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Cafe Consultant Erica Escalante Going on Tour
Cafe business consultant Erica Escalante is heading out on The Hello Operator Tour, with the first leg bringing in-person workshops to nine U.S. cities over the next three months. Each stop will feature a $20 “Barista Business” workshop to teach fundamental cafe operations to frontline coffee workers. Select stops will also include a $135 session called “Cafe Budgets 101,” diving into cafe finances for current and aspiring shop owners and managers. Some stops will also include a live Q&A under the banner “The Business of Cafes.” The first stop is in Portland, Oregon, with hosts Guilder Coffee Company and Buckman Coffee Factory. Additional stops are planned for: Tucson, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Essex, Vermont; Oklahoma City; Atlanta; Nashville and Minneapolis. Details and registration are available via Escalante’s Instagram, @escalante_erica.
Mountain Harvest Auction Reaches $350 Per Kilogram, a Milestone for Uganda
Ugandan coffee producer group Mountain Harvest and auction platform M-Cultivo said the inaugural Paradigm Shift auction featured a top lot price of US$350.02 per kilogram for a natural-process Gesha from Rwenzori Estate Farm. According to auction records, the winning bidder was Chinese company CHG. The auction featured a weighted average price of $24.32 per kilogram following more than 1,000 bids from international buyers.
NPR Looks at Coffee’s Role in Early U.S. History
An NPR feature by James Doubek examines coffee’s early role in U.S. history as the country marks its 250th anniversary. The story traces coffee’s presence in colonial America, including early coffeehouses, the Boston Tea Party era and coffeehouses as gathering places for revolutionary ideas.
Color Me Coffee Chosen for Obama Presidential Center
Chicago-based Color Me Coffee has been selected as the sole coffee supplier for the Obama Presidential Center, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. The Black-owned roasting company’s 44 Reserve blend, made with Kenyan, Hawaiian and Indonesian coffees, was created to honor the former president.
Ecom Seeks to Expand Weather Insurance for Vietnam Coffee Farmers
Major coffee trader Ecom Agroindustrial is seeking to expand specialty weather insurance coverage in Vietnam from 500 farmers to 2,500 this year, according to a Bloomberg report carried by The Business Times. The parametric insurance program, piloted five years ago, triggers payouts based on too much or too little rainfall without requiring farmers to prove crop losses.
Hawaii Farm Disaster Grants Open Through July 31
Grant applications remain open through July 31 for Hawaii farmers and agricultural businesses affected by March Kona Low storms. The grants are part of a $300,000 disaster fund raised through the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation and Hawaii Farm Bureau, with awards ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 depending on need.
Connect Roasters and Chicago Cubs Pitcher Launch Hope Blend
Illinois-based Connect Roasters has partnered with Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd and his nonprofit, Kingdom Home, on Hope Blend, a natural-process coffee from Western Uganda. Connect says $3 from each bag supports Kingdom Home’s work with children in Uganda, enough to provide six meals for children in the nonprofit’s care.
Jet Technologies Partners With Neuhaus Neotec in Australia and New Zealand
Sydney, Australia-based Jet Technologies has announced an exclusive partnership with coffee processing equipment specialist Neuhaus Neotec, expanding Jet’s offerings for coffee roasters in Australia and New Zealand. Through the partnership, Jet will offer a range of Neuhaus Neotec equipment and plant solutions.
Mysore Royal Family Launches Specialty Coffee Brand in India
The former Mysore royal family has entered India’s specialty coffee market with Berunda Coffee, a new brand built around three AA-grade, chicory-free coffees from Karnataka. The first coffees are sourced from Chikmagalur, BR Hills and Coorg.
MiiR and SanMar Announce Wholesale Partnership
Seattle-based MiiR has announced a wholesale partnership with SanMar, the largest wholesale imprintable apparel supplier in the United States. MiiR’s apparel and bag collection is expected to become available through SanMar this month, while drinkware and coffee accessories are expected to follow in January 2027 after MiiR’s current Gemline agreement ends.
New from CoffeeIndustryJobs.com
- Shop Manager — Needmore Coffee Roasters
- Green Coffee Procurement — Melitta North America, Inc.
- Café Manager (NOC 60030) — Coffee Mill Canada LTD
- Head Roaster — Port City Java
- Green Coffee Specialist — Intelligentsia Coffee
- Business Development Manager – Specialty Coffee — JNP Coffee
- Growth Marketing Manager — Texas Coffee School
- Coffee Training Professional — Texas Coffee School
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Inside the 2026 Coffee Barometer, Part 1: Prices Swing, Structures Don’t
Record-high commodity coffee prices have not rescued the coffee industry from its sustainability shortcomings, according to the newly released 2026 Coffee Barometer… read more
Illycaffè Taps Westrock for North American Production Push
Italian coffee giant Illycaffè has signed a multi-year strategic production agreement with Arkansas-based Westrock Coffee Company for development and packaging of specific products for the North American market, according to the Italian news agency Ansa and other Italian news outlets… read more
Exploring the Rise (and Measured Drops) of Single-Dose Coffee Dispensers
As specialty coffee purveyors and home enthusiasts have demonstrated a desire to taste as many wonderful coffees as possible, more brands have introduced machines to automate the monotonous task of dosing whole beans heading to single-dose grinders… read more
German Coffee Trader Rehm & Co. Now Part of Sucafina Group
Swiss green coffee trader Sucafina said Hamburg, Germany-based specialty green coffee importer Rehm & Co. has joined the Sucafina Group, expanding the group’s presence in Germany and the broader European specialty market… read more
As Brazil’s Coffee Climate Shifts, Small Farmers Seek New Ways to Survive
Edson Paes, 53, has single-handedly cultivated 12,000 organic Arabica coffee plants on three hectares of land since he was 14… read more
Mathematical Model Offers Insight for Dialing In Espresso
A new study offers a mathematical model for predicting how water flows through a coffee puck, presenting a framework that might ultimately help baristas remove some of the guesswork involved in dialing in espresso… read more
Coffee Generates €84.4 Billion in Direct Value Across the EU, Report Says
Coffee generates €84.4 billion in gross added value and directly supports approximately 1.5 million full-time-equivalent jobs across the European Union’s 27 member countries, according to a new report commissioned by the European Coffee Federation (ECF)… read more
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