CoffeeU

Josh and Rachel Parvin host a special global edition of CoffeeU! They sit down with two key members of the Baba Java International team: Halez (Fujairah, UAE) and Justin (working across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf). In this episode, the team shares how they got into specialty coffee, their roles supporting green coffee sales across the Middle East, and what makes the Gulf coffee scene unique, from e...

Nathan and Brad sit down with Grant Austin, manager of Baba Java’s original Hoover cafe. Grant shares his journey from growing up in Alabama, training as a machinist, to stepping into coffee full-time. He talks about transitioning from Meadowbrook (under Jason) to managing Hoover, the challenges of running a busy cafe, and what makes Hoover special, from long-time regulars to its broad customer mi...

In this episode of CoffeeU, Nathan and Brad sit down with Jayson Dobelstein, manager of Baba Java’s Meadowbrook cafe. Jayson shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Birmingham, to living in Bolivia, Peru, and Ethiopia, to returning stateside and starting Double Stone Handywork as a contractor and remodeler. He built out Baba Java’s Montevallo cafe (RIP) and later helped with Nathan’s home...

Josh and Rachel Parvin join Nathan and Brad for a great conversation about the current state of Baba Java International in Dubai! In this episode, the couple shares how Baba Java is growing its presence in the Middle East by selling high-quality green coffee from their trusted farm partners to specialty roasters across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and beyond. They discuss exciting developme...

We've heard from our cafe managers and American marketing department about their experience at the massive World of Coffee tradeshow in Dubai, now it's time to hear from our Dubai team! Baba Java's American branch is mostly a roaster and cafes. In the UAE we handle the other side of the coffee business, gathering the best beans from the best farms from all over the world and selling th...

Welcome to Season 4 of CoffeeU! In this episode, Nathan and Brad sit down with Noelle, a key member of the Baba Java marketing team, for a fun and personal conversation. Noelle shares her journey from growing up in the Alabaster/Montevallo area, to becoming a barista at the Montevallo café (RIP), and eventually transitioning into full-time marketing after graduating with a graphic design degree. S...

We’re continuing our threepart series on World of Coffee Dubai! Nathan and Brad sit down with Noelle from the Baba Java marketing team, fresh back from her first experience at the massive Middle East coffee expo. Noelle shares what surprised her most: the explosion of bold, fruity co-fermented coffees (including a frankincense infused one and a piña colada style pour-over), the strong B2B focus co...

Welcome to CoffeeU Season 4! Nathan and Brad are joined by Christopher Tickell (Baba Java's Homewood Cafe Manager) and Jayson Dobelstein (Baba Java's Meadowbrook Cafe Manager) fresh from their recent trip to the World of Coffee in Dubai. In this opening episode of our three part series on the massive Middle East specialty coffee expo, the guys share what surprised them most: the explosion...

Join us for the thrilling CoffeeU Season 3 finale, recorded live at Baba Java Coffee’s Meadowbrook Cafe in Birmingham, Alabama! Hosts Nathan and Brad, along with a lively audience of CoffeeU listeners and Baba Java fans, dive into the heart of Baba Java’s global impact. Hear from Randy Webb, US Marketing Director, about his transformative trip to the Ramirez Estate in the Dominican Republic, where...

Join Nathan and Brad as they welcome back original CoffeeU cast members Josh and Rachel Parvin from Dubai in this episode! The Parvins dive into Baba Java’s unique role in the Middle East, selling ethically sourced green coffee to specialty roasters across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and even Iraq. Josh shares insights on navigating Dubai’s saturated coffee market with nearly 200 specialty roasters, wh...

Join Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Christopher Tickell, the manager of Baba Java Coffee’s Homewood location, in this episode of CoffeeU. Christopher shares his journey from Memphis to Virginia Beach, and finally to Alabama, where he’s built a family and a thriving career without a traditional education. From arcade sales to building his own house, Christopher’s diverse experiences have sha...

Join hosts Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Lee Wideman, Director of Client Services, and Nicholas Hannah, from the roasting team at Baba Java Coffee, to dive into their trip to Colombia’s coffee farms. In this episode, the trio recounts their visit to Forest Coffee, a partner in northwest Colombia, where they met farmers like Jorge and Yeraldine, cupped nearly 50 coffees, and celebrated the...

Join hosts Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Lee Wideman, Director of Client Services at Baba Java Coffee, for an engaging episode of CoffeeU. Lee shares his journey from a military kid in Quebec to a key player at Baba Java, offering a glimpse into his life, family, and unexpected path from car sales to coffee. Discover how the Client Services Team (CST) acts as Baba Java’s ambassadors, bring...

Join Nathan and Brad as they welcome back special guest Abigail Phillips, head barista and trainer extraordinaire at Baba Java Coffee, for another episode of CoffeeU. In this installment, Abby and Brad share their expert tips and hacks for brewing great coffee while traveling. From using an Aeropress on an airplane and bribing flight attendants, to crafting a makeshift pourover with a styrofoam cu...

Join hosts Nathan and Brad as they team up with Baba Java Coffee’s head barista, Abby Phillips, for a brew-tiful episode of CoffeeU! Abby spills the beans on game-changing hacks for drip, pour-over, and French press brewing. From a secret weapon to keep your drip machine spotless to a clever trick for the perfect pour-over bloom, and a surprising French press technique to dodge bitterness, this ep...

Join hosts Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Abby Phillips, Baba Java’s head barista and trainer, for an expert guide to brewing espresso at home. In this episode Abby shares essential tips and techniques, from ensuring your portafilter is hot, clean, and dry to mastering milk steaming for that perfect latte texture. Learn the importance of a burr grinder, proper tamping, and using a scale for...

In what many are saying is the best episode of CoffeeU yet, hosts Brad and Nathan introduce the newest member of the marketing team, Matt Powell, who steps out from behind the video switcher to share his story. Matt, a former musician turned audio engineer, videographer, and photographer, brings a wealth of creative expertise to the team. Despite his lifelong aversion to drinking coffee, Matt dive...

Join us for Episode 6 of CoffeeU, where we sit down with Baba Java Coffee’s North American Marketing Director to hear about his visit to the Ramirez Estate in the Dominican Republic. Discover how this specialty coffee farm is making a profound difference in the Jarabacoa community by creating sustainable jobs, supporting education, and fostering local development. From building a modern school tha...

Join Nathan and Brad in the 5th episode of CoffeeU as they dive into the fascinating world of coffee processing! Learn about the different methods, natural, washed, wet hulled, and honey processing, and how they shape the flavors in your cup. Discover a controversial yet innovative technique, including Baba Java's latest coffee from Colombia. With only a limited supply available (we bought all...

Join us for an exciting episode of the CoffeeU Podcast as we dive into the highlights of the SCA Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston! Hosts Nathan and Brad are joined by special guests Abby Phillips, Head Trainer at Baba Java Coffee, and Christopher Tickell, manager of the Homewood store, to share their experiences from the event soon to be known as World of Coffee. In this episode, we explore the co...

Join us for Episode 3 of CoffeeU, where we dive into Part 2 of our Dubai adventure! Nathan and Brad are joined by special guests Joshua and Rachel Parvin to recap their experience at the World of Coffee expo in Dubai. Discover what makes this global specialty coffee expo a must-attend event, from Baba Java’s booth showcasing their exceptional coffees to meeting roasters and farmers from around the...

Join us on this exciting episode of CoffeeU as hosts Nathan Parvin and Brad Haynes welcome special-ty guests Joshua and Rachel Parvin, joining all the way from Dubai, UAE— 8,000 miles away! Joshua and Rachel, key players in launching CoffeeU and Baba Java Coffee, share their journey of expanding Baba Java to the Middle East. Discover why Dubai is a global coffee hub, how they’re bringing specialty...

S3 E1: We’re Back! New Stores, New Ventures, and a New Lease on Life After a year-and-a-half hiatus, CoffeeU is back with a bang! Join us as we recap the wild ride since our last episode: two new Baba Java stores (Meadowbrook and Homewood), a sweet partnership with Pop Bar for gelato pops, and Josh’s green coffee triumph in Dubai. Our wholesale team’s thriving, we’ve added Colombian coffees (Pink...

In this episode, Nathan, Brad and Joshua interview Jacob Phillips about all things mobile. They cover how they source their mobile units electricity, how they stay prepared for each event and how they manage up-keep on their mobile coffee vehicles. Nathan is the president and co-founder of Baba Java Coffee. He founded Baba Java Coffee alongside his son, Joshua Parvin in 2018. Nathan serves as the...

In this episode, Nathan, Brad, and Joshua Interview Lee Wideman about the best places to station a mobile coffee vehicle. They discuss some strategies to finding the best location and booking the most beneficial events by prioritizing two aspects. Nathan is the president and co-founder of Baba Java Coffee. He founded Baba Java Coffee alongside his son, Joshua Parvin in 2018. Nathan serves as the b...