Coffee News Recap, 20 October 2023

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week.

Here are this week’s coffee news stories.

Mon, 16 Oct

• CostaX unveils new Podio capsule machines at HostMilano 2023. The Costa Coffee subsidiary’s Podio X1 and X2 machines are targeted at hotels, restaurants, bars, and workspaces. The capsule systems feature plug-and-play functionality, intuitive interfaces, and smart connectivity. CostaX machines will be available from early 2024.

• UK Coffee Week takes places to raise funds for Project Waterfall. Thousands of coffee shops, roasters, and consumers are taking part to raise funds for the initiative. This year, Project Waterfall will use donations to provide coffee-producing communities in Berbere, Ethiopia with clean drinking water, sanitation, and educational opportunities.

Tue, 17 Oct

• AeroPress launches new range of accessories. AeroPress owners can now customise their brewers with decorative lids and sleeves. New products also include the AeroPress Organiser Stand – which features separate compartments for the brewer, stirrer, filter cap, and paper filters – and the AeroPress Carafe, which is the only carafe specifically designed for the AeroPress.

• Cimbali Group unveils rebranding at HostMilano. Formerly known as Gruppo Cimbali, the company’s rebrand includes a new name, corporate identity, logo, and branding colours. The reveal took place at HostMilano, where the company hosted a large booth.

• Panel recordings of first-ever Ally Open Summit available on YouTube. The panel discussions featured several international industry experts, leaders, and competitors, including 2022 World Coffee Roasting Champion Felix Teiretzbacher, 2022 World Brewers Cup Champion Sherry Hsu, 2022 US Barista Champion Morgan Eckroth, and 2022 US Cup Tasters Champion Julien Langevin.

Wed, 18 Oct

• Voting opens for SCA Germany, Ukraine, and UK Chapter elections. Voting for all three Chapter Committee elections closes on 25 October, with results to be announced on 1 November.

• SCA Norway Chapter announces new committee members. Six coordinators have been elected to the national committee:
  • National Coordinator: Marit Lynes
  • Community Coordinator: Tobias Abrahamsen
  • Education Coordinator: Madelein Solheim Johnsen
  • Judges Coordinator: Espen Stokkan Smith
  • Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Lise Romo
  • Events Coordinator: Stig Morten Hiller

• Trabocca celebrates its 20 anniversary. The Dutch company hosted celebrations at its offices in Amsterdam, Addis Ababa, and Minneapolis – reflecting on its growth and dedication to sourcing traceable coffees.

Thu, 19 Oct

• EL&N makes its debut in Poland. The UK boutique café chain has opened a store in Warsaw, Poland – marking its 18th outlet in Europe and 35th in the world. The store is located in the Westfield Arkadia shopping centre.

• Coffee futures increase sharply on tight supplies. The arabica contract for December delivery increased by 3.73%, while the corresponding robusta contract increased by 3.14%. Global coffee inventories continue to shrink, with El Niño expected to increase prices further.

Fri, 20 Oct

• This year’s Taiwan & Korean AeroPress Championships scheduled for 28 October. The Taiwanese competition will be hosted by Sunbear Co. at CMP Park2 in Taichung City, while 180 Coffee Roasters will host the Korean event at Gute Leute in Seoul. The winners will go on to represent their countries at the 2023 World AeroPress Championship in Melbourne, Australia from 1 to 3 December.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

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