Let’s Talk About Gatecrashing

The coffee industry is full of gatekeeping, which means that being able to gain access and be successful at it is often reliant upon one’s access to resources and social position. At the level of origin, this looks like green buyers competing for and prioritizing “top lots” from notable producers, while not giving talented new producers seeking access the time of day. And at home, examples of this might be the emphasis on equating success with participating in costly competitions and organizational certifications. Or it could be the glass ceiling encountered by many coffee professionals based upon who they know or what they look like (FUCK THAT). This is not to say there is anything wrong with notable producers, high-scoring coffees, or competitions. It exemplifies the multitudes of hard work that goes into making coffee wonderful and we should celebrate it! But for every notable producer or competitor, there are literally THOUSANDS of other talented people we should also be celebrating and at Shuv we want to maintain a balance of buying their coffee too. We are here to root for the underdogs, and because we want to exemplify a move towards a brighter, radically inclusive future in coffee.