Good News for Mocha Drinkers

• Since Mexico's national coffee institute INMECAFE was shut down in 1989, the country's 500,000 farmers have had little support from successive governments. Now, Mexico has enacted legislation designed to support its coffee sector and promote sustainable growing practices. Mechanisms created by the new law include a commission to develop regulatory guidelines and public policies, and an information system to provide farmers with up-to-date climate and price information.
  (I am planning on writing about this for The Pourover, so if you work in Mexico or are a Mexican coffee professional with thoughts on the subject, please reach out!)
• The old joke is that Starbucks is everywhere (see this 1998 episode of The Simpsons) and that was, at one point, a big part of the company's growth strategy. Lots of stores in urban centres was a way to build the brand and showcase convenience for customers. Now, though, Starbucks is pulling back from this focus, and is closing dozens of stores in big cities around the U.S. as part of CEO Brian Niccol's ongoing "Back to Starbucks" plan.
• New research has discovered that a compound found in chocolate, and in smaller amounts in coffee and tea, may have anti-ageing properties. Theobromine is an alkaloid that has previously been shown to have cognitive and anti-inflammatory benefits (although only in humans; it's one of the reasons chocolate is toxic to dogs). A new study has found that people with higher levels of theobromine in their blood had a biological age lower than their actual age.

For more on all these stories, check out the full Roundup over at Fresh Cup Magazine:

Coffee News Club: Week of January 5

A Starbucks on every corner? The megachain says no thank you. Plus, new laws in Mexico to regulate coffee and mochas might make you younger.

Fresh CupFionn Pooler

If you missed it, why not check out my annual slightly meandering look back on the previous year, plus my five favourite Pourover articles of 2025:

The Best of The Pourover 2025

Five favourite pieces from the past 12 months, plus some general thoughts about the newsletter.

The PouroverFionn Pooler

Paid subscribers will receive a bonus article this Friday, but until then it's goodbye from my friend Jamie's cat Lucky who seems to be embodying this emoji: 🥺