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, ’One on One’ with Wendy De Jong, and much, much more!
BY SARAH ALLEN
BARISTA MAGAZINE
Welcome to the February + March 2025 issue of Barista Magazine! We’re excited to share the new issue with our readers since we’ve packed its pages with tons of great stories and terrific content. You can subscribe through our online store to receive a hardcopy paper version of the magazine mailed to you, or read it for free with 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 drinks—the maize latte has been a hit—in an effort to celebrate Indigenous foods, people, and history.
’Magic Milk: The Rise of Automatic Milk Steamers’
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 café. This story includes an in-depth look at the trend-turned-mainstay, and leaders in the field such as La Marzocco’s Wally Milk, Perfect Moose, Morning Dream, and others.
’Amazing Spaces: From Car Wash to Café’
In our new series, “Amazing Spaces,“ we look to highlight coffee shops in interesting or unusual locations, and a café in a car wash certainly fits the bill. When looking to expand their operations in Kearney, Neb., Barista’s 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 Barista’s Daily Grind team created something amazing.
’So You Want to Roast Your Own Coffee’
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.
’One on One with Wendy De Jong’
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: “The Knockbox,“ focusing on how to create the perfect bar flow by longtime coffee professional, former U.S. Barista Champion, and retailing expert Laila Ghambari; a look at the rapidly growing world of kombucha and how to add your own line in “Foam“; “Field Reports“ taking you along on trips to Nicaragua to source spices, and to Nepal in search of hiking and coffee; and much, much more.
Subscribe and More!
As always, you can read Barista Magazine in paper or digital format. Read the February + March 2025 issue for free with our digital edition.
And for more than three years’ worth of issues, visit our digital edition archives here.
