Upcycling Coffee Waste, With Science

• Efforts are ongoing to figure out the problem of coffee waste—from the millions of tonnes of coffee grounds sent to landfill each year (that are contributing to groundwater contamination), to the millions of tonnes of trashed takeaway cups, to the millions of tonnes of discarded coffee pods, and so on. Now, scientists in the UAE have invented a process that combines coffee grounds and plastic waste and turns them into activated carbon, which can then be used to capture carbon dioxide from industrial emissions.
• Workers at Anodyne Coffee in Milwaukee won their union election in June, an election they held because the company's owner, private equity-backed Fairwave Holdings, declined to voluntarily recognise the union. Fairwave, which has been buying up coffee companies throughout the Midwest and beyond, challenged the results, despite every eligible worker voting yes. Last week, the National Labor Relations Board dismissed that challenge.

Could a Private-Equity-Backed ‘Collective’ Offer a Template for Specialty Coffee’s Future?

FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective is acquiring coffee brands across the Midwest, promising a localised approach to growth. Is this a model for the industry—or just another consolidation strategy?

The PouroverFionn Pooler

• Coffee is good for you, says a pretty comprehensive review of decades worth of research. The study looked at the results of some 200 studies from around the world that involved millions of participants over several decades. "Overall, the consensus is that moderate coffee intake is more beneficial than harmful across a wide range of health outcomes", the authors wrote.

For more on all these, plus further proof that higher elevation = better coffee, check out the full Roundup over at Fresh Cup Magazine:

Coffee News Club: Week of October 13th

Researchers are finding more uses for coffee waste, a union win for Anodyne workers, and another study confirms that, yes, coffee is good for you.

Fresh CupFionn Pooler

If you missed it, why not check out my latest deep dive, which looks at the latest corporate coffee wheelings and dealings, and what it all means for the future of the industry:

Mergers, Acquisitions, and the Future of the Coffee Industry

Acquisitions and consolidation have always been part of coffee. Does the latest wave point to an industry in decline—or one ripe for renewal?

The PouroverFionn Pooler

Paid subscribers will receive their customary bi-weekly bonus article this Friday, but until then it's goodbye from a new guest star, Frickle. (Frickle lives in New York and was sent to me by Emma from Bossa Coffee; if you have an adorable cat or dog you'd like to see featured at the end of The Pourover's Monday newsletter, get in touch!)