Issue 131: September | October 2025
From the Publisher
The founder and publisher of Roast magazine, Connie Blumhardt has spent over 25 years in magazine publishing and has worked in the coffee industry for the last 20 years. Connie brings the same passion and commitment to this industry journal that is present within the roasting community.
With each issue, Connie brings insight and inspiration to the pages of Roast with this column.
SCENE: An imaginary conversation over double mochas ...
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: Hey! I can’t believe we haven’t seen each other in over a year. What’s new?
Mr. U.S. Chocolate Maker: Would you believe it if I told you cacao prices are up 30 percent over last year? Between climate change, shipping costs and now tariffs—some as high as 50 percent!—I don’t know who can afford it.
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: Really? Can’t the importer pay those taxes? Or maybe you can absorb it in those big margins you make!
Mr. U.S. Chocolate Maker (eyes rolling): Yeah, right! That’s not going to happen. I’m already delaying my new equipment purchases. I don’t have any cash flow to cover tariffs. And forget about profits. Maybe those super-wealthy farmers can foot the bill. (Extreme sarcasm detected.)
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: So who’s left to cover the costs? By the way, were these mochas really $7 each?
Mr. U.S. Chocolate Maker: You know what we should do? We should both source our beans from Hawaii. That way we can avoid paying tariffs and market our products as “Made in America” at the same time.
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: Great idea! Could be a fun trip. How much of our inventory can we source from there?
(Sounds of cups clinking as our imaginary friends stare out the window.)
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: Hmmm, maybe that’s not going to work. I’m out of ideas, you?
Mr. U.S. Chocolate Maker: Push our trade associations and elected officials to lobby for mercy from the government? Sell my business to Hershey’s?
Ms. U.S. Coffee Roaster: We could move to Greenland. There are no tariffs there yet.
END SCENE: The scene closes with our friends promising to meet again next year, and your trusted Roast publisher hoping clearer heads will prevail between the writing of this column and its arrival in your mailbox.
Always with hope,
Connie
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