Coffee News Recap: Robusta prices reach 29-year high, MTPak Coffee announces winners of Packaging Design Awards & other stories

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

Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

The word of the week is championships.

Mon, 5 Feb

Pret A Manger partners with Millat Group to launch in South Africa. Millat Group says the UK café chain will debut in Johannesburg in coming months, with more stores set to follow in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and other “key cities”. It adds that the deal “is a reflection of the country’s vibrant economic potential”.

Mazzer announces 2023 Australian Barista Champion Jack Simpson as new brand ambassador. Simpson has joined Mazzer Racing Team as a brand ambassador. The coffee grinder manufacturer calls him “a perfect match for Mazzer” thanks to his shared commitment to “innovation and passion for technology”.

Blank Street Coffee auditors raise concerns over “misstated” account figures. According to The Standard, the company’s auditors have raised questions about stock figures that may be “materially misstated” after it reported a loss of more than US $3.6 million in 2023. The company says it doesn’t have any concerns on the topic.

Vietnam producers refuse to deliver coffee until contracts are renegotiated. Reuters reports that as a result of the recent surge in global robusta prices, Vietnamese producers feel that “they could not afford to deliver at the agreed prices” and are now seeking to renegotiate their contracts. The standoff between producers and buyers is already tightening global supplies and raising prices further.

Brazilian coffee producers and traders yet to get a precise arabica yield estimate for the 2024/25 season. Cepea says that as a result, price fluctuations may continue to be verified. Meanwhile, it adds that the 2024/25 robusta crop “may not recover as initially expected” as a result of unfavourable weather conditions during the previous crop and concerns with the current crop in Espírito Santo state.

India’s Blue Tokai Group reports 70% increase in revenues in FY2023. The specialty coffee brand brought in more than US $15 million in revenue in FY2023. However, its net loss more than tripled as a result of continued expansion in an increasingly competitive Indian branded coffee chain market.

Tue, 6 Feb

Host applications open for World AeroPress Championship 2024 season. The World AeroPress Championship is calling on coffee businesses to apply to host a 2024 season event. It says that “companies and individuals that put in the work to host events become pillars of their community and are always top of mind”.

Cotti Coffee expands into Australia. The Chinese coffee chain has opened its first Australian outlet in Sydney’s Cabramatta district. The company now operates in 11 different international markets in addition to running more than 6,000 cafés across China.

Neumann Kaffee Gruppe set to open new coffee importing company in Indonesia. The German company will launch a warehouse, cupping lab, and import office in Jakarta in March, marking its second such company in the country. It adds that the company “will be incorporated in the most ideal period where the demand of green coffee will exceed the domestic grown availability.”

Ukrainian brand Soloway Coffee opens first US café in Chicago. The company operates two cafés and a bakery under the Karma Kava brand in Ukraine and currently roasts for 275 customers in Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova. The Chicago café will also import coffee from the Ternopol, Ukraine roastery.

Committee on Sustainability Assessment appoints Liam Brody as CEO. The agriculture sustainability professional succeeds Daniele Giovannucci, who co-founded the consortium in 2005. Its mission is to “accelerate sustainability by advancing smart performance metrics and innovative technologies”.

Wed, 7 Feb

US Coffee Championships announces schedule for 2024 competitions. The organisation will host the 2024 US Barista, Brewers Cup and Cup Tasters Championships at Rancho Cucamonga in California from 15 to 17 March, while the Roaster, Latte Art, and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships will take place at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago from 12 to 14 April.

Houseplant partners with Cometeer to launch Houseplant Coffee. The cannabis accessory company, co-founded by actor Seth Rogen, has launched a range of coffees and related paraphernalia in partnership with specialty coffee company Cometeer. Rogen adds that “after all, you can’t wake and bake without first being awake”.

Beanly secures seed funding from several notable Indian entrepreneurs. The D2C coffee startup has closed its seed investment round after securing funding from several prominent entrepreneurs, including Dr Annurag Batra, chairman at BW Businessworld and exchange4Media Group and Deep Bajaj and Mohit Bajaj, founders of Sirona Hygiene.

Liberian government plans to reintroduce liberica coffee to revitalise coffee sector. According to the Liberian Observer, the government will reintroduce the indigenous coffee variety as part of its plans to revive the struggling coffee industry and other agricultural sectors.

Tim Hortons set to open first Central American café this year. The Canadian coffee chain has partnered with Vortex Investment SA to open a store in Panama City in coming months, kickstarting its Central American expansion plans.

Thu, 8 Feb

Robusta prices reach highest levels in 29 years as a result of supply problems and record low stocks. The ICO says the I-CIP for robusta reached US 148.47c/lb in January, representing the highest level since November 1994. Supply continues to be restricted in Vietnam and Indonesia, compounded by record low ICE stocks.

Farmer Brothers appoints John Moore as permanent CEO. Moore stepped in as interim CEO of the US coffee and tea distributor in October 2023, having previously served as Head of Coffee at the company after joining from Vassilaros Coffee.

Volunteer registrations open for Chicago World Coffee Championships. World Coffee Championships is calling for coffee professionals to volunteer at the 2024 World Coffee Championships, set to take place at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago, USA from 12 to 14 April. Successful applicants will be eligible for a three-day Expo Badge.

Fri, 9 Feb

MTPak Coffee announces winners of Packaging Design Awards. The coffee packaging company’s new competition recognises “the hard work and dedication that goes into creating stand-out packaging”. The winners are:

Overall: Birdy Coffee Co.

Remarkable Design for Flexible Packaging: Couplet

Remarkable Design for Rigid Packaging: Kolo Coffee

Effective Coffee Label Design: Firsthand Coffee

Effective Brand Representation: Firelight Coffee

Remarkable Seasonal/Limited Edition Design: Woke Artisanal Roasters

RC Show 2024 to host three Canadian Coffee Championships from 8 to 10 April in Toronto. The annual Restaurants Canada Show is billed as the country’s leading hospitality and foodservice event. This year, it’s set to host the Canadian Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits, and Cezve/Ibrik Championships.

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

Wed, 31 Jan – US drive-through chain 7 Brew Coffee says it reached 180 total stores in 2023. The company describes itself as “the drive-thru beverage concept revolutionising the industry with its speed of service and premium quality drinks”. It plans to continue expansion with its franchise partners in 2024.

Fri, 2 Feb – STōK Cold Brew Coffee releases new advert featuring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Wrexham AFC. The production features the Academy Award winner alongside Wrexham AFC owners and fellow actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds in an attempt to “bring the hype of football to America’s biggest sports stage”. The ad will debut at the annual Big Game American football match between the Stanford University and UC Berkeley.

Fri, 2 Feb – Every Can Counts can recycling programme expands to the US. The European programme has launched a US chapter in partnership with several aluminium drink can manufacturers and aluminium suppliers, aiming to “significantly increase the amount of aluminium drink cans collected and recycled in the United States”.

Fri, 2 Feb – Nestlé Professional launches new Customer Engagement Centre in Singapore. The company says the new facility will elevate its food and beverage support in the region through “the concepts, tools and expertise needed to thrive in a dynamic and competitive market”.

Sun, 4 Feb – Malaysian coffee chains score win as locals continue to boycott US brands over Gaza war. According to The Straits Times, the country’s local coffee chains like ZUS Coffee and Bask Bear Coffee are reporting higher sales as Malaysians continue to boycott “international brands seen as supporting Israel in its war against Palestinian militant group Hamas”, including Starbucks.

Coffee news photo credits: US Coffee Championships