Coffee News Recap, 2 May: Black coffee is “healthy” under new FDA rule, Brazil port delays prevent shipment of more than 630,000 bags of green coffee & other stories

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

Editor’s note

According to data from Cecafé (the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council), ongoing port delays in Brazil have prevented the shipment of over 637,700 bags of green coffee in March 2025. The council’s technical director emphasised the impact on not just the international market, but also on domestic producers, who are already strained by prolonged droughts.

As the C price rises, albeit falling sharply on Friday amid uncertainty over demand, the implications of these delays are likely to drive it even higher. Key consuming markets, such as the US and EU, are already experiencing stockpile shortages. Given Brazil’s leading position in the global market, the situation is likely to worsen following the sharp decline in shipments.

In more promising news, the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to automatically classify black coffee as “healthy” officially came into effect on 28 April. The ruling pertains to coffee with fewer than five calories per 12oz serving; black filter coffee averages 3.55 calories.

Although it’s a milestone for the coffee industry, the ruling tells us nothing new; black coffee has always been a healthy beverage choice. Free from sugars and fats, and naturally low in calories, black filter coffee also boasts several scientifically backed health benefits, including improvements in cardiovascular health and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Nevertheless, the ruling is likely to profoundly reshape consumer behaviour. We can expect more people to move beyond seeing coffee as an energy source and start considering its broader impact on long-term health and wellness, opening up new market opportunities for producers, traders, roasters, and retailers.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 28 Apr – Vietnamese coffee exporters shift focus from US to EU, China, and Japan. Coffee prices rose by US $480 per tonne after a 10% US tariff, prompting Intimex to diversify into the EU, China, and Japan and improve quality, branding, and cost efficiency. The US remains a key market for Vietnamese exporters, but Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia have a competitive edge with lower initial US tariffs. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

• Tue, 29 Apr – MTPak Coffee launches sustainable drip coffee bags and filters. The company’s new range of recyclable and compostable drip coffee bags and filters are designed for single-serve pour over brewing. MTPak Coffee offers full customisation, low MOQs, and sample drip coffee bags and filters for roasters to test out the new product. (Shanghai, China)

• Tue, 29 Apr – Lawsuit alleges slavery and trafficking in Starbucks’ Brazilian supply chain. International Rights Advocates filed the lawsuit on behalf of eight Brazilian coffee farm workers, who claim they lived in slave-like conditions and had the costs of their transportation, food, and equipment deducted from their pay.
  • The lawsuit alleges that Starbucks violated US trafficking laws by continuing to buy coffee from a major exporter after claims of trafficking and forced labour violations were repeatedly filed. Starbucks said it only purchases coffee from a small number of Cooxupe’s members, and that the claims are “without merit”.
  • Watchdog group Coffee Watch also filed a Section 307 petition to block US imports of coffee produced with forced labour in Brazil. The petition specifically targets major brands like Starbucks, Nestlé, JDE Peet’s, illy, and McDonald’s. (Washington, DC, US)

• Wed, 30 Apr – Monoware launches new Barista Collection cup series. The range includes two types of cups optimised for both functionality and aesthetics. The Cafe Cup is a traditional-shaped cup with a handle designed to fit comfortably in baristas’ hands, while the Savour Cup is a minimalist, handle-less vessel designed for more mindful drinking. (London, UK)

• Wed, 30 April – UK watchdog bans capsule ads over compostability claims. The ASA banned adverts by Lavazza UK and Dualit for labelling pods and bags as compostable, ruling these could only be processed industrially and not in home compost, which misled consumers about their disposal options. (London, UK)

Industry news

• Mon, 28 Apr – SCA and Colombian Coffee Growers Federation partner on CVA initiative. The agreement, signed at Houston’s Specialty Coffee Expo, integrates the SCA’s Coffee Value Assessment, which the association says will enhance differentiation and equitable pricing for Colombian specialty coffees. Joint training and data sharing aim to align producer practices with global market trends. (Houston, Texas, US)

• Mon 28 Apr – Starbucks union rejects company offer of 2% pay raise. Workers United reported 81% of 490 baristas at more than 550 unionised US stores rejected a proposal guaranteeing annual raises of at least 2% without improvements to benefits, halting progress despite tentative agreements on safety measures and withdrawn lawsuits. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Mon 28 Apr – Krispy Kreme adds former Kraft Heinz and Starbucks executives to board. The brand nominated Bernardo Hees and Patrick Grismer, along with Easwaran Sundaram and Gordon von Bretten, to its board, pending shareholder approval, and will form a strategy and operating committee to drive US expansion and operational efficiency. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US)

• Tue, 29 Apr – Nestlé appoints Jeff Hamilton as CEO Zone Americas as Steve Presley retires. After nearly 30 years at Nestlé, Presley stepped down on 30 April, succeeded by Jeff Hamilton, currently CEO of Purina PetCare Zone Europe. Hamilton’s career spans leadership roles in Canada, the US and Asia since 1991 and includes an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. (Vevey, Switzerland)

• Tue, 29 Apr – JAB founder Peter Harf will retire after 40 years. Harf will also step down as managing director of the Alfred Landecker Foundation, but will continue to serve as board chair for the parent company of JDE Peet’s. Co-CEOS Joachim Creus and Frank Engelen will continue leading JAB, with Creus as chair and Engelen as vice chair. (Luxembourg)

• Wed, 30 April – Coca-Cola coffee sales dip 2% in Q1. The company posted a 2% net revenue decline in Q1, mirroring a 2% unit case volume drop in its coffee segment. APAC and EMEA markets weighed on results, while growth in Latin America offset sparkling beverage declines. (Atlanta, Georgia, US)

• Thu, 1 May – Costa Coffee partners with Jet2 to serve hot drinks on flights. From 1 May, passengers on Jet2 flights can purchase Costa’s lattes, salted caramel lattes, cappuccinos, and decaf coffee. The partnership extends to Jet2Holidays package tours across six UK bases in Leeds, Manchester, Belfast, Newcastle, Blackpool, and Edinburgh. (London, UK)

• Fri, 2 May – Starbucks will slash store remodel spending with a new uplift strategy. The chain plans to slash remodel costs from US $800k to US $1 million to around US $150,000 per store with a new “coffeehouse uplift” approach, while maintaining outlet expansion, boosting staff, and deploying service technology under the “Back to Starbucks” plan. (Seattle, Washington, US)

Businesses for sale

New launch

• Thu, 1 May – Royal Coffee opens Addis Ababa office and cupping lab. The US importer established a permanent presence in Addis Ababa with a new office and fully equipped cupping lab overseen by Q grader Segenet Gashaw and operations led by Haileyesus Andualem, aiming to expand its Ethiopian supplier network, support smallholders, and streamline logistics. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Thu, 1 May – Huskee expands HuskeeSteel range with new 3 oz cups. The new double-walled 3 oz steel cups are part of the HuskeeLoop recycling programme. The cups are made from 91% post-consumer recycled stainless steel with a ceramic-lined option. (Brisbane, Australia)

Milestone

• Thu, 1 May – Flash Coffee secures US $3m to accelerate Indonesian expansion. Led by TA Ventures with support from White Star Capital, Flash Coffee raised the funds to accelerate national growth. The chain plans to surpass 70 outlets, enter two new cities, and roll out its refreshed store concept. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Trade & production

• Mon, 28 Apr – Colombian coffee growers switch to cacao as temperatures rise. Smallholder coffee farmers are planting cacao to escape heat stress and pest and disease pressures as temperatures rise, replacing coffee on hundreds of hectares. Agronomists warn this shift risks deforestation and increased chemical inputs despite cacao’s resilience. (Pereira, Colombia)

• Wed, 30 Apr – Arabica prices regain momentum on Brazil’s uncertain outlook. July ICE arabica futures rose 2.6% to US $4.10/lb, supported by weather concerns and Brazil’s uncertain crop outlook, but have since fallen to US $4/lb. London July robusta contracts dipped to US $5,413/tonne amid tariff reprieves and shifting market sentiment. (New York City, New York, US)

Research

• Mon, 28 Apr – Regular and moderate coffee consumption may reduce frailty in older adults. Researchers analysed 1,161 adults aged 55+ over seven years and found that those drinking over four cups daily showed reduced odds of frailty, assessed by Fried’s five-component phenotype. Antioxidants in coffee may lower inflammation and muscle loss, supporting healthy ageing. (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

• Thu, 1 May – Study finds regenerative coffee boosts incomes and exports. TechnoServe research, supported by JDE Peet’s, Nestlé and the Rudy & Alice Ramsay Foundation, shows regenerative practices raise smallholder incomes by 62%, boost exports by 30%, and cut emissions, with 3.2 million farmers across nine countries benefiting from agroforestry and organic fertilisation. (Washington, DC, US)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 28 Apr – SCA announces winners of 2025 Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards. The Best New Product winners include ICOSA’s Avensi Wave collection, ROEST’s P3000 roaster, OXO Rapid Brewer, Squeaky’s HOM Chubby, Hacco’s Koji Barista, and Harris Woolf’s Almond Milk 2.0. Time100’s Mago Maga roaster won the People’s Choice award. The Coffee Design Awards went to Puelo Coffee Roasters, Ember Goods, and Yetu for spaces, packaging, and branding, respectively. (Houston, Texas, United States)

• Fri, 2 May – Ben Lewis crowned 2025 UK Latte Art Champion. Ernie Jr. Fernandez was the runner-up, and Kangni Dai placed third. Lewis will now go on to represent the UK at the World Latte Art Championships at World of Coffee Geneva in June. (London, UK)

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

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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 about what the “evolved” Q programme means for specialty coffee.