Welcome to DCN’s Weekly Coffee News. Keep up with all the latest coffee industry stories and career opportunities by subscribing to DCN’s newsletter. Tell our editors about your news here.
Solidaridad Launches 1st Edition of the Small Farmer Atlas
The international civil society organization Solidaridad this week launched the Small Farmer Atlas, an interactive online resource designed to reflect and amplify the perspectives of small-scale farmers. Built around satisfaction surveys involving nearly 10,000 farmers, the Atlas explores farmer perspectives from within eight agriculture sectors in 18 different countries. Among all farmers surveyed, the ability to adapt to a changing climate was identified as the most urgent challenge, according to Solidaridad. Learn more about the Small Farmer Atlas here.
NCA Appoints New Education and Research Head
The United States National Coffee Association (NCA) this week named Matthew Cariani director of education, research and innovation. Cariani has been with NCA since May 2013 and is based out of the group’s headquarters in New York City.
Pride of Gesha Green Coffee Auction Returns July 11
The seventh Pride of Gesha private coffee auction is scheduled to take place July 11. Organizers from Ethiopia-based Gesha Village Coffee Estate are currently accepting orders for samples prior to the online sale. The top-earning lot at last year’s Pride of Gesha auction fetched $254 per pound.
Coffee Planet Launches New Products, Rebrand
United Arab Emirates-based Coffee Planet has unveiled a complete brand refresh alongside a range of new products, including aluminum capsules, freeze-dried instant products, and two new canned cold brews. The Dubai company with global ambitions is also planning a new roastery in Saudi Arabia, as well as new training courses run by industry experts as part of Campus by Coffee Planet.
Ben Put Wins Canadian Barista Title for Sixth Time
Barista and co-founder of Calgary-based Monogram Coffee Ben Put has won the Specialty Coffee Association-sanctioned Canadian National Barista Championship for the sixth time. Ply Pasarj of Rogue Wave Coffee Roasters and independent barista Jair Garduno took the second and third places, respectively.
Verve Coffee, Young the Giant Collaborate for Cause Blend
California-based roasting and retail company Verve Coffee Roasters has teamed up with rock band Young the Giant on a new coffee. The “Same Folk Blend” is an Ethiopian medium roast with notes of nectarine, key lime and brown sugar. Verve Head of Coffee Operations Matt Tilley and Young the Giant’s founding member and guitarist Jacob Tilley are brothers. All proceeds of the new coffee blend will be donated to Venado Middle School in the name of music teacher Derek Venlet, who recently passed away.
Baltimore Coffee Collective Hosting Latte Art Throwdowns
A new organization called the Baltimore Coffee Collective will be hosting latte art throwdowns on the first Friday of every month. The inaugural event is kicking off today at OneDo Coffee Roasters in the Canton neighborhood. The BCC was born out of this year’s United States Coffee Championships first qualifier event.
Research Examines Coffee Consumption and Dementia
New research has found that the type of coffee an individual drinks may play a role in dementia later in life, but the results are mixed. Daily consumption of more than eight cups of boiled coffee was associated with increased dementia risk in women, while there was a decreased dementia risk for men associated with consuming 4-5 cups of other types of coffee.
Hawaiian Firm Earns Grant For CoffeeMD Tech
A Hawaii-based tech firm has received an innovation grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Public Radio reports. Agriculture tech firm Smart Yields and project partners at the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center have teamed up for CoffeeMD, a digital platform that uses technology to help coffee farmers identify diseases and pests.
Ömilk Launches With Baristas in Mind
Singapore-based food conglomerate F&N has introduced a new oat milk product geared toward baristas and the coffee industry. Launched in conjunction with Restaurant Asia 2023 and International Coffee & Tea Asia 2023, Ömilk Oat Barista is naturally cholesterol-free and has no added sugar.
Keurig, Rolling Stones Team Up for Iced Coffee Kit
Keurig and the Rolling Stones hope to bring satisfaction to customers with a customized package of Keurig products called Start Me Up. The iced coffee kit includes a custom K-Iced brewer adorned with the band’s signature lips logo, a tumbler, a “Start Me Up” coffee blend and access to a Spotify playlist. The kit goes on sale June 6 and clocks in at $139.99.
In Case You Missed It
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Daily Coffee News photo.
Survey: Coffee Farmers and Consumers Have Different Perspectives on Sustainability
For decades, the coffee industry has been propped up as an example of sector-wide sustainability, with many actors throughout the coffee chain using similar strategies and language… Read more
A Closer Look at the Timemore Grinder Line that Fetched Nearly $5 Million on Kickstarter
Singapore-based consumer coffee equipment company Timemore raised nearly US$5 million in a recent Kickstarter campaign to support a new line… Read more
Uganda Coffee Report: Record-High Production Driven by Young Robusta
Coffee production and exports in Uganda are each estimated to increase by approximately 4% this market year (2023/24), largely due to favorable weather and the maturation of coffee trees planted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic… Read more
Taiwan-Based Mx. Cool Comes in Hot with Aries Grinder and Katze Scale
With its first two products, the Aries grinder and Katze scale, a new Taiwan-based equipment company called Mx. Cool is hoping to make quality espresso preparation a breeze… Read more
USAID Launches $8.2 Million Indonesia Coffee and Cacao Agroforestry Project
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is leading a new $8.2 million project designed to improve environmental sustainability, climate resiliency and market access… Read more
Peru Coffee Report: Production Rebounds; EU Regulation Concerns Farmers
Coffee production in Peru is expected to increase by approximately 16 percent in the 2023/24 crop year due to higher international green coffee prices, although production remains hampered by numerous barriers… Read more
Handheld Auto-Temper BOSeTamper Makes an Impression
Startup Radik Labs has kicked off retail sales of its flagship handheld auto tamper, the BOSeTamper. The name, a portmanteau of Boston Electronic Tamper… Read more
Comment