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Cup of Excellence and ACE Partner With Siip
Cup of Excellence and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence have partnered with consumer subscription platform Siip to make award-recognized coffees and their producers more visible to coffee drinkers. ACE said member brands will be made visible in the Siip app automatically, with no additional setup or integration required. Siip launched its app in 2022, offering personalized coffee subscriptions. The company says it has more than 10,000 users.
CQI Names Felipe Fallas Naranjo Program Coordinator
The Coffee Quality Institute said Felipe Fallas Naranjo has joined the nonprofit as program coordinator. CQI said Fallas Naranjo has been working to strengthen coffee quality and sustainability in smallholder systems since 2016 and is pursuing a master’s degree in project management at Costa Rica’s Instituto Tecnológico.
Starbucks Korea Chief Fired After ‘Tank Day’ Promotion Backlash
Starbucks Korea chief Sohn Jeong-hyun was fired after a “Tank Day” tumbler promotion launched on the anniversary of the May 18, 1980, Gwangju Uprising sparked widespread backlash in South Korea. The campaign prompted boycott calls, drew criticism from President Lee Jae Myung and was later withdrawn, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.
GCP Seeks Public Input on Sustainability Reference Code
The Global Coffee Platform has opened a public consultation on the 2026 review of its Coffee Sustainability Reference Code and Equivalence Mechanism. GCP said stakeholders across the coffee value chain can submit feedback from May 19 through June 19.
Law Firms Circle Black Rock Coffee Bar Following Q1 Stock Drop
Several law firms have issued shareholder-investigation notices involving Scottsdale, Arizona-based Black Rock Coffee Bar following the company’s May 12 Q1 earnings announcement. Notices from firms including Pomerantz LLP, Kirby McInerney LLP, The Schall Law Firm and The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz point to the company’s September 2025 IPO, missed consensus estimates for earnings and revenue and a roughly 30% share-price slide. The underlying Q1 report showed revenue of $55.5 million, up 23.7% year over year, along with 5.2% same-store sales growth and nine new store openings. As of this writing, none of the notices had yet resulted in a class-action complaint.
Hong Kong’s Lantau Bean Project Draws New Attention
A CNN Travel report follows Hong Kong roaster Ringo Lam’s effort to grow coffee on Lantau Island, which sits just inside the global coffee belt at roughly 22 degrees north. Coverage of the project says Lam brought back 100 coffee seeds from Panama, about 80 sprouted, and roughly 25 farmers are now tending about 400 coffee trees on the island.
ICO Says April Composite Coffee Price Fell 2.7%
The International Coffee Organization said its April 2026 Coffee Market Report showed the ICO Composite Indicator Price averaging 266.24 U.S. cents per pound, down 2.7% from March. The ICO said the market was weighing higher shipping and oil costs against an improving global supply outlook.
North Carolina’s High Five Coffee Seeks to Rebuild After Alleged Arson
A Gofundme organized by Black Mountain, North Carolina-based Dripolator Coffee is raising money to help High Five Coffee rebuild and support staff after a fire destroyed the company’s Riverside location in Woodfin, North Carolina. The fundraiser says the fire was intentionally set by someone unrelated to the business, while local news outlets reported police arresting a suspect.
Taco Bell is Launching Cold Brew
Taco Bell said it is launching its first cold brew lineup on May 21 at Live Más Cafes in Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas and Southern California. The permanent menu features cold brew topped with Purple Velvet Cream, Caramel Dulce Cream or Vanilla Cream cold foam. The company said the cold brew launch is part of a broader effort to reach $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030 as the brand continues to expand into new categories.
Dunkin’ Brings Back 48-Ounce Iced Beverage Buckets
Dunkin’ said it is bringing back its Iced Beverage Buckets beginning May 22 at participating U.S. locations while supplies last. The 48-ounce buckets can be filled with iced coffee or Dunkin’ Refreshers, while the company said it has more bucket-related surprises in store.
New from CoffeeIndustryJobs.com
- Sales Support Assistant — La Marzocco
- FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIANS NEEDED — Melitta North America, Inc.
- Quality Assurance Technician – $5,000 Hire Bonus — Kauai Coffee Co.
- Roast Plant Operator – $5,000 Hire Bonus — Kauai Coffee Co.
- GROWTH MARKETING MANAGER — Texas Coffee School
- Coffee Training Professional — Texas Coffee School
- Business Development Manager – Boston — Intelligentsia Coffee
- Sales Manager – Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee — Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee
- Roastmaster Owner-Partner — Fermentorium
- Head Roaster — Pax and Beneficia
- Office, Sales and Marketing Assistant Manager — Artisan Coffee Imports
- Territory Sales Manager – Boston/New England — Numilk
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
U.S. Grocery Coffee Prices Hit All-Time Average High in April
The average price of a pound of roasted ground coffee at U.S. grocery stores reached $9.72 in April 2026, marking the highest level on record since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the figure in 1980… read more
The Mago Maga Roma-X Promises High-Tech Roasting for the Home
Chinese coffee equipment brand Mago Maga has introduced the Roma-X, the third generation of its 300-gram-capacity Roma Pro fluid-bed home roaster… read more
Paraxanthine, a compound the body naturally produces when it breaks down caffeine, is starting to appear in energy drinks and even some coffee products as a potential caffeine alternative… read more
Florida Coffee Shop Owner Sues New York Real Estate Giant, Alleges Fraud
The owner of Drip Coffee, a single independent coffee shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has accused commercial real estate giant Kimco Realty of fraudulently inducing the business to sign a lease at a shopping center slated for major redevelopment… read more
Ecotact Introduces TraceIQ for Green Coffee Shipment Tracking
India-based packaging and storage company Ecotact has launched the Trace IQ, a real-time environmental and location monitoring device for green coffee in transit… read more
The DiFluid Moment Offers a Digital Tasting Experience for Cafe Guests
Expanding upon its existing array of data-gathering and analytical tools, Chinese coffee equipment maker DiFluid is turning toward service with its latest product, a beverage thermometer called the Moment that displays tasting notes and gathers customer feedback as a cup cools… read more
Wanderlust Coffee Turns a Corner with Second Indiana Cafe
Wanderlust Coffee has opened its second cafe in West Lafayette, Indiana, offering elements that may be be familiar to fans of Wanderlust’s original location in Lafayette while venturing into some new territory… read more
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