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Indonesia’s Robusta Surge: A Coffee Market Shift in Motion

Indonesia’s Robusta Surge: A Coffee Market Shift in Motion

Consider this your morning briefing: Indonesia’s coffee industry is in the midst of a quiet revolution. Robusta production is surging, fueled by weather recovery and aggressive export strategies, while global demand for the bean continues to outpace supply. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) projects Indonesia’s output will hit 12.5 million 60-kilogram bags in the 2025/26 market year, a 18% jump from the previous cycle. This isn’t just numbers—it’s a seismic shift in the global coffee landscape. The rebound is most visible in lowland robusta regions of southern Sumatra, where Lampung, Bengkulu, and South Sumatra have seen trees recover faster…
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Coffee Grounds and Plastic Bottles Turned Into Climate-Fighting Carbon

Coffee Grounds and Plastic Bottles Turned Into Climate-Fighting Carbon

This might just change your routine: imagine your morning coffee cup and a discarded water bottle becoming part of a solution to trap carbon emissions. Researchers at the University of Sharjah in the UAE have patented a method that transforms spent coffee grounds and PET plastic into activated carbon—a material capable of capturing CO₂ from industrial smokestacks. The process, called co-pyrolysis, heats a mix of coffee waste, plastic, and potassium hydroxide to around 600°C, creating a porous, charcoal-like substance with millions of tiny cavities. These cavities act like sponges, trapping gas molecules and impurities. The innovation isn’t just about repurposing…
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Play Coffee’s Laguna Beach Flagship: Where Espresso Meets Artisan Craft

Play Coffee’s Laguna Beach Flagship: Where Espresso Meets Artisan Craft

Real talk: Laguna Beach isn’t just a postcard—it’s a new coffee epicenter. The opening of Play Coffee’s flagship in this coastal enclave isn’t just about beans; it’s about redefining what a café can be. Here, espresso isn’t a menu item—it’s a statement. The shop’s focus? Precision. Every shot is pulled on a La Marzocco Leva X, paired with a Weber Workshops EG-1 grinder, calibrated to extract clarity and nuance from single-origin coffees. Founder Leon Wansikehian calls it “a heightened level of focus,” offering four to six espresso recipes at a time, each with unique pressure profiles to amplify bright acidity.…
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Alfred’s Café Matcha Reimagines Coffee Culture in LA

Alfred’s Café Matcha Reimagines Coffee Culture in LA

The verdict is in: Los Angeles is getting a caffeine fix with a twist. Alfred, the city’s beloved coffee chain, has unveiled Café Matcha, its first espresso-free concept in Studio City. This isn’t just another café—it’s a bold redefinition of what a neighborhood drink spot can be. With its vintage diner aesthetic and matcha-centric menu, the new flagship is both a throwback and a forward-thinking experiment. Alfred founder Josh Zad describes Café Matcha as a “reimagined neighborhood hangout,” blending the familiarity of a classic coffee shop with a modern matcha focus. The design leans into retro diner vibes—think Formica tables,…
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Costco’s Green Tea Secret: Japan’s Ito En Craftsmanship

Costco’s Green Tea Secret: Japan’s Ito En Craftsmanship

If you’ve ever wondered who crafts Costco’s Kirkland Signature Green Tea, the answer lies in a quiet Japanese powerhouse. This box of 100 tea bags, priced at $13.99, isn’t just a warehouse staple—it’s a product of Ito En, Japan’s largest green tea brand. With operations spanning 45 countries, Ito En’s expertise isn’t just about scale; it’s about tradition. The company’s signature method? Steaming, not baking or pan-frying, which preserves the tea’s delicate vegetal notes. This technique, passed down through generations, gives Costco’s green tea its light, fresh profile—a stark contrast to the smoky undertones of Chinese teas. The blend itself…
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Blue Pea Flower Meets Green Tea in TCW’s Wellness-Fueled Brew

Blue Pea Flower Meets Green Tea in TCW’s Wellness-Fueled Brew

Pour yourself a cup for this one: Tea Culture of the World (TCW) has reimagined its iconic Blue Pea Flower Tea with a bold new twist—99 per cent Blue Pea Flower fused with Green Tea, now in sleek tea bags. This isn’t just a drink; it’s a ritual. The brand, known for its handcrafted blends, taps into the visual magic of Butterfly Pea Flower and the metabolic punch of Green Tea to craft a beverage that’s as functional as it is aesthetic. Imagine sipping a cup that shifts from sapphire to violet when you add a splash of lemon—a sensory…
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Greenville’s Wine Merchant Brews a New Era with Tea and Coffee

Greenville’s Wine Merchant Brews a New Era with Tea and Coffee

If you haven’t heard yet, Greenville’s wine scene just got a caffeinated twist. Camino Wine Merchant, a beloved neighborhood staple, has expanded its footprint with Camino Cafe, a sleek new space blending tea, coffee, and the same meticulous curation that defines its wine offerings. Owner Liz Dowty Mitchell, a connoisseur of both realms, sees tea as the wine world’s intellectual cousin. “It’s a very cerebral beverage,” she says. “Wine folks are already nerdy about tea—coffee just completes the trifecta.” The cafe’s menu is a curated journey, spotlighting rotating coffee roasters like Copenhagen’s Coffee Collective and tea sourced through collaborations with…
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Tea or Coffee? The Bone Health Debate Gets a New Twist

Tea or Coffee? The Bone Health Debate Gets a New Twist

Here’s what you need to know: A decade-long study of 10,000 women over 65 found tea drinkers had slightly higher hip bone density than non-drinkers, suggesting tea might offer a small but meaningful edge in bone health. Coffee’s impact? Moderate intake (2-3 cups daily) seemed neutral, but heavy consumption (over five cups) linked to lower bone density. Yet another study hinted that caffeine from coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks might actually lower osteoporosis risk by 60%—a finding that challenges the narrative. The science hinges on what’s in tea. Catechins and theaflavins, natural compounds in green tea, may support bone…
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Frequent Coffee Unveils Rare Decaf Techniques to Redefine the Category

Frequent Coffee Unveils Rare Decaf Techniques to Redefine the Category

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: decaf coffee is getting a second act. Frequent Coffee, the San Diego brand redefining what reduced-caffeine coffee can be, has expanded its lineup to include decaf offerings processed through methods once reserved for caffeinated lots. Think carbonic maceration, yeast inoculation, and thermal shock treatments—techniques that once felt out of reach for decaf. The result? A collection that challenges the notion that decaf must be bland or basic. At the heart of this expansion is a commitment to flavor and origin. Frequent Coffee’s new lineup features single-origin decaf from Colombia’s Tolima, Cauca, and Huila regions,…
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How Specialty Roasters Can Innovate Without Losing Their Soul

How Specialty Roasters Can Innovate Without Losing Their Soul

Here’s what specialty roasters must do to stay ahead: innovate without losing authenticity. The specialty coffee world once thrived on quality and traceability, but today’s market demands more. Consolidation, like Keurig’s $18bn acquisition of JDE Peet’s, has shifted power dynamics, pushing big players toward risk-averse strategies. For smaller roasters, this is a chance to redefine the game. Innovation here isn’t about flashy gimmicks—it’s about solving real problems while staying true to the craft. Consider Assembly Coffee’s bold move: partnering with Brazilian farm Mió and the Coffee Sensorium to repurpose overripe cherries through controlled fermentation. The result? A limited-edition trio of…
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