Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Andrea Illy, president of illycaffè, has confirmed that a stock exchange listing is “a possibility” but has not set a timeline. Speaking at the Trento Economics Festival, he said the company is “taking it one day at a […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 29 May: illycaffè says stock exchange listing…
Key takeaways The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) recognise and celebrate the best roasters from around the world. Throughout 2025, the competition hosted US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Roasted (roasters based in coffee-producing countries) editions. The 2025 GCA World Championship was recently held at Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) in El Salvador, where Lithuania’s Huracán […]
The post Global…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Specialty coffee is always looking out for the latest varieties and species, and there’s a new addition to the list. Researchers at Kew Gardens have identified a natural hybrid of excelsa and liberica, formally named Coffea × libex, […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 22 May: Scientists discover new…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note The average retail price of ground coffee in the US reached US$9.72/lb in April, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, a 28.91% increase from April 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive all-time high […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 15 May: US retail coffee…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note The EUDR has covered coffee in almost all its forms since the regulation was first proposed, but instant coffee was notably absent from its scope. This omission created a gap that companies could technically exploit: a business could […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 8 May: EUDR set to include…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Nestlé has confirmed it will sell its majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee to Centurium Capital, the private equity firm behind Chinese coffee chain Luckin. The deal, first reported in March 2026, values the roaster at around US$400m, […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 1 May: Nestlé confirms Blue…
Key takeaways Competitions like the World Barista Championship have always rewarded innovation and excellence. Since its debut in Monte Carlo in 2000, the competition has become one of the coffee industry’s biggest and most anticipated events. Over the last 25 editions, the competition has grown in prestige. Baristas often showcase advanced-processed Geshas, “rediscovered” varieties, and […]
The…
Key takeaways Manual brewers like the Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Origami, and Orea are often the choice of World Brewers Cup competitors. But in recent years, a small number of baristas have designed their own. The most obvious recent example is the Binocular Dripper, developed by Mariam Erin, a multi-time UAE Coffee Champion and the […]
The post Why we’re seeing more custom brewers at competitions…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Luckin Coffee’s turnaround over the past six years is one of the more striking stories in the global coffee industry. Founded in 2017 in Beijing, the chain built its model around technology and convenience, growing fast enough to […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 24 Apr: Luckin claims it has…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Coffee competition season is in full swing. The 2026 World Latte Art Championship took place at WoC San Diego last weekend. Over 30 competitors took part, with Taiwan’s Bala ultimately winning the title of World Latte Art Champion. […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 17 Apr: Global Coffee Awards…
Key takeaways Competitions, most notably the World Barista Championship (WBC), are best known for showcasing rare coffees, precise extraction techniques, and an attention to detail that defines specialty coffee. But there is another element to competitions that tends to receive less attention: hospitality. How a barista guides the judges through their routine, manages their presence […]
The post…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Despite positive production forecasts for 2026/27, arabica futures remain elevated, and uncertainty continues to shape the global coffee market. StoneX projects a record 182.5 million bags for the 2026/27 harvest. Brazil is expected to lead that growth, with […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 10…
Key takeaways Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) has hosted events in coffee-producing countries for over ten years, facilitating long-term connections between producers and roasters from around the world. The most recent edition took place on 26 & 27 March 2026 at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador. It coincided with the 2025 Global Coffee […]
The post PRF El Salvador attracts biggest…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note It’s been a huge week for coffee competitions and awards. The US recently crowned Esther Kim and Mehmet Sogan as the 2026 US Brewers Cup and Cup Tasters Champions, respectively. Kim and Sogan will represent the US at […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 3 Apr: Global Coffee Awards MENA announced for…
Key takeaways The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) World Championship took place from 20 to 23 March 2026 ahead of Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) in El Salvador. Throughout 2025, the GCA hosted competitions in the US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Roasted (any coffee-producing country) to recognise the best roasters in these regions and the […]
The post Global Coffee Awards crown world’s best roasters &…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Market uncertainty continues to push coffee prices higher. Arabica futures reached their highest levels since January 2026, climbing to US$3.17/lb, as Brazilian producers held stock in anticipation of further price recovery. Conflict in the Middle East is adding […]
The post Coffee News Recap,…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Recent forecasts of a bumper 2025/26 crop for Brazil have weighed on the coffee market, as the ICO’s latest report shows prices fell by 10% in February. StoneX predicts a record 75.3 million bags for the next harvest, […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 20 Mar: ICO reports a 10% drop in coffee…
Key takeaways Competitions, especially the prestigious World Barista Championship (WBC), are considered the pinnacle of specialty coffee. Winning one is a true achievement that recognises years of dedication, substantial investment in training, and a level of expertise many coffee professionals aspire to. In theory, earning a world champion title is the golden ticket to a […]
The post Winning…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note “America runs on Dunkin'” – but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disagrees. The US Health Secretary recently took aim at the coffee and doughnut chain, alongside Starbucks, for its sugar-laden drinks. Under RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 13 Mar: Brazil &…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Centurium Capital, the main stakeholder in coffee giant Luckin, has agreed to acquire Blue Bottle for just under US$400m, according to multiple Chinese media outlets. Neither party has publicly confirmed the deal. Under the reported terms, Centurium will […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 6 Mar:…
Key takeaways Competitions have long represented the cutting edge of specialty coffee. These events encourage innovation and creativity, enabling baristas to push technical skills and hospitality standards to their full potential. The World Barista Championship is widely considered to be the coffee industry’s most prominent competition. The first edition was held in Monaco in 2000 […]
The post…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note US tariffs sent the coffee industry into a frenzy last year, reshaping longstanding global trade dynamics overnight. Although most coffee products were exempted from import levies in November, many US roasters and importers have yet to feel relief. […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 27 Feb: Supreme…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Coffee prices plunged earlier this week as Conab predicted a bumper 2025/26 harvest for Brazil. Arabica and robusta futures dropped to seven and six-month lows, respectively, as the crop agency announced that it expects Brazil’s 2026 coffee production […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 20 Feb:…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note After months of speculation about Costa Coffee’s future, Coca-Cola has confirmed that it will retain full ownership. Speaking to Bloomberg, CFO John Murphy said Coca-Cola has “no immediate plans to do anything with Costa other than to get […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 13 Feb: Coca-Cola retains…
Key takeaways: On 26 & 27 March 2026, the 11th edition of Producer & Roaster Forum will take place at the Hilton Hotel in San Salvador, El Salvador. This year’s edition will bring together the largest number of roasters so far. Over 4,200 visitors and more than 500 green buyers and international roasters are expected […]
The post PRF El Salvador to attract its biggest roaster attendance ever on…
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Costa Coffee, recently voted the UK’s Favourite Coffee Shop for the 16th consecutive year in World Coffee Portal’s survey, has long dominated the UK market. But according to WCP’s latest Project Café report, Greggs has overtaken Costa to […]
The post Coffee News Recap, 6 Feb: Greggs overtakes…