Times are changing Zoka lovers, and while our coffee only changes for the better, the business side of Zoka also needs to keep evolving... Twitter, Facebook, blogging, oh my!

When those Facebook fellows spilled the beans on the updated Business pages last year, we knew we had to get on board. So sleek, so personalized - what a great way to keep coffee lovers in touch with Zoka news! And so with open arms we welcome the brand-spankin' new Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company Facebook fan page to the world.

We want you to welcome the new Zoka Facebook too. Would free coffee help?

What this new-fangled Facebook fan page can do

By converting our Facebook to a business page, we have more control over what we can feature on the site. That means all the news, all the interactive components, all the Zoka-ness we wanted to give our fans and friends from the beginning - now we can!

What Zoka Coffee needs from you

We don't want to lose you, loyal Zoka friends. Please join us on our quest to the new Zoka Facebook page by becoming a fan.

To sweeten the deal, everyone who becomes a fan of the new Zoka page by 12:00 pm (PST) February 24 will be entered in a running to have a bag of Zoka Espresso Paladino coffee sent to their door.

Delicious coffee and a snazzy Facebook page? Zoka has never been more on top of its game. 

That's right. A whole year of spectacular, savory, sweet-smelling, soul-warming Zoka coffee delivered to your door. Why? Because you love your coffee. And you love your public radio.

Fresh Air alongside a fresh refill of Costa Rica Calle De Copey Cup of Excellence.

This American Life and a percolating pot of Espresso Paladino.

Midday Jazz mixed with a mug of Organic Ethiopia Sidamo.

A brewed combination too sweet to be true? Face it - you've always wished you could muse over All Things Considered while you sip on your favorite Zoka brew, but just never got around to stocking up on those perfectly-roasted beans.

The good news

Zoka is donating a year long, three-bags-per-month supply of coffee to the Western Sates Public Radio Online Auction (WSPROA), to be awarded to the highest bidder. The coffee is "roaster's choice," so bidders know they are going to receive the best, most delectable, Zoka-roastmaster-approved blends with each delivery. Are your taste buds doing the tango yet?

How you can get your hands on such awesomeness

The WSPROA opens bidding on Thursday, February 18 and runs through Saturday, February 27. All proceeds will benefit partner public radio stations.

Register to enter bidding and, starting February 15, be sure to check out all the fantastic donations given by local and regional business that are almost as cool as Zoka.

Here is the Zoka bid page - check it out and place your own bid! You won't be able to resist...

Until next time, coffee lovers. Stay tuned!

by: Erik Evenson

There's a great scene in a Simpsons episode where a teenaged Homer and Barney are listening to loud music when Abe, Homer's dad, walks in.  "What's that racket?" Abe asks.

"It's called rockin' out," Barney says.

"You wouldn't know, dad," Homer says.  "You're not with it."

Abe declares, "I used to be with it, but then they changed what 'it' was.  Now what I'm with isn't it and what is it seems weird and scary to me."

Zoka and nine other coffee joints that really know their coffee, were featured in November's GQ issue.  I also forgot to report back in August that we were also in Details magazine with four other caffeine slingers.  We sure are hitting the publications lately.  Is it a trend or are they just now starting to realize there's more to coffee than Starbucks--there's also premium  coffee.

 

...The whole story can be found here.

One of our customers stumbled across this gem and made us privy to a taste test comparison of our coffee to Stumptown's.  This came from Wright Eats, a traveling photographer foodies blog that touches on anything that tickles their pallet.  Here's a blurb about what they thought of the coffees...

The result was surprising to all of us: Zoka crushed Stumptown across the board, with zero votes for Stumptown!  Zoka's Sumatra was nutty and its aroma immediately reminded me of a favorite coffee I've had in Europe, whereas the Stumptown Sumatra was too acidic with little aroma.  The Ethiopia brews were distinctly different, with the classic blueberry flavors coming through clearly in Zoka's roast, while Stumptown's offering seemed muted and again too acidic.  The Costa Rica beans were the only ones where everyone agreed the difference was subtle, and yet all votes swayed toward Zoka.

...the rest of the story can be found here.
 

Seattle, WA U.S.A. (June 30 2008) Vice President/Owner of Seattle-Based Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company, Tracy Allen, has become one of only six recipient of the Specialty Coffee Association of America's (SCAA) Mose Drachman Sales and Service Award. Allen, received the award last night at the SCAA's annual membership reception in New York City.

According to SCAA Executive Director, Ric Rhinehart, the Mose Drachman Award is given out infrequently because recipients must be nominated by a customer along with an essay. "It's one thing to submit someone's name," Rhinehart said. "It's quite another to write a 500 word essay explaining why you think that person is deserving of recognition. A customer really needs to believe a company or individual is deserving to commit to writing an essay." The Mose Drachman Award, which is named after a legendary coffee salesman who worked for the Arbuckle Brothers Coffee Company 100 years ago, was created by SCAA in 2001 to recognize the sales people upon whom the specialty coffee industry depends.

Our new friends at CakeSpy have written a wonderful review of the Wallingford, Seattle neighborhood's bakeries and were kind enough to include Zoka! You will find the article below, but be sure to check out www.cakespy.com for a special treat (pun intended).

Zoka Coffee: The pastry case here is an absolute feast for the eyes, overflowing with deep-dish pies in flavors from a vaguely virtuous blueberry to an absolutely sinful chocolate peanut butter; cookies ranging from vegan thumbprints to dense chocolate truffle cookies, to the decadent "Zoka Bar"-- a multilayer confection of coconut, chocolate, butterscotch and walnuts cradled on a graham cracker crust (reminiscent of the Magic Cookie bar from Magnolia Bakery, or the Bakedbar of Brooklyn). We love it all, and everything (except for a few bread items like bagels) is made in-house at their own commercial bakery. Sweet. A few different locations, but we visited 2200 N. 56th St.; online at zokacoffee.com.

It's always great to read reviews about our customers, and their experience with Zoka's coffee and tea. Katrina at The Tea Pages sent us this great review of one of our customers, Cafe Aiello, who serves Zoka Coffee and Tea. If you have the chance, check out the blog or visit Teapages.net and gain some wonderful knowledge. Congratulations to Cafe Aiello, and thank you Katrina!

Katrinas post starts here:

What a find. I am always thrilled to find new tea locations that aren't too far from home. I've driven by Cafe Aiello (30 Gorham Street, Lowell), which opened in 2006, so many times and never stopped in. It's not in the easiest location - on a busy corner with very few parking spots. A local moms' group I occasionally attend had been going there over the winter so I'd been meaning to stop by. According to the press release, the two owners are former Starbucks managers who sought to open a coffee house that uses hand roasted beans and shuns automatic coffee machines.