Just imagine my reaction when I read this in a recent article.

Clean-up of coffee, no! What else?  We joke and talk about the coffee snobs at the office but most of us need our daily frequent dose of coffee during the day to stay human.

To put all that loves their coffee at ease, coffee will not be taken away from us.  Actually something very interesting that I discovered after properly reading the article.

In the last few years there has been a push as they state it, for more regulated industries and better protection of consumers.  They quite correctly note that if consumers lose faith in products available for purchase that it could lead to a lower consumption spend rate which negatively impacts our economy.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development published a draft version of regulations for public comments in September 2019.  Clearly from the indication that their was some strong feedback from the public relating to "their coffee" and regulating the standard thereof, the regulations had to be re-done and was only published in October 2020 to come into effect November 2021.

These regulations will apply to all sales except that of green coffee beans.  The regulations are important to take note of as consumer but also as a business owner as it will apply to all coffee -related products that are prepared and served in the course of a business and on it's premises in the "ready to drink" format.  This includes coffee shops, restaurants and even mobile stalls.

There are 12 listed categories for coffee, chicory and related products which will now have to comply with these regulations as from 1 November 2021 or the Magistrate's Courts will have jurisdiction to adjudicate and hand down fines and / or sentence of imprisonment for offences committed in line with Section 13 Agricultural Product Standards Amendment Act No.65 of 1998.

No significant implications I have to mention apparently for well-known brands so we can all relax and trust our coffee will be there, but some say that due to the regulations even our well-known brands will have to reconsider their marketing strategies as there products may possibly no longer fall under the definition of a coffee product, but a hot beverage unless the product is modified according to the regulations.  

Hopefully this will add to an even better product even if the taste may differ from what we know and love about our most beloved brands of coffee.