Market trends and industry growth
The De’Longhi Group clearly saw strong growth in its professional division, even as the International Coffee Organization reported a slight dip in monthly prices. The International Coffee Organization reports that its composite coffee price averaged $2.6126 per pound in October, a 0.3% decrease from September. While prices rose across all three arabica groups tracked by the organization, robusta prices fell 2% to $1.6419 per pound. This dip in robusta prices contrasts with the revenue growth reported by the De’Longhi Group, as the company reported third-quarter revenue of €944.9 million, a 7.7% increase year over year. The company also reported net income of €84.5 million, a 19% increase. The professional division of the company, which houses La Marzocco and Eversys, saw revenue rise more than 35% in both the third quarter and the first nine months of the year. This growth comes as J. Ganes Consulting marks 25 years in the industry, having published over 3,000 reports on coffee and other commodities since Judith Ganes established the firm in 2001. Sustainability metrics also show a downward trend for large buyers. Approximately 69% of green coffee purchased by 14 major roasters and retailers in 2025 met a Global Coffee Platform-recognized baseline sustainability standard, a decrease from 75% the previous year. A case study of seven regenerative arabica farms in Minas Gerais, Brazil, found operating costs below a state benchmark and average productivity above a national benchmark. This small, non-representative study does not establish that regenerative practices caused the lower costs or higher yields. A major literature review challenges the assumption that robusta is a straightforward climate-resilient alternative to arabica because major producing regions require heavy irrigation and the species has a natural preference for reliable water availability.
Specialty developments and academic expansion
The University of Kentucky in Lexington provides a clear new path for students with its 12-credit undergraduate certificate in coffee science and culture, and registration is open for spring 2027 courses. Students in this program complete two core courses, "Not Just Coffee" and "Coffee Sensory Science", plus two electives. This curriculum expansion arrives as the industry sees new commercial ventures, such as the Dallas-based Corner Bakery Cafe rolling out a new coffee lineup through a partnership with Sacramento-based Java City. This lineup includes four offerings: Baker’s Blend, Hazelnut Cream, Cafe Europa and Italian Roast Decaf. In the specialty market, Augusto Carneiro, the founder of Portland-based Nossa Familia Coffee, launched a tennis-inspired direct-to-consumer brand called Love-All Coffee. The Kona Rainforest Certified Organic Estate in Captain Cook, Hawaii, is on the market for $4.77 million. This sale includes the coffee business and three parcels totaling about 79 acres, of which 35 acres contain planted coffee. The researchers in Australia developed an experimental graphene oxide membrane that removed approximately 47% of caffeine from prepared coffee, but the system required 24 hours of filtration and lacked sensory testing or proven environmental advantages. For those looking toward industry recognition, the Sublime 100 program plans to unveil its first global cafe rankings on July 7, 2027, in Barcelona, Spain. The organizers, including Roger Betriu, Mark Sansom, and Cristina Jolon, will include 100 cafes divided into four categories with 25 venues in each. Packaging supplier Roastar is also accepting entries for its third annual design awards through November 30. Entrants can submit up to three designs first printed by Roastar in 2026, and the company plans to announce winners in early January.
