In this episode of the Cupping Table, David Paparelli sits down with Emily McIntyre, co-founder of Swift Coffee Sourcing, to discuss the professional evolution of specialty coffee importing. Drawing on two decades of experience, Emily provides a factual account of the operational challenges inherent in the trade, including the closure of her previous venture, Catalyst Trade, after hitting a ”ceiling” in managing a highly complex business model. She explains the personal and financial risks of global sourcing and the lessons learned from navigating business transitions in a volatile market.Emily explains what it is like working on the ground in Ethiopia and talks about transparency issues like “flavor matching,” which can occur when market demand for a specific region exceeds its physical production capacity. The conversation clarifies the essential role of the importer as a financial and logistical buffer, noting that the work is often defined more by risk management and finance than the simple transmission of coffee.Looking toward the future, Emily outlines her ”80/20” business strategy, which balances a stable foundation of value-priced coffees with a smaller selection of highly traceable, single-producer lots. She also discusses the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve business logic, forecast accuracy, and sourcing details. Finally, the interview examines the new SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) standards and talks about how shifting toward more subjective valuation methods may influence the long-standing power dynamics between global buyers and producers.