The rise of the digital era has ushered in a huge range of opportunities for the coffee industry, not least the possibility to trace coffees from origin to final consumer. While this has significant benefits, the process of collecting and sharing data is complex and can be inefficient if not done well. Traceability tools can be a solution, yet picking one and, more importantly, choosing the right one for a specific business is a gargantuan task that, when done without guidance, can costs huge amounts of money and time. In this article, we highlight five tools that can serve as a starting point.

Despite the extensive geographical coverage of broadband internet, a staggering 3 billion people do not use internet services due to challenges ranging from high cost of data to gaps in digital skills. This creates a significant problem for farmers, who are unable to access vital information for their businesses. So, how do we bridge the gap between uneven internet usage and the availability of information? In a world where high-tech solutions often grab the spotlight, the significance of 'low-tech' tools in agriculture stands as a testament to innovation meeting necessity.

Quality assessment in the coffee industry has long been a challenging endeavor, with defining standards across the supply chain proving to be a complex task. Artificial Intelligence stands as a transformative force with global implications across diverse industries, offering solutions that revolutionize processes and enhance efficiency. In the coffee industry, AI emerges as a game-changer, promising to enhance not only the efficiency of grading processes but also the overall coffee quality of the final product. 

The coffee industry has long been plagued by a pricing transparency problem. Traditionally there has been information asymmetry across the coffee supply chain, creating an uneven playing field for the different stakeholders, most often putting farmers in an unsustainable price-taking position. One way to tackle this is by leveraging technology-based solutions that can provide specific information to offer enhanced pricing transparency. Coffee producers need an engine, not cogs. However, it is important to note that a single solution will not create a viable coffee business. It takes a holistic approach – starting with improving the negotiating position of coffee producers.

As roasting businesses expand, they must optimize their operations. Streamlined processes, scalable technology, and talent development are pivotal in ensuring business growth without sacrificing quality or exhausting resources. One of the key areas that draw most of a roasting business owner’s time is roasting itself, especially when you have started with a small-capacity machine. Suddenly you can find yourself roasting 8 hours a day, which leaves no time for other activities like marketing, sales, and customer service. In tackling the automation part of this challenge, here are three software systems that roasting businesses may find useful.

Genotyping is an important tool for improving traits in plants, as it helps scientists identify and validate links between a plant’s DNA to certain characteristics. This is particularly relevant in field trials and nurseries, as it allows for the selection of seedlings with specific attributes, such as resistance to diseases. While this type of technology has become increasingly common in many forms of agriculture, the coffee sector has fallen behind. One of the institutions working on developing genetic traceability tools for coffee is World Coffee Research (WCR), which seeks to bring higher quality plants to coffee farmers around the world and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

Buying coffee internationally is fraught with complexities, risks and inefficiencies at every stage of the supply chain. Meanwhile, the growth of e-commerce has exponentially increased retail businesses' reach via marketplaces that facilitate business from the first point of sale to its final delivery. These same digital tools can greatly enhance the participation in international coffee trading at all levels of the coffee supply chain by connecting everyone in one centralized place. New York-based value chain management platform CropConex has entered this space by launching its own digital end-to-end marketplace.

Following the recent approval of the European Union Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) by the European Council on May 19th, the coffee industry is now faced with the imperative of adopting digital tools to ensure compliance with this new regulatory framework. In this article, we present a small selection of examples among the wide range of tools catering to diverse user needs and operating contexts to demonstrate the possibilities in this context.

Nowadays, customers look more than ever for convenience, speed and personalization when interacting with coffee brands. Integrating technology is often the go-to solution for those seeking flexibility and innovation. Addressing the need for cost-effective, highly customizable digital solutions for small coffee brands, coffee packaging company Savor Brands has launched Savor Live, a subscription-based tool created with the mission of delivering technology to lift up specialty coffee roasters and cafés by providing them with their own branded mobile app.

Coffee retailers are increasingly relying on information technology solutions to better serve their customers, including mobile ordering and payments, handheld Point of Sale Systems devices, and digital menus accessed through QR codes. What has been missing until recently is technology for coffee retailers to better manage quality and consistency, improve communications between locations, report on equipment usage, and standard operating procedures. With baristas, retailer managers, and wholesale roasters in mind, Cropster's new tool promises to improve workflow and operations.