The Vournas Coffee Blog
A Shout Out To Mike

This month instead of doing my Part II of my recent Guatemala trip, I decided instead to pay tribute to one of the greats that I have lost in my life and someone who contributed so much to the coffee world, my brother, Mike. Brother, Friend and Partner September 12…
Read More
Guatemala In Five Days

Recently I had the pleasure to take a Guatemala farm tour. Having not been there for six or so years I was excited to see how it changed. My first trip to Guatemala was back in 1990 when dictators ruled the city and rebels the countryside. I had only been…
Read More
Coffee Market Goes South Of The Equator

Okay, I admit it. I drank the Kool-Aid. I believed the coffee market would hit $2.50. Now of course since the coffee market has gone south we are sitting at $1.65 we are a bit far away. What has changed since we hit a high of $2.19? Well to be…
Read More
Central American Coffee Rust On The Rise

Reported by the Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2014 AP - Fraijanes, Guatemala For years, Hernan Argue-ta’s small plot of coffee plants seemed immune to the fungus spreading elsewhere in Central America. The airborne disease that strikes coffee plants, flecking their leaves with spots and causing them to wither and…
Read More
Brazilian Exports Cool Coffee’s Rally

Prices Are Down 14% From April's Peak, but Tighter Supplies Could Mean More Price Spikes Later Wall Street Journal | May 14, 2014 By Leslie Josephs Surging coffee prices have spurred Brazilian growers and dealers to export more beans. The increase in shipments has helped bring prices down 14% from…
Read More
Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Two weeks ago I traveled to Seattle for this years SCAA Convention, which was a major milestone for me. It was my 25th consecutive SCAA Show and perhaps the most well attended in history. A Little Bit Of History Indeed in looking back my first SCAA was in Oakland, California…
Read More
Coffee Market Soars | C-Market Update

These three words, “Coffee Market Soars” are what we hate to hear. There is no rational reason the market should be this high which to date is $1.93. This is very significant because $2.00 is a magic number in the coffee market. Turning A Corner At $1.60 It is worth…
Read More
Brazilian Dry Spell Stirs Coffee Prices

Wall Street Journal | February 4, 2014 By Leslie Josephs and Alexandra Wexler Coffee futures staged their biggest rally in eight years Monday amid worries that abnormally dry weather in Brazil would hurt the country's crop. The dry spell in Brazil, the world's biggest producer of coffee, has forced many…
Read More
Happy Holidays To You All

This time of year I like to take a step back and be thankful. First I would like to thank our 200 plus roasters. We never take you for granted. Your loyalty, friendship and your dedication to bringing our green coffees to life is appreciated. This magical process of roasting…
Read More
Interview With Dave Day From Growers First

This last May I was very lucky to be able to see the impact of Growers First in Honduras. My trip consisted of a combination of education, philanthropy and visits to farms and mills. The programs implemented by Growers First are making a huge impact at the farmer’s level as…
Read More