European

Emerging Markets Are Redefining Specialty Coffee—Here’s What Mature Roasters Can Learn

Emerging Markets Are Redefining Specialty Coffee—Here’s What Mature Roasters Can Learn

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: The world’s coffee obsession is shifting. While Europe’s consumption stagnates, China’s branded coffee shops now outnumber the U.S., and India’s market is set to double in value by 2030. These aren’t just numbers—they’re signals. For roasters in mature markets, the rise of emerging specialty coffee scenes offers more than just competition. It’s a blueprint for rekindling passion in a sector increasingly defined by cost-cutting and efficiency. Emerging markets like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan are proving that specialty coffee isn’t just a trend—it’s a cultural movement. In India, where coffee shops are growing at…
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Europe’s Best Roasters Crowned at Global Coffee Awards

Europe’s Best Roasters Crowned at Global Coffee Awards

Time to spill: Europe’s top roasters just got a global spotlight—and the results are as bold as the brews they serve. The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) European edition, held in Bordeaux in October 2025, crowned winners across 25 countries, from Belgium to the UK, in a blind-tasting showdown that blends precision and passion. This isn’t just about trophies—it’s about redefining how coffee is judged, sold, and celebrated. The competition’s genius lies in its balance of rigor and inclusivity. Judges, including Q graders and SCA coordinators, evaluated roasters on everything from aroma to acidity, using a scoring system that mirrors real-world…
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India’s Coffee Output Holds Steady Amid Brazil’s Rising Threat

India’s Coffee Output Holds Steady Amid Brazil’s Rising Threat

Time to spill: India’s coffee production is holding near 6 million bags for the 2025/26 season, but the battle for global market share is intensifying. Excessive monsoons battered yields, yet USDA data shows output barely dipping below last year’s levels. The real story? Brazil’s aggressive push into European markets is reshaping the competition, and India’s farmers are feeling the pressure. The USDA report paints a mixed picture. Arabica yields fell 3%, robusta 2%, as monsoon rains flooded southern India—especially Karnataka, the heart of the country’s coffee belt. While soggy soil boosted short-term growth, fungal diseases and fruit splitting are now…
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Europe’s Best Roasters Revealed at the Global Coffee Awards

Europe’s Best Roasters Revealed at the Global Coffee Awards

The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) celebrated European roasting excellence in Bordeaux, France on October 29-30, 2025. The competition honored companies that produce exceptional coffee, bridging a gap in the industry by acknowledging both the roasters and the producers who grow the beans. The GCA invites European roasters of all sizes to submit their best coffees across various categories, with an emphasis on recognizing overall company success rather than individual roaster achievements. The goal is to strengthen brand identity and promote a global approach to quality across the supply chain. Roasters from 25 countries submitted entries for filter, espresso, and milk-based…
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Fixing Mapping Errors in Smallholder Coffee Farms: A New Dataset for Transparency and Compliance

Fixing Mapping Errors in Smallholder Coffee Farms: A New Dataset for Transparency and Compliance

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is about to kick into high gear, but a critical flaw threatens to cut hundreds of thousands of smallholder coffee farmers out of the European market. A new open-access dataset called Sample Earth aims to rectify this issue by helping mapmakers accurately classify smallholder farms instead of mislabeling them as forests. Launched last week by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Sample Earth is a reference dataset designed to improve map accuracy in deforestation due diligence. The groups behind this initiative say that inaccurate mapping could lead to…
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