Coffee News Recap, 6 Feb: Greggs overtakes Costa as UK’s biggest chain, China’s Cotti Coffee launches in London & other stories

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. 

Editor’s note

Costa Coffee, recently voted the UK’s Favourite Coffee Shop for the 16th consecutive year in World Coffee Portal’s survey, has long dominated the UK market.

But according to WCP’s latest Project Café report, Greggs has overtaken Costa to become the UK’s biggest branded coffee operator. The bakery chain, best known for its sausage rolls and pasties, operates roughly 2,737 outlets across the UK, versus Costa’s 2,707 stores.

This signals that UK consumers are increasingly seeking “non-traditional” options for out-of-home coffee. As per the Project Café report, the average price of a regular-sized latte in the UK’s branded coffee shop market has risen to £3.76. Value-focused brands like Greggs, which offer both hot coffee and RTD options, will therefore continue to see greater success as margins remain tight.

The bakery chain also just launched its first-ever matcha range, a strategic move as sales of the bright green drink skyrocket and Gen Z continue to influence market trends.

Top stories of the week

• Mon, 2 Feb – Vietnamese authorities seize counterfeit coffee made from soybeans. Law enforcement in Lam Dong province confiscated about 4.1 tonnes of counterfeit ground coffee and roughly 3 tonnes of raw ingredients following raids on a facility allegedly producing blends of soybean and additives sold as coffee, the country’s Public Security Ministry reported. Investigations are ongoing. (Lam Dong, Vietnam)

• Mon, 2 Feb – European Commission approves Hartree’s acquisition of coffee and cocoa trader Touton. The Commission approved the acquisition of 100% of the shares under merger rules, saying that limited overlaps mean there are no competition concerns. Hartree has expanded into soft commodities following its 2024 acquisition of Volcafe. (Brussels, Belgium)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Joe Van Gogh joins FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective in latest acquisition. FairWave agreed to acquire the North Carolina roaster and café chain, adding its six locations in the Raleigh–Durham area to its network. Joe Van Gogh retains local leadership. (Raleigh, North Carolina, US)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Cotti Coffee opens first UK outlet as part of European rollout. China’s second-largest chain, known for discounting and digital-first small-format stores, is testing European demand after 2024 moves into the Australasian, the Middle Eastern, and North American markets. (London, UK)

• Wed, 4 Feb – Greggs becomes the largest UK branded coffee operator as the market grows. The sector expanded 3.5% in 2025 to 12,313 outlets, with Greggs reaching 2,737 sites, surpassing Costa. Sales rose to £6.8bn as iced and matcha drinks gained share and younger consumers drove demand for premium formats. (London, UK)

• Thu, 5 Feb – Arabica futures slide to lowest since August. New York arabica contracts dropped to around US$3.08/lb, the weakest since August 2025, as improving Brazilian weather and abundant crop forecasts weighed on sentiment. (London, UK)

• Fri, 6 Feb – THAIFEX – HOREC Asia will host the ASEAN Coffee Roasting Championship. The hospitality trade show in Bangkok, running from 11 to 13 March, includes the inaugural regional roasting contest, which features both professional and home categories. (Bangkok, Thailand)

• Fri, 6 Feb – The 2026 Glasgow Coffee Festival to run on 18 & 19 April for 12th and biggest edition. The festival will return to the Briggait, expanding for the first time into the newly-opened neighbouring Clydeside Halls. The expansion will allow the festival to double vendor capacity and increase visitor capacity by nearly 40%, with almost 3,000 tickets available across both days. (Glasgow, UK)

Industry news

• Mon, 2 Feb – Starbucks unveils AI ordering companion and relaunches rewards programme. The chain is integrating AI into the digital ordering process to help customers build customised drinks through “natural, intuitive prompts,” as part of its turnaround plan. Starbucks will revamp its rewards scheme on 10 Mar with three tiers offering stepped benefits and personalised perks to its 35.5m members. (Seattle, Washington, US)

• Tue, 3 Feb – UK’s Cornish Bakery posts record profits and signals industry shifts. Annual financial results show strong revenue gains driven by product range expansion and operational efficiencies, while the chain notes that easing inflation and evolving customer tastes are key drivers of performance. (London, UK)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Curious Roo Coffee Roasters increases capacity by 50% after opening new roastery. The new 5,000-square-metre facility in Chiswick, which also houses a training school, has increased UK wholesale and retail operations by 50% to support more independent operators. Owners Edwin and Magda are also attempting a world record coffee delivery, crossing 25 countries over six months. (London, UK)

• Wed, 4 Feb – Indonesian coffee cart operator bags multi-million-dollar investment. Mobile café operator Jago secured US$12m in Series B funding to scale its app-first coffee carts across Indonesia, accelerating the rollout of technology, service depots, and expanded coverage. (Jakarta, Indonesia)

• Thu, 5 Feb – Nestlé and Carrefour sign sustainability-linked business plan for French coffee sector. The agreement targets reduced use of virgin plastic in coffee packaging, increased sourcing from regenerative agriculture, and lower logistics emissions, aligning with broader CSR and Nescafé Plan goals to reduce farm greenhouse gases. (Paris, France)

• Thu, 5 Feb – J.M. Smucker appoints Katie Williams as chief marketing officer. Williams will lead brand strategy, portfolio marketing, and digital initiatives, joining senior leadership as the company seeks growth and innovation across its consumer food and beverage brands. (Orrville, Ohio, US)

• Thu, 5 Feb – IWCA appoints new global board leadership. Emily Bollinger was named president, and Shelby Colley was vice president. Bollinger leads green coffee logistics at Peet’s, and Colley is VP of marketing at Equator Coffees. The new board will focus on governance, strategic growth, and strengthening chapters across 36 countries. (Springfield, Illinois, US)

• Fri, 6 Feb – Nestlé UK & Ireland appoints three senior leaders. Katya Simmons becomes managing director for coffee, shifting from Nestlé Professional. Martin Krohn is named head of technical and production. Lorenzo Vigano will lead Nestlé Professional UK and Ireland, focusing on quality, safety, and B2B growth. (London, UK)

• Fri, 6 Feb – illycaffè renews official coffee partnership with Salone del Mobile. Activities include on-site coffee services, design-led hospitality and showcases of product innovation and sustainability during the fair. (Trieste, Italy)

• Fri, 6 Feb – Centurium gains more control over Luckin Coffee. The investment firm acquired 136.2 million Class B shares from Lucky Cup Holdings. This allows Centurium to streamline its ownership structure without changing its stake in Luckin. (Beijing, China)

Businesses for sale

• Thu, 5 Feb – Schuil Coffee acquires Leelanau Coffee Roasting in Michigan. Grand Rapids-based Schuil has bought the Glen Arbor roaster and café, bringing all 25 Leelanau staff into its wider operation and plans to maintain key offerings while updating packaging and online sales. (Glen Arbor, Michigan, US)

New launch

• Mon, 2 Feb – Eversys launches redesigned website. The rebuilt platform offers streamlined product and industry pages, expanded technical resources, community storytelling, and improved navigation to support operators and preview upcoming product and service rollouts. (Sierre, Switzerland)

• Mon, 2 Feb – RAVE Coffee to launch coffee-infused blonde chocolate Easter egg. Made with its Signature Blend Nº 1 and a caramelised hazelnut layer, the Easter egg will be available from 27 Feb. (Cirencester, UK)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Australia’s award-winning Wood Fired Coffee to expand into UK. The Sydney-born brand, which slow-roasts in a custom-made wood-fired roaster fuelled by a blend of Ironbark, Yellow Box, and Mahogany hardwoods, plans to launch in the UK to support retail partners across premium grocery, independent retail, and specialty food channels. (London, UK)

• Wed, 4 Feb – ZUS Coffee opens first store in Thailand as regional expansion continues. Malaysian chain launched in Bangkok, with plans to expand across Thailand and broader Southeast Asia, leveraging its app-driven model and localised beverages to build market presence beyond Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Brunei. (Bangkok, Thailand)

• Wed, 4 Feb – The Venti opens its first coffee store in the Middle East. South Korean value-focused chain launched its first outlet in Jordan’s capital, featuring a tailored menu as part of a strategy to broaden its presence in the region following openings in Canada and Vietnam. (Amman, Jordan)

• Thu, 5 Feb – New season of A History of Coffee on Filter Stories podcast released. The podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and other platforms, will cover four main topics through historical reporting and on-the-ground documentary work: Hamburg as a coffee port, Ethiopia and the origins of coffee, coffee surrogates and substitutes, and land, power, and coffee in Guatemala.

• Fri, 6 Feb – Tous Les Jours opens in New York City as it expands US footprint. The Korean bakery-café chain plans wider US expansion, emphasising menu localisation, supply chain adaptation, and increased retail presence across metropolitan markets. (New York City, New York, US)

Milestone

• Thu, 5 Feb – Costa named UK’s favourite coffee shop for 16th year running. The chain topped a national consumer poll again, with customers citing consistency, accessibility and drink quality. (London, UK)

• Fri, 6 Feb – Pachamama Coffee achieves regenerative organic certification for Peru and Machu Picchu coffees. The designation recognises holistic soil health, biodiversity, and social equity practices on origin farms supplying the brand, thereby boosting the credentials of sustainable specialty lots. (Lima, Peru)

Trade & production

• Tue, 3 Feb – IFAD and GCF launch US$102.5m climate and rural livelihoods project in Vietnam. The RECAF initiative will fund agroforestry, forest protection, and deforestation-free supply chains in key highland provinces over six years, targeting emissions reductions and improved incomes for farming communities linked to coffee production. (Buon Ma Thuot, Vietnam)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Rwanda pushes coffee into Pakistan as festival and trade talks boost ties. The Rwandan High Commission hosted the first Rwanda Coffee Festival in Islamabad, bringing together Rwandan exporters and Pakistani importers to highlight rising coffee demand and to expand imports under a 2025 trade MoU as café culture grows. (Islamabad, Pakistan)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Uganda’s coffee exports are projected to jump sharply by late 2025. Data from the latest monthly report indicate that shipments are expected to rise significantly toward year-end, as strong harvests and rising demand lift volume and value relative to the previous season. (Kampala, Uganda)

• Wed, 4 Feb – African coffee leaders call for climate-resilient transformation at policy forum. Representatives from producing nations urged investment in drought-tolerant varieties, financing for smallholders, and stronger market links to build resilience against climate shocks and ensure sustainable export growth. (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

• Wed, 4 Feb – Vietnamese coffee exporters urged to revamp supply chains to meet stricter EU rules. Hanoi trade officials say firms must strengthen traceability, farming records, and environmental reporting to comply with the EUDR, which requires proof that coffee isn’t grown on post-2020 cleared land, as they prepare for expanded corporate sustainability reporting. (Hanoi, Vietnam)

• Wed, 4 Feb – Robusta coffee exports from Sumatra climb 52% in December. Data from the Indonesian Coffee Exporters Association show shipments from the region rose sharply compared with the same month in the prior year, supported by firm demand from key Asian and African markets. (Medan, Indonesia)

• Thu, 5 Feb – Global coffee exports grew 5.5% in the early 2025/26 crop year. New data show shipments of green beans climbed versus the prior season in the first three months through December, with robust increases from major producers helping offset logistical challenges and support availability abroad. (London, UK)

• Fri, 6 Feb – Brazil forecast to harvest 66.2 million bags in 2026, Conab says. The first Conab survey projects a 17.1% rise versus 2025, driven by a 4.1% area expansion and a 12.4% increase in productivity to 34.2 sacks/ha. Arabica and conilon volumes are both expected to increase, potentially setting a national record. (Brasília, Brazil)

• Fri, 6 Feb – Coffee Quality Institute to mobilise US$500,000 as part of its 2026 Global Coffee Fund programme to support coffee-growing communities. The CQI will continue its existing grant initiative in 2026 and commit up to US$100,000 to fund projects that enhance access to coffee education and support the development of educators in areas with insufficient local representation. The CQI will also launch a Matching Grant initiative to co-invest with partners whose work aligns with its mission and values, with a goal of generating US$400,000 in new commitments in 2026. (Aliso Viejo, California, US)

Research

• Tue, 3 Feb – Study links coffee drinking to higher headache prevalence in Taiwan. A population-based analysis reported more frequent headaches among individuals who drank coffee regularly, although the association does not establish a direct cause and may reflect other lifestyle factors. (Taipei, Taiwan)

• Thu, 5 Feb – Breeding could make robusta the coffee of the future. A Frontiers in Plant Science review by 14 authors states that coordinated global breeding, modern genetic tools, and demand-led targets can raise Coffea canephora yield, disease resistance, and cup quality. The review urges shared networks, funding, and fast delivery of improved varieties to farmers. (Kampala, Uganda)

Events & competitions

• Mon, 2 Feb – Ceado will be the Qualified Espresso Grinder Sponsor for the World Barista Championship 2026-27. WBC competitors for the 2026 and 2027 competitions will use the Ceado REV Zero and E37Z-Naked grinders. The REV Zero minimises grind retention and features RSZ83 burrs with Red Speed coating. The single-dose E37Z-Naked delivers extremely low retention, featuring DLCB83 burrs with Diamond-Like Carbon coating, screw-free design, and three-stage geometry. (Venice, Italy)

• Mon, 2 Feb – Crimson Coffee, Equator Coffee, and Magnolia Coffee among the 2026 Good Food Awards coffee finalists. Twenty speciality coffee roasters from across the US have advanced to the final round in the 2026 Good Food Awards coffee category, recognised for taste and commitment to quality ahead of blind judging. (San Francisco, California, US)

• Tue, 3 Feb – Cooxupé holds 11th Cerrado Fair in Minas Gerais. The cooperative’s Feira do Cerrado event in Monte Carmelo showcased machines, inputs, and technologies, and debuted a new parts support space to help producers cut costs and boost productivity ahead of the coffee harvest. (Monte Carmelo, Brazil)

• Tue, 3 Feb – SEB Professional debuts WMF Peak 50 and WMF Elevation 10 in Prague event. The machines combine smart technology, modern design, and reliable performance. Manufactured at SEB Professional’s new state-of-the-art production facility in Shaoxing, China, the coffee machines are designed for use in small to medium-sized spaces. (Écully, France)

• Wed, 4 Feb – Coffee Foundation wins the “Campaigns with Conviction” category at the Impact Awards 2026. The non-profit was recognised for measurable social impact and partnership-driven outreach at the 2026 Impact Awards, hosted by Givsly, which highlighted its advocacy and community programmes. (New York City, New York, US)

• Thu, 5 Feb – World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 ranking to be announced in Madrid. The global list from DaVinci Gourmet will be unveiled at a live event on 13 April, celebrating independent cafés as selected by expert votes and consumer feedback across regions. (Madrid, Spain)

• Fri, 6 Feb – US Cup Tasters Championship heads to North Carolina in March. The event will run alongside Brewers Cup competitions at Raleigh’s Cotton Exchange from 27 to 29 March. (Raleigh, North Carolina, US)

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look:

• Thu, 29 Jan – Industry leaders donate major coffee collections to UC Davis library. Three collections from Jerry Baldwin, Russ Kramer, and the Specialty Coffee Association include rare books, photographs, early Starbucks records, and trade documents, expanding the primary sources available to the UC Davis Coffee Centre and supporting archival research. (Davis, California, US)

• Thu, 29 Feb – 7 Leaves Café selects Square to support expansion. The Vietnamese-American beverage chain has chosen Square’s commerce platform, including in-store registers, handheld ordering, and loyalty tools, to streamline operations and enhance customer service as it expands to 44 US locations. (Garden Grove, California, US)

• Fri, 30 Jan – Drinking coffee appears to work as well as microdosing for depression. A new analysis finds that reported benefits of psychedelic microdosing are comparable to the mild mood and energy lift associated with coffee, with no clear evidence of superior clinical impact. (San Francisco, California, US)

Photo credits: Eversys

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