Coffee News Recap, 6 Mar: Luckin backer reportedly acquires Blue Bottle, Germany overtakes US as Brazil’s biggest coffee buyer & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Centurium Capital, the main stakeholder in coffee giant Luckin, has agreed to acquire Blue Bottle for just under US$400m, according to multiple Chinese media outlets. Neither party has publicly confirmed the deal. Under the reported terms, Centurium will take on Blue Bottle’s physical café locations, while Nestlé keeps the consumer packaged goods side of the business, covering instant coffee and ready-to-drink products.

Nestlé bought a majority stake in Blue Bottle back in 2017 for roughly US$425m, valuing the brand at over US$700m at the time. The purchase was part of a broader trend of multinational companies acquiring specialty roasters during the mid-2010s, as larger players sought entry into the premium coffee segment by buying established third wave brands.

The recent reported sale follows the same logic, though from a different angle. Luckin reached 31,040 stores globally by the end of 2025 and has already expanded into the US and other key East Asian markets. Buying Blue Bottle would give Luckin a recognised premium brand without the time and cost of building a specialty coffee division from scratch, extending its reach beyond the value-focused segment where it has concentrated its growth so far.

For now, the coffee industry awaits final confirmation of the deal.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 2 Mar – Wenbo Yang is the 2026 US Roasters Champion. Yang, of Washington State’s Story Coffee Bellevue and Cozy Monster Coffee, placed first at the competition, which was hosted at Roastronix. Peter Shim of Olympia Coffee placed second, and Desolate Coffee’s Alex Huang came third. (Houston, Texas, US)

• Wed, 4 Mar – Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts global fertiliser trade, affecting coffee producers. Passage through the waterway has halted since conflict between Iran and the US-Israel started on 28 Feb. Up to a third of the world’s raw materials for fertiliser production pass through the strait, as well as a fifth of its crude oil and gas. Vessels are rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope, raising shipping and insurance costs. (London, UK)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Royal Cup Coffee and Tea to acquire Farmer Bros. The coffee and tea manufacturer and distributor has agreed to acquire Farmer Brothers Coffee, a national coffee roaster, wholesaler and distributor, for US$1.29 per share, expanding its national foodservice and retail channels. Both companies share 250 years of combined industry experience. (Birmingham, Alabama, US)

Industry news

• Mon, 2 Mar – RBI sets 2028 growth targets for Tim Hortons. The group expects the brand to deliver a 5% increase in net restaurant growth and contribute to an 8% increase in organic-adjusted operating income, backed by renewed Canadian openings, around 100 annual new North American locations, and stronger international rollout and performance. (Toronto, Canada)

• Tue, 3 Mar – Bluewater USA named water partner for US Coffee Championships. The company will supply Café Station units that enable competitors to purify and tailor TDS and mineral profiles. The equipment debuted at the US Coffee Roasters Championship, supporting flavour consistency and quality control. (Houston, Texas, US)

• Wed, 4 Mar – Greggs commits to 120 new stores in 2026. Sales rose 6.8% to £2.15bn in 2025 while underlying pre-tax profit fell to £171.9m. The CEO cited weak consumer confidence. Expansion will rely on a strong pipeline, relocations, and format trials as the chain looks to expand to over 3,000 locations. (Newcastle, UK)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Sevengrams spotlights Milan’s coffee revolution. New café serves fruit-forward micro-lots, immersive coffee tastings, and educational sessions to broaden appreciation of specialty espresso, experimental processing, and lighter roast profiles. (Milan, Italy)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Starbucks to open 100 new UK stores. The investment will prioritise café upgrades, drive-thru expansion, and digital services. Executives cite inflation, supply, and staffing risks as they pursue a wider EMEA rollout and a cautious growth strategy. (London, UK)

• Fri, 6 Mar – Oatly invests US$16m in Swedish research campus. The oat milk company is building a new facility in Lund to study oats and sustainable food. The project aims to find new ways to use the grain for milk alternatives. (Lund, Sweden)

• Fri, 6 Mar – Lavazza strikes partnership with Qantas Airlines. The collaboration will provide premium blends to Qantas’ business and first-class passengers starting in 2026. The agreement follows a similar deal with American Airlines and aims to combine Italian coffee heritage with Australian hospitality. (Sydney, Australia)

Businesses for sale

• Thu, 5 Mar – Jollibee Foods weighs Vietnam IPO for Highlands Coffee. Advisors are reportedly exploring listing options for the chain. The parent company is assessing strategic and capital-raising benefits, while no final decision or timetable has been set. (Manila, Philippines)

New launch

• Mon, 2 Mar – IHOP launches proprietary coffee blend. The blend, including Brazilian beans, was developed with a third party after guest feedback to improve beverage quality. The new launch supports IHOP’s premium innovation and value strategy. (Pasadena, California)

• Mon, 2 Mar – Starbucks launches new coffee & protein RTD line. The two 12-oz Classic Caffè and Caffè Mocha products each deliver 22g of protein, 5g of prebiotic fibre, and 2g of sugar. A nationwide product rollout will start on 23 March. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Tue, 3 Mar – Bulletproof introduces Coffee + Creatine instant coffee. The premium instant black formula contains 5g of creatine monohydrate and 250mg of electrolytes per serving. The powder mixes into hot or cold water and will debut at Natural Products Expo West. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Probat releases all-new Cx70 drum roaster. The roaster, which has a maximum capacity of 350 kg per hour, will debut at Hotelex Shanghai from 30 March to 2 April. The Cx70 also features an optional partial recirculation system that reuses residual heat, reducing the need for additional thermal energy and enabling energy savings of up to 20%. (Emmerich am Rhein, Germany)

• Thu, 5 Mar – BrainMood launches platform linking coffee, colour and mood. The independent platform maps coffee origins, species, and processing to colours, moods, and sensory perception as an educational tool. Founders say it offers an evolving dataset for research and collaboration. (Caguas, Puerto Rico)

• Fri, 6 Mar – New ESSPO RTD functional coffee brand launches. Backed by Refinery29 and Lonely Planet founder Philippe von Borries, the drink offers 120mg of caffeine and 240mg of L-Theanine per can and is available in three flavours: Classic Vanilla, Cherry Vanilla, and Sweet Lemon. (New York City, New York, US)

Milestone

• Mon, 2 Mar – JDE Peet’s announces sustainability milestones in Brazil. Its partnership with Global Coffee Platform established arabica and conilion demo plots, ran a seven-farm viability study in Minas Gerais, set 40 irrigation demos in Espírito Santo, and trained 159 extensionists under Common Grounds to scale regenerative practices and resilience. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

• Wed, 4 Mar – Inoumi secures retail listings in Harrods and Selfridges. The powdered drinks brand achieved the milestone following its launch earlier this year by focusing on ingredient integrity and flavour quality. Both department stores will stock Inoumi’s ceremonial-grade matcha and pure mushroom blends. (Surrey, UK)

• Fri, 6 Mar – Scooter’s Coffee marks 900-store milestone. The franchise-led chain added 83 sites in 2025 and operates a vertically integrated supply network with six distribution centres, including a 183,000 sq ft hub opened in Indianapolis, to support further roll-out and the push toward 1,000 stores. (Omaha, Nebraska, US)

Trade & production

• Mon, 2 Mar – Heavy rains in Minas Gerais’ Zona da Mata raise concerns. Above-normal rainfall has saturated soils and delayed harvesting and drying operations, with farmers and cooperatives warning of quality risks and processing bottlenecks if wet weather persists during critical post-harvest stages. (Juiz de Fora, Brazil)

• Tue, 3 Mar – Jamaica launches campaign to “demystify” coffee pricing for farmers. The programme will explain how global and domestic coffee prices, quality premiums, and costs shape farmgate returns, and will provide workshops, online tools, and stakeholder dialogues to improve price transparency and strengthen growers’ bargaining power. (Kingston, Jamaica)

• Tue, 3 Mar – Robusta exports from Sumatra grow on higher supply. Indonesian customs data show increased shipments from the island’s ports as harvest volumes rise and coffee moves to major markets, with traders noting firm demand from Asia and Europe boosting flow. (Medan, Indonesia)

• Wed, 4 Mar – Ethiopia to boost regenerative agriculture in partnership with PepsiCo. National Geographic Society and PepsiCo’s Food for Tomorrow fund awarded five grants, including one to Hewan Degu to study microbial evidence for coffee-potato intercropping. The company aims to scale regenerative practices to 10 million acres by 2030. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Coffee farming expands in Nepal as traders link producers to markets. Farmers in villages such as Sindrang and Homtang are shifting from subsistence crops like maize to commercial-grade coffee, supported by federal grants and collective plots. Organic lots are now sold domestically and exported, boosting household incomes and the local economy. (Bhojpur, Nepal)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Honduran coffee exports jump over 80% in February. IHCAFE reported shipments reached about 1.44 m bags, up from roughly 0.79m a year earlier, and export value climbed sharply, with the US, Germany, and Belgium leading as top destinations. (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)

Research

• Fri, 6 Mar – Consumer Reports analyses caffeine levels in major coffee brands. The study revealed that amounts fluctuate significantly between servings. Even some decaf options were found to have trace quantities, which is important for people who need to limit their intake for health reasons. (Yonkers, New York, US)

Events & competitions

• Tue, 3 Mar – Grounds for Health Week 2026 to begin on 8 March. The annual campaign mobilises events, fundraisers, and roaster partnerships to support cervical cancer screening and education in coffee-producing regions as part of wider health outreach. Coffee shops and roasters can sign up to receive marketing kits and will be featured in national Grounds for Health campaigns. (Williston, Vermont, US)

• Wed, 4 Mar – World Tea Expo 2026 announced for Las Vegas. The trade show will gather tea and infusion brands, suppliers, and retailers for exhibits, workshops, and networking focused on trends, sustainability, and business growth. (Las Vegas, Nevada, US)

• Thu, 5 Mar – Breville returns as platinum sponsor for MICE2026. The event takes place from 26 to 28 March at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The partnership highlights four core brands, including LELIT and Baratza, to engage both coffee professionals and home baristas. (Melbourne, Australia)

• Thu, 5 Mar – IWCA Spain champion wins Women in Coffee Access & Training Grant. Monserrat Cornet, winner of the Espréssate Women’s Barista Championship, received €1,500 from the new grant to cover costs and advance to the Spain Barista Championship, boosting visibility and support for women competitors. (Barcelona, Spain)

• Fri, 6 Mar – The Barista League Europe to land in Prague on 28 March. The regional competition will see teams battle across espresso, milk, and signature rounds to showcase technical skills and creativity while engaging local communities and cafés in collaborative events. (Prague, Czech Republic)

• Fri, 6 Mar – Fourth edition of Food & Drinks Malaysia by SIAL 2026 will run from 21 to 23 July. This year’s edition is expected to attract over 18,000 visitors, 1,000 brands across 60 countries, and more than 600 exhibitors. The event will also host the 2026 ASEAN Barista Team Championship, which celebrates the artistry, skills, and teamwork of baristas across Southeast Asia. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

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

• Fri, 27 Feb – Minas Gerais expands cover crops programme in coffee fields. The initiative aims to improve soil health and resilience against climate change for local producers. The sustainable practice helps sequester carbon and reduce the need for chemical fertilisers across the region. (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)

Photo credits: Nordic Coffee Fest, Verve Coffee

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