5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality World Coffee Portal

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with a true industry legend - Todd Carmichael, specialty coffee pioneer and Co-founder of La Colombe Coffee Roasters.

From humble beginnings, Todd founded La Colombe with his business partner JP Iberti in Philadelphia in 1994 and together, they grew the business into one of the most influential coffee brands in North America. In 2023 La Colombe was fully acquired by yoghurt giant Chobani for an incredible $900m.
In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Todd is an inventor, philanthropist, TV personality and fearless adventurer. His latest project Loftiwater is a ground-breaking non-carbon gas sparkling beverage that infuses water, natural flavourings and blended gasses into a refreshing beverage.
In this candid conversation, Todd shares how relentless creativity, innovation and risk-taking drove La Colombe to success. He also reflects on his childhood and the profound impact coffee has had in shaping his resilient and creative mindset.
Credits music: "If I Fall" by Christie Huff in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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In today's episode we're exploring the Antipodean influence on London's brunch culture and finding out how this unique style of hospitality made its mark in the UK capital’s fiercely competitive casual dining scene.
 
We'll be speaking with the founders behind three of London’s iconic Antipodean-inspired all-day restaurants to find out how brunch culture has evolved across the city, and how they design and develop their mouth-watering menus. 
We'll hear from Miles Kirby, Co-founder and Chef Director, Caravan Restaurants and Caravan Coffee Roasters, Shelagh Ryan, Co-founder and Food Director, Lantana, and Elliot Milne, Founder, Milk Beach.
Credits music: "Hold on to Us" by The Dunwells, Daisy Chute and Hollie Rogers in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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In today’s episode we’re speaking with one of the most innovative pioneers within the global coffee equipment market, Kees van der Westen.
Since designing his first machine in 1984, Kees has been an industry trailblazer, known for an unwavering commitment to quality, boundary-pushing design and innovation. Today Kees focuses on research and development, while the core business operations are run by his wife and three daughters.
In this conversation, Kees is joined by his daughter Yvette van der Westen to unpack the family story behind the eponymous brand and discuss recent growth opportunities in Asia. Kees also shares his design philosophy and the importance of maintaining human touch and craftsmanship in an increasingly automated world.
Credits music: "Practice What You Preach" by Russo & Co. in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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In today’s episode we’re speaking with Hans Tietema, Founder of the highly-respected Dutch retail and coffee bar chain Kaldi Koffie & Thee.

With over 30 years of experience in the coffee industry, Hans has grown Kaldi from a single shop to a thriving franchise business with 25 sites across the Netherlands plus a recent partnership in Saudi Arabia.

In this conversation Hans shares insight on his expansion strategies, the challenges in finding the right franchise partners and his decision to enter the Saudi market. He also highlights the value in cultural understanding when entering new markets and the importance of always staying true to your core concept.
Credits music: "Clouds" by PIEN in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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Today we’re rounding off our series on the business of coffee roasting by finding out how leading roasters establish and nurture their wholesale partnerships.
We'll speak with Colin Morrison, Managing Director, Small Batch Coffee Roasters, Petr Kvasnička, Owner, Father's Coffee Roastery and Alex Spruce, Sales Director, Löfbergs UK, to understand how they market their brand and generate new business, and the ongoing support they provide their wholesale clients.
Credits music: "Měsíc" by David Pomahač in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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In this episode we’re speaking with David Steingard, CEO and co-founder of New York-based coffee business, Laughing Man.

David founded Laughing Man in 2009 with his business partners, united by a vision to foster connection, positivity and community through coffee. The company has also set up a related charitable initiative The Laughing Man Foundation and more recently, the content creation space Laughing Man Studios.

In this conversation, David shares incredible insight and wisdom from his years building and scaling a boutique business and discusses his upcoming plans for expanding via franchising. He also shares Laughing Man’s mission to improve the lives of coffee growing communities, supporting better housing, education scholarships and women-led cooperatives.
Credits music: "Aurora" by Matt Kent in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective
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