Our recurring round-up of the latest specialty-coffee industry news.
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Featured image by Joshua Earle
NCA Urges Addition of Unflavored Instant Coffee to Proposed Special 301 Tariff Exclusions
The National Coffee Association (NCA) is urging the U.S. government keep proposed tariff exemptions on most coffee imports and expand them to include unflavored instant coffee. “The proposed exclusions should be extended to include unflavored instant coffee consumed by nearly 30 million American adults each day and used as a critical ingredient in value-added manufacturing of coffee extracts, flavorings, cold brew, and ready-to-drink beverages,” said NCA President and CEO William Murray in testimony before federal officials earlier this month.
The NCA President emphasized that the U.S. relies almost entirely on imported coffee, which supports a $343 billion industry and 2.2 million jobs nationwide. The organization says exempting all coffee products from potential tariffs would help protect both the coffee industry and the more than 176 million Americans who drink coffee every day.
Tim Wendelboe Named Europe’s #1 Coffee Shop at World of Coffee Brussels
World of Coffee Brussels hosted the first Europe’s 100 Best Coffee Shops awards late last month. Oslo café and roastery Tim Wendelboe was given the top spot, followed by Gota Coffee Experts (Austria), Nomad Frutas Selectas (Spain), Tanat (France), and Coffeewerk + Press (Ireland).
After starting a career in coffee in Oslo in the 90s and winning the World Barista Championship in 2004, Tim Wendelboe founded his roastery and espresso bar in Oslo, Norway, in 2007, with an emphasis on direct-trade relationships and sustainable farming. Today, the café maintains only one location, with the roastery and training center operating in a building nearby.
Germany’s Rehm & Co. Joins Sucafina Group
Hamburg-based specialty green coffee importer Rehm & Co. has joined Geneva, Switzerland’s Sucafina Group in a move to extend their reach to a broader European market. “Joining the Sucafina Group brings together the specialty expertise and personal service our customers know with the strength of a global network,” said Claudia Fries of Rehm & Co. “Together, we can create even more opportunities for roasters while staying true to what defines us.”
Rehm & Co. has urged customers that operations will not significantly change, and Rehm will continue operating from Hamburg under its current name. “We are excited about the opportunities this partnership creates for specialty coffee roasters across Germany and beyond,” the company wrote on Instagram.
Robusta Prices Climb + Concerns Rise Over Vietnam’s 2026/27 Crop
According to Reuters, Robusta coffee has hit a five-month peak of $3,920 per metric tonne, with irregular rainfall, extreme heat, increased fungal diseases, and the prospect of a strong El Niño raising concerns about the 2026/27 crop in Vietnam—the world’s leading Robusta producer. Insurance Journal reports that major coffee trader ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. is pushing for more coffee growers in Vietnam to be covered by its specialty weather insurance. Click here for the full story.
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