Bad Weather and the Coffee Supply Chain
An in-depth look at the coffee supply chain and the effects of bad weather
By Jess Campbell
Coffee . It gets you up in the morning , through your afternoon slump at work and gives you pep in your step when your toddler decides he ’ s not going to bed . Reported last year by global marketing research company Euromonitor , Canadians ranked third in the world for total amount of coffee consumed in and outside the home , equalling about 152 litres per capita . That ’ s a lot for a country that imports 100 per cent of its coffee requirements .
The busiest time for Canadian roasters and cafes starts now , as autumn turns to winter . So , what happens when the coffee falters – when it ’ s not up to par , or worse , completely destroyed because of inclement weather ? For the supply chain of Canadian coffee importer RGC Coffee ( RGC ) of Montreal , the best way to overcome the huge challenge of crop shortage due to inclement weather is to be proactive in planning and development of imports rather than reactive to an unavoidable , uncontrollable situation .
BACKGROUND : RGC
Jeff Bernstein is a coffee trader and part of the executive management team at RGC . He also helps to oversee the entire RGC operation , with an understanding that the supply chain is very much a part of their business .
“ As much as we are in the coffee business , we are also in the logistics business . We are moving a high volume of coffee ,” he said .
RGC is an importer of green coffee , meaning the raw bean before it is processed . RGC imports , trades and stores coffee , and sells it to their customers – who include some of the biggest roasters in North America , as well as micro-roasters working with stand-alone cafes and shops . They also offer their customers other services , such as testing and cupping of the coffee from within their own cupping lab , in-depth insight and information about the entire coffee industry , including the coffee futures market , as well as financing and logistics advice .
Started in 1968 by president Ron Gabbay , RGC handles weekly imports from origins including Central and North America , South America , Africa and Asia . iravgustin / Shutterstock . com
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