When they first appeared in 1994, QR codes were designed as an improved version of a barcode and were never supposed to be used beyond the manufacturing process. However, they have become ubiquitous since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering brands an easy, convenient and dynamic way to connect with consumers on a deeper level. But in a world where everything seems to already be a click away, are QR codes actually being scanned by coffee drinkers?

A year after the EU backed the COP26 Glasgow Climate Conference pledge to stop deforestation and land degradation, the European Commission has taken the commitment to forest conservation a step farther with the adoption of a specific deforestation-free products regulation. While this agreement is key for conservation and can potentially have significant social and economic benefits for communities whose livelihoods depend on forest ecosystems, it presents challenges for companies of all sizes, in particular when it comes to addressing the new requirements regarding data collection.

Coffee tasting started as an activity performed for trading and commercial purposes, but it has become a common practice among coffee enthusiasts as well. Like many other processes in the coffee industry, quality control activities have always been painstakingly recorded using paper assessment forms. However, as online solutions permeate our daily lives in the pursue of efficiency, coffee cupping has also gone digital. Today, cuppers use web applications and mobile apps, allowing them to record more accurate data, collaborate with remote teams, share information with clients, and effectively use data to find insights or identify patterns to improve their operations.

Coffee logistics have never been simple. Getting coffee from the port of origin to consumer involves a huge array of moving parts that need to work like clockwork. The rise in popularity of specialty coffee has added challenges to the coffee supply chain. Instead of large shipments of single lot containers, logistics professionals handle specialty coffee with up to 30 different lots shipped in one container. All lots have to be identified, separated and stored individually, and then finally released bag by bag.

Despite the opportunities offered by digital technologies in agricultural production, there are still low levels of appropriation in the field. The variables that play a part in the appropriation or non-appropriation of technologies have been studied more successfully – they range from factors related to access and the expertise required, to technical factors such as usability, compatibility and the relevance of information provided. It is important, however, to consider the role played by psychological factors in the appropriation of digital technologies. Among those factors, resistance to change, perception of similarity or compatibility, and trust are particularly important.

Did you know that reducing deforestation is one of the most effective options for climate change mitigation? Coffee farms have the potential to reduce deforestation through shade trees but often depend on clearing them to create firewood or to plant more crops. How do we mitigate climate change while not losing sight of our producers' needs? Dutch impact tech startup Carble has come up with a powerful answer: the combination of satellite imagery and digital payments. Partnering with satellite solutions provider Satelligence, they help coffee companies estimate how much carbon is stored by the trees of specific coffee farms so that a premium can be paid to producers based on those calculations.

UK online retailer Coffee Friend is a good example of how to handle coffee logistics in a way that benefits both the company and the consumer. “We thought that the meaning of having a great coffee at home symbolizes not only the taste itself but also the feeling of how great it is to always have coffee next to you,” says Gediminas Maziliauskis, Head of Supply at Coffee Friend.

Following up the first webinar session of the three-part series The Logic of Coffee Logistics, the second part, held on June 2nd, explored concrete case studies and challenges to digitalized logistics. This session was moderated by Stuart Ritson from Osito Coffee, panelists Kenean Asefa Dukamo of Daye Bensa Coffee, Kume Chibsa of Afrovalley, and Maria Grajales Gomez of Col-Spirit. The series concluded with a session held on June 16th, that was focused on looking toward the future of coffee logistics. Together with moderator Amaris Gutierrez-Ray of Joe Coffee Company, the panelists Brianna Dickey of CropConex, Guillermo Grassi of edoxOnline, and Felipe Cam of Mercon Coffee Group shared their perspective.

The current logistics crisis is affecting supply chains in virtually every sector and part of the world – and the coffee industry is no exception. In a bid to offer some context and understand how – and if – technology and digitalization can help ease the pressure on coffee sector operations, Digital Coffee Future held on May 19th the first conversation of its three-part webinar series The Logic of Coffee Logistics: Overcoming the Logistic Challenges of the Coffee Supply Chain. During this introductory event, Colleen Walsh of Olam Specialty Coffee, Don Lawrence of Intelligentsia, and Aleksandrs Sidorecs of Cognizant shared their experiences with us.

For the past two years, supply chains have faced many challenges and coffee has not been the exception. The Covid-19 pandemic had a massive impact on consumption behavior around the world, which directly impacted the logistics sector. With the aim of mitigating the effect of these uncertain circumstances, coffee companies are looking for new ways to counteract these logistics challenges. Among the many alternatives being adopted, the use of digital technology has started proving that reinventing logistics is possible.