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Milwaukee, a.k.a. “Brew City”
Discourse Coffee Workers Vote to Unionize, Company Voluntarily Recognizes Union
Workers at Milwaukee-based Discourse Coffee Workshop voted to unionize under the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization (MASH). WUWM reported the company voluntarily recognized the union without a National Labor Relations Board election after more than 70% of Discourse’s 23 employees signed union authorization cards, with bargaining expected to begin soon.
Royal Coffee and Equator Coffees Raising Funds for Grounds for Health
Royal Coffee is leading a donation effort for the cervical cancer-prevention nonprofit Grounds for Health, promising to match donations up to $125,000 for a $250,000 goal. Equator Coffees has signed on as a fundraising partner, and Royal mentions numerous ways individuals or organizations can participate.
Wenbo Yang Wins 2026 U.S. Coffee Roasting Championship
U.S. Coffee Championships organizers announced Wenbo Yang of Story Coffee (Bellevue) and Cozy Monster Coffee is the 2026 U.S. Coffee Roasting Champion following last weekend’s competition.
SCA Posts Re:co Spotlight 2025 Outcomes Report, Sets 2026 Spotlight on Roast Color
The Specialty Coffee Association has published its Re:co Spotlight 2025 “review and outcomes” report tied to industry work on “green coffee identity” and terminology. The Re:co Spotlight 2026 topic is roast color, with programming and applications outlined on the Re:co Symposium site.
Colombia’s Coffee Growers Face Picker Shortages Despite High Prices
A new Guardian report describes Colombian growers struggling to hire pickers amid rural outmigration, an aging farm workforce and structural limits on mechanization in steep terrain, even as global prices remain elevated. The story also points to climate-related pressures, including changing weather patterns and rising pest and disease risks.
Starbucks Picks Nashville for New Southeast Corporate Office
Starbucks plans to establish a corporate operations office in Nashville later this year, according to an announcement from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. The Wall Street Journal reported the site will support North American supply chain operations, with some employees offered relocation and additional hiring expected, while Seattle remains the company’s headquarters.
Amatera Raises $8.6 Million to Develop Climate-Resilient Perennial Crops
Paris-based Amatera says it has raised a total of about $8.6 million (€7.5 million), including a €6 million seed round co-led by Demea Sustainable Investment and Oyster Bay Venture Capital, to scale an AI-enabled plant cell biology platform aimed at speeding development of climate-resilient crops such as coffee and wine grapes.
Verve Coffee Roasters to Donate Portion of Coffee Sales to IWCA
California-based Verve Coffee says it will donate 10% of proceeds from women-produced coffees sold during March to the International Women’s Coffee Alliance. Separately, Diaspora Co has promoted a collaboration with Verve tied to new menu items including a Golden Hour Matcha and a Sunrise Tonic.
Klatch Coffee to Donate 20% of Mujeres de Cafe Blend Sales to Grounds for Health
California-based Klatch Coffee is featuring its Mujeres de Cafe blend, spotlighting producer Lucia Ortiz and her Finca Las Mercedes in El Salvador. The company says it will donate 20% of every bag sold during March to Grounds for Health.
Caffe Ladro Names KUOW as Coffee for Good Partner for March and April
Seattle-based Caffe Ladro has named KUOW as its Coffee for Good partner for March and April, with the company pledging to donate $3 per bag of the Coffee for Good blend sold in cafes and online during the two-month window.
New from CoffeeIndustryJobs.com
- Territory Sales Manager – NorCal and beyond — Numilk
- Parts Fulfillment Team Member — La Marzocco
- Sales & Marketing Specialist — Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc.
- Accounting Specialist — Atlas Coffee Importers
- Director of Coffee — Coffeebar
- Corporate Controller — Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA
- Quality Control Manager — Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA
ICYMI
Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…
Luckin Shareholder Centurium Reportedly Ready to Acquire Blue Bottle
The controlling shareholder of China’s Luckin Coffee, Centurium Capital, is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire California-born specialty coffee chain Blue Bottle Coffee from Nestlé… read more
Rob Hoos-Led Roasting Lab Expands with Apps and AI
Roasting Lab, the online roasters’ community and education platform created by roaster, consultant and author Rob Hoos, is making its way to more pockets and workbenches through new iOS and Android apps… read more
ICO Launches “Coffee Is Part of the Solution” Campaign
The International Coffee Organization (ICO) on Feb. 26 launched a 2026 global communications campaign called “Coffee Is Part of the Solution,” positioning coffee as a vehicle for socio-economic development and collaboration… read more
Three Questions with Wobble Disk Roaster Maker Larry Cotton
In a roasting world dominated by rotating drums and chambers of propelled hot air, a clever new approach is quietly developing through DIY circles: the wobble disk coffee roaster… read more
Equal Origins Says ‘Raise Your Cup’ for the Women Who Grow Coffee
The nonprofit Equal Origins is calling on traders, roasters, retailers and everyday coffee and chocolate lovers to take part in Raise Your Cup, a campaign designed to shine a light on the women who power the world’s coffee and cocoa supply chains but remain undervalued… read more
After Eaton Fire, Bevel Coffee Rises with First Brick-and-Mortar in Altadena
More than a year after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena in January 2025, Bevel Coffee last week opened its first brick-and-mortar cafe, becoming one of the first new permanent storefronts to open in the community’s recovery… read more
Study Finds New Coffee Compounds that Could Help Fight Diabetes
Researchers in China say they’ve found six previously unknown compounds in roasted and brewed coffee… read more
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