World Coffee News - June 2026

Coffee never stands still, and this month's stories prove it. From a $60 million investment set to transform Liberia's coffee sector, to researchers brewing espresso with nothing more than sound waves, innovation is happening at every stage of the coffee journey. Add in new research on why your Wednesday flat white might taste better than your Monday one, plus a milestone for environmental giving, and there's plenty to catch up on from across the world of coffee.

LIBERIA PLOTS $60M COFFEE COMEBACK

Liberia is making a major push to reclaim its place on the global coffee map after signing a $60 million coffee development agreement with Nigerian coffee company, JR Farms Group. The 20-year partnership is one of the largest investments the country's coffee sector has seen in decades.

The project aims to develop more than 250,000 hectares of coffee plantations, plant 200 million coffee trees, and support over 200,000 farmers across the country. Initial work will focus on Nimba, Lofa and Bong counties, where new nurseries, farmer training programmes and processing facilities are expected to be established.

Coffee was once an important export crop for Liberia, but years of conflict and underinvestment have seen production fall sharply. The new initiative hopes to reverse that decline through expanded cultivation of both arabica and robusta varieties, creating an estimated 300,000 jobs. It also highlights the growing potential of West Africa's often-overlooked coffee sector, with Liberia uniquely positioned as the home of Coffea liberica, a rare native species known for its distinctive fruit-forward character.

At a time when much of the industry's attention is focused on climate pressures and supply constraints, Liberia's plans point to a different story: one of expansion, investment and renewed confidence in coffee's future.

RESEARCHERS TURN UP THE VOLUME ON COFFEE

Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, have developed a new brewing method that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce espresso-strength coffee at room temperature, cutting energy consumption by up to 75%.

The system uses ultrasound to create microscopic bubbles within the brewing water. As these bubbles rapidly form and collapse, they help extract flavour compounds, oils and caffeine from the coffee grounds without the need for traditional espresso temperatures or pressures. The result is a concentrated coffee brewed in just two to three minutes.

Perhaps most surprisingly, the team's blind tasting trials found that participants were unable to reliably distinguish the ultrasonic version from a conventionally brewed espresso. Researchers also reported comparable levels of caffeine, aroma and other key quality markers.

While your home espresso machine isn't under immediate threat, the technology could have significant implications for large-scale coffee production, particularly in the rapidly growing ready-to-drink market where energy use and production efficiency remain key challenges. For an industry built on heat and pressure, the next breakthrough may come from sound instead…

OXFORD RESEARCHERS FIND THE PERFECT DAY FOR A BREW

Coffee really does taste better on some days than others, according to recently published research from the University of Oxford.

The study surveyed 3,000 participants across 11 countries and Wednesday emerged as the most enjoyable day to drink coffee, with participants consistently rating their cups more highly midweek than at any other point.

The team believes the phenomenon is linked to psychology rather than brewing technique. According to researchers, Wednesday marks the point when many people begin looking forward to the weekend, creating a more positive mindset that can influence how flavour is perceived.

The research uncovered several other factors that appear to shape coffee enjoyment. Morning was identified as the best time of day for a brew, while spring ranked as the most favourable season for coffee appreciation. Participants also reported enjoying coffee more when drinking with friends, and even removing the lid from a takeaway cup was found to improve the experience by allowing aromas to reach the nose more easily.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that flavour is shaped by more than what's in the cup. Mood, environment and expectation all play a role in how coffee is experienced, helping explain why the same brew can taste markedly different from one day to the next.

THE POWER OF ONE PERCENT

Since its founding in 2002, more than $700 million has now been certified for environmental causes through 1% for the Planet, a global movement that encourages businesses to donate at least 1% of annual sales to environmental organisations.

Recent figures highlight the growing scale of the initiative, with member contributions helping fund everything from habitat restoration and conservation projects to large-scale tree planting programmes.

For the coffee industry, the connection is particularly significant. As demand for coffee has grown, expansion of coffee-growing land has contributed to deforestation. At the same time, healthy forests play a crucial role in protecting biodiversity, supporting soil health and helping regulate the climatic conditions that coffee depends upon. The more than 10 million trees planted through 1% for the Planet-supported projects represent an investment in the long-term health of these ecosystems.

As a proud member of 1% for the Planet, Rave Coffee believes in a simple idea: every bag of coffee sold helps support projects working to restore and protect the natural world, including the forests that help make coffee possible in the first place.