Coffee News Recap, 30 May: Ethiopia set to hit record US $2bn in coffee export revenue, European countries request further delays to EUDR & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Last year, the EUDR was a central talking point in the coffee industry. However, as sustained high coffee prices and tariffs took effect at the beginning of 2025, the industry’s focus on the EU’s deforestation regulations noticeably waned.

The one-year delay to the landmark legislation, approved in December 2024, effectively “bought” producers, traders, and roasters more time to comply – and may have also exacerbated the shift in priorities.

Recently, 11 EU countries, led by Austria and Luxembourg, have requested that the European Commission delay the application date again and further simplify the requirements.

Given that the EU has already issued a 12-month delay and only classified four countries as high risk, further postponements seem unlikely. However, with European leaders asserting that “the requirements imposed on farmers… remain high, if not impossible to implement,” continuous pushback against the strict regulations is to be expected.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 26 May – Uganda registers 1.7 million coffee farmers ahead of EUDR compliance. The registered producers hold unique IDs in Uganda’s national data warehouse, enabling verification of deforestation-free coffee under EU regulations. This boosts export eligibility and supports agricultural planning, with a target of 2.8 million registrations by year-end. (Kampala, Uganda)

• Tue, 27 May – Ethiopia expected to reach record US $2bn in coffee export revenue. The East African country exported 354,302 tonnes of coffee in the first ten months of fiscal year 2024/25, putting it on track to meet the US $2 billion target set by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. Key export markets include Saudi Arabia, Germany, and the US. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Tue, 27 May – Federal judge dismisses alt-milk upcharge lawsuit against Peet’s. The lawsuit asserted that Peet’s discriminates against people who are lactose intolerant by charging extra for plant milk. A Northern California court ruled the coffee chain’s non-dairy milk pricing policy “neutral”, joining similar dismissals of lawsuits against Dunkin’ and Biggby Coffee. Peet’s will remove all alt-milk surcharges on 4 June. (San Francisco, California, US)

• Wed, 28 May – Eleven European countries request further delays and weaker rules for EUDR. Led by Austria and Luxembourg, a group of 11 countries has demanded the European Commission simplify EUDR rules further and urged delaying its application date again. Leaders assert that the requirements imposed on farmers and foresters remain “high, if not impossible to implement”. (Brussels, Belgium)

• Thu, 29 May – Knoops to debut in US and expand into Middle East and China. The UK specialty hot chocolate and coffee chain will open its first US store in Utah in H2 2025, following its launch in Dubai, and with further rollouts in the Middle East and China planned for later this year. (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Industry news

• Wed, 28 May – Costa Coffee leads Devyani’s portfolio expansion in India. The group added 41 Costa Coffee outlets in the past year, bringing its total to 220 stores and outpacing the growth of its KFC and Pizza Hut brands. Devyani aims to open 50 new Costa locations in the country each year. (Gurugram, India)

• Wed, 28 May – Strauss Coffee sales surge 45.4% in Q1 2025. The group’s revenue rose to NIS 1.388 billion, driven by record performance in Brazil (Três Corações sales up 56.4%) and Central Eastern Europe. Operating profit jumped 43.9% to NIS 55 million despite green coffee cost pressures. (Petah Tikva, Israel)

• Thu, 29 May – Ueshima Coffee lands Tesco listing across 580 UK stores. The House and Fuji Mountain blends are available in ground and whole bean formats, following prior launches in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado, and Amazon, as well as canned RTD drinks in 2024. (London, UK)

• Fri, 30 May – Pact Coffee publishes its 2024/25 Impact Report. The UK roaster processed record volumes, paid farmers 48% above Fairtrade base price, sourced 60% of coffee from women’s groups, funded community projects in the DRC, achieved Scope 1 & 2 neutrality, and is now tackling Scope 3 emissions on its path to net zero. (London, UK)

Businesses for sale

New launch

• Mon, 26 May – Ratio launches new Eight Series 2 brewer. The machine features a flat-bottom, dual-wall stainless steel filter basket, multiple programmed brewing profiles, a heat-retaining lid, and options for glass or thermal carafes. Production and assembly are being relocated to China to support higher volumes. (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Tue, 27 May – Marco launches MilkPal and Pour’d Touch beverage systems. The MilkPal automated hot and cold milk frother includes 35 programmable recipes and self-purging lines, while the Pour’d Touch touchscreen dispenser accommodates hot, cold, and sparkling drinks. (Dublin, Ireland)

• Tue, 27 May – Casadio unveils Ermes Dual dual-mode grinder. The grinder combines on-demand and single-shot modes via a one-tap interface, featuring 75 mm Keber flat burrs with a real-time display, low retention, and up to six programmable recipes. (Bergamo, Italy)

• Wed, 28 May – Jetinno launches JL06 home coffee maker. The fully automatic machine features a 64 mm flat burr grinder with nine settings, adjustable 6–14 g dosing, under-five-minute cold brew preparation settings, and smart app integration for remote control. (Guangzhou, China)

• Wed, 28 May – CremaLoop unveils Slow Feeder Pro. The grinder hopper attachment utilises an adjustable, motor-driven feed to regulate coffee flow into the burrs. The CreamLoop is compatible with grinder brands such as Mahlkönig and Eureka. (Zurich, Switzerland)

• Fri, 30 May – Nespresso and The Weeknd launch Samra Origins collection. Nespresso partnered with the musician’s Samra Origins brand to release the Togetherness Blend, celebrating Ethiopian roots and creativity. The collaboration launches in the US and Canada with branded accessories and exclusive tour tie-ins. (Vevey, Switzerland)

Milestone

• Mon, 26 May – Vietnam’s Every Half secures US $3 million in Pre-Series A funding. The funding comes from Openspace Ventures and DSG Consumer Partners to support a 150% growth plan, expand Every Half’s 14 stores in Ho Chi Minh City, deepen farmer partnerships, and trial e-commerce exports to North America. (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Trade & production

• Mon, 26 May – Mexico is expected to produce 3.9 million coffee bags in 2025/26. Arabica production is projected to rise while robusta is expected to decline slightly. Chiapas, Veracruz, Puebla, and Oaxaca account for 9 out of every 10 bags. Exports are forecast at about 3 million bags, with the US as the top buyer. (Mexico City, Mexico)

• Mon, 26 May – Fiji eyes opportunities in the specialty coffee industry. A delegation from the Specialty Coffee Association and ONA Coffee toured Ra Province farms to plan variety trials, processing sites, and infrastructure, guided by a government working group aimed at developing specialty coffee exports. (Suva, Fiji)

• Wed, 28 May – Banco do Brasil’s agribusiness woes strain coffee sector. New provisioning standards and high rates drove 90-day delinquencies on the bank’s R $400 billion agribusiness book, which accounts for around one-third of the financing for Brazil’s coffee growers, to 3% in 2025 Q1. This has triggered a record number of bankruptcy filings among coffee producers. (São Paulo, Brazil)

• Thu, 29 May – Nicaragua’s 2025/26 coffee output steady amid weather boost and labour woes. USDA forecasts 2025/26 production at 2.58 million bags, driven by improved maintenance and favourable rains. Smallholders remain constrained by labour shortages and input costs. Exports are projected at 2.42 million bags, primarily destined for the US and EU, despite port delays. (Managua, Nicaragua)

• Fri, 30 May – Malaysia labels EUDR rating as outdated. Malaysia’s commodities minister says the EU’s deforestation law, which classifies the country as standard risk, relies on 2020 FAO data and fails to reflect stricter no-deforestation policies and a national certification system. Brussels plans to review its benchmarking in 2026 using new data. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Research

• Mon, 26 May – Coffee waste used to create sustainable packaging ink. Natural Indigo Finland, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, and Cabassi Oy produced a water-based ink from the by-products of coffee production and demonstrated its use in industrial flexographic printing on Paptic fibre packaging, offering a renewable and biodegradable alternative to synthetic pigments. (Tampere, Finland)

Events & competitions

• Wed, 28 May – Bids open for the Legends of Excellence auction. The CoE auction, taking place on 3 June, features rare lots from several producers, including Ernesto Menendez, Benjamin Paz, and Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho. (London, UK)

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

• Wed, 21 May – IFAD co-finances sustainable agriculture programme in Costa Rica. A new US $20 million IFAD-backed initiative will support 90,000 small and medium producers of coffee, sugarcane, and livestock with technical assistance, low-emission practices, shade trees, disease-resistant varieties, digital traceability, and water-efficient infrastructure. (San José, Costa Rica)

• Thu, 22 May – Nescafé will invest an additional R $500 million in Brazil. The company will add 500 million reais to its existing one billion-real investment by 2028, focusing on expanding its Montes Claros factory in Minas Gerais and growing its Nestlé Professional coffee machine network in Brazil’s key market. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Photo credits: Ratio Coffee

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