Dunkin' has launched a limited-edition Dunkin'-inspired plush dog toy range | Photo credit: Dunkin'

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Dunkin’ treats customers to new dog toy range 

US coffee chain Dunkin’ has partnered with New York dog toy manufacturer BARK to launch a limited-edition Dunkin'-inspired plush dog toy range. The collection, featuring iced coffee and frosted donut toys, is available to Dunkin’ customers who donate to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation at the coffee chain’s stores. The collaboration, which began in 2020, has raised more than $4m to date, funding 33 service dogs across 23 children’s hospitals in the US. 
 

Coffee and whisky strike a chord with the Harmony Collection  

Scottish whisky distillery The Macallan has introduced two coffee-inspired releases to its Harmony Collection range. Created to pair with coffee, the single malt whiskies are inspired by Ethiopian arabica coffee and are being produced in ‘intense’ and ‘smooth’ varieties. The Macallan’s Whisky Maker Steven Bremner drew parallels between the creation of whisky and coffee, stating that “each requires unique skills and craftsmanship to achieve depth and complexity of taste.” Macallan’s first Harmony Collection was released in October 2021 and was designed to pair with rich chocolate. 

Caffeine presents heightened risk for child development, study says 

An American study of more than 1,100 mother and child pairs has concluded that children who were exposed to small amounts of caffeine before birth were 1.5cm-2.2cm shorter at the age of eight than those children whose mothers who did not consume caffeine while pregnant. The Journal of the American Medical Association Network research said children were found to be shorter in stature at the age of four, with the gap widening each year through to the age of eight. The researchers also suggested that smaller stature increases the risk of poor cardiometabolic outcomes, such as heart disease and diabetes. 

Spent coffee helps biodiesel bloom 

Researchers from Aston University have produced high-quality biodiesel after ‘feeding’ and growing microalgae on leftover coffee grounds. Dr. Vesna Najdanovic and Dr. Jiawei Wang, from the UK university’s Chemical Engineering department, found that spent coffee grounds provide both nutrients to feed and a structure on which the microalgae can grow. Therefore, they were able to extract enhanced biodiesel that produces minimal emissions and good engine performance, which meets both US and European specifications. Najdanovic labelled the findings ‘a breakthrough in the microalgal cultivation system’. 
 

COFE App finds its voice in the market 

COFE App is seeking to elevate the user experience in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates via a new partnership with Amazon’s Alexa platform. The Kuwaiti online coffee marketplace said customers can now use their voice to order and track their coffee by speaking commands through Amazon’s voice AI application. The launch, which mirrors a similar partnership with Siri in May 2022, highlights COFE App’s efforts to enhance the convenience, functionality and speed of its platform.