If you’re a café operator struggling with rising costs and declining revenue, this episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast is just what you need. We sit down with John Richardson, The Café Expert, to dive into the numbers and explore practical strategies to boost your margins. This episode is packed with actionable advice that you can start implementing right away.

With over 30 years of experience, John has founded, sold, and consulted on hundreds of successful businesses, helping them grow and thrive.

12 cups explainer: https://thecafeexpert.com/numbers/

Contact John:

Free cafe and coffee shop owners Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cafeandcoffeeshopprofits/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thecafeexpert/

Chapters:

0:00 - John's professional history, defining COGS and labour costs

41:00 - 12 cup model

44:00 - Wastage impact on profit as a percentage

46:50 - Increase revenue

51:00 - Evaluating the ‘we need more staff conversation

58:25 - Operational complexity

1:01.30 Top 10/bottom 10

1:09 - Improving variable costs

124:50 - Avoiding being overwhelmed

Paul’s voice has that croaky sound which is the product of long hours of work at the expense of sleep. While the cafe has dominated his time, he has also needed to continue working on the core business and his additional coaching work. At least he is not bored :)

In this episode we talked about the first month of opening of the cafe. Did it go as expected? Were our predictions accurate?

This is the final part of our series following Paul's journey in opening the cafe. You can start at episode 1 of the series to get the full picture of what it is like to open a cafe. His journey is unique in that it is his business and his location, but it is not unusual to face all the challenges that Paul has had to overcome. If you are considering opening a cafe, you can learn from Paul's experience as he describes it here.

You can watch the video on the coffee knowledge here: https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/podcast/

For quick reference here is the series:

1. Episode 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KxgQt8U1QFkmAWbxCGj7y?si=933419074b40414a
2. Episode 2 -https://open.spotify.com/episode/11XWKFdAe9U3ROwgXQGS8y?si=b5eed848711349b5
3. Episode 3 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Zp1zVKO2Wwq6umsWae7ke?si=a44ec30d77a44c42
4. Episode 4 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ER1vGgDg7L3ZcWVK5IUuv?si=fe363cdf1fb344eb
5. Episode 5 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Zwvwm4TWhDoCuUEPZkXs8?si=446526a68bcc4564
6. Episode 6 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nWehMJLJ1AIfWIu2hWT9V?si=5f504c49c27c48db

This was a short episode continuing our series with Paul Ross. 

This episode touched on some aspects of the business fundamentals of running a cafe, but we will go a lot deeper into this in future episodes. As Tibor alluded to in his question, there are many first time cafe owners who do not have a good knowledge of targets such as labour and cost of goods sold as a percentage of net revenue. Pricing is based on what a customer is willing to pay, but it needs to cover purchase costs, wastage, and contribute to labour, rent, rates and other overheads. So, often that high quality cake with a healthy 50% margin is losing you money, because it should have a 100% margin, but your customers won’t pay that price for it.  

Since this episode was recorded in early April and it is now July, a lot has happened with the Special Guests cafe, but builders have only just gone on site, So it is well behind schedule. 

Thanks for listening to the Coffee Knowledge Hub podcast with Tibor and Andrew. Please rate us/like us and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And share this series with anyone you know who is thinking of opening a cafe. 

If you have ever experienced staff shortages, difficulties finding qualified people for your business or find recruitment overwhelming, watch this interview with Ben Szobody. 

Ben’s interest in coffee predates many people’s, he was following the US coffee competitions in the 2000’s, in a time before twitter, which was once a big thing in the coffee world and certainly before competitions became a thing. He wrote the chemically imbalanced blog from 2007, chronicling “the way stellar coffee collides with real life.”

Though he never actually worked directly in coffee, it was instead a useful vehicle for achieving positive social change in his other work. So, why would you listen to Ben Szobody’s advice on recruitment, training and people working in cafes? Because he has year’s of experience in developing professional baristas through his charity work in a program called Pro Baristas. The program has trained a truly diverse multitude of people with barista skills and soft skills and then supported them to find work in specialty cafes. 

I think even the most experienced of cafe operators will find wisdom in what Ben has to say in the podcast. I expect you will come away, as I did, thinking differently about the benefits of diversity as a strategy for managing the challenges around labour shortages many operators are facing. These lessons can also be applied to other business sectors in the coffee industry. 

If you feel inspired by the work of Pro Baristas and want to support or find out more, please go to 

https://www.probaristas.com/our-story

They can also offer consulting services in some instances. 

Our latest podcast is released in time for WOC Copenhagen, where Ewelina is now based.

Over the course of our conversation with Ewelina we learned about growing into new roles and developing skills. We learned about the transition from barista and friend to boss and we learned about retailing.

There are some practical tips for improving cafe retails operations, implementing new service styles and also going online.

Ewelina has been in the hospitality game for almost a decade. Her journey began as a Barista in Poland, where she honed her coffee skills before venturing to London and joining Prufrock Coffee. The world famous Prufrock cafe was owned by World barista champion Gwilym Davies and Jeremy Challender, now dean of studies at Barista Hustle. Ewelina started at Prufrock under their tutelage and became General Manager after working as a barista and competing in the coffee competitions.

Prufrock was acquired by the world famous Square Mile Coffee roasters around 2016/2017 and as General Manager of Prufrock, Ewelina was given the freedom to experiment with innovative ideas to make customers smile and the whole operation run smoothly. It was a chapter marked by learning and growth.

Over the past eight years, she has navigated the behind-the-scenes intricacies of the hospitality industry, handling management changes, and confronting the challenges posed by a global pandemic. Nowadays, Ewelina is working as the Chief Operating Officer at Barista Hustle Tools, where she does everything from crunching numbers to untangling logistic complexities.

Ewelina makes some recommendations for places to visit if you are headed to Copenhagen. See the show notes for details.

Watch the podcast here:

🔗https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/podcast/from-barista-to-boss-with-ewelina-kania

This is episode 2 of the series following Paul Ross' journey in setting up the Special Guests Coffee cafe. This is a fun one to watch. We recorded it in early April and then travel and a few challenges with the editing got in the way of releasing it. So, you will hear Paul’s projected opening dates which have not yet been realised. He is battling on though.

I highly recommend watching/listening to this if you are thinking of opening a cafe or you work in the retail end of the supply chain. The challenges Paul describes are very similar for many who venture down this road. Opening a cafe is incredibly rewarding. While it sounds pretty stressful based on this interview and I am not sure if we are doing a good job promoting becoming an entrepreneur and cafe owner, it does enrich your life in many ways.

The phase Paul is describing here though, is one of the toughest phases in pre-launching the business. It is the pre-construction phase, where the building contractors are estimating the costs of turning the designs into your dream cafe.

Watch it here: https://coffeeknowledgehub.circle.so/c/podcast/episode-2-of-our-series-interviewing-paul-ross

Please like/rate/follow this podcast on whichever platform you are using.

We are Following Paul Ross, founder of Special Guests coffee as he takes his high end specialty coffee business from a digital to a physical experience in his soon to open cafe in Marylebone, London. 

This is the first of a multipart series where we follow Paul on his journey in opening a cafe. 

This episode covers the origin story of Paul and his business Special Guests. We learn why he is opening a physical location and the steps he has taken to get to the point of finding and signing on that location. We also learn that expertise in coffee, does not transfer to expertise in opening cafes. Paul is on a very steep learning curve with high ambitions. 

I have really enjoyed these conversations with Paul. Opening cafes is an exhilarating experience. You can get well beyond your comfort zone very quickly. It requires a wide ranging skillset in everything from operations to property, construction, people management, project management, design, legals and more.  There is a lot that can be learned from the experience of others, so get out your pen and paper and enjoy episode one of this series. 

To follow these episodes and more, you can follow, subscribe and like the podcast. We also have the video version on the coffee knowledge hub. 

https://coffeeknowledgehub.circle.so/c/podcast/bricks-and-mortar-a-new-series-tracking-paul-ross-journey-building-a-flagship-cafe-for-special-guests-coffee

https://espressoembassy.hu/

https://specialguestscoffee.com

Imagine going to a trade show on tractors and being served coffee that is better than any coffee you have had before. Or rocking up to a wedding in a field and being served coffee that is as good as your favourite local cafe. 

In this conversation with Esther Maasdam, co-founder of Manhattan coffee roasters and founder of her eponymous events business: Esther Maasdam coffee connoisseur, we talk about how she has been bringing specialty coffee to the people at events for the past 20 years. 

For many people operating coffee businesses, there are requests to serve coffee at events, but the reality of doing this versus the expectations of the customer are often completely misaligned. There is a specialist skillset to set up a bespoke coffee service, that incorporates events management but also the skills of a coffee technician, barista and cafe operator. It is no wonder, so few people and companies in the world can do this well. 

• Bringing great coffee to people
• Providing great work for baristas - fun, quality coffee
• Brand implications for Manhattan coffee at events - attracts baristas and promotes the Manhattan brand
• Resilience - the essential trait of an events coordinator
• Power of deduction
• Technical knowledge
• War stories 
• Pricing events
• Events is not about making the best espresso in the world, it is about getting people excited
• Recruiting baristas and skillset of an events barista
• Growing the brand - building from always present to entrusting others.
• Service models - speed and experience
• The menu at events
• Coffee on the bar
• A Manhattan coffee shop?

https://esthermaasdam.com

https://manhattancoffeeroasters.com

Since launching the sustainability reporting course from the Chain Collaborative we have been curious about the real world impact of sustainability reports. Why would a company invest time and money in creating one, what are the pros and cons of doing it. 

Micah Sherer, our friend at Skylark Coffee in Brighton, UK has been writing their transparency report since launching nearly 5 years ago and it has had a big impact on their growth and on communicating the mission and values of Skylark coffee to their community. 

This episode was co-hosted by Nora Burkey to bring subject matter expertise. Andrew’s research was all done by doing the course, so if he sounds like he knows what he is talking about, it is all thanks to Nora. 

We discuss:

• What are sustainability reports and their different variations - impact, transparency, sustainability
• Tangible benefits of reports
• Holding yourself accountable
• Where are the biggest margins in the coffee supply chain
• Who are sustainability reports for
• Considerations in data collection - transparency versus ethics in verifying supply chains
• How do you vet the ethics of the companies you buy from
• Skylarks growth as a result of reporting

Websites:

https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/sustainability-reporting-by-the-chain-collaborative

https://thechaincollaborative.org

https://skylark.coffee/pages/transparency

https://www.probaristas.com/

Social handles

https://www.instagram.com/skylark.coffee/#

https://www.instagram.com/thechaincollaborative/#

https://www.instagram.com/ProBaristas

Mentions:

Micah mentioned the charity under which Skylark operates - One Church Brighton. We also spoke with Ben Szobody about the great work that Pro Baristas do in episode 5 of this podcast. Pro baristas is one of the projects coordinated by One Church Brighton. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ENVmjgfVWI2XnvpDkVDqY?si=8bce5e1313c640e0

This is the last episode recorded before Paul opened the doors to his cafe for the first time on October 5. 

We discussed his menu, opening hours, vision for the cafe and its impact on different stakeholders and we did some predictions for sales in the first month. 

Tibor and Andrew have started sharing their reflections on the conversation after the recordings, so stay tuned to hear our post interview thoughts. 

In the 5th instalment of our podcast series following Paul Ross as he opens the bricks and mortar home of Special Guests Coffee, we hear about progress with recruitment and shop fitting. We now have a tentative opening date and the pressure is on to finish the build out and get all the equipment in on time. Will it be opening on International Coffee day, we shall have to wait and see. 

Amongst other things in this episode we discussed POS systems, POS stands for point of sale. There are a lot of systems on the market with POS and it is an important consideration in a cafe space because it directly impacts the customer experience, administration burden, reporting and timeliness of information. At the same time, many systems have more features than a cafe actually needs. 

Bonus video on the coffee knowledge hub - sneak preview of the cafe

www.coffeeknowledgehub.com

Our conversation includes insights into:

1. Growing from one to three cafes.
2. The benefits of co-roasting
3. The Importance of systems and processes

The theme that runs through the interview is people - designing an experience for all the people who are touched by the business, whether it is the people from whom Dagger coffee source products, to the way people are recruited and supported who work in the business and also the customer experience. It is evident that everything is designed as a personal experience.

This was a lovely conversation with and , we hope you enjoy it.

A bit about Dagmar:

Dagmar Geerlings is the founder of Dagger coffee in Utrecht, Netherlands, which she started in 2017. 

She found her way into coffee during her undergraduate studies in User experience design. Then had a gap year in Melbourne, Australia where she worked at Seven Seeds, a highly regarded café and roasting business, before returning to the Netherlands to complete a Masters. Her masters in the multisensory experience of taste, exploring how sound impacts taste and her undergraduate studies have influenced her cafe business in multiple ways. 

Dagger coffee, has 3 sites and source and roast their own coffee which is also available via their webshop. 

Find out more:

https://www.instagram.com/daggercoffee/?hl=nl

https://www.facebook.com/Daggercoffee/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dagmargeerlings/

Major Cohen grew up with coffee, was a passionate consumer and hobbyist, mentored by George Howell in the 70's and went on to have a 25 year career with Starbucks from the age of 45. He subsequently left Starbucks during the pandemic and wrote the essential foundational coffee book - Coffee for Dummies.

Join Andrew and Tibor in this conversation with Major. His experience with Starbucks is full of valuable lessons and gives us a fascinating insight into the incredible growth of Starbucks from 100 to 25,000 + stores.

In this episode we cover:

• Trends in coffee
• Importance of vision and mission in managing change in dynamic organisations and industry - how do you adapt as a professional
• Influence on Starbucks on 3rd wave and vice versa - coffee as a taste experience
• Reserve program
• Reserve Roastery - keeps Starbucks grounded in coffee
• The miraculous element of great training
• Employee engagement in scaled businesses
• The challenges of training
• The importance communicating on people's level
• How Coffee for Dummies can be used by coffee professionals

Coffee for Dummies by Major Cohen

https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/food-drink/coffee-tea/coffee-for-dummies-282727/

Tibor and Andrew had a catch up chat after World of Coffee in Copenhagen to discuss trends they saw and how they relate to the wider cafe industry.

We dig deeper into the question of how do you decide which products to put on you menu using the operational complexity and profit margin matrix.

You can see the matrix here: https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/trending/which-products-to-sell

Episode 4 in the series following the opening of the Special Guests Coffee cafe in Marlebone, London. Join us as we hear more from Paul Ross about opening his cafe. There are valuable lessons for anyone thinking about getting into the cafe business or for people already operating cafes. 

In this episode we catch up on progress with the cafe build out and what Paul has been up to since our last interview in April. We discuss, pricing and pricing strategies, customer journeys, competitive advantage, and new launch dates. 

0.00 Highlights from WOC

3:10 Recap of events since our last call - delays in the build out

7:54 Pricing and product differentiation

10:52 pricing with cost plus percentage or cost plus amount

13:32 Pricing and value

15:45 High end coffee pricing

21:15 competitive advantage of special guests

22:01 - differentiator - not just coffee quality - total customer experience

27:53 Customer journeys - the ‘flat white’ customer and ‘pour over’ customer

34:00 pricing based on competitors, or not.

38:40 Business ecosystems - Importance of a diversified business model for resilience

47:08 Net revenue modelling and indicators for projecting revenues

55:22 - new opening schedule

57:30 Preview of the golden tickets launching soon - get an off menu coffee. Find out how.

This is an expansive episode about the price of coffee at this inflection point in the market and how it is impacting different actors along the coffee value chain.

We talk to our friend Stuart Ritson, the European manager of Osito coffee. Stuart has worked in the coffee industry for 14 years in roles spanning barista to wholesale manager for Workshop coffee and then European sales director for Cafe Imports and now Osito coffee. This experience gives him a wealth of knowledge that he has shared with us here.

Stuart introduces what the C-market is, why it exists and who uses it. We then look at the impact of higher prices and volatility on the value chain. We consider pragmatic solutions for roasters and cafe operators to mitigate the impact of higher prices and hopefully improve their businesses.

Tibor and Andrew finish 2024, season 1 of the CKH podcast, reflecting on trends in the South East Asian coffee industry and why we should be paying close attention to what they are doing in other parts of the world.

We also discuss trends for 2025, C-price, latte art patterns and more.

Watch the video on Spotify or on the coffee knowledge hub

Guidance for buying, selling, starting and operating a café business

Insights from John Richardson

Whether you are buying, selling or operating a café business, you need to understand what drives the sellable value of that business. The Café Expert, John Richardson shares his knowledge – defining a sellable business, understanding leases, all the variables to consider in valuing a business and what to consider as a buyer, or seller in single and multi-site businesses. 

The insights shared could save both time and money, it is essential learning for anyone working in café businesses. For those considering starting their own cafe, it is also worth listening because you should start with the end in mind.

We spoke about many topics in this interview and edited it mercilessly but it is still a long one. During the last 30 minutes with John we go into specific details and summarise how to create sellable value.

Tibor and I also do a wrap up at the end, reflecting on what John has said and hypothesising which cafes we would buy, if we were buying a business.

Find out more about John:

https://thecafeexpert.com

https://www.instagram.com/thecafeexpert/

We spoke to Jerome Ribot, founder of Coglode.com to get the behavioural scientists perspective on the concept of loyalty programs for cafes. Jerome is a coffee lover and was a regular at one of Andrew’s cafes from 2008. His passion for understanding people’s behaviours is contagious. In this interview we focus on the subject of loyalty. 

Why are we talking about loyalty - because it is at the heart of the success of many coffee businesses. Through loyalty we can increase revenue and margins at a time when revenue and margin gains are hard to come by.

Fundamentally, loyalty is a positive tool we can use to support our businesses, our people and our communities. 

The conversation flows. Starting with defining loyalty before Jerome offers 6 elements he would utilise in a cafe loyalty program. As we move past the hour, we were heading towards a conclusion but we kept talking. So stay to the end to hear the unscripted conversation about loyalty and the value of understanding our own behaviours for personal and professional growth.

Jerome Ribot

Coglode takes complex behavioural science research and distills it into practical insights that businesses can use for product development, marketing strategies, and customer experience design.
Coglode’s work has been used by large consultancies like BCGX, Mckinsey and Deloitte, alongside pioneering companies like Apple, Google, Spotify, Octopus Energy, Meta and Monzo Bank.
He also loves coffee...a lot.

Coglode.com

Coffee knowledge hub video

Summary

In this episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub podcast, Filip Bartelak discusses the complexities of coffee assessment, exploring both subjective and objective measures of quality. He shares his journey in the coffee industry, the evolution of sensory assessment systems, and the importance of understanding different coffee markets. The conversation delves into the Coffee Value Assessment System and the role of Q Graders in establishing a common language for coffee quality. Filip emphasizes the need for professionals to be well-versed in various assessment methodologies to effectively communicate and evaluate coffee quality in a global market.

Takeaways

Coffee assessment can be both subjective and objective.

Quality in coffee is defined by market preferences.

The Coffee Value Assessment System is a new standard.

Q Graders play a crucial role in coffee quality evaluation.

Understanding different coffee markets is essential for professionals.

Communication about coffee quality must be standardized.

The evolution of coffee scoring systems reflects market changes.

Subjectivity in coffee tasting can enhance the experience.

Training in sensory assessment is vital for professionals.

The future of coffee assessment will adapt to new trends.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sensory Assessment in Coffee

02:55 Philip Bartolak's Journey in Coffee

05:25 Defining Quality in Coffee

07:11 Understanding Sensory Assessment Systems

09:43 The Role of Q-Grader and Coffee Value Assessment

11:58 The Evolution of Coffee Quality Definitions

14:14 Communication in Coffee Quality

17:16 Attributes vs. Quality in Coffee

19:05 The Paradigm Shift in Specialty Coffee

21:39 Cultural Perspectives on Coffee Quality

24:23 Subjectivity and Objectivity in Coffee Assessment

26:41 The Future of Coffee Quality Assessment

34:05 Understanding Sensory Assessment in Coffee

37:44 The Role of Training in Coffee Evaluation

42:37 Affective vs. Descriptive Assessment

42:44 Navigating Coffee Quality Standards

46:43 The Impact of Market Preferences on Coffee Quality

51:33 Addressing Quality Disputes in Coffee Contracts

52:47 The Future of Coffee Value Assessment

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Alejandro Gil Rivera, who inherited a coffee farm under challenging circumstances. With no prior experience, Alejandro has embarked on a journey to transform his farm into a thriving business. Discover how he leverages his project management skills to innovate and adapt, tackling issues like climate change, price volatility, and the complexities of the coffee market. Alejandro's story is a testament to resilience and the power of learning, offering valuable lessons for anyone facing adversity. Tune in to explore the intersection of tradition and technology in modern coffee farming.

Follow Alejandro

Coffee knowledge hub

⁠Bella Vista coffee farm⁠

Linked IN

Stay in touch:

Coffee Knowledge Hub

Coffee Knowledge Hub Instagram

Linked In

In this episode of the coffee knowledge hub podcast, Tibor and Andrew speak to the co-founder of Lunjoe, Daniel Greenberg. Daniel discusses how Lunjoe (Lun-joe), a table reservation platform for coffee shops can help to optimise space and increase revenue for cafe owners. It also gives assurance to customers they will have a table, even in a crowded and bustling cafe.

He shares insights into the app's development journey, business model, user experience, and the challenges faced by coffee shops in a competitive market.

The conversation also explores growth strategies, membership programs, and the impact of the app on cafe culture.

As usual, Tibor and Andrew have a follow up chat about the conversation after saying good bye to Daniel. So stay tuned for the analysis at the end.

Takeaways

• Lunjoe aims to help coffee shops increase profitability by optimizing sit-in trade.
• The app allows cafe customers to reserve tables, ensuring availability for meetings and social gatherings.

• We interroagate the app's business model to understand implications for cafe margins
• User experience is prioritised, with a focus on minimising friction in the reservation process.
• The app offers a free trial of 50 reservations to encourage adoption among cafes.
• Lunjoe is designed to enhance customer experience while supporting local coffee shops.
• Feedback from users and cafe owners is crucial for continuous improvement of the app.
• The app includes features like waitlists and notifications to enhance user engagement.
• Daniel emphasizes the importance of providing value to coffee shop owners to ensure long-term success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lungo: A New Coffee Experience

06:11 Understanding the App's Functionality

11:28 From Idea to Execution: Building the Team

14:15 Growth Strategies and Future Plans

16:33 Customer Engagement and Loyalty Programs

19:09 Navigating Cafe Culture and User Behavior

21:50 Technical Aspects and Payment Processing

23:38 Future Developments and Features

26:29 Conclusion and Call to Action

33:24 The Value of Meeting Spaces Outside the Office

33:46 Engaging with Coffee Shop Owners

33:54 Pricing Strategies for Coffee Shop Reservations

35:17 Delivering Value to Coffee Shop Owners

37:02 Understanding Average Transaction Value (ATV)

38:34 The Concept of Selling Unused Capacity

40:05 Challenges of Reservations in Coffee Shops

41:58 The Pros and Cons of Reservations

43:43 Onboarding and Daily Operations for Coffee Shops

45:10 The Importance of Feedback and Iteration

56:18 Reflections

56:25 The Flow of Conversation

56:44 Challenges in Cafe Management

57:42 The Role of Technology in Cafes

58:08 Evolving Cafe Culture

59:00 User Journeys in Cafes

01:00:10 Customer Training and Adoption

01:01:02 Competing with Co-Working Spaces

01:01:54 Creating Unique Cafe Experiences

01:03:25 Behavioral Adaptation in Cafe Culture

01:03:58 The Impact of Technology on Cafe Dynamics

01:04:20 Revenue Models for Cafes

01:05:34 The Future of Cafe Reservations

Find out more:

Daniel Greenberg is the co-founder of Lunjoe, the patent-pending platform that helps coffee shops become more profitable by offering reservations at select tables.

Lunjoe has been crucial in helping coffee shops with a lot of laptop users.

Recently, Daniel graduated from Brown University with a degree in Behavioral Decision Sciences and a data fluency certificate.

If you would like to join Lunjoe, feel free to reach out to daniel@lunjoe.com

LinkedIn

TikTok

Lunjoe’s website: lunjoe.com

Download “Lunjoe” On the Apple App Store (Android Coming Soon)

See how it works: Coffee Island case study

Keywords

Lunjoe, coffee shop reservations, cafe culture, business model, user experience, growth strategies, loyalty programs, payment processing, cafe operations, startup journey

Roasted coffee packaging options are a minefield of misinformation, imperfect solutions and over-engineering. Our guest in this episode is Micah Sherer, co-founder of Skylark Coffee in Brighton UK. Micah spent 2 years researching and looking for the best solution available for Skylark, with one clear objective - remove plastic from the packaging.

Micah discusses the purpose of packaging, the full life-cycle of different packaging types - foil lined, 'recylable' LDPE type 4, compostible and paper. He describes the solution that Skylark is now using (14 micron layer of Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), or PVAL on paper) and its pros and cons. Micah is not selling this solution and his honesty in describing its pros and cons is refreshing.

There is a lot to learn from this episode for roasters, cafe operators and really anyone who takes the waste management of the coffee they are buying into consideration when buying coffee.

If you're interested in finding better packaging solutions for the specialty coffee industry, let us know via the poll below.

The conversation emphasizes the need for transparency and consumer awareness in the coffee industry regarding packaging choices and sustainability efforts.takeaways

• Packaging is crucial for transporting coffee and communicating brand values.
• Freshness in coffee is affected by packaging materials and methods.
• Plastic is prevalent in coffee packaging, but alternatives are being explored.
• Sustainability in coffee packaging involves trade-offs and challenges.
• Consumer perception plays a significant role in packaging choices.
• Innovative packaging solutions can reduce environmental impact.
• Education on recycling and composting is essential for consumers.
• The coffee industry must address the issue of waste management.
• Transparency in packaging claims is necessary to combat greenwashing.
• Sustainable practices can enhance customer loyalty and brand reputation.

Links:

Micah's blog on why they switched to the new packaging

Our previous interview on sustainability reporting

Akshat is the founder of Coffee Futures Fund, a  new initiative supporting early-stage coffee shop owners with capital, mentorship, and a trusted peer network.

Akshat has a background in brand storytelling and business strategy, he brings over a decade of experience as an operator, investor, and advisor to global growth-stage companies. He has supported founders in raising over $20 million in capital, building scalable systems, and aligning purpose with growth. He’s also the founder of the Coffee Owners Roundtable, a global peer community he launched during the pandemic to give coffee shop owners a space to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other.

The Coffee Futures Fund mission is to flip the industry’s survival rate, and help more coffee founders thrive, together. 

In this interview we dig into how the fund is being set-up, the criteria for applying, the benefits of being selected and some of the challenges. 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Coffee Futures Fund

05:54 The Genesis of Coffee Futures Fund

11:53 Understanding the Fund Structure

18:14 Investment and Revenue Sharing Model

23:50 Selection Criteria for Coffee Shops

29:50 Long-term Vision and Impact of the Fund

41:35 Understanding Revenue Sharing and Its Implications

43:46 Evaluating the Cost vs. Investment Perspective

45:52 The Importance of Revenue Growth for Sustainability

49:00 Flexibility in Investment Amounts and Revenue Shares

52:04 Mentorship Structure and Its Impact on Business Growth

56:56 Aligning Interests: The Investor and Cafe Relationship

01:00:04 The Role of Environment in Business Performance

01:03:02 Final Thoughts on the Coffee Futures Fund Model

In this episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast, hosts Tibor and Andrew delve into the rising popularity of matcha within the coffee culture.

They discuss the operational challenges of introducing matcha to coffee menus, the balance between specialty coffee and alternative drinks, and the health trends driving consumer preferences.

The conversation also touches on bar design, customer experience, and the potential for automation in beverage preparation. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize the importance of understanding customer needs and the evolving landscape of beverage trends.

Takeaways

Matcha is becoming a significant trend in coffee culture.

Operational challenges exist when introducing matcha to menus.

Balancing specialty coffee with alternative drinks is crucial.

Health trends are influencing consumer preferences for beverages.

Bar and menu design should enhance customer experience with new drinks.

The preparation of matcha can impact its taste and quality.

Quality sourcing of matcha is essential for business success.

Understanding customer demographics can guide beverage offerings.

Automation may play a role in the future of beverage preparation.

Creating unique experiences can differentiate cafes in a competitive market.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of Matcha in Coffee Culture

02:35 Film Industry and Matcha's Popularity

05:24 Operational Challenges of Introducing Matcha

07:49 Balancing Specialty Coffee and Alternative Drinks

10:38 Health Trends and Matcha's Market Position

13:06 Whisking Matcha: Tradition vs. Convenience

15:44 Introducing Matcha to Your Menu

17:22 Quality and Pricing of Matcha Drinks

22:13 The Price Perception of Coffee vs. Matcha

23:43 The Rise of Health and Wellness Trends

26:53 Aligning Brand Values with New Offerings

32:27 Innovating Cafe Bar Design for Diverse Drinks

36:09 Understanding Customer Preferences and Market Trends

40:27 The Future of Automation in Coffee Shops

In this conversation, Paul Ross reflects on the first year of operating Special Guests Cafe, discussing the emotional highs and lows of opening day, the challenges of navigating a competitive market, and the importance of building a strong team culture. He shares insights on financial management, the impact of recognition and awards, and the necessity of educating customers about coffee. Paul emphasizes the value of hiring experts and managing cash flow while also highlighting the importance of self-compassion in the face of business challenges. Looking ahead, he is optimisitic about growth and the potential for Special Guests Cafe.

Chapters

00:00 Reflecting on the First Year of Special Guests Cafe

04:01 Navigating the Challenges of a Competitive Market

08:30 The Importance of Team Dynamics and Personal Involvement

13:02 Financial Insights: Projections vs. Reality

16:27 Staying Ahead in a Competitive Landscape

19:20 Designing a Coffee Bar: Lessons Learned

21:16 Recognition and Awards: Balancing Expectations

22:37 The Coffee Experience: Flat Whites vs. Specialty Brews

27:34 Building a Knowledgeable Team for High-End Coffee

32:50 Integrating Roasting and Cafe Operations

34:54 Navigating the Coffee Business Landscape

36:42 The Balancing Act of Business and Personal Life

38:42 Growth Strategies and Future Aspirations

41:53 Reflections on Stress and Decision-Making

44:19 Building Relationships and Seeking Advice

46:52 The Reality of the Coffee Industry

47:20 Reflections from Andrew and Tibor

Today, we're exploring an extraordinary coffee journey that spans two continents and bridges farm to cup in the most direct way possible.

Our guests are the sister duo behind a unique family venture: Veruschka and Cliff, founders of Elevate Coffee in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Vanessa and Yann, who run Muyu Coffee here in Ticino, Switzerland. Together, they've built something rare in the coffee world—a fully integrated supply chain driven by values, not just profit.

Bolivia produces less than 0.5% of the world's coffee. It's landlocked, mountainous, and faces high production costs that make competing on price nearly impossible. But what Bolivian coffee lacks in volume, it makes up for in quality. Elevate works directly with these producers. They are buying coffee and exporting it to their sister company, as well as roasting and serving it in their hometown of Cochabamba.  

It's a model built on passion, family, and a commitment to elevating—pun intended—the voices and work of Bolivian coffee farmers, leveraging direct and close relationships at every link in the value chain. 

This is a unique business model, but there are universal messages for others interested in starting coffee businesses.

Fundamentally clarity, vision and values that are authentic to you, are most important in starting and running your own business. Write your own story, don't copy the story of others.

This is our first podcast where we are interviewing 3 people and across 2 continents. But it is also the first business I am aware of that has this specific model of ownership and structure. So, we are going to learn more about the business, how and why it was founded, what are the pros and cons of working directly with producers and selling their coffee across 2 distinct markets, how do you promote the value of the coffee in these different markets and what are the opportunities for the future. 

Muyu coffee

Elevate coffee

We know that you can only do the right thing by your coffee by ensuring that the water you use to brew it is the best it can be. The topic made waves in the industry in large parts thanks to Maxwell Dashwood and Dr Christopher H Hendon’s book Water for Coffee published in 2015. Now they have brought out edition 2, which is essentially a rewrite of the first edition. 

We spoke to Maxwell to learn how we can apply the updated science and technology as best practices for businesses serving coffee. 

We cover a lot of topics including: 

• Why water for espresso should be different to water for filter
• How to optimise water for different brew methods 
• What to avoid for cafe operators 

You can buy the book at these respected online retailers: 

UK:

https://maxwelldashwood.com/

Europe:

www.contributor.coffee

Switzerland

https://www.mylittlecup.ch/products/the-physics-of-filter-coffee-jonathan-gagne-livre-sur-la-science-du-cafe-filtre-copy

Canada:

eightounce

USA:

https://www.scottrao.com/products/water-for-coffee

From being an 'immigrant' who wanted to shed the stereotype by doing something really American to being told later in life that she was 'too American, this is a world competition', Cindy Ludviksen has the shaped the World Barista Championships to be the leading global coffee competition. It has profoundly changed countless lives over its 25 year history and given the barista profession credibility.

This interview highlights how Cindy stepped up as a volunteer, shaking off prejudices about her identity to transform an obscure 'sideline' event at trade shows, into a global phenomenon.

This is a case study in leadership, without the authority of an official position and as a minority and a woman.

We learn about the early days of the WBCs and how it evolved to become the professional body it is today. We also get insights into Cindy's aspirations for the future of the WBCs.

For anyone in the coffee industry who has been touched by these competitions, this is essential listening.

You can also comment and watch HERE

Find out more about Cindy through Specialty Coffee Assocation and her Linked In

What does a coffee career look like when you’re a curious lifelong coffee geek? Meet Ramin N - sales director at Intelligentsia coffee - who shares a ton of insights, knowledge and experience from his 30 year journey in coffee. He has been a barista, cafe owner, trainer, technician, sales manager, sales director and a kind of general manager of a co-roasting business with a foray into retail. 

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation We wanted to better understand how sales works in a medium sized specialty roaster. This is valuable for anyone working in sales or who wants to work in sales to know what skills and experience are valuable in this role.  

We talked about the evolution of Intelligentsia coffee from the early days of specialty coffee in the US to today. We learned how they are adapting to new trends in the market and also how they are seeing these trends reflected in sales. 

The key take-away for us was that continuous curiosity and an entrepreneurial mindset - that takes ownership or has a strong sense of agency, will position you well in the industry for your career development and also for managing some of the more challenging times that life throws at us. 

A biography, lessons in mastery, deep insights into the world of coffee and competitions - this interview with the author of Bloom, Tigger Chaturabul and her subject, World Barista Champion 2024 - Mikael Jasin, has something for everyone.

Bloom is a compelling story, and we highly recommend it because it will inspire you to achieve your goals, giving you practical advice on how to do it. You will also be inspired knowing that you can reach amazing heights while being authentic to yourself, and vulnerable.

Bloom celebrates how a niche craft like coffee-making can be a lens for bigger conversations about purpose, impact,and intentional living.

In this episode we discuss how the book came to be, and Mikael shares some advice that will give you a small taste of what you will find in the highly readable pages of Bloom.

Video for this episode will be posted on another channel soon.

You can learn more about the book here:

1. Contributor for international retail: https://contributor.coffee/products/bloom 
2. Tokopedia for Indonesia: https://t.ly/PqFM6

Wholesale enquiries:

Asia: info@afterhoursbooks.com

UK: s.dunienville@goldhawkinternational.com

International: tigger@contributor.coffee

Andrew and Tibor caught up with the super-impressive Mihai Panfil, founder of Origo Coffee — one of Romania's most influential specialty coffee businesses, spanning two cafes, a roastery, and the experimental coffee brand - BrewZeus .

He's also the driving force behind the Coffee East Coffee Festival, which brings together over 60 roasters and 30,000 visitors each year in Bucharest. Few people have a better view of where Romanian coffee has been, and where it's going.

Some highlights -

From 0 to over 400 specialty cafes in 12 years

Cultivating a specialty industry

Backtracking from automation in favour of the customer experience.

There are lessons here for a global audience:

1. leadership and vision are needed for developing the industry

2. Continuous evolution and experimentation are requisites as the market and different forces shift

Origo Coffee

Linked IN

Coffee East coffee festival

Brew Zeus

takeaways

• Mihai Panfil founded Origo Coffee Roasters, a leading specialty coffee business in Romania.
• The Romanian coffee market was initially dominated by Italian-style cafes with limited options for specialty coffee.
• Mihai's experience at the World Barista Championship inspired him to create a unique coffee experience in Romania.
• The first Origo cafe focused on customer interaction and education about specialty coffee.
• COVID-19 shifted consumer behavior towards home coffee consumption and increased demand for quality coffee.
• The Coffee East Festival was created to celebrate and connect the coffee community in Romania and Eastern Europe.
• Mihai emphasizes the importance of collaboration and competition in developing the specialty coffee market.
• The coffee industry in Romania has seen significant growth, with over 400 coffee shops in Bucharest alone.
• Mihai believes that the future of coffee consumption may lean more towards home brewing.
• The success of coffee shops now relies heavily on unique concepts and customer experience.

keywords: Mihai Panfil, Origo Coffee Roasters, Romanian coffee culture, specialty coffee, Coffee East Festival, coffee industry challenges, COVID-19 impact, coffee roasting, coffee sourcing, coffee community

Diana Johnston Ledezma doesn’t fit into neat boxes and neither does her highly original coffee brand - Roastersaurus. 

It is easy to follow trends - we see it, we like it, we do it. But there are always other ways to achieve the same end goal and there are advantages to doing this. 

Brands and products are building emotional connections and communicating intrinsic and extrinsic attributes of the product. In this case - specialty coffee. Roastersaurus is an example of how breaking out of the status quo gives a strategic advantage. Namely - it is original - which attracts a new and specific audience, while also being familiar to ‘specialty coffee’ consumers. The concept differentiates Diana’s coffee and brand from an ever more crowded field. 

Learn more about Roastersaurus and the lessons that can be applied to other coffee brands to help them communicate specialty coffee to increase sales and build long lasting relationships with your customers. 

Links:

Roastersaurus is a category finalist for best coffee packaging in The London Coffee Festival Awards 2026, Vote by 8 April 2026

https://invt.io/1wxbs18346l

 www.roastersaurus.com

Example of lore (coffee info) page: 

Basha Bekele: Raptor Quickfang Lore | Roastersaurus

Instagram: roastersaurus

In this 34th episode we're sitting down with someone who we have wanted to sit down with since before we started this podcast.  Peter Dore-Smith, the founder of Kaffeine in London, has built one of the most recognised specialty cafes in the world. 

Over the next hour or so we're going to cover what it actually takes to run a great cafe — not in theory, but in practice. We'll get into the vision and hospitality philosophy that has defined Kaffeine since day one, the brand and marketing work that keeps it in people's minds, and the operational and financial discipline that keeps it viable. These are the essential blocks for building a business that outlasts trends and remains visible while the competitive landscape evolves.

Peter has always been incredibly generous in sharing his knowledge. If you work in or run your own cafe, or you are thinking about starting one, grab a pen and paper because the masterclass is bout to begin. 

https://kaffeine.co.uk/

Instagram kaffeine.london

https://coffeeknowledgehub.com/

Our original conversation with Dale went for over 2 hours and we didn't want to cut any of the good stuff, so here is part 2.

Dale went into his sourcing policy, and decision framework for evaluating which coffees to buy. This is very different to what other competition winners do with their coffee sourcing in their roasting businesses.

We continued to explore the bigger themes of translating what Ithaka is to his customers and how he is developing this.

In reflecting on this episode and part 1 , the tension for Ithaka is also a long standing tension for the specialty coffee industry. How do we welcome coffee lovers into the specialty arena, where diversity of flavours, brewing methods, recipes, and service styles make discovery a closed door that can easily be opened, but still presents a barrier.

This makes Dale's challenges more relevant and personal for anyone who is on the same path.

https://ithaka.coffee/

Watch this on the coffee knowledge hub

We read and reply to all comments across each channel

Being the Wolrd Barista Champion and having 20 years of direct experience in the coffee industry is not a free pass to setting up and building a successful coffee business, but that is also the where the joy is.

Dale Harris established Ithaka coffee in 2025 and he shares his experiences. We spoke for over 2 hours and have cut the recording into 2 parts.

Part 1 shares the vision and describes Ithaka. Dale's embracing the complexity of coffee and wants his customers to come down the rabbit hole with him.

He describes in detail his menu, the pros and cons of using a bean to cup machine and customer perceptions.

This is a candid conversation and anyone who knows Dale will see his authentic self, for those who don't, you will see the depth of thought that goes into developing a business, how to build on existing skill sets and embrace learning and the challenges of filling skills and knowledge gaps to create a successful business.

Also, if you enjoy this podcast - check out Ithaka coffee

You can watch it on Spotify, the Coffee Knowledge Hub, and listen on Apple Podcasts.

Insta