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, 16 Oct

• CostaX unveils new Podio capsule machines at HostMilano 2023. The Costa Coffee subsidiary’s Podio X1 and X2 machines are targeted at hotels, restaurants, bars, and workspaces. The capsule systems feature plug-and-play functionality, intuitive interfaces, and smart connectivity. CostaX machines will be available from early 2024.

• Nespresso partners with Royal Mail UK to boost collection rates of recyclable aluminium capsules. Customers can now arrange free collection of used coffee capsules through Royal Mail, or alternatively drop them off at one of more than 14,000 locations nationwide.

• UK Coffee Week takes places to raise funds for Project Waterfall. Thousands of coffee shops, roasters, and consumers are taking part to raise funds for the initiative. This year, Project Waterfall will use donations to provide coffee-producing communities in Berbere, Ethiopia with clean drinking water, sanitation, and educational opportunities.

• Cup of Excellence to host cupping sessions in Amsterdam, Houston, and Taiwan in November for this year’s Colombian competition. The cupping sessions will give buyers the chance to sample lots from this year’s CoE Colombia at the following locations:
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands: 9 November at The Coffee Quest
  • Houston, Texas, US: 17 November at Caravela Coffee
  • Taichung City, Taiwan: 13 November at Blossom Valley
  • Taipei, Taiwan: 18 November at Pebble Coffee

• Early bird tickets for 2024 National Coffee Association Convention available until 16 November. NCA members are also eligible for a further discount. The 2024 NCA Convention will take place in Nashville, Tennessee from 7 to 9 March.

• UK’s Origin Coffee receives US $3.8 million investment to support growth. The funding will be used to support the company’s digital, retail, and wholesale activities throughout the next four years. Origin will also plan to increase its direct green coffee purchases from producers by 77%.

• This year’s San Francisco Coffee Festival take place on 11 & 12 November. Tickets for the 2022 event completely sold out, so organisers are encouraging prospective attendees to secure their spots early.

• This year’s IWCA Convention takes place Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the first time. This year’s convention will run until 22 October, and features several industry-leading speakers. The IWCA Convention Scholarships also helped to cover a portion of attendees’ fees, including funding from companies such as JNP Coffee.

Tue, 17 Oct

• AeroPress launches new range of accessories. AeroPress owners can now customise their brewers with decorative lids and sleeves. New products also include the AeroPress Organiser Stand – which features separate compartments for the brewer, stirrer, filter cap, and paper filters – and the AeroPress Carafe, which is the only carafe specifically designed for the AeroPress.

• Chilean Matias Faúndez wins the 2023 Latte Art Grading System World Championship at HostMilano. Faúndez faced off against some of the best latte art competitors in the world, beating participants from Peru, Colombia, Italy, and Spain to win the 2023 championship.

• Ground Control launches compact New Ground Control commercial batch brewer. The company says the new machine costs 45% less than its predecessor (the Cyclops) without compromising on functionality. The compact brewer can fit under countertops, while the Smart Dispenser system records and displays brewing data via Bluetooth.

• Rancilio Group launches Egro MoDe fully-automatic coffee machine at HostMilano. The compact machine includes the choice of one or two integrated bean hoppers, as well as a single or double instant product hoppers. The Egro’s modular design means it can be attached to a milk module – with a maximum output of 150 cups per day.

• Baristas at three Coffee by Design cafés announce plans to unionise. Workers at the Portland, Maine locations say 89% of the retail workforce has authorised the formation of a Laborers’ International Union of North America chapter. The chain’s owner has agreed to enter contract negotiations.

• Equator Coffees reopens San Francisco café. The SOMA location closed following challenges caused by the pandemic. The roaster says it hopes to support the revitalisation of the area.

• Cimbali Group unveils rebranding at HostMilano. Formerly known as Gruppo Cimbali, the company’s rebrand includes a new name, corporate identity, logo, and branding colours. The reveal took place at HostMilano, where the company hosted a large booth.

• Panel recordings of first-ever Ally Open Summit available on YouTube. The panel discussions featured several international industry experts, leaders, and competitors, including 2022 World Coffee Roasting Champion Felix Teiretzbacher, 2022 World Brewers Cup Champion Sherry Hsu, 2022 US Barista Champion Morgan Eckroth, and 2022 US Cup Tasters Champion Julien Langevin.

Wed, 18 Oct

• Costa Coffee reports return to profitability in 2022. The UK coffee chain announced full-year profit of US $297 million in 2022 and 21% year-on-year sales growth. This follows a US $46.6 million loss in 2021.

• Voting opens for SCA Germany, Ukraine, and UK Chapter elections. Voting for all three Chapter Committee elections closes on 25 October, with results to be announced on 1 November.

• SCA Norway Chapter announces new committee members. Six coordinators have been elected to the national committee:
  • National Coordinator: Marit Lynes
  • Community Coordinator: Tobias Abrahamsen
  • Education Coordinator: Madelein Solheim Johnsen
  • Judges Coordinator: Espen Stokkan Smith
  • Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Lise Romo
  • Events Coordinator: Stig Morten Hiller

• Nespresso launches functional capsules for the Vertuo brewer. The new line includes capsules with added caffeine, ginseng, and vitamin B12, as well as a half-caf option.

• Digital Coffee Future to host virtual Coffee Prices & Technology Summit: Trends, Margins, and Pay Gap on 25 & 26 October. The online event will feature discussions around coffee price dynamics and their impact on the industry. Expert speakers will include JNP Coffee’s Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, Sucafina’s Ilya Byzov, and Vuna Origin Consulting’s Sara Morrocchi.

• Juan Valdez aims to operate 50 stores in Turkey by the end of 2024. The Colombian coffee chain says it plans to accelerate expansion in Turkey over the next 12 months, after opening its first Turkish store in Istanbul in April 2022.

• Trabocca celebrates its 20 anniversary. The Dutch company hosted celebrations at its offices in Amsterdam, Addis Ababa, and Minneapolis – reflecting on its growth and dedication to sourcing traceable coffees.

• Vision Zero Fund and International Labour Organisation co-host Challenges to guaranteeing Occupational Safety and Health in the Coffee Supply Chain webinar. As part of the #CoffeePeople campaign, the two organisations will host several online webinars and launch a documentary. The next webinar will take place on 9 November at 15:00 CET.

• Bonavita Enthusiast with Glass Carafé becomes the latest SCA Certified Home Brewer. The eight-cup batch brewer features a pre-infusion mode that mimics the pour over brewing methods.

• Nespresso and Peet’s resolve capsule trademark lawsuit. The companies have settled the dispute out of court after Nespresso filed a trademark lawsuit last year, alleging that Peet’s used its capsules to create a false association with the Nespresso brand.

• Saudi Coffee Company launches specialist academy to empower local coffee producers. The Saudi Coffee Company Academy will initially focus on farmers, but aims to train more than 400 individuals annually in various areas of the coffee industry. Courses include Best Agriculture Practices, Best Processing Practices, Barista, Brewing, Sensory, Roasting, and Green Beans.

• Colombia reports 2% year-on-year increase in coffee production in September. The National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers adds that exports increased by 1% during the same period, while production for the current year remains 6% lower than the previous season.

• SCA calls for proposals for 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo Lecture Series. The SCA is looking for industry experts to submit lecture proposals for the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago, US from 11 to 14 April. Topics include business, coffee science, and sustainability.

Thu, 19 Oct

• Winners of the 20th annual Roaster of the Year Award announced. Bridge City Coffee of Greenville, South Carolina is the Micro Roaster of the Year, while Verve Coffee Roasters of Santa Cruz, California is the Macro Roaster of the Year.

• EL&N makes its debut in Poland. The UK boutique café chain has opened a store in Warsaw, Poland – marking its 18th outlet in Europe and 35th in the world. The store is located in the Westfield Arkadia shopping centre.

• Pact Coffee becomes first UK roaster to launch Rwandan micro-lot coffee at Waitrose stores. The light roast specialty coffee is sourced from Kibirizi washing station, which is a collective of 1,130 smallholder producers in the Karongi District. Waitrose now also stocks Pact’s Bourbon Cream Espresso and Fruit & Nut Espresso blends.

• Fairtrade America and Fairtrade Canada partner for first time for Fairtrade month. As part of the “We Are Fairtrade” campaign, the two chapters will co-host the This is the Future of Farming – A Conversation with the Next Generation of Farmers webinar on 25 October at 17:00 BST, which includes the perspectives of a coffee producer.

• Sustainability firm Carble launches Carblecast educational podcast. Hosted by CEO Sander Reduerink, the podcast explores how global companies can produce commodities like coffee and cocoa that benefit all people in the supply chain, while also mitigating environmental impacts.

• Coffee in Action’s Vadym Granovskiy hosts flat red tasting at Ukrainian restaurant Mriya in London. The UK Cezve/Ibrik Champion served the Ukrainian coffee drink for guests at the restaurant, and also spoke about the history of coffee in the country.

• Balzac Brothers to host Q grader certification course from 2 to 7 February 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina. The six-day Coffee Quality Institute course includes both training and the certification exam. Q grader Traci Armstrong and the Balzac Brothers team will host the course.

• US branded coffee shop market exceeds 40,000 outlets for the first time. The latest Project Café USA 2024 report says there are now 40,062 locations nationwide, and adds that the sector reached 104% of its pre-pandemic market value over the past year.

• Coffee futures increase sharply on tight supplies. The arabica contract for December delivery increased by 3.73%, while the corresponding robusta contract increased by 3.14%. Global coffee inventories continue to shrink, with El Niño expected to increase prices further.

• New project builds detailed logistics network to assess how Colombian coffee producers can benefit from improved road infrastructure. Researchers at Univalle used geographic information systems to analyse more than 3,200 routes in Nariño, Colombia to determine the overall efficiency of the local coffee logistics network. The data will be applied to future road infrastructure developments.

• More than half of Brazil’s 2023/24 coffee crop has already been sold, while coffee exports slowed by shipping issues. Reuters reports that Brazilian coffee farmers have already sold 56% of their harvest, compared to 60% at the same time last year. Meanwhile, exporters are reporting delays in coffee shipments as a result of limited availability of trucks and containers.

• Starbucks and Nespresso helped Nestlé achieve 7.8% organic growth over the past nine months. Despite total sales decreasing by 0.4%, Nestlé says it experienced healthy growth partially driven by Starbucks and Nespresso product sales.

Fri, 20 Oct

• South African Specialty Coffee Expo to take place in Cape Town for the first time. After hosting successful events in Johannesburg, organisers will bring the event to Maker’s Landing from 27 to 29 October 2023. The expo will feature a Roaster’s Village, dozens of exhibitions, and the 2024 regional Western Cape Barista Championship.

• Amsterdam Coffee Festival to return from 4 to 6 April 2024. The annual expo celebrates the vibrant Dutch specialty coffee scene. The event will feature the Roasters Village, the Faemina Coffee School, Latte Art Live, and the Roast Masters competition.

• ASEAN Café Show 2023 to be held from 26 to 29 October in Bangkok, Thailand. Taking place at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, the event will host four Thai Coffee Championships, including the Barista Championship and Brewers Cup. The 17th edition of the Thailand Coffee Tea & Drinks expo will also take place alongside the ASEAN Café Show, as well as the Thailand Bakery & Ice Cream.

• The Barista League Milwaukee set to take place on 21 October at Colectivo Coffee. The multi-disciplinary barista competition will feature the Mystery Mocktail Challenge and a dedicated Brew Bar. Judges will include Arielle Rebekah of Trans & Caffeinated Consulting and Veronica Pearl of Glitter Cat Barista.

• This year’s Taiwan & Korean AeroPress Championships scheduled for 28 October. The Taiwanese competition will be hosted by Sunbear Co. at CMP Park2 in Taichung City, while 180 Coffee Roasters will host the Korean event at Gute Leute in Seoul. The winners will go on to represent their countries at the 2023 World AeroPress Championship in Melbourne, Australia from 1 to 3 December.

• Registration opens for Roast Summit 2024. Next year’s summit will take place at the McMenamins Kennedy School and Buckman Coffee Factory in Portland, Oregon on 22 & 23 February 2024.

• Cuptasters Grand Battle 2023 take places in Thailand. Special guests include 2022 World AeroPress Champion Jibbi Little and 2023 World Cup Tasters Champion. The final round will be held on 10 December 2023.

• Cotti Coffee registers multiple trademarks for baijiu liquor-infused cold brew. The Chinese coffee chain will likely launch a baiju-infused cold brew product in the coming months, following the runaway success of rival Luckin Coffee’s Moutai latte in September.

• Caffè Nero reports 13.5% year-on-year sales growth in the period ending 31 August 2023. The UK coffee chain further reported 19% year-on-year sales growth at group level, adding that it now operates 620 outlets in total.

• Last chance for volunteer registration for 2023 World Coffee Championships in Taipei. Prospective volunteers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, with the roles of check-in assistant, stage assistant, pack-up assistant, and emcee still available. The World Latte Art, Coffee Roasting, and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships will be held in Taipei from 17 to 20 November 2023.

• Prague Coffee Festival 2023 to take place at Holešovice Market on 21 & 22 October. The annual coffee festival will include a roasters exhibition, a lecture programme, and various workshops.

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

• Tue, 3 Oct – Matthew Algie launches Piacetto Italian coffee range. Scotland’s largest roaster acquired the blend from Tchibo Coffee, which was relaunched at the 2023 Caffè Culture event in London.

• Wed, 11 Oct – Pret A Manger to open first Canadian store in 2024. The UK café chain plans to open a store in Toronto’s financial district early next year, marking its first foray into the Canadian market.

• Fri, 13 Oct – Dutch Bros achieves target of 800 stores in the US by the end of 2023. The coffee chain will now focus on opening a further 200 stores nationwide by July 2025.

• Sun, 15 Oct – New Zealand takeaway coffee prices are rising at the fastest rate in a decade. According to Stats NZ, the average price of a takeaway coffee in New Zealand increased by 6.9% between June 2022 and July 2023.

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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 & Opinion piece on selling specialty coffee in supermarkets.