In other coffee business news... 18-25 August 2022

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McCafé taps French gamers with Pokémon GO collaboration
 

From 22 August 2022 McDonald’s restaurants in France began operating as PokéStop venues, with McCafé outlets becoming gaming Arenas. The collaboration will enable French Pokémon GO players to catch digital creatures, find objects and interact with other players while seated in their local McCafé or McDonald’s store. McDonald’s recently introduced le Pokémon Happy Meals in France to attract a traditionally younger demographic into its stores.  
 

Papua New Guinea appoints ‘world’s first’ Minister for Coffee  

Recently re-elected Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape has appointed a Minister for Coffee in a bid to increase exports of Papua New Guinean coffee to global markets. Believed to be a world first, Marape said that the appointment of Joe Kuli to the position demonstrates the government’s commitment to expanding key agriculture industries and encouraging people to enter agricultural production employment. In 2019, Papua New Guinea was the 17th largest coffee exporting nation in the world. 

Crêpeaffaire serves up new retail concept with UK’s Primark 

London-based Crêpeaffaire has launched its new crepe concept, Crêpe & Roll, at a Primark store in Kingston-upon-Thames, UK. The move marks the latest move by Primark to collaborate with café chains as it seeks to enhance in-store customer experience. In February 2022 the clothing retailer partnered with UK coffee and food-to-go chain Greggs to open a new in-store café concept at its flagship store in Birmingham, UK. Crêpeaffaire, which currently operates 13 stores in the UK, is understood to be pursuing partnerships with cinemas, service stations and supermarkets to broaden its reach across the country. 

UK flat whites hit new high as coffee chains face growing costs  

The price of a flat white has exceeded £3 ($3.54) in Britain's largest coffee shops for the first time, with UCC Coffee data indicating that UK coffee drinkers are facing price increases of around 21p compared to 2021. The data shows that Costa Coffee was the only major coffee chain where customers could purchase a flat white for under £3 in July 2022, although prices at the UK’s largest coffee chain have increased since the data was recorded. A flat white cost £3.10 ($3.66) in Starbucks, £3.05 ($3.60) in Pret A Manger and £3.00 in Caffe Nero during July 2022. Price increases are being implemented as coffee businesses seek to tackle increasing labour and energy costs resulting from Brexit and the war in Ukraine. 
 

Fiddlehead Coffee raises over $60,000 for Ukraine relief 

US small-batch roaster Fiddlehead Coffee has raised more than $60,000 from coffee sales and donations to humanitarian support efforts in Ukraine. In March 2022 the Minnesota-based company launched a charity blend called Slava Ukraine, pledging 100% of its profits from the blend to iCare Ukraine, a humanitarian subsidiary of Mission Eurasia supporting nutritional, medical and other basic needs of refugees fleeing conflict zones.  

German battery maker pedals new coffee-making bike 

German battery manufacturer Liontron has developed a mobile coffee bicycle that uses built-in batteries to provide enough electricity to prepare coffee for the day. The company said the three 100 amp-hour, 24- volt batteries, which feed a 2,000 W Victron inverter, can be used to prepare 300 cups of coffee per day with the integrated dual-boiler coffee machine and two coffee grinders. Liontron will present its new coffee bike at the Caravan Salon, a trade show for motor homes and caravans held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 26 August to 4 September.