Coffee News Recap, 13 Jun: Gesha scores 98 points at 2025 BoP, potential IPO for Pret A Manger & other stories

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

Editor’s note

Best of Panama (BoP) is always guaranteed to grab headlines, but this year’s competition was especially newsworthy.

Hacienda La Esmeralda won all three main categories, a first for the competition, and achieved record-breaking scores of 97 and 98 points for its natural and washed Geshas, respectively.

The pioneering farm first broke records in 2004, when it sold one of its Geshas for US $21/lb, making it the world’s most expensive coffee at the time. This set the precedent for future astonishing auction prices, which have since surpassed US $10,000/kg.

With the 2025 BoP auction scheduled for 6 August, all eyes will be on the bidders of the 97- and 98-point coffees, as many eagerly anticipate the extent of the prices they’re willing to pay.

In September 2024, the Lamastus Family Estates auction surpassed all expectations and received an incredible bid of US $13,518/kg for a honey processed Elida Aguacatillo Gesha.

With scores of 97 and 98 points, we may see a new world record for coffee prices in just a few months.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 9 Jun – Gesha scores 98 points at 2025 BoP. Hacienda La Esmeralda won all three main categories, a first for the competition. The farm received 98 points in the Washed category and 97 in the Natural category with two of its Geshas. In the Varietals category, the farm placed first with a Laurina coffee, which scored 92.88 points. The BoP auction will take place on 6 August. (Boquete, Panama)

• Mon, 9 Jun – JAB Holdings eyes new Pret A Manger investors ahead of potential IPO. JAB hired bankers to attract new investors as it considers an IPO for the coffee and food to-go chain. Following a post-pandemic rebound, Pret increased non-UK sales to 25%, reduced debt by £250m, and aims for further global growth under its new chair, José Cil. (London, UK)

• Tue, 10 Jun – Ethiopia forecasts a 9% increase in production to 11.6 million bags, as exports rise 11%. Areas harvested expanded to 790,000 ha following the stumping of 450,000 ha of ageing trees, which boosted yields to 0.88 t/ha, in addition to seedling distribution and training initiatives. Roasted exports tripled to over 27,000 bags, led by Germany and Saudi Arabia, while ending stocks reached 140,000 bags. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Thu, 12 Jun – Five Elephant and director Wes Anderson launch limited-edition coffee set. To celebrate the release of The Phoenician Scheme, the Berlin roaster partnered with Anderson, Focus Features, and Sunst Studio to create a coffee travel set featured in the film. The limited-edition drop includes an Ethiopian coffee, an ACME porcelain cup and saucer, and exclusive merchandise. (Berlin, Germany)

• Thu, 12 Jun – WatchHouse opens new location in the Chrysler Building in New York City. This is the UK specialty coffee roaster’s second US location, after the successful debut of its flagship US store at 660 Fifth Avenue in spring 2024. Designed by interior designer Deidra Hodgson and executive architect Sarah Carpenter, the café’s pays homage to the Chrysler Building’s iconic contours. (New York City, New York, US)

• Fri, 13 Jun – JM Smucker plans another retail coffee price increase. The brand, which owns Dunkin’, Folgers, and Café Bustelo, is expected to raise its prices in August, following a recent price increase in May. JM Smucker reported a net loss of US $729m in Q4 of its 2025 fiscal year compared to a profit of US $245.1m in the year-ago period. (New York City, New York, US)

• Fri, 13 Jun – PRF Seed provides first payment milestone for Inclusive Coffee: Transforming Lives initiative. Iliana Castillo of Honduras was awarded the grant, totalling US $4,300, to expand the reach of the Centro de Rehabilitación Integral Mercedes Ocotepeque (CRIMO) in Mercedes, Ocotepeque, which offers specialised care for people with disabilities in the coffee-growing regions of Mercedes, Ocotepeque, and neighbouring municipalities, including hard-to-reach rural communities. The PRF Seed Fund will be used to expand the centre’s second floor, which will allow it to serve a larger number of people, enhance the quality of existing services, and incorporate new therapeutic methodologies. (San Pedro Sula, Honduras)

Industry news

• Mon, 9 Jun – Ukrainian coffee market grows despite conflict challenges. The market share of premium coffee shops increased by 8% to over 350 outlets in the past year, with imports reaching 36,000 tonnes in 2024, despite facing front-line threats. Roaster co-working hubs in Lviv and petrol station networks sustained specialty growth amid conflict. (Kyiv, Ukraine)

• Mon, 9 Jun – Coffee Island debuts New Delhi’s first 24/7 café. The Greek coffee chain opened the café in GK II through a partnership with Vita Nova. This marks its third Indian outlet after Gurugram and Hyderabad, with a target of 250 outlets by 2029 across major metropolitan areas. (New Delhi, India)

• Mon, 9 Jun – CleverCoffee becomes the highest-ranked EU coffee B Corp. The Copenhagen roastery’s recertification score jumped to 154.6, topping 2021’s 88.2, after cutting production emissions by 65.8%, funding the planting of 6,500 shade trees in Honduras, and achieving net carbon neutrality across its value chain. (Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Tue, 10 Jun – GaeaStar cups reach over 200 US venues with a three to five-time reuse average. The San Francisco startup’s disposable clay cups are now offered by over 25 brands, including Verve Coffee and Onyx, available in four sizes ranging from 8 to 16 oz with optional silicone lids. Participating cafés report an average of three to five reuses per cup. (San Francisco, California, US)

• Thu, 12 Jun – Biggby Coffee unveils “BIGGBY Makes It Better” rebrand to fuel US $1 bn growth plan. This marks the chain’s first significant update since 1995 introduces refreshed signage, marketing assets, and a people-first tagline, highlighting community engagement, sustainability, and farm-direct sourcing. It also launches enhanced mobile app features and a Summer anniversary campaign ahead of 35 new stores this year. (East Lansing, Michigan, US)

• Thu, 12 Jun – Starbucks rallies 14,000 North America coffeehouse leaders to drive Back to Starbucks plan. At its annual Leadership Experience in Las Vegas, Starbucks convened partners to reinforce simpler menus, ceramic cups, condiment bars, four-minute service targets, and the new Global Barista Championship, aiming to restore its coffeehouse roots and improve the customer experience. (Las Vegas, Nevada, US)

• Fri, 13 Jun – Dutch Bros to relocate headquarters from Oregon to Arizona. Approximately 40% of support staff relocated to Phoenix in 2024. The shift aligns HQ with the fastest-growing markets in Texas and the Southeast, offers proximity to a major airport, and addresses talent and childcare challenges cited by the Arizona-based CEO. (Phoenix, Arizona, US)

• Fri, 13 Jun – 7 Brew appoints Inspire Brands veteran as first chief supply officer. Christopher Held, formerly first CSO at Inspire Brands and SVP at KFC, will oversee distribution, procurement, demand planning, and quality assurance to support the convenience‑focused chain’s modular‑built network of over 400 stores. (Springdale, Arkansas, US)

Businesses for sale

• Thu, 12 Jun – Starbucks reports strong investor interest in China stake sale. In an FT interview, CEO Brian Niccol said buyout firms, including KKR & Co, Fountainvest Partners, and PAG, are exploring a minority investment in its China arm as Starbucks plans to expand its store network from approximately 8,000 to 20,000 to drive renewed growth. (Beijing, China)

New launch

• Tue, 10 Jun – Nescafé and Swoon launch zero‑sugar espresso lemonade hack. Nescafé’s Espresso Concentrate is paired with Swoon’s zero-sugar lemonade in a summer campaign featuring step-by-step app tutorials, influencer recipes, and limited-edition chilled cans to engage younger consumers. (Arlington, Virginia, US)

• Tue, 10 Jun – Keurig introduces compact K‑Mini Mate brewer. The new launch is Keurig’s smallest brewer to date, featuring a removable one-cup reservoir that delivers up to 12 oz per brew and fits minimal counter space. (Burlington, Massachusetts, US)

• Wed, 11 Jun – Pact Coffee launches specialty-grade decaf pods in Waitrose. A decaf Bourbon Cream Espresso will be Waitrose’s sole specialty‑grade coffee offering. Pact’s decaf sales have risen 200% year‑on‑year, with research showing half of consumers drank decaf at home and 70% seeking higher‑quality options. (London, UK)

• Fri, 13 Jun – Nespresso and Blue Bottle debut Le Nola Style blend capsules. The limited-edition partnership offers a medium-roast blend inspired by New Orleans coffee culture, combining Central American and East African beans in Nespresso-compatible capsules with tasting notes of caramel and pecan. (Oakland, California, US)

• Fri, 13 Jun – Futures.Coffee launches free tool for real‑time coffee futures data. The web platform aggregates ICE arabica and robusta prices into customisable charts, offers historical comparisons, alerts, and CSV exports, and requires no subscription, aiming to help roasters, traders, and analysts monitor market movements. (Oakland, California, US)

Trade & production

• Mon, 9 Jun – Three years of coffee price swings expose climate and supply risks. Since 2022, markets have shifted from frost-driven highs to surplus-induced lows, with droughts in Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia, EU regulatory shocks, and speculative trading, leaving future prices dependent on upcoming harvest recoveries, inventory levels, and El Niño weather patterns. (Mannheim, Germany)

• Tue, 10 Jun – Colombia’s sustainable coffee sets climate adaptation blueprint. Colombia’s coffee sector is piloting climate-smart programmes, training over 100,000 farmers in agroforestry, shade-grown varieties, and water-harvesting techniques, with the goal of achieving carbon-neutral production by 2030 and offering a resilience model for global origins. (Bogotá, Colombia)

• Fri, 13 Jun – Brazil’s Cerrado Mineiro trials robusta to boost arabica yields. Growers in the Cerrado Mineiro region are interplanting robusta conilon varieties in arabica fields to enhance productivity and disease resistance, with Nestlé reporting consistent bean quality and improved cup profiles amid climate challenges. (Patrocínio, Brazil)

Research

• Wed, 11 Jun – Keurig Dr Pepper’s trend report analyses new consumer habits. The inaugural State of Beverages report reveals that 73% of consumers would skip alcohol for coffee, 58% favour carbonated drinks, 59% would opt for new flavours over health benefits, and 46% would pay more for premium ingredients, as beverage customisation and wellness drive demand. (New York City, New York, US)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 9 Jun – Beantropy 2025 announces full schedule, including producer‑led masterclasses and Soil of Excellence awards. The event, taking place on 1 July, features talks on trends and sustainability, producer tastings with coffees from Panama, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, an inaugural Soil of Excellence competition hosted by Belco, consumer education workshops on coffee value, and evening extraction labs on espresso martinis, latte art, and water science. (Paris, France)

• Thu, 12 Jun – Starbucks crowns first-ever Global Barista Champion in Las Vegas. Twelve national champions competed over three days, showcasing coffee storytelling and customer service and technical skills. Nobuki Shimode, representing Japan, was crowned the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion. (Las Vegas, Nevada, US)

• Thu, 12 Jun – The Barista League hosts Asia event in Tokyo. The competition is one of six 2025 regional finals, as The Barista League starts its new event format. Asia’s top baristas and coffee professionals competed for the title of the first-ever Barista League champion of Asia. The event also included a Roasters Village, the Barista League Café, interactive games, and live demonstrations. (Tokyo, Japan)

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

• Fri, 6 Jun – Lavazza extends Roland‑Garros coffee partnership until 2030. The Italian roaster will remain the Official Coffee Supplier at Stade Roland-Garros, operating on-site cafés, carts, and self-serve points. The renewal builds on Lavazza’s decade‑long tennis event sponsorship. (Paris, France)

• Fri, 6 Jun – Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf unveils its summer ice blended menu and Ube Coconut drinks. New seasonal releases include the returning CaraMocha and Ultimate Cold Brew Ice Blended, alongside the Ube Coconut Affogato Ice Blended and Ube Coconut Cream Matcha and Vanilla Lattes, each made with real ube, coconut, and whipped cream, available across US cafés starting from June. (Los Angeles, California, US)

Photo credits: Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, Limagerie, WatchHouse

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