This month’s issue of INC. magazine featured an inconspicuous blurb concerning the growing trend in healthy tea, juice and cold beverage consumption. With an emphasis on the ever monopolized tea industry, the editorial touched on a very important note for coffee shops nationwide. The demand for healthy, natural and above all tasty cold beverages continues to mount. However, this shouldn’t come as any surprise to most coffee shop owners who’ve been offering huge assortments in healthy smoothies, iced teas, and organic juices for the past decade. Yet never before have the options been so plentiful. It seems like every time I open a new “spam” email or industry magazine, I discover an infant company boasting the best in vitamin rich, ingredient infused, power fruit mixes or sauces. There’s a plethora of great choices to be had and more flavors than I knew existed for the human palette. It’s all the rage and with summer just around the corner it’s time to once again beef up our cold drink menus.

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The Book Brew Brothers recently had the pleasure of attending the 2010 SCAA tradeshow in Anaheim CA. Though we were able attend the 2008 conference, our busy schedules only permitted us to visit Coffee Fest Seattle last year. Yet as we walked the 2010 showroom, discussing new products with our partners, participating in lectures and courses, we discovered our brief lapse from the SCAA rendered us somewhat out of touch with a few minor but interesting developments.

Let me first say the show went well as tradeshows go these days. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits and attendance was more than adequate for a successful exposition. As we talked with competition champions, CEO's and sales representatives, it struck us just how young the specialty coffee industry still is, and I mean that in a good way. Having spent the past decade immersed in the book industry, perceptively a very old trade, it was refreshing to see coffee professionals innovating and honing their business models and skills to keep in touch with their consumers.

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The Book Brew Brothers were recently interviewed by Brenda Sexton of the Enumclaw Courier Herald. As part of a joint effort to draw attention to our local communities, Book Brew Coffee customer The Salt Shaker Christian Bookstore launched its very own Book Brew Café. The new espresso business features our Signature Hometown Coffee Blends, special coffee accessories and exclusive baked goods. Check out the article.  CLICK HERE
 

Introducing Hometown Signature Coffee Blends; Book Brew Coffee's latest coffee innovation! As a new destination in coffee perfection each of our 100% Organic Signature Hometown Coffee Blends captures the heart of Washington's wonderful plateau communities. Three charming historic small towns serenely nestled at the base of beautiful Mount Rainier, continue to inspire visitors and residents with simple delights and homespun pleasures. Each hometown blend is comprised of our finest single-origin triple-certified organic coffee beans, secret recipes and infused with inspiration.

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A newspaper editor recently inquired about my education and experience in business management. I couldn’t help but smile at the prospect of having somehow squeezed business school into my already crammed résumé. Yet each day I’m learning something new about business. Quite often new techniques and ideas arise from thumbing through major publications, chatting with fellow merchants and paying attention to generous suggestions provided by clients and customers. However, I seem to learn more by observing the failures and mistakes of other businesses. I know that sounds unsympathetic but in an age when many are forced to reinvent the wheel I find it valuable to keep a close eye on what’s happening in the business community.

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