5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

On the podcast today we’re exploring the market for home coffee roasting and its potential to resonate with the sophisticated home coffee consumer.

In conversations with Andrew Stordy, founder of IKAWA, Tom Owen, Co-founder, Sweet Maria's, and author and editor Kenneth Davids, we uncover the history of home roasting, find out who the consumers are that roast at home, and address the barriers to growth for this niche segment.

Credits music: "Mother Nature" by Ellie Harris for The Coffee Music Project

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The hospitality industry is experiencing one of the biggest staffing shortages in living memory. We covered the scale of the issue in a July 2021 episode and today, we’re returning to the topic to explore the solutions independent operators are trialling to attract and retain staff in the current climate.

In this episode, we speak to small business owners from the UK and Europe and a tech-based recruitment start-up to hear how they are tackling this issue.

Peter Dore-Smith, Founder of London’s iconic café brand Kaffeine, outlines his framework for hiring talent and ensuring staff are able to enjoy a good work life balance.

Marian Plajdicko, Owner of Berlin-based Happy Baristas, shares how he’s pivoted his recruitment strategy and new approaches for targeting potential employees.

Shelagh Ryan and Jo Mason, Co-founder and Operational Director, Lantana, discuss the new normal and improving working conditions for hospitality staff.

Karina Coen, Managing Director of Hospitality Operations at Stint, shares how her start-up company is helping hospitality businesses address staffing pain points and nurture their core team of skilled workers.

Read more from Peter Dore-Smith's blog 'Kaffeine Alumni: 12 Years of Legends' here.

Credits music: "Summer Blue" by Iris Lune for the Coffee Music Project

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On the podcast today, we examine the interplay between food and coffee in hospitality businesses. The upside to adding food to a coffee proposition is clear but delivering excellent coffee and food simultaneously is never easy, and success often depends on the scale and scope of your business.

Exploring this week's theme, we speak with four leading operators, of all shapes and sizes, who share insights on how their businesses deliver a delicate balance of first-class food alongside great coffee.

Clare Clough, UK Managing Director, Pret A Manger discusses the latest trends in food-to-go and shares how a multi-site food franchise approaches their coffee offering.

Heather Perry, Vice President, Klatch Coffee explores how her business uses food to complement their core coffee offering, and the complexity it brings.

We also speak with Miles Kirby, Co-owner and Head Chef, Caravan, who shares insights on how their restaurants shift focus on coffee and food fluidity throughout the day.

Henry Roberts, Co-founder, Two Hands, explains how his cafes have transitioned to a food-focused business and how he keeps its coffee programme as strong as its food.

Find out more about World Coffee Portal’s research on the food-to-go sector with our consumer-led report Cakes, Shakes & Tea Breaks UK 2021.
Credits music: Send Me by Bobbie Harvey, the winning song for the Coffee Music Project 2021.

Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVE/Podcast

Jeffrey Young is joined by three highly successful coffee entrepreneurs to learn their stories and the secrets of their success.

Tim Wendelboe, founder of Oslo-based roastery Tim Wendelboe, reveals how his obsession with coffee quality and his unrelenting desire to learn have taken him far away from his cosy Oslo cafe and has landed him deep in the coffee fields of Latin America.

Elaine Swift, Regional Director (North) for UCC Coffee, shares the management and leadership qualities that helped her grow First Choice Coffee from under £1 Million to over £100 Million in annual revenue.

Ross Quail, Sales Director South Asia for Hemro International, demonstrates how his burning drive for continuous professional growth helped him turn St Ali, a popular Melbourne cafe roasting 100kg a week into one of Australia's largest, roasting up to 10 tonnes per week.

Credits music: "Buzzed" by Trevor Wesley, participant of the Coffee Music Project.

Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVE/Podcast

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with a true industry legend - Todd Carmichael, specialty coffee pioneer and Co-founder of La Colombe Coffee Roasters.

From humble beginnings, Todd founded La Colombe with his business partner JP Iberti in Philadelphia in 1994 and together, they grew the business into one of the most influential coffee brands in North America. In 2023 La Colombe was fully acquired by yoghurt giant Chobani for an incredible $900m.

In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Todd is an inventor, philanthropist, TV personality and fearless adventurer. His latest project Loftiwater is a ground-breaking non-carbon gas sparkling beverage that infuses water, natural flavourings and blended gasses into a refreshing beverage.

In this candid conversation, Todd shares how relentless creativity, innovation and risk-taking drove La Colombe to success. He also reflects on his childhood and the profound impact coffee has had in shaping his resilient and creative mindset.

Credits music: "If I Fall" by Christie Huff in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective

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