Coffee News Recap, 31 May: WoC 2025 to take place in Geneva, Nordic Coffee Fest to return in March & other stories

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

Here are this week’s stories – the word of the week is events.

Mon, 27 May

New dates and hosts announced for national 2024 AeroPress Championships. Upcoming events include:
- Philippine AeroPress Championship,hosted by Yardstick Coffee on 1 June 2024. (Manila, Philippines)
- Canadian AeroPress Championship,hosted by Eight Ounce Coffee on 8 August 2024. (Calgary, Canada)
- Swiss AeroPress Championship, hosted by MAME on 1 September 2024. (Zürich, Switzerland)

Second Nordic Coffee Fest to return in March 2025. The event will return on 1 & 2 March after a successful first edition held in February this year. The festival will also host the second Nordic Best Roaster competition – a peer-assessed championship focused on real-world roaster skills. (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Conab’s second official estimate projects Brazilian production at 58.81 million 60kg bags. Brazil’s 2024-25 coffee production is now expected to increase by 800,000 60kg bags. Arabica production increased by nearly 1.4 million bags, while robusta decreased by about 600,000 bags. (Manaus, Brazil)

Colombia’s production increases ahead of EUDR implementation. The country’s coffee production for 2024-25 is expected to reach 12.4 million 60kg bags – up by 1.6% from last year. The US remains a key trading partner representing over 40% of the export market. Colombian producers and exporters are also working to address new EU deforestation-free requirements.

Costa Coffee US to launch new robotic kiosk concept in Texas. The chain has partnered with Delaware North to launch its new Costa Coffee Creations, a 24 sq ft fully automated robotic coffee stand, at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in August 2024. (Austin, Texas, United States)

Keurig Dr Pepper and Keurig Trading inaugurate new coffee sourcing office in Brazil. The Brasil Global Sourcing office will double as a quality control facility for KDP’s Brazilian coffee suppliers, as well as a venue for educational events and training sessions. (Varginha region, Brazil)

Ukraine’s Fresh Black to commence shipping to EU markets. The roaster now sells it coffee in Poland and will expand across the EU in the coming months. Established in 2010, Fresh Black operates Eastern Europe’s largest coffee centre and roasts over 50 tonnes monthly for distribution to coffee shops and restaurants in Ukraine. (Kyiv, Ukraine)

The SCA’s Coffee Value Assessment expands to two digital platforms. The resources are available on the Tastify Web App and the CatadorCVA app for iOS and Android. Launched in April 2023, the CVA includes a new cupping form and protocol to redefine coffee quality evaluation.

Pedro de Anjos wins 2024 Brazilian Coffee Roasting Championship. The barista from Brasília beat 23 other competitors to secure a spot in the 2024 World Coffee Roasting Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark from 27 to 29 June. (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)

Caffènation hosts the first Camping Cup. Held on 14 April 2024, the roaster’s new informal competition is much less rule-focused, with participants competing to brew the best camping coffee using a gas burner, hand grinder, and pouring kettle. (Antwerp, Belgium)

Tue, 28 May

Nominations open for 2024 European Coffee & Hospitality Awards. With a revamped format featuring ten categories, the awards recognises excellence in the European coffee market. Winners will be announced at the 2024 European Coffee Symposium from 11 to 13 November. (Berlin, Germany)

Rave Coffee launches standalone wholesale website. The site also offers resources such as videos on commercial brewing techniques, green and roasted coffee storage guidelines, sustainability credentials, and commercial account management. (Cirencester, UK)

Geshas win in two categories at 2024 Cup of Excellence Mexico. A natural Gesha received 90.66 points in the experimental category, while another natural Gesha scored 91.13 points in the traditional honey & natural process category. A washed Bourbon received the highest score of 90.79 points in the traditional washed category. The CoE Mexico auction will take place on 2 July 2024.

New study says 70% of European coffee consumers choose products based solely on packaging. Amcor’s study of 1,655 European grocery shoppers highlighted that taste, aroma, brand, and price are top priorities in coffee purchasing decisions, with packaging size and convenience also crucial factors. UK consumers in particular value premium packaging quality. (Zürich, Switzerland)

Australian university trials world’s first coffee concrete footpath. RMIT University and Macedon Ranges Shire Council have trialled coffee concrete footpaths, turning spent coffee grounds into biochar for construction. Partnering with BildGroup, these circular-economy projects aim to reduce organic waste and greenhouse gas emissions and transform waste into a valuable resource. (Melbourne, Australia)

Vietnam’s coffee shop sector recorded double-digit growth in 2023. Vietnam’s coffee shop market saw revenue rise by 11.6% in 2023 – reaching VNĐ 590 trillion (US $24.1 billion). Highlands Coffee leads with 777 locations (including 170 new ones opened last year) and around 50 shops in the Philippines.

UK specialty coffee chain BEAR seeks to raise £2 million for outlet growth. Founded in 2016 by Craig Bunting and Michael Thorley, BEAR has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to open 22 new stores in the next five years. (Midlands, UK)

Wed, 29 May

PUQ launches new Navigator WDT tool. The new rechargeable lithium battery-powered features a motor-driven “randomness mechanism”, which includes a spinning ring and multiple needles for even coffee ground distribution. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Honduran production declines amid increasing incidence of leaf rust and labour issues. The country’s coffee production is forecasted to hit 5.5 million 60kg bags in 2023-24, which represents a 24% decline on the previous harvest season. This decline is attributed to high coffee leaf rust incidence, labour shortages, and slightly lower international prices amid Brazil’s expected production recovery.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters opens fifth location at Philadelphia International Airport. Founded in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and Jean Philippe Iberti, La Colombe opened its first airport location in August 2017. The specialty coffee chain now has sites in Terminal A East, Terminal B, B-C Connector, Terminal E, and Terminal F. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States)

Notes Coffee Roasters bolsters production with new roastery equipment. The company has expanded its roastery with a new Brambati BR60 machine and Pentavac packaging line, which it says will help increase annual production to 600 tonnes. (London, UK)

World of Coffee to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 26 to 28 June 2025. The Specialty Coffee Association will host the European edition of its WoC events at the Palexpo Exhibition and Convention Centre. This will be the first WoC event hosted in Geneva, joining others in Dubai and Jakarta in 2025.

Pea milk company Sproud launches new ad campaign. The “Sweetness Off. Pea Power On” campaign is currently running on the company’s social channels, and focuses on Sproud’s naturally low sugar and high plant protein contents. (Malmö, Sweden)

Coffee producers in Cerrado Mineiro are first in the world to receive low carbon label. Twenty farms from the Cerrado Coffee Growers Cooperative received the Carbon on Track label for low-carbon production. Analysis showed emissions of 0.85 tonnes of CO2 per acre per year, confirming a total value of 17,421Mg CO2e or 2.60kg CO2e per kilogram of green coffee. (Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil)

200 Degrees launches premium automated Coffee2Go solution. The first unit was installed at Student Roost accommodation in Nottingham, with hotels, hospitality venues, and university campuses lined up to also receive units. (Midlands, UK)

Thu, 30 May

Fourth edition of WoC Dubai set for 10 to 12 February 2025. Organised by DXB LIVE and the SCA, the event will host the Roaster Village, UAE Coffee Championships, SCA Community Lounge, Best New Product Competition & Display, and a lecture series. (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

US office coffee service market projected to grow by 17.2% year-on-year until 2028. Packaged Facts predicts strong annual growth after rebounding from pandemic-related setbacks. Revenue declined due to an increase in remote work, prompting suppliers to seek new sales avenues.

Futura Coffee expands with Tried & True acquisition. Futura Coffee Roasters has acquired two Tried & True locations in Corvallis, Oregon, along with sibling company Bespoken Coffee Roasters. Co-founders Ann and Collin Schneider, who started the Corvallis coffee businesses a decade ago, expressed their interest in moving on to new entrepreneurial ventures. (Portland, Oregon, United States)

LEON launches UK’s most affordable in-store coffee subscription. LEON’s Roast Rewards offers up to five daily beverages for £25 (US $32) per month. Customers also receive a 20% food discount. The launch came after competitor Pret A Manger ended its coffee subscription service. (UK, nationwide)

Löfbergs appoints new Managing Director in Finland and sets sights on further growth in Eastern Europe. Rami Kuusisto most recently held the role of CEO of Finnsweet Group, and worked senior positions, including Commercial Director, at Paulig for eight years. (Karlstad, Sweden)

Minor Figures launches “Dairy Disloyalty” campaign. The oat milk company’s new competition encourages consumers to purchase non-dairy drinks and collect stamps from participating coffee shops for a chance to win a customised La Marzocco espresso Machine. (UK and US)

Fri, 31 May

Elections open for SCA Greece and Italy Chapters. Roles open for election include Judges Coordinator, Education Coordinator, and Marketing & Community Coordinator, as well as National Coordinator for the Italy chapter. Voting is open from 29 May 29 to 5 June, with results announced on 12 June.

Sheffield Coffee Festival to host 2024 UK AeroPress Championship on 1 June 2024. The fourth edition of the event will take place across several venues in the city over the weekend, and will host the competition at Marmadukes on Cambridge Street. (Sheffield, UK)

Sustainable Harvest closes new US $20 million financing agreement with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. The specialty coffee importer will use the sustainability-linked financing agreement to expand its Relationship Coffee strategy. The financing is Sustainable Harvest’s first since being acquired by Sucafina in February 2023. (Seattle, Washington, United States)

The Barista League returns to Berlin on 1 June. The event, to be held at Jules Biergarten & Café, will be the first time since 2019 that The Barista League has hosted an event in the German capital. (Berlin, Germany)

Eighth edition of the Slow Coffee Festival begins at Combinatul Fondului Plastic. Running until 2 June, the event will also host the 2024 Romanian AeroPress Championship and a series of lectures and panels focused on sustainability. (Bucharest, Romania)

This year’s Cafeex Wuhan to take place until 2 June. In addition to an event hosted in Shenzhen, the Wuhan expo features numerous coffee industry exhibitors, cupping sessions, and competitions. (Wuhan, China)

UK roaster Paddy & Scott’s, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, and Kenyan coffee farm partner to provide children’s school meals. Macdonald Hotels & Resorts have funded 15,000 school meals for children in countries including Kenya as part of an innovative new partnership with direct trade coffee producers Paddy & Scott’s. As part of the Muchomba Project, each bag of the roaster’s Lunch Box blend funds a meal for a child in Kenya and other coffee-growing countries. (Kenya & UK)

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

Fri, 17 May – Specialty coffee production and consumption increase in Mexico. The country is expected to produce about 3.89 million 60kg bags in 2024-25, despite significant labour and economic challenges.

Wed, 22 May – Coffee production to reach record lows in Costa Rica. The country’s 2024-25 coffee production is expected to stay near record lows due to labour and weather challenges, and unfavorable exchange rates caused by a strong Costa Rican colón against the US dollar.

Thu, 23 May – Luckin Coffee announces change to board of directors. Each director serves a two-year term and can be reappointed. The terms of nine directors expired in May 2024, with one choosing not to seek re-appointment, but will continue as an external strategic advisor. (Beijing, China)

Fri, 24 May –MALK reenters the coffee creamer market. The company has launched three new plant-based creamers: Vanilla Almond, Caramel Almond, and Lightly Sweetened Oat. (Austin, Texas, United States)

Fri, 24 May – Nestlé’s Jane Aldridge elected as chair of British Coffee Association. Aldridge has over 25 years of industry experience, notably leading Nestlé’s in-home coffee business for the UK and Ireland and launching Nescafé Azera. (Oxford, UK)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events