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Showing posts from August 2, 2017

Hip Coffee at $4 a Cup Revives African Industry Left Behind

-- Africa became a niche producer as Vietnam, Brazil expanded -- Urbanization, staple crops a threat to African arabica output By Innocent Anguyo and Isis Almeida Bloomberg Markets August 2, 2017          Julien Ochala can’t live without his morning cup of Joe. But not just any coffee will do. For the past five years, the 37-year-old physiology lecturer at King’s College London has visited the same store every week to grab a pack of his beloved Kenyan brew. And he’s not put off by the cost: at 37 pounds a kilogram ($22 a pound), it’s more than double a similar supermarket product. "I take Kenyan coffee every morning," said Ochala, who buys his beans from  Monmouth Coffee Company  in Borough Market. "I love it because of the relatively higher acidity level. It keeps me active in the afternoons." Customers willing to pay a premium for African brews, known for their floral, fruity flavors, are driving pu...