Coffee News Recap, 8 Nov: SCA officially adopts new cupping standards, coffee futures start the month low & other stories

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

Editor’s note

The trend of acquisitions in the coffee industry continues to show no signs of slowing down. Shortly after buying the independent coffee brand 200 Degrees, Caffè Nero Group announced this week that it has also acquired FCB Coffee, bolstering its presence in the UK travel and transport sector.

In a similar move, Italian coffee equipment companies Carimali, Elektra, Heylo, and Bellezza have merged to form the VEA Group. Initially launched as holding company VEA Ventures in 2017, the brand has also invested in numerous specialist equipment companies over the last seven years, including Slingshot, Ratio, and BKON.

On the trade and production side, coffee futures fell in early November due to weather reports from Brazil and Vietnam and a weaker Brazilian real. The December New York contract dropped to US 242.95 cents/lb – but has since risen above the US 260 cent/lb mark – while ICE robusta contracts for January fell to US $4,279/tonne.

Focusing in on specialty coffee, the SCA announced this week that it has officially adopted three Coffee Value Assessment components as its official cupping standards: SCA-102 Sample Preparation and Cupping Mechanics, SCA-103 Descriptive Assessment, and SCA-104 Affective Assessment.

Designed to better capture a coffee’s holistic value, reactions to the new cupping protocols were mixed when first announced in 2023. As the SCA implements the CVA, it will be interesting to see how opinions could change as industry professionals adapt to new quality assessment standards.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 4 Nov –SCA introduces CVA descriptive and affective assessments as new cupping standards. Three Coffee Value Assessment components are now official cupping standards: SCA-102 Sample Preparation and Cupping Mechanics, SCA-103 Descriptive Assessment, and SCA-104 Affective Assessment. The SCA says these standards will offer more comprehensive and holistic coffee evaluation, replacing the 2004 cupping form. (Irvine, California, US)

• Wed, 6 Nov –VEA Group merges Carimali, Elektra, Heylo & Bellezza. Initially launched as holding company VEA Ventures in 2017, the brand has also invested in numerous specialist equipment companies over the last seven years, including Slingshot, Ratio, and BKON. (Bergamo, Italy)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Coffee futures start the month low. Coffee futures fell in early November due to weather reports from Brazil and Vietnam and a weaker Brazilian real. The December New York arabica contract dropped to US 242.95 cents/lb (but has since risen above the US 260 cent/lb mark), while ICE robusta contracts for January fell to US $4,279/tonne.

• Thu, 7 Nov –Reborn Coffee closes acquisition of Bbang Ssaem Bakery. Reborn purchased a 58% stake in the bakery chain, which operates over 30 locations in South Korea. The acquisition combines Reborn’s coffee expertise with Bbang Ssaem’s market presence, enabling rapid expansion through franchising and local partnerships. (Brea, California, US)

• Fri, 8 Nov – The Nero Group expands UK travel hub presence with FCB Coffee acquisition. After purchasing UK chain 200 Degrees in late October, Nero Group has acquired FCB, which operates 11 locations in travel and transport hubs, meaning Nero Group now owns more than 50 stores at UK rail and underground stations. (London, UK)

Industry news

• Mon, 4 Nov – illycaffè announces the international jury of experts for the 9th Ernesto Illy Coffee Award. The jury includes renowned figures such as Chef Massimo Bottura and Vanúsia Nogueira, Executive Director of the ICO, who will assess the selected coffees based on quality and sustainability on 12 November. (Trieste, Italy)

• Tue, 5 Nov – Boston Tea Party launches campaign to ban single-use coffee cups in UK. The Hey, Big Coffee Chain campaign is calling on Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Caffè Nero, and Pret A Manger to stop using single-use cups. Boston Tea Party was the first branded UK coffee chain to ban disposable cups in April 2018. (Bristol, UK)

• Tue, 5 Nov – Starbucks Thailand lowers growth forecast due to intense competition. Starbucks Thailand plans to open 30 new stores annually, revising its goal to 800 by 2030. Currently operating 517 stores, it aims to add five by year-end. Despite competition and high household debt, Managing Director Nednapa Srisamai sees growth potential. Starbucks ranks fourth in the Thai coffee market, behind Café Amazon, Inthanin, and PunThai Coffee. (Bangkok, Thailand)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Common Man Coffee Roasters debuts in Hong Kong. The Singaporean café chain opened its first Hong Kong store at the K11 Art Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui. Founded in 2013, CMCR operates six outlets in Singapore, two in Malaysia, and one in the Philippines. (Singapore)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Award-winning Nandan Coffee opens experiential café in Mumbai. The certified-organic coffee estate is bringing over 30 years of experience across three generations and serving its own beans at the new coffee shop, which features a “create your own coffee” station for consumers to brew personalised blends and customised drunks. (Mumbai, India)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Coffeedesk expands partnership with Hario to distribute across GCC region. The B2C and B2B equipment supplier is the official distributor of Hario products in the UAE, and has now expanded distribution channels across the Gulf. (Dubai, the UAE)

• Thu, 7 Nov – Swiss Water reports a 27% rise in Q3 total sales. The company’s Q3 gross profit rose to US $6.4 million, driven by higher processing volumes and cost savings from consolidating operations into one facility. Net losses for Q3 were US $800,000, affected by higher interest costs. (Vancouver BC, Canada)

• Thu, 7 Nov – Australia’s Retail Food Group acquires CIBO Espresso for AU $2.7 million. RFG will acquire CIBO Espresso’s 22 outlets in South Australia and rebrand them as Gloria Jean’s by July 2025. This move will expand Gloria Jean’s presence in South Australia. (Robina, Australia)

• Fri, 8 Nov – Dunkin’ to continue operations in the Netherlands, with the future in Belgium still unclear. Dunkin’ Netherlands & Belgium is now under Nabil Besali’s leadership after the franchise’s bankruptcy in October 2024. Most of its 50 Dutch stores will stay open, but staff numbers will be cut by 150. The future of Dunkin’ in Belgium remains unclear, but Besali aims to revitalise the brand. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

New launch

• Mon, 4 Nov – Verve Coffee Roasters introduces its first at-home brew device.The Dwell Dripper, a silicone, bottomless pour over brewer, is available in seven colours and promises extraction times under three minutes. (Santa Cruz, California, US)

• Mon, 4 Nov – Rave unveils new blend after the “Now That’s What I Call Coffee 2024” UK public vote. RAVE Coffee’s 2024 poll resulted in the Brew-Tang Clan medium-to-dark roast blend featuring 60% Rwandan beans and 40% Guatemalan coffee. (Cirencester, UK)

• Tue, 5 Nov – Nestlé Professional launches Nescafé Fusion system to offer customised coffee drinks. Developed by Nestlé’s R&D teams in Switzerland, the machines can extract both hot and cold drinks and are available in 15 different international markets, with plans to roll out the launch to 60 additional markets. (Vevey, Switzerland)

• Tue, 5 Nov – Cimbali Group launches two new machines in the UAE at Gulfhost 2024. The LaCimbali M40 and Casadio Nettuno were showcased at GulfHost 2024, held from 5 to 7 November at Dubai World Trade Centre. This marks Cimbali’s eighth appearance at the event, where it emphasised a commitment to supporting partners with value-added services. (Dubai, UAE)

• Tue, 5 Nov – Kiss the Ground launches certified regenerative coffee subscription service. The initiative follows a successful beta launch in summer 2024. Each subscription contributes US $10 to Kiss the Ground, aiding its mission to promote regenerative agriculture. The coffee is sourced from La Bella Farm in Costa Rica. (Los Angeles, California, US)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Slayer launches new one-group Steam Single espresso machine. The machine includes an innovative internal reservoir, making it more accessible for home use. It also features a dual flow rate system, allowing users to switch between two pre-infusion options for better extraction consistency. (Renton, Washington, US)

• Thu, 7 Nov – MiiR launches limited-edition 12 Days of Drops camp cup collection in collaboration with leading US roasters. From 1 to 12 November, the drinkware company is releasing uniquely-designed festive-themed camp cups. Roaster partners include Onyx Coffee Lab, Madcap Coffee, Verve Coffee Roasters, Deadstock Coffee, and Messenger Coffee Co. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Fri, 8 Nov – Sproud announces zero-sugar Barista ZERO. Launching at the European Coffee Symposium in Berlin on 11 November, the low-carbon footprint Barista ZERO contains no sugars or additional sweeteners. (Malmö, Sweden)

Milestone

• Mon, 4 Nov – Ziggi’s Coffee opens 100th outlet in the US with Colorado drive-thru. Ziggi’s Coffee opened 21 new stores in 2024, including its first locations in Georgia, New Hampshire, and Maine, aiming for 125 outlets by year-end. Celebrating its 100th store in Colorado, the chain, founded in 2004, has over 240 stores in development and signed its largest franchise deal in November 2023 for 50 new locations in Atlanta. (Longmont, Colorado, US)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Yum China opens 500th KCoffee store. Launched in 2015 as part of KFC, KCOFFEE became a standalone brand in 2022 and now operates in over 11,200 KFC locations. Yum China doubled its KCOFFEE footprint this year. (Shanghai, China)

• Wed, 6 Nov – Knoops opens its first international store in the UAE. The premium hot chocolate chain opened its first international store in Mirdif, Dubai. Partnering with NDS Group, Knoops plans to expand its retail and online presence in the UAE, aiming to replicate its UK success. (Dubai, UAE)

• Thu, 7 Nov – CATIE marks 75 years of its International Coffee Collection. The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) will host an event from 3 to 5 December in Costa Rica, marking the 75th anniversary of its International Coffee Collection. Experts will discuss coffee research, genetic conservation, and industry challenges. (Turrialba, Costa Rica)

Trade & production

• Wed, 6 Nov – Vietnam’s coffee-growing areas mostly unaffected by tropical storm. Storm Trami had minimal impact on Vietnam’s coffee harvest, which is now 5% complete. Coffee production is expected at 26 to 27 million 60kg bags, below initial estimates. Rising robusta prices are encouraging growers to expand acreage, with production recovery likely by 2025/26. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

• Thu, 7 Nov – Latest ICO report shows largest-ever increase in global green coffee exports. Data from the organisation’s October 2024 report shows that global exports of all forms of coffee totalled 137.273 million 60kg bags in the harvest year ending 30 September – an 11% increase from the 122.92 million bags in 2022/23. The I-CIP averaged US 250.56 cents/lb in October, a 3.2% decrease from September 2024. (London, UK)

• Fri, 8 Nov – EU lawmakers reportedly proposing two-year delay to deforestation regulation. After a proposed one-year delay was announced earlier this year, Reuters reports that a recent document shows lawmakers from the European People’s Party are proposing a two-year delay and exemption for certain countries deemed to have an insignificant risk of deforestation. (Brussels, Belgium)

Events

• Wed, 6 Nov – IMF Roasters highlights Italian innovation and sustainability at Gulfood Dubai. The roaster manufacturer exhibited at Gulfood Manufacturing from 5 to 7 November at booth S3-C55 in Dubai. Over the past decade, the company has expanded globally, with 60% of its turnover from exports. (Occhiobello, Italy)

• Thu, 7 Nov – Uganda triumphs at Paris Coffee Awards. Uganda’s coffee industry won three gold, one silver, three bronze, and eight Gourmet medals at the tenth edition of the French awards programme. Supported by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, the country’s roasters, including Rubanga Coffee and Gorilla Highlands Coffee, showcased its growing global reputation. (Kampala, Uganda)

• Fri, 8 Nov – European Coffee Symposium to take place from 11 to 13 November. Alongside the Coffee & Hospitality Expo, the event will include the ECS talks programme, one-to-one networking opportunities, a cupping exchange, masterclass programmes, the 2024 European Coffee & Hospitality Awards, and the all-new European Barista Cup. (Berlin, Germany)

Competitions

• Tue, 4 Nov – Cup of Excellence Brazil announces winners. Thirteen coffees from ten regions scored above 90+ points. Ronaldo da Silva from Sítio Santa Luzia placed first in the natural category with a 92.32 point Catucaí Amarelo lot, Bioma Café from M&F Coffee received 93.14 points in the experimental processing category, and Vitor Marcelo Barbosa from Fazenda Sobrado e Bonito de Cima scored 91.93 points in the washed & honey category. The online auction will be held on 10 December. (Franca, Brazil)

• Fri, 8 Nov – The Barista League Seoul to take place on 9 November. Taking place at Sewon Garage, guest judges will include Daewoong Song from Felt Coffee, Sunghee Tark from Bean Voyage, Kihoon Kim from Meshcoffee, and Cheong Bi Ha from Teeb Coffee House. (Seoul, South Korea)

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

• Thu, 30 Oct – Indonesia’s Tomoro Coffee aims for 3,000 outlets in Southeast Asia. The Jakarta-based chain, with 600 national and 20 international stores, plans further expansion across the region. CEO Yuan Xingwei outlined growth goals, including new locations in Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand by 2025. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Fri, 31 Oct – Japan’s % Arabica appoints Mario C. Bauer as non-executive director. Bauer has held senior roles at Bagel Brothers, AmRest, Vapiano, and Bieder & Maier, and will help the specialty coffee chain drive future growth. (Tokyo, Japan)

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