Seattle’s Best Coffee, a subsidiary of Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co., and TV chef Jeff Mauro searched the United States for this year’s most imaginative new coffee drink and have narrowed it down to six finalists. The duo’s contest, the Red Cup Showdown, now is calling on American Facebook users to vote by Aug. 22 for this year’s winner.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a retailer based in Los Angeles, has joined forces with Feeding America to kick off a fall campaign to raise funds for food banks around the country. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will work with the hunger-relief charity to donate a portion of funds raised at participating cafés this season to local food banks.

Economic times might be helping to entice consumers to opt for in-home coffee consumption; however, consumers are finding ways to ensure that their cups of coffee at home are just as enjoyable. 

In honor of National Coffee Day, celebrated this year on Sept. 29, Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ Donuts and Chicago-based CareerBuilder conducted a survey to determine the latest coffee consumption trends in the work place. The survey was conducted from Aug. 13 to Sept. 6 and included more than 4,100 workers nationwide.

Chicago-based Technomic Inc.’s Beverage Consumer Trend Report found that beverages sales could help restaurants to boost check averages.

Paramount Coffee Co. expanded its line of seasonal coffees with Ugly Tie medium roast ground coffee.

Mondelez International Inc., Deerfield, Ill., announced its plans to invest in making its coffee business more sustainable. The company’s “Coffee Made Happy” campaign will invest a minimum of $200 million to empower 1 million coffee farming entrepreneurs by 2020.

Seattle’s Best Coffee, a subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, is offering a free small cup of brewed coffee to those working on the busiest shopping day of the year — Black Friday (Nov. 23).

 It’s well-known that many people depend on coffee to get their days started, but a survey by Dunkin’ Donuts and CareerBuilder determined that certain professions rely on it more than others. 

 Nestlé Nescafé Memento, a new line of gourmet, instant foaming café beverages, teamed up with “The Office” actress Ellie Kemper to create a Facebook app chock-full of life advice.