People

Reflections on 1 Million Coffee Farmer Trainings with TechnoServe Coffee Head Paul Stewart (Part 1)

TechnoServe, one of the longest-running and farthest-reaching nonprofits operating in the coffee sector, recently announced it has helped train more than 1 million smallholder coffee farmers. Since launching its...

2025.12.09

AfricaagronomyAsiaCentral AmericaCoffee Farm CollegeColumnsDurominaEthiopiaFarmer IssuesIndustryinternational developmentnonprofitsOriginPaul StewartPeoplepovertyregenerative agricultureRegenerative Coffee Investment CaseRwandasmallholder farmersSouth AmericaSustainabilityTechnoServeコーヒー

Business Operations

Louisville’s Heine Bros Coffee Names Jessica Lord CEO

Heine Bros Coffee has promoted longtime finance and operations leader Jessica Lord to chief executive officer, marking a generational leadership shift at the Louisville-based specialty coffee chain. Lord joined...

2025.11.21

Business OperationsCorporateCraft/OperationsGary HeineHeine BrothersIndustryJessica LordKentuckyLouisvilleMacroMicroMidwestMike MaysOmni Louisville HotelPeopleRetailRoastingSouth/SouthwestunionizationUnited Statesコーヒー

Louisville’s Heine Bros Coffee Names Jessica Lord CEO

Heine Bros Coffee has promoted longtime finance and operations leader Jessica Lord to chief executive officer, marking a generational leadership shift at the Louisville-based specialty coffee chain. Lord joined...

2025.11.21

Business OperationsCorporateCraft/OperationsGary HeineHeine BrothersIndustryJessica LordKentuckyLouisvilleMacroMicroMidwestMike MaysOmni Louisville HotelPeopleRetailRoastingSouth/SouthwestunionizationUnited Statesコーヒー

Peet’s Names New Head as CEO Eric Lauterbach Steps Down

Effective Tuesday, Nov. 17, Eric Lauterbach stepped down as president and CEO of California-based Peet’s Coffee after more than 15 years with the company. Consumer products veteran Stuart Heflin is...

2025.11.19

acquisitionsCaliforniaCalifornia/PacificCorporateEric LauterbachIndustryIntelligentsia CoffeeJAB Holding CompanyJDE Peet'sKeurig Dr PepperMacroPeet's CoffeePeopleProcter and GambleRetailRoastingStuart HeflinUnited Statesコーヒー

Longboard Specialty Coffee Sets Auction Records a Month After Founder Dies

Justin Boudeman, the U.S.-born founder of high-end Panamanian Gesha coffee production company Longboard Specialty Coffee, died Aug. 30 at the age of 52 following cancer. Known as a loving family...

2025.10.10

auctionsBoqueteCentral AmericaCraft/OperationsFarmer IssuesGeshaIndustryInto the Mist auctionJustin BoudemanLongboard Specialty CoffeeM-CultivoMicroMisty Mountain FarmNoemi MontenegroobituariesOriginPanamaPeopleRoastingUnited Statesコーヒー

Pedro and Paco Gaviña of Family-Owned Gaviña Coffee Die at 80 and 81

California-based Gaviña Coffee Company announced that two of its longtime leaders — brothers Pedro Lázaro Gaviña and Francisco Marcos “Paco” Gaviña — have died. Paco died July 29 at the...

2025.10.08

CaliforniaCalifornia/Pacificcompany leadershipCubaFrank M. Gaviña Jr.Gaviña and SonsGaviña Coffee CompanyIndustryLisette Gaviña LopezLos AngelesMacroMichael J. GaviñaobituariesPaco GaviñaPedro GaviñaPeopleRoastingUnited StatesVernonコーヒー

Celebrating 5 Years, Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity Launches Fellowship

As it celebrates five years as an organization promoting the professional success of Black and Brown people in coffee, the United States-based Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity (CCRE) has launched...

2025.10.08

African Fine Coffees Conference and ExhibitionAtlantaBD ImportsBIG-DAWG CoffeeWorksBlack CoffeeCCRE Brewing for Equity FellowshipCoffee Coalition for Racial EquityEventsfellowshipsGeorgiaIndustryJunebug CoffeePeoplePhyllis Johnsonprofessional developmentRetailRoastingSepia Coffee ProjectSightseer CoffeeSip and SonderSonder ImpactUnited StatesWorld of Coffee San Diegoコーヒー

Three Questions with Paris-Based Coffee Freelancer Mark McKinney

Mark McKinney’s unconventional professional journey in coffee has included biology textbooks in Paris and hazmat suits in Boston. Yet McKinney first entered coffee the same way thousands of career...

2025.09.23

Beans on FireBelleville BrulerieBenjamin PazColumnsconsultantsFranceHardware SociétéIndustryL'Université du CaféLockwoodMark McKinneyMihaela IodachParisPeopleWorld of Coffee Amsterdamコーヒー

Keurig Dr Pepper Names New Head of Coffee in the US

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) has appointed Olivier Lemire as president of its U.S. coffee business, according to an SEC filing signed Sept. 17, 2025. The move comes amid...

2025.09.19

acquisitionsCorporateCraft/OperationsGlobal Coffee Co.IndustryJDE Peet'sKeurig Dr PepperKeurig Dr Pepper CanadaMacroNikePatrick MinoguePeopleProcter and GambleProductsRoastingUnited Statesコーヒー

Death Wish Coffee Taps Former Nature’s Bakery Head as CEO

Upstate New York-based Death Wish Coffee recently named consumer packaged goods veteran Steve Gardiner CEO. Gardiner comes to Death Wish after serving for six years as an executive at...

2025.09.16

CorporateCraft/OperationsDeath Wish CoffeeIndustryMacroMike BrownMike PilkingtonNew YorkNortheastPeopleRoastingSaratoga SpringsSteve GardinerTA AssociatesUnited Statesコーヒー