Coffee News Recap, 13 Sep: Regional dates announced for 2025 US Coffee Championships, Starbucks CEO vows to revive chain’s coffee culture & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Following the recent announcement that it would revert back to its original three-division regional format, the SCA’s US Chapter has announced dates and locations for the 2025 US Coffee Championships. These competitions are pivotal for the industry, with winners often reaching the world finals – which will be held in the US, Indonesia, Italy, and Switzerland next year.

Looking away from competitions to Starbucks’ CEO switch saga, Brian Niccol vowed to “reestablish the brand as the community coffeehouse”. In a recent statement, he cited long and “hectic” wait times, “transactional” customer service, and “overwhelming” menus as pressing issues. Burdensome mobile ordering and endless customisation options have been harming the brand’s sales – especially in key markets like the US and China.

Given Niccol’s experience at fast food chains, we can expect Starbucks to simplify menus, drive efficiencies in operations, and reduce costs. This has become a familiar sight for coffee shops (large and small) around the world in recent years. But just how much this will resonate with modern consumers – who increasingly value having beverages made “their way” – remains to be seen.

The 2024 US Barista Champion Frank La performs at the world finals in Seoul, South Korea.

Industry news

Mon, 9 Sep – ICO announces collaboration as theme of this year’s International Coffee Day. The organisation says this underscores the importance of collective action to carry out sustainable development in the global coffee industry. International Coffee Day is held on 1 October every year. (London, UK)

Mon, 9 Sep – Nespresso attributes sales boosts to new brand partnerships. Nespresso UK’s coffee sales grew by 3% in 2023 following its brand ambassador partnership with David Beckham. Growth was driven by strong Vertuo coffee machine and B2B sales, despite challenges related to high costs and inflation. (London, UK)

Tue, 10 Sep – Purity Coffee continues to raise over US $571,710 in crowdfunding campaign. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on functional and sustainable coffee, and has so far generated over US $50 million in lifetime sales. Investment opportunities remain open. (Greenville, South Carolina, US)

Tue, 10 Sep – Starbucks opens first experiential store in Delhi. The new outlet serves 16 specialty coffees from different origins, and is the first store in India to use the AeroPress. (New Delhi, India)

Tue, 10 Sep – Lavazza’s tender offer for Ivs Group open until 27 September. The company received approval from Banca d’Italia and Consob to proceed with its public offer – priced at €7.15 per share – for Milan-listed vending firm IVS Group. Lavazza plans to acquire a 28.36% share. (Torino, Italy)

Tue, 10 Sep – Costa Coffee now available on all EasyJet flights. To mark the launch, Costa Coffee’s coffee expert Gennaro Pelliccia surprised passengers on a flight from London Gatwick to Rome with a special in-flight coffee experience. (London, UK)

Tue, 10 Sep – New report reveals younger consumers are leading the charge in coffee customisation. UK roaster Lincoln & York found that 40% of 18 to 34-year-olds are drinking more coffee out of home, with many adding flavoured syrups like caramel, vanilla, and hazelnut to drinks, as well as opting for more plant milks. (Lincolnshire, UK)

Wed, 11 Sep – Espresso Solutions launches new website. First launched in 2012, the coffee equipment distributor’s new website includes a refreshed design and new enhanced features. (West Sussex, UK)

Wed, 11 Sep – Drinkit to open five new Dubai locations. New stores will include JLT Cluster T, Golden Mile Galleria 1 on The Palm, Mirdif City Centre Mall, and two additional locations yet to be announced. The digital-first coffee shop plans to open all locations by end of 2024. (Dubai, UAE)

Wed, 11 Sep –Keurig pays US $1.5 million penalty in “misleading” recyclability case. The US Securities and Exchange Commission said the company made inaccurate statements regarding the recyclability of its single-use plastic K-Cups. SEC also found that Keurig Dr. Pepper’s 2019 and 2020 reports omitted feedback from major US recycling companies. In 2022, Keurig Canada paid a US $2.3 million settlement over similar claims. (Frisco, Texas)

Thu, 12 Sep – California’s Red Bay Coffee files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company – which operates a roastery and five retail outlets in Oakland, San Francisco, and Berkeley – cited pandemic-related challenges and legal costs from two lawsuits. (Oakland, California, US)

Thu, 12 Sep – Utopian Coffee receives Regenerative Organic certification. The roaster is one of the first in the US’ Midwest to obtain the certification, which it received for its Union and Obsidian blends, as well as for several single origin coffees. (Fort Wayne, Indiana, US)

Thu, 12 Sep – Equal Origins welcomes new board members. With two-year terms, new board members are:
- Kelly Amoroso, Senior Coffee and Tea Buyer at Allegro Coffee
- Brooke Cantrell, Vice President of Sustainability at Westrock Coffee Company
- Vera Espindola, Head of Strategic Initiatives at Azahar Coffee Company and founder of Kua’nu Consulting
- Gilbert Gatali, Executive Director at African Fine Coffees Association
- Alex Morgan, co-CEO and co-founder of Climate Sense
- Dr. Nicole Morris, Associate Professor at St. Michaels College

Thu, 12 Sep –illycaffè chairman says rising coffee prices are “climate-driven”. Speaking to Bloomberg, Andrea Illy said crop yields are increasingly being affected by inclement weather in regions like Vietnam and Brazil. (Trieste, Italy)

Thu, 12 Sep – Food Empire plans to invest US$80 million in a new instant coffee manufacturing facility in Vietnam. This will be the group’s second facility, complementing existing operations in India and Malaysia. Construction will begin in early 2025, with completion expected by 2028, further solidifying the company’s position in Asia’s coffee market. (Singapore)

Thu, 12 Sep – Iconic Oregon chain seeks US $250K to stay in operation. Jim & Patty’s Coffee People has launched a GoFundMe campaign to pay off rising debt. Jim and Patty Roberts, who founded Coffee People in the 1980s, started the current business in 2002 after selling the original company. (Portland, Oregon, US)

Thu, 12 Sep – Luckin Coffee begins construction of new roastery and supply chain hub in Qingdao. The fully automated facility will boost Luckin’s total roasting capacity to 130 tonnes per annum, supporting its 20,000 stores alongside existing roasteries in Jiangsu and Fujian. (Qingdao, China)

Fri, 13 Sep – Citizens Coffee seeks new investment with a goal of US $100 million in sales by 2029. The New York company has launched a Series B crowdfunding campaign to support expansion as it aims to become a leading specialty coffee brand in the US, targeting 40 new locations by 2029. (New York City, New York, US)

Fri, 13 Sep – SCA launches Coffee Value Assessment for Cuppers course. The association will host several two-day workshops designed specifically for cuppers and other sensory professionals to provide hands-on training and a comprehensive introduction to its new green coffee assessment protocol. (Irvine, California, US)

Fri, 13 Sep – Rancilio Group launches two new espresso extraction educational resources. Created by Carles González, the company’s new 3D animated videos explain the Steady Brew system and T-Switch adjustment machine features. The videos can be used as part of barista training courses. (Parabiago, Italy)

Baristas at a store in Luckin Coffee prepare drinks.

New launch

Mon, 9 Sep – Luckin Coffee collaborates with Oatly on new Oat Milk Series. New drinks include the Oat Milk Latte and Oat Shakerato. The Chinese chain will also expand the availability of Oatly Barista Edition across selected drinks on its menu. (Xiamen, China)

Tue, 10 Sep – Hawaii to receive US $525,000 USDA loan to support specialty crop production, including coffee. The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture’s grant programme will fund nine projects to expand market opportunities for local producers, as well as to develop coffee leaf rust-resilient varieties. (Honolulu, Hawaii, US)

Wed, 11 Sep – Buuni Coffee to open new co-roasting space in New York City. The Roasting Room will open in Hunts Point in the Bronx. Visitors will be able to tour the space, see live roasting demonstrations, and sample coffees. The facility will be able to roast over 14,000 lbs of coffee per day. (New York City, New York, US)

Thu, 12 Sep – Grind launches bean-to-cup machine in partnership with Sage Appliances. The UK roaster’s new machine includes a stainless steel portafilter, milk jug, and knock box. (London, UK)

Thu, 12 Sep – BELCO to launch Dream to Bar School in El Salvador to support fine cacao production. Open to both professionals and enthusiasts, the new facility will include a chocolate-making line and will offer educational classes on cacao roasting. The Dream to Bar School will open at the end of 2024. (Mérignac, France)

Fri, 13 Sep – UK’s Rave Coffee launches 100% home compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable pods.Offerings include Signature Blend No. 1, The Italian Job Blend No. 2, Colombia El Carmen No. 50, Indian Monsoon Malabar No. 53 and Swiss Water Decaf No. 11. (Cirencester, UK)

Milestone

Mon, 9 Sep – Reborn Coffee secures master license agreement for expansion in China’s Sichuan province. The chain has partnered with Chengdu Octaday Entertainment Group to open its first locations in Chengdu. (Brea, California, US)

Mon, 9 Sep – Black Rifle Coffee Company and Keurig Dr Pepper sign long-term sales and distribution agreement. KDP will sell and distribute Black Rifle’s RTD energy drinks, which contain 200mg of caffeine per can. The products be available in four flavours nationwide in early 2025. (Salt Lake City, Utah, US)

Tue, 10 Sep – The Green Coffee Company closes US $15 million investment round. Funding will allow the exporter to double its processing capacity and transition to roasted coffee sales. GCC also recently announced a joint venture with Juan Valdez to increase sales in North America, alongside roasting deals with Westrock Coffee and Nutrigrüp. (Medellín, Colombia)

Tue, 10 Sep – China’s Nowwa Coffee to scale operations in Southeast Asia after securing new investment. After receiving hundreds of millions of Chinese yuan, the company plans to make supply chain upgrades, including a new factory and product R&D. (Shanghai, China)

Wed, 11 Sep – ZUS Coffee plans further international expansion after securing US $57.5 million in funding round. The chain will debut in Singapore this month and is set to open its first store in Brunei by year-end. Active discussions are underway for 2025 international expansion plans. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Fri, 13 Sep – Coffee Collective announces Rebecca Vang as new CEO. New leadership comes as the roaster plans to expand its nine coffee shops and international wholesale channels. The new CEO will allow the co-founders to focus on roasting, purchasing, and sustainability, while Vang manages communications, administration, and HR. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

A plastic sieve on top of drying coffee beans.

Trade & production

Wed, 11 Sep – Brazil’s August exports reach record 3.7 million 60kg bags. During the first two months of the 2024/25 harvest year, exports reached over 7.5 million 60kg bags – up by 11.8% on volumes in July and August 2023 according to Cecafé. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Events

Mon, 9 Sep – SCA’s RE:BLOOM to return this month. The US Chapter will host a series of educational and networking events, with the first taking place on 27 September in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US. Registration is open now. (Irvine, California, US)

Tue, 10 Sep – Vienna Coffee Festival celebrates tenth anniversary. The event, which took place from 6 to 8 September, attracted over 10,000 visitors and hosted the 2024 Vienna Cup Tasting Championship, where Marion Hagleitner placed first. The milestone festival also hosted the first-ever Vienna Coffee Awards, which recognises leading figures in Austria’s coffee industry. (Vienna, Austria)

Tue, 10 Sep – Westrock Coffee to host virtual cupping ahead of International Coffee Day. Hosted by in-house Q graders, the online event will invite participants to taste coffees from Colombia, Nicaragua, and Brazil. Westrock will also discuss how it has grown to support more than 1.5 million farmers across 35 origins. (Little Rock, Arkansas, US)

Wed, 11 Sep – Early bird tickets and booth registration open for 2024 Café Show Seoul. Discounted tickets are available throughout September for the event, which will take place from 6 to 9 November. Registration is also open for exhibitor booths and the new Cherry’s Choice show feature. (Seoul, South Korea)

Wed, 11 Sep – Faema and LEICA celebrate 2024 Giro d’Italia with Milan photography exhibition. The “Il Sabato Rosa del Villaggio” exhibition, presented by Faema and Leica Camera Italia, celebrates the iconic Italian cycling competition. The exhibition will run until early October. (Milan, Italy)

Fri, 13 Sep – This year’s Coffee Week Berlin to run from 30 September to 6 October. Every year, the event brings together Europe’s leading industry professionals to celebrate the city’s thriving coffee culture. A full schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. (Berlin, Germany)

Fri, 13 Sep – The 2024 Athens Coffee Festival set to begin on 28 September. More than 120 coffee brands and roasters will exhibit at the event, taking place at the Technopolis. This year’s festival will also host a Brew Bar, coffee tastings, and the 2025 Panhellenic Coffee Roasting Championship. (Athens, Greece)

Fri, 13 Sep – Mahlkönig to host Grind & Brew demonstration at 2024 Athens Coffee Festival. Hellenic Barista and Brewers Cup Champion Stefanos Domatiotis will lead the sessions at the event. (Zürich, Switzerland)

Competitions

Thu, 12 Sep – Top-scoring coffee at 2024 Taiwan Cup of Excellence receives 92.25 points. The washed Gesha was produced by Mingyang Farm in Chiayi County. The auction will take place on 8 October.

Fri, 13 Sep – The Barista League to return to Bristol on 14 September. The competition will take place at Extract Coffee Roasters, and will coincide with this year’s Bristol Coffee Festival. (Bristol, UK)

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

Thu, 5 Sep – Lavazza announced as official coffee partner for 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The Italian company continues its sponsorship of the film festival, which will run until 15 September. Lavazza is showcasing its “Dolcevita” brand refresh at the event. (Toronto, Canada)

Fri, 6 Sep – Costa Coffee promotes Tom Edgar to Managing Director for APAC region. Edgar joined Costa Coffee in 1998, and was appointed Global Retail & Franchise Director in 2023. He will oversee APAC operations, where Costa operates over 460 stores in China, 15 in Malaysia, and eight in Japan. (Buckinghamshire, UK)