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Weekly Coffee News: Flooding in Indonesia + A Warner Bros. Cease and Desist

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Indonesia coffee land flooding

Image via the Indonesia National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure showing flood damage and repair efforts.

Cyclone Senyar Triggers Floods, Landslides in Aceh and Sumatra, Indonesia

Indonesia’s Leuser International Foundation told Daily Coffee News that Tropical Cyclone Senyar brought extreme rains to Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra from Nov. 23-27, causing massive floods and landslides in the coffee lands. The group said more than 3.3 million people had been affected, as of Dec. 2. Coffee areas in the Gayo Highland were completely cut off from road access. 

Nestlé Vietnam, MAE Sign MoU on Circular, Low-Carbon Farming

Nestlé’s Vietnam subsidiary has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) to support Vietnam’s shift toward a circular economy, lower greenhouse gas emissions and more sustainable agriculture in pursuit of net-zero goals, according to a Việt Nam News report.

Rising Robusta Output in Brazil to Meet Growing Demand

Robusta coffee production in Brazil is climbing as climate change pressures arabica, according to a Fortune report that suggests robusta is part of a long-term plan for Brazil to maintain its status as the world’s top exporter. 

Nonprofit Coffee Chain Buys Oklahoma City’s Quincy Bake Shop

Oklahoma City-based nonprofit coffee chain Accept-ional House of Brands has acquired local Quincy Bake Shop, which now joins ABE’s, Not Your Average Joe and Stella Nova Coffee in its portfolio, according to an Oklahoman report.

Nespresso Donates 100,000 Pounds of Coffee Compost to City Plants LA

As part of its Grounds to Grow LA project, Nestlé-owned Nespresso is donating 100,000 pounds of finished compost — including grounds from collected and recycled Nespresso capsules — to City Plants LA to support soil regeneration and tree-planting in communities hit by the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, according to a Waste360 report.

Warner Bros. Warns Nonprofit Cafe Over ‘Holidays at Hogwarts’ Theme

Covenant Coffee, a Bakersfield, California-based nonprofit that trains and employs current and former foster youth, said it received a warning from Warner Bros. to remove Harry Potter references from a planned themed event and related social posts. The shop has renamed the event from “Holidays at Hogwarts” to “Holidays in the Great Hall,” according to a KGET report.

Royal Cup Secures Growth Investment from Braemont Capital

Birmingham, Alabama–based Royal Cup Coffee & Tea announced an investment partnership with Dallas-based Braemont Capital aimed at expanding roasting and distribution capabilities, strengthening partnerships across market segments and supporting nationwide growth.

Three Roasters Launch Collaborative Box Set with Nicaragua CoE Lot

Roasters Dapper & Wise, Idle Hands Roasting and Relevant Coffee have launched a collaborative box set built around the 15th-place Nicaragua Cup of Excellence 2025 lot from producer Martha Albir, including an info card on how each roaster roasted the coffee.

High-Speed Crash Damages Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company

A 90-year-old driver crashed into Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company in Santa Clara County, California, on Thanksgiving night, traveling an estimated 70-100 miles per hour and causing extensive damage inside, according to a CBS News report. No one was inside the roastery. 

Kawagoe Coffee Festival Marks 10 Years in Saitama

The Kawagoe Coffee Festival, one of Japan’s best-known specialty coffee events, celebrates its 10th anniversary Dec. 6-7 at Renkeiji Temple in Koedo Kawagoe, Saitama, hosting 35 national and international roasters along with coffee tastings, food and musical performances.

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Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…

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Investor Sues Michigan Retirement Fund Over Failed Kona Hills Project

A Florida agricultural lender has sued the operator of a Michigan retirement fund over a failed investment in a large Kona coffee venture, alleging the fund and its partners misled the lender about the project’s condition and prospects… read more

Nestlé Reportedly Exploring Sale of Blue Bottle Coffee

Swiss conglomerate Nestlé is exploring the potential sale of Blue Bottle Coffee, according to a Reuters report citing three unnamed sources… read more

European Parliament Votes to Delay EUDR

A week after European Union member states adopted a “negotiating mandate” to delay Europe’s new anti-deforestation supply chain law (EUDR), the European Parliament followed suit, voting to push back enforcement another year… read more

Brazil’s Expocacer to Host First Auction Through Blockchain-Based Coffee Chain

Large Brazilian coffee cooperative Expocacer is preparing to host the first online auction on its new Coffee Chain trading platform, offering traceable specialty lots to roasters and importers… read more

Blue Bottle Workers Strike Over Thanksgiving Weekend

Unionized baristas at Blue Bottle Coffee staged a multi-day strike over the Thanksgiving shopping weekend, intensifying a year-long contract fight with the Nestle-owned company… read more

Starbucks to Pay Hourly Workers $35.5 Million in NYC Labor Settlement

Starbucks has agreed to pay nearly $39 million to settle New York City claims that it routinely violated local scheduling rules at hundreds of stores, marking the largest worker-protection settlement in the city’s history… read more

Acaia Launches 0.001-Gram-Resolution Pyxis Black Scale

Coffee-focused scale maker Acaia has launched the Pyxis Black, a small coffee scale the company says reads accurately to the thousandth of a gram… read more

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