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Weekly Coffee News: Compostable Bags + ‘Home Cafe’ Popups

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Savor Brands compost

Savor Brands Launches Industrially Compostable Bags Called Compost+ 

Hawaii-based coffee packaging and design specialist Savor Brands has introduced Compost+, a new packaging material that can be industrially composted. The material was certified by the U.S. based Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).

Disturbing Coffee Trend Sweeping Through TikTok

Content creators on TikTok are turning their apartments or dorms into popup coffee shops. The phenomenon was described in an Eater report this week as a hosting trend that allows people to “play barista for a day.”

Amsterdam-Based Coffee Company Wakuli Secures $5.6 Million

Dutch coffee roasting and retail company Wakuli raised €5.2 million (US$5.6 million) in a Series A funding round led by Icecat Capital.

App-Based Noise Analyzer Ranks Cafe Chains by Sound Level

Noise measurement app company Soundprint employed its technology to measure sound levels at some popular coffee chains, finding the loudest averages at Le Pain Quotidien. Starbucks, on average, came in louder than both Peet’s and Dunkin’.

Try Hard Coffee Roasters Closes in Austin

Austin, Texas-based specialty coffee company Try Hard Coffee is shutting down. On Instagram, the owners cited ballooning debt and other challenges associated with running an independent shop.

Coffee By Design Ratifies Contract with Union

Portland, Maine-based Coffee By Design and Local 327 of the Laborers International Union have come to terms on a contract for unionized workers, according to a report from the Portland Press-Herald.

Vanderbilt Students Present Pitches for Equitable Coffee

Students at Vanderbilt University recently presented pitches in the Coffee Equity Design Challenge, a key program of the university’s Coffee Equity Lab. For the challenge, students were paired with one of eight mentors from the coffee industry.

Nguyen Coffee Supply Expands RTD to Target Stores Nationwide

New York-based Nguyen Coffee Supply announced its ready-to-drink products are becoming available in 500 Target stores nationwide, growing the coffee company’s retail footprint by over 300% since the start of 2024.

Report: Keurig Dr Pepper to Emphasize Affordability in the US

Following a quarterly decrease in net sales of 2.1% for Keurig Dr Pepper, the company’s CEO told investors that the multinational coffee giant plans to boost its marketing budget while reinforcing the concept of “value” in its pod business, according to a report from Just Drinks.

Starbucks Expands to Ecuador and Honduras

Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks announced it is opening its first stores ever in Ecuador and Honduras as part of a broader plan to expand to more than 55,000 stores globally by 2030.

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In Case You Missed It

Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…

coffee-roaster-acidity

Study: Roast Profiles Affect Sourness and Acidity in Coffee

University of California Davis Coffee Center researchers recently illuminated a path for professional coffee roasters to control sourness and total acidity… read more

Ryan Willbur and Laila Ghambari Buy Portland’s Guilder and Junior’s Roasted Coffee

Portland, Oregon-area coffee professionals Ryan Willbur and Laila Ghambari have purchased the progressive and influential sibling coffee businesses, Guilder and Junior’s Roasted Coffeeread more

The xBloom Studio Version Takes Users Beyond The Pod

California-based xBloom has launched a new generation of its home grinding and brewing system, the xBloom Studio… read more

Study Shines New Light on Cold Brew Extraction, Aroma and Storage

Researchers in China have discovered that cold-brewing coffee using a negative-pressure system can enhance the aromatics of the finished brew… read more

Juan Valdez Actor Carlos Castañeda of Colombia Has Died

Carlos Castañeda, a fourth-generation coffee farmer and actor known for portraying the iconic Colombian coffee figure Juan Valdez, died late last week… read more

Here Are the 2024 Good Food Award Winners for Coffee

The winners of the 14th Good Food Awards were named last night in Portland, Oregon, with 14 coffee roasting companies given 16 awards for their high-quality, sustainably sourced roasted coffees… read more

EU Legislators Approve Landmark Corporate Due Diligence Rules (CSDDD)

The European Parliament last week approved landmark regulations designed to ensure human rights and environmental due diligence among large EU and multinational companies… read more

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