The US has always loved coffee – most notably with its penchant for drinking filter – so it comes as no surprise that consumption is on the rise in the country.  According to the latest data from the National Coffee Association, over two-thirds of American adults reported drinking coffee the previous day (which is more than any other beverage, including tap and bottled water). The NCA says this number has increased by 37% since 2004 – marking the highest levels in over 20 years. What’s more, the amount of people in the US drinking specialty coffee in the past week has also increased by 7 ..read more

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. In fact, in the National Coffee Association’s most recent 2024 National Coffee Data Trends report, 67% of US adults said they drank coffee the previous day – marking a 20-year high for coffee consumption in the country. The report also found that US specialty coffee consumption was up by 7.5% on the previous year, with espresso-based drinks leading the trend. So as the global specialty coffee market grows, so too does consumer knowledge and interest – especially alongside a huge focus on consumer education following the pandemic. Essen ..read more

Although it’s incredibly rewarding, running a roastery certainly comes with its own set of challenges. And the past few years have been particularly difficult to navigate – with a volatile C price, supply chain issues, and economic downturn, to name a few hurdles. So to tackle these issues – and remain profitable in an increasingly competitive market – roasters need to be creative. But in order to have the bandwidth to stay innovative, roasters need to seamlessly consolidate and streamline their operations and systems.  Inevitably, this means a growing reliance on technology that can impr ..read more

For centuries, many producers have been growing coffee with other cash crops for a number of reasons. But in recent years, with climate change, an increasingly volatile market, and growing international competition, coffee farmers have had to explore other ways to diversify. Many producers aren’t able to take on much risk, largely because they are already operating at levels that barely allow them to make ends meet. But one of several ways to adapt successfully is crop diversification – a farming practice whereby producers grow different crops that don’t compete for similar nutrients and resou ..read more

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week.  Here are this week’s stories – the word of the week is competitions. Mon, 8 Apr The Barista League to return to Mexico City on 18 April. This will be the third edition of the event in Mexico’s capital, and will be held at Supremo on Calle Dr. Carmona y Valle 147. Judges will include 2023 World Brewers Cup Champion Carlos Medina. Arabica prices hit 18-month high as hedge funds switch from cocoa to coffee. Following rising demand after robusta supply shortages in Vietnam, arabica future ..read more

On Friday 12 April, the Specialty Coffee Expo will return to Chicago, Illinois. The annual event is one of the biggest – and most important – in the global coffee industry, with thousands attending every year. Expo brings together coffee professionals from across the supply chain – from roasters to producers to equipment manufacturers to coffee business owners. Here, attendees get the chance to network, establish new connections and partnerships, and see the latest innovation in specialty coffee. Read on to learn more about what’s happening at the 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo, as well as who is ..read more

To secure a sustainable future for the coffee industry, reducing carbon emissions is absolutely essential. Although all levels of the supply chain produce emissions – from roasteries to the transportation of coffee – the focus is often on coffee farms. Many would agree that it’s never been more important to minimise the environmental impact of coffee production. In January 2024, the European Union’s climate service reported that the previous year was the hottest on record – driven by human-induced climate change. Rising air and sea temperatures, as well as unpredictable weather patterns and mo ..read more

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week.  Here are this week’s stories – the word of the week is events. Mon, 1 Apr TORR Industries announces merger with Brew Bomb. TORR Industries has acquired a majority stake in Brew Bomb – a cold coffee brewing solution manufacturer. The acquisition will merge TORR Industries’ HIVE BREW system with Brew Bomb’s IoT capabilities. Raymond Buerger will lead TORR’s coffee division, aiming to advance its coffee extraction technology. Oatly introduces Malmö Oat Milkers as Minor League Baseball’s ..read more

The specialty coffee industry is always on the lookout for emerging origins to experience new flavours and untap the full potential of coffee quality. So with the recent news that Nespresso pledges to invest US $20 million in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) coffee sector, interest from specialty coffee roasters is also likely to rise. In recent years, the DRC has been considered a “reemerging” specialty coffee origin – with high-quality arabica production steadily increasing. But it seems we’re still yet to see the country’s coffee sector reach the heights it once did just a few decad ..read more

Assessing coffee quality is an absolutely essential step in the supply chain. Without standardised measures of grading and scoring coffee, industry professionals would struggle to communicate key information – and producers may not receive fair prices for their hard work. For decades now, the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scoring system has been the most commonly used method to evaluate coffee’s sensory characteristics and overall quality. The SCA’s protocol serves an important purpose, creating a universal methodology and shared language for coffee professionals to objectively eval ..read more