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Testi Specialty Coffee photo.
Ethiopian Coffee Sets Auction Record at $727 Per Pound
Ethiopian coffee producer and Testi Specialty Coffee founder Faysel Abdosh made history at his inaugural online auction July 17, when a Sidama Keramo Super Natural lot sold for $1,604 per kilogram ($727.60 per pound), the highest price ever recorded for Ethiopian coffee, according to the organizers. Proceeds will support Project Direct, Abdosh’s nonprofit initiative that educates smallholder farming communities and builds health care facilities and schools.
Report: Trump’s Brazil Tariffs Will Hit U.S. Coffee Consumers Hard
American coffee drinkers should brace for higher prices, as President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian imports takes effect Aug. 1. Since Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer and the top U.S. supplier, consumers will ultimately bear the cost burden of this trade policy, sources told NPR.
Coffee Industry ‘Alarmingly Underprepared’ for EUDR
Actors throughout the global coffee industry are scrambling to meet European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requirements, including traceability demands and proper segregation of compliant versus noncompliant commodities, according to a recent AgTech Navigator report. One source called the industry “alarmingly underprepared.”
Karl Wienhold Leading University of Lisbon Course on ‘The Coffee Chain”
Coffee professionals can now enroll in a new online course taught by University of Lisbon Ph.D. candidate Karl Wienhold and coffee expert Felipe Porphirio Orioli. “The Coffee Chain: Production, trade, and sustainability from socio-ecological, political economic, and management perspectives” runs Sept. 1-24. Registration is available here.
Merit Coffee Raises $30,000 for Texas Flood Relief
San Antonio’s Merit Coffee Co. achieved its highest single-day sales in 16 years on July 12, raising $30,000 for Kerr County flood relief by donating 100% of daily proceeds. Direct donations can be made here.
Farmer Brothers Explores ‘Strategic Options’
Fort Worth, Texas-based Farmer Brothers, parent company of Oregon’s Boyd’s Coffee Co., is reportedly exploring “strategic options” to maximize shareholder value. The company has assembled a strategy committee with financial advisors and legal counsel, though no timeline or specific outcomes have been guaranteed, according to a Just Drinks report.
Peru-Based MistiCoffee Becomes Fully Charitable Enterprise
Peru-based MistiCoffee has completed its integration into Dutch nonprofit foundation PAZHolandesa, making it one of the world’s few coffee brands where all proceeds directly benefit a nonprofit. Each MistiCoffee bag sold generates funds for medical care or free surgeries for Peruvian children born with spina bifida or cleft lips or palates.
Forbes Spotlights Metric Coffee’s Accountability Push
In a new Forbes feature, Chicago-based Metric Coffee Co-Founder Xavier Alexander shared his views on accountability in the specialty coffee industry, including needs for greater transparency, equity and fair producer compensation.
Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea Celebrates 40 Years
Connecticut-based specialty coffee roaster Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea is celebrating its 40th anniversary Aug. 5 at 11 a.m. EST. The New Haven Museum will unveil the company’s original Chapel Street sign and espresso machine in a special public exhibit.
Bottoms Up Coffee Closing Original Shop in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio’s Bottoms Up Coffee will close its original Franklinton location on Sunday after nearly a decade in business, though the current owner is exploring potential relocation sites, according to a Columbus Underground report. The shop’s second location, inside The View on Grant, will remain open.
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Bipartisan Letter From U.S. Reps Urges Coffee’s Exemption from Tariffs
The chairs of the recently inaugurated United States Congressional Coffee Caucus issued a letter with bipartisan support to the head of the U.S. trade agency urging coffee to be exempted from current and future tariffs… read more
Puerto Rican Coffee is Now Officially Served on Capitol Hill
If there’s one thing dysfunctional workplaces could use, it’s an abundance of good coffee… read more
Survey of 20,000 Workers Says Journalists Drink the Most Coffee
A survey of approximately 20,000 workers found that people in journalism and media drink more coffee than people in any other profession… read more
Coffee, Culture and Cars Combine at Chloé Cà Phê in Sacramento
With a Porsche or some other ritzy vintage car usually parked inside, a new coffee shop in Sacramento, California, called Chloé Cà Phê + Roastery is seeking to develop similar high-end appreciation for Vietnamese coffees… read more
Farm Africa Outlines Model for Boosting Farmer Incomes While Curbing Deforestation
The last decade has seen a growing pile of evidence suggesting that coffee grown in agroforestry systems has the potential for numerous environmental and economic benefits over coffee grown on large swaths of deforested, chemical-doused land… read more
Researchers Employ E-Nose to Trace Roasted Coffees Back to Origins
Science has already determined that the very smell of coffee can make people smarter… read more
With MilkID, Milk Gets a Pitcher ID to Enter the Bar
Designed to prevent allergic reactions while also minimizing milk waste in coffee shops, a new color-coded magnet and compatible pitcher system called MilkID recently made its launch… read more
