I love this time of year at Fresh Cup. Being the editor of a publication with a frequent posting cadence (we publish three to four stories per week, all of which I read, hear pitches for, and post directly on the site) means we must move quickly. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget just how extraordinary our writers’ work is—or the fact that they manage to regularly put together some of the industry’s most insightful and carefully considered coffee stories.
Every year, we compile a list of our team’s favorite stories. Of course, the storytelling is always top-notch, but we also consider elements like art, photos, quotes, and impact. Did this story answer a question we didn’t even know was essential until we read the piece? Does that story reveal something new about coffee that we haven’t seen explored elsewhere?
Many of our readers also gravitate to these thought-provoking stories—that’s why so many end up on our top-10 most-read features list each year. Others fly under the radar, but still spark interesting conversations and further exploration.
So, without further ado, here are the Fresh Cup team’s favorite stories from 2024. Revisit them now, and let us know which ones resonated for you.
Will It Oat? Oat Milk’s Explosive Entry Into Coffee—and How It’ll Continue To Transform the Food Industry by Chloé Skye Weiser
I love stories like this: It literally came about with the opening question in the title. In an email thread with repeat contributor Chloé, who writes a lot about sustainability, we chatted about a few story ideas. I think the “will it oat” question was just written somewhere in Chloé’s notes, and we decided to run with it. Her story ended up going deep on the potential and future of oat-based products—it turns out that, apart from barista-ready milk, there’s much more oat can do.
The Coffee Marketing Pyramid by Garrett Oden
In an article from our brand-new Coffee Shop Handbook (which you can by signing up for our Welcome Box), Fresh Cup publisher Garrett Oden gave one of the most comprehensive breakdowns of marketing for the coffee business. “In an industry like coffee,” he wrote, “where products and experiences can seem similar on the surface, leaning into your brand’s depth and authenticity is often the mechanism—the magic—that unlocks exceptional strategy and memorable marketing.”
Everything You Need To Know About the EU’s Deforestation Legislation by Fionn Pooler
Fionn Pooler, who writes one of our newsletters, Coffee News Club, has been covering the neverending rollercoaster that is the EUDR, a set of legislation from the EU that’s designed to reduce deforestation. The EUDR is a big deal in coffee, and stands to impact farmers and importers. This piece functioned as a landing page that explained its potential impact and pushback—if you still have questions about the EUDR, you’ll find the answers here.
Behind the Headlines: Starbucks Cut Back on Discounts, But Were Discounts Ever Worth It? by Amber Gibson
Speaking of Coffee News Club, sometimes Fionn reports on a news story that prompts more questions than it answers. So we approached one of our regular writers, Amber Gibson, to launch a new series that goes behind the headlines and delves into coffee’s trending topics. Recently, Fionn reported on Starbucks’ decision to cut back on its discounts and drink deals, so Amber asked: Do discounts actually make a difference for coffee business owners in the first place?
When Is the Right Time for Coffee Roasters To Rebrand? by Haley Greene
Again, we’re all about answering essential questions at Fresh Cup. In this article, Haley talked to roasters to learn how they decided to rebrand, and whether they wanted to give fresh life to a well-loved business or to communicate new values and direction for an ever-evolving brand. Check out the visuals on this one: The photos really illustrate Haley’s argument.
In Colombia, Making Coffee Viable for Young Producers by Nick Castellano
Nick Castellano has done an incredible job covering coffee-growing issues in South America. You should check out all his work, but what I love about this piece in particular is the voice Nick gave young producers, particularly in an industry where the average coffee farmer is in their 50s. This is another story with beautiful photos, especially the header image.
Parallel Play Series by Aaron Fender
I love a series, and when Aaron Fender, owner of Portrait Coffee in Atlanta, pitched the idea for this series—based on a concept in early childhood education, in which kids learn from playing next to each other before they develop language skills—I had to say yes. Across this series, Aaron uses that framework to learn from others around him, and reflect on ideas he implements in his coffee business.
We Went to De-Escalation Training: Here’s Everything We Learned by Lydia Stolper
You might have heard of the practice of de-escalation, so we were excited to join Eric Grimm and Laila Ghambari’s de-escalation training, which focused on techniques baristas and other coffee workers can use to take down the temperature and make others feel safe and looked after. I think this is an essential read for anyone who works in coffee.
Coffee at Sea by Fionn Pooler
Another must-read story from Fionn, who is excellent at exploring how power and silence function within the global coffee industry. After taking an exhaustive look at timely news coverage, Fionn discussed how the coffee industry at large speaks about war, Gaza, and global conflict, arguing that the industry prioritizes profit over people.
Welcoming Home Baristas Into Coffee: ‘It’s On Us, the Professionals’ by Miranda Haney
I once read an article from a well-known coffee figure. He mentioned that consumer preferences have much to do with the standards that we as professionals set, and I think this article speaks to that responsibility. In this story, Miranda Haney talked to coffee professionals about bridging the gap between home baristas and pros, and how those in the industry have to work to extend that friendly and welcoming hand. Also, these are some of my favorite graphics we’ve ever produced.
Did we mention your favorite Fresh Cup article? If not, leave a comment or tag us on social media—you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and tell us which story you loved. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in 2025!
