free Wi-Fi — it had to happen.

Also good: expansion into beer and wine at the Olive Way store, to accompany an expanded menu. The liquor additions seem natural — after jittering up on coffee all day, you might want to come down with a glass of wine.

But here’s one innovation that’s more questionable — Olive Way’s move into a layout described as “coffee theater.” That is, the espresso machines will be smack in the middle of the restaurant instead of behind a counter. Surrounded by narrower counters, the idea is to bring customers closer and turn coffee making into entertainment.

That sounds great if you’re a latte-seeking mom with a couple of squirmy toddlers. The kids would probably be entranced, though you might have to child-leash them to keep their fingers off the machinery. But here’s the bigger problem: Espresso machines are loud. And lots of people hang out at Starbucks to do business — working on laptops or calling clients from cellphones. It sounds like this store design will leave no quiet corner from which to make a call or think about that proposal you’re writing.

However that works out, we’ll hear more about it, as Starbucks is quietly ramping up its advertising. Historically, Starbucks advertised very little, allotting only about 1 percent of revenue to marketing, but it recently indicated its marketing spending will increase this year.

We’ll have to wait and see those ads to determine whether more advertising is a good move. It’s an opportunity to help renovate the brand, though — for a couple of years now, the company has been best known for closing stores, or for letting gun-nuts wave their pistols around while waiting in line for lattes. With a new ad campaign, Starbucks has a chance to redefine what it stands for in customers’ eyes.

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What do you know about coffee houses?

About Espresso

Souse: http://www.espressomachines-review.com/coffee-the-coffee-houses-and-history/

There have been many legends and stories about the origin of what would now be considered one of the most favored beverages in the world. While coffee was first believed to have originated in the Middle East, more recent evidence suggests that the drink’s unique properties were first discovered in Ethiopia, and carried from there to Yemen, and thence to the rest of the Arab world. Java residences, or cafes as we now know them, received their first customers in Mecca and Cairo, plus the history of caffeine would not be total with no the extraordinary place that espresso houses occupied inside the imagination of individuals by way of the ages.

A single on the most prolific ages for java and coffee homes was the Enlightenment period in Europe, particularly in Western Europe. Java homes played host on the giants of theoretical and philosophical thought: caffeine homes were definitely the favored destination for the discussion of politics, law, business and sport. Not unsurprisingly, when the discussion of such weighty matters was at hand, ladies could hardly be allowed in. Ladies were being banned from espresso buildings till the end in the nineteenth century, but this banning was curiously not effected in Germany, although it was strictly enforced in France and England.

Caffeine residences were also traditionally witnessed as an option to public buildings, or pubs. Java buildings have been the exclusive clubs from the eighteenth and nineteenth century in England, offering a location for discussion and debate but without the need of the debauchery typically associated with pubs. They had been an integral element on the temperance movement in Victorian England, when java houses have been provided as an option venue for entertainment towards the reduced classes, their clientele getting hitherto been confined towards reduce sort of public house.

Coffee shops inside the United States have a slightly unique story, having been first owned and operated inside of the Italian American areas of main cities like New York and San Francisco. These days, even so, it can be impossible to think of coffee inside the US without the need of the manufacturer name of Starbucks emblazoning itself on one’s thought. The advent of big brand java corporations, whose chain stores are present across the globe and aspire to offer a specific degree of top quality has radically changed the way the coffee marketplace operates.

These days, drinkers of java are not only ready to select from a variety of manufacturers and types of roasts, they are also spoil for option with regard towards precise way they would like to drink their coffee. With milk, without milk, skimmed milk, with cream, chocolate syrup, hazelnut essence, added coffee flavor and whatnot now becoming essential accompaniments to your cuppa, coffee will never be the same again.

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