Coffee News Recap, 19 May: Volunteer applications open for PRF Colombia, ASCA announces winners of 2023 Australian Barista Championship and Brewers Cup & other stories

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

Mon, 15 May

Apply to be a volunteer at this year’s PRF Colombia. The event will take place on 14 & 15 September 2023 at the Plaza Mayor in Medellín. PRF Colombia will feature lectures, panel discussions, workshops, cupping sessions, several coffee competitions, and the second iteration of the Global Coffee Awards. English volunteers can apply here and Spanish volunteers can apply here.

Australian Specialty Coffee Association announces winners of 2023 Barista Championship and Brewers Cup. Jack Simpson is the 2023 Australian Barista Champion, while Tom Hutchins placed first at the 2023 Australian Brewers Cup. Both will represent Australia at the World Coffee Championships in June.

Most Brits agree UK government should do more to reduce impact of climate crisis on coffee supply chain. A new survey by Christian Aid also suggests 57% of British consumers are concerned about the impact of climate change on food supply chains, including coffee. The international development agency is also calling on the UK government to provide more support to farmers in developing countries.

New 2023 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Report finds coffee is still US’ favourite beverage. The report, which is published by the National Coffee Association in partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association, found that 52% of Americans had consumed specialty coffee in the past week.

Volunteer applications still open for World of Coffee Athens. The SCA has added more volunteer shifts for the event, which will take place from 22 to 24 June – and will host the 2023 World Barista Championship and World Brewers Cup.

Hublot and Nespresso collaborate on watch made from recycled coffee capsules and used coffee grounds. The two Swiss companies partnered to create the Hublot x Nespresso Big Bang Unico Origin watch – which currently retails for US $24,100.

Tue, 16 May

Washed long-fermented Gesha breaks Colombia Land of Diversity auction record. The coffee, produced by Domingo Torres Angulo and purchased by Koffee Kult, sold for US $120.50/lb, with a total value of more than US $31,878. All 27 lots sold for an average of US $22.77/lb, breaking another record for the auction.

Coffee prices rise following strong Brazilian real and decline in global production volumes. The most active ICE contract for July increased by 3.58% after Brazil’s currency rallied to a four-week high on Monday. ICE certified stocks also dropped significantly, which led to an increase in arabica prices.

Belgian coffee company Miko acquires Germany’s PROCON. The coffee roaster and service specialist says its acquisition of coffee vending machine operator PROCON, which largely focuses on offices and workspaces, will allow it to expand across Germany.

Entries open for 2023 Golden Bean North America roasting competition. Applicants can now submit their entries for the competition, which will take place from 8 to 12 August in Columbus, Ohio.

EU Council gives final approval to adopt new anti-deforestation regulations. The new mandatory due diligence rules apply to all operators and traders who buy or sell a number of commodities in the EU, including coffee. Industry professionals exporting to the EU now have to prove production of their coffee results in no deforestation following 31 December 2020.

Mahlkönig announces new international distributors. New partners include BaristaEquip and Chris’ Coffee in the US, JAKSU in Argentina, Altatec in Paraguay, SIDASA and Icoffee Solutions in Guatemala, KMS Roasting in Uzbekistan, Unicafé in Modlova, Primulator AB in Sweden, Best Friend of Barista in Ukraine, and Espressomat in Spain.

Wed, 17 May

On The Ground calls for donations to support victims of flash floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 5 May, devastating floods destroyed infrastructure and displaced communities in parts of the country. The non-profit says the donations will provide vital aid to those affected, including the KACCECO, Muungano, and Spoacdi co-operatives.

This year’s Manchester Coffee Festival to host 2024 UK Cup Tasters Championship. The festival will take place on 18 & 19 November 2023, and will feature a series of talks and tasting sessions – as well as the new Extracted Development competition, which focuses on combining barista and roaster skills.

Digital Coffee Future launches Digital Fundamentals Education Programme. Developed in partnership with The Chain Collaborative, the ten-hour online course explores how coffee professionals can understand and apply digital tools and technology in their businesses.

Oatly launches four “new and improved” products in the UK. The oat milk manufacturer now sells Light, Semi, Whole, and “No” Sugars oat milks in UK stores. All products are available as both chilled and shelf-stable.

Applications open for Australia’s Richest Barista competition at MICE 2023. A total of 32 competitor spots are available, 15 of which are open to MICE 2023 exhibitors, five for Australian Specialty Coffee Association Members, and 12 for industry professionals. Applications close on 9 June.

Thu, 18 May

Specialty Coffee Association updates rules and regulations for 2023 Taipei World Coffee Championships. Updated rules apply to the 2023 World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits, and World Roasting Championships. The SCA says the most significant rule change applies to the World Roasting Championship, which will now include new evaluation scales which are more clearly aligned with the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment.

This year’s National Coffee & Cacao Convention to take place on 25 & 26 May in Lima, Peru. The event will include panel discussions, lectures, and several coffee competitions. The National Coffee & Cacao Convention will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Miraflores, Lima.

Kuwait AeroPress Championship 2023 set for 6 October. The national competition will be hosted at Brewever Academy in the AlHamra Shopping Centre. Entry is free for spectators.

Switzerland becomes first country to ratify the 2022 International Coffee Agreement. The country, which has been a signee to the original agreement since 1964, is a key market in the coffee industry.

Danish roaster CleverCoffee launches 100% carbon-neutral coffee. Impact No. 01, which is sourced from Fazienda Santa Clara in Brazil through exporter Sancoffee, has been certified as 100% carbon neutral. CleverCoffee is also selling Impact No. 02, which is a shade-grown and certified organic coffee sourced from the Cafesmo Co-operative in Honduras.

Fri, 19 May

Meticulous automatic lever espresso machine raises more than US $5 million in crowdfunding campaign. The robot lever espresso machine uses a digital motor and high-precision sensors to automatically brew espresso, and includes an integrated scale. The company is also selling an automated modular milk steamer. Shipping will begin in December 2023.

British actress Millie Bobby Brown launches coffee lifestyle brand. Florence by Mills Coffee currently offers two whole bean and roast & ground options, as well as single-serve bags, capsules, and concentrate.

Thomas Ashbourne Craft Spirits partners with US actor Neil Patrick Harris on the After Hours espresso martini. The RTD coffee cocktail includes dark roast coffee, with hints of vanilla and dark chocolate.

Slovak AeroPress Championship 2023 takes place in Bratislava. The competition, which is taking place at this year’s Two Coffee Champs festival, is the biggest Slovak AeroPress Championship to date – featuring 36 competitors.

Shanghai Coffee Culture Week to be held from 20 May to 2 June as part of Double Five Shopping Festival. The third edition of the event will feature a range of coffee-themed promotions, cultural activities, and booths run by local and boutique coffee brands.

Natural Pacamara receives top score of 91.78 points at 2023 Cup of Excellence Honduras competition. The coffee was grown by Oscar Edgardo Tinoco Madrid on Finca Pino De Oro. The auction will take place on 29 June.

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

Wed, 10 May – Swiss Water reports 28% revenue increase in 2023 first quarter. The decaf coffee manufacturer says revenue increased by US $10.6 million, mostly thanks to a 21% increase in sales during the analysis period.

Thu, 11 May – Krispy Kreme reports 14.4% increase in organic revenue during 2023 first quarter. The doughnut and coffee chain says e-commerce channels and partnerships with retailers were the biggest drivers of growth.

Thu, 11 May – Labour unions ask UN agency to investigate Starbucks’ use of legal loopholes. Reuters reports that Service Employees International Union, Workers United, and the AFL-CIO claim US labour laws allow Starbucks to exploit and cause “excessive delays to frustrate organising and bargaining rights”.

Thu, 11 May – Starbucks opens first location in Rome. The store overlooks the Piazza Montecitorio in central Rome, and is the company’s 25th location in Italy. The chain plans to open two more stores in Rome by the end of May.

Fri, 12 May – Manual grinder Pietro wins 2023 Red Dot Design Award. The flat burr hand grinder placed first in the 2023 Kitchen Appliances Category of the international design competition.

Fri, 12 May – Bad Ass Coffee launches green coffee energy drink line. Mana beverages contain “organic adaptogenic botanicals” extracted from cascara, lotus flower, and green coffee, among other ingredients.

Sat, 13 May – De’Longhi reports decline in 2023 Q1 revenue. The Italian coffee machine and appliance manufacturer said revenue fell by 18%, although it also states these figures are in comparison to “extraordinary growth” over the last two years.

Sun, 14 May – Coffee to be first commodity export in new Honduras-China free trade agreement. Honduras will soon begin negotiating a FTA with China, which aims to drive the country’s economic growth through the export of coffee, shrimp, bananas, and other products.

Photo credits: Producer Roaster Forum