De’Longhi SpA will acquire the stake from parent company De’Longhi Industrial, as well as from other minority shareholders. Together with La Marzocco and Eversys (which De’Longhi fully acquired in May 2021), the Italian small appliance manufacturer will create a powerhouse global coffee equipment hub.

Although La Marzocco will continue to operate independently, De’Longhi SpA will control over 61% of the new business. And there is no doubt the company is gearing up to capitalise on the renowned espresso equipment manufacturer’s branding as much as possible.

So with acquisitions becoming more and more common in the industry, are they the end goal for successful specialty coffee brands? And if so, is this truly beneficial to the wider sector?

I spoke to Benjamin Hohlmann, founder of Kaffeemacher, to find out more.

You may also like our article on why Chobani’s acquisition of La Colombe shows roasters can’t be complacent about RTD coffee.

Behind the acquisition: The history of De’Longhi and La Marzocco

Both De’Longhi and La Marzocco are hugely successful Italian brands, but their relationship extends beyond this. In April 2021, De’Longhi Industrial purchased an additional 33.34% stake in La Marzocco International – increasing its shares to 62.6%.

The move received some criticism from the coffee industry. Shortly after, La Marzocco CEO Guido Bernardinelli publicly stated that only De’Longhi Industrial had shares in the company. Additionally, he specifically mentioned that De’Longhi SpA (the division of the group which manufactures and sells home kitchen and coffee appliances) did not – in a possible attempt to retain La Marzocco’s premium brand identity.

However, De’Longhi Industrial’s stake in the espresso machine company will now reduce to 26.6% as De’Longhi SpA will acquire more than 61% of shares in the first quarter of 2024. La Marzocco International minority stakeholders’ shares will also drop from 37.4% to 12%.

So this means the NewCo will include:

• Small domestic appliance manufacturer De’Longhi SpA, which specialises in coffee and food preparation equipment
• Premium home and commercial espresso machine and grinder brand La Marzocco 
• Swiss superautomatic coffee machine company Eversys – which De’Longhi SpA fully owns
  • All three companies will continue to operate independently

La Marzocco: a “cult” brand

Although De’Longhi is one of the leading entry-level domestic coffee appliance manufacturers, it doesn’t command quite as much respect as La Marzocco – especially in specialty coffee.

Founded in 1927 by the Bambi brothers, the company was one of the first to patent both a horizontal and a dual espresso machine boiler in the mid-1900s. And over the past few decades, La Marzocco has developed some of the most well-known machines in the industry, including:

• The semi-automatic dual-boiler GS in 1970
• The redesigned GS2 in 1982, which was used in Starbucks stores for many years
• In 1990, the company launched the Linea Classic – which became one of its most recognisable machines
• The Linea PB in 2013, which allowed the user to control extraction time and yields
• The Strada AV – the “barista’s espresso machine”
• In 2015, La Marzocco developed the Linea Mini – a dual-boiler home machine with thermal stability technology

Benjamin Hohlmann is the founder of Swiss company Kaffeemacher. He is also a Q-grader, a German Cup Tasters Champion, a Swiss Brewers Cup Champion, and runs a coffee YouTube channel.

“La Marzocco is a cult brand,” he says. “It’s highly regarded in the specialty coffee community and its machines are found in many coffee shops.”

The company’s position as one of the leading espresso machine manufacturers also stemmed from its sponsorship of the World Barista Championship from 2000 to 2008 – helping to establish the pioneering competition.

“La Marzocco is where it is today because baristas worldwide identify with its brand, in stark contrast to De’Longhi,” Benjamin adds. “De’Longhi is known for price-accessible, ‘transition’ coffee equipment which it has built its brand on.”

Could this stifle coffee equipment innovation – or drive it even further?

Considering the history between the two companies, the acquisition was certainly foreseeable. But there are other obvious reasons – including the expertise that De’Longhi and La Marzocco (and Eversys) bring to the table.

Arguably, De’Longhi will benefit the most. The company experienced a 2% decline in full-year 2022 revenue, citing a “tough geopolitical” environment in Europe and “unfavourable inflation dynamics” affecting consumers’ disposable income. 

Its coffee equipment sales that same year, however, were strong – no doubt driven by the brand’s acquisition of Eversys in 2021 and an ad campaign featuring brand ambassador Brad Pitt. So leveraging La Marzocco’s wealth of knowledge and strong brand identity is sure to add to this.

“For B2B customers, a company salesperson can now offer a premium espresso machine and a high-quality super-automatic coffee machine – depending on which product is right for them,” Benjamin says.

La Marzocco, on the other hand, also stands to gain from the business move.

“The merger between Eversys and De’Longhi is huge, and also offers potential for the further development of La Marzocco’s products,” Benjamin tells me. “Eversys has succeeded in developing some of the best super-automatic coffee machines on the market.

“So, are we going to see increasing automation with La Marzocco espresso machines in the future? It’s not unlikely,” he adds.

However, while the three companies are clearly going to leverage one another’s knowledge and brand power, what does the acquisition mean for the wider coffee equipment market?

Well, considering that La Marzocco and Marco Beverage Systems recently surrendered intellectual property rights to their integrated scale technology, other companies can utilise this to develop their own products. So the push for innovation could certainly continue – if De’Longhi permits, of course.

Another sign that acquisitions are inevitable?

Every year, the number of acquisitions in the coffee industry continues to grow – and is only going to continue. Whether you think they truly benefit specialty coffee businesses or not, acquisitions are a huge part of how the industry will evolve and scale into the future.

This then raises questions, however, about how smaller regional businesses can remain profitable, and whether successful brands “need” to be acquired to maintain their place in the market.

“When larger companies acquire smaller ones, there is always the question of whether values and goals will remain the same after the smaller company is absorbed,” Benjamin explains. “I would like to see more smaller companies look towards new solutions.

“Baristas identify with the La Marzocco brand,” he adds. “With this in mind, there should have been transparent communication about ownership and shares two years ago. This could lead fewer people to resonate with the core brand in the future.”

De’Longhi’s acquisition of La Marzocco is a huge milestone for the coffee equipment market, and is sure to shake up the sector for the ensuing years. And with Eversys also a part of the new subsidiary, the three companies could become a force to be reckoned with.

What this means for the wider coffee sector, however, remains to be seen. In an ideal world, innovation in coffee equipment will continue to thrive.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why acquisitions are becoming more common in the coffee industry.

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One of the latest and most prominent acquisitions was in July 2023, when Keurig Dr Pepper purchased a US $300 million minority stake in La Colombe. As part of its 33% stake, KDP now sells and distributes La Colombe’s ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee beverages, and also manufactures, sells, and distributes La Colombe-branded K-Cup coffee pods under a licence agreement in North America.

More recently, however, iconic US Greek yoghurt brand Chobani bought La Colombe for US $900 million. The two companies have a close history, with Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya often publicly stating his interest in the pioneering coffee roaster.

So it’s clear that Chobani wants to expand even more into the RTD coffee segment, and La Colombe is determined to maintain its grip on the market. But what does the acquisition mean for the future of RTD coffee — and what does it say about the opportunities for smaller specialty coffee roasters?

To find out, I spoke to Tony Dreyfuss, co-founder and co-president of Metropolis Coffee Company.

You may also like our article on whether Keurig Dr Pepper’s minority stake in La Colombe is a sign that acquisition is inevitable in specialty coffee.

Chobani & La Colombe: A history

Given how influential both brands are, the reasons for the recent acquisition are quite clear. But it’s also important to consider that the relationship between Chobani and La Colombe dates back some years.

Founded in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti, La Colombe was one of the first roasters to help establish third wave coffee culture in North America, with the vision “to make the world better through coffee”.

With this focus on craft and quality – alongside a commitment to supporting both local and coffee-growing communities and improving sustainable practices – La Colombe quickly became a pioneer in the industry.

Fast forward nine years and it had started manufacturing RTD cold coffee drinks, including cold brew and its innovative draft lattes. The latter include a valve mechanism at the base of the cans which injects the liquid with nitrous oxide – mimicking the creamy mouthfeel of steamed milk.

Around the same time, Chobani CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya expressed interest in investing in La Colombe. Between 2014 and 2015, Ulukaya has previously offered La Colombe US $60 million for a controlling stake in the company. And since then, the brands have collaborated several times – ranging from projects supporting refugees to cold brew creamer beverages.

It’s also easy to point to this as a natural partnership between the two brands. Chobani’s historic focus on alternative milks and La Colombe’s pioneering RTD beverages both align with where specialty coffee is going — making it a perfect match.

What does the acquisition mean for RTD & the wider coffee industry?

There’s no doubt that this acquisition will see La Colombe’s operations expand and continue to push sales for its wildly successful RTD draft lattes. Within 18 months of their launch, the draft lattes already comprised more than 1% of the total US RTD coffee market share.

Most notably, the acquisition shows just how important RTD really is for coffee roasters. This is a landmark, high-value acquisition in a segment that the industry has long since heralded as being fast-growing.

For roasters who are able to tackle RTD and diversify their beverage portfolio, this acquisition shows the sheer amount of potential in the segment. It’s also important to acknowledge that it reflects the direction of consumer behaviour.

Most modern specialty coffee consumers are interested first and foremost in factors like convenience and customisation rather than chasing down higher quality micro lots at any costs. In other words: RTD is a key segment for specialty coffee brands looking to diversify and reach a wider audience. This understandably presents a huge opportunity for brands who can access the market.

However, consolidation like this does inevitably mean that it can be challenging for smaller roasters to compete in this market — especially compared to distribution networks like Chobani’s and La Colombe’s.

Metropolis manufactures and sells canned cold brew, kegs, and concentrates in partnership with co-packers, so Tony has an in-depth understanding of the market.

“Distribution of RTD coffee products can be very complicated because it’s all cold chain,” he says. “Unless you’re backed by a big company which specialises in cold chain distribution, it’s difficult to have access to that kind of network.

“What’s more, most specialty coffee companies aren’t interested in shelf-stable RTD products because they tend to be lower quality, so they have to sell and distribute on a smaller, more local scale for a higher price,” he adds.

How can smaller brands keep up?

This acquisition is just another sign that the investment into RTD coffee is only continuing to grow. As we’ve said, it might not be easy, but for the companies who can reach this consumer base, there is an immense amount of potential.

Despite the focus on convenience and customisation, it is important to meet the quality standards that consumers have come to expect — especially as more and more players recognise how valuable this segment is.

“Sales of our RTD cold brew are more than five times the amount they were over three years ago – mostly through kegs and concentrate sales, as well as through food service distributors,” Tony says.

Ultimately, however, it’s about more than just using high-quality coffee and creating innovative RTD drinks.

“Marketing is essential,” Tony tells me. “Consumers don’t really know many of the smaller RTD coffee brands outside of their home market, so you need to invest a lot of money on marketing and branding.

“You need to consider a combination of factors, including manufacturing availability and costs and distribution issues,” he adds. “But there’s still a massive market for smaller players.”

By delving deeper into the relationship between Chobani and La Colombe, the recent acquisition makes a lot of sense. But the industry definitely needs to keep an eye on how this strategic partnership influences the RTD coffee market in the coming months.

We can surely say that it will only drive RTD coffee quality even further – and specialty coffee roasters will need to stay ahead of the game if they want to keep up with the bigger brands.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why acquisitions are becoming more common in the coffee industry.

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Additionally, there is another practice that coffee professionals and enthusiasts have been using for some time now to assist with espresso (and filter) preparation: the Ross Droplet Technique (or RDT). Quite simply, it involves spraying roasted coffee with water prior to grinding.

We have known for quite some time that the RDT helps to reduce static during the grinding process. But more recently, a newly published study indicates that this practice can improve the ability to extract more “favourable” flavours.

While this could certainly be true, one question still remains – is it really that practical for coffee shops to carry out?

To find out, I spoke to Christopher Hendon, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon.

You may also like our article on channelling and how it affects espresso extraction.

What exactly is the Ross Droplet Technique?

Although the exact origins are hard to verify, it’s believed the RDT was first developed by coffee professional David Ross in 2005. It then took several years for the practice to be more widely adopted, particularly in the home barista community.

The method itself is very simple. Most people place the handle of a spoon (or a similar utensil) under running water and then use it to stir their dose of roasted coffee beans. In theory, this evenly distributes the water droplets across the surface of the beans.

As well as being an Associate Professor at the University of Oregon, Christopher Hendon is also a co-author of Water for Coffee. He explains one of the biggest impacts of adding a very small amount of water to roasted whole bean coffee.

“It reduces the surface charging, which decreases both the mess made on the counters and grinder retention to almost zero,” he tells me.

Whether you’re a barista or a home brewer, you will have certainly encountered ground coffee either clinging to the grinder chute or dispenser chamber, or ending up on the counters. This is because there is an imbalance between the charge of the particles in the coffee and in the grinder – which means they repel one another. 

By adding water (but always in very small amounts), however, the static charges are conducted more easily – which reduces grind retention and mess.

Does it help improve extraction?

Many coffee professionals and enthusiasts can attest to the benefits of the RDT in terms of reducing static build up – and thereby minimising waste. But what about improving extraction?

According to a recent study published in Matter, the addition of water – by spraying the beans once – prior to grinding can help extract more desirable flavours. The research team (which included Christopher) used a range of roast profiles and categories the coffees into three different groups:

• Natural
• Washed
• Decaffeinated

After calculating the electrical charge of all the coffees, the researchers measured how much electrical static accumulated on each dose once ground using a Mahlkönig EK43.

Christopher mentions other findings which the team picked up on: “When adding sufficient water, particle size distribution changes, which in turn impacts flow rate.

“The effect is more pronounced for more charged and drier coffees, such as darker and espresso roast profiles,” he adds.

Can coffee shops actually use the RDT effectively?

Across the board, very few coffee shops use the RDT when preparing both espresso and filter – although it’s more commonly used for the former because of finer grind sizes. 

Following one of James Hoffmann’s YouTube videos released in 2017, however, the practice is fairly popular with home baristas who have much more capacity to carry it out.

In response to the Matter study, one of Hoffmann’s latest videos tests the RDT using different grinders with around four sprays of water per dose (around 18g), but found significantly different results between various brands and models. While there certainly is the need for more controlled studies, this indicates that results may not always be consistent.

Additionally, the practice of either spraying or stirring each dose just before grinding could be too time consuming – especially during busy rushes.

“Implementing the RDT in a coffee shop setting may be limited to places which only pre-dose and then use single-dose grinders,” Christopher says. “At least for now anyway – until someone adapts the process to be more suitable for on-demand grinders.”

In the quest to perfect espresso extraction, there’s no doubt the Ross Droplet Technique could help baristas and home brewers. There are, however, many more important variables to consider which have more of an overall impact.

And as for carrying it out efficiently and consistently in coffee shops, it doesn’t seem particularly likely for now.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee shops can use espresso machine technology to their advantage.

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So in line with this, it seems more and more water products designed specifically for brewing high-quality coffee are becoming available. The latest one is DesignerWater – developed in partnership with Kenneth Luciani, founder of Espresso House Denmark, Danish company Peter Larsen Kaffe, and the University of Copenhagen.

But it’s also important to question whether the market is becoming saturated with these products, and if they are still adding as much value to specialty coffee.

To find out more, I spoke to Maxwell Dashwood, founder of Colonna Coffee and water for coffee expert, and the team at DesignerWater.

You may also like our article on how cafés filter water for coffee.

Specialty coffee’s fixation with the “perfect” brewing water

As an industry, we already know that water quality and hardness have a huge impact on final cup quality. The topic has been explored almost endlessly. But many coffee professionals and enthusiasts are still in search of the most effective way to treat and filter water for brewing coffee.

In addition to being a three-time UK Barista Champion and WBC finalist, Maxwell is the co-author of Water for Coffee – a book which explores the science behind water and its effect on coffee.

“Water is definitely playing an important role in the industry these days and so new products make sense,” Maxwell explains. “We’re also seeing it in education, whether it’s books or online courses, water is really emphasised as being vital to cup quality.”

Alongside notable products like the Peak Water filter jug, Third Wave Water mineral packets, and reverse osmosis (RO) systems, there is an ever-growing variety of options.

The most recent is bottled water brand DesignerWater, which will officially launch in 2024. The company uses patent-pending RO systems and then adds optimal levels of salt and minerals to “enhance” the flavours in coffee.

“The industry’s focus on coffee quality, skills, and equipment naturally leads to increasing attention on the biggest ingredient by volume – water,” says the team at DesignerWater. “The results from our research with the University of Copenhagen are improved taste, easier equipment maintenance, and potentially prolonged equipment lifespan.”

But is there such a thing?

With so many water filtration systems and ready-to-use solutions now available, how can we know which is best to use?

While it ultimately depends on the quality and hardness of your original water source, there are also many other factors to consider when choosing a system or product to use, including:

• Cost
• Functionality
• Convenience

“We wrote the first Water for Coffee book back in 2015, and one of the things we talked about was the idea of making your own water with mineral salts,” Maxwell says. “Now that we’re writing the second edition, I’m thinking about how much of that has been adopted and how much it’s changed.

“I think the solutions that use some kind of deionised and demineralised water and then add mineral salts are the most controllable,” he adds. “But when I take part or judge an AeroPress Championship, I can taste that people have added too many minerals to their water. I definitely think there is a trend of adding too many mineral salts.

“But the reason that it’s so popular is that it offers control,” Maxwell continues. “So if you live in an area where your water source isn’t very good, then adding mineral salts is a good solution.”

A passing trend, or here to stay?

There’s no doubt that the industry’s fixation on water for coffee will remain – and is likely to keep growing in the future.

“I definitely see more people trying to explore that space,” Maxwell says. “It’s also interesting from a consumer point of view because I think there’s still a lot of confusion around water – it’s a complex subject.

“But more and more people are aware of water and are playing around with trying to improve it – and awareness is key,” he adds. “There clearly is demand for these products. There’s recognition that water is really important not just from baristas and coffee enthusiasts, but also from more mainstream coffee drinkers.”

At the same time, however, we need to understand which water filtration systems and ready-to-use solutions are adding the most value to the industry. And to a certain extent, the answer is subjective as it largely depends on the quality of your water in the first place.

The search continues

Given his level of expertise, Maxwell believes that more work is necessary to not only know more about water for brewing coffee, but also to find the best options.

“As an industry, we’re going to develop our understanding of water even further. I think we’re going to see more and more products, and it’s very interesting to see which ones will be the most effective with consumers,” he says. “A lot of what I’m seeing is just people playing around with different ways of repackaging mineral salts, either as salts themselves or made into concentrations.

“There is still more to learn about water and coffee,” he adds. “We know bicarbonate is massively important, and controlling it has the biggest impact on the way the coffee tastes.

“We know that the other minerals also matter, specifically calcium and magnesium, and we’re trying to control them more,” he concludes. “However, I think that a convenient water solution that is effective and produces the best tasting coffee is still something that the industry is searching for. I’m not sure anyone’s made it.”

In the end, maybe there is no one-size-fits-all solution to creating the perfect water for brewing coffee. With this in mind, considering your options – and understanding where your water comes from – is a vital first step.

It can be a complicated topic, but by knowing how to optimise water for coffee, you are able to potentially experience a whole new world of flavour.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how baristas can maximise water quality and consistency.

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But recently, there have been noticeable declines in revenue for some of the biggest decaf coffee manufacturers. And while there could be many reasons for this, it’s important to ask whether people are still drinking as much decaf coffee.

To find out more, I spoke to Clara Malmros, Business Development at Decadent Decaf Coffee Co. – read on for more of her insight.

You may also like our article on whether low-caf varieties could replace decaf.

Breaking down decaf

The earliest decaffeination process dates back to the turn of the 21st century, when German merchant Ludwig Roselius boiled coffee in salt water and then flushed it with benzene (which was quickly found to be carcinogenic).

Since then, the industry has established several food safe ways to remove caffeine from green coffee. These include:

• The Swiss Water Process, which is one of the safest and most natural ways to strip caffeine from beans
• The Mountain Water Process, which is similar to the above method, but involves changing different variables (such as water flow, temperature, and pressure)
• Carbon dioxide method, where manufacturers soak green coffee in liquid CO2
• The sugarcane method, which involves applying a natural ethyl acetate extract to green coffee

Given that Roselius’ rudimentary decaffeination process clearly wasn’t in line with current health and safety standards, some people still unfairly perceive decaf coffee to be harmful to their health. Alongside these often false claims, there are also negative connotations attached to decaf – particularly regarding quality and flavour.

However, many specialty coffee roasters (and even competitors) are working to change these perceptions. As part of a general push to source higher-quality coffee, it’s clear that decaf options are getting better and better, too.

In turn, demand for decaf has been growing over the past few years – especially during and following the pandemic when at-home coffee consumption rose sharply. For instance, according to data from Mintel, one in five coffee drinkers in the UK opted for decaf in 2021. 

With more people brewing coffee at home, coffee drinkers naturally started to become more aware of their caffeine intake and saw decaf as a more viable and dependable option.

So is decaf coffee becoming less popular?

Although the global decaf market is predicted to grow over the next seven years, recent data shows that some of the bigger decaffeinated coffee manufacturers are experiencing declines in revenue. But is this necessarily related to a fall in consumer sales?

Well, not exactly. Canadian company Swiss Water, as one example, reported a 29% drop in 2023 Q3 revenue on 8 November. In a press release, the company stated:

“The decrease is the result of the expected period of reduced sales volume due to capacity limitations caused by the exit from the Burnaby site prior to the completion of the second production line at Delta. This was partially offset by increased volume demand from customers in the first quarter. In addition, green coffee prices were materially lower when compared to the same periods in 2022.”

Considering these circumstances, it’s likely that falling revenue is not permanent.

“We believe recent revenue decline is temporary, and that there are still great opportunities to grow the decaf market as more people need or want to manage their caffeine intake,” Clara says.

She adds, however, that there is still room for improvement.

“I think that the quality of decaf coffee just isn’t good enough right now,” she explains. “We recently did some market research and purchased a wide range of big brands’ decaf options, and found that many just didn’t taste great.”

Ultimately, Clara believes that roasters should be more accountable for maintaining quality. 

“Generally speaking, what the coffee industry needs to do is put more effort into roasting great decaf coffee,” she tells me. “It shouldn’t be an afterthought, and serious coffee roasters shouldn’t be roasting the cheapest beans they can find.”

Low-caf varieties: are they really a solution?

Despite falls in revenue for large decaf manufacturers, it’s evident that consumer sales remain strong. But at the same time, we’ve also seen naturally low-caf varieties like Laurina and AC1 emerge in recent years.

While these varieties pose a potential solution to drinking higher-quality coffee while also reducing caffeine intake, the market for them remains very small. And with farmers unable to scale production anytime soon for a number of reasons (including their low caffeine levels), these varieties can’t yet compete with the decaf market.

“In general, the coffee industry as a whole needs to embrace decaf more,” Clara believes. “Less ‘death before decaf’ and more ‘cheers to great coffee without caffeine’ – similar to the rise of the no or low-alcohol movement.

“We are seeing a range of high-quality Swiss Water Decaf coffees available, and we expect that this will pique the interest of people who might not have explored decaf coffees before,” she adds. “We also think there is great market potential for half-caf and naturally low-caf varieties.”

Decaf has and always will be popular. With many consumers wanting to manage their caffeine intake for a number of reasons, demand will continue to stabilise or grow further.

At the same time, further research on how producers can grow naturally low-caf coffee is essential for the global industry to unlock the true market potential of these varieties.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how decaf coffee is made.

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This news follows the launch of WCR’s robusta variety catalogue in early May 2023. The guide is designed to help producers who grow robusta make more informed decisions about different varieties. Ideally, it will also help them implement agricultural best practices as well.

So, with one of the world’s biggest collaborative coffee research organisations looking to invest more in robusta R&D, does specialty coffee need to shift more of its focus towards robusta, too? Read on to find out more.

You may also like our article on how processing can be used to improve the quality of commodity robusta.

New resources for robusta production

On 4 May 2023, WCR published two new resources for producers who grow robusta. These are the Robusta Variety Catalog and Grafting Robusta.

The former is an open-access guide designed to support producers make more informed decisions about growing different varieties of robusta. In turn, WCR hopes the resource can be used to improve both the quality and yields of robusta plants. Theoretically speaking, this could mean that farmers potentially earn more money.

The catalogue is available in English and Spanish, and profiles 47 robusta varieties from a number of producing countries. These include:

• Brazil
• India
• Indonesia
• Uganda
• Mexico
• Vietnam

The guide also outlines more than 20 different variables of the 47 robusta varieties. Some of these include:

• Yield potential
• Stature
• Bean size
• Nutrition requirements
• Lineage
• Susceptibility to pests and diseases

WCR’s robusta catalogue was developed in partnership with several other prominent coffee research institutions. These include the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and the National Coffee Research Institute of Uganda (NaCORI-Uganda), to name a few.

Given that the genetic diversity of robusta is much larger than arabica, the 47 robusta varieties selected for the catalogue were chosen for their economic, historical, cultural, or genetic importance.

The Grafting Robusta resource, meanwhile, is an English language nursery training and farming best practices guide to support healthy robusta plant growth. The guide includes information on the advantages and risks of grafting, training procedures for farmer workshops, a step-by-step process to use when grafting robusta plants, and best practices for maintaining grafted plants.

Understanding more about robusta

Dr. Tania Humphrey is the R&D Director at World Coffee Research. 

“Robusta now [accounts for up to] 40% of global production and its market share is expected to continue growing; it is clearly a part of coffee agriculture that is here to stay,” she says. “Yet we know much less about robusta as a plant than we do about arabica.

“As a scientific organisation, we see that the potential to improve robusta is huge,” she adds. “It has a lot of genetic diversity that has yet to be fully explored by breeders.”

Opportunities for robusta research and development

Following the release of the robusta catalogue and grafting guidelines, WCR recently announced that it “has been deepening its work in robusta, including laying the groundwork for a possible robusta breeding programme”.

Dr. Vern Long is the CEO of World Coffee Research.

“WCR is an industry-driven organisation and our member companies have advocated for us to increase our understanding of the opportunities and challenges to improve robusta production and quality,” she tells me. “Given the growing importance of robusta, and the fact that we have seen robusta shortages over the last few years, this is a natural step for a global collaborative R&D programme like ours to explore.”

In 2022, WCR began working on a study to explore the potential for breeding robusta to support increasing demand. In April 2023, as part of the ongoing study, WCR convened a focus group of robusta buyers. The organisation said this was to better understand their needs and goals when it comes to improving robusta quality.

Collaboration is key

Hosted by WCR member Lavazza at the Lavazza Innovation Centre in Italy, the focus group included robusta buyers from other members. These included Strauss Coffee, Tchibo, Keurig Dr Pepper, Mercon Coffee Group, JDE Peet’s, DR Wakefield, and Coffee Circle. Along with discussing their needs and preferences when buying robusta, participants also talked about the broader challenges and opportunities for robusta production.

Some of the key challenges identified were “supply shortages, farmer attrition, consolidation of origin diversity, consistency of quality, low consumer perception of robusta in some markets, lack of institutional support for improving production or opening new robusta production areas, and regulatory pressure regarding deforestation and chemical inputs”.

At the same time, participants also identified key opportunities for improving robusta production. These include “stronger market differentiation/segmentation (beyond just soluble, blending, or premium segments), improved consistency, new flavour profiles and product innovation, yield improvements, strengthening farmer profitability, and new production systems (agroforestry/shade, regenerative farming approaches, and intercropping)”.

WCR has stated that the potential robusta breeding programme will be a “significant undertaking”, and that the initial stages will begin in 2024. However, in preparation, WCR has partnered with the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) to gain access to a collection of robusta genetic materials.

Why is interest in robusta growing?

Considering that WCR was established in 2012, it was only a matter of time before the research organisation started to invest in robusta R&D.

According to data from the ICO, robusta currently accounts for between 30% and 40% of the global coffee market. Clearly, there is opportunity for its share to grow in the coming years.

Historically, however, between arabica and robusta, the former is often of higher quality and tends to have more desirable characteristics. As a result, specialty coffee has largely favoured arabica over robusta.

But that’s not to say that all robusta can’t be high quality. For example, fine robusta must adhere to a strict number of standards and protocols. These include no primary defects, such as full black or sour coffee beans.

Moreover, when implementing best practices for harvesting and processing, robusta quality can actually improve. Similarly, when roasted and brewed in a way that preserves its acidity and sweetness as much as possible, you can get great results from high-quality robusta.

“You often hear people talk about robusta’s negative reputation, but from what I can see as a breeder, very little has been done to try to improve it,” Tania explains. “If we want to improve robusta, we have to put in the effort to invest in it.

“Just like all coffee [species], robusta R&D is hugely underinvested – that’s something WCR continues to work on addressing globally,” she adds.

The role of climate change

Alongside being more affordable than arabica (although robusta prices are currently at a 15-year high), one of the biggest drivers of growing demand for robusta is climate change. 

In 2022, the research paper Expected global suitability of coffee, cashew, and avocado due to climate change estimates that the land used to produce arabica in Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia will decrease in both size and suitability by 2050. This is largely attributed to the rise in average global temperatures, as arabica is much less climate-resilient than robusta.

However, some experts are claiming that El Niño actually poses a larger risk to robusta than arabica. For context, this is a weather phenomenon which disrupts rainfall and temperature patterns. If this is the case, we could see robusta stockpiles decrease over the next few years, which in turn would increase prices.

So, does specialty coffee need to care more about robusta?

Considering that arabica was placed on the IUCN Red List as an endangered species in 2019, when it comes to securing a sustainable future, there is more pressure than ever for specialty coffee to look for options beyond arabica.

At the same time, however, robusta isn’t the be-all and end-all solution to minimising the impact of climate change on the coffee industry. In fact, research from 2020 found that robusta may not be as climate-resilient as we once thought. Researchers found it has an optimal growing temperature of below 20.5°C (68.9°F) – a difference of 9°C.

In recent years, it’s become evident that specialty coffee is becoming more accepting of robusta. When arabica prices reached a ten-year high in early 2022, a handful of specialty coffee roasters started to add more robusta to blends in a bid to increase profit margins.

Meanwhile, at the 2022 World Barista Championships, Japanese competitor Takayuki Ishitani used a blend of Panama Gesha – one of the most highly-prized arabica varieties in the industry – and natural anaerobic fermented robusta in his routine. 

During his performance, Takayuki noted that using robusta in his espresso course allowed him to enhance body and texture – and provided a more well-rounded experience.

Ultimately, only time will tell just how extreme the impact of climate change will be on the global coffee industry – and the role robusta will play in line with this.

However, robusta might not be the silver bullet the coffee industry is expecting where climate change is concerned. Nonetheless, embracing it for other reasons will be important – including to recognise and better support robusta producers.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article exploring robusta’s genetic diversity.

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Along with the flagship European event in June 2024 and the third edition of the Dubai trade show in January 2024, WoC Busan is sure to attract thousands of international coffee professionals.

However, it’s important to look into why the SCA is hosting the event in this city. And what it could mean for the future of the trade show? Read on to find out more.

You may also like our article on whether the new SCA cupping form & protocol will add more value for specialty coffee.

A growing number of World of Coffee events

Every year, the SCA holds a World of Coffee event in a different European country. This year’s World of Coffee trade show will take place in Athens, Greece from 22 to 24 June.

As well as an extensive trade show, the event features a range of key activities, such as:

• Roasters Village
• Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards
• Green coffee buyers and sellers programme
• Lectures, cuppings, and workshops

Moreover, each WoC event also hosts a number of World Coffee Championships, including:

• World Barista Championship
• World Brewers Cup
• World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship
• World Roasting Championship
• World Cup Tasters Championship
• World Cezve/Ibrik Championship

On top of the European event, the SCA also hosts WoC Dubai – “the premier coffee trade show for exhibitors and visitors from the Middle East and beyond”. The first edition was launched in 2022, with another event held in January earlier this year.

It’s certainly clear why the SCA decided to launch an event catered to the Middle Eastern specialty coffee market. Thanks to its rapid economic growth, Dubai is one of the most well-developed specialty coffee markets in the region. 

The city plays a key role in driving the Middle East’s specialty coffee market forward and is becoming increasingly accessible for overseas coffee business.

Announcing the first-ever World of Coffee Asia event

Following the launch of the Dubai event, the inaugural WoC Asia trade show will take place in Busan, South Korea.

Speaking at the Specialty Coffee Expo last month, SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos said: “We are delighted to bring World of Coffee, our leading coffee trade show, to Asia for the very first time. 

“We are proud to be working with our long-time partners at Exporum on this project, who as our official licensed partner, will produce and deliver a World of Coffee that is tailored to the unique coffee culture in the region,” he said.

The event will be held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Centre (BEXCO) in May 2024 and is set to host the World Barista Championship – one of the most esteemed and highly regarded competitions in specialty coffee. 

WoC Busan will run in addition to WoC Dubai, scheduled for 21 to 23 January 2024, and the flagship event in Europe to be held in June 2024.

Entering new markets

Much as it was with Dubai, it’s obvious why the SCA has decided to host a WoC event in Asia. In recent years, the continent’s coffee market has been growing exponentially. According to Research and Markets, by 2030, the specialty coffee market in the Asia-Pacific region will grow by 15.3%.

“The coffee market in Asia has been booming for many years, and World of Coffee in Busan will be the platform at which coffee companies across Asia and around the world will be able to connect, network, and drive innovation in the specialty coffee space,” Yannis said at this year’s Specialty Coffee Expo.

It’s also important to note that the SCA will host the 2023 World Latte Art, World Coffee In Good Spirits, and World Coffee Roasting Championships in Taipei City, Taiwan in November later this year. Naturally, this is a clear indication that the SCA is interested in hosting more events in the region.

In recent years, more and more auction records are being broken by buyers from East Asian countries. Green coffee buyers in markets like China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea will often pay record breaking prices for more exclusive coffees, notably Gesha and other rare coffee varieties. Ultimately, this is only helping to increase the popularity of high-end specialty coffees in these markets.

In line with this, the premiumisation of coffee has become increasingly common in certain East Asian countries. This is the process of using exclusivity, rarity, and superior quality to drive up brand appeal and prices for products which would otherwise be cheaper. In turn, this adds a greater sense of value for the buyer, and means they are more willing to pay higher prices for coffee.

Why South Korea?

South Korea is a booming specialty coffee market. Between 2007 and 2013, the country’s coffee industry grew by 300%. Today, South Korea is the eighth-largest coffee-consuming market in the world.

Furthermore, a growing number of South Korean coffee professionals have competed at the World Coffee Championships in recent years. Most notably, Jooyeon Jeon placed first at the 2019 World Barista Championship, as well as Kyoungha “Charlie” Chu and Heongwan Moon who won the 2021 and 2022 World Cup Tasters Championships, respectively.

But why Busan specifically? Well, the city is the second-largest in South Korea, and while the country’s capital Seoul has more specialty coffee shops, Busan is picking up speed at a striking pace. Prominent roasters and cafés include Momos Coffee, BlackUp Coffee, Waveon Coffee, and Mavis Coffee, to name a few.

With over 11,000 people attending WoC events every year, and considering the huge demand for specialty coffee in the region, WoC Asia is sure to attract a significant number of visitors in 2024 and beyond.

Moreover, the significance of this event taking place in such an innovative specialty coffee market like South Korea is likely to shape the future of World of Coffee in the long term.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why East Asian buyers often pay record-breaking prices for auction winning coffee lots.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

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Mon, 11 Jul

• Bolivian Coffee Alliance and ANAPCAFE to host Bolivian Coffee Weeks event. The festival, which will be held from 18 to 31 July in Santa Cruz, will include several SCA Coffee Skills workshops. The event will also host the 2022 Bolivian Brewers Cup, Cup Tasters, and Latte Art Championships.

• Coffee and food-to-go chain Greggs opens first eco-store. The new Northampton location will be used to trial in-store sustainability initiatives, such as recycled flooring and eco-ovens. Greggs aims to implement environmentally-friendly features in at least a quarter of its stores by 2025.

• Pride of Gesha Auction 2022 sees record price of US $254/lb. The top-scoring Gesha received the highest price ever paid at an African green coffee auction. A total of 26 Geshas received more than US $283,480.

• Howard Schultz to outline new growth strategy for Starbucks. The chain’s interim CEO stated the new strategy will “reinvent” Starbucks. More details are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

• Malaysian chain ZUS Coffee opens 100th store. The tech-focused chain also opened a barista training academy next to its Tropicana Gardens Mall location in Selangor. ZUS aims to open another 80 stores by the end of 2022.

• Two 90+ coffees win in 2022 Best of Yemen Private Collection Auction. The highest-scoring coffee was a natural Yemenia produced by Hifthallah Alhaymi, which received 90.20 points. The auction will be held on 9 August 2022.

Tue, 12 Jul

• World Coffee Producers Forum hosts third annual virtual session. The topic of this year’s event is “How to achieve prosperity through Sustainable Development Goals”. The in-person forum will be held from 13 to 14 February 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

• Green Coffee Company announced as largest coffee producer in Colombia. After its recent acquisition of more than 1,380 acres, the company owns around 7.2 million trees in the country.

• Archaeologists uncover 167 year-old coffee beans in Melbourne. The archaeologists working on the Metro Tunnel project found the beans while digging up remains of the John Connell general store, which burned down in the early 1850s. The coffee beans were carbonised and preserved in the fire.

• Natural processed coffees dominate the 2022 Cup of Excellence Ethiopia competition. The highest-scoring coffee was a natural coffee from the Sidama region, which received 90.69 points. The auction will be held on 23 August.

• Global plant-based market to be worth US $66.9 billion by 2030. Grand View Research estimates the global non-dairy product market (which includes plant milks) will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 12.5% during the analysis period.

• Several 2023 World Coffee Championships to take place in Taipei next year. The 2023 World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits, and World Coffee Roasting Championships will take place at the Taiwan International Coffee Show from 17 to 20 November 2023.

Wed 13 Jul

• New York roaster Partners Coffee launches instant coffee range. The instant coffees are available in the Brooklyn, the Jumpstart, and El Ramo blends. Each box contains five sachets and is available for US $16.

• Madagascar to sign 2022 International Coffee Agreement in October this year. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar, Richard Randriamandrato, met with the International Coffee Organisation’s Executive Director, Vanusia Nogueira, earlier this month.

• CEO of Costa Coffee steps down to join fast food chain McDonald’s. Jill McDonald first joined Costa Coffee in 2019; her successor is yet to be announced. McDonald will serve as the fast food chain’s Executive Vice President and President of International Operated Markets as of 1 August 2022.

• Equal Origins host bi-lingual gender equity webinar. A Journey towards Greater Gender Equity in Latin America was held in English and Spanish. The webinar explored how the organisation’s partners were able to implement gender equity programmes in coffee-growing communities.

• Brazilian coffee roasters set to experience 50% increase in 2022 combined revenue. Brazilian coffee roasters are predicted to earn a combined revenue of R $22.8 billion (US $4.3 billion) – an increase of more than 50% on 2021. Revenue growth is attributed to a 52% increase in the average domestic price of roast & ground coffee.

Thu, 14 Jul

• Australian fast food chain Hungry Jack’s to launch nationwide coffee brand. The company (which operates as Burger King outside of the country) has invested AU $20 million in equipment and training for some 5,000 baristas. Hungry Jack’s plans to rollout 410 Jack’s Café locations across Australia over a two-year period.

• The Coffee Quest to host blending workshop. The in-person event will be held in Amsterdam on 21 July 2022 at 10:00 CEST, and will explore combining different flavour profiles.

• US roaster Bean2Bean partners with Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society on new blend. Proceeds of the PAWS Roast will be used to provide veterinary care, food, and housing for local rescue animals.

• London Bugatti car dealership opens espresso bar. Ettore’s Espresso Bar is named after the car manufacturer’s founder, and is the first espresso bar to be installed in any Bugatti dealership in the world.

• World Coffee Alliance to host second episode of digital traceability webinar series. Demystifying Big Data in Coffee will include two speaker panels and a keynote speech from Vanusia Nogueira. The webinar will be held on 27 July 2022 at 14:00 BST.

Fri, 15 Jul

• International Women’s Coffee Alliance Australia to host Knowledge Session on 21 July 2022. The online event will include the IWCA Global Executive Director, Dr. Sarada Krishnan. The webinar is exclusive to IWCA members.

• Joe & the Juice anticipates 2022 revenue increase of more than 30%. The Danish coffee and fresh juice chain reported 2021 revenue growth of 30%, and is expecting revenue to further improve throughout this fiscal year.

• Brazil earns record revenue from coffee exports in 2021/22 market year. Despite the country’s coffee exports falling by more than 6 million 60kg bags over the past 12 months, Brazil received a record US $8.1 billion in revenue – a 38.7% increase on earnings in 2020/21.

• First-ever National Yemen Coffee Auction to be held in August 2022. In a partnership between the Union of Yemeni Coffee Farmer co-operatives, Yemen’s Unity of Coffee Organisation, Yemeni Coffee Exporters Association, and the Mokha Institute, the nationwide auction will include 28 lots. Registration for samples is open until 15 August and the auction will be held on 31 August.

• SCA US announces locations for 2023 US Coffee Championship preliminary rounds. The preliminaries will take place in 13 different cities across the US, including San Francisco, Tuscon, and Houston. The preliminary rounds for the 2023 US Coffee Championships will take place between August and October 2022.

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

• Fri, 1 Jul – Dairy company Arla to invest US $43 million in RTD coffee products. Investment will be used to expand its Danish production plant after sales of its Starbucks-branded RTD coffee products increased by 40% over a decade in the EMEA region.

• Mon, 4 Jul – Global smart coffee maker market to be valued at US $1.1 billion by 2026. The US and Chinese markets are predicted to experience the most growth. Wifi-enabled coffee makers are one of the most popular products in the market segment.

• Wed, 6 Jul – IKAWA launches digital cupping form. As part of the Pro App, the IKAWA Cup allows users to share scores, co-ordinate group cuppings, and record data.

• Thu, 7 Jul – Drive-thru chain Ellianos Coffee to open 100th store. Through a partnership with First Federal Bank, the US company will open another 80 locations over the coming months.

• Thu, 7 Jul – Rise Brewing Co. launches line of oat milks. The Original and Vanilla oat milks will be available in stores across the US.

• Thu, 7 Jul – Chamberlain Coffee launches coffee-infused cereal. The DASH Chamberlain Coffee Cereal is made using Chamberlain Coffee’s Social Dog Blend. The company claims the cereal “turn[s] your milk into cold brew”.

• Fri, 8 Jul – Fashion brand Ralph Lauren opens first permanent coffee kiosk. The fashion retailer launched its coffee concept Ralph’s Coffee in 2014. The permanent coffee kiosk opened in its flagship Hong Kong store.

• Fri, 8 Jul – Bully Bean Coffee to support rescue dog scheme. A portion of proceeds from all of the brand’s products will go towards supporting rescue dogs, including retired police and military dogs.

• Fri, 8 Jul – US football team Dallas Cowboys partners with Black Rifle Coffee Company. As part of a ticket giveaway, the sports team were also offering a free year-long subscription to the veteran-owned coffee roaster.

• Sat, 9 Jul – Venezuela 2022 AeroPress Championship to be held on 30 July. The competition will be held at Bodega Espresso. The winner will represent Venezuela at the World AeroPress Championships from 1 to 3 December in Vancouver BC, Canada.

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Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

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Mon, 4 Jul

• PRF to be held in El Salvador in 2023. Following on from the success of PRF Colombia, which was held from 30 June to 1 July, a PRF event was announced for El Salvador next year. PRF is held in a different coffee-producing country each year.

• Blank Street Coffee opens first location in London. The New York specialty coffee cart brand will open two brick-and-mortar locations in London by 5 July, and plans to open 25 UK locations in total.

• Cup of Excellence launches Sensory Education Training programme in Italy. In partnership with the Coffee Knowledge Hub, the course will launch in Italy for the first time at the SCA-certified Simonelli Group HQ campus.

• Pret A Manger to debut in Indian market. In partnership with Reliance Brands Limited, the coffee and food-to-go chain plans to open 100 stores in India by 2028.

• More than 20 Geshas win in 2022 Cup of Excellence Guatemala competition. All 30 coffees scored 87.23 points or more, with the highest-scoring coffee (a washed Gesha from El Morito in the Jalapa region) receiving 91.75 points. The auction will be held on 19 July 2022.

• WOC Milan generates over US $115.5 million for Brazilian coffee sector. More than 30 Brazilian companies were present at the event, which the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association estimates resulted in US $21.9 million in business deals.

• Cultivos Coffee concept store opens in Athens International Airport. The project, which was created by Taf Coffee, operates 20 stores across Greece.

Tue, 5 Jul

• Global Coffee Platform partners with Partnerships for Forests to scale sustainable coffee production. Through the agreement, the two organisations will work to improve sustainable coffee farming practices across East Africa. The partnership will run until July 2023.

• Tiny Mile trials robot coffee delivery service in North Carolina, US. The two-month pilot programme is taking place in the city of Charlotte in partnership with local roaster Undercurrent Coffee.

• Organic roaster Groundwork Coffee receives B Corp certification. The company received an overall score of 93.5 across five impact areas. Groundwork operates a direct trade model with several smallholder coffee farms.

• Ten coffee varieties win in the 2022 Cup of Excellence Honduras competition. The highest-scoring coffee was a washed Gesha produced by Benjamin Paz Muñoz from Finca La Salsa, which received 91.25 points. The auction will be held on 16 August 2022.

• UK roaster 200 Degrees welcome 200th team member. Vlad Deliu is the 200th person to join 200 Degrees as general manager of the Leicester location. The company operates 17 stores across the UK.

Wed, 6 Jul

• Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee releases study on how coffee consumption affects athletic performance. ISIC’s research indicates that acute caffeine intake (between 3mg and 6mg per kg of body weight) increases the body’s capacity to perform physical activities, as well as improving muscular strength and muscular endurance.

• Plant-based protein company ChickP seeks to create barista-formulated plant milks. The company says its chickpea-based protein product results in a neutral taste and smooth texture when combined with coffee, as well as producing high-quality microfoam.

• May coffee prices reach highest levels since February 2022. The International Coffee Organisation Composite Indicator Price gained 4.5% over April, increasing to an average of 202.46 US cents/lb. Global coffee exports totalled 10.80 million 60kg bags in May 2022, compared with 9.82 million in the same month the previous year.

• Twenty-two coffees win in the 2022 Cup of Excellence Costa Rica competition. Some of the winning varieties include Milenium, Kenia, and San Roque. The highest-scoring coffee was a honey processed Gesha from Don Cayito farm in Los Santos, which received 91.08 points. The auction will take place on 11 August.

• Costa Coffee and McDonald’s UK to collaborate on national cup recycling scheme. Motorway service station operater Roadchef will install 65 cup recycling stations at all of its 30 locations across the UK.

• Milan Coffee Festival 2022 to take place from 12 to 14 November. The festival will be held at the Superstudio Più event centre.

Thu, 7 Jul

• La Marzocco’s Accademia del caffè releases limited-edition Peace cups to support Ukraine humanitarian efforts. The handmade cups debuted at World of Coffee Milan and are available as a set for €100 (US $101.79). Proceeds of sales will go to Ospedale dei Bambini Vittore Buzzi pediatric hospital in Milan to support Ukrainian child refugees.

• Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority launches new strategy to increase sustainable coffee exports. The new strategy is based on six key pillars, which include research and marketing. The ECTA hopes to increase the value of the country’s coffee exports to between US $3.6 billion and US $4.6 billion within the next 15 years.

• Brazil’s domestic coffee prices increase throughout June. The CEPEA index for arabica closed at BRL 1,361.20 (US 260.27 cents) per bag on 30 June – 6.9% higher than prices on 31 May. Price increases are attributed to the valuations of future contracts.

• Riff’s cascara-based energy drink receives carbon-neutral certification. The Energy+ functional beverage received the certification from the Carbonfree Product Certification Programme. The drink is also certified non-GMO.

• Rancilio Specialty launches the Invicta espresso machine. The new single-boiler machine includes thermal stability technology Steady Brew and manual temperature setting T-Switch.

Fri, 8 Jul

• Volcafe and Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre (CATIE) extend sustainable agroforestry partnership. The green coffee trader and the Costa Rican research centre will work to establish model farms across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Volcafe and CATIE will also design a digital tool for farmers to measure the impact of the agroforestry systems.

• Steeped Coffee raises US $5 million in 48-hour crowdfunding round. More than 4,500 investors contributed to the campaign. The single-serve coffee brand has now launched an additional Regulation D fundraising campaign.

• Ozone Coffee Roasters International appoints Lizzie Gurr as its first-ever CEO. The roaster and hospitality group (which includes Ozone Coffee Roasters and Hasbean) will work to achieve B Corp status by the end of 2022. OCRI has also appointed Dale Harris as UK Chief Operating Officer.

• Neumann Kaffee Gruppe and Coffee Quality Institute pilot robusta training workshops in Uganda. The trial workshops took place at NKG’s Kaweri Coffee Plantation, with the course expected to fully launch by the end of 2022. Findings from the workshops will be included in new Q Processing 2 robusta programmes, which help to assess quality of both robusta and fine robusta.

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

• Thu, 23 Jun – Research finds coffee and tea businesses have biggest reduction in delivery lead times since beginning of the pandemic. Data from Unleashed’s Product Lead Time Index found that delivery lead times in the coffee and tea industry dropped by 61.9% between 2020/21 and 2021/22 – decreasing from an average of 8.5 days to 3.2.

• Thu, 23 Jun – Starbucks Reserve locations sell handmade products from Rwandan women. The merchandise is inspired by the packaging design of Starbucks Reserve’s Rwanda Hingakawa coffee. The products were made by women working with All Across Africa, which helps connect small business owners with international markets.

• Mon, 27 Jun – Lavazza sponsors Wimbledon 2022 for eleventh year. The Italian coffee company will serve its coffee products at the tennis tournament, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

• Tue, 28 Jun – EATX launches first coffee shop under Encounter Coffee brand. The store opened in the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. EATX plans to open more kiosk locations in the near future.

• Wed, 29 Jun – Hugh Inc. releases preorders for new manual espresso machine. The Leverpresso Pro can brew up to 12 bar of pressure and includes a thermally-insulated silicone sleeve.

• Wed, 29 Jun – Califia Farms releases plant-based creamers designed for iced coffees. The Iced Café Mixers are available in Vanilla Sweet Crème and Caramel Crème flavours.

• Wed, 29 Jun – Löfbergs appoints Kajsa-Lisa Ljudén as new Head of Sustainability. Ljudén has worked as one of the company’s sustainability strategists since 2020.

• Thu, 30 Jun – Intelligentsia Coffee launches K-Cup range. The coffee capsule range includes the Intelligentsia House blend and the organic El Gallo blend.

• Fri, 1 Jul – Death Wish Coffee launches new product as part of its rebranding. The new Fairtrade certified Espresso Roast includes notes of cocoa, caramelised sugar, and black cherry.

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Mon, 27 Jun

• Specialty Coffee Association announces winners of several 2022 World Coffee Championships. The five competitions were held at World of Coffee Milan from 23 to 25 June, which had a record of more than 11,000 attendees.
  • Carmen Clemente from Italy won the Latte Art Championship.
  • Agnieszka Rojewska from Poland placed first in the Coffee in Good Spirits Championship.
  • Heongwan Moon from South Korea won the Cup Tasters Championship.
  • Felix Teiretzbacher from Austria placed first in the Roasting Championship.
  • Michaela Ruazol from UAE won the Cezve/Ibrik Championship.

• Bandung West Java Coffee & Tea Expo 2022 takes place in Indonesia. The event was held as part of the 2022 Bandung West Java Food & Beverage Expo. The four-day event attracted more than 10,000 visitors from 20 different countries.

• Alliance for Coffee Excellence announces results of 2022 Cup of Excellence Nicaragua competition. All 26 coffees scored over 87 points, with the highest-scoring coffee (a natural Catuai Rojo from the Mario José González Rodríguez farm) receiving 90.74 points. The auction will take place on 4 August.

• Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to potentially acquire stake in Starbucks MENA. According to a Reuters report, the investment fund could acquire up to 30% of the MENA division of the coffee chain, which is currently operated by Alshaya Group.

• Grand Havana Coffee launches CBD-infused coffee line. In partnership with Can B Corp, the Cuban company will assist in manufacturing a CBD additive to be added to roasted coffee. Grand Havana will release a CBD-infused medium-dark roast blend as the first product in the new line.

• Alliance for Coffee Excellence announces first-ever Los Rodriguez Private Collection Auction. The auction will include coffees from the Caranavi and Samaipata regions in Bolivia. The auction will be held on 19 January 2023.

Tue, 28 Jun

• USDA estimates 2022/23 coffee production will increase by 7.8 million 60kg bags. In its latest Coffee: World Markets and Trade report, the USDA predicts production will increase as a result of Brazil entering the on-year of its biennial production cycle. Global consumption during 2022/23 is expected to increase to 167 million 60kg bags.

• Winner of 2022 Brazilian Barista Championship announced. The competition was held at the 2022 São Paulo Coffee Festival. Boram Julio Um of Um Coffee Co. in São Paulo will represent Brazil at the 2022 World Barista Championship in Melbourne from 27 to 30 September 2022.

• New UKHospitality survey finds only 37% of UK HoReCa businesses are turning a profit. The biggest factors inhibiting profit growth are energy costs (74%), rising prices of good (55%), and labour costs (54%). The survey also found that around 45% of UK hospitality businesses (including coffee shops) have been forced to reduce opening hours.

• Council of the European Union agrees to limit consumption of products contributing to global deforestation. The Council agreed to set mandatory due diligence rules for businesses which trade and sell a number of products, including coffee. The Council also agreed to develop a benchmark system that monitors levels of deforestation in supply chains.

• Notorious Café opens Abu Dhabi’s first-ever SCA-accredited campus. The educational centre will offer several SCA-accredited courses, such as Barista Skills, Brewing, and Green Coffee.

• ofi invests in instant coffee production facility in Brazil. The new plant is being constructed in the state of Espírito Santo and is set to begin production by 2023. The facility will allow ofi to scale the manufacture and distribution of its soluble coffee products.

Wed, 29 Jun

• Global Coffee Platform hosts webinar on carbon footprint of coffee production. In partnership with USAID Green Invest Asia, the Establishing Carbon Footprint Baselines for Coffee Production is the fifth episode of the seven-part sustainability series. Speakers also included representatives of ECOM Trading, Enveritas, and Louis Dreyfus Company.

• New coffee education programme Masters of Coffee launches online. The Los Angeles-based organisation is offering online courses to become a Certified Coffee Specialist. Students attending the course in-person can pursue a Master of Coffee credential upon graduating.

• International Trade Centre hosts new webinar on youth in coffee. The Youth in coffee: Where are we? is the seventh episode of the series which addresses issues young coffee professionals face in the industry.

• Starbucks China resumes indoor dining across 800 Shanghai stores. Starbucks suspended operations in China in late March as a result of the country’s strict zero Covid-19 policy. Stores are permitted to operate at around 70% seating capacity.

• Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA to invest US $29.1 million in expansion of roasting and production facilities. The investment will also result in a new distribution centre in Suffolk, Virginia.

• International Trade Centre officially launches first Spanish edition of Coffee Guide. The guide was launched at the 24th National Convention of Coffee and Cocoa in Lima, Peru. The ITC’s Coffee Guide is designed to be a practical tool for producers, exporters, and other supply chain stakeholders.

Thu, 30 Jun

• PRF Colombia takes place at Plaza Mayor in Medellín. More than 5,000 people are attending the two-day event, which includes a series of panels, lectures, workshops, and cuppings.
  • The Origin Trip Experience was held from 26 to 29 June on several coffee farms, including Café Granja La Esperanza and Forest Coffee.
  • The Café Pergamino Barista Jam competition and Toddy Cold Brew Championship will be held at the event.
  • Diamond Sponsor Mayorga Coffee funded scholarship tickets for 500 producer attendees.
  • Around 60 coffee professionals are taking part in 44 lectures and seven panel discussions.

• Value of global milk frother and steamer market to grow 5.9% by 2032. According to market research firm Fact.MR, the HoReCa market segment is expected to grow to US $225.1 million by the end of the analysis period. North America is predicted to have the biggest share of the global market with 31% by 2032.

• Educational institution Zamorano to teach undergraduate class on coffee production. The class will be taught by El Salvador coffee professional Jorge Rivera, who graduated from Zamorano in 2013.

• Applications open for 2022 US Coffee Masters. The barista-style competition will be held at the 2022 New York Coffee Festival. Applications are open until 1 August 2022.

• Atomo Beanless Coffee closes US $40 million Series A funding round. The “bean-free” coffee brand will release its first products in July 2022, including an RTD coffee line.

Fri, 1 Jul

• UK roaster 92 Degrees secures £1.4 million (US $1.7 million) for national expansion. The roaster will use funding to open eight more sites in the UK, including in Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool, and London.

• Coffee Planet appoints James Brown as new Managing Director. Brown has served as the UAE roaster’s Business Development Director since March 2022, and has previously held high-level positions at Lavazza and Selecta.

• Fourth edition of Specialty & Fine Food Asia attracts more than 7,300 attendees. Visitors from more than 47 countries came to the event, which included the 2022 Specialty Coffee & Tea Asia festival. The next Specialty & Fine Food Asia event will take place from 26 to 28 September 2023.

• Beanstock Coffee Festival to return to Vancouver BC, Canada. After a three-year hiatus, the annual festival will be held at the Roundhouse Community Centre, and will include several local roasters and coffee shops. The festival will take place from 20 to 21 August 2022.

• FTA Coffee becomes first Australian trader to offer certified carbon-neutral coffee. The company’s green coffee is certified by the Australian government-backed Climate Active programme, which measures carbon emissions in supply chains and offers offsetting initiatives.

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

• Wed, 15 Jun – Coffee companies sign open letter to B Corp after Nespresso certification. Several B Corp coffee brands, including Peace Coffee and Cooperative Coffees, signed the letter addressed to B Lab Global calling for stricter certification standards after Nespresso became a certified B Corp.

• Mon, 20 Jun – Costa Coffee ends annual Book Awards. The awards programme first launched in 1971 to share and raise the profile of books and authors published throughout each year.

• Wed, 22 Jun – US convenience store chain 7-Eleven launches Peanut Butter & JAMS Cappuccino. The new beverage is peanut butter and jam-flavoured, and is available in participating stores across the country.

• Wed, 22 Jun – Brazilian Coffee Industry Association elects new President. Pavel Cardoso will serve as the association’s new President until 2025. Cardoso is the Managing Partner of Café Sobesa, which is the largest coffee company in the state of Bahia.

• Thu, 23 Jun – California brand Heirloom Coffee Roasters to launch organic and regenerative agriculture coffee. Heirloom’s Cooperativa Sacacli in Nicaragua will grow the coffee using regenerative agriculture farming techniques.

• Thu, 23 Jun – Algrano’s Customer Relationship Management tool wins the SCA Best New Product Award at WOC Milan. The CRM tool won in the Technology category. The digital coffee platform’s tool is designed for coffee producers, and allows them to manage direct sales with roasters.

• Thu, 23 Jun – Nespresso adds four new coffees to World Explorations range. The new coffees include Paris Espresso, the limited-edition Miami Espresso, Istanbul Espresso, and Rio de Janeiro Espresso. The range was first launched in 2021.

• Fri, 24 Jun – US drive-thru chain Scooter’s Coffee appoints Joe Thornton as new President. Thorton has more than 28 years’ experience in operations, marketing, franchising, and store expansion – including serving as Senior Vice President of Starbucks.

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The post Coffee News Recap, 1 Jul: PRF Colombia takes place in Medellín, USDA estimates 2022/23 production will increase by 7.8 million bags & other stories appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.