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Weekly Coffee News: Exploring ‘Double Roasting’ + Coffee World Loses Mutombo

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dark roast coffee

Experimenting with ‘Double Roasting’ Coffee for Dark Roasts

Expert coffee roaster and consultant Rob Hoos today launched a fascinating piece exploring “double roasting,” which, in short, is roasting a light-roasted coffee for a second time. Hoos said his experiments in re-roasting coffee stemmed from having surpluses of leftover coffee from work on behalf of clients or from his own Iteration.Coffee brand. While he typically will donate those coffees to nonprofits, schools or other organizations, many of those recipients actually prefer darker roasts. “This led me to experiment with re-roasting light-roasted coffee to transform it into a more approachable dark roast for donating within my community,” Hoos wrote. “Along the way, I found that my previous ideas about re-roasting coffee and what makes a quality dark roast were challenged. I, and others in blind tastings, have found very enjoyable qualities coming from these double-roasted dark roasts.” Check out the full piece here

Dikembe Motumbo Dies of Brain Cancer at 58

Dikembe Motumbo died this week at the age of 58 due to complications from brain cancer. In addition to being one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen, Mutombo was the founder of Mutombo Coffee, a coffee company that promotes coffees from Mutombo’s native Democratic Republic of Congo. “His strength and resilience, both on and off the court, inspired countless people around the globe,” the company said on Instagram. “As the founder of Mutombo Coffee, we have always admired his dedication to uplifting the people of Congo and the African female coffee farmers who are making a difference in the lives of so many.”

Honduras Coffee Exports Up in 2024/25

Honduras coffee exports for the 2024/25 year are up approximately 14.5% from the previous period to the equivalent of approximately 5.37 million bags, according to a source in a Reuters report this week. The was attributed to increased production leading into the harvest.

Grow Ahead Supporting Mexican Coffee Farmers in ‘Week of Action’

The sustainable agriculture crowdfunding platform Grow Ahead is raising money for a coffee replanting project in Mexico as part of its “Week of Action” campaign. The fundraising effort will benefit The Coalition of Ejidos of the Costa Grande of Guerrero.

Fair Trade USA Names Dana Dufresne Lead Growth Officer

Oakland-based Fair Trade USA has named Dana Dufresne its new chief growth officer. The appointment comes about three weeks after FT USA Founder Paul Rice announced his resignation as CEO. Dufresne was most recently vice president of sales for Vertage, a maker of vegan cheese products.

Capsule-Maker Alupak Acquires Spain’s Norden Alu

Swiss coffee capsule manufacturer Alupak AG is acquiring Spanish aluminum capsule company Norden Alu Technology SL. Alupak co-developed the first coffee capsules on behalf of Nespresso in the 1980s. The company said the acquisition will allow for a greater variety of products and services in more international markets.

Emerson Nascimento Wins Fiamma’s 2024 World Barista Open

Portuguese espresso machine company Fiamma recently hosted its fourth World Barista Open, a barista competition prizing creativity using Fiamma equipment. Twelve international baristas competed in 2024, with Emerson Nascimento from Brazil winning, followed by Stanley Chien from Taiwan and Sean Lee from Malaysia.

La San Marco Makes Plans for Mexico

Italian coffee equipment company La San Marco has reached a deal with Mexico-based distributor Cucinamatte to support the Italian brand’s commercial development in Mexico.

Beans & Brews Finds New CEO

Salt Lake City-based franchise-driven coffee chain Beans & Brews Coffeehouse recently named Doug Willmarth its new CEO. Willmarth most recently served as president of the Mooyah burger and shakes chain. 

Dutch Bros Campaign Raises $1 Million+ for Youth Nonprofits

Oregon-based coffee chain Dutch Bros Coffee recently raised more than $1 million for youth-focused nonprofits through its Buck For Kids campaign. For one day, $1 from each drink sold was dedicated to the fundraiser. Local operators donated funds to the nonprofits of their choosing.

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

Asheville Helene

South Asheville, North Carolina, on Sept. 28, 2024. Photo credit: North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Help Small Coffee Businesses Devastated by Helene

Scores of coffee businesses throughout the Southeastern United States are reeling following flooding and human tragedies associated with the storm Helene… read more

VOCAL Alliance Launches, Urges EU Regulatory Compliance Over Pushback

A new consortium of civil society organizations under the acronym VOCAL (Voice of Organizations in Coffee Alliance) launched today, challenging the coffee industry’s prevailing positions on regulatory compliance… read more

JDE Peet’s and TechnoServe Launch $15.3 Million Avanza Café Project

Coffee roasting conglomerate JDE Peet’s and the nonprofit TechnoServe announced the launch of a wide-ranging new sustainability initiative focused on the Central American coffee sector called Avanza Café… read more

Black Sheep Coffee is Counting On Texas with First US Location

The newest member of UK-based Black Sheep Coffee‘s growing flock of cafes is now open in Plano, Texas… read more

Empirical Water Aims for Observable Improvements in Coffee Brewing

A new product aimed at improving and controlling the mineral content of water called Empirical Water swims somewhat against the current, drawing inspiration more from nature than from the chemistry lab… read more

Coffee and Content Creation Combined at NYC’s Coffee Check

A Brooklyn, New York-based consumer tech vlogger went from shooting videos inside coffee shops to opening a coffee shop of his own called Coffee Checkread more

All the Reasons a Cup of Coffee Really Can be Good for You

Consuming too much caffeine is definitely bad for your health, and there may be good reasons why some people want to quit it altogether. But if you despair at the idea of giving up your morning coffee, fear not… read more 

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