January | February 2022
From the Publisher
The founder and publisher of Roast magazine, Connie Blumhardt has spent 25 years in magazine publishing and has worked in the coffee industry for the last 20 years. Connie brings the same passion and commitment to this industry journal that is present within the roasting community.
With each issue, Connie brings insight and inspiration to the pages of Roast with this column.
Connie Blumhardt, Publisher
WHEN I CONSIDER THE STATE of our business, two opposing thoughts are often battling for space. First, there are so many coffee roasters today. Second, there is still so much opportunity for new and existing coffee roasters. As with most things in life, each view is informed and influenced by my unique history and the pieces of my history that are at the forefront of my mind on that day.
When considering the number of coffee roasters operating today, the initial thought is informed by a baseline set over a decade ago. At one time, it seemed like a thousand or two thousand roasters would be a lot and perhaps the market was approaching saturation. It’s only natural to think that today’s numbers (thousands of roasters) represent a peak when comparing to the historical numbers.
However, I firmly believe that we are in an exciting and expanding time for coffee roasters. Roasters are constantly developing and refining technical expertise, joining with growers to increase quality, and creating new flavor profiles. As we stand on the foundations of those who have worked hard to bring the market to where it is today, there is still much more to explore.
While reviewing the two articles in this issue that discuss scent (“Exploring Scent: The Science, History and Purpose Behind Le Nez du Café”) and aroma (“Reflecting on the Art Behind the Science of Coffee Aroma”), it became clear that there is not only an infinite combination of compounds delivering flavors and aromas to the cup, but there is also an infinite combination of memories and experiences that consumers bring to the cup as well. Not only do our individual experiences with coffee reflect the qualities of the beverage itself, but they also draw on strong aroma-memory connections, with new connections constantly being formed as we move through life.
All of this means that the nature of individual tastes—and hence the markets to appeal to those tastes—are always evolving, thus bringing opportunities for new and existing roasting businesses alike.
Covering how roasting businesses are leading the way to new markets, as well as adapting to their customers’ evolving tastes, is one of the most exciting parts of our work. I hope you find the articles thought-provoking and are inspired to look at coffee roasting in a slightly new way.
Warmest Wishes,
Connie
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