5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

Hosted by World Coffee Portal

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249

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Oct 2026

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About the show

A forward-thinking interview series examining the business of progressive coffee culture. The 5THWAVE Podcast is hosted by Jeffrey Young, Editor-in-Chief of 5THWAVE magazine and Founder of Allegra Group. Each episode features inspiring stories, business lessons, and thought leadership from the entrepreneurs and industry experts blazing trails to success across the world of coffee. The podcast will delve into the detail of achieving operational excellence, get to grips with green coffee sourcing and seek out the very best of global coffee culture. We’ll also examine the future of e-commerce and coffee at home, the changing face of cafés and coffee shops, and how to hone winning HR strategies – plus much more. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify to listen to all the credits music featured the show: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45goieo3qIN1xT9hSGnWeI Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVEPodcast

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 28, 2026Episode 22435 min

The business case for sustainable coffee equipment – a conversation with Evoca Group

In today’s episode, we speak with Giusi Bonini, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Andrew Barrow, UK Managing Director at Evoca Group . Tracing its heritage back to the 1920s, Evoca Group is a leading manufacturer of professional coffee machines. With a longstanding commitment to environmental management, the company is working to embed sustainability into product design, business operations and smart decision-making. In this conversation, we hear why sustainability needs to be treated as a business-wide system rather than a standalone initiative. We also discuss the importance of total cost of ownership, and why environmental responsibility can co-exist with, and even contribute to, long term commercial performance. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

October 12, 2026Episode 22333 min

Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood on the next era of specialty coffee

In today’s episode Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood returns to 5THWAVE! Maxwell is the founder of Colonna Coffee , a UK-based specialty coffee brand and roastery. He’s also an author, three-time UK Barista Champion, Project Waterfall board director and an influential voice in the global coffee industry. In this conversation, we explore how the specialty coffee market is evolving and why some traditional approaches are finding renewed relevance. We also discuss what independent coffee businesses can learn from larger commercial operations, how industry perceptions are shifting, and what the next era of specialty coffee might look like. Credits music: "Rise" by Catherine Taylor Dawson in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

October 5, 2026Episode 22236 min

The case for reusable packaging

Single-use packaging remains one of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the coffee industry. An estimated 300 to 500 billion single-use coffee cups are produced globally each year, alongside the millions of roaster bags, takeaway food containers and other packaging used across the coffee supply chain. So in this episode, we explore some of the latest reusable packaging solutions emerging across the industry, and what it takes to make reuse work in practice. How do you create a reusable takeaway system that scales across multiple sites? How do you get consumers to participate when convenience and habit rule? And how do you make reuse work commercially and operationally behind the scenes? We speak with David McLagan, Founder, Ecoffee Cup , Ramon Schalch, CEO, ViCafe, and Dejan Mitrovic and Clare Brass, Founders, Moree . Credits music: "Bigger Things" by Carolina Diego in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

September 28, 2026Episode 22132 min

The French art of coffee – a conversation with Belleville Brûlerie

In today's episode, we catch up with David Flynn, President and Co-founder of the iconic Belleville Brûlerie in Paris. Founded in 2013, Belleville is a leading name in France's specialty coffee scene, known for its exceptional coffees and distinctive bleu de travail worker's jackets – a celebration of French craftsmanship and artisan tradition. In this conversation, David shares why France is becoming an increasingly interesting market for specialty coffee, and how the country's deep-rooted appreciation for food, flavour and gastronomy is helping to shape its coffee culture. David also unpacks his decision to move away from coffee shops to focus on roasting and sourcing, and how he's embracing lean management to make the business more efficient while empowering his team to drive continuous improvement. Credits music: "Trip The Light" by BlueBelle in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

September 18, 2026Episode 22047 min

Raising the bar: a conversation with Patrik Rolf, April Coffee Roasters

In today’s episode, we're catching up with Patrik Rolf, Founder and CEO of Copenhagen-based April Coffee Roasters and its sister project, SP Coffee Shop . Founded in 2016, April is a super-premium specialty roastery and brewing equipment company, while SP Coffee takes a wider range of coffees from April’s partner farmers and offers a more accessible coffee shop experience. In this conversation, Patrik discusses the power of community and slow growth, his relentless focus on quality, and how consistency and building a loyal customer base over time have been key to April’s success. He also introduces the new April Hand Grinder and the independent kickstarter campaign behind it – a huge success that reached its original target in just four hours! Find out how you can support the campaign here . Credits music: "Wake Up (And Smell the Coffee)" by Lexie in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

September 11, 2026Episode 21936 min

How technology is changing coffee

In today’s episode, we’re exploring how technology and AI is transforming coffee operations, and the importance of creating connected tech ecosystems. What are the commercial benefits of connected equipment and Internet of Things (IOTs)? How can data and telemetry help coffee businesses improve efficiency and reduce waste? And what role will AI play in shaping the future of coffee consumption? We’ll hear from Scott Martin, Founder, Unity Coffee , Jochen Bauer, Head of Product Management Digital Solutions, Groupe SEB , and Raivis Vaitekūns, Global Partnership Manager, Vendon . Credits music: "Bare Minimum" by Daisy Peacock in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

August 21, 2026Episode 21833 min

If not now, when? Coffee’s path to a sustainable future

Coffee is facing a defining moment. Climate change, environmental degradation and growing pressure across the value chain are creating unprecedented risks for the future of our industry. Addressing these challenges will require collaboration and action from every corner of the coffee community. So in this episode, we’re exploring what sustainability really means for coffee and what needs to change to secure the future of the industry. We'll hear from Vanúsia Nogueira, International Coffee Organization, Violeta Stevens, Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, Kasper Hülsen and Sebastian Nielsen, Slow Forest, Konrad Brits, Falcon Coffees , Cemal Ezel, Change Please . While the challenges are significant, there is also a huge opportunity for coffee to lead the way in creating a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet. That’s why we launched the C20 Global Coffee Sustainability Summit – a forum for the sustainable future of coffee. The C20 brings together global coffee leaders, change-makers, scientists and legislators to collaborate across the supply chain and ensure long-term prosperity for all industry stakeholders. Find out how you can get involved and join the conversation here . Credits music: "What on Earth" by HOLNE in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

August 14, 2026Episode 21742 min

People, purpose and product – a conversation with Helen Russell, Equator Coffees

In today’s episode, we're speaking with Helen Russell, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Californian specialty coffee business Equator Coffees. With more than 30 years in the coffee industry, Helen has been at the forefront of the US specialty coffee movement and launched Equator Coffees with her business and life partner Brooke McDonnell in 1995. What began as a small garage roastery in the Bay Area has grown into a thriving business with 12 retail locations and a successful wholesale operation. In this conversation, Helen shares how she and Brooke built a company around the belief that passion and profit can coexist. She also reflects on the importance of community and human connection in coffee, the role of values in building a successful business, and how commercial performance can create opportunities to make a positive impact. Credits music: "Lighthouse" by Californian artist Haley Fishberger in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

August 3, 2026Episode 21641 min

Understanding consumer behaviour

In today’s episode, we’re exploring how coffee businesses can better understand their customers – from purchasing behaviour and evolving preferences to anticipating future trends and demand. How can coffee operator gather meaningful feedback and information on their customers purchase decisions? How do you turn that information into actionable insight? And for growing businesses, what are the ways to stay close to your guests and retain brand loyalty as you scale? We’ll speak with Jonathan Rubinstein, Founder, Joe Coffee Company, Kallie Kocourek, Founder and Hospitality Consultant, GSD Collective , and Lucie Mavlian, Commercial Director, Old Spike Roastery. Credits music: "Something About Dover" by Milli-Rose in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective . Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

July 24, 2026Episode 21546 min

Innovation, community and consumer trends – highlights from The Amsterdam Coffee Festival 2026

In today’s episode, we’re bringing you some highlights from the live conversations recorded at The Amsterdam Coffee Festival earlier this year – exploring the innovation and consumer trends shaping the European coffee market and beyond. First up we unpack how Gen Z and younger consumers are reshaping expectations and driving demand for wellness, authenticity and in-store experience. With Ilya Aksamentov, The Miners , Bryan Serwatka, Minor Figures , and Kendra Kroon & Amijé van der Laan, SHOT Lifestyle & Coffee. Next, we take a look at the latest beverage innovations redefining cafe experience and explore how non-coffee drinks like matcha, chai and functional ingredients are becoming major growth drivers. With Isabella Miglinci, AIYA Europe , Lucia Parlanti, Tea Stories, Tristan Meulenbelt, Oatly , and Salma Tabiat, Nomadschai . We'll also be exploring bakery trends to find out how cafes are evolving into all day hospitality concepts and why quality food is becoming as important as great coffee. With Nils Klinkspoor of Corri Bakery, Marion Waterkeyn, Gerard Bakery, and Mitchel Charles, Farine . To close the episode, we take a look at the role of community in modern coffee brands, and why loyalty is driven by belonging, not just product quality. With Veronique Lagarde, DAK Coffee Roasters, Murray Robertson, Amsterdam Coffee Run, and coffee influencer, Sam Lasaroms, koffietje.nl Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear