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Paul Ross on Investment, Rare Coffee & Special Guests Paul Ross returns to the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast to share what has changed since opening Special Guests Café back in 2024. He talks with Andrew Tolley and Tibor Varady about bringing in investors, navigating the cash-flow realities of buying rare coffee, and expanding carefully while protecting the hospitality, craft, and community that define the business. They explore what good investment looks like in specialty coffee, why capital needs to come with aligned values and useful expertise, and how Special Guests is building a more curated high-end coffee experience. Paul also reflects on the lessons of the first café, the challenge of scaling a team and a second site, as well as his deifinition of specialty coffee and his personal definition of success. In this episode Why Special Guests chose investment over traditional lendingThe long cash cycle behind sourcing exceptional coffeesHow to grow without losing a business’s philosophyPlans for a second café and a resilient teamThe rise of rare, high-end coffee experiencesDesigning service around trust, knowledge, and discoveryWhat makes premium coffees commercially sustainablePaul’s view of specialty coffee and long-term success

How do you bring customers back to your cafe, week after week, season after season? With a well curated coffee menu. George Shutt, head of coffee at Harris + Hoole gives a pragmatic masterclass in drink developmentfor cafe operators. With tips on creating drinks that are on trend, delicious, on brand and good for business. Who is this episdoe for? Anyone looking to ignite their menu, learn how to develop drinks, or understand which trends to adopt or ignore. George Shutt Harris+Hoole Additional discussions and insights on the https://coffeeknowledgehub.com

Most cafés don’t have a coffee quality problem—they have a training problem. Kathie Hilberg breaks down what makes barista training effective, when roaster-led education is enough, and when a more advanced approach is needed to grow both people and performance. Andrew Tolley sits down with Kathie, a seasoned barista, educator, competition judge, and specialty coffee professional with 15 years of industry experience. Together, they explore the real return on investing in training. If you’ve ever wondered whether staff education is worth the cost, how to build confidence behind the bar, or why great coffee can still fall short without the right team, this conversation offers practical answers. Why training can improve quality, service speed, and customer confidenceWhere cafés can access training, from roasters and independent educators to online resources and in-house programsHow to choose the right training format for your businessWhat makes a great trainerWhy foundational barista skills still matter in an age of automationHow to train employees who don’t drink coffeeWhy clear SOPs and consistent training materials help teams perform betterHow reliability, curiosity, and a willingness to learn can support career growth Kathie also shares her own career journey—from competing as a barista and Brewers Cup competitor to judging, leading with the BGA and SCA, educating coffee professionals, and moving into specialty tea with Spirit Tea. Her story offers valuable insight for anyone considering their next step in coffee, hospitality, sales, or education.For café owners, trainers, and baristas who want to build stronger teams and better coffee programs, this episode is a practical look at how skills, systems, and people work together. Where to find Kathie:  Instagram: @kaffeinehilberg @Totally dissolved podcast (spotify, apple etc) Find more insights from this show on the https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/

On the surface, this is a niche topic about a single attribute in the sensory evaluation of coffee. In fact the removal of balance from sensory scoresheets underpins much of the updated conception of how coffee professionals can subjectively and objectively evaluate the sensory experience of coffee. If you're a cupper who is alarmed at the assertion that scoring coffee 80+ to make it specialty is subjective, rethinking balance could open a door to a new understanding. If you're a cupper who is upset that there is no longer an objective overall score for coffee, Peter argues that the subjective experience is a higher order experience, hard to quantify, but is still critical for the sensory evaluation of coffee.This conversation between Andrew Tolley and Peter Giuliano traces “balance” from its origins as a wine term, which Ted Lingle imported into coffee cupping in the 1980s as part of the *Coffee Cuppers Handbook*. We discuss its quiet removal from the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) system as a result of feedback from a survey of 1,600 cuppers through to its current, softer echo in World Coffee Championship “taste experience” scoring.This podcast episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast covers:-history of balance as an attribute in coffee- with new and diverse tasting experiences — from traditional specialty coffees to trendy, innovative styles — how we can build standards for different environments- how we can bring different modalities into the tasting experience to better capture the overall perception of a coffee- how we can communicate with customers and serve balanced, consistent coffees for different audiencesPeter and Andrew close the episode by diving deeper into practical tips for cafes to deliver a balanced, consistent espresso to their customers. So definitely stick around until the end.And if you have read this far and just want to know what balance is: It was defined as the interaction of flavour, aftertaste, acidity, and mouthfeel. Where a higher scoring coffee had all the positive impressions that the cupper expected and none of these dominated or detracted from another in a negative way. The cupper would score it 6-10 based on their impression. Find the link to the podcast episode in our bio or listen to it on your favorite podcast platform.If you like the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast, please make sure to subscribe, comment, follow or leave a review.LINK

Is the specialty coffee industry going through an identity crisis, or just growing pains. We zoom in and out on the industry at different parts of the value chain to better understand what is happening in the specialty coffee industry. Rob Stephen has a 30+ year career in coffee. He is co host of the Coffee Memo, CEO of Covoya Specialty NA, an SCA Board Director and past SCAA president amongst many other things. This conversation was candid and expresses our own views, not organisations we are affiliated with. It will give many coffee professionals something to think about. Green coffee identity (25 magazine, full report also available) Watch and chat on the coffeeknowledgehub.com

Darleen Scherer has  zoomed in on what makes businesses stand out from the crowd since her first job in advertising in the 90’s and through her coffee career that started in the early 2000’s.  In this episode we discuss why you need to differentiate your business, how to identify what you makes you special and how to weave your brand identity throughout your business.  Darleen Scherer has a career spanning 30 years across advertising, coffee and brand strategy. You can learn more from Darleen through her weekly Linked In newsletter, her website , substack and the coffee knowledge hub.

Our original conversation with Dale went for over 2 hours and we didn't want to cut any of the good stuff, so here is part 2. Dale went into his sourcing policy, and decision framework for evaluating which coffees to buy. This is very different to what other competition winners do with their coffee sourcing in their roasting businesses. We continued to explore the bigger themes of translating what Ithaka is to his customers and how he is developing this. In reflecting on this episode and part 1 , the tension for Ithaka is also a long standing tension for the specialty coffee industry. How do we welcome coffee lovers into the specialty arena, where diversity of flavours, brewing methods, recipes, and service styles make discovery a closed door that can easily be opened, but still presents a barrier. This makes Dale's challenges more relevant and personal for anyone who is on the same path. https://ithaka.coffee/ Watch this on the coffee knowledge hub We read and reply to all comments across each channel

Being the Wolrd Barista Champion and having 20 years of direct experience in the coffee industry is not a free pass to setting up and building a successful coffee business, but that is also the where the joy is. Dale Harris established Ithaka coffee in 2025 and he shares his experiences. We spoke for over 2 hours and have cut the recording into 2 parts. Part 1 shares the vision and describes Ithaka. Dale's embracing the complexity of coffee and wants his customers to come down the rabbit hole with him. He describes in detail his menu, the pros and cons of using a bean to cup machine and customer perceptions. This is a candid conversation and anyone who knows Dale will see his authentic self, for those who don't, you will see the depth of thought that goes into developing a business, how to build on existing skill sets and embrace learning and the challenges of filling skills and knowledge gaps to create a successful business. Also, if you enjoy this podcast - check out Ithaka coffee You can watch it on Spotify, the Coffee Knowledge Hub, and listen on Apple Podcasts. Insta

In this 34th episode we're sitting down with someone who we have wanted to sit down with since before we started this podcast.  Peter Dore-Smith, the founder of Kaffeine in London, has built one of the most recognised specialty cafes in the world.  Over the next hour or so we're going to cover what it actually takes to run a great cafe — not in theory, but in practice. We'll get into the vision and hospitality philosophy that has defined Kaffeine since day one, the brand and marketing work that keeps it in people's minds, and the operational and financial discipline that keeps it viable. These are the essential blocks for building a business that outlasts trends and remains visible while the competitive landscape evolves. Peter has always been incredibly generous in sharing his knowledge. If you work in or run your own cafe, or you are thinking about starting one, grab a pen and paper because the masterclass is bout to begin.  https://kaffeine.co.uk/ Instagram kaffeine.london https://coffeeknowledgehub.com/

Diana Johnston Ledezma doesn’t fit into neat boxes and neither does her highly original coffee brand - Roastersaurus.  It is easy to follow trends - we see it, we like it, we do it. But there are always other ways to achieve the same end goal and there are advantages to doing this.  Brands and products are building emotional connections and communicating intrinsic and extrinsic attributes of the product. In this case - specialty coffee. Roastersaurus is an example of how breaking out of the status quo gives a strategic advantage. Namely - it is original - which attracts a new and specific audience, while also being familiar to ‘specialty coffee’ consumers. The concept differentiates Diana’s coffee and brand from an ever more crowded field.  Learn more about Roastersaurus and the lessons that can be applied to other coffee brands to help them communicate specialty coffee to increase sales and build long lasting relationships with your customers.  Links: Roastersaurus is a category finalist for best coffee packaging in The London Coffee Festival Awards 2026, Vote by 8 April 2026 https://invt.io/1wxbs18346l  www.roastersaurus.com Example of lore (coffee info) page:  Basha Bekele: Raptor Quickfang Lore | Roastersaurus Instagram: roastersaurus

Andrew and Tibor caught up with the super-impressive Mihai Panfil, founder of Origo Coffee — one of Romania's most influential specialty coffee businesses, spanning two cafes, a roastery, and the experimental coffee brand - BrewZeus . He's also the driving force behind the Coffee East Coffee Festival, which brings together over 60 roasters and 30,000 visitors each year in Bucharest. Few people have a better view of where Romanian coffee has been, and where it's going. Some highlights - From 0 to over 400 specialty cafes in 12 years Cultivating a specialty industry Backtracking from automation in favour of the customer experience. There are lessons here for a global audience: 1. leadership and vision are needed for developing the industry 2. Continuous evolution and experimentation are requisites as the market and different forces shift Origo Coffee Linked IN Coffee East coffee festival Brew Zeus takeaways Mihai Panfil founded Origo Coffee Roasters, a leading specialty coffee business in Romania.The Romanian coffee market was initially dominated by Italian-style cafes with limited options for specialty coffee.Mihai's experience at the World Barista Championship inspired him to create a unique coffee experience in Romania.The first Origo cafe focused on customer interaction and education about specialty coffee.COVID-19 shifted consumer behavior towards home coffee consumption and increased demand for quality coffee.The Coffee East Festival was created to celebrate and connect the coffee community in Romania and Eastern Europe.Mihai emphasizes the importance of collaboration and competition in developing the specialty coffee market.The coffee industry in Romania has seen significant growth, with over 400 coffee shops in Bucharest alone.Mihai believes that the future of coffee consumption may lean more towards home brewing.The success of coffee shops now relies heavily on unique concepts and customer experience. keywords: Mihai Panfil, Origo Coffee Roasters, Romanian coffee culture, specialty coffee, Coffee East Festival, coffee industry challenges, COVID-19 impact, coffee roasting, coffee sourcing, coffee community

We know that you can only do the right thing by your coffee by ensuring that the water you use to brew it is the best it can be. The topic made waves in the industry in large parts thanks to Maxwell Dashwood and Dr Christopher H Hendon’s book Water for Coffee published in 2015. Now they have brought out edition 2, which is essentially a rewrite of the first edition.  We spoke to Maxwell to learn how we can apply the updated science and technology as best practices for businesses serving coffee.  We cover a lot of topics including:  Why water for espresso should be different to water for filterHow to optimise water for different brew methods What to avoid for cafe operators  You can buy the book at these respected online retailers:  UK: https://maxwelldashwood.com/ Europe: www.contributor.coffee Switzerland https://www.mylittlecup.ch/products/the-physics-of-filter-coffee-jonathan-gagne-livre-sur-la-science-du-cafe-filtre-copy Canada: eightounce USA: https://www.scottrao.com/products/water-for-coffee

From being an 'immigrant' who wanted to shed the stereotype by doing something really American to being told later in life that she was 'too American, this is a world competition', Cindy Ludviksen has the shaped the World Barista Championships to be the leading global coffee competition. It has profoundly changed countless lives over its 25 year history and given the barista profession credibility. This interview highlights how Cindy stepped up as a volunteer, shaking off prejudices about her identity to transform an obscure 'sideline' event at trade shows, into a global phenomenon. This is a case study in leadership, without the authority of an official position and as a minority and a woman. We learn about the early days of the WBCs and how it evolved to become the professional body it is today. We also get insights into Cindy's aspirations for the future of the WBCs. For anyone in the coffee industry who has been touched by these competitions, this is essential listening. You can also comment and watch HERE Find out more about Cindy through Specialty Coffee Assocation and her Linked In

What does a coffee career look like when you’re a curious lifelong coffee geek? Meet Ramin N - sales director at Intelligentsia coffee - who shares a ton of insights, knowledge and experience from his 30 year journey in coffee. He has been a barista, cafe owner, trainer, technician, sales manager, sales director and a kind of general manager of a co-roasting business with a foray into retail.  We cover a lot of ground in this conversation We wanted to better understand how sales works in a medium sized specialty roaster. This is valuable for anyone working in sales or who wants to work in sales to know what skills and experience are valuable in this role.   We talked about the evolution of Intelligentsia coffee from the early days of specialty coffee in the US to today. We learned how they are adapting to new trends in the market and also how they are seeing these trends reflected in sales.  The key take-away for us was that continuous curiosity and an entrepreneurial mindset - that takes ownership or has a strong sense of agency, will position you well in the industry for your career development and also for managing some of the more challenging times that life throws at us.

A biography, lessons in mastery, deep insights into the world of coffee and competitions - this interview with the author of Bloom, Tigger Chaturabul and her subject, World Barista Champion 2024 - Mikael Jasin, has something for everyone. Bloom is a compelling story, and we highly recommend it because it will inspire you to achieve your goals, giving you practical advice on how to do it. You will also be inspired knowing that you can reach amazing heights while being authentic to yourself, and vulnerable. Bloom celebrates how a niche craft like coffee-making can be a lens for bigger conversations about purpose, impact,and intentional living. In this episode we discuss how the book came to be, and Mikael shares some advice that will give you a small taste of what you will find in the highly readable pages of Bloom. Video for this episode will be posted on another channel soon. You can learn more about the book here: Contributor for international retail: https://contributor.coffee/products/bloom Tokopedia for Indonesia: https://t.ly/PqFM6 Wholesale enquiries: Asia: [email protected] UK: [email protected] International: [email protected]