In our February + March 2025 issue, we feature Joel + Josh Zuniga from Reno, Nev., who are using specialty coffee to uplift Native communities. Also included are articles on roasting your own, automatic milk frothers, how to make kombucha, βOne on Oneβ with Wendy De Jong, and much, much more!
BY SARAH ALLEN
BARISTA MAGAZINE
Welcome to the February + March 2025 issue of Barista Magazine! Weβre excited to share the new issue with our readers since weβve packed its pages with tons of great stories and terrific content. You canΒ subscribe through our online storeΒ to receive a hardcopy paper version of the magazine mailed to you, or read it for free withΒ our digital edition here.
Cover Feature: Joel + Josh Zuniga
After a random encounter with coffee harvesting on a trip through Costa Rica in 2013, twin brothers Josh and Joel Zuniga fell in love with coffee. They also realized that they could build promising pathways to success for their Native community in Reno, Nev., by starting a specialty-coffee business. Beginning as wholesale only, Star Village Coffee has since opened a retail shop and extends employment opportunities to local Native high schoolers. They work to incorporate Native ingredients into their drinksβthe maize latte has been a hitβin an effort to celebrate Indigenous foods, people, and history.
βMagic Milk: The Rise of Automatic Milk Steamersβ
Seemingly overnight, automatic milk steamers went from a relative novelty to a necessity for busy coffee bars. As their numbers and options multiply, our article breaks down what they offer, how the models differ, and what they can do for service in your cafΓ©. This story includes an in-depth look at the trend-turned-mainstay, and leaders in the field such as La Marzoccoβs Wally Milk, Perfect Moose, Morning Dream, and others.
βAmazing Spaces: From Car Wash to CafΓ©β
In our new series, βAmazing Spaces,β we look to highlight coffee shops in interesting or unusual locations, and a cafΓ© in a car wash certainly fits the bill. When looking to expand their operations in Kearney, Neb., Baristaβs Daily Grind co-owners Edgar Cruz and Jasmin McGinnis struggled to find a location until they changed their perspective. Instead of looking for a new build, they decided to remodel an existing structure, and with a tight timeline, limited budget, and plenty of elbow grease, the Baristaβs Daily Grind team created something amazing.
βSo You Want to Roast Your Own Coffeeβ
When looking to expand a coffee company from a retail-only business to a roaster-retailer, having a sound plan and plenty of help will make the transition easier. Writer Josh Rank interviewed experts from Mill City Roasters, First Crack Coffee, Coffee Equipment Pros, Bellwether Coffee, and more for their insights and guidance on how to make the leap successfully in the February + March 2025 issue.
βOne on One with Wendy De Jongβ
When Wendy De Jong started in specialty coffee in Seattle, specialty coffee was barely even a thing. In her decades of experience since, she has been witness to and an instigator for change in the coffee industry. She moved to Sydney, Australia, 13 years ago and joined leading specialty-coffee roaster Single O, which is known for its exacting sustainable practices, and has worked there ever since.
And Much More Inside
Also in the February + March 2025 issue: βThe Knockbox,β focusing on how to create the perfect bar flow by longtime coffee professional, former U.S. Barista Champion, and retailing expertΒ Laila Ghambari; a look at the rapidly growing world of kombucha and how to add your own line in βFoamβ; βField Reportsβ taking you along on trips to Nicaragua to source spices, and to Nepal in search of hiking and coffee; and much, much more.Β Β
Subscribe and More!
As always, you can readΒ Barista MagazineΒ in paper or digital format. Read the February + March 2025 issue for freeΒ with our digital edition.Β
And for more than three yearsβ worth of issues, visit ourΒ digital edition archives here.
