Midwest

Qargo Coffee Owners Charged with Rare Franchise Rule Violation

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last week accused the owners of the Miami-based coffee franchise Qargo Coffee of violating a rarely cited franchise law while racking up $1.25...

2024.10.23

Bernadette BastorousBurgerIMBusiness OperationsCalifornia/PacificchainsCorporateFederal Trade CommissionFloridafranchisesIndustrylawsuitslegal issuesMark BastorousMiamiMidwestPlains/RockiesQargo CoffeeRetailSamir ShenoudaSouth/SouthwestUnited Statesコーヒー

Roast Magazine Announces 2025 Roaster of the Year Winners

Dear Green Coffee Roasters and Wonderstate Coffee won Roast magazine’s 21st annual Roaster of the Year award in the Micro and Macro roaster categories, respectively. The two coffee roasting companies...

2024.10.21

2025 Roaster of the YearawardsCorporateCraft/OperationsDear Green Coffee RoastersDriftaway CoffeeIndustryMacroMarketingMicroMidwestRoast MagazineRoaster of the YearRoastingThread CoffeeThree Keys CoffeeUnited StatesUtopian CoffeeWonderstate Coffeeコーヒー

Minnesota Company Sues TreeHouse Over Pod Production Secrets

A Minneapolis company called Microtrace is accusing private-label food manufacturing giant TreeHouse Foods of “reverse engineering” proprietary technology used to identify Keurig-style coffee pods. In a lawsuit filed Sept. 30...

2024.10.09

Bay Valley FoodsCorporateCraft/OperationsFarmer BrothersIndustryK-Cupskeuriglawsuitslegal issuesMacroMicrotraceMidwestMinneapolisMinnesotapodsProAmpacProductsRoastingsingle-serveSouth/SouthwestTreeHouse FoodsUnited Statesコーヒー

Mill City Roasters Moving Into Massive New HQ in NE Minneapolis

Minnesota-based roasting equipment maker Mill City Roasters is prepping for a significant expansion this fall, with plans to expand to a nearly 40,000-square-foot-building in Norheast Minneapolis. The one-story 1950s office...

2024.09.17

Coffee Fest MinneapolisCorporateCraft/OperationsIndustryMacromanufacturingMarketingMicroMidwestMill City MCR-2EMill City RoastersMinneapolisRoastingroasting equipmentTwin CitiesUnited Statesコーヒー

Minneapolis Roaster Coffeewomple Embraces the Sustainability Journey

A roasting company in Northeast Minneapolis called Coffeewomple recently embarked on a journey towards high-quality and environmentally conscious coffee, opening a new roastery with an all-electric 15-kilo Giesen roaster at...

2024.09.16

Cafe ImportsCoffeewompleCraft/Operationsenvironmental sustainabilityFarmer to FarmerGiesen W15EGold Mountain Coffee GrowersMicroMidwestMinneapolisMinnesotaNicole BoleaRoastingTwin CitiesZach Whitneyコーヒー

Black Coffee

Deion Sanders Joins BLK & Bold as Co-Owner and Social Change Leader

American football legend Deion Sanders, a.k.a. Coach Prime, has acquired an ownership stake in Iowa-based coffee roaster BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages. While the terms of the deal have not...

2024.09.04

Black CoffeeBlk and BoldBLK and Bold FoundationColorado BuffaloesCorporateCraft/OperationsDeion SandersDes MoinesfootballIndustryIowaMacroMarketingMidwestPeopleRoastingsportsUnited Statesコーヒー

Good Sense Coffee Makes Great Return to Bricks and Mortar in Howell, MI

Five years after untethering from its standalone coffee shop in favor of mobile retail operations, Southeast Michigan’s Good Sense Coffee is returning to brick-and mortar with a new shop in...

2024.08.29

Business OperationsCraft/OperationsFracinoGood Sense CoffeeHowellIan BoyleMichiganMicroMidwestmobileOpeningsRetailRoastingコーヒー

Mission Coffee Reopens Right Where the Quest Began in Columbus

Four years after shuttering its original Columbus, Ohio, cafe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mission Coffee has returned to the space, continuing a quest for quality. “Welcome Back” reads the mural...

2024.08.27

Blank Slate CoffeeBusiness OperationsColumbusCraft/OperationsMarketingMatt RobersonMicroMidwestMission Coffee Co.OhioOpeningsRetailRoastingコーヒー

Good to Go Cups is Up and Running with Reusable Cup Solution

A Minnesota Twin Cities startup called Good To Go Cups recently launched with a novel approach to the reuse of to-go coffee cups. Created by longtime Edina friends and environmental...

2024.07.17

Business OperationscompostableCorporateEdinaGood To Go CupsIndustryMelissa SeeleyMichelle HoranMidwestMinneapolisMinnesotaProductsrecyclingRetailreusesubscriptionsTwin CitiesUnited Statesコーヒー

Brazilian Pilot and Illinois Coffee Entrepreneur Juliana Turchetti Dies Fighting Fire

Juliana Turchetti, a trailblazing Brazilian aerial firefighter and owner of Springfield, Illinois-based Aviatori Coffee, died Wednesday while fighting a fire in Montana. Working on behalf of Idaho-based company Dauntless Air,...

2024.07.12

airplanesAviatori CoffeeBrazilIndustryJuliana TurchettiMidwestMinas Geraisnatural disastersPeopleRetailRoastingコーヒー