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The Brewers and Tools Redefining Coffee Extraction Today

The Brewers and Tools Redefining Coffee Extraction Today

If you’ve noticed a shift in coffee brewing, it’s not just about beans or grind size—it’s about control. Baristas are redefining extraction through tools that let them fine-tune flow, temperature, and particle distribution with surgical precision. Competitions like the World Brewers Cup (WBrC) are accelerating this evolution, pushing hybrid brewers and data-driven gadgets into mainstream use. The result? A new era of coffee where consistency and complexity collide. Hybrid brewers like the Hario Switch and the SOLO dripper are now staples. The Switch, which toggles between immersion and pour-over, lets baristas experiment with body and clarity. The SOLO, designed by…
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Colombia’s Co-Fermented Coffee Revolution: How Innovation is Redefining the Cup

Colombia’s Co-Fermented Coffee Revolution: How Innovation is Redefining the Cup

Colombia’s coffee scene is undergoing a radical transformation. Once synonymous with clean, washed coffees that defined its global reputation, the country is now leading the charge in co-fermented experiments. These coffees, which blend coffee mucilage with external organic substrates like fruit pulp or cacao, are reshaping what Colombian coffee can deliver. The shift isn’t just about flavor—it’s a strategic move to differentiate in a saturated market and prove that innovation can coexist with tradition. For decades, Colombia’s coffee identity was built on precision and consistency. The FNC’s infrastructure investments standardized washed processing, creating a reputation for mild, clean profiles. But…
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Coffee Packaging That Defines Your Brand

Coffee Packaging That Defines Your Brand

Coffee packaging isn’t just about keeping beans fresh—it’s a silent ambassador for your brand. In a world where specialty coffee is a lifestyle, packaging has evolved from a functional container to a storytelling tool that shapes first impressions and builds loyalty. Today’s consumers aren’t just buying coffee; they’re investing in a narrative. A well-designed package communicates identity, values, and quality in an instant, turning a simple bag into a cultural statement. The shift from basic kraft bags to experimental formats like VHS-inspired boxes, cigarette-style packs, and translucent windows reflects a maturing industry willing to take risks. Yet innovation alone isn’t…
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FairWave Coffee Collective Acquires Joe Van Gogh to Expand Regional Reach

FairWave Coffee Collective Acquires Joe Van Gogh to Expand Regional Reach

FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective is making its move. The growing coffee collective, already expanding across the Southeast with its 2025 acquisition of Raleigh’s Black Coffee, has just added another name to its roster: Joe Van Gogh Coffee. Based in North Carolina, Joe Van Gogh has carved a niche with its artisanal approach and community-focused cafes. This acquisition isn’t just about scale—it’s about strategy. FairWave’s move signals a clear shift in the specialty coffee landscape. By integrating Joe Van Gogh’s local presence and brand equity, the collective is deepening its foothold in a market already ripe for growth. The coffee industry…
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Águila Coffee Infuses Orlando with Warm Mexican Flavors

Águila Coffee Infuses Orlando with Warm Mexican Flavors

If you haven’t tasted coffee that smells like a Mexican kitchen, you’ve been missing out. Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village now hosts Águila Coffee, a 800-square-foot haven where cobalt blue walls and hacienda-style yellow hues meet the earthy aroma of Chiapas-grown beans. Co-owners Artie Burer and Antonio Rodriguez have crafted a space that feels less like a café and more like a family gathering, complete with conchas, soft gingerbread puerquitos, and drinks emblazoned with the brand’s Aztec eagle logo. It’s a bold departure from Orlando’s sleek coffee scene, rooted in Rodriguez’s heritage and his grandmother’s legacy of hospitality. Rodriguez’s roots trace back…
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Two Michigan Coffee Brands Unite in a Strategic Acquisition

Two Michigan Coffee Brands Unite in a Strategic Acquisition

The coffee world just got a little smaller. Schuil Coffee Company, based in Grand Rapids, has acquired Leelanau Coffee Roasting Co., a Northern Michigan staple since 1993, merging two iconic brands with decades of expertise. The deal, announced in February 2026, brings together Schuil’s 30-year heritage and Leelanau’s roots in Glen Arbor, near the Sleeping Bear Dunes. It’s a rare move in an industry often resistant to consolidation, but the partnership feels inevitable. Both brands share a mission: to deliver exceptional coffee without pretension. Leelanau’s Glen Arbor café has long been a pilgrimage site for locals and tourists alike, offering…
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A Multicultural Coffee Experience Emerges in Kansas City’s Garment District

A Multicultural Coffee Experience Emerges in Kansas City’s Garment District

In the heart of Kansas City’s Garment District, a new coffee destination is redefining what a café can be. Veil Cafe blends vintage charm with modern flair, anchoring itself in the history of its brick-walled space while embracing bold, global influences. The result is a place that feels both rooted and restless—a nod to the cafes of Mexico, where old architecture and new ideas collide. Owner Benicio Baeza, a half-Mexican, half-Filipino entrepreneur, designed the space to mirror that duality. “We wanted to challenge ourselves,” he says, “to work with the historic nature of this space.” The café’s warm wood accents,…
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Coffee Buyers Must Embed Sustainability in Core Procurement

Coffee Buyers Must Embed Sustainability in Core Procurement

This might just change your routine: A new report from the VOCAL Coffee Alliance is urging coffee traders and roasters to stop treating sustainability as a separate project and instead embed it into their core buying practices. The findings, based on consultations with producers across eight coffee-growing countries, argue that corporate sustainability efforts have failed to address systemic inequities in the value chain. Instead of siloed initiatives, the report calls for a radical shift—rethinking procurement to prioritize living income, timely payments, and risk-sharing as non-negotiables. The report dismantles the myth that sustainability is a checkbox exercise. Project-based initiatives, often funded…
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Time Capsule Brew: Passenger Coffee Unveils 10-Year-Old Roast

Time Capsule Brew: Passenger Coffee Unveils 10-Year-Old Roast

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: Passenger Coffee is unearthing a 10-year-old harvest, defying time and tradition in the specialty coffee world. The Pennsylvania roaster is releasing a Kenya Kiriani Peaberry from 2016, frozen green coffee since harvest, as a bold experiment in preservation. This isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s a statement on how roasters are redefining freshness, quality, and the economics of coffee. The 2016 harvest, now a decade old, was frozen immediately after processing, locking in its peak condition. Passenger’s approach mirrors wine vintages, but with coffee’s unique challenges. Freezing green coffee—a practice pioneered by brands like George Howell…
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American Distillers Are Rethinking Grappa’s Classic Roots

American Distillers Are Rethinking Grappa’s Classic Roots

The Italian spirit everyone loves to hate is getting a fresh twist—thanks to American distillers. Grappa, that fiery, often polarizing digestif made from grape pomace, has long been a divisive favorite. But as its traditional roots face scrutiny for intensity and complexity, a new wave of American craft distillers is redefining the category. With a focus on sustainability, innovation, and refined flavor, these producers are crafting grappa that’s less about the burn and more about balance. The result? A category that’s evolving beyond its Italian origins. Grappa’s story is one of ingenuity. For centuries, it’s been made from the leftover…
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