This past Tuesday, Daniel Neves, of the Sinay Neves Family in Brazil, was in Milwaukee for an afternoon to discuss the renewal of our purchasing agreement and to enjoy some "sip slowly" time in our community.
In the next couple of weeks, our fourth container of coffee from the Sinay Neves Family's Conquista Farm will leave Brazil and start its six week journey to Milwaukee. We will have one more container coming later this year or early next year as part of the long term deal that we signed in 2006.
Daniel and I spent a chunk of the morning discussing the renewal of our agreement. A lot has changed in specialty coffee industry in both Brazil and here in the USA over the last 4 years. Production costs are different, exchange rates are constantly fluctuating…these are things that need to be discussed when looking at an agreement that will take us into the next five years. Daniel and I talked through issues and needs from our respective points of view and began to talk about what our agreement might look like. Daniel also took some time to educate me on coffee trading and the futures market – something that he has a wealth of knowledge in and I have been looking to learn more about. We finished our discussion with a good understanding of what each of us would like to see in the contract and a commitment to continue brainstorming ways we can develop a mutually beneficial contract that provides more than just coffee. By early fall, we should have our contract finalized and signed.
One of the great things about having direct relationships with our suppliers is that the relationship can be about more than the transaction. Once we finished talking shop, Daniel and I took off to Café LuLu in Bay View for a little lunch. Afterwards, we walked across the street to our Bay View stores to sip some espresso shots made using the coffee that Daniel’s family grows. We sat in our outdoor café and I was able to introduce Daniel to my daughter, Camille, who was born just 8 weeks ago. Daniel held Camille and we talked about how in the not too distant future, he and I will travel to Brazil with our wives and children to see our coffee literally from crop to cup.
It was great to spend the afternoon with Daniel I’m looking forward to many more years of our relationship with him and the Sinay Neves Family.
Sip Slowly.
Daniel Neves and Camille