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Coffee News Recap: 25 Jul: Coffee prices surge following tariff and frost concerns, roaster applications open for Global Coffee Awards & other stories

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wpadmin

On July 25, 2025

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

Editor’s note

Coffee price volatility only continues. After falling to a seven-month low of US $2.86/lb in early July, the C price had risen sharply to US $3.15/lb by mid-July, now settling around US $3.

The spike comes off the back of US tariff and Brazil frost concerns. President Trump’s threat to impose 50% levies on Brazilian imports by 1 August sent the market into a frenzy. Traders rushed to secure shipments before the deadline to avoid the additional costs.

Meanwhile, Climatempo forecasted a cold front through some of Brazil’s coffee-growing regions, potentially bringing crop-damaging frost. Together, the tariff and frost concerns fuel a bullish market.

Although Brazil’s finance minister stated that the country wouldn’t give up negotiating with the US, he acknowledged that a trade deal may not be reached by 1 August. If the 50% tariffs are implemented, global coffee trade will take a huge hit.

US consumers would ultimately pay the price, while Brazilian producers and exporters could shift to more favourable markets, such as China, which recently revoked all import taxes on 53 African countries.

Coffee News Recap: 25 Jul: Coffee prices surge following tariff and frost concerns, roaster applications open for Global Coffee Awards & other stories

Industry news

Mon, 21 Jul – Tims China appoints Lars Huang as brand ambassador. The singer‑songwriter and social media influencer Lars Huang will spearhead online marketing campaigns, lead new merchandise launches, and appear at in‑store events to boost Tims China’s profile among Gen Z consumers. (Shanghai, China)

Wed, 23 Jul – Merit Coffee raises US $30 ,000 for Kerr County flood relief. The San Antonio roaster gave proceeds from 12 July coffee sales to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, marking its highest single‑day contribution and reflecting robust community backing across its 13 cafés in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas. (San Antonio, Texas, US)

Thu, 24 Jul – Nespresso expands Café Joyeux collaboration in US. The Swiss giant launched a limited-edition Vertuo capsule on 23 July, coinciding with its pledge to donate US $500,000 to Café Joyeux, which trains and employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (New York City, New York, US)

Thu, 24 Jul – Iced coffee sales jump 33% as UK grocery inflation climbs to 5.2%. Worldpanel by Numerator data show that grocery price inflation rose to 5.2% in the four weeks leading up to 13 July, its highest since January 2024. Meanwhile, warm weather drove a 33% surge in iced coffee sales, as shoppers sought cold coffee products. (London, UK)

Fri, 25 Jul – Alsea franchise Starbucks sales rebound in Europe. The Starbucks licensee posted positive Q2 trading in France, Spain, and Portugal, ending five consecutive quarters of like-for-like sales decline and indicating that consumer boycotts, which affected the chain last year, have eased. (Paris, France)

Fri, 25 Jul – Dutch Bros CEO outlines coffee quality and growth priorities. Christine Barone pledges to keep signature coffee recipes unchanged while expanding drive-thru capacity, boosting mobile ordering and loyalty features, and investing in sustainable coffee sourcing and barista training to maintain consistency as the chain scales. (Grants Pass, Oregon, US)

Fri, 25 Jul – Pret A Manger appoints Felipe Athayde as US president. Athayde, the former president of Tim Hortons US, will lead the UK chain’s US operations and target expansion beyond its 66 North American outlets, including over 40 in the New York metro area. (New York City, New York, US)

Businesses for sale

Mon, 21 Jul – Alimentation Couche-Tard pulls $47 billion 7‑Eleven bid. The convenience store chain withdrew its August 2024 proposal to acquire Seven & i Holdings after accusing the Tokyo-based group of withholding key financial data and deliberately delaying discussions, thereby ending its multi-year takeover pursuit. (Laval, Canada)

Wed, 23 Jul – Sim Trava bolsters Costa Coffee franchise with 21‑store acquisition. The Cheshire-based operator increased its licensed Costa Coffee sites from 58 to 79 by purchasing 21 outlets from QFM Group, becoming one of the chain’s largest UK franchisees behind the Scoffs Group. QFM exits to focus on its KFC, Taco Bell, and Dunkin’ licences. (Northwich, UK)

A worker operates machinery in the new Westrock single-serve coffee plant.

New launch

Mon, 21 Jul – Rook Coffee to open 11,000 sq ft HQ and double cold brew capacity. In November, the New Jersey specialty coffee roaster will relocate to a new Tinton Falls facility featuring an expanded roastery, automated cold brew production, and a tasting room, with the aim of boosting direct-to-consumer and wholesale supply. (Tinton Falls, New Jersey, US)

Tue, 22 Jul – Reborn Coffee expands into Georgia and Armenia, signing a US $1.7m franchise deal, and secures US $1.3m China licensing agreement. The California-based specialty coffee chain granted IG International exclusive rights to open Reborn Coffee outlets in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Yerevan under a regional licensing partnership facilitated by the Arjomand Group, marking its first entry into the two markets. Reborn Health Goods Co Ltd will help develop and sublicense outlets across mainland China, targeting provinces including Guangdong, Liaoning, and Sichuan. (Brea, California, US)

Wed, 23 Jul – DiFluid launches CoffeeOS app for coffee brewing. The new app, which will gradually replace DiFluid Café, allows users to track and analyse various data sets, including particle size distribution. CoffeeOS also allows users to calculate brew ratios and convert grind settings between different models. (Shenzhen, China)

Thu, 24 Jul – Terres de Café launches first Belgian outlet in Brussels. The French specialty coffee roaster opened its debut café in Brussels and is targeting its neighbouring country, Luxembourg, for a late-2025 launch as it expands its international footprint. (Brussels, Belgium)

Fri, 25 Jul – Kerry opens expanded RD&A facility in Jakarta. The 1,200 sqm space features two dedicated flavour creation and application labs for sweet and savoury applications, a fully equipped sensory suite, and a collaborative Co-Creation Lab where customers can work alongside Kerry’s scientists, flavourists, and application experts. (Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland)

Milestone

Mon, 21 Jul – Biggby Coffee launches first brand refresh in 30 years. The specialty coffee chain rolled out updated visuals with the tagline “Biggby Makes it Better,” emphasising farm‑direct sourcing, partnerships with franchisees and farmers, barista‑led community engagement, and core people‑first values ahead of its 30th anniversary. (East Lansing, Michigan, US)

Thu, 24 Jul – Matthew Algie doubles Q grader ranks. Estelle MacGilp, Head of Coffee Sourcing, and Gosia Lendzioszek, Account Development Manager, have both qualified as Q Graders under the newly “Evolved Q” certification programme. (Glasgow, Scotland)

Fri, 25 Jul – Fiorenzato earns EcoVadis gold award. The award places Fiorenzato among the top 5% of companies worldwide for its performance across environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. (Veneto, Italy)

Fri, 25 Jul – Casa Coffee Roasters celebrates 25th anniversary with refreshed branding. Formerly Casa Espresso, the Yorkshire specialty coffee roaster became the first company in Bradford to roast its own coffee in 2014. To mark the 25th anniversary and rebrand, Casa Coffee Roasters will host a series of events over the next year, including tasting sessions, roastery open days and creative collaborations. (Bradford, UK)

Trade & production

Tue, 22 Jul – Nestlé begins reforestation programme in Brazil’s coffee regions. Nestlé Brazil plans to restore 3,000 ha of degraded land around Minas Gerais, partnering with local farmers and NGOs to plant 500,000 native trees by 2027, integrate agroforestry practices on coffee farms, and enhance carbon capture. (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)

Wed, 23 Jul – Guerrero emerges as coffee powerhouse under federal support programme. As part of SADER’s Cosechando Soberanía en Café, which is investing MX $1.2 billion to double national output and support 350,000 producers, the Mexican state has seen a surge in plantings and yields, rising into Mexico’s top five producing states with enhanced price reference and technical assistance. (Mexico City, Mexico)

Wed, 23 Jul – US sanctions threaten Latin American fertiliser supply. Latin American farmers risk shortages if the US targets buyers of Russian fertilisers that supply farms in Brazil and Mexico. Brazil covers a third of the demand, and Mexico sourced over US $580 million last year, leaving few alternatives. (São Paulo, Brazil)

Fri, 25 Jul – Brazilian coffee exporters could shift focus to China and Philippines. According to GlobalData, the proposed 50% US tariffs on Brazilian coffee imports, effective from 1 August, will prompt exporters to target growing demand in China and the Philippines, diversifying beyond the traditional US market to mitigate tariff-related revenue losses. (São Paulo, Brazil)

A barista pours filter coffee into a cup from a glass V60 carafe.

Research

Mon, 21 Jul – Coffee linked to lower frailty risk in older adults. A Dutch cohort study of adults over 55 found that drinking four or more cups of coffee daily reduced the odds of frailty by 64% compared with two or fewer cups, with benefits attributed to coffee’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These benefits were found to persist after lifestyle adjustments. (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Tue, 22 Jul – Scientists link climate change to global coffee price spikes. The Environmental Research Letters study links extreme weather tied to climate change, including droughts, heatwaves, and frosts in major coffee-producing regions, to recent price hikes for arabica and robusta, warning that ongoing volatility could push costs higher for roasters and consumers. (London, UK)

Events & competitions

Tue, 22 Jul – Coffee Week Berlin will feature workshops, talks, and competitions. The programme runs from 22 to 25 September, offering over 50 workshops and cuppings, 25 community meet-ups, 40 tours and talks, and ten competitions, culminating in Coffee Festival Berlin on 26 & 27 Sep, featuring over 100 exhibitors and latte art competitions. (Berlin, Germany)

Wed, 23 Jul – Creative Coffee Week will take place in Durban on 30 & 31 July. The two-day event at FNB’s Acacia House will feature tastings, lectures, a community lunch, coffee party, mini origin tour, Colombian pop‑up café, and an exclusive Omakase Experience with World Barista Champion Mikael Jasin in partnership with The Living Room. (Durban, South Africa)

Thu, 24 Jul – The Barista League to host first Africa edition in August. Scheduled for 17 August at Nairobi Street Kitchen, the event will feature 12 barista teams competing across three multidisciplinary rounds, alongside a DJ, drinks, and interactive activities in an inclusive format that celebrates the coffee community. (Nairobi, Kenya)

Thu, 24 Jul – Guatemala CoE auction top lot sells at US $143.10/lb. The Exotic Washed Gesha lot from La Gran Manzana scored 91.15. A Natural Gesha from Las Macadamias ranked the highest in the Exotic Natural & Honey category. In the One of a Kind category, a blend of Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai Amarillo, Typica, H1, and Parainema scored 89.26 points. (Guatemala City, Guatemala)

Fri, 25 Jul – Malaysian International Food & Beverage Trade Fair set for Kuala Lumpur. The 23rd edition takes place from 30 July 30 to 1 August at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, featuring over 450 exhibitors across seven industries, including coffee and tea. The event attracts around 11,500 visitors from over 40 countries every year. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Fri, 25 Jul – Coffee robotics to feature at China‑Africa Expo. The fourth China‑Africa Economic and Trade Expo will showcase AI‑driven coffee and beverage kiosks by Shenzhen’s Anno Robot, using six‑axis robotic arms to automate coffee, tea, cocktail, and ice‑cream preparation for 24/7 service. (Changsha, China)