Coffee News Recap, 18 Sep: Global Coffee Awards announces best roasters in Latin America, specialty coffee consumption hits new high in the US & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Once again, coffee remains the US’ favourite beverage. The National Coffee Association USA 2026 National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) Fall Report shows past-day coffee consumption holding steady at 66% of American adults, ahead of both tap and bottled water. Most past-day drinkers (83%) have coffee at home, but out-of-home consumption reached 38%, the highest level since January 2020.

Specialty coffee continues to overtake traditional coffee among American adults – 48% had specialty coffee in the past day, setting a new record. Espresso-based drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas drive much of this growth. A record 47% of American adults had an espresso-based beverage in the past week, up 17.5% since 2022.

These figures point to a maturing North American specialty coffee market, where quality matters more than ever. Last week, the Global Coffee Awards crowned the best roasters in the US and Canada. Now, the awards have named the best roasters in Latin America, a market that’s growing fast.

Mexico’s Café Baluarte de Veracruz took the overall win. Macizo Café De Altura from Colombia and De La Finca Specialty Coffee from Nicaragua also picked up top honours.

Entries for the Global Coffee Awards Europe are still open, and all entries must arrive by 21 October.

On 18 and 19 March 2027, winners from Africa, MENA, Asia, the US and Canada, and Latin America will compete against European roasters to decide the World’s Best Roaster at Producer & Roaster Forum Mexico.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 14 Sep – Faema hosts I’m A Barista featuring Jack Simpson. The 2025 World Barista Champion and Faema Global Brand Ambassador took part in a panel and Q&A, moderated by PDG Español, with additional guest speakers from across the coffee industry. The event also included technical tasting sessions, networking opportunities, a guided espresso tasting experience, and an Oatly Throwdown. (Barcelona, Spain)

• Mon, 14 Sep – Brazil coffee exports rebound strongly in August. Cecafé reported that shipments totalled 4.155 million 60kg bags, up 31% from August 2025 and the highest figure ever recorded for August in any year. Robusta shipments rose 53.6%, while arabica exports rose 25.7%. Export revenue increased 19.8% to US$1.331bn. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Specialty coffee consumption in the US reaches a record 48%; coffee remains America’s favourite beverage. The National Coffee Association’s 2026 National Coffee Data Trends Fall Report says coffee is the most consumed beverage in the US, and that specialty coffee consumption continues to outpace traditional coffee. 55% of past-week out-of-home coffee buyers ordered at a drive-thru, and a record high of 40% ordered on an app. (New York City, New York, US)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Global Coffee Awards recognises Latin America’s best roasters. Mexico’s Café Baluarte de Veracruz was named the overall winner, winning Gold in the Flat White Dairy and Flat White Plant-Based Milk categories. Colombia’s Macizo Café De Altura won Gold in the Filter category, and Nicaragua’s De La Finca Specialty Coffee won Gold in the Espresso category. Applications for the GCA Europe are open now.

• Wed, 16 Sep – BIGFACE and J Balvin collaborate to raise funds for Colombia earthquake relief. Jimmy Butler’s coffee brand BIGFACE has launched a new bundle to support earthquake relief efforts in Colombia. It pairs El Capitán, BIGFACE’s Colombian blend omni-roast, with a limited-edition recycled nylon hat embroidered with a design that blends J Balvin’s lightning-eyes logo with the BIGFACE smile. Priced at US$78, the bundle sends 100% of net proceeds from every sale to Colombia Se Levanta, a fund supporting long-term reconstruction in the areas hit hardest by the August 10 earthquake. (Miami, Florida, US)

• Thu, 17 Sep – Starbucks reportedly considers selling majority stake in Japan business. The coffee giant has approached several financial advisers for pitches as it weighs options for the business, and a formal sale process could begin as early as the fourth quarter, according to Reuters sources. The deal could value the Japanese business at around US$3bn. (Tokyo, Japan)

• Fri, 18 Sep – Pharrell Williams and Pusha T partner with Lavazza to launch Grindin Coffee. Longtime friends and collaborators Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton and Pharrell Williams launch their new coffee brand, Grindin Coffee, powered by and in partnership with Lavazza. Grindin Coffee sources coffee from Central and South America and Southeast Asia, offering medium and dark roasts. (Turin, Italy)

• Fri, 18 Sep – New auction record set for Bolivian coffee. The private online auction, hosted by Takesi family estate and digital platform M-Cultivo, commanded a record-breaking bid of US$3,100/kg for a natural Gesha. Across four exclusive micro-lots totalling 46kg, the auction achieved a weighted average price of US$1,930.26/kg. 18 roasters from 11 countries took part. Three of the four lots were won by Espresso Lab in the United Arab Emirates, with the remaining lot secured by Momos Coffee from South Korea. (London, UK)

Industry news

• Mon, 14 Sep – BRITA Professional unveils the Top 20 shortlist for Grounds of Innovation 2026. The fourth edition of the competition, celebrating creativity and innovation across the UK’s independent cafe scene, organised by BRITA Professional, has announced the shortlist of top 20 independent cafes. The list includes Tabitha’s, FLTR Coffee, Espressobros, Fringe and Ginge, Habit Coffee Company, and more. (London, UK)

• Mon, 14 Sep – La Marzocco to take part in Lodenfrey’s exclusive Oktoberfest 2026 collaboration. The luxury department store has brought together a curated mix of local institutions and selected partners for its Oktoberfest 2026 collection. La Marzocco has created a dedicated Munich City Guide, bringing together a curated selection of places that reflect the character of the city today. It has also created a one-of-one custom Linea Micra, with a design inspired by the visual language of the merchandise collection, as well as Munich, Bavaria, and Oktoberfest. (Munich, Germany)

• Mon, 14 Sep – Paris Brothers announces new brand identity as Paris Group. The group says the new identity reflects the full scope of a business now spanning coffee sourcing and roasting, contract manufacturing, warehousing, fulfillment, distribution, and a portfolio of owned consumer brands. (Kansas City, Missouri, US)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Groupe SEB appoints Loïc Moutault as the new CEO. With over 30 years of experience in major global brands, Loïc Moutault has been announced as the new CEO of Groupe SEB, the global professional coffee machine and premium hotel equipment brand, taking over from Stanislas de Gramont. (Écully, France)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Coffee Holding reports Q3 2026 results. For the quarter ending 31 July 2026, the group reported total net sales of US$2.2m, a 9.3% decrease from the same time period in 2025. The decrease in net sales was primarily attributable to the sustained decline in green coffee prices that began in late January and continued throughout most of the quarter. (New York City, New York, US)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Löfbergs becomes McDonald’s sole coffee supplier across all Nordic markets. Swedish coffee roaster Löfbergs is expanding its partnership with Food Folk, McDonald’s developmental licensee in the Nordics. Löfbergs is now McDonald’s sole coffee supplier across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. (Karlstad, Sweden)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Manolo Bakes appoints David López as new Global Business Development Director. The Spanish specialty coffee and bakery chain is unifying its national and international expansion, focusing on Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. With a focus on international expansion, the company has appointed David Lopez as its new Global Business Development Director. (Madrid, Spain)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Brazil instant coffee exports grew by 12.8% while domestic consumption grows by 11.9% in August. According to a new report from the Brazilian Soluble Coffee Industry Association (Abics), exports of the product totaled 7,700 tonnes (equivalent to 333,700 60kg bags) in August, a 24.9% increase compared to the same month in 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, soluble coffee consumption in Brazil totaled 19,700 tonnes, an increase of 11.9% compared to the same period last year. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

• Thu, 17 Sep – illycaffè targets the US as its “second domestic market”. CEO Cristina Scocchia said the US accounts for 20% of total revenue, but wants to increase this to 30% in the coming years. illy is investing in the US, China, and Europe and views an IPO as a “strategic opportunity” when markets improve. (Trieste, Italy)

• Fri, 18 Sep – Andrea Cipolloni replaces Marco Schiavon as new CEO of Caffe Borbone. One of the leading producers of single-serve coffees in the world, Caffe Borbone has announced its new leadership, appointing Andrea Cipolloni as the new CEO of the company. The company emphasised its continued focus on overseas development and margin recovery. (Naples, Italy)

Businesses for sale

• Tue, 15 Sep – Spanish beer brand Mahou San Miguel acquires two B2B coffee brands. The brand launched its coffee unit, Cafe170, about a year ago. The company has now added La Flor Del Cafe and Gran Cafe Royal to its portfolio. This acquisition follows an agreement with Grupo Disbesa-Darnés, a strategic distributor of Mahou San Miguel. Under the agreement, Disbesa Darnés will continue developing the two new additions in Catalonia. (Catalonia, Spain)

New launch

• Mon, 14 Sep – Mahlkönig launches the redesigned Sync app. The updated platform brings equipment monitoring, user management, operational insights, and recipe distribution together within a single ecosystem. The redesigned dashboard gives operators a real-time overview of their connected coffee setup. Users can monitor brew and grind events across multiple devices, gaining deeper insight into equipment performance and day-to-day operations. (Hamburg, Germany)

• Mon, 14 Sep – RAVE Coffee launches Variety Pack including six unique coffees. The packs are available in Blend Variety pack and Single Origin variety pack, featuring six 100g coffee bags. Each box and inner bag is fully recyclable, and 1% of all RAVE sales are donated to environmental causes. (Cirencester, UK)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Nespresso launches first-ever Pumpkin Spice Blend for workspaces. The launch is backed by new research showing that 43% of 18 to 34-year-olds actively look forward to pumpkin spice drinks each year, while 57% of Brits are more likely to treat themselves to a special coffee during autumn. (London, UK)

• Tue, 15 Sep – La Marzocco’s Accademia del Caffè Espresso launches Coffee Facts. The new editorial series unpacks the craft and culture behind coffee. The series will run across the coming weeks, covering sixteen topics organised into four chapters, tracing coffee’s journey from origin to final cup. Each chapter focuses on a different stage of the journey. The full series will be released gradually across Accademia’s official channels. (Florence, Italy)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Cosori launches new SCA-certified brewing system. Juni is designed to automate the precision and technique of manual pour over brewing. The brewer has a patent-pending 360-degree spiral water flow system, produced by a rotating brew basket and an extendable moving nozzle. It comes with built-in temperature control and four brewing modes. (Tustin, California, US)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Ditta Artigianale opens second location in Milan. The Gae Aulenti store covers around 200 square meters and offers seating for 50 to 60 people, combining specialty coffee with an all-day dining concept including breakfast, brunch, lunch, and Milanese aperitivo. (Milan, Italy)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Melitta Professional and Henderson Foodservice launch Barista Bar self-service concept. The collaborative setup will enable Barista Bar to add 30 new drinks to its range, expanding choices for consumers. The Barista Bar can process three different types of coffee beans and two different types of milks, each with hot or cold milk foam. (Minden, Germany)

• Thu, 17 Sep – Ember launches third generation of its flagship mug. Users can adjust their drinking temperature directly from the mug without opening the Ember app. Every mug now includes a sipping lid that extends the battery life. (Westlake Village, California, US)

• Fri, 18 Sep – Italy’s Caffè Vergnano expands European presence with first store in Ireland. The new opening is a part of a broader development plan announced earlier this year, aiming to open ten new locations across Italy and abroad by end of 2026, alongside ongoing restyling and expansion projects for existing stores. (Limerick, Ireland)

Milestone

• Tue, 15 Sep – Free Bean to open first storefront. The company, which advertises itself as the world’s first free coffee company, will open its first physical store in Manhattan on 23 September. The brand is supported by advertisers who print on its cans. (New York City, New York, US)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Cooks Coffee appoints its first-ever Group Marketing Director. The New Zealand group appointed former Tim Hortons UK executive, Louise Buet, as its first Group Marketing Director. The appointment comes as Cooks Coffee prepares to launch its Esquires Coffee brand in new international markets. (Auckland, New Zealand)

• Thu, 17 Sep – Norwegian bakery-cafe chain Bit Union to make international debut in Q4. The chain will open its first international outlet at the Nordstan shopping centre and office complex in Gothenburg, Sweden. Last year, Bit Union sold seven million buns in Norway and had sales of nearly 300 million kronor. (Oslo, Norway)

Trade & production

• Mon, 14 Sep – COFCO announces new leadership for the coffee trading business in Brazil. Arthur Ornelas has been appointed as the new head of COFCO’s coffee trading business in Brazil, replacing Octavio Pires. The leadership change is part of a broader reorganisation aimed at stabilising operations after trading losses and navigating Brazil’s volatile coffee market. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Brazil concludes national phase of the Best of Canephora 2026 competition. The top 25 samples of robusta and conilon coffees have been picked, which will now be evaluated by renowned world judges and offered in an international auction. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Research

• Mon, 14 Sep – New study analyses why some people don’t like black coffee. Researchers analysed data from 125,578 UK Biobank participants and found that genetic variants linked to how the body processes caffeine were associated with preferences for bitter-tasting foods and beverages, including black coffee, but also found that sociocultural and economic factors seem to matter more than genetics. (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Researchers turn spent coffee grounds into biomass pellets. The team blended up to 25% spent coffee grounds with recycled wood. The pellets reached calorific values of 19.6 to 21.1 MJ/kg, beating pine sawdust and eucalyptus wood. A life cycle assessment found them more environmentally friendly too, offering a practical route for coffee waste. (Linares, Spain)

• Wed, 16 Sep – Researchers build upgraded deep learning model for spotting coffee leaf diseases and pests. A new study proposes CDMS-YOLO, which reached 93% precision and 95.1% mAP50, beating its baseline by several points. Running at 135 frames per second on lightweight hardware, the model stays accurate and fast enough for real-time use, according to the researchers. (Kunming, China)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 14 Sep – SIGEP Meets the World in Tokyo strengthens dialogue with the Japanese industry. Ahead of the 48th edition, scheduled to take place in Rimini from 23 to 27 January 2027, the Ambassador of Italy to Japan, Mario Vattani, led a networking evening in Tokyo dedicated to the gelato, pastry and chocolate, coffee, bakery and pizza supply chains, as well as technologies for professional food service. With more than 60 participants and with the involvement of the Japan Pastry Association, the networking strengthened Japanese participation at SIGEP World 2027 and sought to promote new collaborations among companies, distributors, and professional operators. (Tokyo, Japan)

• Mon, 14 Sep – Helsinki Coffee Festival’s Roast Fest announces speaker lineup. The one-day Roast Fest, bringing together Finnish small roasteries and coffee enthusiasts, will be held on 26 September at Wanha Satama, Helsinki. The speaker lineup includes Hedon Blakaj from 18grams, Teija Jalaskoski from Peru, Stuart Ritson from Osito Coffee, Alexander Ruas from Standout Coffee, and more. (Helsinki, Finland)

• Tue, 15 Sep – Amanda Albuquerque becomes the first woman to win the Brazilian Coffee in Good Spirits Championship. Brazil just announced the winners of its Coffee in Good Spirits and the Latte Art Championships. Amanda Albuquerque becomes the first woman ever to win the Brazilian CIGS, while Eduardo Olimpio becomes a four-time Latte Art Champion. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

• Tue, 15 Sep – HOTELEX Shanghai to take place from 30 March to 2 April 2027. The event will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, bringing together global coffee brands, roasters, equipment manufacturers, and professional buyers. (Shanghai, China)

• Wed, 16 Sep – George Howell Coffee will celebrate National Coffee Day with all-day US$1 drip coffee. On 29 September, George Howell Coffee is giving out US$1 drip coffee all day long, including a 12 oz. hot coffee, a 16 oz. iced coffee, or cold brew at four locations in Boston and Newtonville. (Boston, Massachusetts, US)

• Wed, 16 Sep – CoffeeFest Madrid to be held from 6 to 8 March 2027. CoffeeFest 2027 will feature a lineup of events, including the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops Gala, green coffee auction, CoffeeFest Summit 2027, Best Coffee Producers 2027 Gala, and many more. (Madrid, Spain)

• Thu, 17 Sep – Annual Grounds for Health Green Coffee and Equipment auction returns. Bringing together roasters, importers, producers, and other industry stakeholders to support cervical cancer prevention in coffee-growing communities, the annual Grounds for Health green coffee and equipment auction is to be held on 23 and 24 September. This year’s auction also coincides with the 30th anniversary of Grounds for Health. (Williston, Vermont, US)

• Thu, 17 Sep – Elizaveta Rîmscaia from Moldova becomes Julius Meinl Crowns 2026 Barista Cup Champion. Fifteen national barista champions from around the world gathered at Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier for the Julius Meinl Barista Cup Grand Finale 2026. Elizaveta Rîmscaia from Moldova was crowned Overall Champion 2026, earning the highest overall score across all three competition categories. Stefan Kot from Poland won the Espresso category, Mario Benetseder from Austria took the Cappuccino title, and Luka Darispanashvili from Georgia claimed victory in the Signature Drink category. (Vienna, Austria)

• Fri, 18 Sep – 3TEMP collaborates with Standart Magazine and Ditta Artigianale to celebrate International Coffee Day. On 1 October, 3TEMP will join Standart and Ditta Artigianale at Sant’Ambrogio to celebrate the launch of Standart Issue 44. The event will include signature drinks by Andrea Villa, aperitivo, music, and an exclusive tasting of artisan gelato flavored with Ditta Artigianale coffee extracted using the 3TEMP machine. (Florence, Italy)

• Fri, 18 Sep – Alo Coffee breaks personal private auction record with washed lot receiving US$2,275/kg bid. The event, hosted by specialty coffee producer Alo Coffee in partnership with M-Cultivo, sold 20 ultra-high-altitude lots, capturing over 4,800 total bids. The weighted average price was US$751/kg and generated a total auction value of US$187,750. (London, UK)

Photo credits: Slow Pour Supply, Flannery Lenz, Mahlkönig, SIGEP

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