Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Assembly Coffee releases rare Arara and Aramosa coffees in Daterra Masterpieces range. The London roaster partnered with Alex Delany on the product launch. The Arara (a natural hybrid of Obata and Yellow Catuai varieties) is anaerobically fermented, while the aAramosa (a hybrid of Arabica and Racemosa species) is aerobically fermented.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Equator Coffees launches new coffee in B’Cause Blend Artist Series collaboration. The US roaster partnered with UK artist Lucy Kirk to create a coffee bundle, including a limited-edition MiiR tumbler, tote bag, stickers and 12oz (340g) bag of B’Cause Blend coffee. For every bundle sold, US $10 will be donated to the It Gets Better Project – a US LGBTQ+ advocacy non-profit.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Pact Coffee launches its first-ever brand campaign in UK. The focus of the multimedia campaign is raising consumer awareness about social and economic inequity across the coffee supply chain. The “Make a Pact to fix it” campaign will run across print, radio, and social media.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Yara acquires Finnish organic fertiliser manufacturer Ecolan. Ecolan manufactures organic, recycled fertilisers for agricultural and forestry industries, including coffee. Under the acquisition, Yara will be able to offer these fertilisers to international markets.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Results of first-ever Taiwan Private Collection Auction announced. The average bid/lb was US $94.50, with a total of over US $51,000 winning bids. Buyers included coffee companies from Taiwan, the US, France, Japan, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. The highest price was for a coffee from Zhuo Wu Mountain Coffee Farm, with a cup sccore of 89.77 points.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Coffee prices increase on CEPEA index as Brazil 2021 harvest ends. On 27 August, CEPEA stated 85 to 95% of coffee had been harvested in the country. The effects of extreme weather on this year’s harvest led to arabica prices increasing 8.87% to US 212.52 cents per bag on 30 August. Robusta prices also continue to increase, having reached US 139.73 cents per bag on 3 September.

• Mon, 6 Sep – KeepCup launches 2021 Reuse Survey. The survey includes questions on consumer reusable cup behaviour. Data collected will be used to inform the company’s life cycle analysis, leading to improved reusable cup campaigns.

• Mon, 6 Sep – Slow Coffee Festival 2021 to be held on 11 & 12 September. The in-person festival will be held in Bucharest and will also host the 2021 Romanian AeroPress Championship. Events include a private cupping hosted by the FNC and sessions led by Artisan Coffee Gear. Admission is free.

• Tue, 7 Sep – London social enterprise Well Grounded celebrates 5th anniversary. Its specialty barista training academies have trained 468 people since opening, with 224 of the participants entering work, education, or further training upon graduation. As part of its anniversary campaign, Well Grounded launched a video showcasing graduates from its training academies.

• Tue, 7 Sep – Diedrich Roasters opens new US headquarters and education centre. The 5,000 sq ft facility in Chicago opened in partnership with roasting consultancy Firedancer Coffee Consultants. Diedrich IR-5 and IR-1 machines are used at the new facility, which includes a roasting and cupping area.

• Tue, 7 Sep – Co-operative Group partners with Fair Trade Africa. The retail business chain announced its commitment to spend more than 0.7% of its pre-tax profit on international aid in its new Climate Justice for People and Planet report. The partnership with Fairtrade Africa will aim to provide long-term investment for farmers, supporting them to adapt to climate change.

• Tue, 7 Sep – De’Longhi appoints US actor Brad Pitt as new global brand ambassador. The campaign includes advertisements showing Pitt purchasing coffee beans and preparing a cappuccino on the new De’Longhi Dinamica Plus automatic espresso machine. The TV advertisement was directed by Oscar-winning US director Damien Chazelle.

• Tue, 7 Sep – FNC announces Colombian coffee production decreased 16% in August. The FNC stated last month’s production totalled 915,000 bags, compared to 1.1 million in August 2020. Throughout 2021, production dropped 8%. FNC says the decreases are due to logistical issues with export – mainly road blockades from protests in May.

• Tue, 7 Sep – CBD One launches specifically-formulated emulsion to add to hot and cold beverages. The CBD-infused “One Shot” is available in 250ml (8.4oz) and 500ml (16.9oz) bottles with 125 and 250 servings, respectively (based on a 2ml serving). The company states the CBD used in One Shot is “active”, meaning it can be more readily absorbed.

• Tue, 7 Sep – Barista League Copenhagen to use Rancilio RS1 espresso machine. The machine includes features such as advanced temperature profiling and a variable steam lever. Barista League Copenhagen will be held on 11 September.

• Tue, 7 Sep – GAIL’s bakery plans store expansion. The bakery and coffee chain opened its 72nd location on 3 September in Kew, London. Tom Molnar, Gail’s CEO and co-founder, says that falling rental prices are an incentive for expansion.

• Tue, 7 Sep – Happy Happy Foods adds climate footprint to soy milk. The company has partnered with CarbonCloud to assess its global product carbon emissions. Happy Happy Soy Boy emits 0.6kg of CO2 for each litre produced.

• Tue, 7 Sep – JDE UK appoints Angela White as General Manager for UK & Ireland Retail. White has previously served as General Manager for Nutrition, whose clients include Tropicana and Naked. She will assist operations at JDE UK for brands such as Kenco, Tassimo, and Douwe Egberts.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Gruppo Cimbali enters home espresso machine market with Faemina. The two boiler machine has an adjustable grouphead. Users can also brew filter coffee on the machine, as well as espresso and milk-based beverages.

• Wed, 8 Sep – African Development Bank to support agricultural value chains in Côte d’Ivoire. ADB will help to fund the government’s 2021-2025 National Development Plan, which includes strengthening coffee value chains.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Robert Paulig Roastery Tolkkinen location receives carbon neutral certification. The facility’s emissions reduced by almost 100% since 2020 through offsetting projects. Paulig plans to reduce CO2 emissions within its own operations by 80% by 2030.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Nominations open for 2021 Barista Guild, Coffee Technicians Guild, and Coffee Roasters Guild leadership councils. The Barista Guild has 5 open positions, the Coffee Technicians Guild has 4 positions, and the Coffee Roasters Guild has 3 positions available. Voting for all three guilds is open until 4 October. All results will be announced on 10 December.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Brazil International Coffee Week (SIC) 2021 to be held from 10 to 12 November. Events will be held in-person in Belo Horizonte and livestreamed via the festival’s website. Registration is set to open soon.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Lincoln & York to sell exclusive washed Tanzania AA Lyamungo Estate coffee. The private label roaster will sell the Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee on a first come, first served basis. The order deadline is 17 September.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Louis Dreyfus Company signs joint venture agreement with specialty company Zephyr Japan. The partnership is LDC’s entry into the Japanese coffee market and is part of the company’s wider expansion plans for the Asia market.

• Wed, 8 Sep – Colombia becomes first country to sign Coffee, Forest & Climate Agreement. The agreement aligns with the Paris Climate Agreement and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The main objectives cover climate change adaptation, and conservation and restoration of forests in coffee-growing regions. Some 10% of global coffee production will be affected by the agreement.

• Thu, 9 Sep – Kruve expands glassware range. The Imagine line is aimed specifically for milk-based beverages: 250ml (8.5oz), 200ml (6.5oz), and 150ml (5oz) for lattes, cappuccinos, and cortados, respectively. Sets of two glasses of any size are priced at US $39.99.

• Thu, 9 Sep – Olam International appoints Niall FitzGerald as first Chair of Board of Directors. FitzGerald has an executive career spanning 37 years, including CEO of Unilever and serving on the board of the International Policy Council for Agriculture and Trade. FitzGerald will assist Olam’s executive team in sourcing and trading food and beverage products, including coffee.

• Thu, 9 Sep – Caravela Coffee hosts Coffee Growers’ Commitment to Excellence event in El Salvador. Thirteen coffee producers received awards from three categories: Top Quality Performance and Consistency, Caravela Principles, and Best Farm Management Practices. Caravela intends to host the Commitment to Excellence event annually at the end of every harvest.

• Thu, 9 Sep – Alessandro Zengiaro named as 2020 SCA UK Latte Art Champion. The competition took place at Caffè Culture in London. Zengiaro, from Assembly Coffee Roasters, will represent the UK at the SCA World Latte Art Championships in June 2022.

• Thu, 9 Sep – Dunkin’ releases Espresso-Style extra dark roast coffee. The roasting style is designed to replicate the in-store experience, allowing consumers to make espresso-style Dunkin’ drinks at home. The coffee is available preground and as K-Cup pods.

• Fri, 10 Sep – Cropster to host Simplifying Direct Sourcing webinar on 21 September. Demand Generation Manager Marcus Young will be speaking with Hannes Fendrich of Coffee Circle and Luiza Furquim of Algrano on how digitalisation can improve direct trading and producer-roaster relationships. The webinar will be held at 16:00 CEST.

• Fri, 10 Sep – Dutch Bros to donate US $1 of every drink sold to local youth organisations. The Buck for Kids campaign works with organisations including the Boys and Girls Club of America. Since 2011, Dutch Bros has raised US $3 million for the campaign.

• Fri, 10 Sep – Hundred House Coffee to debut new installation at 2021 London Coffee Festival. In partnership with ceramics studio CUP Ceramics, the roaster’s stall at the event will allow participants to create their own ceramic coffee cups. The installation is part of Hundred House Coffee’s non-profit Art + Industry programme, which funds art projects in secondary schools.

• Fri, 10 Sep – Results announced for 2021 Best of Yemen Auction. The auction was hosted by ACE and Qima Coffee. Buyers from 12 countries purchased 22 winning lots for an average US $63.26/lb. Total sales amounted to US $385,531.89. Qima Coffee pledged to donate 10% of all auction proceeds to the Qima Foundation’s Tomorrow’s Leader programme – a social initiative supporting Yemeni single mothers and their families.

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

• Sat, 28 Aug – US Starbucks employees attempt to form union. Fifty workers in Buffalo, NY announced the formation of an organising committee in a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. If successful, it would be the first union in the US of its kind.

• Wed, 1 Sep – Luckin Coffee extends milestone date in Restructuring Support Agreement. The extension will grant more time for relevant parties to document the terms of the Restructuring Agreement. Luckin Coffee was found to have inflated its 2019 sales revenue in April 2020. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2021.

• Wed, 1 Sep – Footwear company Keen to incorporate coffee waste into shoe manufacture. The Harvest Collection will include shoes made from upcycled coffee grounds.

• Wed, 1 Sep – Costa Coffee plans Belgium expansion. The chain is set to announce its first location in Belgium in September.

• Wed, 1 Sep – Eureka releases Mignon Single Dose grinder. The new prosumer model’s tilted design is said to minimise grind retention. The Mignon Single Dose is part of Eureka’s 100th anniversary Oro series.

• Thu, 2 Sep – Tropical Research Services announces 4% reduction in Brazil 2022 harvest. The organisation expects a loss of some 2.7 million bags for the 2022/23 harvest. TRS claims the July frost was not as severe as those experienced in 2001 and 1994.

• Thu, 2 Sep – EG Group to progress with Leon expansion after 60% revenue increase. Sales revenue reached £4.7 billion (US $6.5 billion) for Q2 2021 financial results. EG Group acquired Leon in April 2021 for around £80 to 100 million (US $111 to 139 million). EG Group plans to open 10 new locations of the food and coffee-to-go chain.

• Thu, 2 Sep – Dutch Bros welcomes Shelley Broader to Board of Directors. Broader has previously served in roles at Chico’s and Walmart International. She has extensive experience in global leadership, strategy, execution, and brand management.

• Fri, 3 Sep – Taste Coffee & More partners with Sanremo. The Treviso roaster now uses Opera Octane and Café Racer espresso machines. A dedicated space for the CUBE, the new single-group machine from Sanremo, is set to open in the café shortly.

• Fri, 3 Sep – World AeroPress Championships 2021 final postponed to 2022. Due to increases in Covid-19 cases in Melbourne, the final will take place on 5 March 2022. National championships are still taking place.

• Fri, 3 Sep – SCA US Chapter National Committee and US Competitions Committee request for cancellation of 2021 Specialty Expo. The event is set for 30 September to 3 October in New Orleans, but due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida and Covid-19, the two committees are requesting for the event to be postponed. Several US Coffee Championships are set to be held at the expo.

Sign up to our weekly coffee news recap to get a summary of all the biggest stories in the sector, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.

Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s stories.

Photo credits: @paulo.hert