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Coffee News Recap, 16 May: La Marzocco acquisition continues to boost De’Longhi’s revenues, new ICO report shows impact of tariffs on coffee prices & other stories

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On May 18, 2025

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

Editor’s note

De’Longhi recently reported €755.2 million (US $847.5 million) in 2025 Q1 revenue, up by 14.6% on the same period last year. Its acquisition of iconic brand La Marzocco was one of the main drivers of strong financial performance, according to CEO Fabio de’Longhi.

The home appliance manufacturer purchased a majority stake in La Marzocco, a cult specialty coffee brand, for US $374 million in December 2023. Along with its 2021 acquisition of the automatic coffee machine brand Eversys, De’Longhi is positioning itself as a full solutions global coffee equipment powerhouse.

Fabio de’Longhi added that La Marzocco boosted the expansion of the group’s luxury home products through its strong brand awareness and prestigious partnerships, such as the Porsche collaboration. More recently, La Marzocco launched a custom version of its Linea Micra home espresso machine with fashion brand Aimé Leon Dore, once described by the New York Times as the “future of menswear”.

The collaboration also includes limited-edition co-branded merchandise, offering accessible luxury clothing and expanding both brands’ reaches, and a professional custom machine that will be used at Café Leon Dore coffee shop concepts in New York City and London.

As luxury brands look beyond their niche clientele to grow their business, specialty coffee has emerged as one of the most effective avenues to scale. Aimé Leon Dore’s café concepts and partnerships with coffee equipment brands are a way to drive sales of the company’s more accessible products without losing its sense of luxury that initially attracts customers.

La Marzocco, meanwhile, is leveraging its brand power to draw in other equally “cool” brands, solidifying its exclusive, high-end appeal among coffee drinkers, while also attracting a wider pool of consumers with similar quality-driven mindsets.

Undoubtedly, La Marzocco has more partnerships on the horizon, and De’Longhi will continue to reap the rewards.

Coffee News Recap, 16 May: La Marzocco acquisition continues to boost De’Longhi’s revenues, new ICO report shows impact of tariffs on coffee prices & other stories

Industry news

Mon, 12 May – Brazilian coffee sector engages EU on deforestation-free compliance. Cecafé and EU DG International Partnerships officials reviewed Brazil’s Socio-Environmental Monitoring Platform, which maps 300,000 farms for traceability, and agreed on country-level risk tiers until data enables regional nuance. (Brussels, Belgium)

Wed, 14 May – Deliveroo, Gail’s, and Sheffield Hallam launch sustainable cup challenge. The food delivery service and bakery chain partnered with Sheffield Hallam University to task students with designing a delivery cup that keeps hot drinks intact, spill-free, and eco-friendly. Winners receive £1,500 and may see their prototype produced by Gail’s. (London, UK)

Wed, 14 May – Singapore’s ofi opens instant coffee facility in Brazil. The new 570,000 sq ft Linhares plant will process coffee from nine Brazilian sites into Rainforest Alliance-certified spray-dried, freeze-dried, and liquid coffee concentrates for export. The facility runs on 100% renewable energy. (Linhares, Brazil)

Thu, 15 May – Coffee chains bolster Jollibee Q1 sales amid net income dip. Jollibee’s Q1 net income fell 8.1% to US $43 million due to non-operational costs, but its coffee brands offset weaknesses. Highlands Coffee same-store sales were up by 4.4%, Milksha up 3.1%, and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf up 2.8%, supporting system-wide growth. (Manila, Philippines)

Thu, 15 May – John Lewis expands hospitality with Jamie Oliver café. The department store is adding five new cafés and restaurants to its portfolio in 2025. This forms part of a £600 million investment in hospitality across John Lewis and Waitrose supermarket. (London, UK)

Thu, 15 May – Romania’s 5 to Go targets the southeastern European market. With backing from Accession Capital Partners and Invenio Partners, 5 to go partnered with Bulgaria’s Minimart to stock its coffee capsules, ready-to-drink beverages, and syrups in 200 stores. It already operates two cafés in Ruse and aims to open 150 franchised outlets. (Bucharest, Romania)

Fri, 16 May – Nero Group becomes Brentford F.C.’s first official coffee partner. The deal provides Caffè Nero capsules in hospitality boxes at Gtech Stadium and promotes Nero-owned brands via matchday sampling and digital signage. This partnership follows similar Premier League deals with Lavazza (Arsenal and Liverpool) and Nespresso (Fulham). (London, UK)

Fri, 16 May – Three new sustainability schemes gain Coffee SR Code equivalence. The Global Coffee Platform recognises CONNECT by Hamburg Coffee Company, LEGACY Protocol by Minasul, and Sucden Coffee Verified as equivalent 2nd-party assurances to its Coffee Sustainability Reference Code, bringing the total number of recognised schemes to 30. (Bonn, Germany)

Fri, 16 May – Volcafe appoints regional general manager for North America. Volcafe named Jason Cortellini Regional General Manager for North America, effective 3 June. With over 25 years in green coffee procurement, trading, and brand leadership at Sara Lee and Tata Consumer Products, Cortellini will support Volcafe’s services across the region. (Winterthur, Switzerland)

Businesses for sale

Mon, 12 May – Spain’s Rodilla to acquire A Padaria Portuguesa bakeries and factories. Spanish chain Rodilla will buy A Padaria Portuguesa’s 84 outlets and two factories, implementing a growth plan to reinforce its Portuguese identity and drive international expansion. The deal awaits approval by Portugal’s Competition Authority and will focus on a smooth operational transition. (Lisbon, Portugal)

Tue, 13 May – Nutresa sells 30% of its Starbucks Colombia stake to Alsea. Colombian food company Nutresa sold its 30% share in Estrella Andina, the Starbucks franchise operator in Colombia, to Cafe Sirena, a unit of Mexico’s Alsea. As of March, Estrella Andina operated 72 Starbucks stores. (Bogotá, Colombia)

Thu, 15 May – Starbucks explores stake sale in China business. The chain engaged advisers to solicit feedback from private equity firms and technology companies on a potential minority sale of its China unit, home to over 7,750 stores and US $740 million in Q1 net revenue, with responses due in the coming weeks. (Seattle, US)

New launch

Wed, 14 May – Fore Coffee unveils its new Fore Experience concept store. The flagship store, located in Panglima Polim, South Jakarta, offers specialty coffee, a Slow Bar concept for tailored manual brews, a menu of pastries, cakes, and curated dishes in a more immersive and elevated setting. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Wed, 14 May – Anthony Kiedis launches concert-friendly canned coffee brand. Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and Survivor’s Shane Powers launched JOLENE, a canned coffee brand backed by Live Nation. Featuring cold brew and oat milk latte, the beans are sourced from an all-female Peruvian co-op and will be sold at Live Nation festivals, amphitheatres, and online. (Los Angeles, California, US)

Thu, 15 May – The Coffee Lover’s Dictionary to be released on 27 May. Written by coffee author and entrepreneur Timothy Brno, the book features highlights from coffee history, professional coffee-tasting terms, information about the Coffee Flavor Wheel, and recipes for drinks and desserts. (Bagnac-sur-Célé, Occitanie, France)

Fri, 16 May – Minor Figures launches new Atomised oat drink at London Coffee Festival. The Atomised comes as dehydrated oat grains, which users can then rehydrate and shake to use as oat milk. One Atomised pouch makes 2.5 litres of Minor Figures’ Barista Oat milk, which equates to approximately 12 coffees. The company says switching from Barista Oat in Tetra Paks to Atomised can reduce transportation CO2 emissions by up to 89%, while packaging waste can be reduced by up to 66%. (London, UK)

Milestone

Tue, 13 May – SSP Group debuts AMT Coffee in Spain as part of Lanzarote airport contract. The six-year deal includes launching the jamonería brand Enrique Tomás and bar concept Tropical Sin Filtros. AMT, acquired in 2022, now operates only 14 UK sites and this international airport outlet. SSP Spain manages Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and SOHO Coffee across 13 airports. (Lanzarote, Spain)

Wed, 14 May – Black Sheep Coffee opens new Luton Point store. The franchise-run outlet at Luton Point offers specialty robusta coffee, matcha drinks, smoothies, Norwegian waffles, and functional beverages like the Lion’s Mane latte. It joins over 100 UK locations as part of the brand’s expansion. (Luton, UK)

Fri, 16 May – BLK & Bold debuts at Costco. The Black-owned specialty coffee brand, committed to donating 5% of profits to youth initiatives, launched its Rise & GRND medium roast in exclusive 2lb bags at nine Midwest Costco stores. (Des Moines, Iowa, US)

Trade & production

Mon, 12 May – Honduran coffee production set to rise amid rust resistance and market gains. According to the USDA, the country’s output will climb to 5.52 million 60kg bags in 2024/25 and 5.8 million in 2025/26 as the parainema rust-resistant variety reduces incidences of disease to 2.9%. Strong prices and ideal weather boost yields, while IHCAFE is training farmers on EUDR compliance and agroforestry to secure premium markets. (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)

Thu, 15 May – Winners of 2025 CoE Nicaragua announced. The highest-scoring washed category coffee was a La Esperanza Gesha lot, which received 90.73 points. An Elite Farm honey processed Gesha placed first in the natural and honey category, receiving a score of 91.77. The auction will be held on 19 June. (Managua, Nicaragua)

Shipping containers at a port in Brazil.

Research

Thu, 15 May – Gen Z and millennials demand in-app payments. A survey of 1,000 US adults by NMI finds 64% of Gen Z and millennials would switch brands if in-app payments aren’t offered, and 72% of parents favour app-based transactions. Subscription models also appeal to 66% of Gen Z and 69% of millennials. (Schaumburg, Illinois, US)

Fri, 16 May – New study finds most and least expensive cups of coffee in the US. Coffeeness‘ Coffee Affordability Study revealed that Hawaii has the most expensive cup of coffee, equivalent to over 13% of an hour’s work. A cup of regular coffee is most affordable in Nebraska, costing US $2.12, meaning it takes less than four minutes to pay for a coffee.

Events & competitions

Mon, 12 May – Winners announced for the 34th Ernesto Illy Sustainable Coffee Awards. Dimas Mendes Bastos (Matas de Minas), Fazenda Sequóia Minas (Chapada de Minas), and Leda Terezinha Castellani Pereira Lima (Sul de Minas) each won R $10,000, selected from 40 finalists. They will represent Brazil at the 10th Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award in Europe later this year. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Tue, 13 May – Astoria and Wega showcase AB200 and WBar Pro at the NRA show. Astoria’s AB200 features shot counters, a touchscreen option, Easy Clean and Autosteamer wands, and removable panels for fast maintenance. Wega’s WBar Pro offers integrated drip trays, electronic shot counters, programmable buttons, and Autosteamer control. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

Tue, 13 May – StoneX to address key market concerns at Cecafé’s tenth Coffee Dinner & Summit. The event, taking place from 2 to 4 July, brings together more than a thousand leaders in the Brazilian and global coffee sectors, including government authorities. Oscar Schaps, president of the Latin America Division of StoneX and member of a fourth generation coffee-producing family in Guatemala, will share his experience in the sector and his expectations regarding the global supply projections in the panel “Coffee Market Outlook: The Future of Supply”. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Wed, 14 May – Glasgow Coffee Festival breaks attendance records. More than 2,000 people attended the sold-out event over the two days at Clyde Market Halls, marking its highest turnout in eleven years. The event, which remained single-use cup free and repurposed used coffee grounds for eco projects, showcased Scotland’s vibrant specialty coffee scene. (Glasgow, UK)

Wed, 14 May – The Birdhill Coffee Festival will take place at The Old Barracks Coffee Roastery from 27 to 29 June. Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, this year’s festival, which will also celebrate The Old Barracks’ tenth anniversary, will include exhibitors, interactive workshops, live barista competitions, guest speakers, educational masterclasses, and brewing demos. (Tipperary, Ireland)

Wed, 14 May – Second edition of Beantropy will take place on 1 July 2025 in Paris, France. Last year’s event brought together over 200 international coffee professionals from across the supply chain, including producers and roasters, to discuss some of the most pressing topics in the industry. This year’s Beantropy will feature a range of speaker sessions, panels, workshops, and masterclasses covering various topics, including the Soil of Excellence competition and new career and business opportunities in the specialty coffee industry. (Paris, France)

Thu, 15 May – Dalla Corte exhibits at WoC Jakarta. The brand is showcasing three espresso machines, including the Mina, the Icon, and the Zero Barista, as well as the Max and DC One grinders. (Milan, Italy)

Thu, 15 May – DiFluid exhibits at WoC Jakarta. The company is showcasing its full range of coffee equipment, including the new AirWave, a smoke control system designed for small commercial roasting spaces and home use. (Shenzhen, China)

Thu, 15 May – Cimbali Group showcases four brands at WoC Jakarta. The group exhibited products from its LaCimbali, Faema, Slayer, and Casadio brands, including the debut of the Casadio Ermes Dual grinder, which features 75mm vertical flat burrs by Keber. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Fri, 16 May – ifinca to host Roast Revolution DC in Washington, DC. ifinca will stage its inaugural Roast Revolution DC on 22 May in Washington, DC, featuring a roasting competition, roundtable sessions on sector challenges, and networking for roasters, producers, and brands. ifinca’s B2B platform offers real-time data, verified farmgate prices, and end-to-end traceability. (Washington, DC, US)

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

Fri, 9 May – Nestlé unveils new freeze-drying tech for premium cold soluble coffee. By fine-tuning freeze-drying parameters, Nestlé’s R&D team produces high-quality soluble coffee that dissolves in cold liquids and debuted in Nescafé Iced Blend Japan. Starbucks Crema Collection Premium Instant Coffee and Nescafé Espresso Concentrate also leverage the new innovation. (Vevey, Switzerland)

Photo credits: La Marzocco, La Marzocco Home, Aimé Leon Dore

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 why matcha is leading sales in coffee shops and supermarkets.

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