pcca newsletter june 2015 - Pacific Coast Coffee Association

What’s Brewing?
PCCA 14TH ANNUAL PETE MCLAUGHLIN
By: John Hornung,
CUPPING COMPETITION
Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee, Inc.
Through the years, I’ve attended a little over a half-dozen of the PCCA’s Pete McLaughlin Memorial Cupping Competitions, and numerous times
I‘ve either asked, or heard others ask, “Who was Pete McLaughlin?” and “Why did they name a cupping competition after him?” This year’s event
gave many of us a chance to answer those questions.
Twenty-five of us gathered at the Annex in San Leandro to see old friends, meet new ones, and savor the flavors of Colombia’s finest coffees as
submitted by PCCA members. Ian Kluse and Joshua Marsceau of Olam did the sample roasting, Sompong Deewarat of XD Espresso, Jose Ramirez
of Farmers Bros., and Sean McLaughlin of McLaughlin Coffee donated time and/or equipment, and Dave Weber, his wife Cathy, Annex volunteers
Hugo De La Roca and David “Buzz” Romero, along with Lisa Muller, and myself prepared the water, the cups, and the coffee while the crowd
gathered and introduced itself.
In lieu of a presentation from the country of origin, this year we were honored with the appearance of Pete McLaughlin’s brother Mike, and
Mike’s two sons, Shaun and Mark. They are keeping the flames burning at McLaughlin Coffee since Pete passed away in 1998. Mike inspired us
with stories of Pete’s dedication to the PCCA, of how much he loved working in coffee, and of how his brother was such a charismatic guy, “he
could sell icicles to Eskimos!”
The story of Royal and McLaughlin coffees began when Pete and his cousin Bob Fulmer co-founded Royal Coffee in Emeryville, California in the
late 1970's. They started out as importers and Pete was adamant that they focus on only the finest coffees. “Pete was ahead of his time,” Bob
explains. “He was a true believer in the possibilities of specialty coffee.”
“I thought Pete was either crazy or a genius,” Bob says. It turns out he may have been a little bit of both. “He loved to joke and pull pranks,” Bob
continues, “Honestly, he’d rather make a joke than a sale!”
“But he was totally dedicated to his craft,” Bob adds. “Pete would tell me, ‘Bob, if you’re going to be in this business, you’ve really got to love your
product.’”
They began with an old Royal brand roaster that was previously roasting peanuts. “We started out selling our coffee at the Alameda flea market,”
Bob recalls. “We’d call on every coffee shop or roaster we could find. If we read that a new roaster opened up in Montana, well, we’d drive on up
to Montana.”
Bob says their first office was so small, they warehoused the coffee on the sidewalk. “We’d have the trucks deliver the coffee in the morning and
we’d have it sold and outta there by the end of the day.”
Pete and Bob had a dream of opening up what they called the “Candy Store” in Emeryville. They wanted to stock and sell a variety of the very
best coffees from origins around the world, “but we couldn’t find a big enough client base for that to come true,” Bob says with a touch of regret.
Eventually, they found others in the coffee world who shared their belief in specialty coffee and in 1982 a few of them assembled in Royal
Coffee’s Emeryville warehouse and drafted the charter for the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
Pete and Bob saw potential profits in retail sales, but they weren’t interested in running that end of the business. They invited Pete’s brother
Mike to learn the art of roasting and started McLaughlin Coffee in 1983. (Mike says he learned the art on that 10 lb. peanut roaster!) Pete and
Bob got Mike going, but their intent was always that he’d take it on as his own. Today, Mike runs McLaughlin Coffee with his two sons and their
custom roasted beans are savored by loyal customers throughout the Bay Area.
Pete and Bob eventually succumbed to the lure of greater income and in 1985 opened the Royal Coffee shop on College Ave. in the Elmwood
District of Oakland/Berkeley. “On weekends we’d get the propane burner out and roast the coffee on the sidewalk,” Bob remembers. “There’s
nothing like the smell of roasting coffee to draw the customers in!” Eventually Bob offered the shop to his store manager, Mike Murphy who runs
it under the name Cole Coffee, still at its original location on the corner of College and 63rd.
What stands out in the memories of those who knew Pete is how much he was admired, respected, and loved, and how he was someone who
stood out in the crowd. Jim Reynolds, Roastmaster Emeritus, and known as the official ambassador of Peet’s Coffee, remembers “Pete was always
busy, a bundle of energy, always getting something done, always for the good…” Pete’s uncle Bert Fulmer says “Pete had a big heart. He cared
about everybody in the coffee business, especially the growers, the workers in the fields, the guys who drove the trucks...” His nephew Shaun put
Pedlike
it this way in his blog: “His sense of humor and fearlessness were second to none, and there has never been, nor will there ever be, Bruce
anyone
him.”
When he was president of the PCCA in 2000 Reynolds initiated the idea of a tribute to Pete in the form of a cupping competition. Jim first met
Pete when he was the coffee buyer for Starbucks in Seattle and Pete and Bob called on him as green coffee traders. The three became great
friends and shared many memorable years as members of the PCCA. Reynolds says it was Pete's love of great coffees, his energetic and magnetic
personality, and his enthusiasm for the PCCA that inspired him to honor Pete with the annual cupping competition. “At a time when the PCCA
was struggling with membership,” Reynolds remembers, “Pete was a driving force in recruiting the new wave and specialty coffee businesses who
helped revitalize the Association. I also wanted us to be reminded of the great character of people who have made the PCCA what it is.”
The first McLaughlin Cupping Competition was held Thursday, April 5th, 2001 at Bay Meadows race track in San Mateo and featured the coffees
of El Salvador. Memories and time have obscured the details, but the coffee may have been roasted and ground at the Rogers Family Coffee
roasting facility in San Leandro, or with Tom Kilty at Mountanos Coffee. There are rumors of wages won and lost, a PCCA dedicated race, a filly
named Candi Moonshine, and some PCCA tomfoolery. Needless to say, it was a successful event spawning a tradition that has lasted 14 years.
After Pete was diagnosed with cancer, he was out scouting a new course for the PCCA’s fall golf tournament with Pete Rogers of Rogers Family
Coffee (the convention was in spring in those days). Rogers remembers Pete turning to him with his trademark earnestness and saying, “Don’t let
the PCCA die, Pete! Don’t let it ever die!”
Don’t worry, Pete, it never died, and neither will our memories, our admiration, and our thanks to you for all you’ve done for the PCCA: They live
on in the Annual Pete McLaughlin Memorial Cupping Competition. See y’all at next year’s event!
This year's top coffee honors go to: Miriam Adriana Briñez Coffee/Las Lajas Farm/Submitted by: Walker Coffee Trading/Competition Coffee
Sample #8
Miriam Adriana Briñez bought Las Lajas farm 9 years ago. Running it as a family business, she manages the farm with her father, Jose Briñez, who
acts as the farm administrator. When Miriam acquired the farm, conditions were poor: the coffee trees were very old and had been planted
without any apparent thought to planning. The Briñez family has been hard at work to improve conditions of the farm ever since. New farming
techniques and technologies have been utilized to improve the quality and quantity of harvest, and the impact of the farm on the native
environment has driven the implementation of sustainable practices. The farm Las Lajas is located in the Tena municipality of Colombia in the
department of Cundinamarca. This coffee is a mixture of the Castillo, Colombia, and Typica varietals. Produced on 1.8 hectares of land at roughly
6,000 ft, Las Lajas coffee's main harvest goes from spring through early summer. Congratulations! The winning cupper will be announced at the
annual convention in September at The Meritage Resort, Napa, CA!
.
The Association Advisor
June 2015
A message from the President MICHAEL BOYD
Dear Members:
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your PCCA president. I sincerely believe that John, the new
Board and I have led you ably this year.
The Board of Directors and I thank you for attending our successful 83nd annual Pacific Coast Coffee Association
Convention at Sunriver Resort, OR. This year's event has received great reviews from everyone in attendance. Sunriver
provided our membership beautiful views and excellent environment to be a family. We once again had fabulous
speakers which gave us insights into the most pressing issues affecting our industry.
I would personally like to thank the sponsors of our event whom without them we this event could not be hosted at the
great level it was. A special appreciation to Marco Figueiredo our very own PCCA Artist and Board Member from Ally
Coffee for the donation of the oil painting which helped us bring in a substantial amount of donations. Thank you
everyone for your support!
The 14th Pete McLaughlin Cupping Competition was held on November 7th celebrating coffees from Colombia. This
years winner was Miriam Adriana Briñez Coffee from Las Lajas Farm, the sample was submitted by Walker Coffee
Trading. Congratulations!
Our Holiday Dinner held at The Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, CA on December 5th provided a great ambiance with
delicious food and of course lots of fun especially with the photo booth sponsored by GreenFolia. The evening was of
course topped by the Oregon Ducks crushing the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac12 championship game. Great job Lisa for
planning such a wonderful evening for the attendees.
The PCCA/Commodity Futures and Risk Management Seminar took place this year the two days before the SCAA Expo in
Seattle, thank you Albert Scalla for once again enlightening us with such great information.
Your Board is planning very informative and enjoyable Educational Seminars for this Spring and Summer to be held in
various areas to reach as any members as we can. They will lead us to our 84rd Annual Convention in Napa California at
the Meritage Resort - please join us at another great location with many activities for our members.
All these events are designed to help bring the association together for exchange of ideas, while continuing to keep the
coffee trade on the west coast at the high level it has come to expect. Thank you for supporting these events with your
attendance.
Sincerely yours,
Michael C. Boyd
President, Pacific Coast Coffee Association
PCCA’S 84th ANNUAL CONVENTION
September 17, 18, 19, 2015
The Meritage Resort & Spa
Napa, California
The PCCA thanks our Gold Level Sponsors!
PCCA Croquet Tournament 2014
Doug Welsh, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc.
Gold Level Sponsorship
American Packaging Corporation
Annex Warehousing
Arianna Farms ‘Ono Kona Coffee LLC
Bemis North America
Boyd’s Coffee
East Bay Logistics Coffee Distribution
F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.
Farmers Brothers Company
Fres-co System USA
Greenfolia
Greenwell Farms, Inc.
ICA USA Packaging
Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee
OLAM Specialty Coffee
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc.
Plitek, LLC
Rogers Family Company
Scolari Engineering S.P.A.
Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers
Ultra Flex Packaging Corporation
Andrew Vournas overcame his shyness. Petrus Dufaur overcame being partnered with Andrew Vournas. Everyone overcame the pall of
clement weather, with its noxiously clean air, coniferous odor, and the nearly constant threat of sunshine breaking out in the middle of all the
sunshine. There was suffering. It was deep and prolonged (see Guido “Tap-Tap” Fernandez). But then there was perseverance, and ultimately
triumph. Penultimately, there was booze.
Oregon—please pronounce it Orygun—is not a pretty place. Everywhere there are trees getting in the way of mountains, mountains in the
way of trees. (Several of these mountains have the nerve to be snow-capped—in late summer, no less—and conical: perfect, thrusting,
majestic things that make one feel of something less than average majesty, if that’s anyone’s business.) Reeds and grasses grow obnoxiously
on the verge of rivers; rivers with water in them.
What could the kid Vournas, from Los Angeles, know of such things? Petrus, we don’t know where he’s from, except that they’re whitemaned and charming, and speak a bunch of languages. These guys won the event, I’m not sure how; I make up different rules every year but I
don’t pay much attention.
Connie Blumhardt, making her first appearance at PCCA, debuted at the top. She would have won but for bad, mind-numbing, soul-numbing,
spectator-numbing advice from Guido. Connie confided to this reporter—or possibly didn’t know that I was one—that she has always had a
particular affection for tapping the ball without moving it, and that even though this seemed boring and unsportswomanlike, it wasn’t. It was
fun, and too bad for anyone who thought otherwise. I believe I have quoted her exactly.
Dave Griswold showed up for the first time in many years to take a picture of the Croquet Chairman in a compromised (dorsal) attitude and
Tweeted it or Instagramed it, or Somethinged it, all across the known cosmos. But I showed him; I don’t know how to view Instagram.
In short, this year’s croquet tournament was the usual drudgery, with the added insult of the setting. Sunriver, this is really a bit of a
misnomer, if not outright false advertising. Personally I observed several times when the sun was not out, mostly in the period between
midnight and dawn, and there are actually two rivers. Wildlife is constantly trying to get into the act, and although there is a lot of talk about
the people, they’re really about as nice as Mike Abrams. I don’t recommend we return here until the next time we need to hold a conference.
Left to right: Connie Blumhardt, Andrew Vournas, Doug Welsh, Petrus
Dufaur, Guido Fernandez
Croquet Winners
1st place: Andrew Vournas, Petrus Dufaur
2nd place: Connie Blumhardt, Guido Fernandez
Semi Finalists: Albert Scalla/Daniel Robles //Annette & Ian Kluse
Michael Boyd Becomes New PCCA President
Jose Ramirez, Michael Boyd
Michael Boyd Boyd Coffee Company, assumed the presidency of the PCCA at
the association’s convention at The Sunriver Resort, Sunriver, Oregon, in
September from Jose Ramirez, Farmer Bros. Company. Michael is a fourthgeneration Boyd family member. He evaluates and purchases green coffee and
travels to coffee-growing regions. He is an active member of the SCAA and a
Licensed Q Grader.
Michael C. Boyd, Coffee Buyer, is a fourth-generation Boyd family member. He
joined Boyd Coffee Company in 2004 after working in the Finance and
Insurance Industries. Michael holds a BA Degree with a finance concentration
from the University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore., and an MBA from Willamette
University, Salem, Ore.
At Boyd’s, Michael’s responsibilities have included finance, insurance and pricing. In 2009, Michael joined the
coffee purchasing and evaluating team. In that capacity, he evaluates, negotiates and purchases green coffee and
travels to coffee-growing regions to examine coffees at origin. In addition to being the president of the PCCA he is
the president of the Oregon Coffee Board and an active member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America
where he is on the Sustainability Council. Jose Ramirez will remain on the PCCA board as immediate past president
and John Hornung, V.P Purchasing & Sales, Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee is the new PCCA vice president.
PCCAPCCA
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
2014-201520102011
The 2014-2015 PCCA Board of Directors was installed at the September Convention
The PCCA would like to express its
gratitude to those whose time, effort and
assistance aided in making this year’s
convention an amazing success!
The PCCA thanks our
Door Prize Sponsors!
Special thanks to:
Door Prizes
Michael Boyd
Jose Ramirez
John Hornung
Albert Scalla
Marco Figueiredo
Dave Weber
Cathy Weber
Doug Welsh
Heather Kenward
Monica Walker
Sandra Muller
Annex Warehousing
Atlantic Specialty Coffee
Boyd Coffee Company
Descafeinadores Mexicanos S.A. De C.V.
Greenwell Farms, Inc.
Harold L. King Company, Inc.
Olam Specialty Coffee
Tryco Coffee Service, Ltd.
WIPF
Walker Coffee Trading, LP
PCCA Events 2015
April 8 & 9 , 2015
PCCA/INTL FCStone/ Albert Scalla
2 day Futures and Options Seminar
Seattle Sheraton
April 9, 2015
PCCA at SCAA
2nd Annual get together at SCAA
TAPHOUSE Grill - Seattle, Washington, Inc.
May 5, 2015
Tea Tasting and Seminar
David De Candia, Global Director of Tea Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Camarillo CA
Patrick Stewart - Greenwell Farms, Frank Gaviña - Gaviña & Sons, Inc, Stanley Soebianto - Greenfolia,
John Hornung - Incasa Soluble Coffee, Michael Boyd - Boyd Coffee Company, Dave Weber - Annex
Warehouse, Kristina Brouhard - Peerless Coffee Company, Daniel Robles – Descafeinadores Mexicanos
S.A. de C.V., Jose Ramirez – Farmer Bros., Lisa Muller – PCCA,
*not pictured: Shelby Westfeldt Mills – Westfeldt Bros, Inc.
September 17, 18, 19, 2015
Pacific Coast Coffee Association • 84th Annual Convention
Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa, California
December 2015
Pacific Coast Coffee Association • Holiday Party
Date and Venue to be determined
The PCCA thanks our Silver Level Sponsors!
PCCA 83rd Convention: Sunriver Resort 2014
It's hard not to fall in love with Oregon on a beautiful summer's day.--Robert Spector
By: Frank Gaviña,By
F. Michael
Gaviña &Gaviña,
Sons, Inc.
Silver Level Sponsorship
Cascade Coffee, Inc.
Coffee Network
Coffee Resources, Inc.
Continental Terminals, Inc.
Descafeinadores Mexicanos S.A. de C.V.
Flavor Waves Inc.
INTL FCStone
Louis Dreyfus Commodities/Zephyr Green Coffee Importers
Marcel S. Garrigues Company
MauiGrown Coffee
M.J. Nugent & Company, Inc.
P.W. Bellingall, Inc.
Peerless Coffee Company
Tryco Coffee Service, Ltd.
Vournas Coffee Trading
Walker Coffee Trading, LP
Westfeldt Brothers, Inc.
Ah, September 2014. Who could forget the iconic and globally significant events of that fateful month? Scottish voters turning out in record
numbers to elect to remain a part of the United Kingdom; Police in Hong Kong brutally cracking down on anti-government protestors in the
heart of the financial district threatening to destabilize trade in East Asia; Serena Williams winning her third straight US Open women’s singles
title. Of course, most significant of all was Oregon’s triumphant inauguration into the coffee-event-hosting big leagues, when the PCCA
convened the 83rd Annual Meeting at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR.
Long considered the mere “hat” where California stored its guns and freedoms, Oregon ably proved
itself capable of hosting and entertaining the membership of the PCCA because of its devastatingly
effective combination of craft beers and great outdoors. Indeed, for a Los Angeles native like yours
truly, the clarity of the air and the proliferation of natural foliage were nearly overwhelming. It is
with the utmost sincerity that I extend thanks on behalf of the membership to the Board of
Directors generally, and our president Michael Boyd specifically, for pushing the (geographical)
boundaries and bringing this unique twist to the classic convention. Attendees wasted no time in
kicking off the convention at The Great Hall courtyard with the Welcome Reception & Dinner. Old
friends exchanged pleasantries, new friendships were forged, and a good time was generally had by
all. Attendance was regrettably a touch lower than the prior year, driven in large part by the
relatively out-of-the-way location.
Michael Boyd, Ryan McKinnon, Marco Figueiredo
However, those who made the trek were rewarded for their commitment by the incredible surroundings. The critically important “survival kits”
were distributed, and contained a hand-selected assortment of implements that non-native Oregonians would need in order to fend for
themselves: gloves, beanies, and flashlights. I, for one, will henceforth look at NCA goodie bags with scornful disdain for their lack of practicality.
The business meeting was shockingly well attended, as befitted the caliber of speakers this year. The board expends no mean amount of effort
in its mission to provide education and information to the membership, and our annual speakers are an excellent vehicle for doing so. Indeed,
we were privileged to hear yet another poignant and timely sermon from Mark Williams of BBH extolling the virtues of capital investments;
watch a heart-rending video on a novel issue facing coffee producers from David Griswold of Sustainable Harvest, in which he delved into the
immigration challenges stemming from unsustainable coffee practices; understand the situation in Brazil from the perspective of the coffee
grower thanks to Francisco Oriquio’s presentation on behalf of the Coffee Growers Cooperative of Sao Sebastiao do Paraiso; and explore
drinking trends and marketing insights as presented by Maral Karagozian of Farmer Bros, particularly with regards to those dastardly millenials.
Those of us who hauled ourselves out of bed were privileged to receive such raw and compelling insights from all our speakers.
After the meeting, attendees changed into their croquet outfits for the infamous and ever-popular croquet tournament. PCCA Croquet (an
ancient Sanskrit word for “sport of kingly fashion”) brings out the best and worst in people; we’ve seen actions as selfish as the theft of the
winner’s mallet in the past and as selfless as…no, I guess it just brings out the competitive side in everyone! In a shocking Freaky Friday-esque
role reversal, Michael Boyd dressed as Frank Gaviña and Frank Gaviña dressed as Michael Boyd. Neither one’s fashion sense was enough to
overcome good old fashioned talent at the game, and this year’s winners won a hard fought contest. May we meet again next year on the field
of battle.
Dinner was held at the Great Hall, a beautiful cabin-like space that simply oozed authentic woodsy flair. The dinner, while excellent, paled in
comparison to the surprise that John Hornung had cooked up with the Board for us. Like a crack military unit hitting the parade grounds, the
Board of Directors proceeded to line dance with a graceful precision rarely seen outside of former Soviet ballet performances. No more than
three repetitions of the dance had passed before the rest of the membership, embarrassed impressed by the Board’s moves, hit the floor. The
night quickly flew by in a blur of laughing, dancing, and more laughing. I think I even heard a little Miami Sound Machine thrown in for good
measure!
The following morning’s golf tournament at the award winning Woodlands course was quite the treat for the avid golfers among us. While I
heard rumors of difficult fast greens, the general opinion was that of satisfaction and enjoyment. Those of us who think irons are what get the
wrinkles out of our clothes found viable alternatives among the various outdoor activities offered at the resort, ranging from mountain biking, to
kayaking, to a simple walk through the woods. Of course, the 19th green was well attended, and golfers finishing up their games were treated to
jeers, water balloons, general mayhem, and maybe a cold one after the hazing settled down.
The farewell dinner was, like all farewell dinners, a bittersweet affair. On the one hand, it marked the successful conclusion of one of the most
unique and enjoyable PCCA conventions of recent memory. On the other, it meant that we would be scattering back to our relative corners of
the country (or world, in some cases) and that our time together had once again drawn to a close. Marco Figueiredo again graciously donated a
painting, one which I personally loved for the patriotic note it struck, and said painting will be gracing winner Ryan McKinnon’s wall.
Congratulations! Likewise, the Pete McLaughlin cupping competition winner was announced, and this year it went to Stuart MacLeod, Vournas
Coffee Trading. The winning coffee farm, Cenfrocafe, was in attendance and Mr. Ruben Bello Espinoza received the winning coffee plaque.
Congratulations to all! Many door prizes were also handed out, much to all the winners' delight. Those who did not win this year are advised to
sit next to Andrew Vournas in the future, as his table was winning much more than the laws of probability would account for.
I would like to, on behalf of the entire membership, extend our most heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors and personnel who made this beautiful
event possible, and to all the attendees who took the chance and made the journey. I would also like to invite everyone to join us next year at
the Meritage in Napa Valley for the 84th annual convention. It promises to be spectacular!
One last look: Sunriver Resort 2014
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014
The Claremont Resort
Great night at this grand hotel in Berkeley. The view: amazing, the food: delicious, the photo booth: FUN! Over 100 PCCA members drank, ate
and “posed” to start the holiday season with a bang! Thanks to all that joined us for this fabulous evening at The Claremont. It was a night to
remember! Thank you to Stanley Soebianto & Greenfolia for Sponsoring!
83rd Convention Sunriver Resort
September 18 - 20, 2014
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014
The PCCA thanks our Silver Level Sponsors!
PCCA 83rd Convention: Sunriver Resort 2014
It's hard not to fall in love with Oregon on a beautiful summer's day.--Robert Spector
By: Frank Gaviña,By
F. Michael
Gaviña &Gaviña,
Sons, Inc.
Silver Level Sponsorship
Cascade Coffee, Inc.
Coffee Network
Coffee Resources, Inc.
Continental Terminals, Inc.
Descafeinadores Mexicanos S.A. de C.V.
Flavor Waves Inc.
INTL FCStone
Louis Dreyfus Commodities/Zephyr Green Coffee Importers
Marcel S. Garrigues Company
MauiGrown Coffee
M.J. Nugent & Company, Inc.
P.W. Bellingall, Inc.
Peerless Coffee Company
Tryco Coffee Service, Ltd.
Vournas Coffee Trading
Walker Coffee Trading, LP
Westfeldt Brothers, Inc.
Ah, September 2014. Who could forget the iconic and globally significant events of that fateful month? Scottish voters turning out in record
numbers to elect to remain a part of the United Kingdom; Police in Hong Kong brutally cracking down on anti-government protestors in the
heart of the financial district threatening to destabilize trade in East Asia; Serena Williams winning her third straight US Open women’s singles
title. Of course, most significant of all was Oregon’s triumphant inauguration into the coffee-event-hosting big leagues, when the PCCA
convened the 83rd Annual Meeting at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR.
Long considered the mere “hat” where California stored its guns and freedoms, Oregon ably proved
itself capable of hosting and entertaining the membership of the PCCA because of its devastatingly
effective combination of craft beers and great outdoors. Indeed, for a Los Angeles native like yours
truly, the clarity of the air and the proliferation of natural foliage were nearly overwhelming. It is
with the utmost sincerity that I extend thanks on behalf of the membership to the Board of
Directors generally, and our president Michael Boyd specifically, for pushing the (geographical)
boundaries and bringing this unique twist to the classic convention. Attendees wasted no time in
kicking off the convention at The Great Hall courtyard with the Welcome Reception & Dinner. Old
friends exchanged pleasantries, new friendships were forged, and a good time was generally had by
all. Attendance was regrettably a touch lower than the prior year, driven in large part by the
relatively out-of-the-way location.
Michael Boyd, Ryan McKinnon, Marco Figueiredo
However, those who made the trek were rewarded for their commitment by the incredible surroundings. The critically important “survival kits”
were distributed, and contained a hand-selected assortment of implements that non-native Oregonians would need in order to fend for
themselves: gloves, beanies, and flashlights. I, for one, will henceforth look at NCA goodie bags with scornful disdain for their lack of practicality.
The business meeting was shockingly well attended, as befitted the caliber of speakers this year. The board expends no mean amount of effort
in its mission to provide education and information to the membership, and our annual speakers are an excellent vehicle for doing so. Indeed,
we were privileged to hear yet another poignant and timely sermon from Mark Williams of BBH extolling the virtues of capital investments;
watch a heart-rending video on a novel issue facing coffee producers from David Griswold of Sustainable Harvest, in which he delved into the
immigration challenges stemming from unsustainable coffee practices; understand the situation in Brazil from the perspective of the coffee
grower thanks to Francisco Oriquio’s presentation on behalf of the Coffee Growers Cooperative of Sao Sebastiao do Paraiso; and explore
drinking trends and marketing insights as presented by Maral Karagozian of Farmer Bros, particularly with regards to those dastardly millenials.
Those of us who hauled ourselves out of bed were privileged to receive such raw and compelling insights from all our speakers.
After the meeting, attendees changed into their croquet outfits for the infamous and ever-popular croquet tournament. PCCA Croquet (an
ancient Sanskrit word for “sport of kingly fashion”) brings out the best and worst in people; we’ve seen actions as selfish as the theft of the
winner’s mallet in the past and as selfless as…no, I guess it just brings out the competitive side in everyone! In a shocking Freaky Friday-esque
role reversal, Michael Boyd dressed as Frank Gaviña and Frank Gaviña dressed as Michael Boyd. Neither one’s fashion sense was enough to
overcome good old fashioned talent at the game, and this year’s winners won a hard fought contest. May we meet again next year on the field
of battle.
Dinner was held at the Great Hall, a beautiful cabin-like space that simply oozed authentic woodsy flair. The dinner, while excellent, paled in
comparison to the surprise that John Hornung had cooked up with the Board for us. Like a crack military unit hitting the parade grounds, the
Board of Directors proceeded to line dance with a graceful precision rarely seen outside of former Soviet ballet performances. No more than
three repetitions of the dance had passed before the rest of the membership, embarrassed impressed by the Board’s moves, hit the floor. The
night quickly flew by in a blur of laughing, dancing, and more laughing. I think I even heard a little Miami Sound Machine thrown in for good
measure!
The following morning’s golf tournament at the award winning Woodlands course was quite the treat for the avid golfers among us. While I
heard rumors of difficult fast greens, the general opinion was that of satisfaction and enjoyment. Those of us who think irons are what get the
wrinkles out of our clothes found viable alternatives among the various outdoor activities offered at the resort, ranging from mountain biking, to
kayaking, to a simple walk through the woods. Of course, the 19th green was well attended, and golfers finishing up their games were treated to
jeers, water balloons, general mayhem, and maybe a cold one after the hazing settled down.
The farewell dinner was, like all farewell dinners, a bittersweet affair. On the one hand, it marked the successful conclusion of one of the most
unique and enjoyable PCCA conventions of recent memory. On the other, it meant that we would be scattering back to our relative corners of
the country (or world, in some cases) and that our time together had once again drawn to a close. Marco Figueiredo again graciously donated a
painting, one which I personally loved for the patriotic note it struck, and said painting will be gracing winner Ryan McKinnon’s wall.
Congratulations! Likewise, the Pete McLaughlin cupping competition winner was announced, and this year it went to Stuart MacLeod, Vournas
Coffee Trading. The winning coffee farm, Cenfrocafe, was in attendance and Mr. Ruben Bello Espinoza received the winning coffee plaque.
Congratulations to all! Many door prizes were also handed out, much to all the winners' delight. Those who did not win this year are advised to
sit next to Andrew Vournas in the future, as his table was winning much more than the laws of probability would account for.
I would like to, on behalf of the entire membership, extend our most heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors and personnel who made this beautiful
event possible, and to all the attendees who took the chance and made the journey. I would also like to invite everyone to join us next year at
the Meritage in Napa Valley for the 84th annual convention. It promises to be spectacular!
PCCA Golf Tournament Re-cap 2014
It was a beautiful day in Oregon. A great day to play golf on the gorgeous Woodlands Golf Course at Sunriver Resort. We were
missing our beloved leader Pete, but Dave Weber and Patrick Stewart filled in admirably. The air was clear the sun was shining and
the water balloons were flying! Winning the tournament was Mike Abrams, coming in second was John Visbal. Rounding out the
prizes for the day was the smooth and silky swing of Mr. Randy Layton 3rd place, the power drives of Danny Neves 4th place, and
the ever witty Mr. Stu MacLeod finishing in 5th place. Our shortest drive on #1 went to Mr. Greg Thayer. Tom Martin walked away
with winning closest to the pin on #12.
The final winners were Mr. Matt Mills winning closest to the pin on number #5, Greg Nemecek won the closest to the pin on
number 17 and Jose Ramirez hit a great shot to win closest to the pin on 7.
It was a great convention with incredible views, beautiful sunsets, great golf and of course great company. Thanks to Dave and
Patrick ! We will see you in Napa!
Ian Kluse – PCCA Supporter of the Year 2014
This year’s PCCA Supporter of the Year is Ian Kluse. Ian has been a hardworking & loyal supporter of the Association.
Ian is head of Olam Specialty Coffee's Quality Control and is a Master Palate. Ian spent a
number of nomadic years after college traveling the world before he landed in the Northern
California coffee trade. He has never looked back and always loved his work. He now lives just
outside Healdsburg with his wife, four children, mastiff, chickens and occasionally a mountain
lion (or something big) that eats his chickens before he can.
Ian has volunteered his time and knowledge to ensure the success of one of our major events,
The PCCA Cupping Competition, and without his support this event could not have been
successful.
Ian has consistently gone above and beyond to support The Pacific Coast Coffee Association
and continuously demonstrates a willingness to give back to the coffee industry. Thank you
Ian, the board and all PCCA members have benefitted from your hard work.
Ian Kluse & Jose Ramirez
This award was presented to Ian by Jose Ramirez and Michael Boyd, at this years’ 83rd Convention at The Sunriver Resort in Sunriver,
Oregon.
Congratulations to Ian!
Lights, Camera, Action! PCCA Cupping Competition Photos
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014
The PCCA thanks our Gold Level Sponsors!
PCCA Croquet Tournament 2014
Doug Welsh, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc.
Gold Level Sponsorship
American Packaging Corporation
Annex Warehousing
Arianna Farms ‘Ono Kona Coffee LLC
Bemis North America
Boyd’s Coffee
East Bay Logistics Coffee Distribution
F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.
Farmers Brothers Company
Fres-co System USA
Greenfolia
Greenwell Farms, Inc.
ICA USA Packaging
Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee
OLAM Specialty Coffee
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc.
Plitek, LLC
Rogers Family Company
Scolari Engineering S.P.A.
Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers
Ultra Flex Packaging Corporation
Andrew Vournas overcame his shyness. Petrus Dufaur overcame being partnered with Andrew Vournas. Everyone overcame the pall of
clement weather, with its noxiously clean air, coniferous odor, and the nearly constant threat of sunshine breaking out in the middle of all the
sunshine. There was suffering. It was deep and prolonged (see Guido “Tap-Tap” Fernandez). But then there was perseverance, and ultimately
triumph. Penultimately, there was booze.
Oregon—please pronounce it Orygun—is not a pretty place. Everywhere there are trees getting in the way of mountains, mountains in the
way of trees. (Several of these mountains have the nerve to be snow-capped—in late summer, no less—and conical: perfect, thrusting,
majestic things that make one feel of something less than average majesty, if that’s anyone’s business.) Reeds and grasses grow obnoxiously
on the verge of rivers; rivers with water in them.
What could the kid Vournas, from Los Angeles, know of such things? Petrus, we don’t know where he’s from, except that they’re whitemaned and charming, and speak a bunch of languages. These guys won the event, I’m not sure how; I make up different rules every year but I
don’t pay much attention.
Connie Blumhardt, making her first appearance at PCCA, debuted at the top. She would have won but for bad, mind-numbing, soul-numbing,
spectator-numbing advice from Guido. Connie confided to this reporter—or possibly didn’t know that I was one—that she has always had a
particular affection for tapping the ball without moving it, and that even though this seemed boring and unsportswomanlike, it wasn’t. It was
fun, and too bad for anyone who thought otherwise. I believe I have quoted her exactly.
Dave Griswold showed up for the first time in many years to take a picture of the Croquet Chairman in a compromised (dorsal) attitude and
Tweeted it or Instagramed it, or Somethinged it, all across the known cosmos. But I showed him; I don’t know how to view Instagram.
In short, this year’s croquet tournament was the usual drudgery, with the added insult of the setting. Sunriver, this is really a bit of a
misnomer, if not outright false advertising. Personally I observed several times when the sun was not out, mostly in the period between
midnight and dawn, and there are actually two rivers. Wildlife is constantly trying to get into the act, and although there is a lot of talk about
the people, they’re really about as nice as Mike Abrams. I don’t recommend we return here until the next time we need to hold a conference.
Left to right: Connie Blumhardt, Andrew Vournas, Doug Welsh, Petrus
Dufaur, Guido Fernandez
Croquet Winners
1st place: Andrew Vournas, Petrus Dufaur
2nd place: Connie Blumhardt, Guido Fernandez
Semi Finalists: Albert Scalla/Daniel Robles //Annette & Ian Kluse
PCCA Golf Tournament Re-cap 2014
It was a beautiful day in Oregon. A great day to play golf on the gorgeous Woodlands Golf Course at Sunriver Resort. We were
missing our beloved leader Pete, but Dave Weber and Patrick Stewart filled in admirably. The air was clear the sun was shining and
the water balloons were flying! Winning the tournament was Mike Abrams, coming in second was John Visbal. Rounding out the
prizes for the day was the smooth and silky swing of Mr. Randy Layton 3rd place, the power drives of Danny Neves 4th place, and
the ever witty Mr. Stu MacLeod finishing in 5th place. Our shortest drive on #1 went to Mr. Greg Thayer. Tom Martin walked away
with winning closest to the pin on #12.
The final winners were Mr. Matt Mills winning closest to the pin on number #5, Greg Nemecek won the closest to the pin on
number 17 and Jose Ramirez hit a great shot to win closest to the pin on 7.
It was a great convention with incredible views, beautiful sunsets, great golf and of course great company. Thanks to Dave and
Patrick ! We will see you in Napa!
Ian Kluse – PCCA Supporter of the Year 2014
This year’s PCCA Supporter of the Year is Ian Kluse. Ian has been a hardworking & loyal supporter of the Association.
Ian is head of Olam Specialty Coffee's Quality Control and is a Master Palate. Ian spent a
number of nomadic years after college traveling the world before he landed in the Northern
California coffee trade. He has never looked back and always loved his work. He now lives just
outside Healdsburg with his wife, four children, mastiff, chickens and occasionally a mountain
lion (or something big) that eats his chickens before he can.
Ian has volunteered his time and knowledge to ensure the success of one of our major events,
The PCCA Cupping Competition, and without his support this event could not have been
successful.
Ian has consistently gone above and beyond to support The Pacific Coast Coffee Association
and continuously demonstrates a willingness to give back to the coffee industry. Thank you
Ian, the board and all PCCA members have benefitted from your hard work.
Ian Kluse & Jose Ramirez
This award was presented to Ian by Jose Ramirez and Michael Boyd, at this years’ 83rd Convention at The Sunriver Resort in Sunriver,
Oregon.
Congratulations to Ian!
Lights, Camera, Action! PCCA Cupping Competition Photos
Michael Boyd Becomes New PCCA President
Jose Ramirez, Michael Boyd
Michael Boyd Boyd Coffee Company, assumed the presidency of the PCCA at
the association’s convention at The Sunriver Resort, Sunriver, Oregon, in
September from Jose Ramirez, Farmer Bros. Company. Michael is a fourthgeneration Boyd family member. He evaluates and purchases green coffee and
travels to coffee-growing regions. He is an active member of the SCAA and a
Licensed Q Grader.
Michael C. Boyd, Coffee Buyer, is a fourth-generation Boyd family member. He
joined Boyd Coffee Company in 2004 after working in the Finance and
Insurance Industries. Michael holds a BA Degree with a finance concentration
from the University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore., and an MBA from Willamette
University, Salem, Ore.
At Boyd’s, Michael’s responsibilities have included finance, insurance and pricing. In 2009, Michael joined the
coffee purchasing and evaluating team. In that capacity, he evaluates, negotiates and purchases green coffee and
travels to coffee-growing regions to examine coffees at origin. In addition to being the president of the PCCA he is
the president of the Oregon Coffee Board and an active member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America
where he is on the Sustainability Council. Jose Ramirez will remain on the PCCA board as immediate past president
and John Hornung, V.P Purchasing & Sales, Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee is the new PCCA vice president.
PCCAPCCA
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
2014-201520102011
The 2014-2015 PCCA Board of Directors was installed at the September Convention
The PCCA would like to express its
gratitude to those whose time, effort and
assistance aided in making this year’s
convention an amazing success!
The PCCA thanks our
Door Prize Sponsors!
Special thanks to:
Door Prizes
Michael Boyd
Jose Ramirez
John Hornung
Albert Scalla
Marco Figueiredo
Dave Weber
Cathy Weber
Doug Welsh
Heather Kenward
Monica Walker
Sandra Muller
Annex Warehousing
Atlantic Specialty Coffee
Boyd Coffee Company
Descafeinadores Mexicanos S.A. De C.V.
Greenwell Farms, Inc.
Harold L. King Company, Inc.
Olam Specialty Coffee
Tryco Coffee Service, Ltd.
WIPF
Walker Coffee Trading, LP
PCCA Events 2015
April 8 & 9 , 2015
PCCA/INTL FCStone/ Albert Scalla
2 day Futures and Options Seminar
Seattle Sheraton
April 9, 2015
PCCA at SCAA
2nd Annual get together at SCAA
TAPHOUSE Grill - Seattle, Washington, Inc.
May 5, 2015
Tea Tasting and Seminar
David De Candia, Global Director of Tea Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Camarillo CA
Patrick Stewart - Greenwell Farms, Frank Gaviña - Gaviña & Sons, Inc, Stanley Soebianto - Greenfolia,
John Hornung - Incasa Soluble Coffee, Michael Boyd - Boyd Coffee Company, Dave Weber - Annex
Warehouse, Kristina Brouhard - Peerless Coffee Company, Daniel Robles – Descafeinadores Mexicanos
S.A. de C.V., Jose Ramirez – Farmer Bros., Lisa Muller – PCCA,
*not pictured: Shelby Westfeldt Mills – Westfeldt Bros, Inc.
September 17, 18, 19, 2015
Pacific Coast Coffee Association • 84th Annual Convention
Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa, California
December 2015
Pacific Coast Coffee Association • Holiday Party
Date and Venue to be determined
What’s Brewing?
PCCA 14TH ANNUAL PETE MCLAUGHLIN
By: John Hornung,
CUPPING COMPETITION
Incasa Instant Soluble Coffee, Inc.
Through the years, I’ve attended a little over a half-dozen of the PCCA’s Pete McLaughlin Memorial Cupping Competitions, and numerous times
I‘ve either asked, or heard others ask, “Who was Pete McLaughlin?” and “Why did they name a cupping competition after him?” This year’s event
gave many of us a chance to answer those questions.
Twenty-five of us gathered at the Annex in San Leandro to see old friends, meet new ones, and savor the flavors of Colombia’s finest coffees as
submitted by PCCA members. Ian Kluse and Joshua Marsceau of Olam did the sample roasting, Sompong Deewarat of XD Espresso, Jose Ramirez
of Farmers Bros., and Sean McLaughlin of McLaughlin Coffee donated time and/or equipment, and Dave Weber, his wife Cathy, Annex volunteers
Hugo De La Roca and David “Buzz” Romero, along with Lisa Muller, and myself prepared the water, the cups, and the coffee while the crowd
gathered and introduced itself.
In lieu of a presentation from the country of origin, this year we were honored with the appearance of Pete McLaughlin’s brother Mike, and
Mike’s two sons, Shaun and Mark. They are keeping the flames burning at McLaughlin Coffee since Pete passed away in 1998. Mike inspired us
with stories of Pete’s dedication to the PCCA, of how much he loved working in coffee, and of how his brother was such a charismatic guy, “he
could sell icicles to Eskimos!”
The story of Royal and McLaughlin coffees began when Pete and his cousin Bob Fulmer co-founded Royal Coffee in Emeryville, California in the
late 1970's. They started out as importers and Pete was adamant that they focus on only the finest coffees. “Pete was ahead of his time,” Bob
explains. “He was a true believer in the possibilities of specialty coffee.”
“I thought Pete was either crazy or a genius,” Bob says. It turns out he may have been a little bit of both. “He loved to joke and pull pranks,” Bob
continues, “Honestly, he’d rather make a joke than a sale!”
“But he was totally dedicated to his craft,” Bob adds. “Pete would tell me, ‘Bob, if you’re going to be in this business, you’ve really got to love your
product.’”
They began with an old Royal brand roaster that was previously roasting peanuts. “We started out selling our coffee at the Alameda flea market,”
Bob recalls. “We’d call on every coffee shop or roaster we could find. If we read that a new roaster opened up in Montana, well, we’d drive on up
to Montana.”
Bob says their first office was so small, they warehoused the coffee on the sidewalk. “We’d have the trucks deliver the coffee in the morning and
we’d have it sold and outta there by the end of the day.”
Pete and Bob had a dream of opening up what they called the “Candy Store” in Emeryville. They wanted to stock and sell a variety of the very
best coffees from origins around the world, “but we couldn’t find a big enough client base for that to come true,” Bob says with a touch of regret.
Eventually, they found others in the coffee world who shared their belief in specialty coffee and in 1982 a few of them assembled in Royal
Coffee’s Emeryville warehouse and drafted the charter for the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
Pete and Bob saw potential profits in retail sales, but they weren’t interested in running that end of the business. They invited Pete’s brother
Mike to learn the art of roasting and started McLaughlin Coffee in 1983. (Mike says he learned the art on that 10 lb. peanut roaster!) Pete and
Bob got Mike going, but their intent was always that he’d take it on as his own. Today, Mike runs McLaughlin Coffee with his two sons and their
custom roasted beans are savored by loyal customers throughout the Bay Area.
Pete and Bob eventually succumbed to the lure of greater income and in 1985 opened the Royal Coffee shop on College Ave. in the Elmwood
District of Oakland/Berkeley. “On weekends we’d get the propane burner out and roast the coffee on the sidewalk,” Bob remembers. “There’s
nothing like the smell of roasting coffee to draw the customers in!” Eventually Bob offered the shop to his store manager, Mike Murphy who runs
it under the name Cole Coffee, still at its original location on the corner of College and 63rd.
What stands out in the memories of those who knew Pete is how much he was admired, respected, and loved, and how he was someone who
stood out in the crowd. Jim Reynolds, Roastmaster Emeritus, and known as the official ambassador of Peet’s Coffee, remembers “Pete was always
busy, a bundle of energy, always getting something done, always for the good…” Pete’s uncle Bert Fulmer says “Pete had a big heart. He cared
about everybody in the coffee business, especially the growers, the workers in the fields, the guys who drove the trucks...” His nephew Shaun put
Pedlike
it this way in his blog: “His sense of humor and fearlessness were second to none, and there has never been, nor will there ever be, Bruce
anyone
him.”
When he was president of the PCCA in 2000 Reynolds initiated the idea of a tribute to Pete in the form of a cupping competition. Jim first met
Pete when he was the coffee buyer for Starbucks in Seattle and Pete and Bob called on him as green coffee traders. The three became great
friends and shared many memorable years as members of the PCCA. Reynolds says it was Pete's love of great coffees, his energetic and magnetic
personality, and his enthusiasm for the PCCA that inspired him to honor Pete with the annual cupping competition. “At a time when the PCCA
was struggling with membership,” Reynolds remembers, “Pete was a driving force in recruiting the new wave and specialty coffee businesses who
helped revitalize the Association. I also wanted us to be reminded of the great character of people who have made the PCCA what it is.”
The first McLaughlin Cupping Competition was held Thursday, April 5th, 2001 at Bay Meadows race track in San Mateo and featured the coffees
of El Salvador. Memories and time have obscured the details, but the coffee may have been roasted and ground at the Rogers Family Coffee
roasting facility in San Leandro, or with Tom Kilty at Mountanos Coffee. There are rumors of wages won and lost, a PCCA dedicated race, a filly
named Candi Moonshine, and some PCCA tomfoolery. Needless to say, it was a successful event spawning a tradition that has lasted 14 years.
After Pete was diagnosed with cancer, he was out scouting a new course for the PCCA’s fall golf tournament with Pete Rogers of Rogers Family
Coffee (the convention was in spring in those days). Rogers remembers Pete turning to him with his trademark earnestness and saying, “Don’t let
the PCCA die, Pete! Don’t let it ever die!”
Don’t worry, Pete, it never died, and neither will our memories, our admiration, and our thanks to you for all you’ve done for the PCCA: They live
on in the Annual Pete McLaughlin Memorial Cupping Competition. See y’all at next year’s event!
This year's top coffee honors go to: Miriam Adriana Briñez Coffee/Las Lajas Farm/Submitted by: Walker Coffee Trading/Competition Coffee
Sample #8
Miriam Adriana Briñez bought Las Lajas farm 9 years ago. Running it as a family business, she manages the farm with her father, Jose Briñez, who
acts as the farm administrator. When Miriam acquired the farm, conditions were poor: the coffee trees were very old and had been planted
without any apparent thought to planning. The Briñez family has been hard at work to improve conditions of the farm ever since. New farming
techniques and technologies have been utilized to improve the quality and quantity of harvest, and the impact of the farm on the native
environment has driven the implementation of sustainable practices. The farm Las Lajas is located in the Tena municipality of Colombia in the
department of Cundinamarca. This coffee is a mixture of the Castillo, Colombia, and Typica varietals. Produced on 1.8 hectares of land at roughly
6,000 ft, Las Lajas coffee's main harvest goes from spring through early summer. Congratulations! The winning cupper will be announced at the
annual convention in September at The Meritage Resort, Napa, CA!
.
The Association Advisor
June 2015
A message from the President MICHAEL BOYD
Dear Members:
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your PCCA president. I sincerely believe that John, the new
Board and I have led you ably this year.
The Board of Directors and I thank you for attending our successful 83nd annual Pacific Coast Coffee Association
Convention at Sunriver Resort, OR. This year's event has received great reviews from everyone in attendance. Sunriver
provided our membership beautiful views and excellent environment to be a family. We once again had fabulous
speakers which gave us insights into the most pressing issues affecting our industry.
I would personally like to thank the sponsors of our event whom without them we this event could not be hosted at the
great level it was. A special appreciation to Marco Figueiredo our very own PCCA Artist and Board Member from Ally
Coffee for the donation of the oil painting which helped us bring in a substantial amount of donations. Thank you
everyone for your support!
The 14th Pete McLaughlin Cupping Competition was held on November 7th celebrating coffees from Colombia. This
years winner was Miriam Adriana Briñez Coffee from Las Lajas Farm, the sample was submitted by Walker Coffee
Trading. Congratulations!
Our Holiday Dinner held at The Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, CA on December 5th provided a great ambiance with
delicious food and of course lots of fun especially with the photo booth sponsored by GreenFolia. The evening was of
course topped by the Oregon Ducks crushing the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac12 championship game. Great job Lisa for
planning such a wonderful evening for the attendees.
The PCCA/Commodity Futures and Risk Management Seminar took place this year the two days before the SCAA Expo in
Seattle, thank you Albert Scalla for once again enlightening us with such great information.
Your Board is planning very informative and enjoyable Educational Seminars for this Spring and Summer to be held in
various areas to reach as any members as we can. They will lead us to our 84rd Annual Convention in Napa California at
the Meritage Resort - please join us at another great location with many activities for our members.
All these events are designed to help bring the association together for exchange of ideas, while continuing to keep the
coffee trade on the west coast at the high level it has come to expect. Thank you for supporting these events with your
attendance.
Sincerely yours,
Michael C. Boyd
President, Pacific Coast Coffee Association
PCCA’S 84th ANNUAL CONVENTION
September 17, 18, 19, 2015
The Meritage Resort & Spa
Napa, California
The Claremont Resort
Great night at this grand hotel in Berkeley. The view: amazing, the food: delicious, the photo booth: FUN! Over 100 PCCA members drank, ate
and “posed” to start the holiday season with a bang! Thanks to all that joined us for this fabulous evening at The Claremont. It was a night to
remember! Thank you to Stanley Soebianto & Greenfolia for Sponsoring!
83rd Convention Sunriver Resort
September 18 - 20, 2014
One last look: Sunriver Resort 2014
Convention: Sunriver Resort
September 18 – 20, 2014