An Intelligentsia email

[nick]

renamed from: "Geoff Watts has a big schnoz"

The evidence, courtesy the New York Times (use http://www.bugmenot.com if you don't have a login)

[Peter G]

"Intelligentsia was known as this stupid and naïve company that overpaid farmers and carried too much debt," said a coffee buyer, Peter Giuliano, a principal of Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, N.C.,

A stupid, untrue quote, and if I indeed said it, I am a complete idiot.

I would guess I was trying to make a point by using hyperbole.

When will I learn?

Apologies to Geoff, Doug and the Intelly.

Nice article, though. Congrats to IC.

Peter G

[trish]

...its' not so much the largeness of the nose, but rather, the two car garage nostrile-ness of GW.

but for Peter, it's totally the beak

[geoff watts]

Heya P,

No worries, it's kinda funny. I remember that conversation (somewhere right before we began speculation about why poorly equipped and understaffed roasters have some built in quality advantages). You had mentioned how there was a time when many in the trade, mostly old-guard, thought we were foolish and idealistic, and hadn't yet learned 'the way things work' in the business of buying and selling coffee. They said we over-spent, we were over-obsessive about minutia in the cup, we took too many risks, etc. Leap before you look type stuff--let's just do it first and then figure out how to make it actually work.
We started talking about how things are changing, and now some of those same detractors are the first ones lining up to sell us coffee and there are newer roasting companies looking to follow a similar model. Those who refuse to change the way they think about coffee purchasing are slowly losing market relevance. Things are moving along well...

Anyway, your quote was not placed in perfect context, but no offense taken amigo, you are my brother and comrade in coffee, I know what you meant, and as I mentioned it certainly made for a nice chuckle. Love you always!

solidarity in all things nose related,

g

[Keith]

nothing on kc's schnoz?

Great article guys.

[Mark Prince]

Nothing like being taken out of context, huh Peter? :-S

Usually the NYT is better at that. But because I knew of yours and CCC's relationship with Intelly, when reading that I was like "hrm, they left out a big part of Peter's quote..."

But, as you get deeper into the story, it becomes more clear that this is a team effort amongst many quality roasters, and the story about the Los Burmas farmers really touches the heart.

Overall, fantastic article, but sorries to Peter about that very badly edited quote (I blame the editor, not the writer, but who knows ).

Mark

[nick]

Overall, fantastic article, but sorries to Peter about that very badly edited quote

Haha!!! "Sorries!"

That's a Canadian word, right?

I love it cuz that's more like the way you guys say it: "soar-ree" (rhymes with "gory") instead of the American "saw-ree" (rhymes with "party").

[Mark Prince]

LOL! We only say it the way the rest of the English speaking world does, Nick

Mark

[jmc]

Slightly off topic, but not really, an LA blogger posted an email from Geoff that was written in response to our buying practices, FT, and sustainability.... you can check it here: http://greenlagirl.com/2006/06/19/an-in ... sia-email/
Watts and his voluminous illumination at work once again!

[Marshall]

Slightly off topic, but not really, an LA blogger posted an email from Geoff that was written in response to our buying practices, FT, and sustainability.... you can check it here: http://greenlagirl.com/2006/06/19/an-in ... sia-email/
Watts and his voluminous illumination at work once again!

That is the most eloquent explanation of relationship coffee I have ever read. I have forwarded it to several people.

Marshall

[deCadmus]

Slightly off topic, but not really, an LA blogger posted an email from Geoff that was written in response to our buying practices, FT, and sustainability.... you can check it here: http://greenlagirl.com/2006/06/19/an-in ... sia-email/
Watts and his voluminous illumination at work once again!

That is the most eloquent explanation of relationship coffee I have ever read. I have forwarded it to several people.

Marshall

Hey... the follow-up in the comments ain't bad, either.

[Aaron Ultimo]

geoff is frigin' awesome. schooled um.

[sweetmarias]

Thanks JMC for posting the link to Geoff's email - his is a great response and actually i appreciate the critics comments too, even though they are off base. i mean, that's what some people think and it is great geoff got a chance to respond. we need more of that. it's not that i love antagonism, but discussions can progress quicker when there is a dialectic involved, not just tacit agreement. i think the person who complains that any company who questions Fair Trade somehow undermines themselves is voicing something many people think - i support FT and i grumble about it too. it's just a band aid. why should anyone simply suspend their critical judgement with issues like FT or cup of excellence or organics or any other program or certification. one of the problems here is that geoff is just taking a first step into this las brumas program, whereas if it already had a track record and THEn was documented in the NYT and such, there could be more discussion. geoff is trying something to see if it works and he has a lot of guts for doing that.

tom

[jmc]

http://www.euro2day.gr/articlesfna/20486300/

[Duck]

What a kickass article, Geoff! I'll happily spring for a beer the next time we cross paths. Maybe at the Great Lakes Regional... We'll see.


-- Duck