Two sets of 64mm flat burrs (ZZ k202P and ZZ k206P) and one set of 69mm conical burrs (ZZ k204P). These new burrs perfectly match the new grinders as burrs, grinding chamber, and motor of every new Mazzer model are designed together – like a well-tuned automobile – working synergistically to ensure perfect particle size and grind speed.

ZZ burrs are unique for Materials, Treatments, Geometries and Taste.

Materials. Made from special steel, the ZZ burrs are more durable than standard steel
burrs extending their lifespan. This material is machined with unmatched precision to get
maximum consistency.

Treatments. The ZZ burrs undergo a custom plasma treatment. During this process
nitrogen is electrically excited and transformed into a plasma state. This highly energized
gas reacts with the steel, modifying its structure and improving hardness, wear resistance,
and durability. This means that even after extensive use, the burrs maintain the same
quality and sharpness right up to the end of their lifespan, keeping the grinder easy to dial
in and ensuring consistent cup quality.

Geometries and Taste. The ZZ burrs feature completely new geometries. Their design is conceived to reduce the compressive action of the burrs, in favour of wider cutting surface.

This translates into clean, elegant and balanced cups with a soft texture, light body, nice
acidity, and round sweetness. The structure of flavours is complex, with fruity notes and
delicate florals, making the ZZ burrs particularly suitable for medium and light roasted
coffees.

What’s next for Mazzer ZZ

Mazzer stays connected with the coffee community – listening, learning, and transforming
feedback into new projects. To be part of the process, Mazzer Labs team invites you to
share your experience with your Mazzer burrs at customercare@mazzer.com.

——————————
About Mazzer

Founded in 1948, Mazzer designs and manufactures high-quality coffee grinders and burrs
in its factory near Venice, Italy. Family company with a commitment to innovation, Mazzer
remains the go-to preference for the finest and busiest coffee shops worldwide.
More info: Mazzer

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For years, retailers have faced an impossible choice: embrace self-shopping for the convenience and speed of consumer demand or focus on traditional checkout for better control against losses. The Joya Smart family solves this dilemma, delivering both with the same device. These devices offer the most efficient and interactive shopping experience for consumers, while addressing retailers’ most critical concerns regarding loss prevention.

Intelligent Design meets Innovation

These next-generation self-shopping devices redefine the in-store experience with thoughtfully designed comfort and intuitive usability, advanced performance, and future-ready innovation.

• Elevated Experience: The large 5-inch high-resolution display is housed in an ergonomically optimized design that fits naturally in a shopper’s hand.
• Augmented Reality: Shoppers can scan product GS1 Digital Link-ready QR codes to view real-time, screen-displayed information like ingredients, nutritional facts, and promotions before purchase.
• Speed and Feedback: Powered by fast Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and embedded NFC contactless technology, shoppers can scan and pay in seconds and enjoy instant visual feedback via Datalogic’s proprietary Green Spot good-read technology.
• Software Ecosystem: The family is compatible with Self-Shopping software from all major retailers and ISVs and offers seamless integration with Datalogic’s Shopevolution and EasyShop software platforms.

The Joya Smart+ takes the experience to an all-new level. Providing smartphone-like familiarity in both aesthetics and use, with a notable market differentiation that sees the scan engine and AI camera share the same point of view. The front-facing visibility means shoppers can view their aimed item via the rear camera as they scan to ensure higher first-time read success.

What truly sets the new Joya Smart family apart is its embedded AI algorithms that use computer vision via the integrated rear-camera to validate scanned items, preventing errors or unintentional mistakes and helping store associates to quickly find only the items to be re-checked in any customer’s cart.

• Loss Prevention: The AI-driven Shop Guard system verifies non-scanned items, preventing errors or unintentional mistakes
• Operational Efficiency: This intelligence allows store associates to quickly find only the items to be re-checked in a customer’s cart, boosting shopper throughput

“The new Joya Smart family represents a fundamental transformation in how we approach self-shopping technology” said Rosario Casillo, Executive Vice President of Product & Solutions – Data Capture Division at Datalogic. “We provide unparalleled value with devices that redefine the in-store journey, delivering speed and convenience for shoppers while helping retailers in reducing losses.”

A Smart, Sustainable Investment

The Joya Smart family is designed with long-term strategies in mind, representing the smart choice for retailers aiming to achieve their ESG goals without compromising performance.

• Sustainable Design:Joya Smart and its accessories are built with recycled materials and come in recyclable packaging
• Investment Protection:The devices feature wireless charging, which eliminates the worry of replacing broken or corroded pins. Combined with long-term Android support, this ensures investment protection for years to come
• Charging Innovation:Retailers can choose a boosted (sub 2-hour) charging mode or an eco-mode that uses less energy.
• Wall-mount re-use: Migration path from other self-shopping device configurations is made easier thanks to kits to install new cradles without changing the existing wall.

Joya Smart and its accessories are available now, while the advanced Joya Smart+ will be available during Q1 2026, marking a new era in the evolution of intelligent self-shopping technology.

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After a successful debut in the United States in April 2025, Expocacer has now inaugurated the Brazilian module of the platform, setting the stage for expansion into the UK, Europe, and more than 30 other countries.

“Coffee Chain was born with the purpose of bringing the field closer to the market, offering new business opportunities and greater recognition for producers,” said Sandra Moraes, Expocacer’s Specialty Coffee Manager.

“The relevance and high competitiveness of the U.S. market encouraged us to further evolve the development of the Coffee Chain platform, allowing us to adapt to the specific demands of this market and enhance our logistical processes as a form of personalized service.

The platform has shown consistent growth in its user base and sales volume, consolidating itself as a relevant solution for clients. This milestone marked the beginning of Coffee Chain’s expansion into key global markets and reinforced Expocacer’s commitment to connecting producers directly with international buyers”. The executive adds: “Together with our Essências (Essences) program, we reinforce our commitment to sustainable development and the excellence of Cerrado Mineiro coffee”.

Through Coffee Chain, buyers gain access to detailed information on each coffee lot, including producer profiles, sensory notes, and complete traceability data, while producers gain visibility and direct access to international buyers.

The system’s blockchain foundation guarantees authenticity and secure transactions, reducing bureaucracy and building trust across the supply chain.

The platform’s first major event, the Coffee Chain Auction, will take place on December 10–11, featuring specialty lots from Expocacer’s Essências (Essences) program. The auction aims to connect roasters and importers worldwide with some of Brazil’s most exceptional coffees. Interested buyers and roasters from around the world are invited to participate Registration is open to all companies and individuals in the coffee sector.

Technology Partner: AIDDA

The Coffee Chain platform was created in partnership with AIDDA, a company specializing in blockchain and AI-based solutions for global trade.“AIDDA and Expocacer share the same vision: to simplify and democratize access to international markets through technology,” said Lívia Brunetto, AIDDA’s Head of Strategy and Innovation.

“By integrating traceability, documentation, and commercialization in a single digital environment, Coffee Chain connects producers and buyers around the world, unlocking smarter business opportunities with the potential to move over BRL 1 billion in coffee trade.”

This initiative reflects both organizations shared commitment to innovation, decentralization, and transparency in agribusiness.

Strengthening Expocacer’s Global Presence

Despite climate challenges affecting production across Brazil, Expocacer’s producers continue to stand out for their innovation and quality. “Our purpose is to generate value for our members, giving visibility to their work so they can continue positively impacting the coffee industry,” added Moraes.

With more than 40 export destinations and a growing presence in Europe and North America, Expocacer is reinforcing its global leadership in sustainable and regenerative coffee production.

About Expocacer

Founded in 1993, Expocacer – Cooperativa dos Cafeicultores do Cerrado represents over 680 coffee-producing families in the Cerrado Mineiro region, one of Brazil’s most recognized coffee origins. The cooperative exports to more than 40 countries and supports its members through sustainability programs, traceability systems, and its exclusive ECO-Score certification.
Website: www.expocacer.com.br
Instagram: @expocacer
Coffee Chain: https://coffeechain.com.br/

About AIDDA Group

Founded in 2021, AIDDA Group leverages cutting-edge technologies including blockchain, artificial intelligence, smart data, and White-Label Web3 platforms, to unlock business potential and drive digital transformation. With fully scalable and customizable solutions tailored to each client’s identity, the company delivers innovation, security, and sustainable growth. Its mission is clear: to empower businesses with technology that evolves at their own pace. https://www.aidda.io/

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The partnership marks the first AI powered integration in the food industry and aims to merge Barry Callebaut’s high-quality ingredients data, global manufacturing, supply chain, and distribution infrastructure with NotCo AI’s advanced platform to create an end-to-end AI innovation hub. Together, the companies are exploring to build a new framework for chocolate innovation: one that is smarter, faster, more sustainable, and fully scalable to meet evolving customer and consumer needs.

Peter Feld, CEO of Barry Callebaut, said: “This agreement marks an exciting step forward for Barry Callebaut and for our customers. It reflects our commitment to creating best customer experience by boosting innovation and speed to market. By combining our deep chocolate expertise and global reach with NotCo’s advanced AI capabilities, we’re aiming to unlock speed for breakthrough recipe solutions – from health-forward formulations to functional ingredients and Nutri-Score-friendly options. With the pace of change across the industry and the cocoa market, our customers’ needs are evolving rapidly. This collaboration enables us to test how AI can enhance process efficiency and scale our innovation efforts to meet future demands and allows us to accelerate our ways of working to deliver the best possible customer experience.”

The project aims to explore the development of the next generation of chocolate, potentially setting a new standard for how food companies innovate. By testing AI-driven formulation processes, the collaboration seeks to shorten development cycles, improve hit rates, and digitally empower every scientist and chef to create with unprecedented speed and precision, delivering exceptional taste while advancing sustainability goals.

Matias Muchnick, Co-Founder and CEO of NotCo AI, said: “Our high fidelity data corpus collected for the past 10 years has become the most fundamental value proposition for the next generation of CPG and ingredient companies of the future. By integrating Barry Callebaut’s unparalleled chocolate knowledge with our general purpose approach platform, we’re creating a personalized and unique innovation engine that will set a new standard for the entire industry.”

The initiative forms part of Barry Callebaut’s multi-year digitalization agenda, where Barry Callebaut is pioneering the chocolate industry by entering into the AI era and reinforcing the company’s commitment to deliver breakthrough innovation and its position as the trusted partner for chocolate solutions and one of the biggest chocolate suppliers worldwide in the food and beverage industry.

Climate pressure, ingredient shortages, and rising cocoa costs have forced the chocolate industry to reformulate products and deploy substantial R&D budgets to address supply chain disruptions. By combining Barry Callebaut’s category expertise with NotCo’s AI technology, both companies are proactively building a resilient future for chocolate innovation that maintains taste and quality regardless of volatile agricultural conditions.

NotCo AI’s platform has already powered hundreds of successful product launches for some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. NotCo AI’s technology – trained on a unique proprietary dataset of food and consumable properties accumulated over 10 years – has been quickly evolving to become the most powerful foundational model for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.

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How a Malaysian café chain baked cloud and AI into its operations

MALAYSIA – In the fast-paced F&B world, agility isn’t just a buzzword; it’s survival. For Secret Recipe, one of Malaysia’s most beloved café chains, staying ahead meant more than just serving delicious cakes and meals. It meant transforming how they understood their business.

Before embracing the cloud, Secret Recipe’s data journey was time-consuming. Gathering performance reports from 360 outlets across Malaysia wasn’t just tedious—it was a logistical headache. Compiling data could take weeks, and by the time insights reached decision-makers, the opportunity to act had often slipped away.

The future is generative

With Microsoft Power BI, Secret Recipe now pulls performance data in seconds, instead of weeks. What used to be a slow, manual process has become fast and automated. Teams can instantly identify which outlets sell the most cakes, uncover patterns—like customers who buy black pepper chicken often pairing it with a specific beverage—and respond with targeted actions.

Looking ahead, the next chapter is all about Generative AI. The vision? A future where team members can ask, “Can you pull last month’s beverage sales and suggest a new combo promo?” and get instant, actionable insights. By tapping into generative AI, Secret Recipe aims to unlock deeper layers of data understanding, automate even more processes, and make smarter decisions faster.

You can read the full article here.

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Specialty Coffee merging with AI Innovation

For decades, Weaver’s Coffee & Tea has upheld its legacy of roasting 100% Arabica coffee beans, guided by master roaster John Weaver’s four decades of expertise and early mentorship from Alfred Peet. Now, the company extends that same dedication to innovation through HAL 8122—an agentic AI designed to think, learn, and engage in human-like conversations in multiple languages.

How HAL 8122 enhances the Weaver’s Coffee & Tea Experience

• Personalized Coffee & Tea Guidance: HAL 8122 helps customers find their perfect coffee or tea, tailoring recommendations to taste and preference.
• Omnichannel Engagement: HAL 8122 augments customer service, meeting people wherever and whenever they wish to engage with the brand.
• Smart Service: From company information and product details to brewing tips and recipes, HAL 8122 delivers real-time answers and support.
• Education Made Easy: The AI Assistant translates roast profiles, origins, and brewing science into accessible insights — linking directly to Weaver’s Coffee & Tea’s expert blog content.
• Mission Integration: HAL 8122 shares Weaver’s commitment to sustainability and local partnerships, connecting every purchase to purpose.

“HAL 8122 represents the next evolution of Weaver’s Coffee & Tea—where coffee and tea mastery converge with intelligent technology,” said Renée Brown, co-founder of Weaver’s Coffee & Tea. “We’re truly honored to be the first to introduce this groundbreaking technology to the industry. Weaver’s has long embraced advanced technology across our sales, marketing, and operations. Now, through our AI collaboration with BizzTech.io, we’re creating a data-driven experience that helps every customer discover and personalize their perfect cup.”

“This is human-centered AI done right—respectful, transparent, and genuinely helpful,” said Dirk Schmidt, Co-Founder & CEO of BizzTech. “When technology amplifies craft and community, everyone wins—from first-time shoppers to lifelong loyalists.”

Launch details

The HAL 8122 AI Assistant is now live on weaverscoffee.com, offering customers an intelligent new way to explore Weaver’s Coffee & Tea. Visitors can instantly discover products, master brewing techniques, and access to hundreds of educational blogs—all while engaging with the Weaver’s Coffee & Tea story, anytime and in nearly any language.

Future updates will extend HAL 8122 into both retail and wholesale environments, further enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

About Weaver’s Coffee & Tea / Wild Card Roasters

Founded in San Rafael, California, Weaver’s Coffee & Tea—the flagship brand of Wild Card Roasters—is a leader in premium coffee and tea for consumers and businesses. The company is recognized for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and community impact, donating a portion of proceeds to support local and global initiatives.

About BizzTech.io and HAL 8122

BizzTech.io develops agentic AI systems that bridge human creativity and artificial intelligence. Its flagship platform, HAL 8122, powers adaptive, conversational, and emotionally intelligent digital assistants across industries—from industrial automation to consumer retail.

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The clip, posted to Motegi’s official social-media account, drew over 4 million views, 60,000 shares, and 15,000 comments within 48 hours, softening his characteristically firm public image. In a follow-up interview, Motegi said, “I didn’t expect the video introducing the coffee to be viewed more than four million times.”

Founded in Korea and the US, Imunika created a disruptive innovation in coffee, representing a new wave of Wellness Specialty Coffee that blends Korea’s fermentation technique with Seattle’s specialty roasting profile. Through its patented bio-fermentation process, medicinal mushrooms are integrated with coffee beans, producing a smoother, lower-caffeine cup that supports immune health, gut balance, and mental clarity — what the company calls “Mushroom Coffee 2.0.”

“It was a completely serendipitous moment for us,” said Jinhu Park, Imunika’s Founder and CEO. “Imunika represents Korea’s wellness culture — each cup is meant as an investment in oneself, not a mere act of consumption. At APEC, it was humbling to see how naturally that idea resonated among the world’s leaders.”

The company’s story is rooted in a personal journey. Park, a Cornell-educated entrepreneur, began developing Imunika’s mushroom fermentation technique with his family after losing his younger brother to cancer in 2020 — turning that tragic experience into a mission to redefine the world’s most beloved beverage, coffee.

What began as a search for healing became a cup now connecting Korea, Japan, and the United States — proof that shared taste can sometimes achieve what diplomacy aims for.

About Imunika

Imunika is a premium wellness brand rooted in Korea’s fermentation heritage. Through a patented four-week bio-fermentation process and a proprietary seven-mushroom complex, Imunika crafts low-caffeine, immune-supporting whole-bean coffee made for decision makers and intention seekers

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“Our mission is to provide packaging solutions that are both responsible and cost-efficient,” said Dr. Donald Yap, CEO of HZ Green Pulp.

“Our wet molding operations continue to serve customers well, but Dry Molded Fiber allows us to introduce a new generation of products that respond to evolving market demands while reducing environmental impact. We’re confident in the technology’s capability and its fit with our customers’ requirements.”

For PulPac, the move underscores the maturity and scalability of its technology. “Licensees moving from installation to commercial deliveries is a defining milestone,” said Sanna Fager, Chief Commercial Officer at PulPac.

“Our licensing model provides a direct path to market, protected IP, standardized tooling and materials, and a partner network that has already solved the hard problems.

It embeds world-leading know-how to shorten validation and de-risk scale-up, a proven route to commercial production, faster to shelves with experienced support from day one and beyond launch.”

Dry Molded Fiber — invented, patented, and licensed by PulPac — is an industrial fiber-forming technology for high-speed production of rigid packaging. The process uses minimal water and significantly less energy than traditional fiber molding, offering a cost-competitive, resource-efficient alternative to single-use plastics.

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At the forefront of this transformation stands Anno Robot, a Shenzhen-based innovator that’s captivating global brands with its precision-engineered solutions. As we delve into the burgeoning automated retail sector—projected to surge from $48.35 billion in 2024 to $51.97 billion in 2025—and spotlight Anno Robot’s pivotal role, one thing is clear: the future of retail is robotic, efficient, and unstoppably 24/7.

The Dawn of Automated Retail: Trends Shaping a $50 Billion Industry

The automated retail industry, particularly in unmanned vending and beverage dispensing, is exploding into 2025 as businesses grapple with post-pandemic realities: rising operational costs, workforce gaps, and a relentless push for contactless experiences.

According to recent market analyses, the global vending machine sector is poised for compound annual growth exceeding 7%, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and modular robotics. At the heart of this boom lies the unmanned coffee vending machine market, a niche that’s not just surviving but thriving, with robust demand for on-the-go, high-quality brews in an increasingly caffeine-fueled world.

One of the most compelling trends is the integration of AI into coffee preparation, birthing sophisticated AI coffee machines and AI coffee robots that mimic barista artistry without the human error.

These devices leverage machine learning algorithms for predictive maintenance, ensuring uptime rates above 98% and reducing downtime by up to 40%. Imagine a system that anticipates filter clogs or bean shortages via IoT sensors, dispatching alerts before issues escalate—this isn’t sci-fi; it’s the standard for 2025 deployments. Personalization is another game-changer: AI algorithms analyze user preferences from past orders, suggesting custom blends like oat milk lattes with precise foam ratios, all served in under 45 seconds. This hyper-customization boosts customer satisfaction by 25%, turning one-off transactions into loyalty loops.

Sustainability is weaving its way into the fabric of these innovations, too. With eco-conscious consumers driving 70% of purchasing decisions, unmanned vending giants are adopting biodegradable cups, energy-efficient bean-to-cup grinders, and solar-powered kiosks to slash carbon footprints by 30%. The retail vending machine market, expected to balloon to over $100 billion by 2035, reflects this ethos, with automation enabling “zero-waste” operations through exact portioning that minimizes spoilage. In high-traffic venues like airports and malls, these machines aren’t mere dispensers; they’re micro-economies, generating passive revenue streams with ROI timelines as short as six months.

Yet, challenges persist. Labor shortages in the service sector—exacerbated by global events—have spiked hiring costs by 20% in the last year, pushing retailers toward fully autonomous models. Regulatory hurdles around food safety and data privacy loom large, but forward-thinking firms are navigating them with CE, FCC, and ISO certifications.

Moreover, the rise of smart payments—contactless NFC, app integrations, and even cryptocurrency—has democratized access, making unmanned setups viable for SMEs. By 2030, experts predict 40% of urban retail will be automated, with AI coffee robots leading the charge in beverage categories, which account for 35% of vending sales.

The unmanned coffee segment alone is forecasted to grow at a 12% CAGR through 2033, propelled by urban migration and the gig economy’s demand for round-the-clock fueling stations.

As brands like Starbucks experiment with drive-thru bots and European chains roll out AI kiosks in train stations, the message is unequivocal: adapt to automation or risk obsolescence. In this high-stakes arena, where precision meets profitability, companies that master AI-driven retail aren’t just competing—they’re owning the future.

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The BPI-certified compostable pods are produced for a recognized coffee brand distributed by NEXE’s OCS partner, which works with over ten major brands across North America. With each new rollout, NEXE believes it is expanding its reach and strengthening its role as a supplier of compostable coffee pods. This order for ~250,000 compostable coffee pods is for 9 different SKUs.

“These orders reflect the operational progress of the Company and the growing customer confidence and interest in our products,” said Ash Guglani, President of NEXE Innovations.

“Onboarding new partners is a detailed process that takes time, including establishing product integration, testing, and scaling orders, but once complete, it often leads to recurring orders. We believe this steady progress is beginning to result in measurable business activity and enhanced customer engagement.”

NEXE has also onboarded a new West Coast–based roaster which is a respected British Columbia company recognized for its sustainability practices and commitment to the circular economy with an initial purchase order of 100,000 compostable pods.

This marks another win in NEXE’s strategy to broaden its North American footprint and drive repeat business through long-term partnerships. We will provide more details closer to the roaster’s product launch.

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