Authority.Coffee has introduced a new careers platform focused on the coffee sector in the Gulf region, aiming to connect employers with candidates experienced in the industry.
The platform, accessible at authority.coffee/careers, is designed to link operators such as specialty cafés, roasteries, multi-location groups, and equipment suppliers with job seekers who have relevant experience in coffee operations. Available roles include baristas, roasters, store managers, training staff, and senior operational positions.
The launch comes as the GCC specialty coffee market continues to expand. Industry estimates cited by the company project the sector could grow from approximately USD 6.84 billion to more than USD 11 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of around 9%. At the same time, operators in the region have reported ongoing challenges in recruiting experienced talent.
Robert Jones, founder of Authority.Coffee, said the platform was developed in response to what he described as a mismatch between available talent and existing recruitment channels. He noted that general job platforms do not always differentiate between levels of specialty coffee experience.
The platform is positioned alongside Authority.Coffee’s broader market intelligence tools, which track coffee businesses and suppliers across the UAE. According to the company, early users of the careers platform will have access to verified candidate profiles, while job seekers will be visible to participating operators during an initial rollout phase. Registration is currently free for both employers and candidates.
Authority.Coffee stated that the service is intended to provide a more specialized recruitment channel for the regional coffee industry as competition for skilled staff increases alongside market growth.
Sucafina published an important report today titled “Inside Asia Pacific’s Evolving Coffee Consumption Landscape.” Due to its relevance for understanding shifting global coffee demand, Coffee World is republishing the findings to help raise awareness of the key trends shaping the region’s coffee markets.
Coffee consumption across the Asia-Pacific region is undergoing rapid transformation, shaped by premiumization, evolving lifestyles, and the parallel growth of convenience-driven and specialty coffee segments. Markets including Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, China, and Japan are each following distinct development paths while sharing broader regional dynamics.
Taiwan: A Dual-Track Consumption Market
Taiwan’s coffee market is strongly influenced by young urban consumers and fast-paced city lifestyles. Convenience-store chains such as 7-ELEVEN (CITY CAFÉ and CITY PRIMA) and FamilyMart (Let’s Café) dominate daily consumption, offering consistent quality and accessible pricing.
At the same time, specialty cafés are expanding, driven by consumer interest in origin, processing methods, and brewing techniques. Domestic specialty production is also emerging, particularly in regions such as Alishan, though limited supply and high prices remain constraints.
The result is a dual-market structure where convenience-driven and experience-focused consumption coexist. Taiwan imported around 726,000 bags in 2025, reflecting steady growth supported by premiumization and stable commercial demand.
South Korea: A Highly Polarized “Barbell” Market
South Korea remains one of the highest per-capita coffee-consuming markets in Asia, with annual consumption estimated at 400–420 cups per person. The market is increasingly polarized between low-cost franchise chains and high-end specialty cafés, with limited space for mid-tier operators.
Industry standards have risen significantly, with many chains now avoiding lower-scoring commercial beans and instead emphasizing higher-quality offerings. Specialty cafés are differentiating through rare origins, unique varieties, and enhanced in-store experiences.
Ready-to-drink coffee continues to grow at a steady rate, supported by office workers and home café culture. Decaf consumption has also expanded consistently over the long term, while demand for African and Latin American specialty coffees continues to rise.
Australia & New Zealand: Shift Toward At-Home Consumption
In Australia and New Zealand, rising living costs are reshaping coffee consumption patterns. While overall demand remains strong, more consumers are shifting away from cafés toward supermarkets, e-commerce, subscription services, and ready-to-drink formats.
The market is becoming increasingly polarized between value-driven private label products and premium, traceable specialty offerings, particularly in New Zealand. Fresh coffee is showing strong supermarket growth, while instant coffee and pods are stabilizing.
New trends include iced and infused coffee formats, as well as growing demand for premium decaf and alternative beverages. Despite cost pressures across the supply chain, daily coffee consumption remains high across both markets.
China: Rapid Expansion Driven by Low Prices and Scale
China continues to be one of the fastest-growing coffee markets globally, supported by rapid consumer adoption and highly efficient supply chains. Large coffee chains dominate the market through extensive store networks and price-competitive offerings.
Average cup prices remain low, contributing to strong mass-market accessibility but also increasing pressure on premium positioning. Consumer preferences continue to lean toward milk-based and blended beverages, driving continuous menu innovation.
Import demand remains strong and evolving, with shifts in sourcing origins reflecting the market’s rapid development.
Japan: Mature and Stable Consumption Market
Japan’s coffee market is highly mature, with long-established consumption habits and relatively stable demand. While demographic aging has contributed to slight declines, overall consumption remains steady.
The country imports significant volumes of green coffee and soluble coffee annually. A strong ready-to-drink culture persists, supported by widespread vending machine distribution and convenience store expansion.
Specialty coffee remains a smaller segment but continues to grow through curated and experiential offerings. One emerging format is the “coffee omakase,” a highly curated tasting experience that emphasizes exclusivity and craftsmanship.
Regional Outlook: Fragmentation and Innovation
Across Asia-Pacific, coffee demand remains structurally strong, with continued expansion in both commercial and specialty segments. However, markets are increasingly fragmented, with clear separation between value-driven and premium consumer behavior.
Innovation in both product development and café concepts is becoming a defining factor in competitiveness. Across the region, operators are adapting to increasingly distinct local demand patterns, reinforcing Asia-Pacific’s role as a key driver of global coffee market evolution.
Leading global coffee companies have launched a landmark industry initiative aimed at transforming how deforestation risks are identified and managed across coffee-producing regions worldwide, through a unified satellite-based mapping system.
The Coffee Canopy Partnership brings together major players in the global coffee value chain, including JDE Peet’s, Louis Dreyfus Company, Sucden, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, Touton, Sucafina, and Tchibo, in an unprecedented pre-competitive collaboration designed to create the first comprehensive and openly accessible global map of coffee production landscapes.
Developed in partnership with Airbus, the initiative will use very high-resolution satellite imagery combined with artificial intelligence and ground verification to map coffee farms, detect forest loss, and distinguish between natural forests and agroforestry systems such as shade-grown coffee, which have historically been misclassified in land-use datasets.
The program is designed to address one of the sector’s most persistent structural challenges: the lack of reliable, harmonized geospatial data on coffee cultivation. This data gap has contributed to inconsistencies in sustainability monitoring and, in some cases, the unintended exclusion of smallholder farmers from regulated markets.
The initiative launches with a large-scale pilot across East Africa, covering Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda. The pilot will map approximately 1.2 million square kilometers of coffee-growing landscapes and serve as the foundation for a global rollout planned for 2027.
At the core of the project is the creation of two key geospatial datasets. The first will reconstruct a baseline of coffee cultivation for 2020–2021, correcting historical misclassifications of agricultural land as forest. The second will provide an updated view of coffee production landscapes for 2024–2025, enabling the detection of land-use change and potential deforestation over time.
The initiative comes as the industry prepares for stricter regulatory enforcement under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which restricts market access for commodities linked to deforestation after December 2020. Industry participants warn that without accurate mapping, agroforestry-based coffee systems risk being incorrectly classified, potentially affecting millions of smallholder farmers.
Speaking at the launch, Laurent Sagarra of JDE Peet’s said the initiative represents a shift away from fragmented sustainability efforts toward a shared, landscape-level approach. He emphasized that the goal is not to create another certification scheme, but to build a collaborative infrastructure capable of reducing deforestation risk across the entire sector.
Airbus Defence and Space highlighted the role of satellite technology and artificial intelligence in enabling this transformation, noting that high-resolution Earth observation data can provide the transparency required to strengthen both environmental protection and supply chain resilience.
Supporting institutions, including the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, have endorsed the pilot phase. FAO representatives noted that the initiative aligns with broader efforts to promote transparent and inclusive data systems for sustainable commodity production.
Industry participants described the project as a shift toward shared infrastructure for sustainability, arguing that collective data systems can reduce duplication, improve consistency, and enable more effective decision-making across governments, producers, and traders.
If successfully scaled, the Coffee Canopy Partnership is expected to become a global reference system for monitoring coffee-related land use change, supporting deforestation-free supply chains while protecting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and strengthening long-term climate resilience in coffee-producing regions.
Coffee markets are drifting lower, weighed down by mounting expectations of a very large crop in Brazil, even as supply-side tensions prevent sharper declines.
Arabica futures have slipped to their weakest levels in several weeks, reflecting growing confidence among analysts that Brazil’s next harvest could reach record territory. Forecasts from firms such as Marex Group, Sucafina, and StoneX all point toward a historically large 2026/27 crop clustered in the mid-70 million bag range. If realized, that would mark a significant year-on-year increase and help expand the global coffee surplus.
The supply outlook is also being shaped by developments in Vietnam, the world’s leading robusta producer. Export volumes have surged, with early-year shipments showing strong annual growth. Production is likewise expected to rise, potentially reaching a multi-year high, adding further pressure on prices.
Yet the market narrative is not entirely bearish. Tight inventories are offering some support, particularly for robusta, where exchange-monitored stockpiles have dropped to their lowest level in over a year, highlighting ongoing short-term supply constraints.
Geopolitical tensions are adding another layer of complexity. Disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up freight and insurance costs, complicating global trade flows and increasing expenses for coffee importers and roasters.
Meanwhile, export data from Cecafé and Brazil’s trade authorities show a decline in March shipments compared to last year, lending some support to prices. Weather concerns also persist in key regions such as Minas Gerais, where below-average rainfall could still impact yields.
Global institutions, including the International Coffee Organization and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, continue to point to a nuanced outlook: overall production may rise, but with diverging trends between arabica and robusta, and tightening stock levels.
Taken together, the coffee market is navigating a delicate balance between expectations of abundant future supply and the realities of present-day constraints.
Offering Exceptional Dining Experiences at Over 125 Restaurants
Participating restaurants represent more than 25 international cuisines, ranging from fine dining and upscale contemporary spots to popular local eateries and award-winning venues. Food enthusiasts can enjoy specially curated lunch menus for AED 125 and dinner menus for AED 250, with reservations available exclusively via the Careem DineOut app.
Dubai – Qahwa World
Dubai Restaurant Week returns this May, offering food lovers the chance to savor a diverse selection of dishes from over 25 international cuisines, reflecting the vibrant culinary landscape of Dubai.
In this edition, over 125 restaurants will present exclusive menus designed to highlight the city’s global flavors at competitive prices from May 1 to 17, 2026. The selection spans luxury, contemporary, and local dining, including elite venues recognized by Michelin, Gault&Millau, and MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants.
The experience features a two-course lunch menu for AED 125 per person and a three-course dinner menu for AED 250 per person, providing an opportunity to dine at some of the city’s most sought-after locations. Guests can explore international kitchens including over 30 Michelin-listed restaurants. The lineup of participating chefs features global icons such as Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay, Izu Ani, Alvin Leung, Akira Back, Kelvin Cheung, and Hadrian Villedieu, alongside homegrown concepts like Girl and the Goose by Chef Gabriella Chamorro.
A key highlight of the 2026 edition is the full integration of bookings within the Careem DineOut app, providing a seamless platform for users to browse, discover, and book their tables in one place.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), stated: “Dubai Restaurant Week continues to showcase the incredible diversity and rapid growth of Dubai’s culinary sector. Since its launch with just 30 restaurants, the event has grown significantly. Today, with over 125 participants, it has become a premier annual highlight for food lovers.”
Al Khaja emphasized the importance of collaboration with private and public partners, noting that the partnership with Careem makes the booking process more accessible, allowing diners to reach their preferred experiences with ease.
Dubai Restaurant Week celebrates the city’s variety, from Japanese and Italian to Latin American and Middle Eastern cuisines, as well as unique local concepts like Gerbou, which honors Emirati hospitality. Fans are encouraged to view the full list and book exclusively through Careem DineOut.
During Milan Design Week 2026, Victoria Arduino expands its presence across some of the city’s most iconic venues, reinforcing its connection with design, architecture, and contemporary culture. Through a series of curated activations, the brand expresses its vision of coffee as a balance between innovation, timeless aesthetics, and uncompromising quality.
Coffee as a design experience at Poltrona Frau
During Fuorisalone, Poltrona Frau welcomes an international audience to its Via Manzoni flagship store. Under the theme True Over Time, the brand highlights a dialogue between tradition, longevity, and contemporary vision.
In this setting, Victoria Arduino joins as a partner, transforming coffee into a ritual of style and conviviality. In collaboration with Lavazza, the brand will be present at the Poltrona Frau Café from April 14 to 26, offering moments of connection and discovery within a space dedicated to quality, design, and the value of time.
Experimental design at Alcova
Victoria Arduino will also participate in Alcova, one of the most experimental platforms of Milan Design Week, hosted at the former Military Hospital in Baggio.
Together with Lavazza, the brand will contribute to an environment that explores new design perspectives and creative approaches to space, strengthening the link between contemporary design culture and coffee.
Material and vision at Stanze Prototipo
From April 20 to 26, Victoria Arduino partners with Stanze Prototipo, curated by Azimut Design and OOM Glass, hosted at Valentina Ottone PR Showroom.
The project explores the concept of the prototype as a space for experimentation and storytelling, where materials, design, and vision converge. Victoria Arduino’s presence enhances the sensory dimension of the experience, combining performance, aesthetics, and contemporary research within the coffee ritual.
Community and sharing with Caffè Sospeso
As part of the week, Victoria Arduino collaborates with Santaromero Roaster for the Caffè Sospeso activation, blending coffee culture with social responsibility.
Taking place on April 21 and 22 at Spazio Pesca, the initiative—created by Studio Sospeso—reinterprets the tradition of suspended coffee as a modern act of sharing. The program includes sensory experiences, design-driven events, aperitivo gatherings, and networking opportunities, creating an inclusive space where coffee becomes a catalyst for dialogue and cultural exchange.
A citywide journey
Across Milan, each location presents a different facet of Victoria Arduino’s identity. Together, these activations form a distributed narrative that integrates coffee into the broader creative landscape of the city during one of the world’s most influential design events.
Coffee markets ended the week under renewed pressure, with Arabica futures retreating sharply after multiple failed attempts to break above key technical resistance levels. Broader macroeconomic volatility, shifting geopolitical sentiment, and emerging supply risks from origin countries combined to shape a turbulent trading environment across both Arabica and Robusta markets.
The July 2026 Arabica contract (KCN26), which remained the most active benchmark during the reporting period, opened the week on a volatile but broadly stable footing. Early trading on Monday saw prices rally from an opening level of 294.60 cents per pound, briefly pushing above the psychologically significant 300 cents per pound threshold. However, the move quickly lost momentum, with the market failing to establish sustained trading above this level.
By Tuesday, modest gains of 1.35 cents per pound were recorded, supported by tightening short-term supply conditions. Market sentiment was further underpinned by export data from Cecafe, which indicated a 10 percent year-on-year decline in Brazilian coffee exports for March 2026, reinforcing concerns over near-term availability.
Wednesday marked the third consecutive session in which the market attempted and failed to sustain levels above 300 cents per pound. The inability to hold above this technical resistance level contributed to a gradual deterioration in sentiment, although the market still closed marginally higher on the day.
The tone shifted decisively on Thursday. Following a strengthening US dollar and a lack of buying interest above the 300 level, Arabica futures broke sharply lower, falling below 290 cents per pound within the first two hours of trading. The market reached an intraday low of 287.10 cents per pound before recovering slightly into the close.
However, selling pressure persisted into Friday, with no meaningful rebound in sentiment. The week concluded with Arabica futures settling at 284.25 cents per pound, marking a clear downside move and a rejection of recent resistance levels.
Currency Markets: Geopolitics Drive Volatility in FX
Foreign exchange markets were heavily influenced by developments surrounding US–Iran relations, with shifting geopolitical signals driving volatility across major currency pairs.
At the start of the week, both GBP/USD and EUR/USD weakened following the breakdown of US–Iran negotiations over the weekend. Sterling opened at 1.34, while the euro began at 1.16, reflecting a broad-based strengthening of the US dollar amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Midweek sentiment improved after reports emerged suggesting that diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran had resumed. This development supported a recovery in risk appetite, pushing GBP/USD above 1.35 and EUR/USD above 1.18. During this period, the US Dollar Index (DXY) eased to just above 98, reflecting a temporary shift away from safe-haven assets.
However, sentiment reversed again towards the end of the week. Markets reacted to the announcement that the Strait of Hormuz had been fully reopened to commercial shipping for the duration of the ceasefire. The news reduced concerns over supply disruption risks and encouraged a renewed rotation into risk assets.
As a result, the US dollar weakened further, with the DXY falling back below 98, approaching a seven-week low. Currency markets remained sensitive to ongoing geopolitical developments, with volatility expected to persist.
In Colombia, coffee production is expected to decline compared with both 2024 and 2025 levels. Persistent and excessive rainfall has disrupted key stages of crop development, including flowering, cherry maturation, and bean formation.
Southern growing regions have been particularly affected, with reduced sunlight hours compounding the impact of heavy rainfall. While a natural production correction was anticipated following a strong prior year, current climatic conditions are increasingly viewed as a key downside risk to output.
Vietnam and Indonesia: El Niño Risk Intensifies
In Vietnam and parts of Indonesia, market attention is increasingly focused on the potential development of a stronger El Niño event during the current cycle.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a 25 percent probability that the ENSO positive phase could reach “super” intensity. Such an event is defined by central-equatorial Pacific sea surface temperatures at least two degrees Celsius above average.
Historically, only three super El Niño events have been recorded in the past 40 years, with the most recent occurring in 2015–2016.
For key coffee-producing regions such as Vietnam and Indonesia, El Niño conditions typically bring drier weather patterns. A stronger event could result in prolonged drought, elevated temperatures, and water stress, all of which would materially impact coffee production.
Vietnam, as the world’s largest producer of Robusta coffee, is particularly exposed to these risks. Any significant reduction in output would likely tighten global supply conditions and could provide upward support to LIFFE Robusta futures.
Conclusion
The coffee market enters the new reporting period with a softer technical outlook for Arabica, heightened sensitivity to macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, and increasing attention on weather-related supply risks across key origin regions. While short-term price action remains driven by dollar strength and risk sentiment, medium-term fundamentals continue to be shaped by production uncertainty in South America and Asia.
Ecuador is positioning itself as one of the most advanced countries in adapting to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is scheduled to take effect on December 30, 2026. Unlike many other cocoa origins, Ecuador’s cocoa sector already exceeds 90% compliance and is approaching full alignment, according to the National Association of Cocoa Exporters. This reflects significant progress in traceability, sustainability, and transparency, all of which are essential for continued access to the European market.
The country’s progress is supported by a long-term national strategy. For five consecutive years, Ecuador has led exports of organic products to the European Union, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. This leadership strengthens its position in a global market where environmental compliance is becoming a mandatory requirement rather than an optional standard.
The EUDR requires proof that agricultural products are not linked to deforestation. For cocoa, this means implementing geolocation systems, farm-level monitoring, and full traceability across the supply chain. Ecuador has made notable progress in these areas through coordination between exporters, producers, and public institutions, reducing the risk of exclusion from the European market.
The country is also expanding its compliance base by integrating more producers into formal systems. National programs aim to register and support up to 100,000 cocoa and coffee farmers, helping them meet EUDR requirements and avoid potential export losses. These efforts also contribute to strengthening sector formalization and improving long-term competitiveness.
The EUDR, first proposed in 2019 and approved in 2023 by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, represents a major shift in global agricultural trade. After two implementation delays, the regulation is still set to apply at the end of 2026, leaving a limited adjustment period for exporting countries.
Within this context, Ecuador is not only reducing compliance risks but also gaining a competitive advantage. Its high level of readiness positions it as a reliable supplier in an increasingly strict regulatory environment.
The strength of Ecuador’s position is also linked to the scale of its cocoa industry. The country produces between 380,000 and 420,000 tons of cocoa annually and is the world’s leading exporter of fine aroma cocoa, accounting for around 60% of global supply in this segment. More than 70% of production is exported, generating between 3.5 and 4 billion US dollars annually, with the European Union as the main destination.
Cocoa production is concentrated in provinces such as Los Ríos, Guayas, and Manabí, along with other important areas including Esmeraldas and El Oro, and expanding regions in the Amazon such as Sucumbíos and Orellana. The sector involves around 600,000 families, mostly smallholder farmers. Between 15% and 25% of Ecuadorian cocoa already carries sustainability or organic certification, further reinforcing its readiness for new regulatory standards.
Ann Arbor has seen a steady rise in Yemeni coffee shops over the past few years, reflecting a growing interest in the style and culture behind this type of coffee. Several cafés have opened across the city, including Bun Chai Yemeni Coffee & Tea, Bayt Almocha, Qahwah House, Socotra Coffee House, and Jabal. Another concept, Caffeena, is expected to take over a former bubble tea location on East Liberty Street, though no opening date has been confirmed.
Coffee is widely linked to Yemen, where it is believed to have played an early role in the development of global coffee culture. It spread internationally through the port of Mocha, which became closely associated with the beverage. Yemeni coffee is often recognized for its strong use of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger, giving it a distinct flavor compared to more common Western styles.
Jabal first opened in Dearborn in late 2023 before expanding to Ann Arbor in early 2024. Its founders say the success of the first location helped drive the decision to enter the Ann Arbor market, where demand for specialty coffee continues to grow. The shop focuses on more than just coffee, aiming to create a space centered on hospitality and community.
Bayt Almocha, which opened in Kerrytown in 2025, follows a similar approach and is part of a larger national expansion. One of its goals is to introduce Yemeni food and coffee culture to new audiences while maintaining ties to its origins.
A key feature of many Yemeni coffee shops in Ann Arbor is their late operating hours. These spaces often serve as social hubs where people gather in the evening to study, meet friends, or spend time in a relaxed environment. This has made them especially popular among students at the University of Michigan, where finding late-night study spaces can be challenging.
Customers often describe these cafés as more welcoming and community-focused than traditional chains. Rather than offering quick service and takeaway drinks, Yemeni coffee shops encourage customers to stay, socialize, and enjoy the atmosphere.
As more locations open, Ann Arbor is becoming part of a broader trend that is bringing Yemeni coffee culture into mainstream café life across the United States.
A growing wave of Yemeni coffee culture is making its way into Visalia, reflecting a broader trend already gaining momentum across nearby cities like Fresno.
Originating from Yemen, coffee from this region has long held a significant place in global trade, especially through the historic port of Al Mokha—a name widely associated with the term “mocha.”
A new café, Siraj Coffee House, is preparing to open its doors in Visalia, introducing customers to the distinctive character of Yemeni coffee. The drinks are known for their slow brewing methods and rich aromatic profiles, often enhanced with spices such as cardamom, cloves, saffron, and nutmeg.
In addition to traditional Yemeni offerings, the café plans to serve Italian-style coffee and a range of beverages with little or no caffeine, including teas, fresh juices, and drinks like Brazilian lemonade. The menu will also feature house-made pastries, highlighting Middle Eastern sweets such as sabaya—a layered honey cake—and a soft, pull-apart bread filled with cream cheese.
The business is the result of a partnership between local entrepreneurs, including one also associated with Smash Town Burgers. While expansion plans are being considered, the immediate focus remains on launching the first location.
Set to open at 2145 W. Whitendale Avenue, the café occupies a space previously used by another bakery, marking a fresh chapter for the site.
This opening reflects a wider national surge in interest around Yemeni coffee. Establishments like Bab al-Yemen Cafe helped introduce the concept to the Central Valley, while brands such as Qamaria Yemeni Coffee have expanded the presence of Yemeni-style cafés across multiple states.
As the trend continues, Visalia joins a growing list of cities embracing this centuries-old coffee tradition with a modern twist.
Dubai – Qahwa WorldThe coffee market has always been volatile, but in recent years fluctuations have intensified. While prices were historically shaped by harvest expectations, weather patterns, and supply–demand dynamics, financial market mechanisms, including speculative trading and algorithm-driven strategies are increasingly amplifying price swings, sometimes exceeding underlying supply fundamentals.
At the same time, climate change remains the most significant long-term challenge facing the sector. Across producing regions, erratic weather patterns—from prolonged droughts to unexpected rainfall and extreme storms—disrupt harvest cycles, reduce yields, and create growing uncertainty throughout the global coffee value chain.
In 2025, several of these pressures converged. Arabica prices surged on the New York C-Market amid drought-affected Brazilian crops and delayed harvests in parts of Central America. Logistical bottlenecks, geopolitical tensions, and lingering trade policies—including tariffs introduced under the Trump administration—added further complexity to the global trading environment. Meanwhile, regulatory developments in the European Union—notably the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and updated organic standards—introduced additional compliance requirements for actors across the coffee value chain.
Despite this challenging environment, EFICO achieved strategic growth in 2025, moving more coffee than ever while continuing to build on nearly a century of experience in connecting coffee value chain partners. Through strategic sourcing and transparent collaboration with partner farmers, cooperatives, exporters, and roasters, EFICO works to strengthen every link in the chain—helping partners navigate market volatility, regulatory complexity, and climate-related challenges.
EFICO | Connecting the coffee value chain
For nearly a century, EFICO has connected coffee value chain partners through long-term, trusted relationships that foster resilience and shared growth. Through its origin offices and green coffee trading teams, EFICO works closely with partner farmers, cooperatives, and exporters, providing market access, technical guidance, and sustainability support while maintaining lasting partnerships with partner roasters worldwide.
Complementing its operational sourcing work, the EFICO Foundation supports coffee-producing communities worldwide—structurally supporting coffee farmers and their families while positively impacting livelihoods, prosperity, and the environment.
Purpose-driven local partnerships
EFICO’s sourcing strategy is built on purpose-driven partnerships across the coffee value chain, starting at origin. By collaborating closely with cooperatives, local exporters, and trusted supply partners, EFICO works to ensure a transparent and resilient coffee supply while reinvesting value locally in coffee-producing regions.
In 2025, 85% of EFICO’s coffee continued to be sourced from local actors, reflecting the company’s long-standing commitment to locally rooted supply chains. Within this share, cooperatives represented 23% of total sourcing volumes, while local exporters accounted for 57%, showing a slight shift compared to 2024. International exporters remained stable at 15% for the third consecutive year.
These long-term partnerships support local economies, strengthen farming communities, and reinforce resilience throughout the broader coffee value chain—particularly in times of market volatility and environmental uncertainty.
EFICO’s sourcing offices in Ethiopia, Central America, and Brazil remain central to this strategy. Beyond operational hubs, they serve as centers of adaptive collaboration, connecting EFICO directly to coffee-growing regions. By working closely with partner farmers, cooperatives, and suppliers on the ground, these origin offices help partner farmers navigate fluctuating market conditions, climate challenges, and evolving regulatory requirements, while strengthening relationships with partner roasters worldwide.
Certified, verified vs non-verified coffee
In 2025, EFICO recorded remarkable growth in absolute terms, with certified volumes increasing by 34% compared to last year, while shares among Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, and Organic remained stable, reflecting continued commitment to certifications.
Rainforest Alliance held the largest share at 64%, also leading in absolute growth, while Fairtrade and Organic recorded the largest relative growth, recovering from the decline observed in 2024 as premiums increased and market prices remained high.
A shift in origins was observed, with a lower share of Organic and Fairtrade sourced from Central America in favour of Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
However, overall coffee sourcing volumes increased even faster than certified volumes. As a result, the relative share of certified and verified coffee represented 49% of total sourcing—marking the third consecutive year of modest relative decrease.
Despite this shift, EFICO’s sourcing remains above the global market average, as reported by the Global Coffee Platform in 2024, which registered 47% sustainable sourcing under third-party schemes.
These dynamics reflect broader market conditions. During periods of high and volatile coffee prices, certification models can become more complex for both producers and buyers, as certification costs and administrative requirements must be balanced against market opportunities.
Strategic sourcing: key origins
The world map provides a 2025 snapshot of coffee origins, showing the shares of certified, verified, and non-verified coffee. These patterns vary across EFICO’s key coffee-producing regions, reflecting differences in sourcing volumes, certifications, and partnerships.
For a more detailed view, EFICO analysed sourcing data from its major origins—Brazil, Central America, and Ethiopia—and included Uganda as a key Robusta origin without a permanent EFICO office.
Brazil
Brazil remained EFICO’s largest sourcing origin in 2025, accounting for approximately one-third of total sourcing volumes. The country continues to provide high-quality Arabica coffees that form an essential component of both blends and single-origin offerings.
In 2025, 47% of EFICO’s Brazilian sourcing was certified. An additional 17% was verified under EFICO’s internal sustainability standards, including 6% independently verified and 11% aligned with partner-based sustainability systems. This brings the total share meeting certification or verification criteria to 64%.
At the same time, 85% of Brazilian coffee volumes were sourced from local actors, reinforcing EFICO’s long-standing commitment to strong local partnerships.
While certified volumes increased in absolute terms, the relative share of certified coffee declined slightly as conventional volumes expanded more rapidly amid strong market demand.
Central America
Central America remained one of EFICO’s most important regions for certified sourcing in 2025. 66% of coffees sourced from the region were certified, with Rainforest Alliance representing the largest share and showing the strongest growth.
Fairtrade sourcing also showed steady growth during the year, while Organic-certified coffees declined both in absolute volumes and relative share.
This trend reflects a combination of market dynamics and regulatory developments: high and volatile coffee prices influenced producer and buyer decisions, while the increasing complexity of complying with updated EU organic requirements made sourcing fully compliant Organic coffees more challenging in some producing countries.
Across the region, 79% of EFICO’s sourcing came from local actors, reinforcing long-standing partnerships with cooperatives and exporters.
Through the ongoing work of the EFICO Foundation, EFICO supports projects that promote training and education, sustainable income, infrastructure support with the aim of positively impacting coffee farmers’ livelihoods, prosperity, and environment.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia experienced significant growth in sourcing volumes in 2025, with total volumes more than doubling compared to the previous year. While much of this increase occurred in conventional coffees, certified volumes also expanded.
In total, 21% of Ethiopian coffees sourced by EFICO were certified, with an additional 19% meeting EFICO’s internal sustainability standards, bringing the total share aligned with sustainability criteria to 40%.
Local partnerships remain central to EFICO’s sourcing approach in Ethiopia, with 80% of volumes sourced from local actors.
A key partner in this development is KURU, EFICO’s long-standing sourcing partner in Ethiopia, which expanded its operations to eight washing and collecting stations in 2025—four more than in 2024.
This expansion strengthens processing capacity and traceability while reinforcing EFICO’s direct connection to coffee-producing communities.
Uganda
Uganda is included in this 2025 analysis because sourcing volumes from the country have grown significantly, making it a strategic addition to EFICO’s Robusta portfolio.
Within just two years, Uganda has become EFICO’s third-most important origin for Robusta coffee, even though sourcing remains predominantly conventional.
79% of Ugandan volumes were sourced from local actors, highlighting EFICO’s commitment to building sustainable, locally rooted supply relationships, even in regions without a permanent origin office.
EUDR readiness & supplier engagement
In 2025, EFICO continued its efforts to ensure compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation, despite the late announcement of another one-year delay in its entry into application.
By the end of the year, 93% of geolocation datasets submitted for EUDR contracts were approved according to EFICO’s strictest standards and assessments.
A major step was the launch of EFICO’s supplier portal, improving data collection, traceability, segregation at shipment level, and annual legality reporting, including topics such as human rights and traceability.
Togo field engagement
Togo was selected for focused engagement to support suppliers less familiar with geolocation and traceability requirements.
Since early 2024, EFICO has trained local field teams to collect, harmonise, and validate farmer and plot-level data. Over 2025, nearly 10,000 GPS points were collected.
A second field visit in December 2025 implemented ground truthing procedures to verify deforestation alerts and assess multi-tier supply chains.
Most coffee plots are managed under agroforestry systems. Satellite-based alerts initially identified potential deforestation risks, but field verification ruled out most cases, confirming only a few instances linked to expansion into previously forested land.
Non-compliant plots were segregated within EFICO’s traceability systems, while farmers received training on deforestation prevention and sustainable land-use alternatives.
Coffee futures moved higher, supported by growing concerns over global supply disruptions and tightening inventories. Arabica and robusta contracts both posted gains, with robusta showing stronger momentum.
A key driver behind the price increase is rising tension around the Strait of Hormuz. Reports of shipping disruptions have heightened concerns about global trade flows, leading to increased freight costs, insurance premiums, and fuel expenses. These factors are adding pressure on coffee importers and roasters, contributing to upward price movement.
Robusta prices are receiving additional support from declining exchange inventories, which have dropped to their lowest level in over a year. This signals tighter short-term availability in the market.
However, expectations of a large upcoming harvest in Brazil are limiting stronger price rallies. Several industry forecasts point to a record crop for the 2026/27 season, with projections consistently above 75 million bags. At the same time, estimates suggest a significant global surplus could emerge in 2026, potentially the largest in several years.
Vietnam’s export performance is also weighing on the market, particularly for robusta. Shipments have increased notably in early 2026, following strong export growth in the previous year. Production in Vietnam is also expected to rise, reaching multi-year highs, which could further ease supply constraints.
On the other hand, reduced exports from Brazil are offering some support to prices. Recent data shows a decline in shipments compared to last year, tightening near-term availability in the global market.
Weather conditions in Brazil remain another important factor. Below-average rainfall in key growing regions, particularly Minas Gerais, has raised concerns about crop yields, adding a bullish element to price outlooks.
Looking at the broader picture, global export volumes have shown slight weakness, while production forecasts indicate modest overall growth. Arabica output is expected to decline, while robusta production is projected to increase significantly. Meanwhile, global coffee inventories are forecast to shrink, suggesting that supply pressures may persist despite higher production in some regions.
