We blinked, and now it's 2023. A crazy year in all aspects of life, which I am sure most can relate to.
We have endured challenges at every stage of the supply chain for all of us in specialty coffee. 2021 saw us trying to come out of COVID but still dealing with substantial logistical issues. That’s probably simplifying things, but these issues significantly impacted the complete supply chain.
2022 saw a return to something along the lines of routine, and not to be “cliché,” but the term normal is no longer apropos. However, we saw continued innovation on the specialty side of the equation, all attempting to achieve a healthier market. Here is an excellent read on all the work being done on the green side of the business: https://dailycoffeenews.com/2022/12/30/the-green-coffee-industry-in-2022-saw-more-data-and-tech/
If you would like a larger perspective on all that happened in 2022, here is a link to a trove of articles on all that occurred in 2022. https://dailycoffeenews.com/tag/2022-year-in-review/
Here at Firedancer, 2022 was a year to remember. We are back to teaching full classes, with us being one of the few offering all the SCA’s Coffee Skills classes throughout the year, with most every month. This past year we have helped hundreds achieve their SCA certifications.
We have added additional roasters; a 3-kilo and a 25-kilo. Add these to our existing 1-kilo and 5-kilo, and bring us to four. The bottom line is that we can expand class sizes, and everyone gets one-on-one time with a roaster.
We expanded our brewing and barista equipment with two new espresso machines, a new commercial brewer, and another dozen manual devices. This brings our total brew methods and types to over 50 (and still growing!).
We are also proud to have our training facility become a “Q” venue professional, which allows us to offer the whole CQI suite of courses in the coming year.
In addition, we have expanded our educational offerings for 2023. Be on the lookout for the following:
Skill Building Workshops: these are not SCA certification courses, but shorter, ½ to full-day classes focused on specific areas in coffee. Some examples are a deep dive into the SCA flavor wheel, a full-day course on water chemistry, and a cold brew intensive which covers the how and the regulatory aspects.
CQI courses from in-depth coffee processing to the renowned “Q” arabica combo course!
Expanded Food Safety Courses, webinars, and consulting services; we are the leader in coffee-related food safety and 3rd party certifications. Whether you are a small one-person shop, or a company doing millions of pounds a year, we can cater to your specific needs and budget.
We will also continue to offer all modules and levels of the SCA Coffee Skills program during the year. This includes the Introduction to Coffee, Green Coffee, Sensory Skills, Roasting, Brewing, and Barista modules. Our most popular courses are offered every month!
Let us know if you would like to see a class on something specific. We might be able to make it happen.
Check out our educational website:
Check out our consulting website:
We look forward to working with the specialty coffee community in 2023 and beyond. Don’t forget about our free 30-minute consultations. If you have questions about anything we offer, what educational path might be right for you, help evaluate your food safety needs, are looking to open a business in coffee, set up a time for us to assist you. No cost and no pressure advice. Click here to schedule today:
