[29.01.2004, 13:00]
Russian Barista Championship will take place April 1-3, 2004... ... Another working session of the SCAE (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe) Russian Chapter Council was held January 27, 2004, the Secretariat of the Russian Chapter reported. The session tackled the organizational issues of the future Russian Barista Championship 2004.
In the course of the session, date and place of the Championship were defined. According to the decision, the International Trade Center on Krasnaja Presnja will host the event April 1-3, 2004.
The participants of the session stressed the necessity to focus on attracting potential sponsors to the Championship. The Council members were unanimous in their conclusion that it would be better to choose sponsors on the basis of the tender.
The Council urged some of its members to finish talks with potential sponsors in the shortest possible time. The working group of the Association, headed by the Council member, Gleb Neveikin, was committed a task to work out principles of organizing the event and conducting qualifying tours, as well as requirements to the participants of the competition.
The Secretariat will be responsible for informing the Association members, as well as mass media of the Council’s decisions, with a special focus on the news concerning the Championship.
The session was attended by the Council members: Aleksandr Malchik (“Montana Coffee”), Gleb Neveikin (“Koffeemania”), Ramaz Chanturiya (The magazine “Coffee &Tea in Russia”), Vadim Goussev (PR agency “RBR-Consult”), Jerry Ruditzer (“Coffee Bean”), as well as some members of the Russian Chapter of SCAE.

[26.01.2004, 13:00]
“Future Enterprises Pte. Ltd.” is expected to open the coffee shop chain “MacCoffee” in Ukraine ... “Future Enterprises Pte. Ltd.” plans to open the coffee shop chain “MacCoffee” in Ukraine, with the first cafe “MacCafe” to be opened in 2005, www.marketing.vc reported. The initial investment in the project will be about 2 million griven. The initial stage of the project has already been launched and is expected to be finished by the end of 2004. Further development of the project depends on the success of the first stage, “Kompanjon” writes. “Nestle” and “Kraft Foods” have embarked on the similar projects in Ukraine.
Information:
“Future Enterprises Pte.Ltd”, known as TM “MacCoffee”, currently accounts for about 75 percent of the Ukrainian soluble coffee market, with the product being realized under the trade mark “MacCoffee”. //Yarmarka.ru//

[26.01.2004, 11:00]
Rimini will host speciaity professionals and amateurs ... Rimini, Italy will host on January31st, 2004 the 3rd SCAE World Speciality Coffee Conference. At the same time the Rimini Trade Fair and the Italian Barista Conference will be held. This great 4 day SCAE event, which unites all the 3 programs under one roof, will end February 3rd . According to Vadim Goussev, head of the Secretariat of the SCAE Russian Chapter, two Russian speakers were invited to the conference to represent Russia. “Several Russian leading baristas are also planning to visit all the events that will take place as part of this 4-day coffee forum,” said Vadim Goussev to coffeetea.ru.

[23.01.2004, 11:00]
Russia Will Get its Georgian Tea! ... RIA “Novosty” news agency reported today that Zugdidi region in West Georgia experienced a strong tea plantation fire. During 24 hours, the fire, quickly spread by a strong wind, burned its way through several hundred hectares of plantation area near the villages of Kakhiti, Ingiri, Darchely and Zedaetseri. As a result of the fire, the Georgian tea supplies to Russia and other countries were supposed by the RIA “Novosti” to be substantially reduced.
When contacted by the correspondent of the coffeetea.ru news web site, the sources in the Georgian capital and Zugdidi region said the fire had indeed occurred in the region, but the tea plantation area destroyed by the fire is not that large. The fire devastated mainly nuts plantations. “Tea plantations have not suffered seriously from fire. Russia will get as much tea, as in the previous year,” the source in Zugdidi reported.

[23.01.2004, 11:00]
The Government of Kyrgyzstan Cancelled Customs Marks On Imported Medicinal Products. ... Economic Policy Council cancelled customs marks on imported medical products. However, tea imports are unlikely to get any customs privileges in the nearest future, the fact being explained by the KR government as the protection of the domestic tea producer - a single Turkish tea packaging factory on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. It is unclear, however, whether such an exclusive government support is not a violation of the antimonopoly law. //Regions.ru//

[20.01.2004, 10:00]
The Economist Published Starbucks Tall Latte Index ... The Economist magazine published January 16, 2004 the new index, using the cost of Tall Latte drink in Starbucks coffee shops in different countries. The index is similar in nature to the Big Mac Index. Both indexes measure exchange rates by how much the products cost worldwide. However the two measures do not always coincide with each other, especially in relation to the Asian countries.
For almost 18 years already, the Economist has been publishing Big Mac Index, which shows the price of a McDonald’s Big Mac in different countries and helps evaluate the differences in currencies across the world. Big Mac Index was first published in 1986 and treated very light-heartedly, until in April 2002, it helped to predict the fall of dollar rate, thus changing the world opinion of its importance. Following the example of the Economist, Swiss Bank UBS measured well-being of the population in 70 largest cities of the world by estimating the average salary in big macs.
Both indexes are based on the theory of purchasing-power parity, that says that the exchange rate should move toward rates that would equalise the prices of an identical products in any two countries.
The new coffee Index was published by the Economist simultaneously with the traditional Big Mac Index. Both Starbucks Tall Latte Index and Big Mac Index show that the Swiss franc is overvalued against the dollar, while the Thai baht is heavily undervalued. Indexes are more or less similar in reference to the European countries, however the results differ drastically in the Asian countries. The Japanese currency is undervalued by 12 percent on the big Mac Index, but Latte Index shows that the yen is overvalued by 13 percent. In China, the Tall Latte Index shows that yuan is undervalued by 1 percent, but undervalued by 56 percent on the big Mac Index.
The magazine reported that it rejected to use the price of the Economist for measuring exchange rates as the magazine is not published in many of the countries. //Commersant.ru//

[14.01.2004, 11:00]
Coffee and Tea Import in Russia Is Up... ... State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation (GTK RF) has reported that January-November 2003 imports in Russia reached $50,6 billion, a gain of 22,2 percent compared with the same period 2002. Imports from far abroad increased to $38,7 billion, up 19,9 percent. Imports from the CIS member-countries reached $11,9 billion, 30,3 percent above 2002.
Share of foodstuffs and raw materials for the food industry in the structure of import of goods from far abroad made up 21,3 percent against 24,1 percent of respective period of last year. Coffee import volumes from far abroad are up 30,5 percent, compared with January-November 2002. Tea import volumes from the CIS member-countries saw an increase of 16,0 percent for the period January-November 2003.
Source: //Prime-tass.ru//

[09.01.2004, 12:00]
Tea, Coffee and Snow Volleyball... ... The First Snow Volleyball Christmas Festival was a huge success, with 12 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams competing on the frosty Christmas day near Saint Petersburg, supported by 300 fans. The event brought everybody many good spirits and a wide range of emotions. Both participants and guests agreed in opinion that the Snow Volleyball Festival can and must become a tradition. The official drinks of the Festival - tea “Princess Nuri” and coffee “Jockey” kept everybody warm in the Christmas frost. //Nevasport.ru//

[08.01.2004, 12:10]
Dual Card ... Starbucks Card Duetto Visa, launched by Starbucks Coffee Company and Bank One, is the first card of dual functionality - cardmembers can enjoy a Visa credit card combined with the Starbucks Card.
The card is re-loadable and can be used almost in all of the Starbucks locations. Besides, cardmembers earn so called Duetto dollars that are loaded onto their Starbucks Card Account and can be used to buy coffee or anything else at Starbucks. //Profil.orc.ru//

[06.01.2004, 10:30]
Brazil Cup of Excellence Auction: record number of winning lots ... According to the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), a record number of lots was sold at the fifth Brazil Cup of Excellence auction, which was held in December, 2003. 43 farmers sold their coffee at an average premium price five times higher than the traditional C category coffee or commercial contract. The average price per lot for all of the 43 was over $3,00 per pound.
The most expensive lot sold for $10.15 per pound to Japan company, which was bidding on behalf of several roasters from the Country of the Rising Sun. The 8 top lots sold for an average of $6,00 per pound, which is about 10 times the average price for Brazil coffees.
The number 2 coffee was bought by the London based importer, which supplies coffee to roasters located in England, France, Spain and the Netherlands. - the group buying coffee for several actions already. Until today the record number of winning lots belonged to the Nicaragua auction.
As part of the Cup of Excellence program, 10 auctions have been held, with every lot of high quality coffee sold at a premium.
The growing number of lots represented at the auction indicates that there is a growing interest for high quality coffees. While five years ago the Cup of Excellence program attracted only the most curious, now it has become the main way of selecting and discovering premium coffees, as well as a unique educational process for farmers, roasters and consumers. //Cupofexcellence.com//

[05.01.2004, 10:30]
The crew of the International Space Station saw in the New Year with tea at Greenwich time ... The crew of the International Space Station marked the New Year 2004, the CNN reported.
Russian astronaut Alexandr Kaleri and his British-born crew mate, Michael Foale, celebrated the New Year at midnight London time because the station’s clock was set to Greenwich Mean Time.
The astronauts said in a video link that they celebrated the New Year with an onboard Christmas tree.
With all alcohol banned from the space station, they toasted each other and the New Year with a glass of tea - with sugar for Kaleri and milk for Foate. The New Year menu also include roast chicken.
The souvenirs from home were delivered to the space station by a cargo ship several months ago but the crew was patiently waiting to unwrap them. //Lenta.ru//