Coffee News Recap, 1 Nov: Luckin confirms plans to enter US market, 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship rules announced & other stories

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

Editor’s note

The SCA recently announced the rules and regulations for the 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship, which will be held at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston, Texas, US, from 25 to 27 April. Among several updates, competitors are now required to specify the ratios and quantities used in their blends – a sign that precision is becoming an increasingly important part of competing in the World Coffee Championships.

In other news, big chains continue to dominate this week. Chinese coffee giant Luckin confirmed its plan to enter the US market with plans to offer low-cost drinks to beat out key competitors like Starbucks. After rapid expansion across China and an accounting scandal in 2020, Luckin emerged from bankruptcy and successfully opened its first international outlets in Singapore and Malaysia. An entry into the US could mark a significant milestone for the coffeehouse chain.

But for brands like Starbucks, this venture could spell bad news. The company has struggled in recent months following poor sales performance. This week, new CEO Brian Niccol announced that the infamous Oleato olive oil range will be pulled from menus next month. While Niccol cited the move as a way to make baristas’ jobs “easier,” it could be an indication that beverage customisation isn’t the silver bullet the chain hoped it would be.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 28 Oct – SCA announces rules for 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship. The updated rules and scoresheets are the first of the 2025 World Coffee Championships season. Key updates include formalised processes for measuring coffee colour, specifying ratios and quantities used in blends, and expanding the evaluation process to allow more than five descriptors for certain attributes. The 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship will take place at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston, Texas, US from 25 to 27 April. (Irvine, California, US)

• Mon, 28 Oct – The Nero Group expands UK portfolio with acquisition of 200 Degrees. Caffè Nero’s parent company has acquired the independent coffee chain, which was established in 2012 and operates 21 UK stores, including locations in Manchester and Leeds. The Nottingham-based chain also has a roastery and is the fifth brand under the Nero Group, which aims to expand its presence in the UK. (London, UK)

• Tue, 29 Oct – Luckin Coffee confirms plans to enter the US market after reporting strong 2024 Q3 results. The Chinese chain posted a 41% increase in Q3 net revenue, totalling US $1.45 billion and ending with over 21,300 stores in operation. Luckin will focus on cities with high concentrations of Chinese students and tourists, such as New York City, to boost brand recognition and will replicate its affordable coffee pricing strategy to compete with established US coffee chains. (Beijing, China)

• Wed, 30 Oct – Starbucks plans menu overhaul after suspending annual forecast. As part of Niccol’s turnaround pitch, the chain will discontinue its Oleato line of olive oil-infused drinks, remove its non-dairy milk surcharges, promise four-minute wait times, and rein in beverage customisation. Market analysts responded well to Niccol’s announcement, stating the plan is “achievable” and “aspirational”. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Fri, 1 Nov – Coffee futures fall after two days of gains, with more volatility expected. London’s January ICE robusta contract fell to US $4,369/tonne, and New York’s December arabica contract dropped to US 249.60 cents/lb. Speculative positions decreased following Vietnam’s reduced harvest and Brazil’s drought-affected production, although market analysts anticipate heavy rains later this week will ease volatility.

Industry news

• Mon, 28 Oct – CSCOA launches programme to tackle generational poverty. The “Coffee with a Cause” initiative focuses on improving children’s access to quality education and career training. CSCOA noted that around one billion people globally consume coffee daily, highlighting the livelihoods dependent on coffee production. (Pasadena, California)

• Tue, 29 Oct – JAB to acquire Mondelēz’s €2.16 billion stake in JDE Peet’s. The transaction included distributing 43 million shares of JDE Peet’s to over 70 limited partners, raising the company’s free float to 32%. Following these moves, JAB’s stake in JDE Peet’s will increase to 68%. CEO Joachim Creus stated this marks a significant milestone, positioning JDE Peet’s as a more widely held blue-chip company. (Luxembourg)

• Tue, 29 Oct – G7 supports ICO’s Global Coffee Sustainability and Resilience Fund. During the G7 Development Ministers Meeting in Italy, the ICO announced the Global Coffee Sustainability and Resilience Fund aimed at fostering sustainable growth in the coffee value chain through public-private funding. Vanúsia Nogueira, ICO Executive Director, highlighted coffee’s importance for social and economic development, focusing on vulnerable communities, particularly in Africa. (Pescara, Italy)

• Tue, 29 Oct – Veneziano Coffee Roasters reveals new brand identity. The brand refresh includes a new colour palette and packaging, updated cafe signage, and fresh taglines, while maintaining its signature coffee blends and legacy colours to engage younger audiences and strengthen its market position. (Richmond, Australia)

• Tue, 29 Oct – Esquires Coffee wins Best Ethical Coffee Enterprise at Welsh awards. Esquires Coffee’s Caerphilly café, operated by franchisees Julie and John McIlhiney, received the “Best Sustainable Coffee Shop – South Wales” award by SME News. The award highlights the café’s commitment to ethical practices and sustainability. (Caerphilly, UK)

• Tue, 29 Oct – Broadcaster & entrepreneur Maya Jama invests in Sproud. Jama is now a co-owner and strategic advisor at the split pea milk company, and expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting Sproud’s taste, sustainability, and her personal connection to Sweden. (Malmö, Sweden)

• Wed, 30 Oct – Bluestone Lane appoints new CEO. Edie Ames will succeed Nicholas Stone as CEO, who will transition to executive chairman. Ames previously led Tastes on the Fly and has held executive positions at Wolfgang Puck Catering, Morton’s The Steakhouse, and California Pizza Kitchen. (New York City, New York, US)

• Wed, 30 Oct – FairWave acquires Ceremony Coffee Roasters. FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective’s acquisition of Ceremony Coffee Roasters marks its first expansion outside the US Midwest. Ceremony, which operates six cafés in Maryland, is FairWave’s 11th brand. (Kansas City, Kansas, US)

• Thu, 31 Oct – Norway’s Fuglen opens its first café in Seoul. Located in Sangsu, near the Hongdae District, the space reflects Fuglen’s classic café design, blending Norwegian coffee culture with Seoul’s vibrant café scene. (Seoul, South Korea)

New launch

• Mon, 28 Oct – Schaerer launches MilkCheck to optimise milk management and service tasks. The new MilkCheck scale provides real-time, weight-based monitoring of milk container fill levels and cooling chamber temperature, improving refill planning and staff efficiency while preventing machine downtimes. It works with various milk containers and cooling units and will debut at FHA – HoReCa 2024 in Singapore and Gulfhost in Dubai. (Zuchwil, Switzerland)

• Wed, 30 Oct – Aarke launches its new Coffee System. The new brewer features a grinder with AutoGrind technology that calculates optimal coffee-to-water ratios and a thermal-insulated jug. (Stockholm, Sweden)

Milestone

• Tue, 29 Oct – Stumptown Coffee celebrates 25th anniversary. Until 2 November, the pioneering third wave roaster will host live music and coffee-related film nights at its original SE Division café. (Portland, Oregon, US)

Trade & production

Research

• Thu, 31 Oct – World Coffee Research and Cornell launch coffee improvement programme. The US $5 million USAID-backed project aims to protect the livelihoods of 12 million smallholder farmers who produce 60% of the world’s coffee and address climate-related challenges by accelerating the development of resilient, high-quality varieties. (Portland, Oregon, US)

Events

Competitions

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

• Mon, 21 Oct – New York-based Gregory’s Coffee hires new PR agency of record. Powers PR will manage the company’s public relations and brand partnerships, supporting CEO Gregory Zamfotis. The agency will handle PR for new store openings, Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, and an innovative beverage launch in early 2025. (New York City, New York, US)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

Sign up to our weekly coffee news recap to get a summary of all the biggest stories in the sector, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.

Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s coffee news stories and make sure to read the latest Coffee Intelligence News & Opinion piece on why coffee buyers need to adapt to a new era of pricing.