How is COVID-19 impacting coffee in New Zealand?
COVID-19 is sweeping the world and impacting many parts of our lives.
But is it impacting our daily coffee here in New Zealand?
For most people - no, not at this stage - unless you have a keep cup that is (Stuff: Cafes ban keep-cups due to virus risk). For some cafe owners though, there are some reporters of a bit of a slow down.
For the coffee industry, there have been some major impacts, including the postponement of the New Zealand Barista Champs, and the big show over in Melbourne.
Coffee Supreme in Wellington have dropped a line to their customers about things. Here's what they had to say:
...coffee is truly a global product and we can’t be certain of how this pandemic will play out and the effects it may have - however we are putting lots of focus on planning to mitigate these - our livelihoods depend on it
Coffee Supreme customer mail out - March 2020
So, what can we as consumers be doing to support the industry right now?
There's a few things:
Wash ya hands! Don't go into a cafe and touch everything with dirty hands. Clean hands save lives - so wash ya damn hands.
If ya sick, don't roll into your local cafe! You might make them sick, and then everyone misses out.
If ya not sick, and ya have clean hands, support your cafe by skipping that crappy office coffee, and doubling down your coffee spend. All day, err day get that coffee in ya.
Usually make your lunch? What a waste of precious time - you're more important than that! Get into your cafe and buy your breakfast, buy your lunch, hell, buy some dinner too.
Have you been self-isolated because you licked a friend's keyboard? You can still support your local coffee roaster by buying some online to brew at home. Just in case the illness makes you a bit forgetful, lock down a coffee subscription - the right amount of coffee, delivered, every week, automatically. Coffee Supreme have one, Rocket Coffee have one, Vanguard Coffee have one. DO IT.
If you're keen to see how other parts of the world are dealing with coffee and COVID-19, check out sprudge.com.