Coffee News Recap, 23 Aug: Arabica prices to keep rising, Fairtrade International, GCP & ECF continue calls to address EUDR concerns & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Calls to address the challenges that the EUDR will create continue across the coffee industry. This week, key stakeholders including Fairtrade International, Global Coffee Platform, and the European Coffee Federation warned that the legislation could unintentionally harm smallholder farmers.

So far, EU decision makers are yet to publicly respond to continuous fears about how the strict regulations will impact supply chains, but it seems likely that without a response or adjustment, concerns will continue over the coming months.

Arabica futures also rose by 5% this week following isolated cases of frost in Brazil’s growing regions last weekend. Although none were significant enough to cause damage, it’s a stark reminder of ongoing market volatility.

For roasters, this means inventory management becomes increasingly important – especially with robusta prices also close to historic highs. Profit margins will remain tight for the foreseeable future, so roasters need to stay agile and plan ahead to cope with rising costs – and avoid passing too many on to their customers.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 19 Aug – Fairtrade International, Global Coffee Platform & European Coffee Federation continue calls to address EUDR concerns. Key players in the industry warn that smallholder farmers may be unintentionally excluded from the EU market as a result of challenges related to compliance and data reporting requirements. The companies urge European lawmakers to act before the new regulations come into effect on 30 December 2024.

• Mon, 19 Aug – Arabica prices on track for largest weekly increase in a month over supply concerns. Following isolated cases of frost in Brazil’s key coffee-growing regions, arabica futures rose by 5% this week. Low yields and the impending EUDR are also expected to increase prices for the foreseeable future.

• Tue, 20 Aug – Hario launches new Suiren brewer. The customisable brewer has a similar structure to the brand’s popular V60, but consists of petal-like ribs which are available in six different colours. Inspired by the water lily, the new dripper must be assembled before use. (Tokyo, Japan)

• Thu, 22 Aug – PRF: Farm Summit announces speaker line up and opens applications for three competitions. The first-ever PRF: Farm Summit will take place on 17 & 18 October at La Pradera in Santander, Colombia, with a focus on regenerative and organic farming practices. As part of this, the event will host a tailored PRF Voices programme that will feature both international and Latin American industry professionals. Applications are also open for the Cold Brew Championship, as well as the inaugural Soil of Excellence and Cacao Masters Cup competitions. (Santander, Colombia)

Industry news

• Mon, 19 Aug – Espresso House appoints Thomas Kelly as new Group CEO. Effective September 2024, this move follows other recent leadership changes at the company, including Kon Meyer as new Board Chairman. (Solna, Sweden)

• Tue, 20 Aug – Prototype Coffee opens second location in Vancouver BC. The new store is located in the Please! Beverage Co. distillery complex in the Mount Pleasant area, and will include over 20 different coffees on bar and retail offerings. (Vancouver BC, Canada)

• Wed, 21 Aug – Influencer Emma Chamberlain assumes co-CEO role at Chamberlain Coffee. The social media influencer will take on the new role as alongside Gustav Hossy, who has served as the brand’s Chief Creative Officer since launching in 2019. In a Forbes interview, Chamberlain said she now has the “knowledge and experience” to co-run the company. (Los Angeles, California, US)

• Wed, 21 Aug – The 2024 CoE Thailand auction receives highest bid of US $84.40/lb. Angelino’s Coffee purchased over 99lbs of the honey processed Java from Coffee De Hmong Bio, which scored 91.80 points, for more than US $8,373. (Bangkok, Thailand)

• Thu, 22 Aug – Vietnam’s Every Half Coffee Roasters secures new funding to expand and improve supply chain resilience. Founded in 2021 by Tran Le Minh Truc and Vo Duy Phu, Every Half operates eight outlets in Ho Chi Minh City. With recent investment, the company plans to expand its retail presence and support Vietnamese coffee farmers in developing climate-resilient varieties like Starmaya and Centroamericano. Total investment value remains undisclosed. (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

• Thu, 22 Aug – Linkbar launches new automated milk foaming and beverage dispensing systems. The Double Favor foams and dispenses milk, while the Single Touch can be used for a variety of different beverages. Linkbar has also partnered with global brand ambassadors to launch the products in the US later this year. (Beijing, China)

• Fri, 23 Aug – India’s Nothing Before Coffee eyes US $4 million investment to fuel expansion plans. Founded in 2017, NBC operates 64 outlets in 26 Indian cities and one in Portugal, with 20 more units planned. Co-founder Anand Jain noted that while NBC needs to open 16 stores a month to meet its goals, current profits only support two new stores each quarter. (Indore, India)

• Fri, 23 Aug – Nestlé’s shares drop following abrupt departure of CEO. Mark Schneider led the company for eight years, but investors had repeatedly expressed concerns about increasing reliance on price hikes over the last 15 months. Company veteran Laurent Freixe has assumed the CEO role and will work to improve sales growth. (Vevey, Switzerland)

New launch

• Mon, 19 Aug – Atilla Intelligent Roaster launches fully automated machine. The Huno includes automated loading and unloading systems and can replicate and adjust roasting parameters. (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)

• Mon, 19 Aug – Krispy Kreme relaunches pumpkin spice line up. Krispy Kreme’s seasonal pumpkin spice latte is available for a limited time at participating locations in the US. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US)

• Tue, 20 Aug – Grumpy Goat Coffee launches GrumpyLyte caffeinated hydration beverage. The RTD beverage combines natural energy boost sourced from green coffee extract with essential electrolytes, and is available in single-serve 16 oz bottles and half gallons. (Bonita Springs, Florida, US)

• Wed, 21 Aug – UNIC’s TANGO XP super-automatic machines now available in the US. The Tango XP Line – including the SOLO and DUO models – include integrated 83mm burr grinders and the automated high-volume SteamAir milk foaming technology. Shipping to the US will start in September. (Stockholm, Sweden)

• Thu, 22 Aug – Flair Espresso to launch portable manual espresso maker on Kickstarter. The lever-powered Flair GO is fully collapsible and can be used to brew coffee capsules as well as espresso. The Kickstarter campaign will launch on 27 August. (Irvine, California, US)

• Thu, 22 Aug – Coffee Enterprises adds new food safety and chemical analysis testing services. The independent coffee testing company now offers allergen analysis services for gluten, almond, Brazil nut, coconut, hazelnut, peanut, and soy to help coffee businesses comply with food safety programmes and regulations. (Hinesburg, Vermont, US)

Milestone

• Tue, 20 Aug – WatchHouse to celebrate tenth anniversary this September. The UK roaster’s decade milestone will coincide with the opening of its 20th location at Marble Arch, as well as plans for a second New York House location in the Chrysler Building later this year. (London, UK)

• Tue, 20 Aug – Löfbergs receives UK Great Taste Award. The Swedish company – which has been selling coffee in the UK since 2022 – received the award for its single origin Brazil coffee. (Karlstad, Sweden)

• Wed, 21 Aug – Meraki espresso machine raises over US $1 million on Kickstarter. Designed in collaboration with Timemore, the machine reached the US $1 million-mark by the third day of its crowdfunding campaign. Shipping is expected in November. (Hong Kong)

• Fri, 23 Aug – German chain Coffee Fellows to open four new locations in US. Three stores will open later this year as the company celebrates the one- year anniversary of Coffee Fellows North America and the twenty-five-year anniversary of Coffee Fellows GmbH. (Greater Houston area, Texas, US)

Trade & production

• Tue, 20 Aug – Cecafé launches EUDR landing page for Brazilian coffee professionals. The association aims to clarify the new regulation which will impact Brazil’s coffee trade. The EU, the largest importer of Brazilian coffee, is set to enforce the strict legislation in December 2024. (São Paulo, Brazil)

• Thu, 22 Aug – Vietnam Amazing Cup 2024 competition fetches highest bid of US $48/kg. A 30 kg arabica lot from Pun Coffee Ltd. received the highest bid at the Hanoi auction, which included nine robusta and six arabica samples. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Events

• Mon, 19 Aug – Exigí Buen Cafe 2024 to take place on 2 September. The 11th edition will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. Key event features will include coffee tastings led by Exigí Buen Café Barista School instructors and several competitions, including the 2025 Argentinian Barista, Latte Art, and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships. (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

• Tue, 20 Aug – Honduran Coffee Expo will be held on 29 & 30 August. Hosted by Tripartito Coffee at the Expocentro, the inaugural Honduran Coffee Expo will be one of the largest of its kind in the country. The event will include an exhibition, a lecture series, the Brew Boulevard, barista competitions, cuppings, workshops, and more. (San Pedro Sula, Honduras)

• Tue, 20 Aug – SCA announces five Educator Summit events to take place in the US and Asia. Following the success of the 2023 summits, the series will feature one-day conferences in five global locations, including Philadelphia, Houston, and three venues in South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan this December. (Irvine, California, US)

• Wed, 21 Aug – Porto Coffee Week to return from 1 to 6 October. The third edition of Portugal’s biggest coffee festival will host a series of planned events across the coastal city in early October. (Porto, Portugal)

• Wed, 21 Aug – Ethiopica Coffee Show to debut in June 2025. The event, which will coincide with the 2025 Ethiopia Food Show, will take place from 19 to 21 June at Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa. Hosted by Fairtrade Messe and Prana Events, the expos will highlight Ethiopia’s key food and coffee sectors and offer a platform for industry professionals to showcase innovation, explore markets, and network. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Fri, 23 Aug – The 21st African Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition set for 26 to 28 February 2025. The African Fine Coffees Association and the Tanzania Coffee Board announced that the event will be held in Dar es Salaam. This marks the fourth time that Tanzania will host the event, which welcomes over 2,000 coffee professionals from around the world. The theme of this year’s conference is “Value Regeneration”, and will also host the Africa Barista Championship and the Regional Taste of Harvest Competition. (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

• Fri, 23 Aug – Ljubljana Coffee Festival to bring together over 4,000 attendees on 21 & 22 September. The event will be held at the City Museum of Ljubljana, and will feature a Roasters Village, unlimited coffee tastings, expert-led lectures, workshops, and barista and latte art competitions. (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

• Fri, 23 Aug – Café Granja La Esperanza opens registration for Flight of Flavors auction. In partnership with Vollers, the Colombian specialty coffee farm will showcase 25 lots which have all scored 90+ points. The auction will take place on 22 October with an opening price of US $25/lb. (Valle del Cauca, Colombia)

Competitions

• Mon, 19 Aug – The Barista League to head to Montreal on 29 August. The competition will be held at SATS, and will include Jair Garduño, Celeste Fiallos, Simon-Pierce Caron, Hadidja Said, Hana Murata, and Emily Wang as guest judges. (Montreal, Québec, Canada)

• Wed, 21 Aug – Expat. Roasters launches 2024 Incography competition to celebrate Indonesian coffee culture. The theme of the contest is “A Photographic Ode to Indonesia’s Rich Coffee Culture”, with both amateur and professional photographers welcome to apply. (Bali, Indonesia)

• Thu, 22 Aug – The 2024 International Coffee Tasting Competition takes place in China. This year’s edition featured over 200 coffee lots from various origins. Judges from Italy’s International Institute of Artistic Coffee Tasters (IIAC) and Chinese industry professionals took part. (Suzhou, China)

• Fri, 23 Aug – The Barista League hosts first-ever event in NYC on 24 August. The fast-paced, multidisciplinary competition will be held at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and will feature ten teams and various guest judges. (New York City, New York, US)

• Fri, 23 Aug – PRF announces multi-year sponsorship deal with Toddy. As part of the partnership, Toddy will be the official sponsor of the Cold Brew Championship and will also host a Cold Brew Bar at the next three PRF events, including PRF: Farm Summit 2024, PRF Honduras 2025, and PRF: Farm Summit 2025.

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

• Fri, 16 Aug – San Francisco Bay Coffee receives 100% “responsibly sourced” verification from Enveritas. Through its partnership with Enveritas, San Francisco Bay Coffee has worked to improve its fair labour practices, environmental conservation efforts, and responsible chemical management. (San Francisco, California, US)

• Fri, 16 Aug – Starbucks faces another lawsuit after accusations of coffee-flavoured chapstick theft. Balmuccino has refiled its lawsuit against Starbucks after alleging the coffee chain used confidential information from a 2018 meeting to develop similar products its coffee-flavoured lip balm. This follows the dismissal of two previous lawsuits on procedural grounds. Starbucks has not commented on the new filing. (New York City, New York, US)

Photo credits: @sarah.joy.photogprahy, Producer & Roaster Forum

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