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Coffee Review Launches the 2026 Kenneth Davids Cup
Coffee Review has announced a new awards program named after its co-founder and renowned coffee author Kenneth Davids. The Kenneth Davids Cup is designed to honor excellence in coffee across numerous categories (traditional washed, traditional natural and experimental), with awards for U.S. and international roasters. The top three coffees in each category will receive a physical and digital Kenneth Davids Cup award and a published standalone review. Kim Westerman, who recently became co-owner of Coffee Review after nine years as managing editor, said she and co-owner Ron Walters wanted to honor Davids — who has stepped away from day-to-day operations of the business — for his “decades of thought leadership in coffee.” The submission deadline is July 10. Additional details are available on the program website.
Cafe Imports Bringing Legendary Coffee Exchange to World of Coffee San Diego
Minneapolis-based green coffee company Cafe Imports is bringing its Legendary Coffee Exchange back to World of Coffee San Diego, where roasters can swap a bag of roasted coffee for another participant’s bag and enter a drawing for a Fellow Espresso Series 1. Participation is free, and the company says entrants should bring a bag of coffee and two business cards to its booth during the April 10-12 event.
Cafe Imports’ Source Podcast at World of Coffee
Cafe Imports is also bringing its Source podcast to World of Coffee San Diego, with a panel titled “Where Do We Go From Here?” featuring Chris Baca of Cat & Cloud Coffee, Laila Ghambari of Guilder Coffee, Jeremy Lyman of Birch Coffee and Kali Solack of Café Regina. The company said the discussion will focus on how cafe and roastery operators are navigating current industry challenges.
Starbucks Hits 100 Million Coffee Tree Goal, Plans 50 Million More
Seattle-based Starbucks says it has reached its goal of donating 100 million climate-resilient coffee trees, first set in 2017, with distributions beginning in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. The company also says it plans to donate 50 million more trees to farms in origins including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Honduras.
Montana’s Town Pump Plans Stonehouse Coffee Shots Kiosks
Montana-based convenience retailer Town Pump is developing 400-square-foot standalone coffee kiosks called Stonehouse Coffee Shots outside its existing stores and truck stops, with the first expected to open in Kalispell in the next four to six weeks, according to a C-Store Dive report.
Cleveland Budget Debate Includes Proposed City Hall Coffee Shop
The Cleveland City Council approved the city’s $2.3 billion 2026 budget this week while separately debating a broader $105 million capital spending plan that includes City Hall renovations and a proposed coffee shop near a new basement-level entrance, according to a Signal Cleveland report.
Wisconsin’s Birch & Banyan Coffee Leads May 16 Mental Health Fair
Hartland, Wisconsin cafe Birch & Banyan Coffee is scheduled to host its third annual MindfulMe mental health resource fair on May 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers describe MindfulMe as a community-centered initiative aimed at making mental health support easier to find and easier to access.
Blue Bottle Brings “Future of Coffee” Course Back to Kyoto This Spring
Blue Bottle Coffee Japan is bringing its reservation-only Blue Bottle Studio course back to Kyoto from April 1 through May 18, with the Spring 2026 season themed “Future of Coffee.” The company says the five-seat experience will explore species and varieties beyond arabica, including Liberica and Excelsa.
UK Workplace Caterer Eurest Launches Bellwether-Driven Roasting
UK workplace caterer Eurest has launched Bloom Coffee Club, a new coffee brand tied to in-house roasting for clients, starting with a Bellwether roaster installed at Royal Mail’s Farringdon base in London, according to a Foodservice Equipment Journal report.
Napa’s Perfect Purée Debuts Six New Culinary Syrups
California-based The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley has introduced a six-flavor syrup line that includes Plum Gochu, Yuzu Juniper Thyme, Honeysuckle Orange Blossom, Chai Cardamom, Blood Orange and Passion Fruit.
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Study Suggests Indie Coffee Shop Design Has Become Strikingly Uniform
New research suggests that independent coffee shops in the U.S. and Canada are so homogenized in their interior design that they collectively present a de facto brand, running counter to their perceived authenticity and independence… read more
Hawaii Coffee Farms Face Millions in Storm Losses; Relief Underway
Two back-to-back Kona low storms have resulted in agricultural losses worth approximately $11 million to $15 million, including millions in losses to the coffee sector… read more
Square Report Says Coffee Shops Are the Leading Local Business Connectors
New data from Square suggests coffee shops do more than cultivate community within their own four walls… read more
Study: Social Enterprises Beat Corporate Sustainability in Farmer Well-Being
For decades, coffee companies have leaned on third-party certifications to measure their own corporate sustainability goals and discuss “impact.”… read more
Three Questions with University of Kentucky Coffee Lab’s David Gonthier
The University of Kentucky is getting its first-ever coffee education program for undergraduates this fall… read more
Sibling-Owned Gara Permanently Parks in Berkeley with Vietnamese Focus
A new sibling-run Vietnamese coffee shop in Berkeley called Gara (styled GA•RA by the company) is turning out drinks and foods inspired by the founders’ heritage, along with retail bags of coffee grown on the family’s farm in Vietnam… read more
Study Finds Coffee Accounts for 1% of Agriculture-Driven Global Deforestation
A sweeping new analysis of commodity-driven deforestation published in Nature Food found that coffee accounts for just 1% of global agriculture-driven deforestation, far below beef at 40% and below maize and rice, which each account for 4%… read more
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