Here you’ll find news on event cancellations, cafe closures, and what the industry is doing to do its part in these unprecedented times. Stay safe y’all, and wipe down your phone.
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8:20 AM PST March 17 2020
🇺🇸 USA: SCA Expo in Portland, OR is still on the books for April 21 – 26:
Despite CDC recommendations, @OregonGovBrown today issued orders that only cancel events until April 14, leaving the SCA and our business partners in Portland in legal limbo.
Please watch this short message from our CEO: https://t.co/LgWapj82tH
— Specialty Coffee Association (@SpecialtyCoffee) March 17, 2020
It is inconceivable, @OregonGovBrown and @oregoncc, that the Specialty Coffee Association has not been able to reschedule their April expo in Portland yet.
Coffee people around the country are losing their livelihoods. This is ridiculous.
Let them reschedule.
— Nathanael May (@Radthanael) March 16, 2020
3:30 PM PST March 15th 2020
🇳🇱 The Netherlands have announced closure of all schools, cafes, restaurants and sports clubs, effective Sunday the 15th.
🖥️ The Sustainable Harvest x SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos Zoom webinar has been moved to Thursday, March 19th at 10am PST. Register here.
🔒 Blue Bottle Coffee announced today on Instagram that it will close all 71 of its United States cafes in response to Coronavirus. It becomes the first major US coffee company to announce a brand-wide retail closure.
3:30 PM PST March 14 2020
🇫🇷 All restaurants, cafés, cinemas and clubs in France will close at midnight.
🇮🇱 Israel announces a five-week shutdown of all coffee shops, malls, and restaurants.
🇪🇸 Spain imposes a nationwide shutdown.
2:10 PM PST March 14 2020
🖥️ On Monday, March 16th Thursday, March 19th at 10am PST join Sustainable Harvest online for a live webinar featuring SCA President Yannis Apostolopoulos, co-hosted by SustHarv CEO David Griswold and Chief Coffee Officer Jorge Cuevas. They’ll be discussing the impact Coronavirus will have on upcoming coffee events around the world, including SCA events in Poland, Melbourne and Portland and SustHarv’s MVP event series. This webinar is free, register here via Zoom.
1:35 PM PST March 13, 2020
🚨 The United States declares a National Emergency.
🚫 New York City’s The Wing spaces will temporarily shut through March.
In an effort to proactively protect our members and employees and help limit the spread of COVID-19, our spaces will be closed through the end of March. During times of uncertainty, community can be a form of self-care. Here's how we'll continue to support one another 👐🏼👐🏽👐🏾👐🏿 pic.twitter.com/hidvlsYpzY
— The Wing (@the_wing) March 13, 2020
🚫 All nineteen of Danny Meyer’s Union Station Hospitality Group NYC restaurants are now closed.
We’ve decided to temporarily close all @USHGNYC restaurants. For those of us whose passion is to bring people together in a spirit of healing, it’s nearly unfathomable to confront the reality that our very purpose could in be a threat to the health & safety of our community. 1/2 https://t.co/Pvn6QyCYlS
— Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) March 13, 2020
9:16 AM PST March 13, 2020
🇵🇱 SCA announces World of Coffee postponed. “Today, we are announcing an agreement with our partners at PTAK Warsaw Expo to postpone World of Coffee to October 15–17, 2020, the only dates available in 2020.” Read more.
🐦 Portland? “We continue our conversations with our partners at the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) and Travel Portland to review options for postponing Re:co Symposium and the Specialty Coffee Expo. The state of Oregon has canceled public gatherings of over 250 people until April 8. We will continue to share updates on our website as they become available.” Read more.
12:15 PM PST March 12, 2020
🇸🇻 El Salvador imposes a national quarantine prohibiting foreigners from entering for 30 days.
🚨 Effective immediately, Counter Culture Coffee is temporarily suspending all public Tasting @ Ten events and monthly Catalog Cuppings until further notice.
6:27 AM PST March 12, 2020
🇳🇱 Amsterdam Coffee Festival has been postponed. Originally scheduled to take place this weekend, March 13-15, the event has been pushed back and new dates will be announced soon.
6:30 PM PST March 11, 2020
🇦🇺 Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) postponed until November 3-6, 2020. SCA is waiting for an update from the Oregon Convention Center and Travel Portland re: SCA Expo in Portland, Oregon.
SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos writes:
3:55 PM PST March 11, 2020
🍴Starbucks Coffee among many coffee chains temporarily banning personal cups and many self-serve coffee stations are shutting down. California’s Caffe Luxe announces updated sick pay and ordering policies.
🧵A wee thread:
I know we’re all tired of hearing/talking about it, but one thing I HAVEN’T really seen going around is advice for what happens if you DO get coronavirus (many of us will), only advice for how to try to AVOID it. So as your friendly neighborhood RN, a wee thread:
— smashingteacups (@smasheroteacups) March 11, 2020
🐦 “Portland is currently open for business,” – Oregon Convention Center / March 11, 2020
Coffee folks are upset that SCA hasn't canceled the big #CoffeeExpo in April. Yet.
Can we stop and consider what's going on here? Here's a link to the @OregonCC website: https://t.co/y9vcNupF1i pic.twitter.com/cHfvoVga13
— Nick Cho • 조근형 (@NickCho) March 11, 2020
3:00 PM PST March 11, 2020
🇫🇷 The Paris Cafe Festival has announced a postponement. Originally set to take place March 20-22, it will now take place June 5-7.
🗣️ Sprudge contributor and multi-year Sprudgie Award nominee Jenn Chen is asking big questions today on Twitter about the 2020 SCA Expo, still *currently* scheduled for April.
I would love to know what *we* can do- either as attendees or exhibitors- to encourage a move to cancel or postpone. Do you need more voices? Cancelations? If anyone at SCA wants to backchannel me, my DMs are open. https://t.co/JpC8rcQTQV
— Jenn Chen (@thejennchen) March 11, 2020
🗣️ You should watch this video from Manhattan restaurateur Danny Meyer, author of Setting The Table and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group (whose properties include Joe Coffee Company).
There’s no existing playbook for how a restaurant should respond to COVID-19, and so any time there’s even a trace of doubt about the safety of a team member or guest, you can always rely upon us to act with utmost caution. My message to our staff here: https://t.co/h6syv2XUCA
— Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) March 11, 2020
2:30 PM PST March 11, 2020
🚨 World Health Organization declares a global pandemic.
😷 From the CDC: “Keeping Workplaces, Homes, Schools, or Commercial Establishments Safe” [pdf]
New safety protocols:
We’re adding to our safety protocols so we can stay healthy while providing you your coffee. pic.twitter.com/lD6XgGLpPG
— Wrecking Ball Coffee (@Wrecking_Ball) March 11, 2020
Upcoming events:
🇬🇧 UK: London Coffee Festival postponed until July 23-26.
🇺🇸 USA: SCA Expo in Portland, OR scheduled as planned April 21 – 26
The Specialty Coffee Association Expo in Portland, Oregon expects up to ~14,000 attendees including ~3,600 international attendees next month.
IKAWA announces it will no longer participate at SCA Expo:
With a heavy heart we have reached the decision to postpone our participation at Expo Portland in April. In this case, sharing is not caring – full statement here. https://t.co/U75GzbCqfr
— IKAWA Coffee (@IKAWAcoffee) March 11, 2020
🇩🇪 Germany: German Barista Finals postponed
🇦🇺 Australia: Melbourne International Coffee Expo / World Barista Championship scheduled as planned May 4 – 7
🇦🇪 UAE: Coffee People Dubai postponed.
Closures:
🇮🇹 Italy: Ditta Artigianle announces closures in Florence. Country orders all shops close.
Travel:
🇬🇹 Guatemala: EU travelers banned as of March 11, 2020
Have an update for us? Contact us here.
Top image © Adobe Stock / Angelina Chirkova
