"My first direct trade was made over WhatsApp."
Xavier of Metric Coffee in Chicago recounts his first eye-opening experiences as a roaster—not to mention this bizarre new world he's part of—as he brews a Peruvian for the Hopewell Brewing crew.
"Some of these farmers make like $400 a year, and they have a smartphone with a prepaid card and a free messenger app," he continues. "They send me pictures of their kids, we talk about our days, and we buy coffee."
Today, we're working on an Uppers & Downers coffee beer collaboration for a dinner event coming up with Lula Cafe, one hosted as part of Hopewell's Monday night dinner series. We'll be sharing details soon! Keep an eye on your messages.
