Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week.
Editor’s note
On 17 December, the EU gave its final approval to delay its anti-deforestation law by 12 months, meaning the postponement will now pass into law. The sign-off cements a December 2025 start date for the landmark policy, which had been initially scheduled to begin this month.
While some consider the delay a blow to the EU’s green agenda, it undoubtedly offers relief to companies and trading partners concerned about compliance. For many in the coffee industry, the final approval could not have come at a more pertinent time as arabica and robusta futures continue to climb – exacerbating market conditions and tightening already slim margins. The discourse around passing additional costs onto the consumer is also continuing, with mainstream news outlets reporting on how coffee drinkers “must prepare” for rising prices.
As 2024 comes to an end, it remains an uncertain time for roasters and traders. Consumers are undoubtedly concerned about how much more they will need to start paying for a cup of coffee or a bag of beans, so roasters need to address these worries head-on. Explaining the complexities of the C price and market fluctuations in layman’s terms is by no means simple, but with increased transparency comes better consumer trust and loyalty – both of which have never been more important for roasters.
Top stories of the week
- Wed, 18 Dec – EU finalises 12-month postponement of landmark deforestation law. The Council gave its final approval for the EUDR, which will officially begin in December 2025. The EU will categorise countries as low, medium or high risk for deforestation, determining how rigorously customs authorities will check products and supply chains for compliance. (Brussels, Belgium)
- Wed, 18 Dec – SCA announces 2025 World Coffee Championships rules for WoC Geneva. Following recent World Barista and Brewers Cup Championships rule updates, the SCA has published new regulations for the 2025 World Latte Art, Cup Tasters, Coffee in Good Spirits, and Cezve/Ibrik Championships, which will take place at World of Coffee Geneva from 26 to 28 June 2025.
- WLAC: Updated preparation time when using fully-automatic espresso machines and clearer language around the optional use of a technical judge for competition bodies.
- WCIGS: Minor repositioning of espresso machines allowed and clearer guidelines for drink temperature evaluation.
- WCTC: An increase in the coffee-to-water ratio and better rule clarity.
- WCIC: The judging criteria now align more closely with the WBC and integrates updated evaluation details reflecting the Coffee Value Assessment.
- Thu, 19 Dec – USDA reduces its 2025/26 production estimates. In its most recent report, the USDA predicts global coffee production at 174.855 60kg million bags (compared to 176.235 million 60kg estimated in June) – an increase of 6.9 million bags in 2023/24. The USDA also estimates 2024/25 consumption to reach 168.1 million 60kg bags, representing a 3% increase. (Washington DC, US)
Industry news
- Wed, 18 Dec – Oatly closes Singapore facility to cut costs. The Swedish oat milk brand says the decision was made to accelerate its “asset-light” supply chain strategy and reduce operating costs in Asia. Oatly’s retail and foodservice contracts in the Asia Pacific region will now be supported by existing production facilities in Europe. (Malmö, Sweden)
- Fri, 20 Dec – Nominations open for 2025 SCA Sustainability Awards. The awards programme recognises for-profit and non-profit companies that advance sustainability in the coffee industry. Nominations are open until 31 January 2025 and the winners will be recognised and celebrated at the 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston, Texas. (Irvine, California, US)
New launch
- Mon, 16 Dec – Jimmy Butler’s BigFace Coffee opens first café in Miami. The NBA player’s first brick-and-mortar store opened in Miami’s Design District. The futuristic 2,500 sq ft outlet was designed in collaboration with agency DE-YAN and includes a Modbar espresso machine and Mahlkönig grinders. (Miami, Florida, US)
- Wed, 18 Dec – Huskee expands Renew range with new HuskeeRenew Clear cup. Available exclusively for wholesale purchase, the HuskeeRenew Clear is made with Tritan Renew 50, a high-performance material that is certified 50% recycled post-consumer plastic and has a glass-like appearance. (Sydney, Australia)
Milestone
- Thu, 19 Dec – Eureka opens Mignon Factory and launches three new grinders. Located next to a showroom opened in June 2023, the Mignon Factory represents another milestone in the company’s ambitious growth plan. The coffee equipment manufacturer aims to double the size of its historic Sesto Fiorentino plant and establish a new Tuscan facility outside of Florence. New grinders include the Mignon Libra 65 All Purpose, the Mignon Zero 65 All Purpose, and the Mignon Single Dose Pro. (Florence, Italy)
Trade & production
- Mon, 16 Dec – Fairtrade reinforces that high coffee prices aren’t directly benefitting farmers. The Fairtrade Foundation expressed concerns that recent coffee price hikes, while appearing beneficial, often fail to support farmers, with less than 10% of the global coffee industry’s US $200 billion wealth remaining in producing countries. Volatility from extreme weather in Brazil and Vietnam creates instability, hindering long-term farmer resilience. (London, UK)
- Fri, 20 Dec – GrowGround supports more than 5,800 Kenyan coffee farmers to plant over 1 million trees. The Danish agrotech start-up helped producers convert more than 3,500 ha of aged farmland to biodiverse, carbon-sequestering agroforestry systems. With the support of GrowGrounds’ expertise in coffee, agroforestry, and carbon sequestration, Kenyan farmers will adopt syntropic farming practices to bolster their long-term resilience. (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Research
Events
- Thu, 19 Dec – The 2024 Yunnan Coffee Flavour Map brings together over 350 cuppers from ten countries. The fourth edition of the event took place across multiple locations, with attendees tasting more than 400 Yunnan coffee samples. Industry experts from experts from Kenya, Mexico, the US, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and China attended and spoke at the event and over 50 competitors took part in an on-farm brewing competition. (Yunnan, China)
- Fri, 20 Dec – The 2025 ASIC Conference to take place from 27 to 31 October. The 30th annual conference will be held in Lisbon, Portugal. The theme of next year’s event will be “towards more sustainable coffee” and will have specific focuses on coffee plant science and farming, processing, quality, and health. (Allenwinden, Switzerland)
- Mon, 16 Dec – DMCC to auction rare and exclusive coffees at the 2025 World of Coffee Dubai. As part of a strategic partnership between the DMCC and WoC Dubai, international producers can submit their coffees to the auction. Around 20 spots are available and all coffees must score at least 92 points. The auction will take place from 10 to 12 February at WoC Dubai. (Dubai, UAE)
Competitions
- Fri, 20 Dec – The Barista League announces new format and rules for 2025 events. The inclusive competition, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year, will host six regional events in 2025. Each event will bring together baristas, leading companies, renowned roasters, and special guests from across different continents. Dates and locations include:
- Europe: Prague, Czech Republic on 29 March
- Latin America: Guadalajara, Mexico on 8 May
- Asia: Tokyo, Japan in June
- North America: Montreal, Canada on 11 September
- Africa: Johannesburg, South Africa on 4 October
- Pacific: Sydney, Australia in November
Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look:
- Thu, 12 Dec – Indonesia’s Fore Coffee to open 60 new outlets in 2025. The Jakarta company expanded rapidly in 2024, reaching 230 locations across Indonesia and Singapore. CEO Vico Lomar attributes this growth to a three-tier strategy focusing on major cities and smaller regional markets. The chain plans to open a second site in Singapore in 2025 and appointed WBC champion Mikael Jasin as a brand ambassador to drive innovation. (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Photo credits: The Barista League
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