Coffee News Recap, 26 Jan: Researchers create new genetic map to “future proof” arabica production, UAE & Italian Coffee Champions crowned at WoC Dubai and SIGEP & other stories

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: competitions.

Mon, 22 Jan

• Timemore launches crowdfunding campaign for upcoming Millab E01 portable electric coffee grinder. The wireless electric coffee grinder features a 5,000 mAh lithium battery paired with a top mounted motor and a patented burr, promising 130 servings per charge. The device will be available via Indiegogo, with shipping set for March 2024.

• Conab expects Brazilian coffee production to grow to 58.1 million bags in 2024/2025 season. The Brazilian food and statistics anticipates a 5.5% increase in coffee production in the upcoming season, in line with the biennial arabica crop cycle.

• Allegra releases Project Café UK 2024 branded coffee shop market report. The report outlines several developments in the UK branded coffee market, including future growth projections, in-depth profiles with major operators, and the results of over 40,000 online consumer surveys.

• Go Fund Bean offers one last round of grants ahead of dissolution. The organisation has operated since 2020, helping out-of-work baristas with cash grants. Applications for the final round of grants closed on 26 January.

• Starbucks announces first-ever North American Barista Championship. The company says the competition is a celebration of its employees, comprising more than 15,000 participants from across the continent. The 23 regional winners will face-off in Seattle in June.

Tue, 23 Jan

• Two UAE National Coffee Champions crowned at World of Coffee Dubai 2024. Michaela Anne Ruazol of Typica Cafe is the 2024 UAE Barista Champion, while Mondrick Alpas of Goldbox Roastery Dubai is the 2024 UAE Latte Art Champion. Visitor numbers at this year’s WoC Dubai also grew by 30%.

• Tech firm finds that high-pressure processing kills pathogens in cold brew. In a study commissioned by Hiperbaric and run by the University of Burgos in Spain, researchers found that subjecting cold brew to high-pressure processing (HPP) reduces pathogens well below detectable limits for up to 90 days.

• NKG Coffee Mills Limited set to shut down Kenyan milling business. According to reports, the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe company has failed to secure a government license following the implementation of new coffee regulations. Employees have already been notified of potential redundancies.

• Bacha Coffee debuts in Taiwan and the UAE. The Moroccan coffee brand is continuing its global expansion, unveiling two cafés in Taipei and one in Dubai. It has also signed a deal with Lotte Department Store to launch its first store in South Korea.

• Researchers develop detailed genetic map of arabica coffee. Scientists at the University of Udine in Italy have developed a tool that they say could help future-proof global arabica production through “better plants that appeal more to the consumers and cope better with changing climatic conditions.”

• Kaffe Bueno secures US $6.7 million in Series A funding. The Danish bioscience company, which upcycles coffee byproducts into functional ingredients, has secured investment from Borregaard and the European Innovation Council Fund to help scale up its operations.

Wed, 24 Jan

• SIGEP The Dolce World Expo and 2024 Italian Coffee Championships conclude in Rimini, Italy. The expo ran from 20 to 24 January, featuring an extensive trade show. The event also hosted five Italian Coffee Championships, including Latte Art, won by Manuela Fensore, Brewers Cup, won by Andrea Villa, and Barista, won by Federico Pinna.

• Robusta coffee futures reach new high for second week running. March robusta futures peaked at US $3,254/tonne on Wednesday, breaking the record set just a week earlier. Red Sea attacks continue to delay robusta shipments to Europe.

• Indian coffee exports dropped by 5.4% in 2023. The Coffee Board of India says the country produced 377,000 tonnes of coffee in 2023, more than 20,000 tonnes less than the previous year.

• Survey finds that 83% of Americans drink coffee because they like the way it tastes. The survey by Drive Research also found that 73% of Americans drink coffee daily, while 51% purchase coffee from a coffee shop at least once a week. Meanwhile, 48% of those surveyed agree that drinking coffee benefits their health.

• ROR Coffee Solutions rolls out sustainability programme. The Emirati company aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 20% by 2025 through various sustainable practices, including electric delivery vehicles and roasters, fully compostable packaging, and fair trade agreements with producers in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

• Luckin Coffee and Kweichow Moutai launch chocolate-flavoured alcoholic latte for Chinese Lunar New Year. The second collaboration between the companies again contains Moutai, a spirit with 53% alcohol content. Luckin Coffee will distribute 100,000 complimentary drinks as part of a promotional campaign.

• Nescafé UK & Ireland unveils major rebrand. The company has launched refreshed packaging and branding for its instant coffee product range, including prominent “100% responsibly sourced coffee” labelling.

Thu, 25 Jan

• Cup of Excellence opens 2024 member and jury registration. The Alliance for Coffee Excellence is encouraging existing members to ensure that their membership is up to date ahead of the 2024 auction calendar. This year marks 25 years of the Cup of Excellence programme.

• TORR Industries launches HIVE CAFÉ bar top cold brew system. The system is specifically designed for coffee shops and small hospitality businesses. It uses a “gravity cold drip brewing process” to brew concentrated cold coffee, which can be used as the base for RTD cold brews or hot coffee.

• Chobani launches new range of flavoured dairy coffee creamers. The range includes flavours like hazelnut, peppermint mocha, white chocolate raspberry, and cookie dough. All creamers are made from farm-fresh cream, milk, and cane sugar.

• Class-action lawsuit accuses Philz Coffee of misbranding and false advertising. According to SFGate, the San Francisco coffee chain has been served with a lawsuit alleging that it “misbrands and falsely advertises” some of its products as gluten-free when they do in fact contain gluten.

• Aarhus, Denmark trials first-of-its-kind reusable coffee cup scheme. The scheme enables customers to deposit reusable coffee cups in dedicated boxes to get their money back, encouraging them to move away from disposable cups.

• Pret A Manger unveils first standalone café in Canada. The UK chain has opened a store in Toronto, Canada, following the launch of seven concession stores in partnership with the A&W fast food chain.

Fri, 26 Jan

• The London Coffee Festival announces Coffee Masters competitor shortlist. A total of 16 competitors will face off at the competition at the Truman Brewery in London from 11 to 14 April. Competitors include Alan Jarrar of Jokes Aside Coffee, Nophadon Kantaros of Caravan Coffee Roasters, and Tetsuya Yamada of Darcy’s Coffee.

• Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation announces first-ever Cerrado Mineiro Award virtual auction. The awards and auction honour the best coffees produced in Brazil’s Cerrado Mineiro region. The first-ever virtual auction will take place from 29 January to 2 February, featuring eleven lots of 500 samples each.

• MICE2024 early bird tickets available until 31 January 2024. The 2024 Melbourne International Coffee Expo is scheduled to take place from 12 to 14 May, featuring three days of exhibitions, Australia’s best specialty coffee, and the second edition of the Australia’s Richest Barista competition.

• Olympia Coffee Roasting Co. co-founder launches Oliver’s Custom Coffee. Oliver Stormshak’s new brand offers high-end roasted coffees, including rare varietals, experimental lots, and custom fermentations. The coffees are B-Corp and Enveritas certified.

• Community Coffee appoints Tom Corley as CEO. The US coffee brand says Corley, who has over 30 years of consumer packaged goods and foodservice experience, will drive company growth. He replaces outgoing CEO David Belanger.

• Team Encounter wins The Barista League Dubai 2023. Dipesh Tamang and Pratama Rakhmutallah came out on top at the multi-disciplinary competition, securing their spots at the next Mystery Vacation. Guest judges included Estella Zuleta Carmona of RoR Roastery and Sulaiman Alalawi of Things Café.

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

• Tue, 16 Jan – Betway ranks the world’s most popular independent cafés. The online betting company says it analysed social media data to determine the list of over 300 cafés. Onibus Coffee in Tokyo is the most popular independent café in the world, while Federal in Manchester is the UK’s most popular independent café.

• Thu, 18 Jan – illycaffè reimagines classic Illetta coffee machine. The reinvented Illetta has been unveiled 90 years after its original release, featuring a design by Antonio Citterio. The machine features various modern improvements, including a touch screen display and instant-heating technology.

• Thu, 18 Jan – PROBAT presents global event map for 2024. The commercial coffee roaster manufacturer will participate in major coffee trade fairs in 2024, alongside its in-house POP UP and HEAT digital series.

• Thu, 18 Jan – JDE Peet’s secures long-term licence to manufacture, market, and sell Caribou Coffee products. The company has signed a long-term global licence agreement with Caribou Coffee, calling it “a strong platform to expand its premium coffee portfolio in North America”.

• Fri, 19 Jan – Mazzer announces 2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um as new brand ambassador. The Italian coffee grinder manufacturer says Um shares its passion for quality, commitment to excellence, and dedication to its craft.

• Fri, 19 Jan – ICO, GCP, and German government sign joint declaration on coffee sector transformation. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has joined the International Coffee Organisation and Global Coffee Platform to work towards “true sustainable transformation of the global coffee sector”.

• Fri, 19 Jan – Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters unveils flagship café in Dubai. The unique building was developed by Pinnacle Group and promises “an immersive journey into aesthetics, ambiance, Toby’s coffee rotation and the unique charm of the locale”.

Coffee news photo credits: World of Coffee Dubai

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