Coffee News Recap, 23 Oct: 2026 World Barista Championship takes place in Panama, Clearpath Coffee & M-Cultivo to host Colombia Legends auction & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Arabica prices climbed on Monday 19 October. The December ICE contract gained 3.3% to close at 315.70 US cents/lb, the highest level for the front-month contract since the last week of August. In London, the January robusta contract rose 2.2% to US$3,480/tonne.

Traders linked the rally to renewed El Niño concerns. Low exchange stocks also played a part, as certified arabica inventories in New York dropped to their lowest level since 1999 in mid-September. Judy Ganes, president of J. Ganes Consulting, told Bloomberg that some traders could be squeezed if stocks remain low. As a result, retail prices have fallen slowly. JM Smucker, which owns Folgers and Bustelo, has postponed planned price cuts, citing the direction of futures markets.

Meanwhile, De’Longhi has increased the control of its professional division, home to La Marzocco and Eversys. The group paid about €662.5m for DLI Limited’s entire holding, lifting its stake from 61.56% to 88.02% and valuing the division at €2.36bn.

Taken together, the two stories pose different challenges for cafés and roasters. On one hand, green coffee costs remain high and unpredictable. On the other hand, sales of premium and automated espresso machines keep rising, as operators seem willing to invest in equipment that supports efficiency.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 19 Oct – Brazil’s Q1 2026/27 coffee exports reach their second-highest levels since 1990. The country exported 11.2 million 60kg bags of coffee between July and September, including green, roasted, and soluble coffee, according to the Brazil Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé). Shipments rose 15.5% from 9.7 million bags exported in the same period of 2025/26. Only the first quarter of 2024/25 saw higher volumes, when exports reached a record 12.2 million bags. (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

• Mon, 19 Oct – Arabica futures hit their highest level since late August following renewed El Niño concerns. The December ICE arabica contract added a further 3.3% to reach 315.70 US cents/lb. In London, the January robusta contract rose 2.2% to close at US$3,480/tonne. In September, Reuters reported that Olam and Louis Dreyfus Company could soon replenish certified stocks during the delivery period for the December contract, which starts on 19 November. (New York City, New York, US)

• Thu, 22 Oct – EU coffee import bill more than doubles since 2015. The value of coffee the EU imports has more than doubled in a decade, according to new Eurostat figures. In 2025, the EU brought in 2.9 million tonnes of coffee in all forms from outside the bloc, equivalent to 48.33 million 60kg bags. Volumes rose by 7% from the 2.7 million tonnes it imported in 2015. However, costs climbed more than 117%, from €8.6bn in 2015 to €18.7bn last year. (Milan, Italy)

• Fri, 23 Oct – The 2027 World Barista Championship begins in Panama. The competition is being held at World of Coffee Panama, the first time the event is taking place in Latin America. Baristas from over 60 SCA chapters will compete for the title of world’s best barista. (Panama City, Panama)

Industry news

• Mon, 19 Oct – Expocacer president named on Forbes Brazil list of top women in agribusiness. Forbes Brazil has named Mariana Velloso Heitor, President of the Board of Directors of the Cooperative of Coffee Growers of Cerrado (Expocacer), among its 100 most influential women in agribusiness. The magazine published the list to mark the International Day of Rural Women. Mariana is the first woman to lead Expocacer’s board, having previously served on its Fiscal Council and as the cooperative’s first female Vice President. (Patos de Minas, Brazil)

• Tue, 20 Oct – Özgür Kızıl releases documentaries on direct trade in Rwanda and Colombia. Turkish green coffee importer and roasting engineer Özgür Kızıl, co-founder of Malkins Green Coffee, has released two independent documentaries on specialty coffee in Rwanda and Colombia. The films examine supply chain ethics, climate adaptation, and the lives of the people behind the coffee, and are now streaming on YouTube. (Istanbul, Turkey)

• Tue, 20 Oct – Lindt & Sprüngli CEO Adalbert Lechner to step down. Lindt & Sprüngli has announced that Group CEO Adalbert Lechner will leave the Swiss chocolate maker, and its board has begun searching for a successor. In the meantime, Vice-Chairman and former Group CEO Dieter Weisskopf takes over as interim CEO with immediate effect. The company also announced a leadership change in Germany and Austria. (Kilchberg, Switzerland)

• Wed, 21 Oct – European Coffee Federation issues container handling guidance. The European Coffee Federation (ECF) has published an infographic setting out best practice for container handling, loading, and documentation. It aims to help shipping lines and logistics providers protect coffee quality from origin to destination. (Brussels, Belgium)

• Thu, 22 Oct – Haraz Coffee House franchisor sues Syracuse café operators. Michigan-based Haraz Coffee House Franchising LLC has filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in Onondaga County against the operators of its café at 125 Marshall Street, near Syracuse University. According to the complaint, the franchisee bought coffee, tea, milk, syrups, and packaging from unapproved suppliers, failed to pay invoices and royalties, and removed the franchisor’s access to the store’s Toast point-of-sale account. (Syracuse, New York, US)

• Thu, 22 Oct – Taco Bell targets US$5bn in beverage sales by 2030. Strong trading at its Live Más Café outlets has prompted Taco Bell to expand the drinks-focused concept. On 15 October, the chain added four horchata-inspired drinks to its café menus, across its Chiller, Cold Brew, and Refresca formats. (Irvine, California, US)

• Thu, 22 Oct – Utopian Coffee wins 2027 Roaster of the Year. Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters and Utopian Coffee have won the Micro and Macro categories respectively at The Roast Magazine’s 23rd annual Roaster of the Year awards. The Micro category covers companies roasting fewer than 100,000 pounds of coffee a year, while the Macro category covers those roasting more. Judges assess coffee quality, sustainability, staff and community education, and commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Fri, 23 Oct – Costa Coffee upgrades 13,000 Costa Express machines. Costa Coffee upgraded the self-service machines to improve drink quality, temperature, cup fill, and service speed. The chain made the changes because customers use self-service machines more often and expect higher standards. (London, UK)

Businesses for sale

• Mon, 19 Oct – Canada’s Recipe Unlimited acquires owner of Greek chains Everest and Flocafé. Canada’s Recipe Unlimited Corporation has agreed to acquire Evergood, the owner of Greek chains including Goody’s Burger House, Everest, Flocafé, La Pasteria, and Jackaroo. Once the deal completes, some of Greece’s best-known food-service brands will come under the control of one of Canada’s largest restaurant groups. (Athens, Greece)

New launch

• Mon, 19 Oct – JING Tea partners with bartender Chris Dennis on limited-edition matcha set. London tea brand JING, which has supplied the Savoy for more than two decades, has worked with bartender and drinks expert Chris Dennis to launch the limited-edition Matcha Bartender Edit set. The set includes a JING matcha shaker, single-garden organic ceremonial-grade matcha and a selection of matcha cocktail recipes. (London, UK)

• Mon, 19 Oct – essential COSTA RICA targets Japan and South Korea with anime-inspired coffee campaign. Costa Rica’s country brand, essential COSTA RICA, has launched a campaign called “Producers of Wellbeing” to attract coffee drinkers in Japan and South Korea. The campaign pairs anime-inspired animation, produced by Costa Rican creatives, with digital content showing Costa Rican coffee and different ways to prepare it. (San José, Costa Rica)

• Tue, 20 Oct – Drinkit launches campaign celebrating its UAE roots. Digital-first coffee chain Drinkit has launched “Proud to Grow in the UAE”, a local campaign featuring three UAE-based artists and homegrown brands Camelicious and Mirzam Chocolate Makers. The campaign includes a limited-edition menu built around regional ingredients and reflects Drinkit’s four years in the country, coinciding with the UAE’s 55th anniversary. (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

• Wed, 21 Oct – Incapto launches ST1 connected espresso machine for professional use. Barcelona-based Incapto has brought its ST1 machine into professional coffee service, targeting high-volume bakeries and quick-service restaurants. The machine has four separate bean hoppers, allowing venues to serve different origins from one unit, and grinds each order cup by cup. It also connects to Incapto’s system, which tracks machine performance, usage and operations. (Barcelona, Spain)

• Thu, 22 Oct – Lavazza opens fifth Hong Kong store and launches buffalo milk latte. Lavazza now has five stores in Hong Kong since opening its first in Central in November 2025, and plans to reach ten in the coming months. The company has also introduced a Buffalo Milk Latte across all its Hong Kong locations, making it the first coffee chain in the city to offer buffalo milk drinks. According to Lavazza, buffalo milk gives a richer, naturally sweet flavour without added sugar. (Hong Kong)

Milestone

• Mon, 19 Oct – Lavazza Group revenue rises to €3.9bn in 2025. Lavazza Group, which operates in 140 markets and owns brands including Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild, and Kicking Horse, has reported a 15.7% rise in revenue to €3.9bn. EBITDA increased by 8.8% to €340m, while net profit reached €92m, up from €82m the previous year. (Turin, Italy)

• Tue, 20 Oct – The Coffee Shops’ 2027 media kit wins Platinum MarCom Award. The Coffee Shops, a group of digital communities covering technology, information, and business in the coffee industry, has won a Platinum Award at the 2026 MarCom Awards for its 2027 Media Kit. The Platinum award goes to entries the judges rate highest for quality, creativity, and resourcefulness. (Portland, Oregon, US)

• Wed, 21 Oct – Porto’s Bakery & Café to open in Ontario. Family-owned Porto’s Bakery & Café will open a new outlet in the City of Ontario, its first in the Inland Empire. Rosa Porto founded the bakery in 1960, and the second and third generations of her family now run the business. (Ontario, Canada)

Trade & production

• Tue, 20 Oct – Brazilian coffees set record prices at international auction. Two Brazilian specialty coffees have fetched the highest prices ever paid for Brazilian coffee at Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) auctions. Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho’s coffee from Fazenda Santuário Sul in Carmo de Minas sold for US$200/lb (US$26,456 per 60kg bag). Meanwhile, Orfeu Cafés Especiais’ coffee from Fazenda Sertãozinho in Botelhos sold for US$151/lb (US$19,974 per bag). (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Research

• Mon, 19 Oct – Kearney PERLab publishes report on the coffee machine industry. Kearney PERLab has released its State of the Coffee Machine Industry: Defining a New Growth Logic report, which examines how coffee drinkers’ expectations are changing. The report draws on research with more than 2,500 coffee drinkers across Europe, the US, and China, as well as physical teardowns of leading coffee machines at Kearney’s Amsterdam lab. Among its findings, consumers have become more selective rather than more demanding. (London, UK)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 19 Oct – Fifth MY Coffee Awards to take place in Barcelona. The fifth MY Coffee Awards will run from 6 to 8 November at Nau Bostik in Barcelona. This year’s edition will include the first speakeasy bar at a coffee event, created by Monin, where visitors can try more experimental drinks. The space will also host workshops with Incapto and Oatly on new techniques, ingredients and preparation methods. (Barcelona, Spain)

• Mon, 19 Oct – National Coffee Association opens registration for 2027 Convention. Registration has opened for the National Coffee Association’s 2027 Convention, which takes place from 4 to 6 March at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas. Organisers expect around 800 industry leaders from across the supply chain, including roasters, manufacturers, traders, retailers, distributors, growers, and suppliers. (Austin, Texas, US)

• Mon, 19 Oct – SIGEP Meets World roadshow visits Warsaw. Italian Exhibition Group and the Italian Trade Agency took their SIGEP Meets World roadshow to Warsaw on 19 October, at an event hosted by the Embassy of Italy. The roadshow aims to help Italian companies expand abroad, and the Warsaw stop presented SIGEP World 2027 and its business opportunities for international operators. (Warsaw, Poland)

• Tue, 20 Oct – Mariya Manerkina wins first Alpine Roasting Championship. Mariya Manerkina of Hamburg’s Codos Coffee has won the first Alpine Roasting Championship, held from 9 to 11 October at Alrighty’s roastery in Munich’s Werksviertel district. Twelve specialty roasteries from the Alpine region roasted the same green coffee on three identical Giesen G15E machines, and an international jury judged the results blind. (Munich, Germany)

• Tue, 20 Oct – TriestEspresso Expo 2026 opens in Trieste. The 12th TriestEspresso Expo runs from 21 to 23 October at the Generali Convention Centre in Trieste, Italy. The programme includes B2B meetings, SCA competitions, a focus on international markets, and analysis of European regulations, alongside sessions on coffee origins, technology, and business development. (Trieste, Italy)

• Tue, 20 Oct – World Coffee Innovation Summit takes place in London. The World Coffee Innovation Summit ran on 21 and 22 October at the QEII Centre and the House of Lords in London. This year’s theme focused on building scalable resilience in coffee and cocoa where climate, finance, and supply chains meet. (London, UK)

• Thu, 22 Oct – Korea Meets LA pairs Korean and Los Angeles cafés. Korea Meets LA, part of the Korea Expo at downtown Los Angeles’ Magic Box Theatre from 22 to 24 October, brings together three pairs of cafés from Seoul and LA. Momos Coffee and Loquat will feature World Brewers Cup finalist Ethan Junseong Park and US Brewers Cup Champion Esther Park. Meanwhile, World Brewers Cup finalist Sang Ho Park of Center Coffee and US Barista Champion Frank La of Be Bright will serve Seoul-inspired drinks, including the Seoul Latte and Omija Tonic. Finally, Seoul’s Naeja & Co. will join LA’s Stereoscope to combine Korean-inspired drinks and desserts with coffee and design. (Los Angeles, California, US)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

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