Coffee News Recap, 9 Aug: US Coffee Champs announces regional updates, Hartree Partners to acquire Volcafe & other stories

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

Editor’s note

This week, companies have launched a string of innovative products. The Oracle Jet is Breville’s latest model in its bean-to-cup range, Timemore’s and Meraki’s collaboration is sure to make waves in the home espresso machine market, and the K-Brew+Chill brewer will offer Keurig’s coldest coffee drinks yet.

Looking beyond new coffee machines, convenience has been a common theme this week. The politically controversial Black Rifle Coffee Company and NBA superstar Jimmy Butler’s BIGFACE brand both debuted new RTD drinks to appeal to consumers who seek quality as well as speed.

US company Diamond Brew also unveiled its “brewless” coffee pods, which require no equipment or even skills to prepare. The company’s product draws many comparisons with Cometeer’s flash frozen capsules, which raised over US $100 million in funding in 2021 after capturing the attention of specialty coffee.

Whether Diamond Brew will achieve the same level of success remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, however – convenience is still one of the biggest drivers of growth in the coffee industry. If coffee brands don’t keep up with this, they could well end up getting left behind while their competitors grow and scale around them.

Top stories of the week

• Mon 5 Aug – Diamond Brew launches “brewless” coffee pods in the US. Founded by Douglas Yu and backed by investor GNC CEO Michael Costello, Diamond Brew’s instant coffee crystals dissolve in both hot and cold water. Packaged in hexagon-shaped aluminium pods, the brand promises a premium coffee experience with no brewing equipment needed. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

• Tue 6 Aug – Hartree Partners agrees to acquire green coffee trader Volcafe. The global energy and commodities trading company will acquire ED&F Man’s outstanding debt to complete a deal for its three business units – Volcafe, ED&F Man Liquid Products, and ED&F Man Sugar – in 2025. (Winterthur, Switzerland)

• Tue 6 Aug – US Coffee Championships to revert back to regional format. The 2025 season will return to its original three-division regional structure which will consist of two competition rounds instead of three to combine the preliminary and qualifier formats. Competitions will also be hosted by community partners and will move away from taking place at larger events, which the US SCA chapter says will lower entry costs. (Irvine, California, US)

• Wed 7 Aug – Risk of frost in Brazil drives up global coffee prices. Rural Clima forecasted that temperatures in Brazil’s growing regions could drop to near freezing next week, damaging the country’s coffee crops. The ICE arabica contract for September rose to US 246.30 cents, while robusta futures increased to US $4,481.

• Fri 9 Aug – Jimmy Butler’s BIGFACE launches RTD line. The new oat milk canned lattes are available in Original, Coconut Cinnamon, and Ube Vanilla flavours, and include the brand’s multi-origin omni roast DOUBLESTAR blend. (Miami, Florida, US)

Industry news

• Mon 5 Aug – Blank Street continues UK expansion. The chain opened its third Manchester store in the Trafford Centre. Since its UK debut in 2022, the Blank Street has gained popularity with its signature drinks offering. (Manchester, UK)

• Tue 6 Aug – Limini Coffee secures exclusive UK distribution rights to Vostok espresso machines. The Yorkshire roaster and equipment supplier signed an exclusive partnership with Italian company Advanced Coffee Solutions to become the sole distributor of lever-powered Vostok espresso machines in the UK. (Yorkshire, UK)

• Wed 7 Aug – Blue Bottle Coffee debuts in Southeast Asian market with new Singapore store. The new location (which includes a gift shop) also celebrates the company’s partnership with LUMINE. (Oakland, California, US)

• Thu 8 Aug – Dutch Bros reports 30% increase in 2024 Q2 revenue surged 30% year-over-year, reaching $324.9 million. The drive-thru chain’s revenue reached US $324.9 million in the last financial quarter – leading the company to raise its annual guidance following robust performance. (Grants Pass, Oregon, US)

• Fri 9 Aug – Bacha Coffee opens first outlet in Seoul. The Moroccan-inspired boutique coffee brand signed an exclusive franchisee and distribution rights deal with Lotte Department Store in January 2024, with plans to open two new Korean locations in the next six months. Menu items include a rare Brazilian Paraiso Gold coffee priced at ₩480,000 (US $351) per 350ml serving. (Singapore)

New launch

• Mon 5 Aug – Breville adds Oracle Jet to award-winning bean-to-cup line. The new machine features an integrated Baratza burr grinder, Auto MilQ milk foaming technology, and a 5-inch touch screen with ten presets, including for cold brew and cold extracted espresso. (Torrance, California, US)

• Mon 5 Aug – Keurig launches K-Brew+Chill brewer with Quick Chill Technology. The new K Cup system extracts Keurig’s coldest coffee yet, according to the company, by flash-chilling beverages in less than three minutes – and can also extract hot drinks. (Burlington, Massachusetts, US)

• Tue 6 Aug – Fiorenzato launches new F64 grinders with grind-by-weight technology. The F64 EVO Sense and F64 EVO Pro Sense both include Fiorenzato’s Sense technology, which auto-adjusts grind settings for more precise dosing. (Santa Maria di Sala, Italy)

• Tue 6 Aug – Bluestone Lane rolls out beanless coffee menu option across US. The Australian-inspired US coffee shop chain added Atomo’s “beanless” coffee to its core menu, marking the largest market launch for Atomo to date. (New York City, New York, US)

• Tue 6 Aug – TOUTON launches PACT Standard coffee sourcing platform. With over 120 built-in verification points, the PACT framework aligns with multiple certification criteria and is compliant with European and international regulatory standards. The system is also recognised by the Global Coffee Platform as equivalent to the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code. (Bordeaux, France)

• Wed 7 Aug – Timemore and Meraki collaborate on new home espresso machine. The Meraki dual boiler machine includes an integrated Timemore commercial-grade conical burr grinder and smart CoffeeSense technology to optimise extraction. The Kickstarter campaign has so far raised over £764,750 (US $976,077). (Hong Kong)

• Wed 7 Aug – Black Rifle Coffee Company launches new line of energy drinks. The RTD drinks include the brand’s Black Rifle Energy Blend, which contains naturally-sourced caffeine. (Salt Lake City, Utah, US)

• Wed 7 Aug – Nespresso releases new coffee honey products in the US. Nespresso Bloom is the brand’s first range of honey products, which are harvested from the same coffee plants used for Nespresso Master Origins Colombia capsules. New products include the Coffee Blossom Honey and Coffee Blossom Honey Syrup, which is infused with Nespresso coffee. (New York City, New York, US) 

• Thu 8 Aug – Vivreau launches new water filters for US hospitality businesses. The company’s three new water filters are designed specifically for North American water conditions with the needs of cafés, bakeries, catering, and vending operators in mind to provide water quality and hardness solutions. (Rockaway, New Jersey, US)

Milestone

• Tue, 6 Aug – UK’s Pact Coffee wins Great Taste Awards for five consecutive years. The roaster’s Buenos Aires decaf offerings was among only seven decaf coffees to earn a two-star award this year. Pact also received awards for its Rich & Chocolatey Christmas Filter and Single Estate Microlot Filter. (London, UK)

• Wed 7 Aug – CODOS Coffee celebrates tenth anniversary. Over the past decade, the German company opened six coffee shops, a roastery, and an organic bakery. CODOS will host small events to celebrate the milestone in its Hamburg, Berlin, and Hildesheim cafés from 12 to 18 August. (Hamburg, Germany)

• Wed 7 Aug – UK’s Change Please becomes certified B Corp. Founded in 2015, Change Please is an award-winning social enterprise which aims to end homelessness through training and creating job opportunities in the coffee industry. (London, UK)

• Thu 8 Aug – Neumann Kaffee Gruppe opens its first office in China. The new NKG Shanghai facility includes a cupping lab and warehouse, and marks a significant milestone in NKG Group’s expansion efforts to serve the rapidly growing Chinese coffee market. (Shanghai, China)

• Thu 8 Aug – Producer & Roaster Forum announces multi-year sponsorship deal with Belco. As part of the deal, Belco will be the official sponsor of the Soil of Excellence competition for the next three PRF: Farm Summits. Belco’s first event as the Official Soil of Excellence Competition Sponsor is PRF: Farm Summit 2024, which will take place on 17 and 18 October at Hacienda Cafetera La Pradera in Santander, Colombia.

Trade & production

• Mon 5 Aug – DRC’s coffee sector experienced 75% decline in production over past four decades. Ongoing conflict, smuggling, and internal displacement have massively impacted harvests, and also make it challenging to estimate accurate production volumes. Local associations and co-operatives such as SOCODEVA provide support to an estimated 3,000 farmers, most of which are women. (Kinshasa, DRC)

• Tue 6 Aug – Qima Coffee and ACE announce sixth edition of Best of Yemen auction. The 2024 Private Collection Auction will take place on 8 October to spotlight Yemen’s unique coffee-growing climate. (Sanaa, Yemen)

• Tue 6 Aug – Forest Coffee’s Huila Condor Project certifies 20 female producers for first time. The project – which includes a total of 96 women in the municipalities of Pitalito, Bruselas, Timana, and La Plata in Huila, Colombia – works to improve coffee quality and prices. For the first time, 20 female producers have been certified by The Forest Academy for coffee quality and best processing practices. (Bogotá, Colombia)

• Thu 8 Aug – Smaller arabica beans could impact Brazil’s final coffee harvest volume. Despite expectations that bean size would increase, ongoing weather challenges in Brazil’s Central-Southern region have hindered growth. Robusta beans are also reported to be smaller, which will potentially affect crop volume and pre-contracted batches. (Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil)

Research

• Wed 7 Aug – University of Queensland to use arabica genome sequencing to develop Australian-grown variety. Professor Robert Henry from Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation was part of an international team which mapped the genome of arabica, and is now leading a research team to sequence the coffee genus – with potential to cultivate a more resilient variety to grow in Australia. (Brisbane, Australia)

• Thu 8 Aug – La Marzocco’s Accademia del Caffè Espresso teams up with CDR CoffeeLab to assess caffeine content of different brewing methods. The study assessed the caffeine content of espresso, filter, French press, moka pot, RTD cold brew, and cold brew concentrate using light, medium, and dark roasted coffee. Across all three roast profiles, espresso contained significantly more caffeine than all other brewing methods. (Florence, Italy)

Events & competitions

• Mon 5 Aug – The Barista League to begin US tour in Denver. The event – which will be the first time TBL has visited the city – will take place on 17 August at Huckleberry Roasters. (Denver, Colorado, US)

• Mon 5 Aug – Cafeex Shenzhen to take place from 16 to 18 August. The event will feature exhibitions, forums, cupping sessions, and barista and roasting competitions. (Shenzhen, China)

• Tue 6 Aug – Second edition of Territorio Café to be held in Panama City on 10 August. The expo will include a trade show exhibition, a Producers Village, workshops, tastings, competitions (including the 2024 Panamanian AeroPress Championship), and Espresso and Brew bars. (Panama City, Panama)

• Wed 7 Aug – Roast Summit will take place in Chicago on 24 & 25 October. The event is designed to bring roasting professionals and enthusiasts together for an immersive experience in the art and science of roasting. Session and speaker information will be announced soon. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

• Thu 8 Aug – Second edition of Nordic Coffee Festival to feature all-new Barista School. The new event feature will include the Espresso, Latte Art, Batch Brew, and Hand Brew stations where visitors will have 15 minutes to interact with a professional barista. The second Nordic Coffee Festival will take place on 1 & 2 March, and will also host the second Nordics Best Roaster competition. (Gothenburg, Sweden)

• Fri 9 Aug – Brighton Coffee Festival to be held on 10 & 11 August. The event will return to All Saints Hove to celebrate the city’s vibrant coffee culture, and will feature a trade show, a talks series, cuppings, and competitions. (Brighton, UK)

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

• Tue 30 Jul – Onyx Coffee Lab achieves Living Wage For Us certification. The roaster is the first Arkansas company to earn the highest certification from Living Wage for Us, which recognises its commitment to paying a living wage that covers essential needs. The certification is awarded by a non-profit after a year-long evaluation. (Rogers, Arkansas, US)

• Fri 2 Aug – Café Amazon plans to open 100 stores in Bangladesh as part of long-term expansion strategy. Bashundhara Group is now the master franchisee of the Café Amazon brand in Bangladesh and will operate all stores. (Dhaka, Bangladesh)

• Sat 3 Aug – Japan’s % Arabica to enter six new markets within next three months. The specialty coffee chain will begin operations in Paris, Cairo, San Sebastián, Budapest, and Kathmandu, and is also considering expansion in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and other markets. (Tokyo, Japan)

• Fri 2 Aug – Agroecological coffee from Mexico reaches Germany via sailboat. The AVONTUUR sail cargo ship arrived in Hamburg after a 22,000-nautical-mile journey to deliver coffee from Sol Nocturno and Los Carriles farms. (Hamburg, Germany)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, Natasha M. Lozano

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 coffee news stories and make sure to read the latest Coffee Intelligence piece on why Colombia is investing in local coffee auctions.