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Weekly Coffee News: A Pre-Grind AI Blender + Legacy Brand Refreshed

Welcome to DCN’s Weekly Coffee News! Subscribe here for all the latest coffee industry news. Also, check out the latest career opportunities at CoffeeIndustryJobs.com.

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Japanese Company Introduces Pre-Grind Blender with AI

At the recent CES consumer tech show in Las Vegas, Japanese brand Mihatama rolled out the Flavor Craft AI, a mobile app and related machine designed to determine users’ tastes prior to dosing different coffees for a blend. The Flavor Craft algorithm considers factors like acidity, astringency, bitterness, richness and strength. Along with the CES appearance, the startup is readying an Indiegogo campaign.

Boyd’s Coffee Refreshes Brand for Direct-to-Consumer Sales 

The 125-year-old coffee brand Boyd’s Coffee recently unveiled new branding as part of a new direct-to-consumer sales approach. The company was acquired by Texas-based Farmer Brothers Coffee in 2017.

Aēralab Steaming System now Available for Order

Three years after its debut at Host Milano 2021, automatic milk steaming device Aēralab is finally on the market, with shipping available within Europe. The device promises to identify any type of milk used and automatically adjust its foaming recipe to steam it accordingly.

Designer Brand Coach Opened its First Coffee Shop in NJ

Fashion brand Coach opened its first ever Coach Coffee Shop last month at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, according to a nj.com report. The provenance of the coffee was not noted.

Gregorys Coffee Opening Shops in Bay Area 

New York chain Gregorys Coffee is expanding into the Bay Area with two new mall locations.  The chain, known for its quirky drink names, was founded nearly two decades ago in Manhattan by Gregory Zamfotis. Gregorys Coffee is approaching 50 stores nationwide.

Blank Street Opens Largest Cafe in Downtown Brooklyn

Quick-service specialty coffee purveyor Blank Street opened its largest location this week in Downtown Brooklyn, according to a BKReader report. Spanning 1,700 square feet, the store sprawls in comparison to Blank Street’s many kiosks and small-format bars dotting New York, Boston, Washington D.C. and the UK.

Truck Collision Causes one to Slam into Autumn Coffee Shop

A recent truck collision in  downtown Gresham, Oregon, caused significant damage to the new Autumn Coffee Roasting cafe, which Greshamite Andrew Hume and the staff just opened last November. A Gofundme page to support rebuilding is here.

Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea Workers Form Union

Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea workers voted earlier this week to unionize in Milwaukee, following a petition that originated in November, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. Fairgrounds is owned by the Chicago-based firm Infuse Hospitality.

Nescafé Launching Espresso Concentrate

In an announcement in which Nestlé described itself as “the world’s largest coffee producer,” instant coffee subsidiary Nescafé announced the launch of an espresso concentrate for U.S. markets next month.

Minus Coffee Releases Beanless Instant Vanilla Oat Milk Latte

Minus Coffee, the San-Francisco-based maker of coffee-free products designed to resemble coffee, recently introduced an “Instant Vanilla Oat Milk Latte.” The products include bags of instant drink powder, with the finished cups containing approximately 50 milligrams of caffeine, according to the company.

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

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Coffee Holding Co. Sues Texas Broker Over Missing Coffee Shipment

New York-based green coffee trading and roasting company Coffee Holding Co. filed a lawsuit accusing a Texas-based logistics broker of contract and negligence after a coffee shipment worth more than $84,000 went missing… read more

Compass Coffee Co-Founder Sues Owners, Alleging Fraud

The co-founder of Washington D.C.-based specialty coffee chain Compass Coffee is accusing the company and two of its current owners of a multi-year fraud scheme, misuse of federal COVID-19 relief funds and various contract violations… read more

Third Wave Water Acquires Perfect Coffee Water

Ohio-based water mineralization product maker Third Wave Water (TWW) has acquired fellow coffee water specialist Perfect Coffee Water (PCW)… read more

Costa Rica Study Shows Promise for Low-Elevation Arabica Hybrids in Shade

A groundbreaking multi-year study on coffee agroforestry in Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands revealed promising strategies to expand coffee cultivation into non-traditional regions… read more

Cafe Kreyol Gets Bigger with 10,000-Square-Foot HQ in Virginia

Virginia-based Café Kreyol, the 2023 Roast magazine Roaster of the Year in the macro category, recently relocated into an expanded production facility… read more

World’s First Air-to-Water Coffee Machine Appears at CES

Water, the stuff that typically accounts for more than 90% of any finished brew, is commanding increased attention in the coffee sphere… read more

Prima Coffee Equipment Opens Brick-and-Mortar Store in Louisville

Online coffee equipment seller Prima Coffee Equipment this month opened a brick-and-mortar store in its home city of Louisville, Kentucky, stocking it top to bottom with a wide selection of home and professional coffee gear… read more

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