Cuvee Coffee

Eno's Pizza Tavern (Dallas Texas) and Local Coffee (San Antonio) travel with Cuvee Coffee.

We all know that the “local” movement has really gained traction. This should be very exciting for anyone who provides a great product or service…especially if you are in a densely populated area…or should it? Before we dive deeper into that question, let’s define the term local. One of the most comprehensive definitions that I have seen comes from Robby Grubbs, owner of Local Coffee, a specialty coffee shop in San Antonio, Texas. Robby defines local as, “Local; Independent, non-franchise, entrepreneurial, creative, owner present and engaged, local surroundings considered in finish, respectful and responsible to the community it serves, creating a strong sense of community, a hub for a community and creative network, doing your best to purchase from local vendors (quality has to be priority over all else) keeping the pipeline of money in the community.” Personally, the part that I want to address is (paraphrased) keeping the money in your community, if you are able to find the quality you seek in your community. Like lots of other terms, labels or certifications, local has become a marketing campaign for many companies. It is often used to shame a business owner if they don’t buy a product produced locally. Robby hears it all the time, especially with a name like Local Coffee. And this is the problem with local. A company can produce a sub standard product and generate sales by strategically marketing it as local. We see it all the time with neighborhood coffee shops. People I don’t care if you are next door…if you serve bad coffee they will go somewhere else! I love the local movement and support it whole heartedly. When I need a product or service, I look locally first. If I can find the quality that I desire and it is provided by a local company, I am in! But, here is the catch. If you don’t have the quality I am looking for, I don’t really care that you are local. I will look outside of my community and will not be apologetic about it

I love Top Chef, Iron Chef and the Food Network. This was where I first saw Chef John Besh. I remember avidly rooting for him to win. The reason was simple, his personality. I have never had the pleasure of eating at one of his restaurants and all of the chefs were very talented, but I could totally relate to his humor. Rashelle makes fun of me and calls it a “man crush”, but the reality is that I found his personality to be similar to my own. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to serve coffee at an event for Mr. Besh, here in Austin, Texas. The event was at Parkside (another great restaurant) and there were about 75 people in attendance. I had the opportunity to meet John in person and I have to say that he was no different in person than he was on T.V. He was friendly, funny and extremely approachable. I admit that I was a bit nervous as most of the celebrity-type folks (and particularly chefs) that I have met in the past have been borderline arrogant and left me disappointed. Chef John Besh was the exception to my previous experiences. We chatted about coffee and he mentioned his interest in specialty coffee and “chasing the perfect cup.” I was super impressed with him and his business partner and can say with all certainty that next time I make it to New Orleans (which unfortunately is not very often) I will be making a reservation at one or two of his restaurants!

A good friend stopped in yesterday. His name is Justin Sinclair and he is a kick-ass sound guy and tour manager. He came to see us at our old place in Houston one day and we developed a friendship over the last couple years. He comes in telling us stories about his tours, and the bands are the who’s who of rock…Red, Seether, Three Doors Down, Thriving Ivory, Trapt, and Creed. The band he is working with now is Like a Storm. The guys are from New Zeeland and two band members are brothers who used to own a coffee shop in NZ. Anyway, Justin used to catch grief from the bands because he carries a “coffee kit” complete with press pot, Baratza grinder, scale and of course some specialty coffee from Cuvee Coffee. Even though the guys make fun of Justin, they always drink his coffee so I guess he gets the last laugh. I bet the band is drinking a press pot as I write this. Justin always visits the great coffee shops while he is on tour and relays his experience to us. The band stayed the night in Austin and the guys from Like a Storm were kind enough to autograph some CD’s for me and Clancy. The 10:00am trek to the Cuvee roasting plant was a bit early for them so we did not get to meet in person. Apparently the boys prefer the crack of noon, but I guess that is the life of a rock star! Clancy and I are heading to the Scout Bar in San Antonio to see Like a Storm rock on Sunday night. Maybe I will have Clancy autograph a copy of Barista Magazine for the band…

Coffee from Cerrado Mineiro was the first one in Brazil to receive the certification of Geographic Indication of its micro-region (2005). The seal marks in particular the terroir of coffee produced at that location, under typical geographic and climatic conditions, creating an identity for a specific product. The Council of Associations of Coffee Farmers from Cerrado (Caccer) covers 55 municipalities, and became a reference for the remaining regions that produce quality coffee in Brazil.
Today, the producing region of Serra da Mantiqueira, also in the state of Minas Gerais, is seeking its geographical recognition from the body in charge, the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), through the Association of Coffee Producers of Mantiqueira (Aprocam). 23 municipalities will be certified.
The demarcation, in addition to ensuring the product origin, marks its own identity, so the characteristics and qualities can be essentially linked to that origin. For the producer, benefits are manifold. In addition to increasing the product's added value and preserve its distinguishing characteristics, it facilitates access to new marketplaces. And both the buyer and roaster and the consumer gain a connection of trust with the certified product.

HOW IT WORKS

There are two types of Geographical Indication. The Indication of Provenience – which Caccer already has – demarcates the Cerrado Mineiro Region as producer of Cerrado coffee, under certain natural and production characteristics. Denomination of Origin, in turn, certifies the recurring characteristics and the standard of quality of the final product obtained there. This second step is the next one to be conquered by the producers of the region, something that will bring even more value to the product.