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

Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

The word of the week is acquisition.

Mon, 18 Dec

• Mill City Roasters launches RoastPATH specialty coffee roasting software. The software aims to offer roasters high level collaboration with peers through exportable roast profiles, real-time “live roast” sharing, greens data, and peer-reviewed forum discussions.

• Ralph’s Coffee opens first permanent café in Paris, France. The Paris store is the fourth international café opened by luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren. It previously operated a pop-up store at the same location in 2019 and will expand into the UAE in January 2024.

• Third Wave Water launches Low Acid Profile coffee water solution. The manufacturer says the solution reduces acidity by up to 300% and is rich in magnesium for reduced bitterness. Users simply need to add it to distilled or reverse osmosis water and shake.

• Tchibo appoints Erik Hofstädter as new CEO. The German coffee roaster and retailer says Hofstädter has previously held roles Coca-Cola, Red Bull, and Lindt & Sprüngli and will “vigorously drive forward the initiated expansion of the business”.

• National Yemen Coffee Auction scheduled for 11 January 2024. The auction features 17 Yemeni coffee lots from several regions, including an anaerobic fermented Ja’adi produced by Mukhtar Hafaz-Allah Ahmed, which received a score of 91 points. Auction samples are available now.

• Compose Coffee announces K-pop star Kim Taehyung as new brand ambassador. The South Korean coffee chain will launch various promotional media featuring Kim, also known as V, a member of K-pop boyband BTS. Compose Coffee is currently the fourth largest branded coffee chain in the country.

• Natural SL-28 receives 91.70 points at Los Rodriguez Collection Nº2 Private Collection Auction. The coffee, which topped the Exotics category, was produced at the El Fuerte farm in Samaipata, Bolivia. The winner of the Geisha Washed category received 91.20 points, while the winner of the Geisha Natural category received 91.50 points. The auction will take place on 6 February 2024.

Tue, 19 Dec

• Nominations process opens for 2024 SCA Sustainability Awards. The SCA is now welcoming all nominations for the awards, which recognises non-profit organisations that “advance sustainability in the coffee sector while inspiring others to design and initiate similar endeavours innovations”.

• Starbucks CEO says people boycotting the company over Gaza genocide have been “influenced by misrepresentation”. In a letter to employees, CEO Laxman Narasimhan said that people protesting against the company’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war have been “influenced by misrepresentation on social media” as it continues to face pressure from boycotts.

• Importers are turning away from African coffee as EU prepares to implement deforestation laws. Reuters reports that coffee importers in the EU are already scaling back purchases from African farmers, citing the cost and difficulty of complying with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

• Metric and We Will Destroy You collaborate on Artists Series limited coffee release. The series aims to “bridge the gap” between music and coffee, featuring collaborations with several artists. The first release is a washed El Rojo Geisha from northern Peru.

• Report concludes climate change is making coffee more bitter and expensive. According to Bloomberg, increasingly erratic weather is leading to more demand for robusta coffee. However, research warns that the world could lose nearly half of its robusta production capabilities by 2040.

• Cotti Coffee expands into Thailand and Malaysia. The Chinese coffee chain has opened stores in Bangkok, Thailand and Johor Bahru, Malaysia, marking its seventh and eights markets outside of China, respectively.

• SCA announces new Spain Chapter and Portugal Chapter coordinators. The SCA has announced the newly-elected members of both committees:
  • Spain:
    • National Coordinator: Ricardo Oteros
    • Community Coordinator: Claudia Sans Witty
    • Education Coordinator: Maria Jose Garcia Martinez
    • Judges Coordinator: Marcos Zoya
    • Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Pablo Caballero Agudo
    • Events Coordinator: Sandra Lahuerta
  • Portugal:
    • National Coordinator: Sofia Ferraz
    • Community Coordinator: Paulo Assuncao
    • Education Coordinator: Felipe Orioli
    • Judges Coordinator: Manuel Tiago Pereira
    • Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Shannon Lawn
    • Events Coordinator: Elizaveta Maximova

• Lavazza and Paris Baguette launch new signature coffee blend. The Paris Baguette Blend is the chain’s first-ever packaged coffee available for in-café purchase. The company describes the blend as robust and full-bodied with sweet, chocolatey undertones.

Wed, 20 Dec

• Ricardo Pereira steps down as Ally Coffee chief operating officer. Pereira has spent 11 years at Ally Coffee, leading growth across sourcing, sales, marketing, quality control, and education. The company thanked him for his “immense contributions” to making Ally a global leader in specialty coffee.

• Submissions open for World of Coffee Copenhagen 2024 lecture and workshop proposals. World of Coffee is calling on prospective presenters to submit their proposals for lectures and workshops at World of Coffee Copenhagen 2024. The deadline is 24 January.

• Labour coalition hopes to “reset” Starbucks’ relationship with its employees. The Strategic Organizing Center, a shareholder of Starbucks, says it will only be able to judge Starbucks’ commitment to improving employee relations “based on what the current Board does, not what it says”. The coalition has nominated three candidates to the Starbucks board of directors.

• Thai company allegedly claims US $2.86 billion in compensation from Luckin Coffee. Following the Chinese chain’s failed lawsuit against 50R Group, the Thai operator of Luckin outlets has reportedly claimed US $2.86 billion in financial losses from Luckin Coffee. Luckin notes that the claim has yet to be verified.

• Saudi Ministry of Culture approves grants for 20 coffee research projects. The initiative will fund projects from Saudi Arabia and abroad, aiming to encourage research that focuses on Saudi coffee’s role in the country’s cultural heritage.

• Ugandan coffee exports fell by 4.8% in November. The Uganda Coffee Development Authority says heavy rains delayed harvesting and disrupted drying, causing exports to fall by 4.8% year-on-year. Uganda remains Africa’s second-largest coffee exporter.

• Monster Energy set to launch RTD coffee in the UK. According to reports, the company has applied to trademark the term “Java Killer Brew” in the UK ahead of the anticipated launch of its ready-to-drink coffee in the country.

Thu, 21 Dec

• Weber Workshops unveils BIRD no-bypass coffee brewer. The company says the brewer is not espresso, french press, or pour-over, instead functioning as a “no-bypass brewer”. It generates piston-actuated vacuum pressure to brew coffee in a glass carafe, creating a novel new brewing method that the company says “helps any barista achieve a delicious, repeatable, and enjoyable brew”.

• Ethiopian coffee production forecast lowered by 12%. The USDA says dry conditions led to lower yields in Ethiopia in the marketing year ended September, with production falling short of previous estimates by 1 million 60kg bags of green coffee.

• KFC China plans to scale up KCOFFEE expansion in 2024. KFC China currently offers the premium coffee option at nearly all of its 10,000 stores. It now aims to open around 100 standalone KCOFFEE outlets in 2024 and expects to achieve 30% sales growth by the end of 2023.

• Cup of Excellence to host Origin immersion Program: El Salvador in 2024. The course, taught by CoE Head Judge Luis Rodríguez, will take place at the Instituto Salvadoreño Del Café in San Salvador from 26 February to 1 March 2024. Attendees will learn about a range of topics, including cupping and scoring coffee and the history of the Salvadoran coffee industry.

• Ludlow Coffee Group rebrands Coffee Planet Roastery as Jigsaw Coffee Company. Ludlow says the change represents a “pivotal shift” in its global roasting capabilities. Jigsaw Coffee Company will deliver bespoke roasting solutions, while Coffee Planer will now exclusively focus on coffee solutions including machinery and support.

Fri, 22 Dec

• WatchHouse secures US $10 million in Series A funding. The UK coffee company says the funding will help it achieve its rapid growth plans in both the UK and New York over the next year and a half. It now predicts 60% year-on-year growth in FY 2024.

• Taf opens new café at Athens International Airport. The Greek chain has partnered with Air Canteen to open its latest location, offering high-quality coffee including the Pianeta Blue, Yirgacheffe To-La, and Thuti blends.

• The Independent Coffee Lab to host The London Coffee Tasting Club on 20 January. The coffee tasting session will take place at the company’s headquarters in London, England and includes an 8x100g sample pack.

• Vollers Group acquires Sensible Development Limited’s online coffee auction platform. Vollers Group says the acquisition reflects its commitment to enhancing services and setting new industry standards. It promises a seamless transition for all users and has rebranded the platform as V-Auction.

• Toraja Mountain Coffee launches Happy Holidays Gift Box. The festive package includes five Indonesian coffees, a hand-printed gift box, stickers, and a logo-stamped card. The company directly sources coffee from local producers, giving it access to exclusive small lots.

• VOLT Bikes unveils Café VOLT at its London, England headquarters. The e-bike brand says the café sources its products from independent producers, with sandwiches and snacks prepared in-house, while it sources its specialty coffee from Scenery Coffee.

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

• Thu, 14 Dec – Labour board wants Starbucks to reopen 23 shuttered US locations. The US National Labor Relations Board says Starbucks closed the cafés in retaliation to unionisation efforts and has asked a judge to force it to reopen the stores. The company denies all allegations.

• Fri, 15 Dec – Chobani acquires La Colombe for US $900 million. The yoghurt and dairy manufacturer says the acquisition will help it chart its “next chapter of growth”. La Colombe will continue to operate as an independent brand.

• Fri, 15 Dec – TIPA and ATI unveil fully-compostable coffee capsule lids. The companies say the patented lidding material solves previous issues like poor sealing, delamination, leaching, and inconsistent flow. It’s received OK Biobased’s highest accreditation of four stars and is compatible with all compostable coffee filling lines.

• Sun, 17 Dec – Caffè Nero to close 19 Harris and Hoole stores before Christmas. The cafés operate out of Tesco supermarkets in the UK, but Caffè Nero says it wants to focus on standalone stores going forward.

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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 article on Chobani’s acquisition of La Colombe.