The European Commission has proposed a 12-month extension to the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), giving coffee farmers and businesses more time to comply with its demands. The EUDR, targeting commodities like coffee, cocoa and palm oil, requires importers to ensure their supply chains are deforestation-free from 30 December 2024. The new timeline extends the regulation to 30 December 2025 for large and medium companies and 30 June 2026 for micro and small businesses. The extension proposal highlights concerns over the readiness of coffee producers, with the Commission stressing that while the timeline may change, the regulation's goals remain intact. "The extension proposal in no way puts into question the objectives or the substance of the law," it said. In a press release, the European Commission said with just three months until the original implementation date, many global partners have voiced concerns about their readiness, notably during the recent UN General Assembly. Additionally, the level of preparation among European stakeholders is inconsistent; "while many expect to be ready in time, thanks to intensive preparations, others have expressed concerns," it added. With the necessary implementation tools already in place, "the extra 12 months can serve as a phasing-in period to ensure proper and effective implementation," the Commission highlighted. The European Commission has issued further guidance to assist coffee farmers in implementing the EUDR. This guidance covers various topics, including traceability requirements, legality obligations, updates on penalties and clarifications on key terms such as 'forest degradation,' 'operator' and 'placing on the market'. Further guidance has been issued, including clarifications on traceability, legality requirements and the methodology for assessing country-specific risks, expected to be finalized by July 2025. #EuropeanCommission #coffee #deforestation

Pop & Bottle, a female-founded coffee brand, is set to launch two new products just in time for the holiday season. The first, a Peppermint Mocha Oat Milk Latte, combines organic cold brew coffee, house-made oat milk, real cacao and pure peppermint for a festive flavour. The second offering, an Organic Mint Mocha Almond Milk Latte, features a blend of organic cold brew, almond milk, rich cacao and crisp peppermint. The new lattes will start appearing on store shelves at the end of October. #PopandBottle #coffee #lattes #holidayofferings

Flavia has unveiled Lavazza Lattes, a new single-serve latte aimed at enhancing the café-style beverage experience in workplaces. The new Lavazza Lattes allow employees to brew a freshly frothed latte with a single touch, providing an in-office experience that rivals traditional cafés. Each serving combines high-quality coffee with creamy milk froth. The lattes are available in three variants: Classic Latte, Vanilla Latte and Mocha Latte, each made with real milk and natural flavours and sweeteners. Each pack contains 60 calories. Daniele Foti, VP of marketing at Lavazza North America, said: "Lavazza Lattes represent the first step in our renewed commitment to modernising the Flavia brand. As we expand our portfolio to offer more of the drink categories that employees seek outside of the office, we are investing in our exceptionally reliable Flavia machines to provide high-quality beverages with minimal effort. This launch showcases our dedication to innovation and elevating the office coffee experience." Foti added: "As we take a fresh look at the Flavia system, we're excited to introduce new innovations that deliver on what consumers are looking for, both inside and outside the office. Lavazza Lattes are just the beginning of our journey to bring more of the café-style drinks employees crave, while maintaining the same trusted quality Flavia has delivered for over 40 years." According to the company, "more innovation can be expected for Flavia in the coming months". Lavazza Lattes are available for Flavia machines nationwide. #Flavia #Lavazza

Mondelēz has made an investment through its corporate venture capital arm, SnackFutures Ventures, in Urban Legend, a UK-based start-up specialising in healthier doughnuts and pastries. This minority stake aligns with Mondelēz's broader strategy to expand its footprint in the cakes and pastries segment, particularly focusing on products that cater to the growing demand for “better-for-you” bakery options. Founded in 2021 by Anthony Fletcher, a scientist with a background in food innovation, Urban Legend has developed a patented air frying technology that significantly reduces the fat, sugar and calorie content of its doughnuts by 30% to 75% compared to traditional methods. The company’s offerings, which include various filled and iced doughnuts, maintain a calorie count of 200 or less per item. Richie Gray, global head of SnackFutures Ventures, commented: “Urban Legend is well positioned to disrupt the UK’s fresh bakery category. We’re excited about the brand’s growth potential, focus on ‘mindful indulgence,’ and opportunity to help Mondelēz build capability in the fast-growing ‘better-for-you’ fresh bakery space.” Urban Legend’s products are currently available in nearly 200 retail locations across the UK, housed in dedicated bakery cabinets. With this investment, the start-up aims to scale its operations and expand its reach throughout Europe and beyond. Fletcher added: “Our combination of novel technology and extensive recipe development has enabled us to be the first ones to deliver iconic doughnuts and pastries with less sugar, fat and calories to the south of England. A partner like Mondelēz provides enormous opportunity to scale that possibility throughout Europe and the world.” SnackFutures Ventures has previously invested in other innovative food companies, including Celleste Bio, a cocoa technology firm, and Craize snack crackers, further illustrating Mondelēz's commitment to diversifying its portfolio in line with consumer health trends. In September, the snacks giant announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Evirth , a Chinese manufacturer of cakes and pastries, as part of its strategy to enhance its footprint in the rapidly growing frozen-to-chilled desserts market. Menaeihle, back in June, Mondelēz and Lotus Bakeries joined forces to boost the presence of the popular Biscoff cookie  brand in India, and create new co-branded chocolate products in Europe. #Mondelēz #UrbanLegend #doughnuts #patries #UK #startup #bakery #bakedgoods

The Watercoolers Europe (WE) 2024 Conference and Trade Fair is scheduled to take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bucharest, Romania, on 10-11 October 2024. In preparation for the event, a dedicated mobile application is available for both Android and iOS users. Attendees can download the app by searching for 'Watercoolers Europe Annual Event' or 'WE Annual Event' in the Google Play Store or the App Store. In a statement, WE highlighted that those attending the event are encouraged to download the app to "access all event-related information" on their phone. #WatercoolersEurope #WE #Romania

Reborn Coffee has formed a joint venture with Gaingan Humantech Co to open three Reborn Coffee locations in Bangkok, Thailand. This venture aims to expand the brand’s presence in Thailand. This joint venture will begin with three high-traffic locations, starting at One Bangkok, with plans for further expansion in the coming years. The flagship store will be situated at One Bangkok, a major mixed-use development in the city centre. One Bangkok will feature five office towers, three luxury hotels, four residential towers and 450 retail stores, designed to create a vibrant community space with a gross floor area of 1.83 million square metres. Jay Kim, CEO of Reborn Coffee, said: "Gaingan Humantech Co will lead Reborn Coffee’s expansion throughout Thailand. By fostering a vibrant local coffee culture, Reborn Coffee and our joint venture partners will innovate in coffee, tea brewing, and specialty bakery offerings." "We are setting a new standard for premium beverages and artisanal products in Thailand while positioning ourselves as a leader in Southeast Asia’s thriving coffee market." #RebornCoffee #GainganHumantech #Thailand

Nespresso USA has launched its first ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee, Master Origins Colombia, in celebration of National Coffee Day (29 September). The new product is part of the Nespresso Bloom range, combining high-quality Colombian coffee with honey from the same plants. It is the brand’s first RTD coffee, part of a pilot programme expanding the Nespresso Bloom range launched last month . The RTD coffee features Colombian coffee beans sweetened with Nespresso Coffee Blossom Honey, creating a bold flavour. The honey used in the beverage is a result of Nespresso’s commitment to regenerative agriculture, harvested from Colombian farms that produce its coffee.   Alfonso Gonzalez Loeschen, CEO of Nespresso North America, said: “As on-the-go coffee demand continues to grow in the US, we saw the opportunity to reimagine how Nespresso can elevate coffee moments for today’s consumer. This RTD sits at the intersection of functionality and sustainability as a byproduct of our commitment to regenerative agriculture efforts to protect the future of coffee.”    The new RTD coffee will be available in aluminum cans at select Nespresso shops in packs of four and online in quantities of 12 starting next month.   #Nespresso #RTD #coffee

Starbucks has appointed John Elliott, the former chief technology officer of Sainsbury’s, as VP of technology for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. In his new role at Starbucks, Elliott will set and execute the technology strategy across 42 countries in EMEA, oversee digital service delivery and participate in both the EMEA and global technology leadership teams. Prior to Sainsbury’s, Elliott also held senior roles at Morrisons from 2011 to 2014, serving as applications manager and later as head of applications and development. Duncan Moir, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, commented: "John joins Starbucks at a time when we are building on our strong growth in the region. His impressive track record, particularly his experience in consumer facing food retailing, will help support our strategy." "This will see us drive further investment in technology that enhances the partner and customer experience, improve our supply chain and evolve our app and mobile ordering platform."   Elliott added "I am thrilled by the opportunity to join Starbucks, an iconic global brand renowned for its innovation, unique partner culture and dedication to customer experience. I look forward to joining the team to shape a technology strategy across the diverse markets of Europe, Middle East and Africa, as well as playing an important role in delivering a truly exciting growth plan for EMEA. #Starbucks #EMEA

FoodBev is proud to announce the World Coffee Innovation Awards 2024 shortlist , spotlighting remarkable, ground-breaking contributions to the global coffee industry. This year's line-up features the latest coffee concepts, technologies and innovations worldwide. The 2024 awards will see innovations from all over the globe compete for the accolade of the world’s best, showcasing their contributions and raising the bar in the coffee experience. Find the full shortlist below: Automatic Coffee Machine Coffetek - Vitro OutIn Inc. - Nano Portable Espresso Machine Dualit - Espressivo Pro Coffee Machine Eversys - Shotmaster S/ST Franke Coffee Systems UK - Mytico Barista Tool/Equipment Coffetek - New Ascaso Grinder P74 Coffee Capsule/Pod Voyage Foods - Bean-Free Coffee Dualit - Aluminium Coffee Pods Dualit - Home Compostable Coffee Pods Cold Brew Product Ezpresso - Rich Kenyan RISE Brewing Co. - Shelf-Stable RTD 3 Gallon Cold Brew BIB GoodBrew - GoodGut Caramel Cold Brew Latte Functional Coffee GoodBrew - GoodGut™ Vanilla Latte Sr. Valley Hemp Foods - Roasted Hemp & Coffee Blend Low/no Caffeine Product Origin Coffee - Atlas Decaf Coffee Manual Coffee Machine Coffetek - Barista T 2024 Dalla Corte UK - Icon Milk Alternative Floatmilk - Orginal Oatmilk Floatmilk - Vanilla Oatmilk Floatmilk - Chocolate Oatmilk Floatmilk - Original Oatmilk +Adaptogens Arla JÖRÐ - Barista Oat Drink 1L Ready-to-drink Product GoodBrew - GoodGut™ Caramel Latte Lost Sheep Coffee - Iced Latte Lost Sheep Coffee - Iced Mocha Brewing Innovation Tous les Jours - Tiramisu Latte Dalla Corte UK - Zero Barista Packaging Innovation Parkside Flexibles - Dark woods compostable coffee bag The Good Cup™ - All-in-one coffee cup SHARPAK - PET Recyclable Coffee Cup Lid Roasting Innovation sponsored by Gaggia Mr. Bean Coffee Ltd. - Shish Peet’s Coffee - Peet’s Bright Collection Bellwether Coffee - Bellwether Shop Roaster ROEST - L100 Plus Sample Roaster Voyage Foods - Bean-Free Coffee ACAPELLA - Café de Noël Technology Innovation Mr. Bean Coffee Ltd. - Shish AI-assisted tabletop coffee bean roasting systems for Horeca OutIn Inc. - OutIn Nano Portable Espresso Machine 365 Retail Markets - PicoCoffee nunc. - nunc. Ingredient Batching Systems - Green Coffee Silo Storage & Auto Batching System Dualit - Milk Frother Max Dalla Corte UK - Zero Barista Franke Coffee Systems UK - Mytico Ethical Initiative Raw Material - Plant-to-Port: Driving Ethical Transformation Through Inclusive Coffee Education New/start-up Business Mr. Bean Coffee Ltd. - Shish HoReCa Craft Roaster Station Voyage Foods - Bean-Free Coffee Sustainability Initiative Atomo Beanless Coffee - Atomo's Beanless Espresso Bella Barista - Bella Barista Brazil Santo - Regenerative Organic Coffee ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) - Coffee Kindergartens: Creating safe spaces for children during the coffee harvest Raw Material - Off-Grid Renewable Coffee Hubs Join us at the Caffe Culture Show This year, FoodBev Awards has taken the World Coffee Innovation Awards to the next level and is excited to present shortlisted companies with the opportunity to exhibit their products at the Caffè Culture Show in the dedicated World Coffee Innovation Awards feature area. This provides a physical platform to showcase, network and celebrate their innovations. Join us at the Caffe Culture Show on the 1st of October for a celebration like no other! The winner's ceremony will take place at the Caffè Insights stage at 16:00. Roasting Innovation Category Sponsor The myth of the 'caffè all’Italiana' was born from the ingenious idea of Achille Gaggia, an Italian barista who - in 1938 - filed the patent that signalled a revolution in the way that aromas are extracted from coffee. Achille began constructing his innovative professional coffee machines and installing them in bars and restaurants around the world, allowing customers the unique pleasure of experiencing perfect Italian espresso, complete with its unique ‘crema’ for the very first time. Today the Gaggia name is synonymous with excellence and state of the art technology, as represented by its range of traditional manual espresso machines and fully automatic machines for coffee professionals. About FoodBev Awards FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised as the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry. For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com  or email awards@foodbev.com

The European vending and Office Coffee Service (OCS) industry has recovered its revenue, exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2019, according to the latest report by the European Vending & Coffee Service Association (EVA). The report, which covers data up to the end of 2023, attributes this revenue recovery to the "resilience of machine operators and OCS companies", alongside price increases over the past few years. However, while revenue has bounced back, consumption remains lower than in 2019, though it has improved compared to last year. The EVA report, which spans 24 European markets, also indicates an expansion in the number of vending machines in use and provides sector-specific data on healthcare, leisure and travel sectors. Key findings include: The total number of machines in Europe is now 4.5 million. Vending transactions total 33.5 billion. Industry revenue reaches €22.67 billion. Micro markets exceed 10,000, due to a 38% increase in one year. Cashless payment systems are installed on nearly 78% of machines. Hot beverages account for 68% of the machine base. Machine bases have grown in 21 of the 24 countries, driven by investments in table-top semi-automatic machines. EVA will present the report at its Annual General Assembly at Le Forum-EVEX in Cannes on 17 October . #EVA #report #association

Bevi, a US-based company specialising in smart watercoolers, has appointed Cathy Lewenberg as its new chief executive officer. According to the company, Lewenberg's appointment comes as Bevi expands its product offerings and works toward making the beverage industry more sustainable. Co-founder Sean Grundy will shift his attention to new ventures, including international expansion. Lewenberg has over 20 years of experience across the consumer, retail, health and technology sectors. She was most recently CEO of Drizly, an alcohol delivery platform, where she oversaw rapid growth and its acquisition by Uber. As Bevi, she will prioritise accelerating growth and product innovation, strengthening the company's scalability and advancing its sustainability goals through strategic partnerships. Lewenberg said: “I’m thrilled to join Bevi at such an exciting and pivotal moment for the business. The opportunity to lead a company that is not only driving innovation in hydration, but also making a meaningful impact on sustainability aligns perfectly with my passions and experience." "I look forward to leading Bevi in its mission to eliminate single-use plastic bottles and make healthier choices easier for consumers. I’m eager to partner with this talented team to accelerate growth of this beloved brand and continue making the world a better place, one sip at a time.” Grundy added: “We’re lucky to welcome Cathy to the Bevi team. She shares our vision to lead the beverage industry on an environmentally sustainable path, and has the experience and know-how to realize that ambitious vision. Cathy brings a wealth of valuable experience to Bevi, from massively scaling Drizly, to successfully driving innovation and transformation at CVS Health. Her skills in brand and product development, distribution, partnerships and general management will be critical to Bevi in the years to come.” Top image: © Bevi #Bevi #CEO #appointment

Boost, an unattended retail solution company based in Zürich, Switzerland, has joined the European Vending Association (EVA) to strengthen its presence in the sector. The company offers solutions like smart cooling systems, coffee machines, vending units and micro markets to optimise efficiency and drive growth. Cecily Batten, marketing manager at Boost, highlighted: "For a European player like Boost, becoming a member of the EVA will give us direct access to defining and shaping European standards and industry-wide protocols. We see the EVA’s role as crucial in continually raising the professionalism and innovation of our industry and look forward to applying our own experiences in an open and supportive network.” Erwin Wetzel, EVA's director general, commented: “As the industry becomes more and more connected, Boost provides solutions for the unattended retail industry. I am pleased that they will now be able to network further with wider European vending players through EVA events and also benefit from the in-depth industry knowledge gained through our highly sought-after market report.” Boost has joined the EVA as a full member. Top image: © Boost inc #EVA #Boost #association