Coffee and Technology Podcast

Sensors, sensors, sensors! In today's IoT connected world, sensors are everywhere collecting all the data that's important to us and our businesses. In the realm of specialty coffee, sensors are an extremely valuable technological tool to collect all the data that affects the way coffee producers, traders, roasters, and cafes run their businesses. Dive into the world of sensors with Nick...

Darrin Daniel is the Executive Director of the Cup of Excellence and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence. Darrin has been at the forefront of coffee auctions around the world to achieve higher prices for producers and connect various roasters and producers worldwide through the Cup of Excellence. Throughout the episode, Darrin discusses his work at ACE and the COE and the opportunities/challenges t...

Jordan Michelman is the co-founder of Sprudge. Sprudge is an online media outlet that focuses on coffee news and coffee culture. Jordan has a passion for not only coffee culture but also the interrelation with food/beverage culture. Jordan speaks about his roots and journey to creating what Sprudge is today and his unique perspective on technology in the realm of journalism and blogging in coffee....

Martin Shabaya is a Kenyan Barista Champion and a finalist of the 2021 World Barista Championship in Milan. Martin shares his experience and journey in the WBC, the growth of Kenyan specialty coffee, and his passion for woodworking. More so than his tremendous achievements in coffee, Martin is also known for his contagious smile and his unrivaled kindness. Enjoy this unique episode from a well-res...

Rob Hoos is a world-renowned coffee roasting consultant based in Portland, Oregon. Rob is the author of Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee and is also the Founder of Iteration Coffee. We’ll talk to Rob about his post-covid approach to coffee consulting, the value of technology for remote roast consulting, and his plans with Iteration Coffee. Follow Rob on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/...

Anne Cooper is a coffee consultant based in Australia. Anne has spent a large part of her career between the US and Australia and has extensive knowledge across the entire supply chain. Anne is a world-renowned master coffee roaster. From barista to master coffee roaster and consultant, listen to Anne’s journey across the coffee world, her approach to roasting, and how technology has enabled her t...

Scott Rao is a coffee consultant, expert, and author specializing in cafe operation, barista training, and coffee roasting and brewing. Scott has spent a large part of his career consulting coffee businesses around the world, from small to commercial scaled operations. Enjoy this discussion where we learn about his coffee journey, his approach to roasting, data collection for roasters, and the imp...

Patrik Rolf is the Founder and CEO of April Coffee Roastery to discuss his new book, “From Nerd to Professional - a coffee journey by Patrik Rolf.” Along with that, he’ll discuss his perspective of tech in coffee and how tech has shaped his journey in coffee. You can support Patrik’s journey in publishing his book by visiting his Kickstarter “From Nerd to Professional - a coffee journey by Patrik...

Henry Wilson is the Founder of Perfect Daily Grind (PDG) and the Producer Roaster Forum (PRF). PDG is a digital coffee publication that is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. PRF is a global forum that connects coffee producers and coffee roasters worldwide in host origin countries to promote and enable trade in coffee. Henry discusses his experiences and the need for accessible coffee...

Sasa Sestic is the 2015 World Barista Champion from Australia and is the Founder of Ona Coffee and Project Origin Coffee. Sasa is well-known for also popularizing the Carbonic Maceration post-harvest processing method. Today, Sasa focuses on coaching up-and-coming barista champions and consulting various producers worldwide on best practice to maximize quality. Like most of the coffee world, Sasa...

Part 3 of our new year’s mini-series, “The Founder of Cropster," the founding crew gets together to discuss what their founding story means to them and the experience of starting a company with 3 co-founders in Colombia, the US, and Austria. What it's all about: Starting a truly global company with employees and a customer base around the world has its fair share of opportunities and cha...

In part 2 of the mini-series, "The Founders of Cropster," we speak to Martin Wiesinger, a co-founder and the CTO at Cropster. He’ll give us insights into the technical side of Cropster and his story as a founder. What it's all about: The technical side of coffee solutions is a space to still be explored and understood in the coffee industry. Many coffee professionals see the finishe...

In part 1 of our new year mini-series, “The Founders of Cropster,” we speak to Andreas Idl, a co-founder and CEO of Cropster GMBH. In his own words, Andreas discusses the beginnings and visionary side of Cropster. What it's all about: The future of the coffee industry and Cropster is continuing the incorporation, adoption, and access of technology. Andreas is a visionary figure at Cropster an...

Mokhtar Alkhanshali is the Founder of Port of Mokha and the Mokha Institute. Mokhtar is passionate about his Yemeni background and is committed to using coffee as a vehicle for peaceful and prosperous change for the Yemeni people. What it's all about: Yemeni coffee is high in demand but difficult to get. Mokhtar discusses his work as a Yemeni coffee producer and roaster and also tells us abou...

Noah Poletiek is the Director of Coffee at Chapman Crafted and has grown in the niche of coffee beer. Noah brings an interesting perspective on the art of sourcing and roasting coffees for coffee stouts. Learn with us from an expert on the science behind coffee beer! What it's all about: The science of brewing coffee via roasting and extraction continues to fascinate the industry, especially...

Eli Salomon is a co-founder of Ground Control Coffee, an innovative batch brewer that helps cafes maintain consistency, efficiency, and quality. Eli has a background in law and is now a successful entrepreneur in the coffee industry. What it's all about: Brewing coffee has become more and more innovative, with a plethora of brewing technologies coming to market for cafes and consumers worldwi...

In this episode, we speak with our dear friend Vera Espíndola. Vera is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Azahar Coffee and sits on the board of the Specialty Coffee Association. Vera’s research and work across the coffee industry has recently been a part of her work and involvement in the Sustainable Coffee Buyer's Guide. Join us as we discuss how coffee producers and coffee origins ar...

The current power dynamics in coffee are complex and still widely challenged by many in the industry. Norbert, Nick, and Daniel Mendoza discuss what the power dynamics currently look like and how more players across the supply chain can be empowered via knowledge. Daniel Mendoza is the Sales Manager for North America and Oceania at Cropster. He has worked in different areas of the supply chain in...

Gregory Ward is the founder of Bridge City Coffee, a coffee shop and coffee roaster in Greenville, South Carolina, that focuses on building community through quality coffee and employment opportunities. Greg is also a founder of the Bridge Fund, which provides financial support for his employees related to health, transportation, housing, and education. What it's all about: Entrepreneurship w...

Coffee subscriptions and virtual coffee tastings are becoming more and more popular among coffee consumers. Suyog Mody, a founder of Driftaway Coffee, tells his story about why he started a subscription model coffee business and his successes of offering virtual tastings throughout the pandemic. And for all of our data gurus, Norbert and Suyog outline the importance of data collection, data manage...

George Howell is the founder of New England-based George Howell Coffee. George is a true pioneer of the specialty coffee movement and has been at the forefront of every major industry shift, including his founding of the Cup of Excellence. George has also been an industry leader in freezing coffee. What it's all about: It's a pleasure to learn more about George's story in specialty...

Albert is a Senior Vice President of Trading at StoneX. Stone X is a financial services company and is among one of the largest commission commodity houses in the world. Albert’s expertise spans across commodity brokerage in the commodity futures markets. Albert brings a wealth of financial knowledge into the coffee industry and has spent a lot of time educating coffee professionals around the wor...

In the 21st century, company culture and work/life balance are front and center of the coffee and tech sectors. And now with remote work and other life changes because of the covid-19 pandemic, the way we approach and navigate our work environment is important now more than ever. Nick and Norbert discuss what it means to have a healthy company culture and what it takes for businesses/leaders to st...

Marcus Young is the Demand Generation Manager at Cropster where develops content, events, and educational programs. He is a certified Q-Grader, an authorized SCA trainer, and has over 15 years of industry experience. During his time with Sustainable Harvest, he was based in Rwanda sourcing E. African coffees and developing a market for coffee in Rwanda. Marcus brings a wealth of knowledge and expe...

QR codes have been around for quite some time and still have more potential for real-life application, especially in the coffee industry. Norbert and Nick give a brief history of QR codes, where they are today, and where they will be in the future. They'll also apply this understanding and explore the role of QR codes in the specialty coffee industry. Learn more about Cropster: https://www.cr...