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What You Need to Know Before Opening Your Own Coffee Shop
A Food & Wine piece written by Julie Wolfson asked the question, “Is opening a coffee shop worth it?” Wolfson spoke with numerous specialty coffee shop owners and consultants who highlighted some of the challenges and rewards of coffee shop entrepreneurship. “Do not make this life choice in isolation,” advised coffee consultant Jaymie Lao. “Plan with your family. Do your homework. Learn from seasoned coffee professionals and consultants.”
Help Bring The Sepia Coffee Project Roastery to Life in Metro Detroit
The Sepia Coffee Project, a Metro Detroit small-batch roasting company helping to drive community change as a small business in Highland Park, launched a Kickstarter campaign designed to raise $69,264 by Sept. 21. The company led by Martell Mason is seeking to upgrade its roastery equipment and buy a used delivery van.
Mexico Launches Instant State-Run ‘Wellness Coffee’ Brand
A Mexican government initiative designed to support domestic producers called Food for Well-Being is adding instant coffee to its repertoire. President Claudia Sheinbaum introduced the coffee product, under the state-owned Bienestar brand, last week, according to a Mexico News Daily report.
Actual Coffee Featured in Major New Sitcom
Northwest Ohio-based coffee roaster Actual Coffee shared on its Instagram that its coffee bags were featured in the recently released “The Office” spinoff, “The Paper.” The bags feature prominently in the break room for the newspaper staff.
Coffee Project NY Names 2025 Women Coffee Roasters Scholarship Recipients
Progressive New York City-based specialty coffee company Coffee Project NY announced the winners of its 2025 Women in Coffee Roasters Scholarship: Gabriela Castañeda, Marjorie Canjura, Trần Thanh Thao Nguyễn, Betzaida Gomez, Julie De Hazelaer and Melissa Ward. The women will complete the Specialty Coffee Association Roasting Foundation course at Coffee Project NY’s training campus in Long Island City.
Starbucks Unveils New Coffee Shop Designs
Starbucks announced new coffeehouse designs featuring comfortable seating, local aesthetics, redesigned espresso bars and warmer color palettes. The changes aim to create “a living room outside your home” atmosphere alongside the company’s Green Apron Service, according to the company.
Mahou San Miguel Creates Coffee Brand
Spanish macro brewer Mahou San Miguel launched Barista & Finca, a coffee division, as part of its expansion beyond beer into energy drinks and wine, according to a GlobalData report.
Caribou Coffee Raises $40K+ for IWCA
Caribou Coffee raised $40,472 for the International Women’s Coffee Alliance through sales of its Amy’s Blend during the company’s 2025 International Women’s Month campaign.
Conscious Cup Coffee Hosting Open House
Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters of Crystal Lake, Illinois, will host an open house Sept. 20 featuring roasting demonstrations, coffee tastings and a raffle for home espresso equipment. RSVPs are required online.
United Food Group Announces Employment Initiative for Veterans and First Responders
United Food Group, an Elgin, Illinois-based coffee equipment manufacturer, announced an employment initiative for wounded veterans and first responders that includes specialized training in commercial coffee machine repair.
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Rainforest Alliance Launching Regenerative Agriculture Certification for Coffee
Rainforest Alliance just announced the launch of a new standard and certification for regenerative agriculture in coffee, with a distinct “regenerative” seal expected to land on consumer coffee bags in 2026… read more
Microplastics Are Elevated in Hot Coffee in To-Go Cups, Study Finds
A new study of 155 drink samples sold in the UK found that all of them contained microplastics, while hot drinks such as coffee and tea contained elevated amounts… read more
De’Longhi’s “Computer That Makes Coffee” Trolls U.S. Tariffs
Italian appliance giant De’Longhi has turned United States trade policy into a marketing opportunity with a cheeky new campaign that reimagines one of its connected coffee machines as “the first computer that also makes coffee.”… read more
Cold Coffee Ruled This Summer, New NCA Market Report Finds
Hot summer temperatures throughout the United States resulted in increased consumption of cold coffee, bottled water and soda, according to the latest consumer trends report from the National Coffee Association (NCA)… read more
Study: Coffee May Significantly Reduce Osteoporosis Risk
A recent study published in Scientific Reports suggests drinking higher amounts of coffee may significantly reduce the risk of osteoporosis, the bone-weakening disease that affects millions of older adults worldwide… read more
The Portal By Belka Opens a Door to Extraction Concentration Logging
South Korean coffee equipment startup Belka is bringing real-time extraction analysis to professional and home brewing environments with Portal, a Bluetooth-connected device that continuously measures brewed coffee concentration as it exits filters or portafilters… read more
New Research Shows Promise for Stenophylla Breeding
As the climate-sensitive arabica coffee species continues to face long-term existential threats, research from Sierra Leone sheds new light on the breeding potential of another species, stenophylla… read more
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