Ok - so we know by now that global warming is a reality. And, unless you’ve lived in a cave all your life and walked to obtain local sustenance, then your carbon footprint is just as big as mine (probably bigger if you own a car). Now you can see the results of our faulty living with this Global Warming Vanishing Coastlines Mug. When the mug feels the heat, the land mass begins to disappear before your very eyes. Oceans start to spread across the coastlines as ice caps melt and water levels rise. Top ‘o the mornin’ to ya!

Posted by beanybabe at 9:43 AM PST

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The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) report showed that as of 2005, Davao Region shared 28.12 percent out of the total of 105.9 thousand metric tons of coffee produced from 16 coffee producing areas in the country.

The second biggest coffee producing area is also in Mindanao — the South Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City (Socsksargen), which accounted for 25.68 percent of the total coffee produced in the country. Among other coffee producing areas in Mindanao are the Caraga and the Autonomous in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) regions.

In Visayas, the Western Visayas region has the biggest share in coffee production compared with the other two regions namely: Central and Eastern Visayas. Western Visayas contributed a total of 5.36 percent in the production of coffee in the country.

In Luzon, the Calabarzon region produced 10.21 percent, the biggest among other six regions that produced coffee. The six other regions are the Cordillera Autonomous region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol.

Source: Sun Star Davao

Posted by beanybabe at 9:43 AM PST

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Tata Coffee is literally going places. It plans to take its recently acquired US-brand Eight O’Clock coffee to Russia, Ukraine and the Common wealth of Independent States (CIS), according to managing director, Mr M.H. Ashraff, reports Economic Times.

Tata Coffee had purchased Eight O’Clock from Gryphon Investors for USD 220 million last year. Currently, Tata Coffee is the second largest exporter to Russia, Ukraine and CIS nations, where instant coffee consumption has been growing annually at the rate of 10-12%.

Tata Coffee mainly supplies to private labels in these countries and also owns two brands, Mysore Gold and International Tata Caf’ that are distributed through partnerships.

The company expects to start full-scale production at its new 2,500 tonne freeze-dried instant coffee plant at Theni next month. Tata Coffee is also setting up a 3,600-tonne soluble coffee plant at Uganda.

As far as the company’s retail initiative in India is concerned, Tata Coffee plans to set up Mr Bean Junction, a retail outlet in five cities. At present, the company operates a Mr Bean Junction at Kochi.

Source: Iris News Digest

Posted by beanybabe at 1:55 AM PST

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Starbucks Corp. built its broad appeal on what Chairman Howard Schultz labeled an “experience,” including baristas who know customers’ orders by heart and an atmosphere that entices patrons to linger for hours. That experience has enabled the coffee chain to charge the premium prices that fuel its robust earnings growth.

But now Mr. Schultz is questioning whether Starbucks’ drive for growth and efficiency has diluted that experience. In a blunt Feb. 14 memo, he warned executives that the chain may be commoditizing its brand and making itself more vulnerable to competition from other coffee shops and fast-food chains. The nearly 800-word memo questioned whether Starbucks’ automatic espresso machines, new store designs and elimination of some in-store coffee grinding may have compromised the “romance and theatre” of a visit. Read More at The Wall St. Journal Online. This is along and very enlightning bit of news.

Posted by beanybabe at 1:36 AM PST

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Faced with increasing competition in their traditional markets, mainly Italy, India’s coffee exporters have begun to eye speciality and niche segments to realise better value, industry officials said. Italy accounted for 40,000 tonnes of Indian coffee annually and it has been growing at the rate of 15 per cent in the past five years, but an aggressive Vietnam has narrowed down the price parity with ‘desi’ exports substantially.

“We were getting a premium of around $450 per tonne over Vietnamese coffee, but it has come down to less than $ 200,” President of India’s Coffee Exporters Association Ramesh Rajah told PTI here. India is estimated to account for four per cent of the world’s coffee production, ranking seventh globally. It shipped 2.4 lakh tonnes in the calendar year 2006. Over 70 per cent of India’s coffee production is exported.

Read More at: The Hindu

Posted by beanybabe at 1:57 AM PST

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