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Advertising SponsorWant to increase your brand awareness in the coffee industry? Advertise on this Map It Forward podcast. Email [email protected] and start the conversation today. Episode Description This is part 5 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany. The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market. Coffee businesses frequently describe regulatory compliance as expensive, complicated, and frustrating. But can the requirements that create additional work also provide opportunities to build stronger businesses and more transparent supply chains? In this final episode, Lee and Bram examine how coffee roasters and importers can approach compliance as something more than an administrative burden. Bram explains why Paso Paso has made regulatory preparedness an important part of its operations, particularly given its unconventional ownership structure, which brings together coffee farming families from producing countries as shareholders in a German roasting business. The conversation examines European supply chain regulations, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and packaging requirements intended to improve consumer safety and reduce environmental harm. Bram describes how Paso Paso's existing relationships with its producer-shareholders have enabled the company to collect information about where its coffee is grown and prepare documentation relating to deforestation requirements. They also discuss Paso Paso's packaging decisions, including its use of laboratory-tested mono-material plastic bags designed to simplify recycling and avoid certain harmful substances. For Bram, this preparation is not simply about meeting legal obligations. It is also about protecting customers, reducing uncertainty for wholesale partners, and demonstrating that the business takes its responsibilities seriously. The discussion distinguishes mandatory regulatory compliance from voluntary certifications and explores why small businesses can simultaneously support the objectives of legislation while questioning the costs and bureaucracy associated with implementation. Lee and Bram consider how regulation can encourage greater accountability and transparency throughout the coffee supply chain, even when its implementation creates substantial challenges for businesses with limited resources. As the five-part series concludes, Bram reflects on what he hopes Paso Paso will contribute to the coffee industry in the years ahead. His ambition is not necessarily to build a large company, but to demonstrate that alternative approaches to ownership, trade, and business relationships are commercially possible and to encourage other businesses to consider how they operate. Bram closes with a message for entrepreneurs: build a business you can be proud of, not simply because of its appearance or profitability, but because of the positive role it plays in the lives of employees, suppliers, customers, and the wider community. This episode concludes a series examining what it takes to build a responsible coffee business through farmer ownership, direct relationships, resilient operations, sustainable pricing, and regulatory preparedness. Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee: Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/ Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/ Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany. The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market. What is the real difference between operating a wholesale coffee roastery and a retail coffee roastery, and why does understanding that distinction matter so much for profitability? In this episode, Lee and Bram examine the financial and operational differences between these two business models, including how they approach production, staffing, pricing, cash flow, and business growth. Bram explains that wholesale roasteries primarily supply other businesses, particularly coffee shops, hotels, and restaurants. Retail-focused roasteries, by contrast, sell directly to consumers through their own cafés, retail locations, or e-commerce operations. While both models involve roasting and selling coffee, their cost structures and commercial pressures can be very different. Wholesale roasteries are particularly exposed to fluctuations in green coffee prices and the financing costs associated with holding inventory. Retail operations, especially cafés, face greater pressure from staffing costs, foot traffic, and day-to-day operational demands. The conversation also explores the limitations of small in-store roasting operations. Although attractive as a business concept, combining a small roaster with a café can create production inefficiencies and limit growth without changes to equipment, staffing, and the operating model. Lee and Bram then discuss one of the most important differences between wholesale and retail pricing: in wholesale, both the roastery and its business customers must earn a viable margin. Bram explains why a 20% wholesale retail margin may be insufficient for specialty coffee shops, and why discounts in the range of 30% to 50% are more commercially realistic in many circumstances. They also examine payment terms and the cash-flow risks associated with extending credit to wholesale customers, compared with receiving immediate payment from consumers. The second half of the episode focuses on scaling. Paso Paso currently operates with approximately 70% of its sales through wholesale and 30% through e-commerce and direct sales. Bram explains why this balance supports production efficiency while allowing the company to participate in the higher-margin direct-to-consumer market. He introduces the concept of peak profitability: the point at which a business is making the most effective use of its existing capacity before further growth requires significant investment. For Paso Paso, Bram estimates that its current operation could produce approximately 6,000 kilograms of roasted coffee per month without fundamentally changing its infrastructure. Beyond that point, expansion would likely require larger premises, additional equipment, more employees, and new investment, temporarily reducing profitability before the next phase of growth. The conversation concludes by exploring why some wholesale roasteries eventually move into retail to capture more value, and why that decision requires an entirely different commercial strategy rather than simply opening a café or launching an online store. This episode offers an important perspective for anyone operating, developing, or investing in a coffee roasting business: understanding which business model you're building is fundamental to making informed decisions about pricing, profitability, and growth. Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee: Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/ Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/ Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorWant to join our Map It Forward Monthly Community Discussion Group? Head to https://patreon.com/mapitforward to join the community by signing up for the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. This community is open to all stakeholders in the coffee industry Episode Description This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany. The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market. How do you build a resilient coffee business when the decisions that create long-term stability also require taking significant financial and operational risks? In this episode, Lee and Bram explore the relationship between risk and resilience, and how Paso Paso has approached building a business that can withstand volatility across the coffee supply chain. Bram explains why taking risks has been fundamental to establishing Paso Paso. From purchasing roasting equipment and green coffee inventory to investing in branding and customer relationships, the business has deliberately committed capital to assets and activities that support its long-term independence. For the five coffee farming families who collectively own most of Paso Paso, those risks began with investing in a company on the other side of the world. But Bram argues that resilience depends on more than financial investment. The relationships connecting producers, the roastery, and wholesale customers are even more important. Paso Paso works to create predictable supply for coffee shops through consistent quality, pricing, service, and long-term relationships with the same farming families. Approximately 70% of its business is wholesale, making customer retention and commercial reliability central to its operating model. The conversation also examines what resilience looks like inside the roastery itself. Bram approaches coffee roasting as food manufacturing, prioritising operational efficiency, backup equipment, reliable packaging supplies, and insurance rather than relying solely on the romanticised image of artisanal roasting. Lee and Bram then discuss how Paso Paso has navigated rising green coffee prices, currency fluctuations, and broader market volatility. Bram explains that the company is working towards paying $5 FOB for its green coffee while simultaneously reducing production overheads as volumes grow. With the roastery currently operating at approximately 30% capacity, improving efficiency is helping the business absorb higher purchasing costs. Finally, they examine the customer side of resilience. Bram argues that a coffee business cannot build lasting commercial relationships unless its customers are also able to operate profitably. For Paso Paso, that means making sure wholesale coffee shops can earn sustainable margins on the coffee they purchase, alongside receiving dependable service and consistent quality. This episode offers a practical perspective on building resilient coffee businesses by aligning financial decisions, operational capabilities, supplier relationships, and customer profitability. Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee: Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/ Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/ Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany. The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market. In this episode, Lee and Bram explore what it actually takes to manage direct relationships with coffee producers and import coffee into the consuming market. Paso Paso is owned by Bram and five coffee farming families based across Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Unlike conventional direct trade arrangements, the farmers are both suppliers and shareholders in the German roasting business. Bram explains how they established this ownership structure, the legal processes involved, and why their operating agreements require transactions to deliver economic benefits to both the farms and the roastery. The intention isn't to pay unsustainably inflated prices for green coffee. Instead, Paso Paso's producers aim to benefit twice: first by selling coffee profitably to the roastery, and again through the growth and potential profits of the business they collectively own. A particularly important part of the conversation focuses on communication between origin and the consuming market. Bram explains why direct feedback about how coffees perform commercially is essential for building lasting relationships. Rather than simply replacing a coffee or switching suppliers when something doesn't sell, Paso Paso works with its producer partners to understand the problem and identify alternatives. But direct relationships also create financial and operational challenges. Bram shares the reality of managing excess green coffee inventory, including Paso Paso's approach to selling surplus stock through its 'After Party' offering. He also explains why financing and storage have historically represented approximately 20% of Paso Paso's green coffee costs, and how importing their first container independently from Costa Rica allowed them to reduce costs by approximately 16%. The discussion explores how Paso Paso is beginning to use internally generated funds and shareholder loans to finance coffee purchases, potentially reducing its dependence on external financing. This is a practical examination of direct coffee trade, from legal ownership and producer feedback to inventory management, capital requirements, and international logistics. It also raises an important question for the coffee industry: how much of the difficulty associated with direct importing comes from the physical movement of coffee, and how much comes from financing the transaction? Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee: Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/ Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/ Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany. Three years after Bram first appeared on the podcast to introduce Paso Paso's alternative business model, he returns to explain how the business has developed, what they've learned, and whether their approach to coffee trading and roasting is proving commercially viable. Paso Paso operates differently from most coffee roasteries. Five coffee farming families collectively hold 75% ownership of the company, while Bram holds the remaining 25%. The roastery exclusively purchases coffee from those farming families, creating a business structure in which producers participate in the consuming market and share in the value created through roasting and selling their coffee. In this first episode, Lee and Bram explore what happens when a former green coffee trader applies the principles of international coffee trading to operating a roastery. Bram explains a fundamental difference between traders and roasters: traders typically seek to secure buyers before committing to coffee purchases, while many roasters purchase inventory before knowing exactly how they will sell it. At Paso Paso, that distinction has shaped a business built around long-term relationships, detailed demand forecasting, and planning coffee purchases 12 to 18 months in advance. The conversation also explores how Paso Paso has grown to supply approximately 40 coffee shops regularly, why securing long-term customers is different from securing individual orders, and how hundreds of small wholesale transactions contribute to a more predictable business. Lee and Bram also revisit one of Paso Paso's earliest and most significant investments: branding. Bram explains why the investment has paid off, how packaging influences purchasing behaviour, and why Paso Paso deliberately makes the producer's name the most prominent element on its coffee bags. Rather than continuously introducing new producers and coffees, Paso Paso aims to help customers develop lasting recognition of the farming families behind its products. This episode examines how ownership, procurement, branding, and customer relationships can work together to create a different kind of coffee business, and what other roasters and traders can learn from the model. Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee: Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/ Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/ Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description **CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, workplace violence, psychological abuse, gender discrimination, intimidation, and harassment. Some of the experiences and situations referenced may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening. This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil. The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and we're opening a conversation about what women experience in the coffee industry, the behaviours that have been normalised, and why so many women feel unable to speak openly about what's happened to them. In this first episode, Lee and Isabela share deeply personal and confronting accounts of sexual assault, harassment, intimidation, and abuse of power within the coffee industry. Lee recounts two experiences shared with her by women in the industry, including a young employee who was allegedly assaulted by her employer during a business trip and another woman who described repeated sexual assaults by her boss while feeling financially trapped in her employment. Isabela shares her own experience of being sexually assaulted by a senior executive at a coffee company in Brazil, and the devastating discovery that, according to information subsequently shared with her, other senior men at the company had discussed and anticipated the encounter. Together, they explore the culture that allows these experiences to go unchallenged, the fear of professional retaliation, the silence of bystanders, and the difficulty women face in being recognised as professionals rather than being judged or objectified because of their gender. This is not a conversation about hating men. It's a conversation about understanding what women experience in coffee and challenging an industry that too often allows unacceptable behaviour to continue without accountability. The question that runs through this series is simple: What can we do? We encourage everyone in the coffee industry, particularly men, to listen to all five episodes and share this conversation with their colleagues. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab: Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description **CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, workplace violence, psychological abuse, gender discrimination, intimidation, and harassment. Some of the experiences and situations referenced may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening. This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil. The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and in this episode, Lee and Isabela address a question they've repeatedly encountered when discussing women's experiences in the coffee industry: What exactly constitutes unacceptable behaviour? Not all unacceptable behaviour involves physical violence or sexual harassment. Sometimes it involves interrupting women during professional conversations, dismissing their expertise, making condescending remarks, humiliating them publicly, or refusing to respect their boundaries. Isabela shares experiences of being undermined professionally, including an encounter with a coffee producer who repeatedly interrupted her during a business discussion and a confrontation at a roasting event where her technical knowledge and experience were dismissed. Despite decades of experience working with roasting equipment, Isabela describes being told she didn't know what she was talking about by a man who had considerably less experience with the particular machine being discussed. Lee and Isabela examine why these interactions are unacceptable, how gender bias can influence professional discussions, and why men who witness this behaviour have an important role in challenging it. Lee makes a direct appeal to men in the coffee industry: When you see someone being verbally attacked, dismissed, or humiliated, don't wait until afterward to offer private sympathy. Speak up while it's happening. The conversation also explores the importance of establishing boundaries and why women should not be expected to accommodate unwanted attention, aggressive communication, or demands on their time. Lee shares a recent experience involving a man who became verbally aggressive after she declined to arrange a telephone conversation on his terms. She uses the incident to explain why respecting someone's boundaries is not optional and why refusing a request should not invite hostility or personal attacks. Isabela discusses how she has learned to respond to professional criticism, personal attacks, and damaging rumours by addressing people directly, sometimes using humour, empathy, and conversation to challenge their behaviour without escalating the conflict. She also recounts being introduced publicly as a controversial or loud woman and challenging the assumptions behind those descriptions. Throughout this episode, Lee and Isabela emphasise that disagreement is not the problem. People can challenge ideas, hold different opinions, and engage in difficult professional conversations without resorting to intimidation, humiliation, or discrimination. The question is whether the coffee industry is prepared to recognise these behaviours, challenge them when they happen, and create professional environments where women receive the same respect and consideration as their male colleagues. In Part 5, we'll bring the series to its conclusion by answering the question so many people ask when these issues are raised: What can we do? Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab: Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorWant to join our Map It Forward Monthly Community Discussion Group? Head to https://patreon.com/mapitforward to join the community by signing up for the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. This community is open to all stakeholders in the coffee industry Episode Description **CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, rape threats, death threats, harassment, misogyny, intimidation, and workplace discrimination. Some personal experiences shared may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening. This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil. The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and in this episode, we're examining the boys' club in the coffee industry: the informal networks of loyalty and influence that can protect men from scrutiny while leaving women unsupported when they experience intimidation, harassment, or professional exclusion. Isabela discusses what she describes as a culture of patriarchy in Brazil's coffee industry, including her experiences of damaging rumours, attacks on her professional reputation, and what she believes were attempts by competitors to undermine her business. Lee shares a deeply personal account of launching Elixir Specialty Coffee and receiving rape threats, death threats, and sustained online abuse. She discusses the emotional and professional consequences of public criticism and the failure of industry colleagues to challenge threatening and degrading comments made about her. The conversation includes Lee's experience involving a video published by coffee content creator James Hoffmann, the abusive comments she says followed, and her attempts to address the situation. Lee also recounts that Hoffmann subsequently removed the video after she contacted him again. Together, Lee and Isabela explore how professional influence can amplify harmful behaviour, why people who privately acknowledge harassment may still refuse to intervene publicly, and how silence can leave women feeling isolated and unprotected. Isabela also describes receiving threats after choosing to pay higher prices to coffee producers in Brazil, while Lee recounts an incident in which a male colleague aggressively confronted her during café service as other employees watched without intervening. The episode concludes with a recent incident at Coffee Lab, where Isabela says an employee witnessed a male customer taking inappropriate photographs of a woman. She explains how her team intervened, and how subsequent online reactions illustrated the attitudes they're challenging throughout this series. This conversation is not about blaming all men. It's about examining the responsibility that comes with influence, leadership, and being a witness to unacceptable behaviour. Because the boys' club doesn't only exist through the actions of those who behave badly. It can also be reinforced by those who see what's happening and choose to remain silent. In Part 4, Lee and Isabela will explore what constitutes unacceptable behaviour in the coffee industry and why conduct that has historically been dismissed or minimised needs to be challenged. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab: Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Cropster, technology built by coffee people to help coffee businesses manage more of their workflow, from contracts and costs to inventory, roasting, quality control, fulfillment, and café intelligence. Learn more at: https://hubs.la/Q04w4bKG0 Episode Description **CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, sexual harassment, physical violence, workplace intimidation, psychological abuse, discrimination, and transphobia. Some of the personal experiences shared may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening. This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil. The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and in this episode, we're examining the different ways women experience unsafe environments in the coffee industry, sometimes without immediately recognising that what they're experiencing is unacceptable. Not all unsafe situations begin with physical violence. Sometimes they begin with an inappropriate comment, a sexist joke, the undermining of professional expertise, or a workplace culture where women know there will be consequences if they speak up. Lee recounts her experience working in a Hollywood café, where she was physically assaulted by a male colleague, received no support from her employer, and felt unable to leave because her income and visa depended on the job. She explains the psychological impact of returning to a workplace where the people responsible knew how vulnerable her circumstances made her. Isabela discusses how women are frequently underestimated professionally, including in technical areas such as coffee roasting, and how a culture of silence protects inappropriate behaviour. She also shares a recent experience involving a transgender employee at Coffee Lab who was repeatedly misgendered and mistreated by a customer, despite attempting to handle the situation professionally. Together, Lee and Isabela explore why women may freeze or remain silent when their boundaries are violated, how seemingly small acts of disrespect can contribute to unsafe environments, and why bystanders and employers have a responsibility to intervene. The conversation also examines how women can reinforce gender bias themselves, the higher standards women often feel compelled to meet, and the professional consequences of being successful in workplaces where male egos influence decisions. Creating a safe workplace involves much more than preventing physical violence. It requires recognising the behaviours that undermine safety, understanding how power influences people's ability to respond, and refusing to normalise conduct that makes others feel threatened, humiliated, or professionally vulnerable. In Part 3, we'll examine the boys' club in coffee and how informal networks of power and loyalty influence who gets supported, protected, and taken seriously. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab: Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description **CONTENT WARNING:** This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, sexual harassment, physical violence, intimidation, misogyny, and abuse of power. Some of the personal experiences shared may be distressing for listeners. Please use your discretion when listening. This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is returning guest Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab in Brazil. The theme of this series is "Being 'Not a Man' in Coffee," and we're opening a conversation about what women experience in the coffee industry, the behaviours that have been normalised, and why so many women feel unable to speak openly about what's happened to them. In this first episode, Lee and Isabela share deeply personal and confronting accounts of sexual assault, harassment, intimidation, and abuse of power within the coffee industry. Lee recounts two experiences shared with her by women in the industry, including a young employee who was allegedly assaulted by her employer during a business trip and another woman who described repeated sexual assaults by her boss while feeling financially trapped in her employment. Isabela shares her own experience of being sexually assaulted by a senior executive at a coffee company in Brazil, and the devastating discovery that, according to information subsequently shared with her, other senior men at the company had discussed and anticipated the encounter. Together, they explore the culture that allows these experiences to go unchallenged, the fear of professional retaliation, the silence of bystanders, and the difficulty women face in being recognised as professionals rather than being judged or objectified because of their gender. This is not a conversation about hating men. It's a conversation about understanding what women experience in coffee and challenging an industry that too often allows unacceptable behaviour to continue without accountability. The question that runs through this series is simple: What can we do? We encourage everyone in the coffee industry, particularly men, to listen to all five episodes and share this conversation with their colleagues. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab: Coffee Lab: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ Isabela Raposeiras: https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 5 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Oscar Montoya, a data scientist, software developer, coffee producer in Colombia, founder of Cafe Chicao in Canada, and the developer (from Dark Mode) who helped Map It Forward build CoffeeListings.com. In this final episode, Lee and Oscar explore the role that data, technology, and processes can play in building more sustainable and resilient coffee businesses. Oscar introduces the concept of a digital twin — a data-based representation of a real system that can help businesses understand how different parts of an operation interact over time. In coffee, that idea can be applied across a farm, a supply chain, or even the lifecycle of a coffee itself, creating a more complete picture of where coffee comes from, where it goes, and what happens along the way. The conversation explores how traceability brings together people, processes, technology, and data, and why that can help businesses make more informed decisions. Lee and Oscar also use the Benecke situation as an example of how better data, modeling, and risk assessment could potentially help businesses understand exposure before committing to major supply chain decisions. Oscar explains that if something matters to your business, it should be measured. Once a risk is identified, a business can decide whether to accept it, mitigate it, or reject it. They also discuss the role of simulations, the importance of understanding uncertainty, and why no model should ever be treated as absolute truth. The episode then turns to the changing cost of technology and how AI is reducing the time and resources required to build tools, analyze information, and solve business problems. Oscar argues that if technology makes work significantly faster and cheaper, clients should also benefit from that efficiency. Finally, Lee and Oscar discuss how coffee professionals can become more comfortable with data and technology by experimenting, asking better questions, and gradually building data literacy into the way they operate their businesses. Connect with Oscar Montoya here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-montoyah/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorWant to tell the global coffee industry about your products and services? Advertise on this Map It Forward podcast. Email [email protected] and start the conversation today. Episode Description This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Oscar Montoya, a data scientist, software developer, coffee producer in Colombia, founder of Cafe Chicao in Canada, and the developer (from Dark Mode) who helped Map It Forward build CoffeeListings.com. In this episode, Lee and Oscar explore the relationship between data, technology and processes by looking at something they built together: CoffeeListings.com. The conversation begins with a very human problem — what happens when anxiety causes business owners to avoid the very information they need in order to make better decisions. Oscar explains why trust, empathy and human behaviour remain critical parts of solving problems, no matter how sophisticated the technology becomes. Lee and Oscar then explore how dramatically generative AI has changed software development. Oscar estimates that only a short time ago, building something like CoffeeListings could have required a team of 12 to 15 people working for well over a year. AI has changed that equation significantly, but Oscar argues that access to powerful technology does not remove the need for systems thinking, planning, architecture or critical judgment. The conversation explores the difference between structured software development and “vibe coding,” where AI is asked to solve problems individually without necessarily understanding the wider system they belong to. Oscar explains why AI can be incredibly powerful when used as a tool, but dangerous when we outsource our critical thinking to it. Something may work today while becoming extremely difficult to maintain, change or secure later. Using CoffeeListings as a real-world example, Lee and Oscar discuss the enormous amount of thinking required to make technology feel simple to the person using it, and why data, technology, processes and people all need to work together if a solution is going to last. Connect with Oscar Montoya here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-montoyah/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Oscar Montoya, a data scientist, software developer, coffee producer in Colombia, founder of Cafe Chicao in Canada, and the developer (from Dark Mode) who helped Map It Forward build CoffeeListings.com. In this episode, Lee and Oscar explore how data can help coffee businesses understand the true depth of a problem rather than simply reacting to what appears on the surface. The conversation begins with a debate around robusta and climate resilience, using conflicting scientific claims to explore how the same subject can produce different conclusions depending on who funded the research, how the data was gathered, what conditions were controlled, and what assumptions were made. Oscar explains why context matters, why correlation does not equal causation, and why people often unconsciously look for evidence that supports what they already believe. Lee and Oscar also discuss the limitations of relying too heavily on simple metrics. A single number such as an average can hide important information about what is actually happening underneath the surface, which is why businesses need a broader measurement framework rather than reducing complex problems to one metric. The conversation then turns to one of the most important realities of problem solving: the problem you begin investigating is often not the real problem. Oscar explains why complex problems need to be broken into smaller pieces, why some parts may be solvable while others may not be, and how tackling those pieces systematically helps businesses build understanding, confidence, and momentum. Using coffee pricing and the C Market as an example, Lee and Oscar explore how deeper analysis can reveal that the structure of a problem is very different from what people initially assumed. Connect with Oscar Montoya here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-montoyah/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Oscar Montoya, a data scientist, software developer, coffee producer in Colombia, founder of Cafe Chicao in Canada, and the developer (from Dark Mode) who helped Map It Forward build CoffeeListings.com. In this episode, Lee and Oscar explore how businesses figure out what data actually matters when trying to solve a problem. Oscar explains that what people initially describe as a problem is often only a symptom. The real work begins by asking better questions, digging beneath the surface, and identifying what is actually causing the pain. Using approaches such as the Five Whys, Oscar explains why the starting point should always be the problem you are trying to solve and what the ideal outcome would look like. From there, businesses can work backwards to determine what data they already have, what data is missing, and what information needs to be collected. Lee applies this thinking to common business challenges, including toxic workplace cultures, stalled growth, financial pressure, and understanding why a business may not be making enough money. The conversation also explores data integrity, unconscious bias, and the danger of cherry-picking information to support a preferred narrative. Oscar explains why good data science often means trying to disprove your own assumptions rather than searching for evidence that confirms them, and why every model of reality is incomplete but can still be useful when its limitations are understood. Connect with Oscar Montoya here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-montoyah/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]

Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Cropster, technology built by coffee people to help coffee businesses manage more of their workflow, from contracts and costs to inventory, roasting, quality control, fulfillment, and café intelligence. Learn more at: https://hubs.la/Q04w4bKG0 Episode Description This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Oscar Montoya, a data scientist, software developer, coffee producer in Colombia, founder of Cafe Chicao in Canada, and the developer (from Dark Mode) who helped Map It Forward build CoffeeListings.com. In this episode, Lee and Oscar explore the difference between data and information and why that distinction matters for coffee businesses. Oscar explains that data by itself is simply raw material. It only becomes useful when it is cleaned, organized, analysed, and transformed into information that can help someone understand what is happening and decide what to do next. Using examples from his own coffee farms in Colombia, Oscar explains how questions about planting density, shade, production, fertilizer, labour and farm sustainability determine what data is actually worth collecting. The conversation also explores why collecting everything simply because we can may create more complexity rather than better decisions, and introduces the relationship between people, processes, technology and data. Technology should support a real problem rather than become the objective itself. As Oscar explains, technology for the sake of technology is just hype. The starting point should be the people and the problem we are trying to solve. Connect with Oscar Montoya here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-montoyah/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: [email protected]