Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week.

Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

Mon, 4 Dec

• Tay Wipvasutt wins 2023 World AeroPress Championship in Melbourne, Australia. The Thai barista came out on top at the world finals, beating out numerous national champions to become this year’s World AeroPress Champion. His winning recipe is now available online.

• Milan Coffee Festival 2023 concludes in Italy. The annual festival featured various coffee-related attractions, including the Roasters Village, Latte Art Live, the Mindful Coffee Tasting Experience, and this year’s Coffee Masters Milan.

• MICE 2024 to host education sessions for café owners. Organisers say the sessions will help café owners run their businesses better, offering them insights into scaling, branding, design, upselling skills, and equipment sourcing. MICE 2024 will take place from 12 to 14 May at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

• IWCA reports back on 20th anniversary celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The organisation hosted its annual International Women in Coffee Convention from 16 to 22 October, marking 20 years of supporting the work and growth of women in the international coffee community. Attendees enjoyed origin trips, workshops, panels, cupping sessions, and networking events.

• Luckin Coffee loses trademark infringement lawsuit in Thailand. The Chinese coffee chain claimed that Thai company 50R Group registered the Luckin trademark without its consent, going on to open multiple stores in the country. However, the court ruled that there was no infringement.

• Natural SL-28 receives 91.70 points at Los Rodriguez Collection Nº2 competition. The coffee was grown at the El Fuerte farm in Samaipata and topped the Exotics category. A Gesha from the Alasitas farm in Caranavi received 91.20 points, topping the Gesha Washed category, while a Gesha from the Floripondio farm in Samaipata received 91.50 points, topping the Natural Gesha category.

• 4C Regional Stakeholder Conference held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The regional conference focused on the latest developments in sustainability certification and requirements for coffee exports, featuring a diverse agenda headlined by renowned global coffee professionals and industry executives.

Tue, 5 Dec

• Voting opens for SCA Romania and SCA Portugal Chapter Committee elections. Voting for both chapters runs from 5 to 13 December, with successful candidates set to be announced on 18 December. Positions include National Coordinator and Events Coordinator.

• Beyers Koffie and CEE announce first industrial-scale fully electric coffee roasting line. Beyers Koffie, a subsidiary of Sucafina, has partnered with “cleantech” company CEE to develop a line of fully electric coffee roasters, promising reduced emissions and improved energy efficiency for industrial roasting companies.

• Cup of Excellence announces Origin immersion Program: El Salvador 2024. The course, taught by CoE Head Judge Luis Rodríguez, will take place at the Instituto Salvadoreño Del Café in San Salvador from 26 February to 1 March 2024. Attendees will learn about a range of topics, including cupping and scoring coffee and the history of the Salvadoran coffee industry.

• Asia International Coffee Conference 2023 held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The two-day forum took place at the Reverie Saigon Hotel, hosting more than 200 coffee industry executives and numerous exhibitions. This year’s theme was “From Bean to Brew: The Economics of Coffee”.

• SCA Green Coffee Summit held online. The two-day, free-to-attend virtual summit hosted several live lectures, market presentations, and panel discussions, focusing on providing “insights and well-founded, actionable knowledge for producers, traders, and green coffee buyers”.

• Royal Coffee adds Peru Organic Palomar Biodynamic Washed green coffee to Crown Jewels lineup. The traditional Peruvian coffee is produced by Dagoberto Marin Ludeña at the Chacra D’Dago estate. It’s certified organic and biodynamic and has a flavour profile that includes notes of ime, honey, dark chocolate, apple, and lemongrass.

Wed, 6 Dec

• Hard Beans Coffee Roasters launches Hardtank automatic cold brew machine. The Hardtank is aimed at hospitality businesses, promising drastic cost savings and increased efficiency. The basic model produces cold brew in just 90 minutes and can brew up to 250l per day.

• Saudi chain Barn’s set to launch initial public offering within the next year. The chain, which currently operates more than 550 stores in Saudi Arabia, seeks to raise funds through the IPO, aiming to reach 1,000 stores globally by 2030.

• Study finds adding a spritz of water before grinding coffee yields better espresso, less chaff. University of Oregon researcher Christopher Hendon found that adding a single squirt of water to beans before grinding can significantly reduce the static electric charge on the resulting grounds, yielding less waste and a more consistent flow rate.

• Emma Chamberlain calls building her coffee brand “the hardest thing she’s ever done”. Speaking on the Colin & Samir podcast, the social media influencer said she has regretted entering the coffee business in the past, despite raising US $14 million in capital to secure retail shelf space. The interview lasted nearly three hours.

• ICO warns that new European Union deforestation regulations may lead to a coffee shortage in 2025. Executive Director Vanúsia Nogueira says the organisation still has “many doubts and questions” about the regulations, adding that as a result, the EU may not receive enough coffee to meet demand in 2025.

Thu, 7 Dec

• Perfect Daily Grind releases 2023 PDG holiday gift guide. The latest edition of our annual guide features a wide variety of coffee-related gift ideas, ranging from stocking fillers under US $50 to premium gifts like professional espresso machines.

• SCA opens applications for WCC Competitions Strategic Committee. The SCA has several positions available on the overall CSC strategy group, along with the competition-specific rules and regulations sub-committees. Applications are open until 8 January 2024.

• Vietnamese chain Cong Ca Phe opens first store in Canada. The country represents the company’s third international market, following launches in South Korea and Malaysia. It now operates 76 locations in total, serving classic Vietnamese coffee drinks.

• McDonald’s announces new coffee chain CosMc’s. The company opened its first CosMc’s store in Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA, adding that it will open further locations in Illinois and Texas in 2024. Unlike McCafé, the chain will focus on a diverse drinks menu including churro frappes and turmeric spiced lattes.

• Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association anticipates drop in annual export volumes. The association says output has fallen over the past year, further complicated by a lack of carry-over stock and growing local demand. The annual export is expected to reach between 1.6 to 1.7 million tonnes, compared to 1.78 million tonnes the previous year.

• ICO says 2023/24 will be an “exceptional off-year” for Brazilian coffee production. The organisation says despite still recovering from the 2021 frosts, the Brazilian coffee industry is on track to drive a 5.8% increase in global coffee production in the coming season. Total production for the 2022/23 reached 168.2 million 60kg bags, representing a 0.1% increase year-on-year.

• Mercon Coffee Group files for bankruptcy protection in the US. The major green coffee trader says an “exceptionally challenging operating environment” has forced it to seek financial assistance, as several lenders have opted not to extend credit agreements. The company will will work with clients to “ensure a seamless process concerning open contracts”.

Fri, 8 Dec

• The Coffee to make Middle East debut in 2024. The Brazilian coffee chain says it plans to open stores in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt next year, adding to its 23 international stores and 200 Brazilian stores.

• Green coffee company Belco launches new website. The website enables customers to purchase sustainably produced and sourced green coffee from several prominent origins, including Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia, and Colombia.

• Starbucks’ market value falls by US $11 million following protests and pro-Palestinian boycott. The company has seen stocks plummet just weeks after unionised employees held a US-wide Red Cup Day strike, protesting alleged unfair working conditions and the company’s perceived support for Israel.

• Franchisee Moonglow Trading secures seven-figure funding for Black Sheep Coffee expansion plans. The hospitality business plans to open up to four new Black Sheep Coffee franchises in the UK, adding to its existing 54 locations. It says it plans to explore more opportunities outside of London.

• Study finds possible carcinogenic contaminant in coffee from 20 brands. Japan’s Fujian Province Consumer Council says it tested various coffee products from companies like Starbucks, Luckin, Tim Hortons, KFC, McDonalds, and Costa Coffee, finding traces of acrylamide in all of them. The World Health Organisation lists the compound as a possible carcinogen for humans.

• Caribou Coffee opens first location in Florida, USA. The new store is operated by franchisee Wake Up 727 and is located in St. Petersburg. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to franchise more than 300 new locations across the US.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Fri, 1 Dec – SCA and ICO partner to advance cooperation within the global coffee industry. The two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding, pledging to work together to “reach new heights” in specialty coffee sustainability and education. The MoU also “outlines a joint commitment to expanding market promotion and encouraging the consumption of high-quality coffee.”

• Fri, 1 Dec – Reborn Coffee makes international debut in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The American coffee chain’s local partner, Barrie Nasim, has opened his first licensed outlet at the Exchange TRX shopping centre. CEO Jay Kim says further international expansion will take place in South Korea and the UAE.

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Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s coffee news stories and make sure to read the latest Coffee Intelligence news piece on beanless coffee.