Coffee Industry Updates: Fair Trade Pricing Freeze and Stone Brewing's Coffee Venture

Barn's expands into Malaysia through a franchise agreement

Barn’s Coffee, a Saudi Arabian coffee chain, has signed a franchise agreement with Premier Fine Foods to open stores in Malaysia and southeast Asia. Premier Fine Foods plans to open 25 Barn’s Coffee outlets in Kuala Lumpur in the next 3 years, and 300 stores across southeast Asia within the next 10 years. The agreement is part of Barn’s Coffee’s goal of reaching 1,000 stores globally by 2030.

Stone Brewing Enters Coffee Market with NuZee Deal

Stone Brewing, a California craft beer brewer, is launching a new coffee product line under the name Stone Roasting. The coffee line will be inspired by three of Stone Brewing's existing beers: Arrogant Bastard Ale, Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager, and Xocoveza. The coffee products will be available in single-serve pourover "Dripkits," single-serve brew bags, 12-ounce whole bean coffee bags, and capsules.

Fair Trade USA Puts a Hold on Coffee Prices and Premiums Through the End of 2023

Fair Trade USA has controversially announced a freeze on its current minimum pricing and premiums for all coffee sold under its Fair Trade Certified label through 2023. This decision has been met with criticism from Fairtrade coffee producer organizations, who say it will force producers to sell coffee below the cost of production. Fair Trade USA has said that it is instead focusing on building a more scalable, higher-impact Fair Trade Certified program.