☕️ The Buzz Report - Week 42

Coffee futures rebounded on October 13 to ~ 385.20 US, up ~3.26% in one day.

Despite the recent volatility, prices are still ~47% higher year-over-year.

Ongoing pressure from drought, tariff uncertainty, and supply constraints keep volatility elevated.

Cropster acquired Korean roasting / software platform Firescope, expanding deeper into East Asia & merging into its global software stack.

Verve Coffee agreed to pay ~$180k in restitution after failing to comply with SF’s health benefit ordinance at one of its locations.

Merit Coffee (Texas specialty chain) is entering Houston with new cafés in 2026. The Texas market continues to heat up.

Colombia produced its best coffee year in 30+ years (14.87M 60‑kg bags, +17% YoY), though forecasts warn of a contraction in 2025–26 due to heavy rains and natural tree-cycle effects.

U.S. roasters are bracing for continued sourcing stress as tariffs on Brazilian coffee shift trade flows and complicate traditional origin relationships.

In roaster communities, strategies under discussion include diversifying origin baskets, hedging longer forward contracts, and strengthening direct farmer relationships.

Fast food chains are doubling down on beverage-first plays: Taco Bell (Live Más Café) and Chick-fil-A(Daybright) plan to open concept cafés that lean heavy on customizable coffee & drink menus.

Café closures also surface: Kindness & Mischief in Highland Park, L.A., will shutter after nearly 10 years.

The café + retail hybrid model continues to grow: more shops are layering tasting bars, limited-run merch, and community spaces to diversify revenue streams.

Bellwether Roasters rolled out electric roasting units that can reduce roasting carbon emissions by ~87% versus gas-fired units.

Cropster’s Firescope move is a signal: integrated software + roasting control is becoming table stakes.

Electrification is gaining real traction in roaster circles (see Bellwether above).

Labor compliance is tightening, especially in municipalities that enforce health benefits, wages, etc. (Verve case).

Drivers around deforestation, origin blending, and traceability risks are growing louder as buyers and consumers demand accountability.

Collaborations between coffee and design/branding houses are rising: Café Kitsuné × Iittala recently launched a minimalist mug line.

Music/celebrity brands in coffee are still experimenting — e.g. Punk Bunny Coffee (Green Day’s brand) pushing K‑cups, brand tie‑ins, merch.

Social-savvy, “Instagrammable” beverage formats (layered drinks, foam art, color contrasts) remain key in driving café discovery and engagement.

Equator Coffee scaled cold brew distribution nationally, now in ~1,500 Whole Foods, Kroger, and Sprouts locations.

Café Kitsuné / Iittala mugs are launching globally Oct 16 — design-forward tableware tied to brand identity.

Cropster + Firescope is the standout deal this week.

Verdane (growth investor) holds a majority stake in Cropster, signaling continued capital inflow into coffee‑tech infrastructure.

Will U.S. tariffs on Brazilian coffee ease or tighten? That’s a key pivot for pricing and origin strategies.

Can Colombia sustain its output gains into 2025/26? Early forecasts say possibly not.

Which café concept will prove resilient (fast-beverage, hybrid, retail-anchored) in stressful cost environments?

Watch electric roasting adoption curves — CAPEX, energy costs, payback timelines will matter.

Klatch Coffee + Sprouts: Expanding partnership — 20 new Klatch coffee kiosks inside Southern California Sprouts supermarkets.

Kindness & Mischief (Highland Park): Its closure next month marks a sentimental shift in L.A.’s specialty café scene; founder Mo Maravilla pivots to roasting & workshops.

City Bean Coffee Roasters (West Adams, L.A.): long-time local roaster that helped pioneer specialty coffee in Los Angeles. LAist

Keep an eye on upcoming local events — e.g. emerging regional coffee festivals or collaborations between SoCal roasters and surf / culture brands.