As 2025 comes to a close, we at Royal New York would like to express our gratitude for every experience and opportunity we had this year. While 2025 was certainly challenging, we can be proud of our industry’s resilience and look forward to continued growth and success in the new year. To wrap up another year, our traders shared some of their best moments in coffee & tea from 2025.
Best Moments at RNY in 2025
James Schoenut
2025 marked a significant milestone in our specialty coffee journey: we celebrated Royal New York’s 30th anniversary.
We have so many people to thank for getting us this far. The genesis of Royal New York relied strongly on the guidance and support of my father, Fred Schoenhut Sr., my brother, Fred Schoenhut Jr., and many other friends, including Bob Fulmer, Helen Nicholas, and Pete McLaughlin.
As we enter our fourth decade, we look forward to furthering Royal New York’s legacy by continuing to foster relationships at every step of the specialty coffee journey. We’re excited to grow with this ever-evolving industry while staying true to the values that have guided us since day one.
2025 Coffee & Tea Social Posts
TJ Salvatore
My favorite RNY social post from this year was on Halloween. It was a picture of myself, followed by a picture of our tea trader, Caitlin, where we were mocked up as “Coffee Trader” and “Tea Trader” Halloween costumes.
At that time, this was a popular trend, and I loved the creativity that went into making it a success. And, it goes without saying, our marketing team absolutely nailed the descriptions!
Check Out TJ’s Favorite Post
Andrew Blyth
One of our most important moments on social media is happening right now—spreading the word about supporting coffee growing regions in Sumatra!
If you haven’t heard, Indonesia is currently facing significant challenges due to recent destruction from Cyclone Senyar, particularly in Aceh. We started a GoFundMe for our friends and partners with an initial goal of $20,000. Royal New York and Royal Coffee in California pre-matched donations by contributing $10,000 upfront, and we’re proud to say that you helped us reach our goal just ten days after we launched the campaign.
Thank you for your continued support in helping our partners.
Donate to Sumatra
2025 Headlines from The RNY Blog
Evan Kluender
After writing a few blog posts this year, the most significant one to me was “The Importance of Exporters in the Coffee Supply Chain,” published in April.
I think there’s a stigma in the specialty coffee world that if you don’t know the name of the farm your coffee comes from, then you’re not buying it ethically. While it’s great to have a producer relationship, the reality is that there are multitudes of smallholder farmers who rely on exporters to purchase and mill their coffee. Smaller lots are often blended into regional lots, which can lose a lot of the traceability.
However, it’s really important to highlight exporters. They support their communities by giving producers a place to sell their coffee as well as take on the risks associated with exporting an agricultural product.
Read Evan’s Blog Post
Andrew Blyth
It goes without saying that my favorite blog post to write in 2025 was “Coffee Tariff Update: Most Producing Countries Exempt.“
You can’t top this moment for me in 2025. The high market price for green coffee was already reaching all-time highs without the impact of U.S. tariffs. When we learned green coffee would be exempt, it was a piece of good news that was long overdue in my opinion!
Read Andrew’s Blog Post
2025 Learning Experiences
Mike Romagnino
As the RNY Lab Coordinator, the most important learning experience came from the CQI & SCA changes.
While the announcement from CQI was such a surprise, the reaction of the specialty coffee industry was not. The mixed opinions on the new cupping form, as well as the reactions to the CVA course, were strong.
This decision marked a significant moment in the world of coffee and sensory education.
Read More about Changes to the Q
Mike Ward
Having the opportunity to take the SCA Coffee Value Assessment course to retain my Q Grader license was definitely one of the best moments in 2025. Learning how to use the new grading form was super interesting.
After using it more frequently, I do actually find it to be quite useful. I look forward to seeing where it leads and the conversation it creates.
CVA Course at The Lab by RNY
Best Coffee & Tea in 2025
Caitlin Schiessl
Organic Matcha Kakegawa is our newest matcha offering, and it’s definitely my favorite one to date. It’s super creamy with a smooth finish.
If you want your craft matcha drinks to stand out, this one is a winner—however, I like to drink it on its own, no milk!
Shop Caitlin’s Favorite Tea
Andrew Blyth
Colombia Huila Santa Maria Excelso EP was the best coffee for me this year. While it wasn’t the brightest, sweetest, or highest-scoring coffee we imported, it was, by far, one of the most consistent.
We purchase this coffee by the container-load, and I marvel at the consistent score and profile, shipment after shipment. The quality is a true testament to the QC protocols of the producing group and exporter.
Shop Andrew’s Favorite Coffee
Joe Borg
Bali Kintamani Natural just arrived, and it’s hands-down my favorite coffee of 2025. It has a candy-like brightness with a grape and watermelon Jolly Rancher twist, mingling sweetness and clarity in a truly unique way.
Balinese naturals are rare, and this exceptional example stands out even more for its remarkable quality and character.
Shop Joe’s Favorite Coffee
Mike Ward
Of all the coffee that we cupped in 2025, Sumatra Takengon Gr1 DP PT Meukat Natural was definitely a standout. One the table, this one jumped ahead of the pack, with notes ranging from pineapple and strawberry, all the way to pomegranate syrup and kiwi. It really was a joy to cup.
Our thoughts are with those affected by the recent storm in Sumatra. We hope recovery efforts across Indonesia go as smoothly as possible so coffees like this can continue to be shared and celebrated.
