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Analysis: Brazil’s Deteriorating Port Structure Resulting in Financial Losses
An analysis shared with DCN by Brazilian cooperative Expocacer estimates that in March 2025, Brazil failed to ship approximately 637,000 bags of coffee — the equivalent of nearly 2,000 containers — due to logistical bottlenecks caused in part by deteriorating port infrastructure. That resulted in a loss of approximately $1.568 million in export revenue, according to the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé), as well as an additional $11.72 million in delay-related costs. “Brazilian ports are operating at full capacity — outdated equipment, lack of maintenance, and underinvestment have created an unsustainable situation,” Mario Veraldo, the CEO of logistics company MTM Logix, said in the analysis.
Cafeología Brings Coffee Economy and Finance Course to Mexico City
Mexico-based coffee education platform Cafeología recently announced the third iteration of its Coffee Economy and Finance course (Economía y Finanzas del Café), which will be conducted in Spanish on June 17-20 in Mexico City. Registration is available here.
How Tariffs Disrupted the Launch of Fellow’s New Espresso Machine
Tariffs on China under the Donald Trump administration threw a major wrench in the launch strategy for the first-ever espresso machine sold by U.S.-based equipment maker Fellow, the Espresso Series 1. While the machine was recently on display at the SCA Expo in Houston, a piece in the San Francisco Standard explored the uncertainty caused by tariffs, given Fellow’s reliance on parts manufacturing in China. “Since the company was started in 2013, this has been the most disruptive thing that has ever happened to us,” Fellow CEO Jake Miller told the Standard.
NY Times: Kona Coffee Farms Targeted by ICE
U.S. federal agents from ICE have taken men, women and children into custody in coffee-growing areas of Hawaii’s Big Island, according to multiple reports. The New York Times reported that while overall detention numbers are small compared to big cities, “ICE enforcement actions have sent waves of fear across the rural island, and underscored how the immigration dragnet has expanded, sweeping in men and women with no criminal records, as well as children.”
Wonderstate Coffee Wonders the State of Tariffs
TJ Semanchin, co-owner of Wisconsin’s Wonderstate Coffee, the 2025 Macro Roaster of the Year, recently told Wisconsin Public Radio that new tariffs under the Trump administration could negatively affect farmers in places like Nicaragua, while throwing longstanding supply relationships into question due to higher prices.
ICO Releases April 2025 Market Report
The International Coffee Organization (ICO) released its April 2025 coffee market report, exploring how the threats of tariffs may be affecting trade on a global scale. Read the full report in English here.
New Study Delves into the Fermentation of Coffee Pulp Wines
A group of researchers from China compared two models — the neural network model and the response surface model — to determine the most reliable fit for optimizing the fermentation process of wine made from coffee pulp. The results serve as a technical reference in the production of these wines.
Octane Coffee Plans Milwaukee Expansion After First Store Success
Waukesha, Wisconsin-based Octane Coffee — a fully automated drive-through coffee shop that is open 24/7 without any baristas, lobby or public indoor areas — announced plans to expand in greater Milwaukee, according to an Urban Milwaukee report. The first new locations are planned for Brookfield and somewhere near the airport.
Anthony Kiedis and Live Nation Launch Cold Brew
Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and Live Nation this week launched Jolene, a brand of cold coffee to be sold at Live Nation concert venues. Billboard has more. Live Nation is currently the subject of a major U.S. Justice Department antitrust lawsuit.
Ofi Opens Instant Coffee Factory in Brazil
Global food ingredient supplier Ofi inaugurated an instant coffee factory in Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brazil. In the Conilon coffee region, which produces about 70% of Brazil’s robusta coffee, the factory is designed to operate on 100% renewable electricity using biomass boilers to convert waste from coffee production, according to the company. FoodBev Media has more.
New from CoffeeIndustryJobs.com
- Marketing Director — Spirit Tea
- Finance/Logistics Officer — Gold Mountain Coffee Growers, LLC
- Technical Account Manager SE Region — La Marzocco
- Atlanta Training Manager — Kaldi’s Coffee
- Technical Brand Ambassador – Sales Focus (North America) – Remote — Sovda Coffee
- Barista – Full Time — Glissade Coffee Company
- Roast Plant Supervisor — Kauai Coffee
- Regional Director of Cafe Operations — Lucky Goat Coffee
- Wholesale Sales Manager — Good Boy Bob, Inc.
- General Manager — Good Boy Bob, Inc.
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
TechnoServe Builds a Case for Regenerative Agriculture Investments in Coffee
With research supported by two of the world’s largest coffee companies, the United States-based nonprofit TechnoServe is making a business case for investing in regenerative agriculture in the coffee sector… read more
Tariffs May Come and Go but the Canadiano Seems Here to Stay
On Feb. 5, Invermere, British Columbia-based cafe and roastery Kicking Horse Coffee posted a call to action, urging Canadian coffee shops to rename the Americano as the Canadiano… read more
SCA Launching Tiered Professional Education Pricing Based on Country
The United States- and UK-based Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is rolling out a new tiered pricing structure for its professional education program based on geographic location… read more
SCA Continues Global Advance of CVA through Brazil Specialty Coffee Association Deal
The Specialty Coffee Association is continuing to march forward its new professional coffee cupping system — known as the CVA — through a new deal with the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA)… read more
Ikawa Launches Small but Mighty Pro50X Sample Roaster
Among numerous small roasters drawing long lines at last month’s SCA Expo in Houston was the Ikawa Pro50X, a small-scale, feature-rich sample roaster… read more
Roest Launches New Flagship Sample Roaster, The L100 Ultra
Nordic roaster maker Roest just launched a new flagship sample roaster called the L100 Ultra… read more
Study: Polyphenol-Rich Foods Like Coffee ‘No Doubt’ Reduce Metabolic Syndrome
A diet rich in foods containing polyphenols — which coffee has in spades — can dramatically reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health conditions that is a major risk factor for heart disease, according to newly published research… read more
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