Coffee News Club: Week of May 26
Meet libex, the newly discovered hybrid that is climate resistant and could save coffee. Plus, Starbucks Korea faces backlash over a controversial promotional campaign, and a grab bag of coffee health news.
Coffee Tech Stacks: How Spro Coffee Lab’s POS Data Helped the Brand Grow to Six Locations
Rich Lee and Liza Otanes bet everything on a coffee trailer in San Francisco in 2017. Now, their brand, Spro Coffee Lab, has five locations—and is still growing, thanks to smart tech choices made…
In Japan, Crying Cafes Offer Relief to New Parents
✉️ This story was featured in this week’s Coffee News Club👋 Get the Coffee News Club newsletter in your inbox weekly—sign up. Coffee shops provide coffee—obviously—but they’re often much more. Many are also third spaces,…
Five Major Takeaways From the 2026 London Coffee Festival
The 2026 London Coffee Festival reveal some big trends, from ultra-customizable premium drinks to a maturing matcha market and growing automation.
A Company Gave an AI Agent Free Rein to Run a Cafe in Sweden
San Francisco-based Andon Labs opened a cafe in Stockholm, Sweden, powered almost entirely by a Google Gemini-powered AI agent nicknamed “Mona.” Results were strange.
Coffee News Club: Week of May 18
Parents in Japan are finding relief at crying cafes. Plus, a beloved coffee shop burns down just months after rebuilding due to damage from Hurricane Helene, and an AI chatbot manages a cafe poorly.
New Product: Monin’s 2026 Flavor of the Year is ‘Swavory’ Toasted Coconut
Sweet-and-savory flavors are trending in 2026, according to Monin’s data. The brand’s new Toasted Coconut syrup was designed to meet that emerging demand.
200,000 Sharpies Later, People Hate Those Messages On Starbucks Cups
In 2024, new CEO Brian Niccol told Starbucks baristas to write fun messages on to-go cups. Turns out, no one likes them.
How India’s Smaller Cities Are Rewriting the Rules of Specialty Coffee Expansion
More and more coffee businesses in India are turning away from the country’s largest metropolitan markets, and finding new opportunities in smaller, less saturated cities.
Scientists Have Been Able to Prove Coffee Is Good For You—Now They Think They Know Why
Researchers have observed that coffee is beneficial, but they haven't been able to say exactly why. A new study may have uncovered at least one reason.