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

Mon, 14 Nov

• Industry leaders including Martin Mayorga to speak at PRF El Salvador. The event will feature a number of renowned coffee professionals such as founder of Mayorga Coffee, Martin Mayorga, 2017 World Barista Champion, Dale Harris, Chief Operating Officer at Ally Coffee, Ricardo Pereira, and Vice President of Trading Commodities at StoneX, Albert Scalla. PRF El Salvador will take place on 16 and 17 March 2023 at the San Salvador Exhibition Centre. Early bird tickets are available now.

• Brazil’s Embrapa Café develops biotechnological tool to accelerate the development of new coffee cultivars. In partnership with several universities and other research institutions, Embrapa applied genome-wide selection to specially selected varieties, which helped to reduce the overall selection process by as much as half.

• Natural Catuaí 144 variety scores 91.41 points at 2022 Cup of Excellence Brazil. The lot was produced by Antônio Rigno de Oliveira Filho of Fazenda Tijuco in the Chapada Diamantina region. The auction will take place on 1 December 2022.

• Brazil’s Cerrado Mineiro region launches two new limited-edition coffees to commemorate 50 years of production. The supervisory authority of Brazil’s largest coffee-producing region has released the Topázio Ipê Amarelo variety – which has notes of jasmine, orange, and papaya – and the Catuaí-Amarelo blend, which has flavours of milk chocolate and honey. The authority is also the first to use AI fingerprint technology to “enable the scientific verification” of coffee origin in a bid to improve value for both producers and buyers.

• Coffee Roasters Guild appoints five new members to Leadership Council. New members include SCA Italy National Coordinator, Davide Cobelli, Sales Executive at Mercon, Emily Smith, Business Executive at Single Origin Coffee Supplies, Tonny Butera, co-founder of Sightseer Coffee, Sara Gibson, and Managing Director at She’s The Roaster, Baylee Engberg.

• Specialty Coffee Association opens nominations for 2023 Sustainability Awards. The awards scheme includes three categories: Business Model, Individual, and Project. Applications close on 13 January 2023.

• Oatly reports 7% revenue increase in 2022 Q3 despite growth being “below expectations”. The oat milk manufacturer downgraded its full-year 2022 revenue forecast by US $100 million. Oatly also says it will “adapt its supply chain network strategy” and cut numerous jobs to “execute an overhead and headcount reduction” in an effort to save around US $25 million.

• Coffee Quality Institute appoints three new members to board of trustees. New board members include Head of Content and Digital at Nestlé, Liza Caselli-Mechael, Commercial Director of Masteroast Coffee Co., Matthew Mills, and Director of Coffee at Nestlé Coffee Partners, Matt Swenson.

Tue, 15 Nov

• Cecafé reports Brazilian coffee exports dropped by 3.2% in October 2022. The organisation says lower robusta harvests are responsible for the decline – amounting to a 63.3% year-on-year decrease. Arabica exports, meanwhile, rose by 3.3% in the same month.

• Washed Sidra variety from Hacienda Lugmapata scores 90.28 points at 2022 Cup of Excellence Ecuador. The lot was produced by the Merino family in the Chimborazo region, and was the only coffee to receive more than 90 points in the competition. The auction will be held on 1 December 2022.

• New 100% fine robusta brand launches in India. LastHouse Coffee exclusively grows and sells fine robusta. The company also plans to open a “coffee experience centre” in the city of Hyderabad.

• New research from Project Café Middle East 2023 finds Morocco has the fastest-growing branded coffee market. The country experienced more than 20% growth in its branded coffee shop market over the previous 12 months. The report covers 20 of the highest-performing coffee markets in the MENA region, including Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

• Swedish coffee company Löfbergs launches in the UK. The brand’s whole bean and roast & ground products are available at Tesco and Ocado supermarkets in the UK.

Wed, 16 Nov

• Brazil International Coffee Week celebrates 10th anniversary. The event is taking place until 18 November at the Expominas trade and exhibition centre in Belo Horizonte. The festival includes an extensive tradeshow, educational seminars and workshops, the annual Coffee of the Year competition, and the Brazilian Cup Tasters and Brewers Cup Championships. This year’s theme is “Brazilian Coffee: achievements and challenges for the next 10 years.”

• World’s youngest Q grader launches three-ingredient coffee confectionary bar. Frankie Volkema – who is 16 years old – launched the Coffee Bar, which is made from roasted coffee beans (sourced from young producers in Honduras), cocoa butter, and cane sugar.

• Arabica futures drop to 16-month low as experts predict reduced consumption and higher supplies. December delivery contracts for arabica closed at US 156.75 cents/lb, while the robusta contract for January closed at US $1,802/tonne. Global coffee consumption is predicted to slow down as a result of the energy crisis and ongoing recession, while there is expected to be a surplus of coffee in 2023/24.

• The Barista Guild announces candidates for 2022 Leadership Council Election. Seven volunteer candidates have been put forward for the two-year council terms, spanning February 2023 to January 2025. The election process has been extended until 23 November to allow for last-minute candidates, with voting opening on 29 November.

Thu, 17 Nov

• International Coffee Organisation releases 2021 Coffee Development Report. The organisation’s flagship report outlines the major threats to the future coffee production, and offers solutions to safeguard yields and quality – including encouraging more engagement with youth and providing policy recommendations for private sector stakeholders.

• Umeshiso Coffee Supply partners with disability activist and author Alice Wong. As part of the release of Wong’s new memoir Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life, Umeshiso has launched three new limited-edition Tiger Pack bundles – which include cupping spoons and a copy of Wong’s book, among other items. Proceeds of Tiger Pack sales will go to Disability Visibility Project and Get Psyched.

• Caribou Coffee opens its first domestic franchise location in the US. The new store in Wooster, Ohio is the first of several planned franchise locations. The company says its new franchise framework will “build on the success of license and international franchise operations”, as well as allowing it to rapidly expand its 467 existing locations.

• USAID reaffirms commitment to continue supporting climate-smart food systems – including coffee. Speaking at COP27, the US development agency pledged its commitment to the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate project, which aims to protect livestock and crop yields and quality from the effects of climate change, including coffee.

• Dutch Bros becomes third-largest coffee chain in the US behind Starbucks and Dunkin’. The drive-thru coffee chain is set to open a total of 670 locations in the US by the end of 2022.

• Digital Coffee Future hosts two-day Future of Coffee Logistics Summit. The online event discusses solutions to logistical issues in the coffee supply chain, and includes a number of panels and workshops.

• Carringtons Coffee Co reaches £1,000 (US $1,192) milestone in Blackdog Outdoors mental health fundraiser. The Cumbria, UK-based roaster says it donates UK 30p (US 36 cents) from every bag of coffee sold, having already raised £1,000 (US $1,192) for the mental health charity. Blackdog Outdoors organises free-to-attend outdoor activities “to help bolster poor mental health”.

• Oat milk brand Minor Figures appoints Melissa Hauser as General Manager for North America. The certified B Corporation says Hauser brings “a strong background in CPG sales with both emerging and established brands like Rowdy Mermaid, VEB, Vega, and Pepsi” and will focus on brand awareness, sales development, and operational efficiency.

• Koa Coffee announces limited-release Kona-Panama Geisha specialty coffee blend. The Hawaiian roaster has blended 51% Kona coffee with 49% Panama Geisha from Abu Coffee in Boquete to create the special release, boasting complex flavours including jasmine, lemongrass, and passionfruit. It’s set to go on sale from 1 December.

Fri, 18 Nov

• Bellwether Coffee launches two new electric roasting solutions. The Bellwether Hub is a software-controlled multi-roaster system which allows for sustainable roasting in small batches, while Bellwether On-Demand is a cloud network which allows roasters and Bellwether customers to share data such as roast profiles.

• UK roaster 200 Degrees Coffee launches new sustainable packaging and coffee capsules. The roaster now uses recyclable coffee bags, and its Nespresso-compatible coffee pods can be recycled using the UK PodBack scheme.

• Time Magazine names “beanless” Atomo Coffee as one of 2022 Best Inventions. The company’s “molecular” cold brew – which is made with date seeds and a variety of natural flavourings – is said to produce up to 93% fewer carbon emissions than traditional coffee production, and also requires 94% less water. Time Magazine says Atomo Coffee is “a shockingly close coffee dupe at a fraction of the environmental cost”.

• Nuova Simonelli launches new Duo coffee grinder. The company says the on-demand grinder is suitable for both home and professional use and allows users to program two preset single or double doses at a time. It also features a touchscreen interface and micrometric grind size adjustment.

• Silvio Leite’s Secret Treasures Private Collection Auction showcases the best of Brazil’s Chapada Diamantina region. The Alliance for Coffee Excellence-sanctioned auction includes 22 coffees from Piatã, a small town that’s responsible for 17.5% of Brazil’s Cup of Excellence winners. The auction is scheduled for 20 December.

• Marco Beverage Systems partners with the Nature Trust to plant one hectare of indigenous Irish woodland. The company says its the first Irish-owned business to join the Nature Trust initiative, aiming to “promote and create biodiversity-friendly native woodland in Ireland”.

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

• Wed, 2 Nov – PJ’s Coffee partners with Make-A-Wish Foundation. The charitable campaign will allow customers to purchase Make-A-Wish Stars to support vulnerable children.

• Sat, 5 Nov – The Guardian claims coffee prices in UK have risen by up to 22% between August 2021 and July 2022. As evidence, the publication notes that a single Starbucks espresso has increased from £1.80 (US $2.14) to £2.20 (US $2.62) – representing a 22% increase.

• Tue, 8 Nov – Cargill and CARE International partner on project to improve sustainable agriculture in rural Vietnamese communities. The She Thrives programme aims to improve sustainable livelihoods for rural women and ethnic minority smallholders (including coffee farmers) from Dak Lak province in Vietnam by increasing access to tools and resources.

• Wed, 9 Nov – Jollibee Foods Corp. ends Dunkin’ partnerships in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The Filipino fast food chain says it terminated its franchise agreements to focus on larger business operations. Dunkin’ plans to continue with other franchise expansion plans in the region.

• Wed, 9 Nov – Costa Coffee opens first Georgian location at Tbilisi Airport. The store is operated by BTA, a subsidiary of TAV Airports, and is the first of many locations to be opened across Georgia.

• Wed, 9 Nov – Swiss Water reports 30% year-on-year revenue increase in 2022 Q3. The decaf coffee company says strong financial performance has enabled it to expand its credit facilities with lenders to adjust its total 2022 earnings to US $13.6 million.

• Thu, 10 Nov – Cayuga Milk Ingredients announces US $150 million expansion of its Auburn, New York facility. The farmer-owned company processes milk from 30 local family-owned dairy farms. The expansion will begin early next year.

• Thu, 10 Nov – Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea opens its tenth international location in Mirpur, Bangladesh. The Ohio roaster now operates outlets in Uttara, Banani, Gulshan, Khilgaon, and Bashundhara, as well as three outlets in Mirpur and two in Dhanmondi.

• Thu, 10 Nov – Italian company Segafredo Zanetti opens exclusive ambassador coffee shop in Tokyo, Japan. The new store was designed by award-winning architect Shigeru Ban and is located in the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo Bay.

• Thu, 10 Nov – Keurig Dr Pepper reappoints former CEO as latest CEO resigns amid code of conduct violation allegations. Ozan Dokmecioglu held the role for just four months before being accused of violating the company’s code of conduct. He is replaced by Executive Chairman and former CEO Bob Gamgort.

• Fri, 11 Nov – De’Longhi reports 6.1% decline in 2022 Q3 net profit. The company, which manufactures automatic coffee machines, says demand slowed down throughout the year, alongside rising manufacturing and energy costs.

• Fri, 11 Nov – Cotti Coffee continues expansion in China. The new company, which is founded by former Luckin Coffee chairman Charles Lu, has started its franchise store rollout across the country, with one source estimating a total of 1,000 locations so far. Cotti Coffee aims to open 10,000 stores in just three years.

• Fri, 11 Nov – World Bank to extend insurance assistance to two million Central American smallholder farmers. According to Bloomberg, the World Bank will work with the UN World Food Programme, Partnership for Central America, and the Insurance Development Forum to better support producers in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – including coffee farmers.

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

Photo credits: Sergio González