''The Small-Mart Revolution'' Author Michael Shuman Headlines Specialty Coffee Association of America Conference in May
Localization Expert Relates His Theories to the Specialty Coffee
Industry
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Despite all the hoopla about globalization, the future belongs to
all things local, according to Specialty Coffee Association of America
(SCAA) keynote presenter, Michael Shuman, author of "The Small-Mart
Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition."
Shuman will headline SCAA's 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition
(http://conference.scaa.org/), May 2 - 5 in Minneapolis, Minn. SCAA is
the world's largest coffee trade association.
As a noted economist, attorney, author and entrepreneur, Shuman is
widely recognized for his research into the economic advantages of
small-scale businesses in an era of globalization, as well as the
often overlooked benefits of building local economies in an era of
dominant retail chains. His SCAA presentation, May 2 from 5:30 - 7
p.m., will address large and prevailing trends---the shrinking dollar,
the Internet, fears about global terrorist disruptions of supply
lines, niche-conscious consumers, worries about Chinese quality
control---which are leading U.S. consumers to buy local, and what this
means for the specialty coffee industry.
"The global character of a localized coffee industry, especially
the growing of beans, underscores that localization does not have to
mean disconnection from the world," said Shuman. "What the coffee
industry is demonstrating already is that locally-owned businesses can
contribute to their communities in many ways without unplugging from
the planet. That's a nice model for other industries to learn from and
follow."
Shuman's keynote presentation will help specialty coffee
businesses and SCAA conference attendees realize dozens of ideas for
improving their competitiveness in a local business economy.
"Even your large non-local players, like Starbucks, might learn a
thing or two from my presentation about how they can improve their
attractiveness to customers by increasing the localness of their
advertising, operations, expenditures and so forth," said Shuman. "It
boils down to this: Businesses embracing localization will thrive.
Those that ignore it won't."
Shuman is also vice president for enterprise development for the
Training and Development Corporation of Bucksport, Maine. He has
authored, coauthored and edited seven books, including "Going Local:
Creating Self-Reliant Communities in the Global Age" (Free Press,
1998). "The Small-Mart Revolution" was awarded a bronze medal for best
business book by the Independent Publishers' Association. In recent
years, Shuman has led community-based economic-development efforts in
the United States, and he is currently preparing studies on state
business subsidies for the Kellogg Foundation and on global models of
local food businesses for the Gates Foundation.
Shuman's keynote address is just one of the many highlights at
SCAA's 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition. As the industry's premier
coffee event, the conference features in-depth educational sessions,
hundreds of exhibit booths, the United States Barista Championship and
the Coffee of the Year Competition.
Complete conference details are available at
http://conference.scaa.org/. For a copy of the conference brochure,
call 562-624-4100 or e-mail coffee@scaa.org.
About the SCAA
Celebrating 25 years of success, SCAA is the world's largest
coffee trade association. SCAA members are located in more than 40
countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee
industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The
SCAA's mission is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee,
providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee
excellence and sustainability. The SCAA's dedication to excellence in
coffee is realized through the setting of quality standards for the
industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of
craft; and providing education, training, resources and business
services for members. The SCAA's annual conference is held in a
different U.S. city each year and is the coffee industry's largest
gathering and exhibition.
NOTE TO EDITOR: To register for the 2008 SCAA Conference &
Exhibition, please visit http://conference.scaa.org/ or call Rick
Havacko at 562-624-4100. Interviews and photos of Michael Shuman are
available upon request.
for Specialty Coffee Association of America
Rick Havacko, 562-624-4100
rhavacko@scaa.org
Copyright Business Wire 2008
