5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

In today’s episode we’re speaking with Yassir Rais, Founder and CEO of Spanish specialty coffee business, Syra Coffee . Founded in 2015 in Barcelona, Syra Coffee has rapidly grown in recent years and now has an impressive 43 sites across 7 cities in Spain as well as a formidable B2C roasting business. In this conversation Yassir explores the inherent relationship between design, architecture and s...

In the second episode of our Christmas break, we’re resharing a conversation with Anne Lunell - the co-visionary behind Swedish specialty roaster, Koppi Coffee Roasters. Respected throughout the industry, Anne is a former Swedish Barista Champion, international coffee judge, and was recently presented an Outstanding Industry Contribution honour at the European Coffee Awards in Barcelona. In this c...

During our short break over the Christmas and New Year we’re re-sharing some of our favourite conversations from the last 12 months. First up is the legendary Tony Papas, a multi-faceted hospitality entrepreneur, with a global career spanning Michelin-starred restaurants, boutique bakeries, specialty coffee roasting with Allpress Espresso , and most recently, developing an olive farm in Puglia, It...

In today's episode we're bringing you an alternative Christmas playlist to accompany your festive celebrations.  It’s our tradition to close each episode showcasing music from up and coming talented artists in association with The Coffee Music Project . And today we’re bringing you a bonus episode packed full of some of our favourite tracks from the year - plus a couple of festive numbers for good...

In today’s episode we’re speaking with Dan Martensen, the man behind the overnight sensation, It's Bagels - a New-York inspired bagel and coffee shop in London’s Primrose Hill. Dan opened the doors to It's Bagels in September 2023 and within days they had queues of over 200 eager customers lining up for a bagel and coffee. So, how did he do it? In this conversation Dan shares the secrets behind th...

Today is the third and final part of our series exploring the Colombian coffee market and in this episode we’re discussing the enduring appeal of Colombian coffee abroad. We'll speak with Victor Gamboa, Santiago Gamboa, and Adnan Millwala, Co-founders of Hermanos Coffee Roasters in London. In this conversation they discuss adapting Colombian coffee to UK consumer preferences and how they communica...

Today we’re bringing you to the final two interviews from the 5THWAVE Live sessions - recorded at the European Coffee Symposium last month in Barcelona. We’ll hear from Elaine Swift, Out Of Home Director for UCC Coffee Europe and Adrian Steiner, CEO, Thermoplan .  In these conversations we discuss the importance of staying ahead of the curve, being agile and adapting to an ever-evolving consumer l...

Today we’re sharing the second interview from our 5THWAVE Live sessions - recorded at the European Coffee Symposium 2023 in Barcelona. In this episode we catch up with industry legend Guido Bernardinelli, CEO of La Marzocco . La Marzocco is a powerhouse in the espresso machine category, known for their quality machines, cutting edge technology and iconic designs. In our conversation, Guido highlig...

Last week marked the 15th year of the Allegra European Coffee Symposium , held Barcelona. This high profile event welcomed leaders from across Europe’s coffee and hospitality industry for three days of networking, one-on-one meetings, thought leadership and the annual European Coffee Awards. As part of the conference programme, we were delighted to host a series of exclusive interviews with some o...

In today's episode we're continuing our series exploring the vast and diverse Colombian coffee market. In part one , Alejandro Cadena from Caravela Coffee, shared an overview of the country’s rich tapestry of microclimates and coffee varietals. And today we're immersing ourselves in Colombian coffee culture by speaking with Carolina Castañeda, Director for Europe, Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros...

In today's episode we're exploring the investment trail to find out how hospitality businesses can prepare and execute a successful funding strategy. We'll speak with David Abrahamovitch, CEO and founder of Grind - a boutique hospitality group that has completed a number of successful multi-million dollar funding rounds. In this conversation, David walks us through each stage of the brand's fundin...

In today's episode we're kicking off a new mini series on the Colombian coffee market, exploring the trends and future developments of this vast and diverse coffee growing country. First up, we speak with Alejandro Cadena, CEO & Founder of specialty green coffee exporter, Caravela Coffee , to get an overview of the market and Colombia's different growing regions. In this conversation, Alejandr...

In today's episode, we continue exploring the metrics and KPIs successful hospitality operators use to achieve outstanding results. Last week we heard from Colin Harmon of Dublin’s 3fe about the indicators he employs to maximise the performance of his coffee business. Next up, we speak with Andrew Purcell, Director of Always Bright Group and former Head of Operations for Central London at Soho Hou...

In the next two episodes we’re exploring the critical business metrics and KPIs successful coffee and hospitality operators use to achieve outstanding results. First up we speak with Colin Harmon, Founder and CEO of 3fe - an iconic chain of specialty coffee shops and roastery based in Dublin. In this conversation, Colin discusses the importance of taking a long-term view to achieve your goals and...

On the podcast today we're exploring the hospitality marketing landscape and unpacking the various channels and strategies operators can use to promote their brand. In conversations with Andrew Stone, Vice President Marketing at Bluestone Lane and marketing consultant Emily Karim , we find out how hospitality operators can successfully adapt to the fast-changing marketing landscape and consistentl...

In today’s episode we’re speaking with Tareq Alshaikh, co-founder of Pinnacle Group, the hospitality partner operating Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters, across the GCC. Founded in Australia by Toby Smith in the late 1990s, Toby’s Estate is now a highly respected and pioneering specialty coffee brand across the world. In 2015, Pinnacle Group partnered with Toby’s Estate to franchise the brand in the G...

Today, we’re finishing off our interview series speaking with some of New York’s leading boutique coffee businesses by catching up with Brandon Peña and Sam Sepulveda, Co-founders of 787 Coffee . Founded in 2017, 787 Coffee is one of the fastest boutique coffee chains in New York. They now operate 17 sites in the city, 2 in El Paso Texas and 4 in their native  Puerto Rico where they also operate t...

In today's episode we continue our interview series speaking with some of New York’s leading boutique coffee businesses. Next up we’re speaking with Gavin Compton and Ryan Wanslow, Owner and Managing Director respectively at Variety Coffee Roasters. In this conversation we discuss the importance of staying original and true to your roots, keeping it simple and, most of all - making sure you enjoy...

This week we’re back in New York City for the New York Coffee Festiva l 2023! Over the next three days we’re bringing you exclusive interviews with the founders of three highly successful boutique coffee businesses in New York. First up we speak with Hazel de los Reyes and Clare Lim, Co-founders Gumption Coffee .  In this conversation we discuss their belief in the transformational power of the co...

In today’s episode we’re speaking with Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, Founder of Colonna Coffee - a boutique specialty coffee business in the UK. A celebrated author and innovator in the world of coffee, Maxwell will soon be releasing a new book - The Business of Specialty Coffee - exploring the models and operating margins of businesses across the specialty coffee supply chain.  We sit down with Maxwe...

On the podcast today we’re delving into the worlds of coffee and sport to explore the synergies between these two high profile industries. We'll be speaking with Dr Lindsy Kass , Principle Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire to get a deeper understanding of what caffeine does to the body and how it can affect athletic performance. We'll also hear from Caleb Benoit, Founder, Connect Roasters and...

In our second episode of our summer break, we revisit another inspiring conversation I had with Isabela Raposeiras last year. Isabela is a former Brazilian Barista Champion, Founder of pioneering specialty coffee and coffee education business, Coffee Lab in São Paulo and one of the most accomplished female leaders in the global coffee industry. Credits music: "Curandeiras" by Isadora Canto Sign up...

We’re taking a short summer break here at 5THWAVE and returning to our usual schedule in two weeks. But to tide you over we’re revisiting a couple of our favourite conversations from the last three years. First up is an incredible James Hoffmann . James is a world-renowned figure in the global coffee industry. A former World Barista Champion, co-founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, and author o...

On the podcast today, we're continuing our exploration of talent management and finding out how Brexit, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis has impacted hospitality staffing in the UK. We speak with Mark McCulloch, marketing guru and Founder of Hospitality Rising to hear how the organisation's multi-layered media campaign is changing the perception of hospitality as a viable career. We also...

On the podcast today, we’re speaking with James Hennebry, entrepreneur and Co-founder of Rosslyn Coffee - a boutique specialty coffee business in the heart of London’s financial district and one of the city's standout hospitality venues. With a longstanding background in hospitality that’s taken him from his native Ireland to Asia, Melbourne Australia and now London, James opened the doors to Ross...