Coffee News Recap, 1 Aug: US says coffee could be exempt from tariffs, PRF El Salvador to take place on 26 & 27 March 2026 & other stories

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

Editor’s note

After threatening to slap 50% tariffs on Brazil in July, US President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise.

Over 35% of the country’s imports now face a staggering 50% levy when entering the US – a 40% increase from the initial tariffs announced in early April. Many assert that the reasons for such a steep rise are political, rather than about levelling the trade playing field.

Former Brazilian President and Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro is facing prosecution for an alleged coup attempt, and the new US tariffs are considered by many as retaliatory and punitive.

Fifty percent import levies on Brazilian beans is likely to mean higher market prices. But there is hope of a coffee exemption.

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick recently said Trump has agreed to a zero-tariff policy for natural resources not grown in the US – including coffee (although Hawaii and Puerto Rico grow coffee, albeit in small volumes). Lutnick added, however, that the exemption will only apply to countries that have agreed trade deals with the US. As of now, Brazil is not one of them.

The implications of the growing trade war between the US and Brazil are global, and only time will tell whether a deal will be made.

Industry news

Mon, 28 Jul – Burger King to invest in cold coffee offerings as food sales decline. The fast food chain launched cold foam iced coffee drinks in four different flavours – vanilla, mocha, black, and plain – in the US as it invests in its beverage range to capture some of the US $54 billion out-of-home coffee market amid flagging food sales. (Miami, Florida, US)

Mon, 28 Jul – UN FAO director-general calls to transform global coffee value chain. Qu Dongyu urged at the UN Food Systems Summit +4 panel that urgent action is needed to build climate resilience, market readiness, and inclusive investment for over 25 million smallholder farmers, framing transformation as essential for equity and sustainability. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Tue, 29 Jul – Food and delivery sales drive Phuc Long’s revenue growth. Masan Group’s coffee chain saw bakery, pastry, ice cream, and yoghurt sales jump 43% year‑on‑year in Q2 after investing in food and delivery channels, which the company credited as key contributors to overall revenue growth. (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Tue, 29 Jul – Coulée Coffee names David Schultz new chief revenue officer. The automated EcoPour system manufacturer appointed the 25-year CPG sales veteran to spearhead distribution and go-to-market expansion across hospitality, retail, and outdoor channels, building on its compostable pour-over innovation. (Ketchum, Idaho, US)

Wed, 30 Jul – Cold coffee drives 56% sales growth for Caffè Nero. The UK chain’s cold drink sales rose 56% year-on-year, led by the iced velvet americano and sparkling spritz launches, contributing to a 12% increase in global fourth quarter revenues. (London, UK)

Wed, 30 Jul – NCA updates its cold brew safety guide for manufacturers. The association released an updated Cold Brew Safety Guide detailing food safety and regulatory requirements for prepackaged RTD cold brew, noting 18% of American adults consumed cold brew weekly – a 29% rise since 2020. (New York City, New York, US)

Wed, 30 Jul – JDE Peet’s reports 22% organic sales increase in first half of 2025. Total reported sales increased almost 20% to €5.045 bn (US $5.77 bn), with profit for the period increasing by more than 17%. The positive results come amid the long-term “Reignite the Amazing” plan to simplify the company’s operating model. (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Thu, 31 Jul – Danone sues Chobani over cold brew branding. Danone filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, accusing Chobani’s La Colombe of infringing its Bright & Mellow trademark and packaging design introduced in January 2021. (New York City, New York, US)

Businesses for sale

New launch

Wed, 30 Jul – Starbucks trials coconut water cold brews and protein‑infused foams. The chain is testing cold brew and matcha made with coconut water, agave‑sweetened syrups, a sugar‑free vanilla latte topped with banana protein foam and new gluten‑free, vegan and vegetarian food options to appeal to health‑conscious customers. (Seattle, Washington, US)

Thu, 31 Jul – Espro opens first coffee bar in Toronto. The French press manufacturer opened its first Toronto café in The Beaches, featuring coffees from La Cabra and Onyx Coffee Lab. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Milestone

Tue, 29 Jul – Covoya Specialty Coffee signs MoU to advance gender equity in coffee. The specialty green coffee importer formalised its collaboration with US Women in Coffee to support its Café Delas initiative, which is now in its fifth year and has expanded to include more coffee-growing regions. The MoU outlines key joint activities such as storytelling, educational outreach, market engagement, and shared premiums for capacity building among women producers. (Providence, Rhode Island, US)

Wed, 30 Jul – Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea marks 40th anniversary with museum exhibit. The New Haven roaster will unveil its original Chapel Street sign and first espresso machine at the New Haven Museum on 5 August, with special beverage pricing across its four Connecticut locations to thank customers and honour its micro-roasting and direct-trade heritage. (New Haven, Connecticut, US)

Trade & production

Mon, 28 Jul – Brazilian government uses tariff threat to defend coffee exports. The US’ 50% tariffs on the majority of Brazilian goods stoked alarm among coffee growers and exporters, prompting industry groups to rally behind President Lula’s defense of agricultural interests and bolstering his image as protector of key commodity markets. (Brasília, Brazil)

Mon, 28 Jul – Cooabriel launches cocoa pilot project in Bahia. The Brazilian conilon coffee cooperative will work with Cargill in southern Bahia to produce approximately 10,000 60kg bags of cocoa using existing coffee farmers, as part of efforts to revive Brazil’s cocoa output after the 1980s disease epidemic. (Salvador, Brasil)

Mon, 28 Jul – Saudi Arabia aims to plant 50,000 coffee seedlings by the end of 2025. The government’s agricultural diversification programme will establish nurseries and plant seedlings across the Jazan, Riyadh, and Asir regions, aiming to boost local production, foster farmer participation, and reduce import reliance by late 2025. (Jazan, Saudi Arabia)

Tue, 29 Jul – Kenya to geo-map coffee farms to meet EU deforestation rules. The Agriculture Food Authority has mapped 30% of Kenya’s 109,384 ha coffee-growing areas using satellite imagery. It aims to complete geo‑mapping by November to comply with the EUDR traceability requirements. (Nairobi, Kenya)

Fri, 1 Aug – Cecafé and BSCA urge exemption of Brazilian coffee from US tariffs. The Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council and the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association called on Washington to exempt Brazilian coffee from the 50% duties. The US imports roughly 2 million bags of Brazilian coffee every year, generating around US $550 million. The two associations urged immediate dialogue to reverse the decision. (São Paulo and Varginha, Brazil)

Research

Mon, 28 Jul – Coffee intake linked to lower migraine risk. Mendelian randomisation by Ayin Chen at Shulan Hospital in Huzhou found a significant inverse association between genetically predicted coffee consumption and migraine risk, with 7-methylxanthine reducing the risk and caffeic acid sulfate increasing it. (Huzhou, China)

Mon, 28 Jul – Moderate coffee and tea intake linked to slower cognitive decline. A prospective study of 8,451 UK Biobank participants aged 60 and above found that moderate coffee intake (β = 0.07, p < 0.001) and moderate to high tea consumption (β = 0.06, p < 0.01) were linked to slower decline in fluid intelligence and fewer memory errors over follow-up. (London, UK)

Tue, 29 Jul – Coffee and tea linked to reduced osteoporosis risk. Meta-analysis of 14 observational studies involving 562,838 participants found coffee drinkers had 21% lower odds of osteoporosis (OR 0.79) and tea drinkers had a 25% lower risk (OR 0.75), with stronger protection at higher consumption frequencies. (Lausanne, Switzerland)

The 2024 World Brewers Cup Champion Martin Wölfl at the 2024 Vienna Coffee Festival.

Events & competitions

Tue, 29 Jul – Coffee Week Berlin announces full schedule for 22 to 25 September. The city-wide event will host over 50 workshops and cuppings, ten competitions, 25 community meet‑ups, and 40 tours and talks. The Berlin Coffee Festival will be held on 26 & 27 Sep, featuring more than 100 exhibitors and several latte art competitions. (Berlin, Germany)

Wed, 30 Jul – Hotelex Shanghai 2026 dates unveiled. The event’s 34th edition will run from 27 March to 2 Apr 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai. The expo is expected to feature over 3,000 exhibitors and more than 420,000 attendees from 120 countries, and will host summit forums, international competitions, and coffee innovation. (Shanghai, China)

Thu, 31 Jul – Thailand and El Salvador CoE auction results announced. At the Thailand auction, Discovery Coffee Farm’s washed Gesha lot scored 90.80 points and was purchased by UNO and Baristaneer Coffee Academy for US $50.60/lb. In El Salvador, Santa Rosa’s honey Pacamara received the highest score of 90.93 points, while Los Naranjos’ honey Gesha received the highest bid of US $55.90/lb.

Thu, 31 Jul – The 11th Vienna Coffee Festival confirmed for 12 to 14 September. The event will take place at Marx Halle and will feature coffee tastings, lectures on fermentation and pricing dynamics, barista and latte art competitions, workshops, and AI in gastronomy and cultural showcases by coffee champions Katharina Brun and Eline Ferket. (Vienna, Austria)

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

Tue, 22 Jul – Compass Group to acquire Vermaat for €1.5bn. The UK caterer will acquire Vermaat’s network of 180 restaurants, deli counters, and event venues across the Netherlands and Belgium for €1.5bn, bolstering its continental foodservice and hospitality portfolio. (London, UK)

Thu, 24 Jul – Starbucks revives Reserve brand with Taipei flagship store. The 21,000 sq ft Taipei Reserve Dream Plaza in Xinyi District includes espresso, bakery and Teavana zones, a reservation-only Siren’s Lounge with curated tastings, plus Sensory and Coffee Experience workshop rooms. (Taipei, Taiwan)

Fri, 25 Jul – McDonald’s to trial new CosMc drinks, including coffee options, in 500 selected outlets. The fast food chain will trial a line-up including iced coffees, fruit-flavoured refreshers, energy drinks, and craft sodas from  2 September at 500 outlets in Colorado, Wisconsin, and surrounding states. (Chicago, Illinois, US)

Photo credits: Vienna Coffee Festival

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 how Coca-Cola’s “rethink” of Costa Coffee shows the challenges that big coffee faces.

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