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Coffee/Questions Answered by Expert Bob

SubjectDate Asked
Cost to start up a push coffee cart4/23/2010
  Q: I was wondering if you could give me some kind of an idea of how much the start up or production ...
  A: I have no clue about Houston food/health/cart code laws. Easy way to check prices, look at Burgess ...
Drive Thru in Rural area2/6/2010
  Q: I am considering opening a drive thru Espresso business (also serving slurpies for kids and ...
  A: If I understand, you want to know how much sales you need to generate $200 profit per day or roughly ...
Coffee Grinding service1/18/2010
  Q: Does anyone,to your knowledge, offer a coffee grinding service for people who bring in coffee beans? ...
  A: What is the "coffee club?" Can you pitch it to your local roaster that you'll be loyal if they give ...
CLUELESS12/7/2009
  Q: I OWN A WATER STORE AND IN THAT AREA, MOST OF MY CUSTOMERS WANT COFFEE, SO I THOUGHT WHAT THE HELL, ...
  A: Not sure what a water store is. Panera Breads? Hmmm. I think you can and need to do lots better ...
exporting coffee9/2/2009
  Q: how are you? I grow state coffee in Minas Gerais, Brazil. We usually sell it to the national market, ...
  A: My limited amount of knowledge in farming tells me that this is a general problem. These products ...
coffee8/5/2009
  Q: Is coffee good for our health or not?
  A: There are probably more research studies into the health benefits / concerns of coffee than any ...
How do i sell my coffee?7/25/2009
  Q: Right now, I own a farm that produces 20,000lbs annually of coffee beans. The prices for coffee I am ...
  A: This isn't my expertise. I'd try a) talking to another small producer in area about possibility of ...
coffee ratios1/28/2009
  Q: I read 1 tbsp, grind and that will equal 2 tbsp of ground coffee which is good for 6 oz. of water. ...
  A: You're using too much coffee (for average people) and that is why you're getting spillage. Start ...
Selling coffe on the internet1/23/2009
  Q: Bob, I don't know much about the coffee business and was hoping if you have an opinion on the ...
  A: The better way (in my opinion) to do this would be to arrange a deal with a roaster that they do the ...
starting own coffee plantation12/30/2008
  Q: i have decided to start my own coffee plantation can you give me some info on how to start please ...
  A: The way to make $1 million in the coffee plantation business is to start with $2 million. That ...
Import Coffee to Canada10/30/2008
  Q: I want to start importing coffee from Brazil to Canada. There's many producers willing to export in ...
  A: Not quite sure why there are so many people out there who want to import coffee. This is the type ...
GREEN COFFEE WHOLESALER9/7/2008
  Q: Bob: I have read your comments on green coffee wholesalers. I understand you are a roaster perhaps ...
  A: 1. We buy strictly organic/fair trade coffee. Thus, much of this doesn't apply to me. I'm sure ...
Vietnamese Coffee9/3/2008
  Q: I am not a coffee person, but on a recent trip to Vietnam I brought home packages of coffee and ...
  A: Vietnam mostly produces what us in the specialty coffee industry refer to as junk coffee. I'm sure ...
Ugandan Robusto8/27/2008
  Q: I am trying to help a friend in Uganda utilize his village's coffee production to enable the funding ...
  A: First, "who" are you trying to sell "what" to? 1) Who is important. Are you trying to raise money ...
Green Coffee8/14/2008
  Q: I am considering jumping into the coffee world, and more so will be involved in the green coffee ...
  A: No such thing as "Top 5." Way too subjective and changes by the growing season. Colombian did a ...
Green Coffee8/12/2008
  Q: I am considering jumping into the coffee world, and more so will be involved in the green coffee ...
  A: Easiest part: cafe part of the business or the roasting. The cafe part isn't as lucrative as many ...
Green Coffee8/7/2008
  Q: I am considering jumping into the coffee world, and more so will be involved in the green coffee ...
  A: I don't know the legalities and procedures of importing/exporting coffee. I do know that you are ...
Importation/Wholesale of PNG green beans7/27/2008
  Q: I have a contact in Papua New Guinea who is able to send me Green (unroasted)Arabica coffee beans. I ...
  A: First, sorry if I sounded rude when I said "Didn't I answer this already." (or something like that). ...
Importation/Wholesale of PNG green beans7/21/2008
  Q: I have a contact in Papua New Guinea who is able to send me Green (unroasted)Arabica coffee beans. I ...
  A: I thought I answered this question. Basically, I know very little about importing requirements. I ...
Average cost/profit on lb of coffee6/19/2008
  Q: Approximately how much Starbucks or a specialty roaster pay per lb of coffee and approximately what ...
  A: Yes, this is confusing too. If you go to a a grocery store or a Costco/Sam's club you'll see ...
Average cost/profit on lb of coffee6/16/2008
  Q: Approximately how much Starbucks or a specialty roaster pay per lb of coffee and approximately what ...
  A: The simple answer is: use $2.25 as a basic price -- although prices will be much higher this year. ...
Coffee6/7/2008
  Q: Ok, this sounds dumb but twice been to this restaurant for coffee weeks apart and after m first cup ...
  A: Not sure.. 1) Maybe they don't clean their equipment. 2) Perhaps you're "allergic" to lousy ...
Importing unroasted coffee beans from Costa Rica6/4/2008
  Q: Bob- A fellow co-worker had mentioned to me at dinner recently that his father in law, who lives in ...
  A: This isn't my specialty either...I'm guessing the easiest way is to pay an existing importer to do ...
NEED IT SO MUCH 25/1/2008
  Q: I was wondering would you please explain to me: why whenever I have a cup of coffee every day I'm ...
  A: Coffee is a drug; it's a stimulant. People react differently to it. You've obviously developed an ...
NEED IT SO MUCH4/27/2008
  Q: I was wondering would you please explain to me: why whenever I have a cup of coffee every day I'm ...
  A: Basically, you've become a bit addicted. Or, at least you've developed a habit. Just like any ...
Roasting2/17/2008
  Q: I would like to learn to roast and blend beans where do I start? seminars or coffee school and where ...
  A: Perhaps the best thing would be to attend the Specialty Coffee Association of America conference. ...
Grinding Coffee Dilemma1/23/2008
  Q: This is a very basic question. I use an electric coffee mill (Cuisinart Auto Burr Mill) to grind my ...
  A: If you put the grinder in the freezer overnight it will kill the static. In the morning, rinse it ...
coffee film project11/20/2007
  Q: I am the producer for a coffee film for my university in Germany FH-Worms worms Germany, the topic ...
  A: Most USA coffeehouses buy their coffee from a roasting company. Thus, most do NOT roast their own ...
Import/Export Coffee10/19/2007
  Q: My husband and I are interested in exporting coffee from Mexico (though we live in the U.S.) and ...
  A: Don't know much about importing, to be honest. I suspect that it'll be hard to sell to small ...
aged coffee10/5/2007
  Q: Why is it coffee from indonesia is better to be aged than coffee from latin america?
  A: Don't think it is....just think it is done more. Experts disagree whether any aged coffee is worth ...
Specialty Coffee9/5/2007
  Q: I am entering a barista competition and am wondering if you have any drink ideas. The only ...
  A: I had an employee experiment with espresso/tea. Nothing great came of it. Closest she came to ...
Physical characterists of fresh coffee--espresso grind9/5/2007
  Q: What are the physical characteristics of fresh coffee? Assuming one grinds their own beans, what ...
  A: I'll have to check on the bar pressure on our machines. Or, just call La Marzoco. NO!!!! About the ...
Physical characterists of fresh coffee--espresso grind9/3/2007
  Q: What are the physical characteristics of fresh coffee? Assuming one grinds their own beans, what ...
  A: When you buy whole bean coffee, it should be no more than two weeks old. You can tell how old ...
import coffee8/24/2007
  Q: Would like to import coffee to the states but don't know where to start and how to find potential ...
  A: Darn tough to do if you have a single origin coffee. Small roasters (like me) need to combine ...
Start up funding8/23/2007
  Q: Can you tell me the best method for obtaining financing with less then great credit? I have seen ...
  A: I used a combo of bank loans and investor money to start up. Both have good/bad points: loans you ...
Grinding coffee8/19/2007
  Q: Do you know of any ways you can grind coffee beans without a grinder? Thanks, Evan
  A: You can use anything to "grind" coffee that gets the beans the right size. You can use a hammer, ...
fresh start7/1/2007
  Q: im currently not working and going to school to drive trucks but i want to run my own buisness ive ...
  A: Don't let anyone tell you any part of the restaurant business is easy! Yes, there are high mark ups ...
lemon5/17/2007
  Q: I recently ordered and espresso an was given a lemon slice on the side. I didnt really know what to ...
  A: Hopefully the lemon wasn't a reflection of the quality of an espresso. Actually, before getting ...
Developing a coffee4/4/2007
  Q: How should someone go about developing their own brand of coffee? Should I start with looking at ...
  A: Not sure that "looking" at beans will help. You need to taste 'em. What do you like? Full-bodied? ...
caffeine in cappucinos3/21/2007
  Q: How much caffeine is in a 24 oz Wawa English Toffee Cappuccino?
  A: No clue. The important thing to know is how many espresso shots are in this drink. It could be 1 ...
coffee & health3/4/2007
  Q: As a lover of coffee I often desire multiple cups of coffee throughout the day, being health ...
  A: Depending on the day or perhaps the hour you look it up, there will be a new study saying coffee is ...
de-caffienated coffee2/17/2007
  Q: How do they remove caffeine from coffee? I heard many years ago that they used carbon tetra ...
  A: A few different ways. Yes to the above. Also there is a water process (very simplified) beans are ...

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Bob

Top Expert on this page

Expertise

Own coffeehouses and coffee roasting company. Thus, anything about starting a business, etc.

Experience

Been doing it since 1993.

Publications
One in a coffee magazine.

Education/Credentials
Too many but not related.

Awards and Honors
Speaker at coffee conventions.

Past/Present Clients
Many.

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