Coffee News Recap, 21 Mar: NCA asks Trump to exempt coffee from tariffs, Brian Niccol announces next stage of Back to Starbucks plan & other stories

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

Table of Contents

Editor’s note

Sustained high coffee futures are impacting the industry the world over, but roasters and traders in the US are now feeling additional pressure. In early March, President Trump imposed, and then quickly postponed, 25% punitive tariffs on all Mexican imports – including coffee – as part of his administration’s efforts to stop the flow of drugs such as fentanyl into the US.

The news was discussed at the recent National Coffee Association Convention, where roasters and traders expressed their concern that the tariffs, now scheduled for 2 April, could increase retail prices in the US by up to 50%. This is on top of rising coffee futures, meaning US consumers would face much higher prices for their coffee.

According to Reuters, NCA President Bill Murray told US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer there is no alternative to imported coffee, “unlike other cases where tariffs may address unfair practices or incentivise domestic producers”. Murray also asked the Trump administration to refrain from imposing any tariffs on coffee-producing countries, citing that it would exacerbate an already challenging situation.

It is possible, however, that Trump could decide to do so. In late January, the president threatened Colombia – the US’ second-biggest supplier of coffee – with 50% tariffs if the country didn’t accept planes carrying allegedly undocumented migrants. The consequences of following through with this would be disastrous for both the US and Colombian coffee sectors.

Trump’s trade war shows no signs of slowing down, and a growing list of countries are now seeing their GDP rates drop. Whether the president, who is known for his increasingly erratic decisions, will take note of the NCA’s plea for tariff exemptions is a major question for not only the US coffee industry but also for producers and exporters at origin.

A barista extracts espresso into a blue ceramic cup using a scale.

Industry news

Mon, 18 Mar – Peet’s to remove its non-dairy surcharge. Peet’s Coffee will eliminate its US 80 cent charge for oat, almond, and pea milks in June 2025, following similar moves by major US chains amid consumer and advocacy group pressure. (Emeryville, California, US)

Tue, 18 Mar – Starbucks ordered to pay US $50 million for permanent injury. A Los Angeles jury found Starbucks liable for severe burns suffered by Postmate driver Michael Garcia after a drink carrier collapsed in a drive-thru. Garcia rejected a US $30 million settlement, insisting on policy changes. Starbucks declined and now plans to appeal, calling the damages excessive. (Los Angeles, California, US)

Tue, 18 Mar – JDE Peet’s partially resolves European supermarket price disputes. Brands like Jacobs, L’Or, Tassimo, and Douwe Egberts will return to shelves across Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands after agreements with major retailers have been reached. However, disputes with Ahold Delhaize and Albert Heijn remain unresolved amid ongoing price tensions. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

Wed, 20 Mar – Peter Therman joins Löfbergs’ board. The Swedish roastery appointed Therman, a sixth-generation member of Finland’s Hartwall family business, to support its international expansion efforts. (Karlstad, Sweden)

Thu, 20 Mar – Black Rifle Coffee narrows losses with wholesale growth. The veteran-owned company reduced its 2024 net loss to US $7.6 million from US $56.7 million in 2023, driven by a 27.5% Q4 gross profit increase. Wholesale sales grew 9%, offsetting declines in D2C and café revenues. A partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper aims to boost future growth with new product launches. (Salt Lake City, Utah, US)

Thu, 20 Mar – Judge rules Musk’s USAID shutdown is likely unconstitutional. A federal judge found Musk’s role in dismantling the aid agency, which supports many projects in origin countries, violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause, and ordered partial restoration of agency function. (Washington, DC, US)

Fri, 21 Mar – Knoops strengthens leadership with top executives as part of global expansion plans. Knoops appointed Jo Brett, former Pret A Manger US president, as COO; Kai Hepworth, former Costa Coffee Operations Director, as UK managing director; and Andrew Gerrie, Lush co-founder and former Hotel Chocolat Chairman, as board chair. The chain plans to expand to 40 UK stores and enter the US and China by late 2025. (London, UK)

Fri, 21 Mar – Nestlé and Lotte will end South Korean joint venture by 2026. The partnership, which manufactures and distributes Nescafé instant coffee in Korea, will dissolve due to market challenges. Nestlé Korea is expected to take over Nescafé operations alongside its existing management of Nespresso, Starbucks at Home, and Blue Bottle packaged coffee brands. (Seoul, South Korea)

New launch

Tue, 18 Mar – Artly AI unveils robotic hand upgrade for Barista Bot. Showcased at Nvidia GTC 2025, the upgrade enhances dexterity, allowing Barista Bot to manipulate objects for improved coffee preparation. Built on Artly’s Vision-Language-Action AI model, the robot replicates barista movements and now features force feedback and tactile sensors for more precise handling. (San José, California, US)

Thu, 20 Mar – Nespresso opens new boutique concept in Toronto. The Yorkdale location features a nature-inspired design, sustainability initiatives, and coffee masterclasses. Highlights include the Recycling Corner and a focus on Nespresso’s five “Arts”: design, coffee savoir-faire, sharing, circularity, and hospitality. (Toronto, Canada)

Fri, 21 Mar – Huskee launches Australia’s first turnkey reusable cup system for venues at MICE. The “Borrow by Huskee” is a free programme that allows patrons to borrow a reusable Huskee cup from participating businesses when purchasing a coffee or drink. Once a consumer finishes their drink, the cup can be returned within 14 days to a participating cafe or SmartBin drop-off point before being collected, washed, and returned. (New South Wales, Australia)

Milestone

Tue, 18 Mar – Ethiopia secures US $1.23 billion from coffee exports. Ethiopia exported over 257,000 tonnes of coffee in eight months, surpassing its 169,698-tonne target and generating 134% of the planned revenue. Recent sector reforms have boosted quality and productivity, with a full-year goal of US $2 billion from 400,000 tonnes of exports. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Wed, 19 Mar – Bigbby Coffee celebrates its 30th anniversary across the US. On 26 March, the chain will offer a 16oz Caramel Marvel Latte for US 95 cents, reflecting retail prices in 1995. Co-founder Bob Fish has discussed the company’s evolution from a single shop to a national presence, focusing on its growth and future strategies. (East Lansing, Michigan, US)

Thu, 20 Mar – Rarebird Coffee secures US $1 million to expand and launch its first roastery. The caffeine-free coffee start-up will use funding from 43North’s accelerator to grow online sales, start a wholesale business, and work towards opening a roastery in Buffalo. Its Px-infused coffee, designed to offer a caffeine alternative, was patented in April 2024. (Buffalo, New York, US)

Fri, 21 Mar – The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf marks 63 years with the Tastemakers campaign. The brand highlights its LA roots and industry influence with new products, including a Dry Iced Americano lineup and a reintroduced horchata range. A limited-time US 63 cent brewed coffee offer will be available at select locations on 26 March. (Los Angeles, California, US)

Trade & production

Mon, 17 Mar – Vietnam’s coffee output drops due to drought, worsening global shortages. Vietnam’s 2024-25 production is forecast at 26.5 million 60kg bags, down from the previous estimate and last season’s 27 million, due to adverse weather. The global shortfall has pushed robusta prices higher, but recent rains may support the next harvest’s yields. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Wed, 19 Mar – Coffee futures fall as Brazil’s 2024-25 sales hit 93%. Arabica futures closed at US $3.83/lb, while robusta fell to US $5,469/tonne. Safras&Mercado reported that 93% of Brazil’s 66.04 million-bag crop has been sold so far, well above 84% at the same point last year. Exports rose 8.8%, while domestic consumption reached 20.9 million bags despite increasing retail prices. (New York City, NY, US)

Thu, 20 Mar – Japan faces matcha shortage amid global boom. Despite record production, Japan is struggling to meet rising demand fueled by social media and health trends. Limited harvests, ageing farmers, and traditional production methods constrain supply, while tourism worsens shortages. Efforts to boost production face climate and demographic challenges. (Tokyo, Japan)

Thu, 20 Mar – Caravela Coffee opens dry mills in Guatemala and Mexico. The new facilities, Trilladora El Jaguar and Trilladora El Águila feature advanced processing technology, including optical sorters and dust aspiration systems. Each mill can process up to 25 bags per hour, enhancing quality control and efficiency for Caravela’s green coffee operations. (London, UK)

Fri, 21 Mar – Italy invests €10 million in Ethiopian coffee sector. The funding, facilitated by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, aims to boost competitiveness, sustainability, and financial access for coffee producers. The initiative aligns with Ethiopia’s broader strategy to enhance value addition and compliance with international trade regulations. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Research

Fri, 21 Mar – ProfilePrint partners with Sucafina to implement AI-driven approach to assessing coffee quality. ProfilePrint’s unified global cupping model achieved accuracy within 0.88 points on quality scoring across Sucafina’s entire network, which spans 57 locations in 43 countries. A recent case study also demonstrates how ProfilePrint’s AI technology can streamline decision-making by handling routine assessments, which has increased throughput by up to 60% across Sucafina’s operations. (Singapore)

Events & competitions

Mon, 17 Mar – Dublin Coffee Festival set for April 12-13 at RDS. The 2025 edition will feature over 50 roasters, free tastings, workshops, and the inaugural latte art competition. The event will also host the Irish Cup Tasters Championship alongside talks, panels, and live demonstrations. (Dublin, Ireland)

Tue, 18 Mar – COFFeEAST 2025 returns to Bucharest from 4 to 6 April. The second East European Coffee Culture Festival will take place at Hala Laminor, featuring over 250 exhibitors, 150 roasters, and 50 coffee shops. The event includes tastings, workshops, and the GreatEast Cup, highlighting barista skills in solo and team competitions. (Bucharest, Romania)

Tue, 18 Mar – Café Show Vietnam returns on 17 to 19 April. The ninth edition will run at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, featuring a trade show, workshops, and several competitions, including the Vietnamese Barista, Latte Art, and Brewers Cup Championships, in addition to the Asia Latte Art Battle. (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Tue, 18 Mar – Amsterdam Coffee Festival returns for its tenth anniversary. From 3 to 5 April 2025, the festival at NDSM-Loods will feature live roasting, barista battles, workshops, and cupping sessions. Attendees can enjoy unlimited specialty coffee, latte art, and a street food market. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Wed, 19 Mar – Paris Café Festival set for 12 to 14 April 2025. The event at Le Carreau du Temple will celebrate coffee culture, blending traditional espresso with new trends. Open to the public on 12 & 13 April and industry professionals on 14 April, the festival features competitions, exhibitors, and diverse coffee experiences, attracting over 10,000 visitors. (Paris, France)

Thu, 20 Mar – MICE2025 sets presale ticket record. This year’s edition of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo, running until 22 March, sold 21% more advance tickets than any previous year. With over 100 exhibitors and new features like the Melbourne Coffee Festival, organisers expect the highest attendance in the event’s 13-year history. (Melbourne, Australia)

Fri, 21 Mar – Meridia hosts webinar about EUDR compliance in action with Passionfruit and Volcafe. The online event offered practical strategies for navigating EUDR compliance, covering data collection and verification, supply chain transparency, and responding to evolving customer requirements. Speakers, including Meridia CEO and founder Thomas Vaassen and Volcafe’s Sustainability Director Raphaelle Peinado, shared their insight on how to collect and verify field data efficiently to assess EUDR compliance.

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

Wed, 12 Mar – Starbucks revamps stores with more seating and power outlets. The chain is redesigning US stores to encourage customers to stay longer, adding more seating, power outlets and food displays. CEO Brian Niccol acknowledged past missteps in prioritising to-go service and aims to create a more inviting coffeehouse experience. (Seattle, Washington, US)

Fri, 14 Mar – Coffee chains drive growth for Jollibee Foods Corp. JFC’s café segment now makes up 52% of its global stores, with Compose Coffee, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Highlands Coffee expanding in 2024. Revenue rose 10.6% to US $4.7 billion, with EBITDA up 17%, as JFC plans to open up to 800 new stores in 2025. (Pasig City, Philippines)

Fri, 14 Mar – Berjaya Food will introduce Paris Baguette to the UAE. The Malaysian group has signed an MoU with Samaya Food Investments to establish Paris Baguette bakery cafés in the UAE. This marks BFI’s expansion beyond ASEAN into the Middle East, aiming to meet the region’s demand for premium bakery and café experiences. (Dubai, UAE)

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

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 on why President Trump’s Reciprocal Trade Act is bad news for the coffee industry.

Source link