Our recurring round-up of the latest specialty-coffee industry news.
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Featured image by Joshua Earle
Keurig Dr Pepper Set to Acquire JDE Peet’s for $18 Billion
In an effort to stay ahead of changes in consumer demand, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is acquiring JDE Peet’s in an all-cash acquisition of $18 billion USD. The two-step transaction will unwind the 2018 merger of Keurig and Dr Pepper, once again splitting them into two separate brands: one focused on coffee and the other, on soda and energy drinks.
The new coffee company will combine Keurig’s coffee business—including its namesake coffee pods—with JDE Peet’s. Headquarters will be in Burlington, Mass., with international headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Blueprint Coffee Debuts Interactive Packaging
St. Louis, Mo.’s Blueprint Coffee is rolling out a packaging redesign across their line of whole bean coffees. The new retail bags have a clever feature: a removable, collective, and interactive card including information about each coffee. You can purchase coffee from Blueprint at any of their three St. Louis locations, or on the Blueprint website.
Science Suggests a Quick Nap After Coffee Can Help Boost Energy Levels
No need to feel guilty about that midday nap anymore—new research published by neuroscience journal Psychophysiology shows that caffeine combined with a quick slumber can help boost energy levels and alertness for the rest of the day.
Coca-Cola Explores Sale of Costa Coffee
Sources say that United States soft drinks company Coca-Cola is exploring selling British coffee chain Costa Coffee, which they acquired in 2018. The company has had initial talks with several potential bidders.
Chinese Migrants Are Helping Keep Italy’s Café Culture Alive
An article by Zhaoyin Feng for South China Morning Post tells the story of the Chinese baristas keeping the Italian coffee industry going. According to government statistics, there are over 300,000 Chinese migrants living in Italy, and the number of Chinese-owned cafés in Italy’s major cities took off after 2008, when many Italian owners exited the coffee industry.
Shade Trees on Coffee Farms May Be Doing More Harm than Good
Recent research published in the journal Communications Earth Environment reveals a significant oversight in sustainability initiatives in the coffee industry. The study shows that the popular practice of planting shade trees on coffee farms may be ineffective at carbon storage, as the removal of non-shade coffee trees done in the process releases more carbon than the new trees can absorb. The study suggests that carbon storage efforts should instead focus on conserving existing plant life.
Subscribe and More!
As always, you can read Barista Magazine in paper by subscribing or ordering an issue.
Read the August + September 2025 Issue for free with our digital edition.
For free access to more than five years’ worth of issues, visit our digital edition archives here.
