Coffee News Recap, 4 Sep: KDP to sell stake back to Chobani for US$800m, new study challenges robusta’s climate resilience & other studies

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

Editor’s note

Keurig Dr Pepper is selling its 5.9% stake in Chobani for US$800m, alongside an Allentown plant and warehouse worth roughly US$125m. KDP CEO Tim Cofer frames the move as debt reduction ahead of the company’s split into two separate businesses, Beverage Co. and Global Coffee Co., following its acquisition of JDE Peet’s.

KDP expanded into premium coffee through the La Colombe deal in 2023, which converted into a Chobani stake when Chobani bought La Colombe that December. What started as a long-term strategic bet is unwinding in under three years, as KDP resets its balance sheet priorities.

Robusta’s reputation is under similar scrutiny. Aaron Davis of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, calls the plant’s supposed climate resilience an “internet myth”. His research found robusta drought-intolerant, with major growing regions in Vietnam, Brazil, and India already outside its ideal range and propped up by heavy irrigation. Heat tolerance alone, the study concludes, won’t save robusta as water grows scarcer.

Both stories share a common theme: the industry’s working assumptions need testing.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 31 Aug – Robusta’s climate resilience might be a myth, according to new study. Research conducted by Akshay Dashrath, Justin Moat, and Aaron P. Davis challenges the widely held view that robusta is a naturally climate-resilient alternative to arabica. The study finds that major robusta-growing regions in Brazil, Vietnam, and India often lack the climatic conditions the crop actually needs, and rely heavily on irrigation to stay productive. They argue that the coffee industry needs broader structural change rather than simply substituting robusta for arabica, since water scarcity is likely to be the bigger constraint as the climate shifts. (London, UK)

• Mon, 31 Aug – Phillippe “Akira” Kato Wins US AeroPress Championship. Phillippe “Akira” Kato of Boston’s Newberry Street Coffee won the competition, hosted by Atomic Coffee Roasters at Studio B in Boston. He will represent the US at the World AeroPress Championship in Mexico City on 6 December. (Boston, Massachusetts, US)

• Tue, 1 Sep – April Coffee Roaster’s Kickstarter for new grinder fully funded in four hours. The Danish roaster worked with Timemore to develop its first grinder, the only one in the world engineered specifically for the April Brewing System. Founder Patrik Rolf says the grinder’s 48mm conical burr set is fine-tuned to match the flow characteristics of April’s flat bed brewers, completing the April Brewing System. The Kickstarter campaign ends 1 October 2026. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Tue, 1 Sep – EUDR will push coffee businesses outside of the EU to comply with new regulations. Although the EU accounts for roughly 10% of global deforestation-linked imports, companies supplying it handle nearly 80% of global coffee shipments, according to research from Trase. The non-profit says that for many coffee-producing and exporting businesses, it will be less costly to extend EUDR compliance across all supply chains than to run separate systems. (London, UK)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Keurig Dr Pepper to sell stake in Chobani, but will continue to distribute La Colombe’s RTD products. KDP said it will divest its full equity stake in Chobani back to the business for US$800m. Separately, Chobani will buy KDP’s plant and warehouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for around US$125m. KDP CEO Tim Cofer said the move will allow it to raise cash and cut debt ahead of the transition into two divisions: Beverage Co. and Global Coffee Co. (Frisco, Texas, US)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Faema to host I’m a Barista Journey featuring Jack Simpson on 14 September in Barcelona. The 2025 World Barista Champion and Faema Global Brand Ambassador Jack Simpson will take part in a panel and Q&A, moderated by PDG Español, with additional guest speakers from across the coffee industry. The event combines expert discussions, technical tasting sessions, networking opportunities, a guided espresso tasting experience, and an Oatly Throwdown. (Barcelona, Spain)

• Thu, 3 Sep – Paulig to create standalone Coffee business division. The Finnish company currently operates under two business areas, Branded and Customer. Once the change takes effect, it will restructure into three: Branded Foods, Customer Brands, and Coffee. CEO Rolf Ladau says the shift will help the company adapt to today’s food and beverage market. (Helsinki, Finland)

• Fri, 4 Sep – MTPak Coffee to host Coffee Packaging Design Trends in 2026 webinar on 23 September. Guest speakers Coaltown Coffee Roasters, Variety Coffee Roasters, and Untold Coffee Lab will share insight into which design styles, finishes, formats, and visual approaches are trending in specialty coffee. The webinar will also explore how changing expectations around sustainability, convenience, functionality, and brand identity are influencing packaging decisions.

Industry news

• Mon, 31 Aug – Massimo Zanetti BG reports H1 revenue reaches €693m, up 15%. The company is launching the “Take Your Shot” campaign, a new creative platform celebrating the courage to seize opportunities and encouraging people to take action. (Bologna, Italy)

• Mon, 31 Aug – Starbucks partners with China Eastern Airline to serve coffee onboard. China’s second largest airline, China Eastern, has tapped into an existing partnership with Nestlé to serve Starbucks coffee onboard its carriers. China Eastern currently serves over 150 million passengers annually. (Shanghai, China)

• Tue, 1 Sep – Group of NBA players invests in US-based RTD coffee brand, Beekeeper Coffee. The RTD brand received funding from NBA players, including Draymond Green and Anthony Davis, as well as Klutch Sports Group CEO, Rich Paul, golfer Min Woo Lee, entrepreneur Matthew Pritzker, and NFL player Jared Goff. Funding will support retail expansion, product development, and marketing strategies. (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Tue, 1 Sep – Tchibo achieves 11% YoY growth but reports increased consumer price sensitivity. The German coffee roaster and retailer reported an annual revenue of €3.7bn ($4.3bn). While revenue grew, profitability came under pressure, with Tchibo reporting an EBIT of €162m (US$188.3m), down from €167m (US$194.11m) the previous year, largely attributed to coffee tax. (Hamburg, Germany)

• Tue, 1 Sep – Temasek Holdings and ChrysCapital to invest US$125m (INR 1,000-1,200 crore) in India’s Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters. Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters is valued at around US$420m. With new investment, Temasek and ChrysCapital would become the single largest shareholder of the company. (New Delhi, India)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Lavazza on the Move to be rolled out across over 600 Motor Fuel Group locations in UK. The move makes MFG the first UK operator to introduce Lavazza’s new coffee-to-go machine, the Coffee Essence. (London, UK)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Luckin Coffee approves the upsizing of ongoing share repurchase programme. Luckin Coffee expands its ongoing share repurchase program, originally launched in April 2026. Luckin was approved to purchase US$300m of its Class A ordinary shares. As of 31 Aug 2026, Luckin has repurchased 71.6 million shares for a total consideration of US$287.2m under the programme. (Xiamen, China)

• Thu, 3 Sep – Nero Group records 4.5% LFL sales growth with a record £670m sales in FY2026. The group operating over 1,191 stores across 11 countries, has reported a third consecutive year of record sales with the revenue for FY ending 31 May 2026. (London, UK)

Businesses for sale

• Mon, 31 Aug – 7 Brew outbids Dutch Bros for Salad and Go. Drive-thru chain 7 Brew won a bankruptcy auction for around 65 defunct Salad and Go locations. Dutch Bros declined to increase its original bid of US$105m. (Springdale, Arkansas, US)

• Tue, 1 Aug – Kofola ČeskoSlovensko acquires a 52% stake in local specialty café chain Cøkafe. Renowned Czech beverage group Kofola ČeskoSlovensko acquires a majority stake in the local Czech specialty coffee chain, Cøkafe. Kofola said the investment in Cøkafe is a “natural culmination of the long-term goal of having control over the entire coffee chain”. (Ostrava. Czech Republic)

• Fri, 4 Sep – Shoprite acquires 400-store coffee chain Vida e Caffè. South Africa’s biggest retailer agreed to buy 100% of the 25-year-old South African coffee chain, which recently opened its 400th store. The acquisition is expected to boost Shoprite’s future growth and customer engagement. (Cape Town, South Africa)

New launch

• Mon, 31 Aug – Pumpkin spice returns to Starbucks. The chain launched its fall menu including the iconic Pumpkin Spiced beverages and Iced Apple Crumble Matcha Latte across several regions globally. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Tue, 1 Sep – Ole & Steen launches its first-ever cookbook. The Danish baker’s new release features 45 recipes including bakery favorites like cardamom buns, cinnamon socials, and Danish sausage rolls, alongside more traditional recipes inspired by the brand’s heritage. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Segafredo expands portfolio with cold-extracted espresso for BOH/foodservice. Segafredo (part of Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA) introduces its new 100% cold-extracted espresso format built for high-volume commercial settings. (Pianoro, Italy)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Mahlkönig Home introduces its first espresso machine, the Xenia Brew-by-Sync. The machine combines brewing and grinding together in one connected system for the growing prosumer market. This is the first-ever espresso machine by Mahlkönig Home, marking a major milestone in expanding the brand’s portfolio beyond coffee grinders. (Zurich, Switzerland)

• Thu, 3 Sep – Caffeine Crawl collaborates with Crossings Coffee Roasters to spotlight coffee-growing families in Guatemala. Launched in 2011, Caffeine Crawl is a specialty coffee event series connecting consumers and industry professionals with local coffee, tea, and chocolate businesses across the US. Following months of tasting and exploring coffees for the project together, Crossings Coffee Roasters selected the natural-process, single-origin Fuego Bloom from Santa Rosa, Guatemala, produced by El Porvenir, a cooperative representing nine coffee-growing families. As part of the collaboration, the producing families were invited to share their perspectives on coffee, farming, and life at origin. Caffeine Crawl designed the packaging to reflect the character of the coffee, the power of the region’s natural landscape, and elements inspired by Guatemala. (San Diego, California, US)

• Fri, 4 Sep – Miir launches its first-ever ceramic collection. The first offerings in the collection include the Moka Mug, New Diner Mug, and Stack Mug, each holding 11oz (325ml) and available in Gloss White, Gloss Gray, and Matte Black. The collection will be available from 29 September 2026. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Fri, 4 Sep – SEB Professional Beverage and WMF launch new coffee & juice concept. The concept brings together the brands WMF, Schaerer, and Zummo in one tailored solution, enabling retailers to offer premium coffee and freshly squeezed juice from one counter solution. (Geislingen, Germany)

Trade & production

• Mon, 31 Aug – India’s Central Coffee Research Institute invites private stakeholders to scale quality coffee planting material. For the first time in its history, the Central Coffee Research Institute, India has decided to invite the private sector to scale up the production of quality planting material for the future of Indian coffee. (Balehonnur, India)

• Tue, 1 Sep – Government of Indonesia and UNDP bring Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea together to advance sustainable commodities. The Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and the UNDP brought representatives and stakeholders from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea together in Jakarta for the Regional Learning Forum on Sustainable Commodities. The event provides a platform to exchange practical solutions and strengthen cooperation on sustainable commodities. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Supply concerns and market dynamics powered the July coffee price rally, reports ICO. The ICO July 2026 Green Coffee Report reports that the ICO Composite Price Indicator averaged 287.26 US cents/lb, a 15.4% increase from June 2026. Global green coffee exports were up 0.8% in June 2026, compared to June 2025, while global exports of all forms of coffee were up 0.3%. Overall, July was marked by exceptionally large daily price movements. (London, UK)

• Thu, 3 Sep – New dataset finds world’s top ten trading companies handle one-third of all coffee exports from ten key producers. Data collected by Trase indicates 79% of global coffee is imported by companies that supply the EU, with the top 10 trading companies accounting for 35% of exports and top 30 accounting for 55%. It also finds that the EU imports 40% of global coffee. The data has found that Uganda (57%), Honduras (58%), and India (58%) are particularly dependent on the EU market.

Research

• Tue, 1 Sep – Digital soil mapping of soil organic carbon in smallholder robusta coffee in South-Central Uganda. A new study characterises soil organic carbon (SOC) variability, comparing four machine learning algorithms to identify the main predictive environmental covariates and generating SOC prediction maps for smallholder robusta coffee production in south-central Uganda. Reliable spatial information on SOC is important for soil-fertility management, climate-resilient coffee production, and land-restoration planning. (Kampala, Uganda)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Carbon dioxide superactivated carbons derived from pistachio shells and coffee grounds for capacitive energy storage. A new study tailored a CO₂ activation strategy able to convert food waste into activated carbons with very high specific surface areas and suitable pore size distributions that make them strong candidates for supercapacitor electrodes. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of producing high-performance porous carbons using CO₂ activation of biomass residues.

Events & competitions

• Wed, 2 Sep – Singapore Coffee Week to be held from 5-8 November 2026. The celebration brings together coffee brands, cafés, roasters, equipment providers, industry professionals, and coffee enthusiasts for four days of exhibitions, workshops, competitions, experiences, and community activities. (Singapore)

• Wed, 2 Sep – Turkey to host the Istanbul and the Ankara coffee festivals in September. September 2026 gives specialty coffee community, coffee enthusiasts, and brands a chance to experience the unique coffee culture of Turkey with two coffee festivals in Istanbul from 10 to 13 September and in Ankarra from 25 to 27 September. (Istanbul, Turkey)

• Thu, 3 Sep – Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference to be held from 14 to 16 September. The 30th anniversary edition of the Americas Food & Beverage Show will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, with NASDA and USDA showcasing over 165 US food and beverage companies across 22,000 sq ft alongside 12 state departments of agriculture. (Miami, Florida, US)

Photo credits: April Coffee Roasters, The Barista League

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