5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

World Coffee Portal

A forward-thinking interview series examining the business of progressive coffee culture. The 5THWAVE Podcast is hosted by Jeffrey Young, Editor-in-Chief of 5THWAVE magazine and Founder of Allegra Group. Each episode features inspiring stories, business lessons, and thought leadership from the entrepreneurs and industry experts blazing trails to success across the world of coffee. The podcast will delve into the detail of achieving operational excellence, get to grips with green coffee sourcing and seek out the very best of global coffee culture. We’ll also examine the future of e-commerce and coffee at home, the changing face of cafés and coffee shops, and how to hone winning HR strategies – plus much more. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify to listen to all the credits music featured the show: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45goieo3qIN1xT9hSGnWeI Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVEPodcast

  1. MAR 13

    Standing out from the crowd – a conversation with Gabriel Shohet, Black Sheep

    In today’s episode, we're speaking Gabriel Shohet, Co-founder of of UK coffee trailblazer Black Sheep Coffee. Founded in 2013 with friend and business partner Eirik Holth, Black Sheep had a bold vision: to champion specialty-grade robusta at a time when the industry was almost entirely focused on arabica. Since then, the brand has achieved remarkable success, scaling to over 130 outlets across five markets and capturing the attention of a new generation of coffee drinkers along the way.  In this conversation, Gabriel reflects on Black Sheep’s philosophy of challenging the status quo and choosing not to blindly follow industry trends. He also shares insight into the brand’s US expansion strategy – targeting Sunbelt states like Texas and Florida over more well-trodden markets such as New York and LA – to show the model resonates with a broader, more inclusive American audience. Credits music: "Shock Me" by Gina Zo in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    37 min

  2. MAR 6

    Precision and craft – a conversation with the founders of MAME

    In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Emi Fukahori and Mathieu Theis, Co-founders of Swiss specialty coffee business MAME. Multiple-time Swiss competition winners, Emi and Mathieu founded MAME in Zurich in 2016, driven by a shared passion for coffee tasting, sensory analysis and competition craft, combined with Japanese precision. Today, they operate eight coffee shops across Zurich and Geneva and, one most recently, Tokyo. In this conversation, Emi and Mathieu share their guiding principles for tailoring every guest experience and creating memorable coffee moments. They also discuss how they’ve drawn inspiration from Michelin-starred chefs to scale high-quality and maintain a strong brand identity as they grow internationally. Credits music: "Lay on Grass" by Sam Stokes in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    37 min

  3. FEB 24

    Viennese coffee culture past and present

    In today’s episode, we explore Vienna’s fascinating and distinct coffee culture – from the grand 19th-century coffee houses that shaped the city’s intellectual life to the specialty scene redefining coffee today. What is the lasting legacy of Vienna’s historic coffee houses? How do heritage and modernity coexist in Vienna? And how has specialty coffee carved out its place within the city's deeply rooted café tradition? We’ll hear from Art Historian Jamie Reurs, Johanna Parker (née Wechselberger), Founder of The Vienna School of Coffee and Philip Feyer Founder, of Jonas Reindl Coffee Roasters. Credits music: "Miraculous Wonders" by Akeira Jade in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show To The Coffee House by Peter Altenberg If you have troubles of one sort or another – to the coffee houseShe can't come to you for some reason, no matter how plausible – to the coffee houseYou have holes in your shoes – the coffee houseYou have a salary of 400 crowns and spend 500 – the coffee houseYou are frugal and permit yourself nothing – the coffee houseYou find no woman who suits you – the coffee houseYou hate and disdain people and yet you cannot do without them – go to the coffee houseNobody extends you any more credit anywhere – the coffee house Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    37 min

  4. FEB 16

    Digital-first chains: The Coffee and Lap – live at The European Coffee Symposium

    In today’s episode, we’re sharing two standout conversations recorded live on stage at the European Coffee Symposium last year, featuring Brazil’s The Coffee and Germany’s Lap Coffee – two highly ambitious, scalable brands built for the modern consumer. First, Frank Maeda, Head of Europe at The Coffee, explores the brand’s rapid global expansion, shaped by Japanese minimalism, high-tech efficiency and a digital-first approach. Then, Tonalli Arreola, Co-Founder of Lap Coffee, shares how automation and digitisation streamline operations, freeing up baristas to focus on what matters most – the hospitality experience. Credits music: "Good Morning" by Lua de Morais and Sharon Mor in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    28 min

  5. FEB 6

    The journey of a lifetime – a conversation with Edwin Harrison, Curious Roo Coffee Roasters

    In today’s episode, we welcome back to the studio Edwin Harrison, Co-founder of London’s Artisan and Curious Roo Coffee Roasters. Founded in 2011 by Edwin and his wife Magda, Artisan is a pioneering and influential voice in London’s specialty coffee scene. Edwin and Magda also run the Artisan Coffee School, where they share their expertise and work to elevate standards across the industry. In this conversation, Edwin shares the very ambitious project he’s about to undertake with his family: An extraordinary 20,000 kilometre coffee journey over land and sea from London to Perth, Australia, in attempt to break the record for the furthest coffee bag ever delivered by hand. Follow Edwin and Magda's journey here. Credits music: "Earth Song" by Zana Messia in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    35 min

  6. JAN 28

    Danish inspiration – Joe + The Juice and Hagen live at The European Coffee Symposium

    Today, we’re bringing you two live recordings from last year’s European Coffee Symposium, featuring conversations with Joe & The Juice and Hagen. While both are Danish-inspired concepts, each offers a distinct perspective on growth and the customer experience. Thomas Nørøxe, CEO of Joe & The Juice, shares how the business has built a high-performance culture rooted in energy, ambition and personal development. He also explains how innovation across the brand is guided by four core pillars: health, experience, convenience and sustainability. Tim Schroeder, CEO and Founder of boutique specialty coffee chain Hagen, shares his philosophy of building an analogue brand in a digital world and why he prioritises human connection and in-store experiences over a reliance on digital technology. Credits music: "Heather" by Ayngi in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    33 min

  7. JAN 16

    Innovation, sustainability and independent spirit – a conversation with Assembly Coffee

    Today we’re bringing you a special episode in collaboration with the London Coffee Guide and Podcast, and republishing an insightful conversation with Nick Mabey and Michael Cleland, co-founders of London’s Assembly Coffee. Founded in 2015, Assembly Coffee is an innovative specialty coffee roastery known for its commitment to sustainability and excellence. In this conversation, Nick and Michael discuss what it means to define your own version of success, and how to scale a business with sustainability at its heart. For more on London’s specialty scene and interviews with the likes of Special Guests, Batch Baby and Hermanos, tune into the London Coffee Podcast. Credits music: "Soho" by Eirra in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    39 min

  8. JAN 9

    The future of coffee in DACH with Gerd Mueller-Pfeiffer – Recorded live at COHO

    Today we’re bringing you another session recorded live at the European Coffee Symposium + COHO. Taking to the stage is Gerd Müller-Pfeiffer, Founder of International Coffee Consulting. In this session, Gerd explores the key trends shaping the DACH coffee shop market and how consumers are continuing to trade up and seek premium experiences despite ongoing inflation pressures. He also highlights how the bakery segment has quietly become a critical engine of out-of-home coffee growth across Germany. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.com Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

    23 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

A forward-thinking interview series examining the business of progressive coffee culture. The 5THWAVE Podcast is hosted by Jeffrey Young, Editor-in-Chief of 5THWAVE magazine and Founder of Allegra Group. Each episode features inspiring stories, business lessons, and thought leadership from the entrepreneurs and industry experts blazing trails to success across the world of coffee. The podcast will delve into the detail of achieving operational excellence, get to grips with green coffee sourcing and seek out the very best of global coffee culture. We’ll also examine the future of e-commerce and coffee at home, the changing face of cafés and coffee shops, and how to hone winning HR strategies – plus much more. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify to listen to all the credits music featured the show: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45goieo3qIN1xT9hSGnWeI Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVEPodcast

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