Specialty Coffee & Cafe Culture — 2026-05-13
This week's specialty coffee headlines are anchored by fresh takeaways from World of Coffee San Diego 2026, a new funding round for New York-based For Five Coffee Roasters, and key regulatory news as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) looks set to expand its scope to include instant coffee. Honduras is also projecting a bumper harvest for 2026/27, signaling supply-side optimism in a volatile market.
Specialty Coffee & Cafe Culture — 2026-05-13
Key Highlights
World of Coffee San Diego 2026: Partner Perspectives
Six specialty coffee roasters shared booth space with drinkware brand MiiR at World of Coffee San Diego 2026, and their collective takeaways have been published this week. The event, which drew professionals from across the global specialty coffee industry, underscored ongoing conversations around sustainability, community-driven roasting, and the craft of single-origin sourcing.
For Five Coffee Roasters Raises New Growth Capital
Queens, New York-based For Five Coffee Roasters announced this week that it has secured a new round of growth capital. The funding is aimed at accelerating national expansion through additional roasting capacity, more café locations, and broader wholesale and retail distribution. The news was reported on May 13, 2026.
EUDR to Include Instant Coffee; Honduras Projects Record Harvest
Perfect Daily Grind's weekly news recap (published May 8, 2026) highlights two significant industry developments. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is now set to include instant coffee within its compliance scope — a move that could reshape supply-chain documentation requirements for large-format processors and retailers. Meanwhile, Honduras is expected to produce over 6 million bags for the 2026/27 harvest season, a figure that would represent a strong showing for one of the Americas' most important arabica-producing nations.
World Coffee Portal: The Week in Coffee, May 4–10
World Coffee Portal's weekly digest for May 4–10, 2026 rounds up five essential industry stories from the past seven days. The publication tracks market movements, café-sector trends, and trade news across major coffee-consuming and producing regions.
Brew Guide
Pour the Full Bed — Not Just the Center
A simple tweak to your pour-over technique can noticeably improve extraction strength and clarity. According to barista guidance shared recently, pouring in circles across the entire coffee bed — rather than concentrating your pour in the center — ensures all grounds are evenly saturated. This full-bed coverage leads to more uniform extraction, a stronger, more balanced cup, and reduces the risk of channeling (where water bypasses dry grounds).
"Pouring in circles across the whole coffee bed to ensure you're getting full extraction from all your grounds. Ensuring the whole coffee bed is wet will give a stronger brew than just pouring in the center."
This technique is particularly effective with flat-bottomed brewers like the Kalita Wave, which distribute flow more evenly, but it applies equally to cone-shaped brewers like the Hario V60 and Chemex.
Cafe Spotlight
Onyx Coffee Lab — Rogers, Arkansas (& Beyond)
Onyx Coffee Lab continues to stand out as one of the most respected names in American specialty coffee. Rooted in Rogers, Arkansas, Onyx has built a reputation for meticulous sourcing, transparent relationships with producers, and a barista training program that pushes technical standards. Their approach to coffee — treating it as "a 24-day exploration of beans" — reflects the deeper educational ethos that defines the best of the third-wave movement. Whether you're ordering online or visiting one of their cafés, Onyx represents the kind of rigorous, origin-focused coffee culture that continues to set the bar for the industry.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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