Coffee News Recap, 23 May: Indonesia aims to surpass Vietnam’s coffee production, George Jinyang Peng wins the 2025 World Brewers Cup & other stories

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

Editor’s note

At World of Coffee Jakarta, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, announced the government’s ambitious plans to overtake Vietnam as the world’s second-largest coffee producer.

The USDA pegs Indonesia’s 2024/25 production at 10 million 60kg bags, anticipating a slow but steady recovery after delayed harvests in South Sumatra. Its estimates for Vietnam’s 2024/25 harvest, meanwhile, are over three times this volume.

With the Colombian harvest, the world’s third-largest coffee producer, expected to decline by 5% to 12.5 million 60kg bags in 2025/26, Indonesia may be poised to surpass its production volumes in the coming years – but both the government and private sector would need to provide ample support and resources.

While the goal of becoming the world’s second-largest coffee grower is currently far from reality, if Indonesia is to expand its production capacity, we may see more liberica and Excelsa – two lesser-known, climate-resilient coffees – available on the international market.

The world’s first Excelsa-only coffee shop opened in the US earlier this year; there’s clear interest in these coffees, potentially creating new opportunities for producers in Indonesia and beyond.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 19 May – China’s George Jinyang wins the 2025 World Brewers Cup. Peng is a two-time Chinese Brewers Cup Champion. A record 50 competitors took part in this year’s event, which was held at World of Coffee Jakarta. Indonesia’s Bayu Prawiro was the runner-up, Carlos Escobar of Colombia placed third, and Singapore’s Elysia Tan came fourth. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Mon, 19 May – Qima Coffee seeks UNESCO recognition for Yemeni coffee. The company’s sister non-profit, Qima Foundation, has spearheaded a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage nomination for Yemeni coffee. The submission highlights centuries-old farming practices, indigenous coffee knowledge, and the historic Mokha Port. This marks the first time Yemeni coffee has been nominated for UNESCO heritage status. (Sana’a, Yemen)

• Mon, 19 May – Canephora Flavor Wheel launches to combat bias in sensory analysis. Assisted by 49 R graders, the Coffee Sensorium developed a flavour wheel specific to Coffea canephora, which includes 103 sensory descriptors collated from 67 samples. The resource aims to refine canephora (or robusta) assessment and encourage specialty-grade cultivation. (Geneva, Switzerland)

• Wed, 21 May – Indonesia plans to overtake Vietnam as the world’s second-largest coffee producer. Indonesia currently producers over 700,000 tonnes of coffee annually, ranking fourth behind Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia, but seeks to overtake Vietnam by boosting productivity through public–private collaboration, higher-quality seedlings, and improved processing. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Wed, 21 May – Hawaiian coffee farmers reeling after ICE arrests. Farmers in Kona are facing severe labour shortages following recent ICE raids that led to over 100 arrests, many involving allegedly undocumented coffee workers. Local growers say this threatens the island’s coffee industry. (Hawaii, US)

• Wed, 21 May – USDA and Cepea report record robusta crop and smaller arabica harvest for Brazil. USDA forecasts Brazil’s 2025/26 coffee output at 65 million 60kg bags, with arabica at 40.9 million and a record robusta crop of 24.1 million. Cepea notes arabica harvesting has begun at 1–2%, and robusta may reach 20 million bags, while arabica could fall below last season’s levels. (São Paulo, Brazil)

• Thu, 22 May – UK-EU trade deal could help coffee shops deal with labour shortages. An agreement to remove trade red tape and develop a temporary EU work visa scheme could alleviate labour shortages in UK coffee shops and cafés, industry groups UKHospitality and the Federation of Small Businesses say. (London, UK)

• Thu, 22 May – One of the US Midwest’s largest roasters and distributors hikes prices due to tariffs. Paramount Coffee Company didn’t state by how much it has raised its prices. The NCA has requested an exemption from the 10% tariffs imposed on coffee imported into the US, but there has been no decision from the government yet. (Lansing, Michigan, US)

• Fri, 23 May – EU classifies four countries as high risk under deforestation law. The EUDR will impose stricter checks on commodity imports from Belarus, Myanmar (impacting coffee), North Korea, and Russia. Brazil and Indonesia now face lighter standard-risk checks, with compliance set to begin in December 2025 for medium and large-sized businesses. (Brussels, Belgium)

Industry news

• Mon, 19 May – JAB appoints José Cil as chairman of its restaurant platform. Cil will oversee Panera Bread, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Caribou Coffee, Pret A Manger, and Espresso House to foster guest-centric cultures and drive profitable growth. Cil joins from Restaurant Brands International, where he led over US $40 billion in sales. (Luxembourg, Luxembourg)

• Mon, 19 May – Black Sheep Coffee will double Scotland’s footprint with a ten-store deal. The chain will open at least ten new stores across North Scotland under a franchise agreement with MDM Group Enterprises, expanding its current 17 outlets and completing franchise coverage across all Scottish regions within five years. (Glasgow, UK)

• Mon, 19 May – Peter Larsen reports loss amid record green coffee prices and sustainability spend. The roaster, which was fully acquired by Löfbergs in early 2025, posted a DKK 3.4 million pre-tax loss for the year to December 2024 as record-high green coffee prices and rising certification and capacity expansion costs weighed on margins. (Viborg, Denmark)

• Tue, 20 May – ASEAN launches coffee appreciation protocol to redefine standards. ASEAN Coffee Federation and Institute launched the ACF Coffee Appreciation Protocol (ACAP), a six-module framework covering coffee’s journey from green bean quality to brewing and skills integration, with the first training scheduled in Singapore from 16 to 18 July, coinciding with SIGEP Asia. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Tue, 20 May – Brazilian specialty coffee expects to yield US $114.3 million from the Specialty Coffee Expo. Brazilian producers closed US $14.654 million in deals at the event in Houston and project another US $99.66 million over the next 12 months under the Brazil: The Coffee Nation initiative by BSCA. (Houston, Texas, US)

• Tue, 20 May – Joe & The Juice appoints Martha Ivester as global chief marketing officer. Ivester brings over 30 years of marketing expertise from Google, Nike, and Bain. She will drive the Danish chain’s digital sales strategy after online orders reached 33% of its DKK 2.8 billion 2024 revenue. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Wed, 21 May – SSP launches cost-reduction drive as airport coffee sales dip. The group initiated a turnaround plan for fiscal 2026 to bolster margins amid travel uncertainty, reviewing continental operations and trimming capital spend. North American like-for-like sales fell 2%, impacting its airport Starbucks outlets. (London, UK)

• Thu, 22 May – ICO and AFCA sign MoU to establish coffee partnership programmes. The two organisations agreed to establish frameworks for partnership programmes promoting sustainable development, quality improvement, and trade transparency, as well as collaborating on statistical data sharing, research, capacity-building, and membership development. (London, UK)

• Fri, 23 May – Nescafé partners with filmmaker Zach King. Nescafé appointed the Californian digital creator as its first global influencer to promote its new Espresso Concentrate cold coffee, leveraging his 185 million-strong following and record-breaking TikTok reach to engage younger audiences through creative digital storytelling. (Vevey, Switzerland)

• Fri, 23 May – Gong Cha appoints VP of US non-traditional franchise development. The tea chain appointed former Go To Foods executive Michael Nedelkovich Jr as vice president of US non-traditional franchise development, tasked with securing sites in airports, university campuses, casinos, and amusement parks, accelerating market entry and partnerships. (New York City, New York, US)

New launch

• Mon, 19 May – Portland Coffee Roasters launches premium canned cold brew. The launch marks the roaster’s first RTD canned cold brew products, available in original and nitro formats. (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Mon, 19 May – Duvall Espresso opens orders for the FC-1 espresso machine. The machine is available in single, dual, and triple grouphead versions, and includes patented Flow Ramp technology that allows baristas to dictate extraction times, yields, and flow rates before each shot despite fluctuations in grind size, tamp, and dose. (Palm Beach, Florida, US)

• Mon, 19 May – Artly debuts mini Barista Bot at NRA show. The brand unveiled its compact 4×4 ft mini Barista Bot at the National Restaurant Association show, featuring a larger refrigerated compartment, customisable countertops, and enhanced AI trained on barista motion to prepare over 28 hot and iced drinks. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

• Tue, 20 May – Costa Coffee launches platform to celebrate coffee rituals. The chain launched Made With Heart, a global platform by WPP Open X and VML UK, emphasising coffee as an emotional daily ritual. The UK campaign began on 16 May with two films and a fully integrated media plan across TV, digital, and social media to strengthen consumer engagement. (London, UK)

• Tue, 20 May – Coffee Project NY debuts ultra-rare Colombia Maragesha. The limited-edition single-origin natural Colombia Maragesha from Finca Jardines del Encanto in Quindío, Colombia is a hybrid Gesha-Maragogipe variety grown at 2,050 MASL. The coffee scored above 90 points and has notes of strawberry candy, pink lemonade, gardenia, and white tea. (New York City, New York, US)

• Wed, 21 May – Bluewater showcases new Café Station at London Coffee Festival. The water filtration company showcased its Café Station at the event, offering baristas precision mineralisation to tailor water to different roast profiles. Guest baristas from Daytrip, Batch Baby, and Naked Ground Coffee highlighted the machine’s consistency and control. (London, UK)

• Fri, 23 May – Renude to launch Collagen Crush Latte. The brand’s latte-style espresso drink contains 20g of protein from hydrolysed collagen (when served with dairy milk), as well as Lion’s Mane and Ashwagandha mushrooms, cacao, vanilla bean, and coconut sugar. The Collagen Crush Latte will be available on 3 June through Renude’s wholesale channels. (West Hollywood, California, US)

Trade & production

• Tue, 20 May – Uganda boosts coffee exports despite loss of US duty-free access. The East African country’s coffee shipments helped drive export growth to US $8 billion in 2024 despite AGOA removal, with increased roasted coffee sales in US towns. Government initiatives include farmer cooperatives, export credit facilities, and infrastructure upgrades to support its coffee trade. (Kampala, Uganda)

• Thu, 22 May – East Africa sees slight coffee harvest recovery after drought. Growers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda report a modest rebound in the 2024/25 harvest following five years of drought and heat, with Tanzania forecasting 1.3 million 60kg bags, Kenya down 10–15% but with better quality coffee, and Uganda holding at 6 million 60kg bags amid climate pressures.

• Thu, 22 May – USDA forecasts Colombia coffee output to fall 5% to 12.5 million 60kg bags. The USDA projects Colombia’s 2025/26 coffee production will decline due to heavy rains affecting flowering. Weakening La Niña may restore average yields further down the line, while exports are expected to drop to 11.8 million 60kg bags. (Bogotá, Colombia)

• Thu, 22 May – Brazil port delays affect 737,653 bags of green coffee in April. Despite the off-season, exporters were unable to load over 2,236 containers in April, incurring more than R $6.65 million in extra logistics costs and forfeiting US $328.6 million in revenue, with 56% of vessels delayed or rescheduled at major ports. (Santos, Brazil)

• Fri, 23 May – USDA cuts Vietnam’s 2024/25 coffee production estimate to 29 million bags and predicts 2025/26 growth. USDA forecasts 2025/26 production to climb to 31 million 60kg bags (including 30 million bags of robusta), exports to increase to 27 million bags, and domestic consumption up from 4 million to 4.9 million bags. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

• Fri, 23 May – El Salvador coffee exports rise, though structural challenges persist. The country is forecast to produce 597,000 60kg bags in 2025/26, with exports at 583,000 bags as growers liquidate stocks amid high prices. Ageing trees, low profitability, finance constraints, and labour shortages, however, limit full recovery. (San Salvador, El Salvador)

Research

• Tue, 20 May – Eye-tracking reveals how coffee label design influences consumer choice. A Brazilian study used eye-tracking and discrete choice modelling on specialty coffee drinkers to show that fixation on organic certification, roast level, and price significantly affects purchase decisions, underscoring the role of label design. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 19 May – Third World of Coffee Asia will head to Bangkok in 2026. The SCA, Exporum Inc., and Barista Association of Thailand announced Bangkok as the host of World of Coffee Asia 2026. The event will run from 7 to 9 May at BITEC and marks the series’ third Asian edition after Busan and Jakarta. (Bangkok, Thailand)

• Mon, 19 May – Luckin Coffee launches Brazil coffee culture festival 2.0 to strengthen China-Brazil ties. The Chinese coffee chain launched its Brazil Coffee Culture Festival 2.0 in Beijing with Brazilian trade and government partners, following last year’s green coffee trade MoU, to deepen economic and cultural exchange in a new era of relations. (Beijing, China)

• Mon, 19 May – Kelachandra showcased Indian specialty coffee at the WoC Jakarta. The brand showcased its Rainforest Alliance-certified, shade-grown coffees from 15 Western Ghats estates across 6,300 acres, hosting cupping sessions and sustainability panels to highlight India’s specialty coffee quality and forge global partnerships. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Tue, 20 May – Lisbon Coffee Week returns with more than 20 events. Between 19 and 25 May, the city is hosting Lisbon Coffee Week, featuring over 20 guided tastings, hands-on workshops, parties, and meetups across cafés, concept stores, and creative venues celebrating coffee culture. (Lisbon, Portugal)

• Wed, 21 May – London Coffee Festival 2026 dates announced. Next year’s event will take place from 14 to 17 May at the Truman Brewery, gathering coffee professionals and enthusiasts for workshops, tastings, industry showcases, and competitions. (London, UK)

• Thu, 22 May – ifinca host Roast Revolution DC in Washington, DC. ifinca staged its inaugural Roast Revolution DC event, featuring a roasting competition, roundtable sessions on sector challenges, and networking for roasters, producers, and brands. ifinca’s B2B platform offers real-time data, verified farmgate prices, and end-to-end traceability. (Washington, DC, US)

• Thu, 22 May – Raw Material will host the Plant to Port green coffee course in El Fénix. Plant to Port returns from 22 to 29 September in the El Fénix organic coffee forest, offering a seven-day intensive course covering agronomy through to export preparation. (El Fénix, Colombia)

• Fri, 23 May – First-ever The Barista League Asia event to take place in Tokyo. The event, scheduled for 12 June at Adrift, will bring the region’s top baristas together to compete, with guest judges Miki Suzuki, Yasuo Ishii, and Taka Ishitani, alongside a roasters village, pop-up café, interactive games, and prizes from Oatly, Toddy, and Rancilio. (Tokyo, Japan)

• Fri, 23 May – The 2025 Brighton Coffee Festival to take place on 9 & 10 August 2025. Organised by Husky Events, the event will include cuppings, live talks and panel discussions, over 50 exhibitors, and latte art competitions. Tickets are available now. (Brighton, UK)

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

• Thu, 15 May – Finlays rebrands its extracts operation as Finlays Solutions. The company unveiled Finlays Solutions as an end-to-end beverage innovation partner for foodservice, retail, and ingredient clients, introducing a new visual identity, enhanced labs, and insights to drive product development. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

• Thu, 15 May – Roast Summit to return to Portland in October 2025. The event will be held at The Redd on Salmon Street on 2 & 3 October, offering lectures, hands-on workshops, and networking for coffee roasters. (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Fri, 16 May – Indonesia adopts SCA’s CVA protocol. The Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia and the Specialty Coffee Association agreed to adopt the Coffee Value Assessment as Indonesia’s official specialty coffee evaluation protocol. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, Portland Coffee Roasters

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