NCA news

A Partnership to Protect the Future of Coffee

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The NCA is working with the Sustainable Coffee Challenge to help make coffee the world’s first agricultural product

By William (Bill) Murray, President & CEO, National Coffee Association

Here at the National Coffee Association (NCA), we like to say that “we serve coffee.”

With the rising threat of climate change, serving coffee today also means serving the planet. We know coffee’s future depends on coffee being the world’s first fully sustainable crop.

To help make this vision a reality, I am immensely proud that the NCA has joined the Sustainable Coffee Challenge.

(Read the official news release.)

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NCA Promotes Doreen Madigan to Director, Events & Member Services

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Newly created role recognizes the dedication and expertise of respected industry veteran (and coffee community icon).

From the NCA Newsroom

The National Coffee Association announced today that Doreen Madigan has been promoted to Director, Events and Member Services.

In her new role, Ms. Madigan will continue to oversee all aspects of the coffee industry’s premier gathering, the NCA Annual Convention.  In addition, Ms. Madigan administers the operation of the NCA’s sister organization, the Green Coffee Association (GCA), where she serves as Corporate Secretary.  Continue reading →

Cold Brew & Food Safety

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The NCA Cold Brew Toolkit draft will be open for coffee industry comment through the end of May

An edited version of the following article was originally published in the May 2018 issue of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

 

Cold brew has taken off – and it’s changing the way we drink coffee.

Total retail sales of refrigerated cold brew grew by about 460 percent from 2015 to 2017, reaching an estimated $38.1 million in sales this year, according to research from Mintel.

And, unlike avocado lattes, cold brew is more than a passing trend. About 10% of coffee drinkers reported having cold brew daily in 2017, according to the NCA National Coffee Drinking Trends report – up from only 1% in 2015. Experts predict that this category will continue to drive coffee market growth.

But despite of – or perhaps due to – this sudden popularity, there are still a lot of questions and misconceptions around cold brew.  This is especially true for coffee companies that are considering making, serving, or selling cold brew.

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Introducing the NCA Next Generation Newsletter

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Editor’s note: The NCA Next Generation group is a growing initiative to support young professionals who are passionate about coffee, and develop future leaders across the industry.

Ready to get involved? We’re now accepting applications for three non-officer positions on the NCA Next Gen Council. (While NCA Next Gen is open to everyone, NCA membership is required for Council positions.)

Learn more about NCA Next Gen, or join now. The NCA Next Gen Council will be presenting a breakout session at the NCA 2018 Convention in New Orleans – hope to see you there!

 

In this new and fast-paced world, keeping current with industry news and events can be demanding.

The NCA Next Generation Council is proud to announce our new series of newsletters to help keep you, the next generation of leaders in the coffee industry, up to date on all things going on in the coffee world. (Check out the inaugural issue here.)

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What’s Ahead for Coffee’s Next Generation

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“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” — Bill Gates

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Meet the crema of the crop.

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The NCA Next Generation initiative was launched last year to help support talented young professionals who are passionate about the coffee industry. (NCA membership is not a prerequisite to join.)

Led by a volunteer board of emerging leaders, the Next Gen group has worked for the past year to develop new networking opportunities, professional development programming, and NCA social media initiatives.

The first Next Gen Breakout Session will be held at the NCA 2018 Annual Convention on March 15 in New Orleans. The educational session will include leadership lessons, investment insights for a young adults, and information on how to get involved.

Here, Brandon Jackson, Vice President in Commodities & Logistics, Brown Brothers Harriman, and the first Chair of the NCA Next Gen Committee, talks about why we need new voices to help guide the coffee industry’s future – and what to expect next.

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Behind the NCA Coffee Gives Back Program

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By William (Bill) Murray, President & CEO, National Coffee Association

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“The farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn’t be a farmer.” 

– Will Rogers, U.S. Social Commentator, 1879-1935  

More than any other pursuit, successful farming depends on “external” factors.  Successful farming depends upon some things that can’t be controlled easily, and some things that can’t be controlled at all.

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NCA Awards: Call for Nominees

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As summer winds down, it’s time to kick off NCA’s 2018 volunteer recognition program. This year we presented the 2017 awards – Lifetime Achievement, Volunteer of the Year, and Honorary Lifetime Membership – to exceptional NCA volunteers who made major contributions to the association and the U.S. coffee industry.

It’s now time to nominate 2018’s honorees. Chances are, you’ve worked with NCA volunteers who deserve special recognition. Please don’t let their contributions go unrecognized! Submit your nominations today, before we reach the September 15 deadline.

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Looking Ahead: Your Business is Our Business

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By William “Bill” Murray, CAE, President & CEO, NCA

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What’s ahead for your business?

As you look to the months and years to come, what are the greatest challenges you are facing, the biggest opportunities you see?

And how are you going to build the future you envision for your organization?

We’re in the midst of this very exercise here at the National Coffee Association, USA. Our current Strategic Plan was written three years ago. At that time our priority was to evolve NCA, rapidly and efficiently, and catch up with a changing world.

Our 2015-2017 plan called for us to update our infrastructure and communications (websites, newsletters, social media) and add member benefits (discount programs, Coffee Career Center, Business Directory, webinars).

Even as we were making these changes over the past three years, our day-to-day agenda grew exponentially. We took on new projects ranging from science and health issues (like last year’s review of coffee and cancer by the World Health Organization), to Federal regulatory developments (like the proposed Border Adjustment Tax).

All of which raises the question:

What’s next for the NCA?

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