There's been a lot written the last few years about the impending demise of coffee. Climate change is making bean growing tougher and tougher while demand is soaring. People love their java. And as we know, where there's money to be made, someone will find a solution.
This piece in Grist looks at a few possible solutions, but here's one I hadn't heard before:
Climate change is coming for your morning joe. Startups are betting that substitutes made out of date seeds and chickpeas are the answer.
Delicious! Nothing says "good morning, let's fire up a new day" like roasted chickpeas. But a lot of companies are trying to stake out a position here because the writing is on the wall — coffee's days are numbered.
A crop of startups, with names like Atomo, Northern Wonder, and Prefer, is calling this category of throwbacks "beanless coffee," even though in some cases their products contain legumes. Beanless coffee "gives you that legendary coffee taste and all the morning pick-me-up you crave, while also leaving you proud that you're doing your part to help unf–k the planet," as the San-Francisco based beanless coffee company Minus puts it.
Will the Average Joe go for this joe?
…it's unclear whether coffee drinkers — deeply attached to the drink's particular, ineffable taste and aroma — will embrace beanless varieties voluntarily, or only after the coming climate-induced coffee apocalypse forces their hand.
In other words, we will because we won't really have a (taster's) choice. At first it sounds like these companies are (chock full of) nuts, but it's clear that the future is coming and we're going to have to adjust our addictions.
Previously: I switched up my brewing method for coffee, again
