Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories.

• Mon, 27 Sep – Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority to establish the Ethiopian Coffee Association. The authority signed a joint agreement with several regional Ethiopian coffee associations. Once established, the Ethiopian Coffee Association will promote Ethiopian coffee consumption on a global scale and represent all stakeholders of the Ethiopian coffee supply chain.

• Mon, 27 Sep – New Zealand start-up Flow Coffee creates espresso machine modification kits. The Flow Coffee Telemetry kits can be used on older, traditional espresso machines to create smart volumetric sensors. Through a dedicated app, extraction data then becomes available in real time.

• Mon, 27 Sep – Lavazza opens first international flagship store. The new three-floor London location includes a restaurant, a coffee-focused cocktail menu, and tasting sessions with a Lavazza “Coffelier”.

• Mon, 27 Sep – Grounds for Health runs Women Choosing Women campaign. As part of its 25th anniversary, the non-profit is running a new campaign until 1 October. The campaign encourages women in coffee to donate to cervical cancer prevention programmes in coffee-growing communities.

• Mon, 27 Sep – Sucafina signs agreement with Market Development Facility for expansion in Papua New Guinea. The partnership will allow Sucafina to support over 2,500 coffee farmers in the Kainantu and Wau districts. Sucafina will provide farming assistance, establish demo plots, and carry out carbon sequestration projects.

• Mon, 27 Sep – La Marzocco releases automatic Wally Milk steamer. The steam wand unit can connect to all La Marzocco and Modbar espresso machines, as well as other branded commercial models. Users can choose between 20 different presets, including temperature and aeration control.

• Mon, 27 Sep – Beyers Coffee announces Cory Bush as new CEO. Bush previously served as Managing Director for Sucafina Belgium and is currently Board Chair of ACE and COE. Bush will transition to the role with a focus on developing sustainability and innovation initiatives at Beyers Coffee.

• Tue, 28 Sep – Royal Coffee publishes new roaster sustainability e-book. Sustainability in Coffee: What Roasters & Consumers Should Know focuses on social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The e-book is available to download for free.

• Tue, 28 Sep – illycaffè Chairman Andrea Illy wins 2019 Leonardo Prize. The annual award is granted to prominent figures in Italy who contribute to and promote Italian culture on a global scale. Illy received the award for the company’s commitments to sustainability and the “Made in Italy” branding.

• Tue, 28 Sep – Tim Hortons launches fundraiser for Indian Residential School Survivors Society. The Canadian coffee chain launched a limited edition doughnut for the fundraiser, and will donate 100% of proceeds to indigenous communities affected by institutional abuse at Canadian residential schools.

• Tue, 28 Sep – Over 65 UK hospitality leaders sign letter to revise Brexit rules for staffing crisis. The open letter calls for the UK government to include hospitality staff on the occupation shortage list, ensuring more efficient settlement schemes and increased access to work visas. Current estimates indicate a hospitality staff shortage of over 200,000 workers. Signees include Pret A Manger co-founder Sinclair Beecham.

• Tue, 28 Sep – Coffee Association of Canada conducts 2-year Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends Study. Research found 70% of Canadians consumed coffee the previous day, but only 23% had purchased coffee OOH, compared to pre-pandemic levels of 40%.

• Tue, 28 Sep – Fair Trade US hosts virtual Just One Cup Barista Event. The event was led by 2019 US Barista Champion Sam Spillman, Director of Retail Partnerships Abby Ayers, and Sales Operations Manager Packaged Goods Samantha McEntire. Spillman hosted a cupping session of four Fair Trade Certified private label coffees.

• Wed, 29 Sep – NCA report Atlas of American Coffee finds OOH coffee consumption increased to pre-pandemic levels. The latest National Coffee Data Trends Market Research Series found OOH consumption rose by 16% as US office and café consumption rates increased. Past day coffee consumption among 25 to 39-year-olds is at a record high of 65%.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Uganda Coffee Development Authority reports record monthly coffee exports. Ugandan coffee exports totalled 700,990 bags in August, amounting to US $75.09 million. The volume of robusta exports increased by 39% compared to the same month last year.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Dalla Corte launches two limited edition Zero machines for 20th anniversary campaign. The #makeit20 campaign includes the Zero Anniversary Dark, with a dark walnut wood finish, and the Zero Anniversary White, featuring light oak and satin copper finishes. Both anniversary models will debut at HostMilano, which will run from 22 to 26 October.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Sponsors announced for 2021 Swiss Coffee Trade Association Virtual Conference. Keurig Trading, Sucafina, Rabobank, Louis Dreyfus Company, Vollers, and Demetria have all provided financial support for the virtual two-day event. The conference will take place on 14 & 15 October.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Knob coffee grinder fully funded in 8 hours on Kickstarter. The design of the new grinder removes the axle to reduce burr movement and includes a stepless grinder setting system. The grinder handle can be screwed onto the body for travel purposes.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Victoria Arduino releases new Mythos grinder. The new model includes a touch screen and two cooling fans to reduce burr temperature. The latest Mythos grinder will debut at HostMilano 2021 from 22 to 26 October.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Glasgow roaster Dear Green sells limited edition coffee for STV Children’s Appeal. The certified B Corp invited STV News presenters Sophie Wallace and Sasha Spratt to create an exclusive coffee. Until the end of October, £1 (US $1.34) of every bag purchased will be donated to the appeal.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Storm launches new Faro espresso grinder. The new model debuted at London Coffee Festival in late September. The grinder has a wide range of settings, a touch screen interface, and stainless steel and wood finishes.

• Wed, 29 Sep – Singapore Coffee Association partners with Shopee for digital Singapore Coffee Week 2021. From 1 to 7 October, attendees can purchase discounted coffee and brewing equipment on Shopee’s virtual marketplace, as well as tuning in to brewing livestreams.

• Thu, 30 Sep – Roasty Coffee publishes report on US coffee Google searches. Findings show Seattle, Denver, Portland, Minneapolis, and San Francisco are the top five cities in the country where terms such as “coffee near me” are Googled the most. Research on the pumpkin spice latte found that 169 searches per 100,000 for the drink are conducted in Minneapolis – making it the most popular US city for the search term.

• Thu, 30 Sep – WAVE Investments acquires Hanseatic Coffee Company. The investment will support Hamburg coffee trader Hanseatic to expand in Germany and beyond. WAVE has now invested in or acquired four independent specialty coffee businesses throughout west Europe.

• Thu, 30 Sep – World Coffee Portal partners with Camden Clean Air Initiative on webinar. The Future of Greentech: Food and Beverage will explore the latest technology and sustainability innovations in the food and beverage industry, including coffee. The virtual event will be held on 14 October at 11AM CEST and is free to attend.

• Thu, 30 Sep – DMCC signs Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce. Executive Chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem met with local and national governing bodies in Brazil to discuss bilateral trade opportunities. The MoU commits both parties to promote and support trade networks.

• Thu, 30 Sep – Wega to host outdoor café at annual Eroica cycling event. The equipment manufacturers will host the open-air Wega WBar at the non-competitive cycling event on 2 October. Wega will also sell a limited edition WMini home coffee machine, designed exclusively for Eroica.

• Thu, 30 Sep – Digital roaster platform Greensquare set to host first webinar. Driving The Digital Transformation of Coffee Trade will share insights and an exclusive look at the new platform. The webinar will take place on 13 October at 16:00 AEST.

• Fri, 1 Oct – ICO runs “Coffee’s Next Generation” campaign for International Coffee Day. The campaign aims to engage all coffee industry stakeholders to work with youth organisations, industry leaders, financial partners, and consumers. The ICO will take part in the World Food Forum, organised by the FAO Youth Committee to implement equitable food systems.

• Fri, 1 Oct – UAE roaster Encounter highlights Brazil Andre Garcia coffee for International Coffee Day. The natural Yellow Catuai coffee is sourced from the highlands of the Cerrado Mineiro region. The Capim Branco Farm can be traced back to 1901.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Ditta Artigianale opens Coffee School in Florence and plans international expansion. The Coffee School is located in a restored former monastery. The Italian coffee company is set to open offices in the US and Canada, with Toronto as the first location.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Hawaii Delegation introduces protective legislation for coffee production. Under current law, research for both coffee and macadamia nut solely focuses on two pest species, including the coffee berry borer. New legislation will fund research into current and emerging pests and diseases threatening both plants.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Outdoor brand Cotopaxi partners with The Chain Collaborative to invest in Ecuador coffee producers. The Chain Collaborative focuses on building community-focused development in coffee growing regions. Initial funding from the partnership will be allocated to Alicia Roque Farms in Manabí to support climate smart agricultural systems.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Study from farmer connect finds third of UK consumers think coffee industry needs more innovation. Consumers said they wanted to see more sustainable packaging options, reductions in coffee’s carbon footprint, more adoption of blockchain technology, a greater range of origin countries, and increased use of QR codes. Eighty-two percent of consumers claimed they would consider buying coffee that uses technology to showcase ethical and sustainable production.

• Fri, 1 Oct – IWCA to host two events for International Coffee Day. IWCA Germany will hold an in-person event at Speicherstadt roastery in Hamburg to celebrate women in coffee. IWCA Australia will host a virtual webinar at 17:30 AEST for attendees to share their coffee career stories.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Volcafé launches new sustainability strategy for International Coffee Day. The new strategy will focus on three key pillars of sustainable profitability, regenerative practices, and responsible citizenship. Volcafé will work with multiple stakeholders and sectors across the coffee industry – including farmers, donors, and authorities – to achieve its aims.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Hario to open café in Izumi Museum Tokyo. The new location will brew tea and coffee using the Japanese company’s equipment, as well as selling limited edition accessories.

• Fri, 1 Oct – ITC release fourth edition of Coffee Guide. The newly published guide includes technical information on finance, food safety measures, logistics, and futures contracts. The ITC also highlights issues facing the coffee industry in the fourth edition, such as climate change, price volatility, and equity across the supply chain.

• Fri, 1 Oct – Guatemalan Coffees launches new branding. The new logo includes a jaguar (a symbol of strength in indigenous Mayan culture) and typography which represents the topography of Guatemala and the various altitudes at which coffee is grown. The rebranding focuses on promoting global consumer awareness of Guatemalan coffee.

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

• Tue, 21 Sep – Nescafé Blend 43 partners with Australian Foodbank. Nescafé will produce 220,000 custom tins of the soluble coffee to distribute across the country for people facing food insecurity.

• Wed, 22 Sep – Florida coffee company Per’La Specialty Roasters opens UK location. The Newbury roastery is located in luxury car showroom Podium Place. Per’La founders say around 85% of coffee sold at Florida locations are now available at the UK roastery.

• Thu, 23 Sep – Global decaf market to reach US $2.3 billion by 2026. The CAGR is anticipated to be 5.8% during the specified period. The China market is expected to hit US $465.7 million by 2026.

• Thu, 23 Sep – Luckin Coffee continues efforts towards “normalised” financial reporting. The Chinese coffee chain reported 2020 revenue increased 33.3% to RMB 4,033.4 million (US $618.1 million), compared to the same period in 2019.

• Thu, 23 Sep – Starbucks claims employees should not vote on a store-by-store basis for unionisation case. Starbucks are requesting for all employees in Buffalo, New York to be able to vote in order for a majority to win the case. The US National Labour Relations Board is currently deciding on the number of Starbucks employees that will be allowed to vote.

• Thu, 23 Sep – Swiss high court rules Nespresso cannot trademark capsule shape. The court stated the capsule design was “ordinary” and “unmemorable” and therefore could not be trademarked. Parent company Nestlé have made several attempts in the past decade to trademark the Nespresso capsule design.

• Fri, 24 Sep – Last-minute applications still open for ZHAW CAS in Coffee Excellence course. The programme is open to those with a university degree and at least two years’ professional experience working in the coffee industry, or those with a SCA Coffee Skills Diploma and three years’ experience. The course begins on 4 October.

• Fri, 24 Sep – Baratza announced as sponsor of Digital Coffee Future Traceability Summit. Baratza newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets with a 15% discount. The virtual event will be held on 28 & 29 October.

• Fri, 24 Sep – Pret A Manger plans to double size of company by 2026. JAB Holdings and Pret A Manger founder Sinclair Beecham is backing the move with a £100 million (US $138.9 million) investment. Plans include expanding into new markets, opening new physical locations, and investing in digital.

• Sun, 26 Sep – SCA publishes new white paper on defining specialty coffee. Towards a Definition of Specialty Coffee: Building an Understanding Based on Attributes provides a framework for when the term “specialty coffee” should be used in research and sustainability initiatives.

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Photo credits: Nicole Motteux