The Sprudge Report - The Thrill of the Build is Back!
The 2023 Build-Outs of Coffee have returned.
The BOOCs are open
It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year already. The Build-Outs of Coffee, Sprudge’s annual series highlight new and soon-to-be-open cafes the world over, is just around the corner. And we’re accepting submissions right this very moment! We’ve featured hundreds upon hundreds of cafes since the Build-Outs first began all the way back in 2012, and we can’t wait for that trend to continue here in 2023. Follow this link to submit your new coffee project for consideration.
Have you cup and eat it too
Single-use coffee cups are a problem, but one new company is looking to take a bite out of the disposables that end up in a landfill. Literally. Australia’s Good-Edi makes to-go coffee cups out of a blend of rye, wheat and oat brans, sugar, salt, coconut oil, and water. Once you’ve consumed your coffee, you’ve got yourself a little snack. No need to bring waste management into the equation.
A Transatlantic cafe tour
It was a big week in coffee shops on both sides of the pond. First, we made a stop in Dunwoody, just outside of Atlanta, to check in on Valor Coffee’s latest outpost. Then, we headed to one of the world’s great coffee cities (and one of our favorites to cover), Berlin, for a tour of what’s new and exciting in 2023. And finally, in a bi-coastal mash-up, we stopped by Copenhagen’s La Cabra Coffee for the opening of their brand-new Soho location, their second in New York City.
Aid for Congo
Earlier this month, flash floods rocked Kalehe in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province. The flooding brought additional damages in the form of landslides, resulting in over 400 deaths—with over 5,000 people still unaccounted for—the destruction of over 3,000 homes, as well as extensive damage to vital infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals. But a group of local entities, including a few coffee companies, have come together to create a GoFundMe to help raise $80,000 in relief.
Stranger (coffee) Things
Is every AeroPress brewing method in the Upside Down an inverted method? You’ll have to ask Millie Bobby Brown, otherwise known as Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things. While the writer’s strike has put a halt on the filming of the final season, Brown is taking the time to launch her own coffee brand, Florence by Mills Coffee. It’s all very Goop for the Gen-Z Tiktok teens, but if Gwyneth can sell you a $135 coffee enema, MBB can have a reasonably priced coffee.
Breville’s Beanz and Big Face
This week’s presser round-up brings news of some fun goings on in the wide world of coffee. Breville, the Australian-based maker of homewares—including coffee equipment—has announced the release of their subscription service beanz.com in their home country. Beanz.com has already gone live in the US and the UK, but now it is coming home. Elsewhere, Artpresso and Big Face Coffee have teamed up to create custom espresso machines and accessories for NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler’s coffee brand.
There’s an app for that
There’s nothing worse than not finishing your morning coffee. If you’ve got it in an Ember mug, it will at least stay warm until you get to it. But what if you’ve lost said Ember mug? Well luckily, the Travel Mug 2+ has received an update and can be located using the Find My app in your iPhone. Or you could, y’know, not lose your damn coffee and drink it in the first place.
The French laundry
A few weeks ago, we heard legend of airline employees using coffee makers to wash their delicates. It was disturbing as it was enlightening. And it got us to thinking: what other brewers could shine your skivvies in a pinch? Enter the French press, with all its sweet, sweet plunging action. We put the iconic brewer’s cleaning bona fides to the test, and honestly, our tighties have never been whitier.
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Counter Culture Coffee - Regional Sales & Account Manager - Miami, FL
Equator Coffees - Cafe General Manager - San Francisco , CA
Equator Coffees - Barista - San Francisco & Los Angeles, CA
Equator Coffees - Shift Lead - San Francisco & Los Angeles, CA
Equator Coffees - Production Associate & Delivery Driver - San Rafael, CA
Equator Coffees - Production Lead - San Rafael, CA
Sweet Maria’s - Customer Service Representative - Oakland, CA
Event Espresso Catering - Barista - Charlotte, NC
La Marzocco - Technical Support - Seattle, WA
Ratio - Customer Experience Associate - Portland, OR
Java Love - Production Manager - Suffern, NY
Dona - NYC Sales Manager - New York City, NY
New cafes on Sprudge Maps
Here are new cafes discoverable on our global cafe portal Sprudge Maps. Register your cafe for free—thanks to the support of La Marzocco and Pacific Barista Series.
Little Lunch Coffee - Venice, CA
Pajáro - Portland, OR
Lost Sock Roasters - Washington, DC
Share - Amherst, MA
The Lady Killigrew Cafe - Montague, MA
Pourover Modern Coffee - Doha, Qatar
Modern Coffee - Oakland, CA
Do you have a news tip? Feedback? A funny joke? Send us an e-mail, use the contact form on Sprudge, leave a message at 1-888-55-SPRUDGE, or send us a letter at P.O. Box 3943 Portland, OR 97218.