There are many reasons why building trust is essential, but perhaps the most crucial is that it increases brand loyalty. Customers who trust a company are far more likely to continue buying its products and recommend the brand to other people.

To understand why trust is so important for coffee businesses, I spoke with Christos Sotiros, Category Executive & Master Barista at Nestlé Professional, and Anthony Douglas, 2022 World Barista Champion and training manager at Axil Coffee Roasters. Read on for more of their insight.

You may also like our article on whether specialty coffee consumers actually want to be more connected to farmers.

What does “trust” really mean?

In PwC’s 2022 Consumer Intelligence Series Survey on Trust, the accounting firm found that a staggering 91% of US consumers would continue to buy products or use services from a company that gained their trust. Moreover, 14% of people surveyed said they would buy “significantly more” products from a brand that they trust.

The same study shows that a lack of trust can be a deal-breaker for many consumers. In fact, 44% of people surveyed stopped buying from companies that they don’t trust.

Another study conducted by Zeno in 2020 revealed that consumers were four to six times more likely to buy from companies with a “strong brand purpose”, as well as trust and champion them as brands.

However, what does “trust” really mean, especially in the context of the coffee industry?

In simple terms, trust is the belief that a customer has in a business to deliver on its purpose. Furthermore, when a consumer trusts a brand, they have faith that the company operates with their best interests in mind – including manufacturing and selling quality products or providing excellent service.

Christos explains for coffee shops and roasters, maintaining coffee quality and demonstrating care and attention to detail are an essential part of building trust.

“Along with great customer service, coffee businesses need to add value to their products,” he says. “Specialty coffee consumers are looking for high-quality coffees that are both traceable and sustainable.”

Forging trust between baristas and consumers

In many cases, building trust between a coffee brand and its customers is largely the responsibility of the business owner. 

However, during his winning 2022 World Barista Championship routine, Australian barista Anthony Douglas focused heavily on why building trust between baristas and customers is so important.

“A big part of trust is delivering on expectations,” Anthony explains. “The World Barista Championship is a great platform for coffee professionals to develop these skills.

“After all, a big part of the WBC score sheet is based on whether or not the judges experienced the same flavours and service as you said they would,” he adds.

In his routine, Anthony mentioned that in order for customers to understand and appreciate the full extent of specialty coffee, sensory experiences need to match the expectations that the industry sets.

“A customer’s experience in a coffee shop needs to be reflective of green coffee quality, processing techniques, roasting, and method of brewing,” he tells me. “The more that baristas can represent this level of quality, the easier and more motivating it is for customers to expand their knowledge of specialty coffee.

“At the core, consumers are looking for their expectations to be met,” he adds. “When their expectations are met or exceeded, it creates trust and comfort, and opens people up to be more curious and to explore.”

How can lack of trust have a negative impact on coffee businesses?

A lack of consumer trust can have a number of negative effects on a coffee company. Perhaps the most obvious is that a customer may decide to start buying from other competing brands.

If people don’t feel as though a coffee shop or roaster can meet certain standards and requirements, it’s likely that they will look for other alternatives.

Moreover, a lack of trust can also damage a coffee company’s reputation. Social media has made it easier than ever for customers to share details of their experiences with companies, whether good or bad.

If a coffee business loses the trust of customers, they’re more likely to post negative reviews or comments online, which can deter other people from purchasing their products.

Accounting for different needs and expectations

Anthony tells me that he has been working at Axil Coffee Roasters since 2013, and has seen just how important consumer trust is for a coffee business.

“When there is a lack of trust between customers and a coffee business, it closes people off,” he says. “It also makes it harder to deliver a great experience as the customer is already in a negative frame of mind, and it ultimately reduces the incentive to return to the coffee shop or roaster. 

“One of the best ways to build trust is to create sensory and customer experiences which accurately reflect the quality of the coffee you’re serving,” he adds.

Clear and concise communication between baristas and customers is key to creating a positive experience, and indicating to consumers what they can expect from their coffee in terms of flavour, quality, and mouthfeel.

However, baristas need to acknowledge that each customer is different, and will therefore have different needs and expectations. These are often informed by:

• Age
• Personal preferences
• Cultural background (for example, when it comes to customer service, Italian consumers are likely to have very different expectations to US coffee drinkers)
• Interest in and knowledge about specialty coffee

By accounting for these differences, baristas are able to gauge a customer’s needs more accurately and effectively.

“We have seen significant differences in coffee drinking habits between different countries, cities, and consumer lifestyles,” Christos tells me. “Targeting specific age groups with particular menu items could have a positive impact on coffee shops.”

For example, research has shown that younger demographics tend to value more premium and sustainable coffee products, while older consumers are more “traditional” coffee drinkers.  

Furthermore, convenience is also key for many consumers, so offering high-quality ready-to-drink beverage options can help to retain customer loyalty.

Building trust on expectations

As a coffee business owner, it’s important to understand that customers already have a set of expectations when they walk into a café or choose to purchase a product. It’s vital to meet these expectations, but it’s even more important to exceed them whenever possible.

First and foremost, however, it’s crucial that coffee business owners ensure that their employees are in agreement with the company values. According to a Harvard Business Review study, people working at “high-trust” companies reported 74% less stress, 50% higher productivity, and 29% more satisfaction with their lives overall.

Ultimately, creating an internal culture of trust helps to extend this to the customer experience. When baristas and other employees feel more valued and respected, they are likely to perform better at their job – meaning that they provide better customer service.

Price is another key point to consider when it comes to building trust. Generally speaking, customers expect to get what they pay for, so if a cup or bag of coffee has a more premium price, they will expect to receive a higher-quality product.

In line with this, specialty coffee shops and roasters need to make sure that their prices reflect the quality of the products they sell, as well as the quality of the experience they are providing.

The role of the barista

A large part of a barista’s job customer-facing. Anthony explains that this means the responsibility of building trust with the consumer largely lies with them.

“If the ultimate goal is to build trust and deliver on expectations, then more emphasis needs to be placed on moulding those expectations accurately in the first place,” he says. “For example, a barista can develop their skills to taste and describe coffee flavour and quality, so that they can better convey this information to other staff members.

“In turn, these staff members can then better educate consumers with informational cards and recommendations on how to drink certain coffee beverages,” he adds. “I see this being a much bigger focus in the years to come, and I look forward to seeing how creative coffee brands will be with these efforts.”

It may seem simple, but building trust with consumers is essential to any direct-to-consumer coffee business – whether they’re a coffee shop, roaster, or equipment manufacturer.

By taking the time to understand the unique expectations of different types of customers – and aiming to exceed these expectations – coffee companies have a much higher chance of improving brand loyalty and forming long, trusting purchasing relationships.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why specialty coffee must remember that convenience is everything.

Photo credits: Melbourne International Coffee Expo, World Coffee Events

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In the years since, the definition of convenience within coffee has arguably changed. We’ve seen innovation after innovation, from the rise of instant coffee products in the 20th century to the growth of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and capsules. Ultimately, all the evidence shows that convenience has only continued to increase.

So this leads us to a pertinent question: what impact does this have on the coffee industry overall? To find out more, I spoke with the Vice President of Coffee Enterprises Spencer Turer.

You may also like our article on the evolution of convenience store coffee.

Convenience in the coffee sector today

Although convenience has been important to coffee drinkers for centuries (albeit in different forms), consumer demand for convenience has arguably never been as high as it is now.

“Historically, the launch of pods like the K Cup [and Nespresso], as well as single-cup brewers, led to a significant change in the coffee industry,” Spencer tells me. “Consumer demand shifted from brewing a pot of coffee to preparing it by the cup in a more convenient manner.

“More recently, the explosive popularity of ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee packaged in bottles and cans means consumers can drink high-quality beverages without the need for a barista to prepare them,” he adds.

In recent years, there has been a growing number of RTD coffee beverages available on the market including cold brew, as well as milk-based drinks. In fact, research from Food and Beverage Insider found that in 2017, 19% of new global coffee product launches were RTD beverages.

And there’s no doubt that this figure has increased in the years since as more and more coffee brands launch their own RTD products. For example, Lavazza released an organic RTD coffee range in early 2022, and Tims China is set to launch its RTD products in convenience stores across the country.

“As well as this, the number of coffee shops offering on-tap beverages has increased, which provides businesses with new ways to quickly serve high-quality drinks,” Spencer says. 

These products include cold brew, as well as nitro cold brew and nitro lattes, which are both infused with nitrogen to create a smoother and creamier texture.

Capsules and single-serve coffee products have also become more popular over the past few years. Although coffee capsules were first launched by Nespresso in the late 1980s, more and more competitor brands started to enter the market at the beginning of the 21st century as pods proliferated.

Furthermore, as part of this wider growth in demand for convenient coffee options, instant coffee consumption has stayed high, too. In the US, Statista estimates that the global instant coffee market will be worth around US $147.6 billion by 2025. Alongside this, we have seen more and more specialty coffee brands start to sell instant coffee options, with Blue Bottle – a pioneering name in specialty coffee – launching its own in early 2022.

Do people expect more convenient coffee options after the pandemic?

Despite the fact that convenience has been an important purchasing factor for coffee drinkers for many years now, the pandemic undoubtedly accelerated this shift.

A recent study by Deloitte found that in the months since the Covid-19 pandemic, as many as 80% of consumers value convenience more than ever. More than 80% of people surveyed also noted that they expected more flexible shipping and pick-up options – including at coffee shops.

In early 2020, the majority of out-of-home coffee businesses were forced to adapt to new ways of serving customers. In the same year, a UK survey from World Coffee Portal found that 70% of coffee shops in the country switched to takeaway service only, while 67% limited their trading hours, and 57% reduced their menus.

“Social distancing measures meant that coffee shops and roasters had to innovate and change how they operate,” Spencer explains. “We saw more of these businesses offer delivery and pick-up services during the pandemic.

“Some coffee shops also had to stay open with fewer employees, which ultimately forced them to reduce their menu options, as well as to increase their speed of service,” he adds. “In turn, customers started to expect smaller menus, less interaction with staff, limited opening hours, and slower services.

“However, within the specialty coffee sector, our goal was to counteract these potential issues by continuing to serve high-quality beverages,” Spencer continues.

As Covid-19 measures have eased in most countries around the world, there has largely been a return to “normal” standards of service – but demand for convenience remains high.

In line with this, many larger coffee chains have highlighted takeaway and delivery services as key components of their recovery following the pandemic, as well as drive-thru and mobile sales.

How are consumer expectations evolving?

It’s evident that coffee consumers certainly value convenience, but just how important is it to them?

A 2021 study from ecommerce platform Linnworks found that almost half of people surveyed said convenience is more important than price when deciding where to shop. In addition to this, following the pandemic, the same study found that 76% of people claimed that convenience was the biggest influencing factor for them when shopping online. 

“Instant gratification has become the norm as more people are trying to optimise their time and multi-task,” Spencer says. “But at the same time, people are now also scheduling in more time to rest and recharge.

“Coffee shops need to understand the needs of their customers, especially when it comes to speed of service, availability of products, and beverage quality and consistency,” he adds. “Consistency in coffee quality and service can make or break a coffee shop – if the quality of coffee changes from day to day, or even shift to shift, then there is a risk of serving lower-quality coffee to customers.”

However, Spencer emphasises that some aspects of the rise in demand for convenience could have a negative impact on coffee quality.

“Significant waiting times have become somewhat acceptable in most coffee shops,” he says. “However, with mobile and online ordering becoming more common, the quality of beverages could slip if the drink is sat on the counter for too long.”

Understanding the long-term implications for the coffee industry

It’s no understatement to say consumers’ focus on convenience has never been higher. In turn, this means more and more coffee businesses are now looking for ways to cater to this demand.

Whether this includes providing contactless pick-up services, using mobile ordering apps, or offering more RTD beverages, there are a number of ways in which coffee shops and roasters are adapting to the rise in demand for more convenience.

However, Spencer highlights that coffee quality is still important – and notes that it should never be an afterthought.

“Convenience is not always synonymous with high quality, and we as an industry are still working on how to improve the consistency of quality with convenient coffee beverages and products,” he says.

Spencer adds that the growing consumer demand for convenience can lead to more coffee shops relying on automation and technology.

“This can challenge the concept of hand-crafted beverages prepared by baristas, but I believe that each coffee shop has its own needs, and therefore its own solutions to adapt to rising demand for convenience,” he tells me. “But ultimately, people still want to go out to coffee shops and socialise, and enjoy being a customer.

“Convenience is a critical consideration for any coffee business, however, it needs to be factored in along with customer service, coffee quality, and the atmosphere and location of a coffee shop,” he adds. “Coffee businesses must understand the relationship between patience and value for each customer they serve, and then develop their brand accordingly.”

For the majority of coffee consumers, convenience is one of the most important purchasing factors. Naturally, this means coffee businesses must adapt in order to remain competitive.

However, when it comes to adapting to these demands, there is no “one size fits all” approach for coffee shops and roasters. Finding a suitable solution to cater to this rise in demand – whether that’s selling capsules or offering mobile ordering services – ultimately depends on the needs of each individual business, too.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee subscriptions have changed in recent years.

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Many are wondering if this market consolidation is the beginning of a wider change for the industry, and if specialty coffee may soon become dominated by a few holding companies, rather than being spread between a much broader range of brands.

However, it’s clear that Covid-19 shifted how coffee businesses operate, which ultimately influences the motives behind acquisitions. With more and more companies in the coffee industry now seeking guaranteed opportunities for growth, acquiring specialty brands could be a way forward.

To understand why coffee company acquisitions are becoming more prominent, and what this shift could mean for the global coffee sector, I spoke to several industry experts. Read on to find out what they had to say.

You may also like our article on opening & managing multiple coffee shops effectively.

What are mergers and acquisitions?

Mergers and acquisitions are commonly grouped together when talking about the transfer of business ownership or consolidation within the market. But what are the differences?

At its simplest level, a merger is an agreement between two companies to join together and form one company. This is done for a number of reasons, including establishing a broader market reach or gaining more market share.

Acquisitions, meanwhile, are when one company buys some (or even all) of another company’s shares. In this case, companies might retain their own names and branding, or the original operation might become absorbed and rebranded accordingly.

There are many reasons why companies choose to purchase shares in other businesses, or allow other companies to acquire stakes in their business. Similarly to mergers, the biggest reason is to expand or diversify their reach or customer base, or to enter new markets using another brand’s pre-existing expertise.

Alternatively, companies may acquire other brands to gain access to new technologies or intellectual properties. Not only can this help a business to keep up with competitors, it can also help them to quickly hire staff and access resources needed to launch new products and services.

Recent major acquisitions in the coffee sector

Over the past decade, there has been a run of significant acquisitions in the coffee industry – including both larger chains and smaller specialty coffee brands.

One of the most significant examples was in 2019 when Coca-Cola acquired UK coffee chain Costa Coffee for around US $5 billion. The acquisition was driven by a number of factors, but possibly because US consumption of carbonated soft drinks hit a 30-year low in 2017.

In 2021, Coca-Cola HBC (the world’s third-largest bottler of Coca-Cola products) purchased a 30% equity share in Caffè Vergnano – one of Italy’s oldest coffee roasters.

Another example is Nestlé, which purchased a majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee in 2017 – a specialty coffee roaster in the US and Japan.

Corporate interest in specialty coffee brands has seemingly been increasing over the past decade.

In 2012, German conglomerate JAB Holding Company acquired San Francisco’s Peet’s Coffee – a pioneer of the specialty coffee industry. Subsequently, three years later, Peet’s purchased Stumptown Coffee Roasters – another prominent specialty roaster in Portland, Oregon. JAB Holding also acquired the coffee and food-to-go chain Pret A Manger in 2018.

Broadly speaking, these acquisitions of coffee brands are a means of expanding into new markets (such as specialty coffee) by leveraging existing expertise and established brands. For instance, Starbucks and Blue Bottle offer different products to two very different consumer bases, providing them with reach within two important (and profitable) market segments.

Acquisitions can also help existing brands move into new international markets, too. For example, international food and ingredients company ofi completed the acquisition of 116-year old Canadian coffee roasting and packaging company Club Coffee earlier this year. Ultimately, this gives the company the chance to expand in North America (one of the biggest global coffee markets) while retaining Club Coffee’s expertise and established brand image.

Has Covid-19 changed things?

While there has clearly been interest in acquiring coffee brands for well over a decade, Covid-19 has certainly influenced growth strategies for many companies.

Towards the beginning of the pandemic, a staggering 95% of out-of-home coffee businesses were forced to close operations for several months. Naturally, this resulted in a huge spike in home coffee consumption, as consumers started to prepare more café-quality beverages at home.

Undoubtedly, larger companies wanted to capitalise on this shift in coffee consumer behaviour, but doing so was by no means easy.

Umberto Doglioni Majer is President and Chief Executive Officer at Vea Ventures, a holding company  which owns several coffee machine brands, including Carimali, Elektra, and Bellezza. 

He explains that it can be difficult to scale a specialty coffee brand’s reach quickly because of the inherent challenges that come with it, such as sourcing high-quality and traceable coffee.

“[Specialty coffee companies] can be considered growth companies,” he says. “This term describes smaller brands which bigger companies can acquire as platforms to build on.

“However, returns on an investment like this don’t usually happen quickly,” he adds. “It can take years [to turn a profit].”

Umberto says that many larger companies are now seeking growth opportunities with a better chance of success. In his experience, he says this means acquiring shares in brands that are more established, with a proven record of profitability and a loyal customer base.

“Factors such as the pandemic, rising inflation, and crashes in the stock market have led to an increased interest in acquiring more established companies,” he tells me. “This is because these brands will already have better profit margins and larger consumer bases.”

Can specialty coffee brands remain competitive if the market consolidates?

The current economic climate for smaller coffee businesses is challenging to say the least. The C price recently reached a 10-year high, shipping is incredibly expensive, and profit margins for roasters have tightened in the past few months.

This has made it more difficult for smaller roasters and coffee shops to remain profitable, and less buying power means they may struggle to compete with more established brands which have been acquired by a multinational.

So what can they do to compete?

In some cases, smaller coffee companies can merge themselves. For example, Fairwave is a collective of specialty coffee brands who decided to merge following on from the pandemic. These companies include The Roasterie, Messenger Coffee Company, and Spyhouse Coffee Roasters.

However, the consolidation of brands doesn’t only happen through acquisitions and mergers – it can also take place through strategic partnerships and shared services initiatives. 

One example is The Curate Coffee Collective, which is a shared roasting facility in Portland, Oregon. Since 2020, the facility has been open to roasters of all sizes, and offers them access to equipment and office space, as well as educational resources. 

However, this model isn’t that common within the coffee industry – particularly in the specialty sector.

Spencer Turer is the Vice President of coffee consultancy Coffee Enterprises.

He points out that despite how difficult it can be for smaller coffee brands to remain profitable, mergers and acquisitions may not always be the best solution – especially with larger companies such as multinationals.

“The backbone of the specialty coffee industry is still largely formed of small regional companies,” he explains. “If these roasters and coffee shops have the skills, knowledge, and expertise – and are successful at what they do – then why should there be a reason for them to merge or be acquired by a bigger company?”

While mergers and acquisitions with larger brands can certainly help smaller coffee brands to grow and reach new consumer bases, there are also understandably concerns over how quality control can be scaled and maintained.

In the months and years that follow the Covid-19 pandemic, we will see just how prevalent mergers and acquisitions will be in specialty coffee – especially if the world moves towards a period defined by a global economic downturn. 

It’s clear that consolidation through acquisitions and mergers will nonetheless continue to be part of the conversation about how the industry evolves and scales into the future. This then raises questions about how smaller regional businesses can remain profitable.

Ultimately, for smaller coffee shops and roasters, the most important thing is understanding how you can continue to appeal to your customer base. In some cases, this might mean innovating in line with third wave coffee trends, but in others, it may mean just listening to what consumers want from you – and catering to that accordingly.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on changing your business’ coffee strategy after Covid-19.

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Naturally, this led many consumers to start brewing more coffee at home. According to a 2022 National Coffee Data Trends report from the National Coffee Association, a record 85% of the US population were drinking at least one cup of coffee per day in 2020.

So, in response to this boom in home coffee consumption, some coffee shops and roasters started offering remote educational courses to people interested in making café-quality beverages. 

But as Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease around the world, we have an important question to ask: will the demand for these courses continue? To find out, I spoke to three coffee professionals for their insight. Read on to learn more about what they told me.

You may also like our article on how access to coffee education changed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 and home coffee consumption

In late March 2020, it was estimated that some 20% of the global population were ordered to remain at home to slow down the spread of Covid-19. As coffee shops around the world closed, many consumers turned their focus to preparing their own coffee at home.

We saw a number of changes in home coffee consumption in the pandemic. Alongside a shift to online sales, we also saw more people buy from local roasters; as well as being driven by convenience, more people became invested in who they were buying their coffee from.

What’s more, sales of home brewing equipment also increased as consumers attempted to replicate café-quality coffee themselves.

Jake Holmes is the Managing Director of Mission Coffee Works in London, UK. He tells me that the company experienced a significant increase in the sales of home brewing equipment during the first few months of the pandemic.

Alongside these, one of the more prominent trends throughout the pandemic was the rise of ecommerce sales – including coffee subscriptions – as customers were unable to visit coffee shops and roasters in person.

“[At the start of the pandemic], we quickly adapted our business model and focused on ecommerce,” Jake tells me. “At the same time, there was also an increase in the sales of brewing equipment; people definitely had a keen interest in making coffee at home.”

As such, more consumers started to experiment with different brew methods and origins. Subsequently, consumer preferences started to shift, with some people buying higher-quality beans and investing in better equipment.

However, consumers also realised that having good coffee and equipment wasn’t important if you didn’t have the knowledge to accompany them. This meant many turned to online coffee resources; in fact, internet searches for “how to make coffee” and “coffee brewing tips” undoubtedly increased during the pandemic.

Why was there a boom in online coffee education?

The sharp rise in home coffee consumption during Covid-19 arguably shifted consumer preferences and introduced more people to specialty coffee. Many people became more interested in learning about different origins, processing methods, and roast profiles.

As a direct response to this, many roasters and coffee shops launched online educational platforms for consumers.

Dani Bordiniuc is a professional barista, as well as a coffee content creator and consultant. He is also the founder of Brewing With Dani, an educational platform which focuses on home barista online workshops. Prior to the pandemic, the classes were held in person.

“I was sceptical [to shift to online learning] in the beginning because I enjoy the personal connection with my students,” he tells me. “But I was surprised by how well it worked [for everyone].

“Moving online allowed me to reach more people,” he adds.

Dani says that at the start of the pandemic, many of the course participants purchased entry-level home espresso machines. However, he notes that despite investing in quality equipment, some struggled with more of the technical skills, including dialling in and tasting espresso, steaming milk, and pouring latte art.

“The course attendees were very curious,” he explains. “What started as my own project documenting my personal journey in coffee quickly transformed into an educational resource for other people.”

Will the industry keep this up?

So, with Covid-19 restrictions continuing to ease around the world, is there still an opportunity for coffee shops and roasters to maintain consumers’ interest in online coffee education?

Mila Green is the manager and head barista at Detour Coffee in Ontario, Canada. She thinks social media will continue to be a useful component of online learning as far as coffee is concerned.

“Posting on social media is a great way to keep up momentum for online coffee education,” she says. “Video formats are popular nowadays, such as TikTok, where you only have 30 seconds to grab consumers’ attention and interest.

“As coffee professionals, this pushes us to be more creative and show more consumers how to brew high-quality coffee, as well as answering any questions they might have,” she adds.

Instagram is another social media platform that’s proven popular with home coffee consumers. Over the past few years, more and more coffee influencers have begun sharing educational content via the platform and connecting with people who are interested in learning more about coffee.

“Via Instagram Live, you can chat with your followers, post polls on your stories, or use IGTV to engage with people – whichever way works best for your followers,” Mila tells me.

As well as social media, YouTube is another key platform for figures and coffee brands to lean on. For instance, the founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, James Hoffmann, has some 1.4 million followers of his coffee YouTube channel, which covers a wide range of topics.

For many consumers, educational coffee content on social media and other digital platforms can help to make the specialty coffee sector more accessible and easier to understand – improving awareness across the board.

Looking to the future

It’s clear that online coffee education saw a big upturn during the pandemic, but there are understandably concerns over whether this trend will continue as more people return to visiting coffee shops in person. 

Mila, however, believes that online coffee education will remain popular.

“I think that it will continue post-pandemic, but possibly in a different way to what it was before,” she explains.

She says that prior to the pandemic, most coffee businesses held more formal educational classes in person, and the target audience were mostly prosumers.

However, since then, the type of consumer interested in coffee education has diversified – meaning less informal educational opportunities are still an option.

“Now, more people are asking us questions about our equipment and about our retail coffee options,” Mila adds.

However, there is a risk that because coffee shops and roasters around the world are largely switching back to normal opening hours, the number of people interested in online coffee education could steadily decline. 

Furthermore, while some people still work remotely, many people have returned to offices and other workplaces, even if hybrid working is becoming more popular. This could mean consumers have less free time to participate in online coffee courses, as well as brewing their own café-quality beverages at home.

Jake, meanwhile, believes that consumer education will remain an important focus for some coffee businesses.

“Since the pandemic, consumers have been far more engaged and much more knowledgeable about coffee,” he says. “People now expect more from their coffee, so I think consumer coffee education is here to stay.”

Dani agrees, saying: “Curiosity is key, but we have to be careful to not overwhelm people with information, but rather give them the tools they need to continue asking questions. 

“I think it’s important that we all do our part to help with this,” he concludes.

As the world moves on from Covid-19, more and more coffee brands are returning to something resembling normal service. While this could mean that the uptake of online coffee courses could fall, some people in the industry are hopeful that coffee consumer education will continue in other forms.

At the very least, the proliferation of coffee content on social media means there are more platforms than ever before through which coffee businesses can share their knowledge and expertise. 

And with people now more accustomed to learning online, it’s likely that coffee consumer education will continue to be popular for years to come.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on online education in the coffee sector.

Photo credits: Brewing with Dani

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Today, the region includes 13 sovereign states and another 18 “dependent nations” – several of which are coffee-growing countries. 

While the majority of Caribbean coffee is exported to other countries, there is a growing number of local roasters catering to the domestic market. Unfortunately, many of them deal with significant challenges.

To find out more, I spoke with roasters in Puerto Rico, Barbados, and Roatán. Read on to learn about Caribbean roasters and the difficulties they face in the coffee industry.

You may also like our article on breaking down Caribbean coffee production.

Understanding cultural differences in the Caribbean

Although the number of Caribbean coffee roasters is certainly growing, we must first acknowledge how diverse the region is.

The Caribbean includes more than 700 islands – with a huge amount of climatic and geopolitical variance between all of them.

Much of the region’s history has links to colonialism and slavery. The first countries in the Caribbean to be colonised fell under the rule of the Spanish and Portuguese in the 15th century, followed by the Dutch, British, and French in the 17th and 18th centuries.

With colonial rule came the influence (albeit often forcibly at that time) of European cultures on native Caribbean people. And while colonial rule has thankfully come to an end in the region, many of these long-lasting European influences are present to this day.

However, with a range of different historic colonial influences across these islands, and huge variance in how they have developed in the decades since, it is difficult to generalise the Caribbean, as well as its coffee culture. As such, we need to treat each island or country as its own respective part of the Caribbean.

Coffee roasters in the Caribbean

Dominic Wyndham-Gittens is the co-owner and Director of Coffee at Wyndhams Coffee in Barbados.

Barbados was one of the first Caribbean islands to be colonised by the British in 1625. Many Jewish Britons settled here after the Dutch began their colonial rule of the island in 1667. 

During this time, many settlers grew sugar and coffee. Today, there is no coffee production on the island – but there is a steadily growing coffee roasting scene.

Despite its rich history of coffee production, the Caribbean roasting sector is still relatively new for a number of reasons. One of these is the high costs of importing coffee to the region.

“The Caribbean can be a very challenging place to be a commercial roaster,” Dominic says. “But we’re passionate about coffee and we think it’s worth it.”

He tells me he pays a 45% import duty tax when exporting coffee to other Caribbean islands, plus 17.5% value added tax (VAT). However, he adds that coffee exports to the US, UK, and Canada are duty tax-free.

The Caribbean’s high import taxes were instated by Caricom, a Caribbean trade organisation, as a means to protect the integrity of the region’s products – including Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee.

However, Dominic says high taxes make it difficult for small businesses to compete with bigger companies. 

“It has taken us 23 years to get where we are,” he explains. “It can take up to seven years for us to accomplish one thing that [larger companies] can do in only a couple of years because we’re located on a small Caribbean island.”

Supply chain challenges

Although there is an increasing number of roasters in the region, many of them face a great number of challenges. For smaller roasters who focus on high-quality coffee, sourcing green beans can be incredibly difficult as it is prohibited by law for them to import coffee into the Caribbean.

Instead, national governments (such as Puerto Rico’s) import commercial-grade, partially-roasted coffee from countries including Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, this coffee is usually purchased by larger companies to be sold in supermarkets – sometimes misleadingly labelled as Puerto Rican coffee. 

Eduardo Trabada and Gabriel Beauchamp are the founders of Baraka Coffee in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They tell me that because the island is an unincorporated territory of the US, Puerto Rican coffee roasters also face difficulties related to the Jones Act.

This legislation stipulates that all goods shipped to the island – including coffee – must be transported on US-flagged vessels. Not only does this create more logistical issues, it also increases costs.

“It’s inefficient and time consuming,” Eduardo says. “This, along with high taxes and fees, makes importing and exporting goods to and from the island very expensive.”

In order to bypass some of these problems, Baraka Coffee sells 100% Puerto Rican coffee, which is roasted to order in small batches and sold directly to consumers.

However, sourcing single-origin coffee in Puerto Rico also comes with its own challenges. In 2017, Hurricane María led to widespread devastation on the island – destroying many coffee plants.

“Sourcing consistently high-quality Puerto Rican coffee has not been easy for us since we started roasting back in 2014,” Gabriel explains. “It’s expensive and is only available in limited quantities.”

He tells me that in order to stay competitive, Puerto Rican roasters have little choice but to absorb these higher operating costs. Ultimately, despite technically operating in the US, these businesses unfortunately make far less than their mainland counterparts.

As a way to work around a few of these issues, some coffee businesses choose to import roasted coffee. This requires special permits, as well as an added tax of US $2.50 added on for every pound purchased – meaning that Puerto Rican roasters don’t always reap the benefits of buying roasted coffee.

Similar issues are also prevalent in other parts of the Caribbean. Roatán is a Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras. As the island is governed by Honduran authorities, laws and regulations on importing coffee can differ from others, such as Barbados and Puerto Rico. However, roasters still face a number of the same challenges.

José García Quijada is a co-owner of Roa Reserve, a company which roasts, brews, bottles, and sells cold brew in Roatán. He tells me while the manufacturing process takes place on the island, logistical issues mean that the roastery is based in San Pedro Sula on the Honduran mainland.

“If our roastery was in Roatán, it would be difficult to ship coffee back to our clients in mainland Honduras,” he explains. “This is largely because of higher logistics costs, which ultimately would negatively affect the growth of the company.

“There are also risks associated with shipping, such as weather conditions and the time it takes for the coffee to arrive,” he adds.

He says there are a few roasters on the island, but that it’s not easy to roast on a larger scale to reach other markets and grow your brand – largely because of these logistical challenges.

“It’s important to have products that represent the island,” he adds. “Opportunities do exist in Roatán, but there are few specific markets for products like cold brew, so we are trying to fill that gap.”

How is tourism influencing Caribbean coffee culture?

The Caribbean has been a popular tourist destination for many years. Many islands depend on tourism as a critical source of income, so it’s no surprise that this influences the region’s coffee industry, too.

“Tourism in Puerto Rico has helped shape the way we think about coffee,” Gabriel explains. “There are now more diverse menus – especially in more metropolitan areas – which offer everything from traditional espresso-based drinks and cold brew, to iced coffee, plant milks, and more.”

As the region’s warm climate is more suited to iced beverages, cold brew, and coffee cocktails, many Caribbean roasters are starting to adapt in kind. Ready-to-drink (RTD) options are also becoming popular – Roa Reserve currently serves six different cold brew options, as well as using its cold brew concentrate in cocktails. 

Similarly, Baraka Coffee Roasters collaborated with Ocean Lab Brewing Co. to produce a coffee stout, which is infused with Puerto Rican coffee sourced from the village of Adjuntas.

However, while coffee culture is developing in places like Puerto Rico and Roatán, Dominic says that other islands, such as Barbados, are developing at a slower pace.

“Barbados attracts a different tourist crowd; most of the island’s visitors are slightly older,” he says.

Looking ahead

Despite the many challenges they encounter, roasters in the Caribbean remain passionate about the future for the region’s coffee industry.

In Roatán, a partnership with Honduran economic development platform Próspera is set to launch the first sustainable economic hub on the island. The project aims to provide small businesses on the island with support and infrastructure needed to grow their brands – including roasters.

In Puerto Rico, meanwhile, Baraka Coffee Roasters launched Re:Colecta, an initiative which partners with local artists to create coffee-inspired artwork. All of the profits are donated to coffee pickers.

Eduardo and Gabriel say that the project is helping local producers to hire more labourers, as the donations provide more of an incentive to work on coffee farms – potentially helping to secure the future of Puerto Rican coffee production.

As for Barbados, Dominic tells me that more roasters need to be supported and encouraged to develop the island’s coffee sector.

It can be difficult to collectively define the footprint of coffee roasting in the Caribbean, but it’s clear that the region poses a number of logistical and structural challenges for those seeking to operate. However, it remains clear that each island’s unique take on coffee culture is helping some brands to innovate and develop.

With time, investment, and perhaps the reform of certain legislation, more Caribbean roasters’ coffee could well be available on the global market in the coming years.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article exploring Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

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Photo credits: Baraka Coffee Company, Roa Reserve, Wyndhams Coffee

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However, there are a number of variables to consider when brewing filter coffee, including brew temperature, extraction ratio, and grind size. One extraction variable that can often be ignored is agitation. 

Agitation is the process of disturbing or disrupting the coffee bed, either by pouring water directly onto it, or by stirring or swirling the mixture. Just how much you should agitate while brewing filter coffee is a topic of debate among coffee professionals, but it plays an important role in extraction.

To learn more about how agitation influences filter coffee brewing, I spoke to four coffee championship winners. Read on to find out what they told me. 

You may also like our article on achieving even extraction with filter coffee drippers.

What is agitation?

There are several different types of agitation which can be used when brewing filter coffee. These include stirring or swirling the slurry, as well as various methods of pouring water onto the ground coffee – such as pulse pouring. 

Each method of agitation will affect extraction differently, which ultimately influences the overall flavour profile.

Stirring is one of the most common forms of agitation in filter coffee brewing. This method involves using a spoon or other utensil to mix the coffee grounds and water, often for a specific amount of time. 

However, different stirring techniques can have differing effects on extraction. For example, stirring the slurry in a figure of eight pattern is a method commonly used by baristas to evenly distribute the grounds in the water.

Swirling the brewer is another way to agitate the slurry that can improve the consistency of extraction. This method is more commonly used by less experienced baristas, as it is easier to and quicker to do than stirring.

Pulse pouring is also another form of agitation. This process involves pouring water onto the ground coffee in short bursts, which can be an effective way to experiment with your filter coffee brewing. 

Pulse pouring can be highly controlled, too, as you can adjust the number of “pulses” as well as the volume of water added with each pulse.

How much agitation is best for filter coffee brewing?

In Everything But Espresso, coffee professional Scott Rao explains that “agitation always accelerates extraction and usually improves the uniformity of extraction”. So what is the optimal level of agitation for filter coffee?

Ultimately, extraction is a result of several variables, including grind size, origin, roast profile, water temperature, and brew time. Agitation, meanwhile, has its own effects on extraction. 

Agitation is an essential part of brewing filter coffee. Without it, the water molecules would not be able to extract enough volatile compounds from the ground coffee – resulting in weak and sour-tasting underextracted coffee.

However, too much agitation means that too many volatile compounds could be extracted, which may lead to a hollow and bitter-tasting coffee. 

Your chosen brewing method is also another variable to consider. Water distribution plays an important role in immersion brewing as the coffee grounds are fully submerged in the water throughout the total brew time. By evenly submerging all of the coffee grounds in the water as quickly as possible, you are more likely to achieve even extraction.

However, with pour over brewing, the brewer needs to periodically pour water over the coffee grounds, as opposed to adding all of the water at once. This gives you more control, but also means that agitation occurs naturally at certain points.

Agitation in immersion brewing

To achieve the best results with immersion brew methods, the coffee grounds must be fully submerged in the water for as much of the total brew time as possible. Common immersion brew methods include the French press, the syphon (also known as the siphon or the vacuum pot), and the AeroPress.

Agitation plays an important role in the saturation of coffee grounds as it helps to break up any dry clumps. This means that the water molecules are then able to saturate the grounds, resulting in more even extraction.

Regine Wai is the 2022 Malaysian Brewers Cup Champion. She explains that while agitation is necessary for any immersion brew method, it can be more difficult when using a syphon. This is because the water temperature continually increases in the brewing chamber, as it is placed over a gas burner or other heating device throughout most of the brewing process.

“When I brew with a syphon, I use a bamboo stick to agitate my brew,” she says. “Not only does this mix the coffee grounds with the water to release the flavours, it also helps to control the temperature. 

“By agitating [the slurry] a few times you can reduce the [brew temperature] by a few degrees and have more control over the extraction process,” she adds. “Of course, this also depends on the brew recipe and extraction variables you are using.”

How does agitation affect brewing with pour overs?

Most pour over brewers, such as the Chemex or the V60, rely on gravity to draw the water through the coffee grounds. However, the amount of agitation you need will differ depending on the type of brewer you are using.

When brewing a pour over, some coffee professionals believe that a quick stir can help to break the “crust” that can form at the surface of the slurry. This allows water to move through the bed of coffee grounds at a quicker rate – minimising the risk of overextraction. 

However, if you stir for too long or too vigorously, the fines can migrate to the coffee bed, which can prolong the total brew time or even cause channelling. 

In order to minimise any risk of under or overextraction, baristas and home brewers can pulse pour into the centre of the coffee bed throughout the entire brew. This is a more repeatable technique for coffee professionals and consumers – no matter their experience level. 

But for many coffee professionals, preparing a pour over can be more complicated than immersion brewing, which means you need to be careful with the amount of agitation you apply.

Stathis Koremtas is the 2022 Hellenic Brewers Cup Champion. He tells me that agitation is one of the main factors which increases the rate of extraction.

“You have to ask yourself if you want to increase the extraction rate because it will affect the flavours you extract,” he says. “Ultimately, it depends on the coffee you’re using.”

He adds that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the amount of agitation. Ultimately, it comes down to the coffee you’re brewing.

Achieving consistent results

No matter which coffee you’re brewing, consistency is always essential, and agitation is important when it comes to achieving this.

Gabriel Carol is the 2017 and 2018 Romanian Brewers Cup Champion and the owner of PAGA Microroastery in Bangkok, Thailand. 

He tells me that when he visits coffee shops, inconsistency in brewing techniques is one of the biggest problems that he notices.

“Sometimes a barista will brew the same coffee, but in different ways,” he says. “This means that sometimes I get a great-tasting coffee and other times an average coffee, even if both were made using the same beans.

“It’s a result of human error and a lack of training,” he adds. “I’ve seen baristas pour water in different ways; some apply a lot of agitation, while others apply barely any.”

Techniques like pulse pouring into the centre of the slurry can be used to overcome these inconsistencies, as well as stirring and swirling in a particular pattern for a specified amount of time. 

However, each coffee is different and will require a different approach to agitation.

Mariam Erin is the 2021 UAE Brewers Cup Champion. She provides some guidance on how to alter your agitation technique according to different variables, such as processing method and roast profile.

“I prefer to control the pour flow rate and focus on overall brew time,” she tells me. “For example, for a natural coffee that is roasted medium to dark, I will use a faster flow rate so I can extract fewer bitter-tasting compounds, and increase the acidity.

“However, for a washed light roast, I will pour slower in four or five stages,” she adds. “This way I can enhance the body and balance out the increased acidity.”

When it comes to brewing filter coffee, the most appropriate agitation technique is largely dependent on the beans you are using and your experience level. There is no right or wrong method; each has potential to bring the best out of your coffee.

However, it’s still important to take care when agitating your coffee bed. By stirring, swirling, or pulse pouring in a precise and measured way, you’ll be more likely to achieve even extraction with more desirable flavours and characteristics.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on brewing larger volumes of coffee at home.

Photo credits: Stathis Koremtas

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However, the country has a rich history of coffee consumption, which is only continuing to grow. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that Saudi Arabia will import around 200,000 60kg bags across the 2022/23 crop year.

So, could the gap between these two figures ever close? To learn more about Saudi Arabia’s coffee sector, I spoke with two local coffee professionals. Read on to find out more about how the country’s coffee production is changing.

You may also like our article on the history of Mocha coffee & Yemeni coffee culture.

A profile of Saudi Arabian coffee production

Coffee production in Saudi Arabia is mostly concentrated in three regions in the southwest of the country: the Jazan region around the city of the same name, Hejazi, and Asir. Most of the coffee produced here is consumed domestically, as well as being exported to other Middle Eastern countries.

In the region around Jazan alone, it’s estimated that more than 79,000 coffee plants are growing on the steep hillsides of the area’s mountain ranges. The climate is moderate, with high levels of humidity and rainfall, which makes it ideal for growing coffee.

Several unique coffee varieties grow in Saudi Arabia, including four by the name of Khawlani, Berri, Harari, and Bahri. It’s believed that the Bahri variety was transported from Brazil via Turkey, having been brought to Saudi Arabia for cultivation some years ago.

In Saudi Arabia, flowering usually begins in late March before coffee cherries mature for around six months. Once harvested and processed, the beans are sorted and graded, often by colour, before they are sold to exporters or roasters.

Almohanad Almarwai is the co-founder and CEO of the Arabian Coffee Institute (ACI). He tells me that Saudi people generally prefer lighter roasts compared to most other Middle Eastern countries.

“In Saudi Arabia, people tend to drink a light roast [that is roasted to just before] first crack,” he says. “Some of the more common flavour notes are raisins, dates, other dried fruits, dark chocolate, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon.

“Saudi’s coffee drinkers tend to prefer more flavourful and complex coffees, which is why we add spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves,” he adds.

Initiatives to increase coffee production

Over the past few years, there have been several attempts to bolster coffee production in Saudi Arabia.

One of the more notable initiatives is the Saudi government’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the nation’s economy and thereby reduce dependence on oil exports. As part of this initiative, the government launched the 2022 Year of Saudi Coffee campaign, which also aims to promote domestic coffee consumption.

Through this programme, the Saudi Arabian government plans to grow around 5,000 tonnes of higher-quality coffee every year, with plans to export at a major scale by 2040.

“Saudi is aiming to be one of the leading coffee-producing countries [over the next couple of decades],” Almohanad tells me. “We are also experimenting with different processing methods.

“The Middle East has always been a major hub for coffee, so the Saudi government is planning to revive this [in the coming years],” he adds.

Alongside bolstering production, there is also significant interest in increasing the domestic consumption of specialty coffee.

“When specialty coffee was first introduced to Middle Eastern countries around late 2013, consumers were already used to coffee being a complex drink which is full of flavours,” Almohanad explains. “This is why consumers were easily acclimated to specialty coffee.”

The number of specialty roasters and coffee shops in the country are steadily on the rise, as well as organisations such as the newly-founded ACI.

The institute is currently creating a coffee curriculum in Arabic that will be used to educate national coffee professionals and consumers, as well as informing international markets on different farming, processing, and brewing methods in the Middle East.

Overcoming challenges in the Saudi Arabian coffee sector

But despite the launch of these initiatives, coffee production in Saudi Arabia still faces challenges.

Towards the end of the 20th century, the country shifted its focus to make oil a key export for the Saudi Arabian economy. As a result, many people abandoned coffee production in favour of other, more profitable industries, which meant there were huge declines in production and some farms were abandoned.

“[As such], coffee plants in Saudi Arabia are old, which naturally results in low yields,” Almohanad explains. “The plants need more attention; I sometimes still find primary and secondary defects.”

What’s more, rising global temperatures are negatively affecting Saudi coffee production. In December 2021, Arab News reported that coffee farms in the region around the city of Jazan were some of the worst affected in the country because of lower levels of rainfall.

To add to the already difficult growing conditions, coffee farms in Saudi Arabia are typically located on the steep hillsides of mountains, which makes it difficult to implement proper irrigation systems.

“Moreover, rainfall levels in [areas such as Jazan] are very unpredictable and are often insufficient for coffee cultivation,” Almohanad says.

Aside from climate-related challenges, a lack of formal coffee knowledge and investment in technical assistance is also hindering production. Many Saudi coffee farmers have minimal access to research, best agricultural practices, and updated farming technologies, which has held back significant development of coffee production.

However, with the government’s drive to promote the production of Saudi Arabian coffee, both yield and quality could improve in the future.

Looking to the future

Although Saudi Arabia’s coffee export levels are still largely negligible, there is certainly potential for production levels to grow.

In fact, a 2017 research paper found that with the appropriate resources and infrastructure, the Saudi coffee sector’s share of the global market could increase as high as 2%. The researchers also concluded that coffee production could be scaled mostly in the southern and southwestern parts of the country.

By the end of 2021, around 400,000 coffee trees were planted across 600 farms in the country, which are capable of producing about 800 tonnes of coffee each year.

Furthermore, as a part of its 2030 Vision, the Saudi government aims to plant a total of 1.3 million coffee trees by 2025 to boost production levels, as well as developing direct trade relationships with smallholder farmers.

In the long term, there will be several programmes put in place to support farmers with training, achieving organic certification, and marketing their coffees.

There have also been efforts to protect coffee production in Saudi Arabia. In 2019, the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society filed a UNESCO application to protect traditional Khawlani coffee production methods in Saudi Arabia.

Khawlani coffee beans, which are named after the tribe that first cultivated them, are some of the most highly-prized coffee beans in the Middle East. Typically, traditional Khawlani coffee farming techniques are passed down through generations, which means there is a lack of more formal and documented agricultural practices.

Support from local roasters

In order for the country’s coffee sector to grow sustainably, support from roasters is essential.

Many professionals in the Saudi coffee industry are working with local farmers to produce higher-quality coffee.

Osamah Al-Awaam is the founder of Roasting House. He tells me why he donated several Behmor roasters to Saudi farmers.

“For us, it’s not just a donation; it’s a necessity,” he says. “If we want farmers to understand what we are looking for [with the coffee they produce], we have to give them the chance to taste it.

“We need to connect more roasters with the farmers,” he adds.

He also says that with the support of roasters, some Saudi farmers are starting to experiment with different processing methods. In some cases, this means moving away from traditional natural processing methods, and adopting newer and more innovative techniques such as anaerobic fermentation.

Osamah explains that more and more of the younger generations working at all levels of the country’s coffee industry have started to attend coffee events and participate in competitions, which also serves to further increase exposure for specialty coffee in the country.

While Saudi Arabia’s specialty coffee industry may still be in its early stages, there is great potential for the sector to grow in the coming years.

With continued support from the government, as well as the private sector, the country could become a more important part of the global coffee industry.

As more coffee plants are cultivated in the country, it will be interesting to see if it is able to meet its ambitious goals for increasing coffee production.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on coffee culture in Iran.

Photo credits: Tony Pramana, Osamah Alawwam, ASH Cafés

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While it’s by no means a leading market where third wave coffee culture is concerned, the CBI estimates that by 2025, specialty coffee in France will comprise some 10% of the total coffee market.

One of the growing destinations for specialty coffee in France is Toulouse. The city is the fourth-largest in France and remains a major trade hub, largely thanks to its location between the Mediterranean Sea and Spain. 

To learn more about the city’s specialty coffee shops, I explored some of them. Read on to find out what I discovered.

You may also like our specialty coffee shop tour of Vilnius, Lithuania.

Neroli Coffee Society 

Neroli Coffee Society, which first opened in September 2019, is located in the historic Les Carmes district of Toulouse. Neroli has a strong focus on high-quality coffee, as well as a range of internationally-inspired food and beverage items on its brunch and lunch menus.

Fresh, organic, and locally-sourced ingredients are used in the dishes, which are offered alongside freshly-made juices and smoothies.

The menu also includes a variety of coffees and teas, as well as a range of plant-based milks. Neroli roasts its own coffee, which is organic and Fair Trade-certified. One of the several coffees available is the Neroli Premium Organic Blend, which is comprised of Peruvian and Sumatran coffees. The blend has notes of nuts and chocolate.

As far as café design is concerned, Neroli is heavily influenced by US West Coast coffee shops, with wooden finishes, pastel tones, neon lights, and large communal tables.

Le Café Cerise

On the banks of the Garonne river is Le Café Cerise, also close to the famous Quai de la Daurade riverside district. Founded by couple Valentin Tihy and Stéphanie Mirouse-Tihy, the specialty coffee shop first opened in 2015. Two years later, they developed a built-in roasting space to roast their own coffee and host workshops.

“Our goal is to [express] the terroir of our coffees,” Valentin explains. “We want to show our customers that each coffee [has its own unique complex flavour profile], depending on the variety, the producer, and the environment in which it’s grown.”

One of the most eye-catching features of Le Café Cerise is the range of coffees on offer, including a pour over coffee from Finca La Chumeca in Costa Rica. As for the rest of Le Café Cerise’s menu, there are a number of salads, granola bowls, and sandwich options, as well as freshly baked goods like pastries, cakes, cookies, and pancakes.

From the upstairs seating area, there is also an excellent view of the river. 

Hayuco Coffee Boutique

Hayuco Coffee Roasters has two locations in Toulouse, but one of the most unique specialty coffee shops in the city is a collaboration between the roaster and Tonsor & Cie, an old-fashioned barber shop.

Hayuco Coffee Roasters was established in 2018 by Karim Boukercha and Carlos Rodriguez, with the goal of driving forward the city’s coffee scene. Hayuco has a range of different coffees, as well as hosting brewing and roasting workshops to help educate customers.

This unique concept store has elements of wood in its interior design, which helps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

LoMa Pâtisserie

LoMa Pâtisserie is an artisan pastry shop that first opened its doors in June 2019. It’s also located in Les Carmes, and is well known for its simple, yet delicious, local produce on the menu. Their chocolatine (or pain au chocolat) has been voted the best in the city. 

The owners, Lolita and Mathieu Champagne, previously opened a coffee shop in Ecuador, before they decided to relocate to Toulouse. They prepare all of their food items in the café, including artisan pastries, desserts, pizza, and sandwiches. 

LoMa Pâtisserie uses locally roasted coffee from Hayuco and Le Café Cerise.

Café La Fiancée

Close to the Quartier de la Daurade is Café La Fiancée, which was opened in 2012 by longtime friends Olivier Coulomb and Arnaud Pimenta. The two owners shared the same goal of elevating Toulouse’s specialty coffee scene. There is also a second location in Marseille, which opened in 2018.

Café La Fiancée serves a wide range of coffee, tea, and hot drinks, with coffee roasted by Coutume Café in Paris. As well as beverages, the coffee shop has a variety of cakes, pastries, and sandwiches, with a rotating weekly seasonal brunch menu that uses locally-sourced produce.

Alongside its terrace seating area, Café La Fiancée has large bay windows and a cosy interior design.

How is the Toulouse specialty coffee scene evolving?

Loïc Duban is a barista at Le Café Cerise. He explains that specialty coffee culture is still relatively new to France, and that traditional café culture prevails in most parts of the country.

“It is still difficult for us to educate French people on specialty coffee because they are so used to classic European, Italian-style coffee culture,” he says. “But we’ve seen huge growth in the community and increasing interest in specialty coffee over the past few years.”

He adds: “Since the pandemic, people have started to think differently [about food and beverage quality], so they want better products.”

In particular, there has been growing interest in French specialty coffee culture from younger generations. In Toulouse particularly, the specialty coffee scene has been growing quickly, thanks to the skilled and dedicated baristas, coffee shop owners, and roasters in the city.

Toulouse’s specialty coffee scene may not be on par with other French cities like Paris or Bordeaux, but there are still many third wave coffee shops in the city, all with a focus on improving the quality of coffee on offer.

As well as this, there is a unique sense of community that exists not only among baristas, roasters, and customers, but also between the coffee shops themselves. 

There’s no doubt that in the future, Toulouse’s specialty coffee shop market will continue to grow. However, it’s unclear as yet just how quickly it will evolve – even if it is evident that there is space for further innovation and expansion.

Enjoyed this? Then read our specialty coffee shop tour of Lisbon, Portugal.

Photo credits: Vasileia Fanarioti, LoMa Pâtisserie, Hayuco Coffee Roasters, Loïc Duban, La Fiancée, Neroli Coffee Society

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In 2007, Caffeine Roasters, the most popular coffee chain in Lithuania, was established and quickly took the domestic market by storm. A few years on, Lithuania’s SCA chapter was founded and began organising coffee competitions.

Today, the country is a growing specialty coffee consuming market, with its own coffee festival and plenty of coffee shops well worth visiting. As is the case with many European countries, however, specialty coffee has the strongest presence in the country’s capital: Vilnius.

To learn more about the coffee scene in Vilnius, I toured five specialty coffee shops in the Lithuanian capital. Read on to find out what I found. 

You might also like our specialty coffee shop tour of Berlin, Germany.

Taste Map Coffee Roasters

The story of Taste Map Coffee Roasters began in 2011 with a 10kg roaster, a pallet of coffee, a lot of enthusiasm, and a goal of driving forward the Lithuanian specialty coffee scene. 

Today, 11 years on, husband and wife Ieva Malijauskaitė and Domas Ivonis manage a roastery and four coffee shop locations in Vilnius.

Both owners have more than ten years of experience in the coffee industry. Between them, they have won numerous national championships, including the Barista Championship, Latte Art Championship, and Cup Tasters Championship.

With Taste Map, Domas says their aim was to highlight the unique flavours of coffee and guide the Lithuanian coffee community to find out what high-quality coffee can taste like.

“We only work with coffee sourcing companies we have built a trusting relationship with,” Domas says. “We also have a direct relationship with Daterra. We love their coffees and we participate in their Masterpieces auction every year.”

As for the ambience of their coffee shops, each one is different from the others. There are elements of wood, bricks, and clay combined with art, with the aim of creating a homely atmosphere.

Strange Love Coffee Roasters

Strange Love Coffee Roasters opened its doors in July 2015, when specialty coffee in Lithuania was still very much emerging.

Eimantas Vilčinskas, the head roaster behind Strange Love, tells me that the company was founded to educate local coffee consumers and raise awareness about what high-quality coffee could taste like.

“We maintain a close relationship with several suppliers in order to have a great variety of coffees on offer,” he adds. “We are always curious and eager to discover more.”

Strange Love has a two-floor design with a balcony and a beautiful garden, which is a great place to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

Italala Caffè

Italala Caffè welcomed customers for the first time in January 2018. Located in the heart of Vilnius, Italala is inspired by Italian coffee culture, and was voted the city’s best coffee spot in 2019. 

At Italala Caffè, you’ll find coffee from Ditta Artigianale accompanied by a wide selection of herbal teas. There are also a range of desserts, pastries, and paninis, all of which are handmade in the shop. 

Goda Pangonyte handles social media and communications at the café. She explains that the business is constantly driving up its standards for quality.

“We like to recognise the seasonality of all of our products,” she says. “This is why we make our own syrups and create seasonal drinks.

“These include a lavender latte during the summer, an apple pie latte during autumn, and a mimosa latte during spring.”

Kavos Reikalai

Brothers Martynas and Aistis Normontai decided to open Kavos Reikalai back in 2018. Their goal was to create a coffee shop where people could both enjoy specialty coffee and find the biggest selection of retail coffee equipment and bags of coffee in the city.

Today, Kavos Reikalai has two locations in Vilnius, each offering two options for espresso and ten different filter coffees. They also have arguably the widest selection of coffee brewing accessories on offer in the city.

Samanta Sadauskytė is the manager at Kavos Reikalai. According to her, the ritual of brewing coffee is incredibly important to the business.

“We wanted to introduce people to the coffee ritual philosophy by giving them the chance to learn about all these different accessories,” she explains. “This is why we invite people to participate in our workshops and learn how to use all these tools that are so new to them.”

The equipment selection includes kettles, brewers, grinders, milk jugs, scales, and cleaning and maintenance supplies. It also stocks a wide selection of retail coffee beans from several Lithuanian roasters, as well as overseas options such as Rocket Bean from Latvia and Java Coffee from Poland. 

Backstage Roasters

Backstage Café & Roasters was founded in 2018 by two photographers, Ieva Markevičiūtė and Vytenis Petrošius, who knew nothing about coffee at the time. They picked a slightly unconventional spot down a side street, making it difficult to find for some.

Goda Gedvilaite, now a manager and barista at Backstage, says that she couldn’t even find the shop when it first opened.

“I wondered why someone would open it there,” she says. “It was brave, but I was not sure it was going to work.”  

It did, and four years and three locations later, Backstage is now well-established in Vilnius’ specialty coffee scene.

In spite of its name, Backstage didn’t actually start life as a roastery. Today, however, it sources coffee from the Vinhal family farm in Brazil and Beanspire Coffee in Thailand, roasted by head roaster Robertas Muravskij and his team. 

How is Vilnius’ coffee scene evolving?

As we’ve mentioned, the emergence of these coffee shops in the last ten to 15 years alone is indicative of the explosive growth in Vilnius’ specialty coffee scene.

As part of this, we’ve also seen the development of the Vilnius Coffee Festival, which originally began life as Vilnius Coffee Days some 12 years ago. This event celebrates Lithuania’s specialty coffee scene and its hospitality community, and is the stage for its three national SCA competitions: the Barista Championship, the Latte Art Championship, and the Cup Tasters Championship. 

Laurynas Arlauskas is the events coordinator for the Lithuanian chapter of the SCA. He says that coffee is very much at the heart of the event.

“Baristas take the centre stage,” he explains. “We wish to highlight their craftsmanship and want them to feel proud about their role in our community.”

Looking at the rapid growth and expansion of several of the coffee shops on the list, it’s clear that Vilnius has a thriving specialty coffee scene that is growing year-on-year.

With the recent emergence of its SCA chapter and the proliferation of these specialty coffee shops through the 2010s, it seems set to grow throughout this decade and beyond. Many of these chains are already household names in the city. The hope will be that, in the future, they can drive the city’s presence on the international stage. 

However, whether this explosive growth will continue remains to be seen. It’s clear that there is space for innovation and expansion in Vilnius, and what comes next is sure to be interesting.

Enjoyed this? Then try our specialty coffee shop tour of Spain’s Basque Country.

Photo credits: Goda Gedvilaitė, Laurynas Arlauskas, Samanta Sadauskytė, Goda Pangonytė, Eimantas Vilčinskas, Domas Ivonis

Perfect Daily Grind

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