Weekly Coffee News: New Ground Control CEO + Watching WatchHouse

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Welcome to DCN’s Weekly Coffee News. Keep up with all the latest coffee industry stories and career opportunities by subscribing to DCN’s newsletter. Tell our editors about your news  here.

The new Ground Control brewer. Daily Coffee News photo by Howard Bryman.

Arno Holschuh Named CEO of Ground Control

Commercial coffee brewing equipment maker Ground Control has named longtime coffee professional Arno Holschuh CEO. Holschuh joins the equipment company as it readies the first full shipments of its innovative new brewing machine, the New Ground Control. A former Blue Bottle Coffee Vice President of Production, Holschuh most recently served as the Chief Coffee Officer of Bay Area roasting equipment maker Bellwether Coffee, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Grounds for Health Seeks Donors for Annual Auction

The coffee-associated healthcare nonprofit Grounds for Health is soon wrapping up its lineup of donors for its annual fundraising auction. Coffee companies interested in supporting the cause can find more here.

Civil Eats Explores Coffee and Climate Change

Civil Eats this week published a thoughtfully researched piece on the many climate-change-related issues affecting the global coffee sector, while exploring some current efforts to adapt.

A New Wave of Black-Owned Coffee Businesses in Brazil

A feature from the French news agency AFP this week discussed the work of a new wave of Black coffee entrepreneurs and farmers in Brazil. “In my own way, I am trying to make historical reparations,” coffee roaster Raphael Brandao told AFP.

Meet the Founder of One of the World’s Fastest-Growing Chains

CNBC this week profiled Edward Tirtanata, the 35-year-old founder of the fast-growing, venture-capital-backed Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenangan. The chain has expanded to more than 800 locations in Southeast Asia since its founding in 2017.

WatchHouse Opening Second US Shop Inside Iconic Chrysler Building

After recently opening its first location in Manhattan, New York City, the UK-born specialty coffee chain WatchHouse Coffee is stretching its U.S. profile even farther with the opening inside the city’s Chrysler building, according to a TimeOut report.

Victoria Arduino Opens Chicago Showroom

Simonelli Group coffee equipment brand Victoria Arduino has opened a showroom in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, inside the CoLaboratory co-working space serving the food and beverage industries.

Nuova Simonelli Opens Paris Showroom

Victoria Arduino sibling brand Nuova Simonelli has opened a showroom in Paris, inside the “Institut de Formations aux Métiers du Café,” led by the French coffee training center Polygone Formations.

Whataburger Introduces Coffee to All Locations

Texas-born fast food chain Whataburger this week launched iced and hot coffee blends to all its locations nationwide. The chain started piloting iced coffee at select locations last December.

Three More Sustainability Schemes Added to GCP Equivalency List

The nonprofit Global Coffee Platform recognized three more sustainability schemes as equivalent to its baseline Sustainability Reference Code. The newly recognized schemes are Fairtrade International’s Small Producer Organization and Coffee Standard, Fair Trade USA’s Agriculture Production Standard, and Montesanto Tavares Group’s GMT Green scheme.

New from CoffeeIndustryJobs.com

Coffee Roasting / Production Assistant – Speedwell Coffee
Assistant Plant Manager, Coffee – Melitta North America, Inc.
Head of Sales – Ground Control Coffee – Ground Control Coffee
Consumer Parts & Accessories Coordinator – La Marzocco USA
Production Department Manager – Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters
Head of Coffee, Business Development – Fair Trade USA

Production Roaster – Groundwork Coffee

Social Media Manager (part-time) – Daily Coffee News
Field Sales Representative- Commercial Coffee Service, Northern LA County Region – Gaviña Coffee Company
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER (CRM) – Caravela Coffee
Cold Brew Production Manager – Coffee Support

ICYMI

Here are some of DCN’s top stories from the past week…

Opinion: It’s Been a Bonkers 48 Hours in Celebrity Coffee News and it Feels Pretty Bad

All these celebrity coffee entrepreneurs got in the game with different aspirations, approaches, products and financial risk. So what is it about some of these launches that feels a bit yuckier than others?… read more

Global Center for Circular Economy in Coffee Launches, Seeks Members

According to a new report, approximately 34-39 million tons of biological material — outside of green coffee itself — is generated globally each year in coffee production… read more

With Dual Chamber Paper Filters, Sibarist Splits the Difference

Spanish coffee accessory maker Sibarist has revealed the Dual Chamber filter, a conical  filter that includes a paper wall separating two sides of the same pourover… read more

Starbucks Sues Small Louisiana Business in Mermaid-Siren Dispute

Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks is suing a mother-and-daughter-owned small business called Mountains & Mermaids, alleging trademark violations related to its siren-mermaid logo and branding… read more

2025 World Barista Championship Coming to HostMilano in Italy

The Specialty Coffee Association’s World Barista Championship (WBC) is returning to Milan, Italy, in 2025, in conjunction with the HostMilano trade show… read more

8th and Roast Acquires Roaster Good Citizen Coffee in Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer 8th and Roast has acquired award-winning Nashville roasting company Good Citizen Coffee Co... read more

Costa Rica Coffee Report: Production Near Record Lows

Coffee production in Costa Rica in market year 2024/25 is expected to hover around near-record-low levels as the country’s approximately 27,000 coffee growers continue to face labor and weather-related challenges… read more

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