New app aims to build the world’s largest coffee community

A new smartphone app aims to make choosing coffee easier by providing instant information and reviews for coffee consumers around the world. The beta version of Coffunity launched on 1 March for iOS users only, with the android version expected within months. With the tagline “drink better coffee” and the goal of “creating a community where we can all discover great coffees easily”, the app promises to make purchasing decisions easier with assistance from producers, experts and other coffee drinkers. The app was founded by Andrea B. Pacos, a sixth-generation coffee producer, and Federico Bolanos, a professional roaster, cupper and barista who has trained and coached baristas around the world, including the 2011 World Barista Champion. Users can take a picture of any coffee label and upload it to the app, which will search its database for reviews and taste attributes, in addition to producer information such as country of origin, roaster, varietal and even farming and processing methods if they have been uploaded. The app also allows drinkers to add reviews and ratings to share with its community, and keep track what their friends are drinking. Users can search for coffee type, price range, ratings, roast level and country of origin, as well as more subtle filters such as varietal, processes and tasting notes. Prior to the launch, Coffunity boasted more than 150,000 coffees in its database, primarily from roasteries in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and that number is expected to grow indefinitely as consumers and producers join its community.