Intro

Hanna Neuschwander. A science communicator, or as she likes to call herself, a translator within the coffee industry. And I have to say: that description fits her perfectly. In this episode, you’ll hear a deep and hopeful conversation about the future of coffee. You’ll also discover a story that has never been told — the untold history of the world’s oldest coffee variety. We revisit the important distinctions between varieties, hybrids, lines, and crosses. And most importantly, we explore why breeding new coffee varieties is critical for the future of the industry.

You know, sometimes I’m amazed and honestly, a little ashamed at how much money flows into companies making the next best coffee machine or the next great brewer, and how little support goes to the very foundation of coffee: the plant itself. This entire industry is skating on thin ice. And Hanna, together with World Coffee Research, is working tirelessly to keep that ice from melting. Which, in a warming world, is no easy task.

Let’s dive into the essential and inspiring work of World Coffee Research.