Starbucks Challenging Germany’s Kaffeehaus

A long-time Portland resident now living in Berlin, wonders why in the world Germans would buy coffee from the Seattle-based Starbucks chain. As Miriam Widman reports, Starbucks is pledging more stores but isn’t doing as well as they’d hoped.

Climate Change Raises New Challenges for Uganda’s Coffee Farmers

In recent years, changing weather patterns have begun to impact coffee crops around the world. One region that’s been hit hard recently is Uganda.

Cuban coffee

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For the Geo Quiz, we’re on the island of Cuba, looking for its largest mountain range. It’s known for its coffee plantations but these days there isn’t enough coffee in Cuba – once a major coffee exporter – to even meet the demands of the local population… Download MP3

Coffee and music in Indonesia

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How do young people in the Indonesian province of Aceh have fun and obey strict Islamic or sharia law? As Julia Simon reports, they go listen to music in the region’s many coffee shops. Download MP3

Slideshow: Coffee and music in Indonesia

‘Bird-friendly’ coffee

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A recent study found that 13 percent of the world’s birds are either threatened or endangered. The problem has many causes, but one of them is – well – coffee. That’s right, your morning cup of joe may be harming songbirds, but as Diane Toomey reports, there are efforts afoot to change that. Download MP3
Audio Extra: Listen to what the birds sound like

Coffee and corruption in Kiev

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Reporter Brigid McCarthy provides a snapshot of the culture of corruption in Ukraine. She follows an American businessman as he tries to open his own café there, without paying any bribes. Download MP3

Ethiopian coffee

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Saturday is New Year’s Day in Ethiopia and most Ethiopians don’t celebrate by popping a bottle of bubbly. Instead, they hold a traditional coffee ceremony. In our Geo Quiz, we want you to name the region in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia where the beans for Ethiopian New Year’s coffee come from. Download MP3

• Geo Quiz Archive

All Things Coffee

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From the bean to the barista, coffee is big business. An estimated 117 million bags are produced each year. Starbucks has more than 16,000 stores in 49 countries. On this edition of The World’s Global Economy podcast, we look at the coffee business in Venezuela, Colombia, and Taiwan. Download MP3

Taiwan develops taste for coffee

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Thibault Worth reports from Taiwan on a recent rise in the popularity of coffee and coffee shops on the island. This piece was produced with the help of Zing Jao. Photo below: Wei-ming Cho, who teaches aspiring baristas, demonstrating an old-fashioned coffee making device from Japan. Credit: Thibault Worth

Finding a good cup of joe in Colombia

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Colombia, the world’s third-leading coffee exporter, is famous for its high-quality, hand-picked beans. But while Colombia excels at growing and selling coffee, getting a decent cup in Colombia itself is another matter entirely as John Otis reports from Bogotá. Download MP3

• National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia