The past year has tested coffee shop owners like never before. With arabica futures hitting historic peaks and operational costs climbing across the board, margins have tightened considerably. 

As we look ahead to 2026, the café landscape remains uncertain. While some industry leaders predict stabilisation in the coming months, emerging market signals suggest volatility will persist. Undoubtedly, this will force café operators to rethink their strategies for survival and growth in an increasingly challenging economic environment.

Those who embrace new technologies alongside thoughtful menu strategies and exceptional customer service will find themselves well-equipped to navigate unpredictability. Corin Camenisch from SumUp and Bruno Damiano Maciel from Jungle Berry Limited share their insights.

You may also like our article on how coffee shops can tap into food trends.

Why coffee prices will stay high in 2026

This year has been one of the most turbulent in the coffee industry’s entire history.

In February 2025, arabica futures reached unprecedented levels as climate-related challenges decimated harvests in key producing countries. Persistent droughts in Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, significantly impacted yields, while irregular rainfall patterns across Vietnam disrupted production cycles. 

These climate challenges have been compounded by labour shortages on coffee farms and logistical bottlenecks that continue to strain global supply chains.

Political factors have added another layer of complexity. Trade disputes and shifting tariff policies have created uncertainty, making long-term planning difficult for importers, roasters, and coffee shop owners. The introduction of new environmental regulations, such as the EUDR, while necessary for sustainable production, has also increased compliance costs and added administrative burdens.

Some industry analysts have offered cautious optimism for the year ahead. illycaffè CEO Cristina Scocchia projected that arabica futures would stabilise between US$2.50 and US$3/lb by late 2026, predicting higher production volumes in Brazil and declining global demand as economic pressures reduce consumption.

However, recent data suggests this recovery timeline may be overly optimistic. Brazil’s National Supply Company (Conab) recently lowered its 2025 arabica estimates by 5% due to droughts and off-cycle weakness, indicating that prices are likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future.

Colombia, another major global coffee producer, also offers a mixed picture. The country reportedly had its most productive coffee harvest in over three decades, producing nearly 15 million 60kg bags, representing a 17% increase over the prior cycle. This production boost could help ease some supply pressures; however, with US President Trump recently threatening to raise tariffs on Colombian imports, price spikes and sudden fluctuations remain probable.

Coffee prices aren’t the only concern for café owners, though. Operational expenses, which have been steadily climbing since the pandemic, are expected to keep rising throughout 2026.

“Alongside coffee beans themselves, cafés are seeing persistent increases in wages, utilities, rent, and other key ingredients such as milk and baked goods,” says Corin, the Marketing and Growth Lead at SumUp, a payment solutions supplier for small and medium businesses, including coffee shops.

“Packaging and sustainability compliance costs are also climbing, contributing to the overall operational strain,” she adds. “These pressures are forcing many café owners to review pricing, streamline workflows, and focus on efficiency to protect their margins and prevent customer dissatisfaction.”

What does this mean for coffee shops?

Even if coffee prices stabilise in late 2026, the ripple effects of record highs will be long-lasting and far-reaching for both café operators and consumers. The lag between commodity market movements and retail price adjustments means the full impact of 2025’s price surge has yet to be felt in coffee shops.

According to a March 2025 UN FAO report, it will take almost a year for consumers to feel the full effects of price spikes. More concerning still, the report estimates that the residual effects of these price rises will last for four years, meaning the market disruption of 2025 will have a lasting impact on the industry.

This extended timeline means consumers will inevitably adapt their purchasing behaviours. Many are likely to switch to more affordable options, visiting specialty coffee shops less frequently, and viewing premium coffee as an occasional luxury rather than a daily routine. Multiple daily café visits may become less common as household budgets tighten under broader inflationary pressures.

The shift in consumer expectations creates both challenges and opportunities for café operators. Those who can justify their pricing through exceptional service, unique offerings, and efficient operations will be better positioned to maintain customer loyalty. Coffee shops will need to find innovative ways to cater to shifting preferences and develop new strategies to attract customers.

“Consumers have become more conscious of value, but that doesn’t necessarily mean spending less,” notes Corin. “They’re prioritising quality and a seamless, convenient experience: an atmosphere that feels worth the price. 

“Cafés that can deliver on these expectations are retaining loyal customers despite cost pressures.”

Menu diversification presents one path forward. Introducing new beverage options that use less expensive ingredients, such as creative tea-based drinks, alternative milk beverages, or seasonal specials that showcase more cost-effective coffee origins and blends, can help maintain margins while offering perceived value. 

Some operators are expanding food programmes or adding retail components to create additional revenue streams that aren’t as vulnerable to coffee price volatility.

“Consumers are certainly more selective, but they haven’t stopped prioritising value,” says Bruno, the founder and director of café and açaí chain Jungle Berry Limited. “They are now looking for speed, convenience, and a seamless in-store experience to justify the price.”

Creating a compelling in-store atmosphere matters more than ever. When customers visit less frequently, each visit needs to feel special and memorable. This might involve investing in comfortable seating, curating engaging playlists, hosting community events, or simply ensuring that staff have time to build relationships with regulars rather than just processing transactions.

“The key for us has been maintaining quality while reducing queue times and eliminating ordering errors, making the purchase process as friction-free as possible, using solutions like SumUp,” Bruno adds.

How technology can be an effective way forward

Faced with multi-front cost pressures, more cafés are turning to smart technology and flexible strategies to remain resilient. The right technological tools can help owners and managers gain clearer oversight of all operations, enabling them to identify precisely where to reduce costs or invest additional time and money for maximum return. 

For multi-location operators, especially, technology helps streamline operations and maintain consistency across different sites without requiring constant physical presence.

Modern point-of-sale systems integrated with inventory management provide real-time visibility into stock levels, waste patterns, and product performance. This data-driven approach enables operators to make informed decisions about which menu items to promote, when to adjust ordering quantities, and how to minimise waste through improved forecasting. 

“SumUp helps cafés run more efficiently by combining payments, inventory-checking, and self-ordering tools into one connected system,” Corin explains. “This reduces time spent on manual admin and provides owners with a far clearer picture of their daily performance. With real-time insights, coffee shops can make faster, data-driven decisions, whether that’s adjusting pricing or margins, managing stock more precisely, or improving turnaround speed at peak hours.”

The ability to track sales patterns across different times of day and days of the week enables more strategic staff scheduling, ensuring adequate coverage during peak periods without overstaffing during quieter times.

Self-ordering kiosks represent one particularly impactful technological advancement for customer-facing operations. These systems allow customers to browse menus at their own pace, customise orders without miscommunication, and complete transactions independently. For operators, this technology addresses multiple pain points simultaneously.

“Previously, we needed one employee dedicated solely to taking orders during the winter, and two during the busy summer season,” Bruno shares. “SumUp’s self-ordering kiosks have allowed us to redeploy those staff members to critical roles like preparation and customer service, drastically reducing our payroll spend.”

The accuracy improvements alone can justify the investment in technology. Order errors create waste, slow down service, and frustrate customers – especially as the beverage customisation trend accelerates. 

Automated ordering systems virtually eliminate these issues by removing the human element from the order entry process. This is especially valuable for cafés that employ seasonal staff or operate in multilingual environments, where communication barriers can pose challenges.

Beyond operational efficiency, self-ordering technology can actively drive revenue growth through strategic prompts and suggestions. The system can automatically recommend complementary items based on what customers have already selected, implementing consistent upselling that might feel awkward or pushy when delivered by staff.

“SumUp’s system automatically prompts customers with suggested additional purchases (or upselling) based on their original order, which has directly increased our average order value per transaction,” Bruno says.

Customer relationship management tools integrated with payment systems help cafés better understand their clientele, revealing purchasing patterns, preferred products, and visit frequency. This information enables targeted marketing efforts and menu development aligned with actual customer preferences rather than assumptions.

“Integrated systems help cafés better understand their customers by revealing what sells, when it’s selling, and how people prefer to order or pay,” Corin says. “This allows operators to tailor their service and ensure consistency across every touchpoint. When this technology is working seamlessly in the background, it allows staff to focus and spend more time on what matters most: connecting with customers.”

The strategic deployment of technology creates a virtuous cycle. Operational efficiencies reduce costs and stress on staff, allowing them to dedicate more energy to customer service and product quality. 

Better customer experiences drive loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing, while data insights enable continuous improvement in offerings and operations. This holistic approach positions cafés to weather price volatility while maintaining the quality and atmosphere that customers value.

The year ahead will undoubtedly present challenges for coffee shop operators as price pressures persist and consumer behaviour evolves. However, those who embrace technological solutions alongside thoughtful menu strategies and exceptional customer experiences will find themselves well-equipped to navigate uncertainty. 

The cafés that thrive won’t simply be those that survive high coffee prices, but those that use this moment of disruption to build more resilient, efficient, and customer-focused businesses for the long term.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on whether specialty coffee shops are overthinking the basics.

Photo credits: SumUp

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Coffee and food have always gone hand in hand, and for many café owners, the recipe for success lies in curating a menu that is diverse yet simple.

Just like coffee, food evolves with trends. Customers today expect not only innovative flavour combinations but also the comfort of nostalgia. Pairing modern, trending creations with familiar staples creates a balanced menu that coincides with a focus on high-quality coffee.

Now more than ever, as margins run thin, coffee shop owners need to keep a close eye on their food offerings. Simple, quality ingredients and careful, efficient preparation will be essential to future success.

Peter Dore-Smith of Kaffeine and Zsuzsa Kerekes of Madal Café discuss the food trends that coffee shops can follow in 2026.

You may also like our article on pairing food with specialty coffee around the world.

Coffee shops hike prices, but margins still run thin

Running a coffee shop today is more complicated than ever. Green coffee prices continue to remain high and volatile, operating costs are skyrocketing, and more people are opting to brew their own coffee at home.

“Due to the general unfavourable economic climate and constantly rising prices, people have less available income to spend,” says Zsuzsa, the manager of Madal Café in Budapest, Hungary. “They are more price sensitive, more focused on price-quality ratio, and generally consume less.”

As coffee shops face mounting pressure on their margins, many have raised their prices. However, selling coffee and drinks alone often doesn’t suffice.

“You need to increase your spend per head or transaction, and you can only do this by increasing your food sales and offering a wider range of products,” says Peter, the founder and director of Kaffeine in London, UK.

Coffee is surprisingly unprofitable once rent, operational costs, packaging, and wages are factored in. Drinks may retail at US$5, but the actual cost of coffee per cup is very little compared to labour expenses.

Food, meanwhile, can be marked up substantially. Options like sandwiches and salads are cost-effective, as the ingredients can be purchased in bulk, preparation is straightforward, and customers are willing to pay a premium for grab-and-go options.

“In this climate, a basic selection of baked goods isn’t enough incentive to attract customers and encourage them to spend more,” Zsuzsa says. “They can buy similar quality items from any supermarket or bakery at lower prices.

“Customers want the option not only to get a coffee but also to enjoy breakfast or a light lunch,” she adds. “Having a creative menu may result in a larger average consumer spend and more frequent visits.”

Dishes like breakfast toasts, homemade ferments, smoked salmon bagels, and poached eggs are classic menu items that customers will always gravitate towards. 

“We have always had a weekly changing lunch menu where we change the salads, quiche, and filled brioche each week,” Peter explains. “Our customers are coming for food as well as coffee.”

Remaining cautious when following trends

Since the rise of Instagram and TikTok, many popular food trends have captured the attention of consumers worldwide, prompting coffee shops to incorporate some of them into their menu offerings.

Dubai chocolate, dubbed by the Wall Street Journal as the “next pumpkin spice”, is the most obvious example. The pistachio, tahini, and kataifi (or kadayif) pastry-filled chocolate bar became a viral global sensation in late 2023. Its sweet-slightly savoury flavour combination, palpable crunch, and paint-splattered appearance tap into the explosive demand for multi-sensory food experiences.

Coffee shops are jumping on the trend, crafting Dubai chocolate lattes, matcha drinks, and croissants that appeal to customers seeking indulgence and luxury.

However, following food trends that appear on social media, which often last only a few months before fading into obscurity, isn’t a wise business strategy. Already causing global supply shortages of pistachios, the Dubai chocolate trend is quickly becoming overpopularised, and interest is likely to start waning as more products flood the market.

“For the most part, social media trends are transient, and it is more important that a business develops its own set of values and follows them,” Zsuzsa says. 

Flat whites and cappuccinos served in croissants, once a popular social media trend, are a case in point. Although visually appealing, these trending menu items lack practicality, rendering them mere marketing gimmicks once customers have them in hand.

“Jumping on a viral trend isn’t a good idea for a business, as it will soon fade away and leave you with nothing,” Peter says. 

If coffee shops fail to deliver on their promise of high-quality products, they risk undermining their authenticity – a critical aspect of specialty coffee.

“The most important thing is to be incredibly consistent in your offerings, the quality of your product, and with a fair and reasonable pricing structure so that people keep coming back,” Peter adds.

Which food trends should coffee shops look out for in 2026?

The ability to keep up with food trends can set one coffee shop apart from another; however, blindly following them won’t lead to lasting success. Instead, café operators and baristas need to understand which ones will work for their business and customers.

Looking more broadly at how consumer preferences are shifting is a useful starting point.

“Consumers are becoming more and more conscious regarding their health and the impact they have on the environment,” says Zsuzsa. “They also put more emphasis on good quality, fair trade, and quality ingredients.”

The US$4.5 trillion global wellness economy is growing twice as fast as the global economy. According to Ogilvy, 73% of global consumers considered wellness an essential element of a brand’s strategy in 2020 – including food and beverage products.

While this growing demand has given way to the functional coffee market, there has also been a rising interest in high-protein, gut-friendly, and minimally processed ingredients. Foods like cottage cheese, fat-free Greek yoghurt, and kimchi are now commonly seen on “FitTok” – a corner of TikTok that features workout plans, recipes, and other fitness-related content, which has garnered more than 64 billion views.

But at the same time, indulgence and familiarity haven’t disappeared. Comforting, rich, and decadent food items – such as banana pudding (popularised by Magnolia Bakery in New York City), cereal milk, and birthday cake – continue to draw in customers, often with a nostalgic or innovative twist.

Umami-forward and spicy-sweet flavour combinations are gaining popularity, drawing inspiration from diverse Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Miso caramel, hot honey, tahini, and black sesame are increasingly found in baked goods or incorporated into savoury dishes, offering more complex flavour notes and tapping into globalised food trends.

How coffee shops can develop their food menus and make a profit

Developing a food menu that is both attractive and cost-efficient, while maintaining a balanced approach, can be challenging – especially one that sets you apart from competitors.

“To develop an interesting food menu, first you need the vision from the owners and senior management, then employ the right people to be able to execute that vision and bring it to reality, and continue to support them as they continue to develop it,” Peter explains. 

“Simplicity is key across all menus, so you should start there and work your way up,” he adds. 

This means focusing on simple yet high-quality ingredients, tapping into seasonal flavours. Offering a straightforward toast menu, including both sweet and savory options, can be one of the most profitable ways to follow food trends. 

Sourcing bread from local suppliers and including menu items like whipped ricotta and hot honey, almond butter and raspberry jam, and miso-braised mushrooms allows café operators to use simple, minimal ingredients – keeping costs down while also elevating menus.

“Simplicity is often undervalued,” says Zsuzsa. “A high-quality, simple toast menu is better than having something too elaborate that you can’t execute correctly and consistently.

“You might not satisfy every demand, but well-curated and good-quality food selections are enough to get your customers to spend more and frequent your coffee shop more often.”

Japanese sandos – made using milk bread (or shokupan) and a variety of simple ingredients – have become a recent viral social media trend, also appearing on more supermarket shelves.

Fillings traditionally include tamago (a mixture of mashed hard-boiled eggs and Japanese mayonnaise), katsu (breaded pork or chicken cutlets, usually served with a slaw), and strawberry and sweetened whipped cream. The use of minimal ingredients enables coffee shops to quickly batch prepare food in advance, while also offering consistently visually appealing options that appeal to consumers seeking variety.

Following food trends should enhance the coffee experience, not detract from it. Simple, high-quality menu items that tap into popular flavour combinations ensure that café operators can manage costs, draw intrigue, and offer consistency.

Ultimately, the goal is to encourage customers to add “just one more thing” to their order, helping coffee shops manage their bottom lines and diversify revenue.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how to choose food and snacks for your coffee shop.

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Multi-roaster cafés, which serve coffee from different roasters at any given time, are gaining popularity worldwide for several reasons.

For consumers, it’s a chance to try coffees from roasters that are usually out of their reach, facilitating connections across the supply chain. 

Café operators, meanwhile, aren’t tied to a single supplier, offering them flexibility and allowing them to use limited-time coffees as a unique differentiator. For roasters, it’s more extensive brand exposure, increasing the potential for repeat and loyal customers. 

However, there are also challenges to this business model. Coffee consistency can fluctuate, staff training is often more time-consuming, and coordinating delivery logistics can be complex. But there are many ways to overcome these hurdles, leading to a more dynamic coffee experience.

I spoke to Emmanuel Buschiazzo at La Claque Café to learn more about how buyers and sellers can manage multi-roaster partnerships.

You may also like our article on how coffee shops manage multiple plant milk options.

The rise of multi-roaster cafés

Single-roaster cafés, which only stock coffee from one roaster, are by far the most common type of coffee shop. This business model enables both roasters and café operators to establish long-term working relationships – a vital component of the specialty coffee industry.

But over the last decade or so, as roasters and cafés have reimagined buyer-seller partnerships, the multi-roaster coffee shop concept has emerged. 

It’s a growing international trend. From Prufrock in the UK to Dayglow Coffee in the US, Revolver in Canada, Pinhole Coffee Bar in Singapore, and Espresso Embassy in Hungary, café operators are increasingly choosing to work with multiple roasters.

“I have operated a coffee catering service since 2015, and a coffee school since 2017. Our coffee shop opened in September 2023. Running it as a multi-roaster café was a no-brainer, and I could not imagine our first brick-and-mortar shop without a multi-roaster concept,” says Emmanuel, the CEO of La Claque in Nice, France. “‘Prendre une claque’, or ‘to take a slap’, is what you would say in French when you are pleasantly surprised by an unexpected experience, and that is exactly what we are about.

“Our mission is to help customers explore the limitless diversity that exists in specialty coffee. We know exactly when our customers get it – when they come back and ask, ‘What coffees do you have today?'”

There are various approaches to this business model. Some cafés buy coffee from different roasters at all times, prioritising variety to drive consumer interest. A café may switch between different roasters every two weeks, for instance, to build anticipation for the next featured roaster. 

“Unless we start roasting ourselves, and that is the next project, there will never be a single roaster that we always serve,” Emmanuel says. “We could, for example, always have one of our two on-demand espresso grinders filled with the same blend from the same roaster. However, we decided to take it all the way and always change the entire range, including our retail coffee bags.”

In the hyper-competitive specialty coffee market, this is a unique differentiator, especially in countries and regions where it’s logistically harder to buy coffee direct-to-consumer from international roasters. Consumers then have much easier access to a diverse range of roasters, exposing them to different origins, roast profiles, and tasting notes.

Others, meanwhile, always choose to stock coffee from a particular roaster (especially for espresso), while also rotating through different “guest” roasters for filter and retail options. This approach generally offers more consistency in terms of flavour, while still providing customers with variety.

“There is one roaster, KB Coffee Roasters in Paris, that we often stock, because we’ve worked with them since our beginnings, we love their coffee, and when there are mishaps with orders and deliveries, their coffee awesomely fills the gaps,” Emmanuel tells me.

Supporting a passion-driven industry

Passion, curiosity, and experimentation are key motivators in specialty coffee, and multi-roaster cafés play a crucial role in driving these efforts.

For business owners and consumers alike, it’s a fun and rewarding opportunity to build connections and relationships within the international specialty coffee community.

Many café owners pride themselves on working with local and national roasters they admire and trust, showcasing some of the best coffees available in their respective countries or regions. For others, it’s an opportunity to stock beans from some of the world’s most prestigious roasters, helping them to establish and curate their own well-respected brand.

Customers, meanwhile, have access to a much wider range of roasters, including those from different countries. This introduces them to a diverse array of origins, roast profiles, flavour notes, processing methods, and varieties – a valuable opportunity for prosumers and enthusiasts who often want to expand their palates.

In some cases, customers can request that coffees from specific roasters be stocked, helping build brand loyalty for both roasters and cafés.

“We’re lucky to have enough customers who are after competition-level coffees that we can also confidently include them in our orders,” Emmanuel says. “This helps with building a name for ourselves as a recognised multi-roaster café, and many great roasters are now contacting us to get on our menu. It’s also a gratifying way to connect and interact with so many different talented coffee professionals.”

Roasters also experience a number of benefits. Multi-roaster cafés can provide smaller, newer brands with more exposure and help expand customer bases for roasters on a regional or global scale. With many roasters investing in their ecommerce channels and air freight for coffee becoming increasingly accessible, there’s potential to build an international consumer base.

Baristas reap the rewards, too. Working with coffees from different roasters and being exposed to a variety of roasting approaches will invariably lead to more passionate, informed, and skilled staff.

“It’s so much more fun to taste so many different beans, for our customers and for our team alike. It can get rapidly boring for a barista to serve the exact same coffee for weeks or months ahead,” Emmanuel says. “We all learn a lot from experiencing the global diversity and seasonal changes that coffee offers.”

But there are unique challenges to consider

Although it serves an important purpose in specialty coffee, the multi-roaster café model isn’t without its challenges.

“By far, the biggest challenge for our team is to manage the changing menu and the dialling in,” says Emmanuel. “From a more technical and coffee-centered perspective, roasters work with changing collections of beans, on different machines, with different signature profiles, and have different degassing strategies.”

Switching between roasters means baristas are constantly working with different coffees and roasting styles, meaning they don’t have a lot of time to become familiar with a particular roaster or coffee. This can make dialling in, especially for espresso, complex and time-consuming, even for more skilled staff.

As a result, coffee flavour and quality are likely to fluctuate more often. And given that consistency is one of the main factors that drives repeat custom, coffee shops – whether single or multi-roaster – can’t afford to overlook this.

Investing in excellent staff training programmes is then essential. Baristas in multi-roaster cafés need to have well-trained palates and be truly proficient at dialling in a wide range of coffees to maintain flavour and quality standards for all customers.

Additionally, it’s typically recommended to use one particular roaster for espresso at all times, allowing staff to become familiar with the coffees. This gives café operators freedom to rotate between different filter and retail offerings, while also providing better consistency for espresso and milk-based drinks.

When managing a multi-roaster programme, communication between buyers and sellers is crucial, but it can be challenging to manage. For coffee shops that stock three or more roasters simultaneously, navigating different orders, roast dates, and delivery times becomes increasingly complicated. 

“The most obvious challenge is the increased time needed to manage orders, and start the same conversations over and over again with every roaster, and always to be the bearer of a first-time order,” Emmanuel explains. “So don’t expect any special treatment, although many roasters were excited to work with us and were very accommodating at times.

“Add to that the potential problems with deliveries and making sure you actually have coffee to serve every day!” he adds.

Therefore, establishing a consistent point of contact at both cafés and roasteries is critical. Both parties can accurately and effectively communicate their needs and capacities, potentially developing a closer, long-term working relationship – a goal that is often challenging to achieve with the multi-roaster business model.

Café operators also need to carefully manage stock, especially with limited-run coffees. Staff should have in-depth insight into how long they plan to carry certain roasters and coffees, as well as how quickly they anticipate using them, to maintain inventories, ensure coffee stays fresh, and minimise any waste.

Ultimately, regular check-ins will prove effective. Mapping out multi-roaster programmes every quarter, for example, allows staff to plan which coffees they will stock, how long for, when to request samples from previous partners, and when to contact new roasters.

Multi-roaster cafés help connect consumers with new roasters, serving a vital role in specialty coffee, but operators also face challenges unique to this business model.

With the right level of support, training, and management, multi-roaster coffee shops can overcome these logistical hurdles – supporting a more dynamic coffee market.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on whether specialty coffee shops are overthinking the basics.

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“Would you like that hot or iced?”: a now standard question in many cafés around the world.

There’s a cold revolution in the coffee industry – and it’s more than just a seasonal trend. Iced and cold coffee beverages are rapidly becoming a key part of modern café culture.

They now account for more than 75% of Starbucks’ US sales – up from just 37% in 2013. And this isn’t limited to chains; specialty coffee shops are seeing a similar shift. Many roasters, like Blue Bottle and Stumptown, serve cold drinks every day, all year round.

This transformation has rewritten the rules of coffee service, forcing baristas to reconsider their workflow and sparking a new wave of innovation behind the bar.

Keelan Hartnett of Flo-Smart and Josh Tarlo of Origin Coffee explain how.

You may also like our article on whether customised drinks push us away from specialty coffee.

From seasonal to signature: The rise of cold coffee

Only ten years ago, consumers looking for cold drinks had the choice of iced americanos and lattes or cold brew. But this limited selection is no longer sufficient, as the demand for cold coffee has since exploded.

For instance, the National Coffee Association’s fall 2023 National Coffee Data Trends report found that consumption of cold brew in the US alone has increased by a staggering 300% over the past seven years. Traditionally ordered during warmer months, consumers are now drinking iced and cold drinks all year-round, and they want more choice.

Today, cold coffee encompasses nitro coffee, cold foam-topped drinks, flavoured matcha, and viral lattes with layered textures and visual elements. And there’s one factor driving this explosion in variety: Gen Z’s love for customisation.

Recent research by UK roaster Lincoln & York reveals that nearly 40% of consumers aged 18 to 34 are drinking more coffee outside their homes than ever before, and they are demanding more from their beverages.

Up to 75% of these young coffee drinkers are opting to customise their drinks with add-ons like plant milks, flavoured syrups, cold foam, and functional ingredients. These include adaptogenic mushroom powder, MCT oil, and L-theanine, which are said to boost productivity and mental clarity.

As “little treat” culture – the growing trend of indulging in small, affordable luxuries, often as a way to cope with stress during difficult economic times – proliferates, customised coffee is booming. In many cases, cold coffee is the ideal canvas for this creativity and self-expression, catering to the growing demand for indulgence and aesthetic appeal.

“People want drinks that actually taste and look different,” says Josh, the director of growth at Origin Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster in the UK. 

In turn, specialty coffee shops have an opportunity to drive revenue.

“One of our most recent hits – the Cold Brew Cherry Tonka Cold Foam – helped increase cold drink sales by 70% year-over-year,” Josh adds.

How cold coffee has transformed barista workflow

Although profitable, offering a variety of iced coffee drinks comes at a cost: more ingredients, more steps, and more pressure on baristas.

Preparing cold beverages is often more time-consuming than hot coffee, pulling baristas away from the espresso machine toward a patchwork of fridges, syrup pumps, ice bins, and blenders.

“Iced or customised drinks typically require a lot of manual steps, which can lead to slower service,” says Keelan, the managing director of Flo-Smart, a company specialising in smart beverage dispensing.

The traditional bar setup – built around the espresso machine – is often ill-equipped for the ever-widening range of today’s cold drinks. As cafés have added more iced, customised offerings to their menus, the necessary equipment was often added on an ad hoc basis, rather than being fully integrated.

The result? What Keelan refers to as a “disjointed workflow”.

A “cracked” latte, for example, a viral iced latte served in a cup coated with hardened chocolate, which cracks when the cup is squeezed, might require seven or more steps across distant bar stations. 

“You’re asking a barista to move five different times for one drink,” Keelan says – an often impossible task for even the most seasoned staff, especially during a busy rush.

“Start by mapping out your current cold drink workflow,” he adds. “Then redesign the bar to reduce unnecessary movement; create zones where everything, from oat milk to syrup, is easily within reach.”

Josh explains that Origin has applied this approach across its wholesale partners, helping them streamline service. 

“We provide resources like concentrates and ready-to-drink formats so they can serve cold coffee properly,” he tells me. “You can make an iced latte in a third of the time.”

Customised cold drinks tend to have higher profit margins – and customers are willing to pay more for them. But they also increase the risk of bottlenecks, waste, and inconsistent quality.

To manage the complexity of modern cold drinks, more cafés are adopting automation to assist baristas in readjusting their workflow. These systems include automated milk foamers, milk and beverage dispensers, water fonts, and cold brew makers.

“You can go from 300 to 750 drinks a day and still maintain your margin,” Keelan says. “Automating complex cold drink menus allows baristas to delegate repetitive tasks. These include dosing milk, cold brew, or espresso concentrate with precision and speed. 

“You could serve up to ten iced coffees in a minute without moving.”

From optional to essential: What’s next for iced coffee?

Josh sees the influence of cold, customised coffee growing. 

“Cold coffee opens up new flavour profiles and creative space,” he says.

The iced drink trend isn’t just limited to Western countries. In East Asia, cold drinks have long been a creative playground. From cheese tea to sparkling cold brews, cafés in Korea, Japan, and China are inspiring drink innovation globally.

As customer preferences shift further toward cold beverages, cafés can’t afford to treat them as an afterthought. The tools to manage them – from bar layout to automation – are becoming increasingly essential.

“Cold drinks have better margins, they’re faster, and customers will pay more for something different,” Josh concludes. “Adapting to them is about making baristas faster and more consistent.”

Cold, customised coffee beverages are here to stay – not just as a seasonal spike, but as core drivers of café profitability. To thrive, coffee shops must adapt their service routines, invest in supportive equipment, and empower baristas to do their best work.

By streamlining repetitive tasks and enabling creative freedom, cafés can serve drinks that are as exciting as they are efficient. The future of coffee isn’t just hot; it’s cold, customisable, and built around smart design.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on whether coffee shops are overthinking the basics.

Photo credits: Flo-Smart

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The most successful coffee businesses understand that skilled, passionate staff are not just an asset – they are the foundation of survival and growth in today’s challenging environment.

To learn more about how to attract and retain the best baristas and roasters, I spoke to Sameer Godara of Half Light Coffee Roasters and Evani Jesslyn of Strada Coffee.

You may also like our article on how to kickstart a managerial career in coffee.

Navigating a challenging coffee market

The coffee industry is undergoing one of the most volatile periods in its recent history. Tariff threats and trade wars, fluctuating coffee prices, and export delays from major producers like Brazil have created unprecedented uncertainty. Climate-driven supply shortages add another layer of complexity, forcing businesses to adapt strategies more frequently.

This volatility demands more than traditional business approaches. Coffee shops and roasters require team members who can think on their feet, adapt quickly, and maintain quality standards despite constant change. The coffee industry reflects this reality; skilled professionals command premium positions because they bring the agility a business needs more than ever.

“Keeping a customer-centric approach is key to staying agile. Listening to customer feedback and resolving issues on the floor helps us adapt in real-time. Our team is the face of the brand; they are the first point of contact customers have with us,” says Sameer Godara, the co-founder of Half Light Coffee Roasters in Jaipur, India.

“We make sure all our team members are well-informed, trained, and aligned with our values, so they can reflect what we truly stand for in every interaction,” he adds.

Finding staff who provide the right level of support

Staff requirements have evolved beyond technical skills. While expertise in extraction, roasting profiles, and customer service remains essential, coffee businesses now need employees who demonstrate initiative, creativity, and forward-thinking approaches. These professionals don’t just follow procedures; they innovate solutions when challenges arise.

This makes it essential to look for candidates who demonstrate genuine passion for coffee culture. Passionate employees naturally become brand ambassadors, authentically representing company values and connecting with customers. They’re also more likely to stay during challenging periods, reducing turnover costs and maintaining operational consistency.

“Agility in the industry doesn’t come from just having good systems. It comes from building a team that thinks, cares, and grows together,” says Evani Jesslyn, the founder of Strada Coffee in Java, Indonesia.

“I always tell my team, if something goes wrong, say it out loud. We will figure it out together and come back stronger. That openness is what allows us to move quickly, especially in a country like Indonesia, where the coffee industry can be unpredictable,” she adds. “Harvest delays, logistics between islands, shifting market trends, and even unexpected regulations. If you are too rigid, you’re out.”

Drive and creativity separate good employees from exceptional ones. When supply chain disruptions force menu changes or equipment failures demand quick solutions, creative team members find ways to maintain service quality. They view challenges as opportunities to demonstrate their value rather than obstacles to avoid.

Success through strategic staffing

Many coffee businesses have discovered that rebranding offers a powerful strategy for navigating current market conditions. However, successful rebranding or brand refreshing requires more than new logos and marketing campaigns – it demands staff who understand and embody the evolved brand identity.

A coffee shop or roastery’s team needs to understand the company’s core values, mission, and positioning deeply enough to communicate these authentically to customers. This requires hiring individuals who align with a brand vision and investing in comprehensive training that goes beyond technical skills.

“Rebranding is successful only when the team is fully aligned with the vision behind it. It starts with how we communicate, being open, transparent, and inclusive throughout the process,” explains Sameer. “When the team understands the ‘why’ behind the change, they can convey the story authentically to the customers.”

Consider how staff interact with customers during peak hours, handle complaints, and represent a brand on social media. Every touchpoint shapes customer perception, making staff selection crucial for rebranding success.

“Strada has been around since 2012, and we have rebranded four times, not because we were lost, but because we kept evolving,” Evani says. “Rebranding only works if it lives in how we speak, how we serve, how we train, and how we handle feedback. 

“That’s why I involve my team from the beginning. Our staff is the bridge between strategy and experience. Customers don’t experience our brand through our Instagram feed; they experience it through people,” she adds.

Start from the beginning

The hiring process sets the foundation for long-term success. Owners need to start by clearly defining their value proposition: what makes working at their establishment unique and rewarding? Top talent in coffee jobs has options, so coffee businesses need compelling reasons for potential hires to choose them.

“We look for people who are genuinely interested in customer service and understand the difference between making a customer happy and simply pleasing them,” Sameer says. “Since the job involves dealing with real people and emotions daily, we value empathy, consistency, and the ability to follow standard operating procedures to deliver remarkable experiences.”

Highlight career advancement opportunities, supportive learning environments, creative freedom, and company culture in job postings. Skilled baristas and roasters often seek positions where they can grow professionally, develop new skills, and potentially advance to management or specialised roles. These pathways need to be visible from the initial application stage.

Industry-specific platforms, such as PDG Jobs, can help businesses connect with experienced candidates who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of the coffee industry. These platforms connect operators with professionals who are already committed to the industry and seeking meaningful career moves, rather than temporary positions.

During interviews, assess candidates’ problem-solving abilities and adaptability. Present hypothetical scenarios involving equipment failures, difficult customers, or supply shortages. Their responses reveal how they handle pressure and whether they can think creatively under stress.

“We believe in growing people like we grow coffee, with patience, purpose, and depth. Our café manager started as a waiter. Our head roasters and sourcing leads began as baristas,” Evani shares. “Growth like that is built into our culture, not as a bonus, but as a pathway.”

Onboarding excellence: Setting a team up for success

Effective onboarding transforms good hires into exceptional team members.

“Once a candidate is hired, they enter a structured two-part training programme. The first focuses on specialty coffee, covering everything from brewing methods to coffee knowledge and quality standards,” Sameer says. “The second is centred on customer service, where they learn to engage guests, handle real-life situations, and deliver the kind of experience we’re known for.”

Create structured training programmes that cover technical skills, customer service standards, and company-specific procedures. These can include sessions on coffee sourcing philosophy, sustainability practices, and community involvement, helping new hires understand their role in the larger brand mission.

Assign mentors to new employees during their first few months. Experienced team members can provide guidance, answer questions, and help newcomers navigate challenges. This system also demonstrates a commitment to employee development, increasing retention rates among both new and existing staff.

Retaining top talent requires ongoing investment in their professional development. Create clear career advancement pathways that allow baristas to progress to senior positions, shift leaders, or specialised roles like head roaster or training coordinator.

“Training, mentoring, and developing our team comes at a cost, but it is a vital investment that pays off in quality, consistency, and long-term brand growth,” Sameer tells me.

Offer opportunities for continued education, whether through coffee certifications, cupping courses, or industry conferences. Many talented professionals choose coffee jobs specifically because they want to deepen their expertise, and supporting this goal increases loyalty and job satisfaction.

“We run internal mentorship tracks where team leaders guide staff to develop into higher roles. Everyone is encouraged to learn across disciplines: baristas explore roasting, finance learns barista basics, and marketing learns service,” says Evani. “This creates real understanding, flexibility, and ownership.”

Invest in and listen to staff

Implement regular performance reviews that focus on growth rather than just evaluation. Discuss career goals, identify skill gaps, and create development plans that align with both employee aspirations and business needs. This approach shows operators are invested in their employees’ long-term success, not just immediate productivity.

“We evaluate our staff every three to six months to offer promotions, raises, or new opportunities. That kind of commitment helps lower our turnover, improves service, and creates loyalty,” Evani says. “Many of our best menu ideas and workflow improvements came from staff who felt safe to contribute.”

Establishing two-way communication systems that encourage feedback and ideas from all team members is crucial. Regular team meetings, suggestion boxes, and one-on-one sessions also provide opportunities for staff to share insights and concerns.

“We aim to build meaningful experiences around coffee, not just serve it. Team members are encouraged to contribute ideas and shape the brand,” Sameer says. “The moment our staff truly understands ‘why’ we do what we do, and ‘how’ we do it, the entire brand comes to life – unified, authentic, and full of purpose.

“To achieve this, clear and transparent communication is absolutely essential,” he adds.

Listen actively to employee feedback, especially regarding operational challenges or customer service improvements. Frontline staff often identify issues before management does, and their solutions can be effective. When employee suggestions are implemented, acknowledge their contributions publicly, reinforcing the value of their input.

Create safe spaces for honest communication about workload, scheduling, and workplace concerns. Address issues promptly and transparently to maintain trust and prevent small problems from becoming major retention challenges.

Success in today’s coffee industry requires more than great products; it demands exceptional people who can navigate uncertainty while maintaining quality and service standards. Hiring and retention strategies directly impact a coffee shop or roastery’s ability to weather market volatility and emerge stronger.

Focus on attracting candidates who share a passion for coffee and demonstrate the adaptability modern coffee jobs require. Invest in comprehensive onboarding, ongoing development, and clear communication channels. 

While equipment and brewing recipes can be replicated, the combination of skill, passion, and commitment that exceptional staff bring to a business is irreplaceable.

Looking for new positions in the coffee industry? Check out PDG Jobs here.

Photo credits: Half Light Coffee Roasters, Strada Coffee

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Regularly cleaning all the equipment in a coffee shop can seem overwhelming, but it is a non-negotiable for running a successful business. Coffee equipment marred with coffee residue, limescale, and milk buildup can, at best, turn customers off and, at worst, escalate into a food safety nightmare.

To learn about best practices for cleaning coffee equipment, I spoke with Nastasia Pavlis and Jason Bond at Cafetto and Dominick Majdandzic at White Horse Coffee. Read on for their insight on how to develop regular and fail-safe cleaning procedures. 

You may also like our article on why equipment longevity needs to be a priority for coffee shops.

The importance of regular equipment cleaning procedures

One of the most crucial yet often overlooked factors in extracting great espresso is the use of clean equipment. Using pristine espresso machines, batch brewers, and grinders helps best express the complex, delicate flavours of coffee that old grounds and milk residue can easily overpower.

Build-up of stale grounds and oils can also compromise machine performance and longevity. For example, coffee fines and oils stick to the ridges of grinder burrs, and can cause blockages if left to accumulate.

Regular cleaning practices not only keep equipment in excellent working order but also prevent health and safety risks that coffee shops can’t afford to ignore. The constant moisture, milk residue, and coffee oils that are inevitably produced in coffee equipment create an ideal environment for microbial growth. A diversity of bacteria can breed in coffee equipment, posing a risk to the health of customers and staff and resulting in failed health inspections.

With already razor-thin margins and a highly competitive market, specialty coffee shops cannot afford to use unclean equipment. Fortunately, maintaining cleanliness is a cost-effective investment.  

Matching beverage quality with cleanliness

Specialty coffee shops invest extensive time and money curating exceptional beverages, training stellar baristas, and purchasing premium equipment. Equal investment should be directed towards cleaning so that clogged, corroded, or broken machines don’t ultimately negate all of the above.  

Thorough cleaning regimens should include cleaning solutions designed specifically for coffee shops. Cafetto’s product development, for instance, is guided by three key principles: performance, safety, and sustainability. 

“We deliver products that coffee professionals can trust from every angle – products that perform and protect to the highest standard, are safe to use, and support the fast-paced nature of hospitality environments,” says Nastasia Pavlis, the brand manager at Cafetto.  

She explains that their products undergo rigorous internal and external testing to meet globally recognised certifications such as Australian Certified Organic, Halal, Kosher, and National Science Foundation. 

Notably, the rising demand for eco-friendly cleaning products in the coffee industry means café owners are seeking cleaning solutions with organic and biodegradable ingredients that minimise risks to human health and the environment. 

Cafetto’s products, for example, contain biodegradable surfactants and are free from genetically modified ingredients and phosphates. The EVO Espresso Machine Cleaner delivers cleaning power without damaging internal components, and Grinder Clean is the industry’s first and still-leading organic-certified grinder cleaner.

How can coffee shops implement rigorous cleaning protocols correctly and consistently?

“Developing rigorous cleaning standards starts with a solid foundation of education, clarity, and commitment,” Nastasia explains. 

She elaborates that coffee shops should first establish a structured cleaning protocol tailored to their specific equipment, beverage offerings, and workflow. These protocols must align with the equipment manufacturers’ recommendations and best-practice hygiene standards in the coffee industry. 

Next, effective barista training is essential for café operators to uphold the highest standards.

“A documented and visible cleaning schedule, broken down into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, is absolutely essential for staying on top of cleaning requirements. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to build consistency across the team,” Nastasia says.  

Each task should clearly outline the correct cleaning product, dosage, and contact time. 

“Nothing is ever a guesswork game – always take the time to explain the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’ to your staff,” she adds. “That’s how you turn good habits into long-term standards.”

When implementing best practices for coffee equipment maintenance, Dominick Majdandzic, the co-founder of White Horse Coffee in Sydney, Australia, advises that baristas should be prepared to get their hands dirty. 

“There simply is nothing like grabbing a cloth and sticking it deep into the crevasse of the coffee machine and wiping and scrubbing down the coffee grind, oil, and murk,” he tells me. “Most tasks can be apparent from getting down low and looking up to see other surfaces needing cleaning.”

Prominent coffee professional James Hoffman distills coffee machine maintenance down to the “finger test,” where a finger is wiped across coffee equipment – portafilters, groupheads, grinder hoppers and burrs, steam wands, etc. – to ensure it leaves no significant residue. If you can see or feel the residue on your finger, you can most likely taste the bitter, harsh notes it imparts in the coffee. 

Implementing cleaning schedules in coffee shops

Cafe owners and baristas may find it less intimidating to break down cleaning routines on a calendar. Every coffee shop will implement variable cleaning regimens based on local water quality, sales volume, and the thoroughness with which baristas carry out daily cleaning. 

However, James Hoffman, Dominick, and other coffee professionals agree, more or less, on general timeframes for implementing specific protocols.

After every use

• Purge the espresso machine grouphead for a few seconds after pulling a shot. 
• Purge the steam wand for a few seconds and wipe it with a cloth. Replace cleaning rags two to three times a day. 
• Thoroughly rinse pitchers after every use. 
• Wipe down drip trays and countertops whenever milk or coffee is spilled. 

Being diligent about all of the above will significantly extend the time necessary between deep cleans.

Daily closing tasks

• Clean groupheads using espresso machine cleaner, such as Cafetto’s EVO, by inserting a blind filter basket into the group head and following the machine’s cleaning cycle.
• Soak portafilters in espresso machine cleaner for ten minutes.
• Scrub shot glasses and all serving vessels with hot water, detergent, and sanitiser.
• Empty the hopper of coffee beans overnight and wipe down the external casing of the grinder.
• Clean grinder hoppers and exit shoots with a vacuum or brush. At least every three days – the time when coffee goes stale – wash the hopper with detergent and run specialised grinder cleaners through the burrs.
• Clear drip trays, drains, and hoses to avoid clogs.

Monthly and yearly deep cleans

• Clean milk lines. White Horse Coffee uses Inverso milk jug and crockery cleaner to wash milk jugs monthly, and ceramic cups and teapots quarterly. 
• Descale espresso machines, batch brewers, carafes, and kettles every six to 12 months, depending on how strong a cleaner you use and the minerality of your water.

Limescale, the buildup of calcium carbonate naturally found in hard water, can damage machines and shorten their lifespan. Alternatively, the acidity of soft water can corrode and damage equipment. 

Consider installing a filtration system to regulate your water minerality. Otherwise, descaling entails using an acid cleaner to break down the lime; you can invest in specialised descalers to reduce the chance of corrosion. 

Upholding high standards

Ultimately, what constitutes “clean enough” varies for every café, but it should never stray from regulations regarding food safety and employee and customer health.

“Working across 75 countries, we’ve seen a wide range of cleaning standards shaped by local regulations, cultural practices, equipment usage, and climate,” says Jason Bond, the Deputy General Manager at Cafetto. “The end goal – clean, safe, high-performing coffee equipment – is shared globally, and cleaning products like Cafetto offer the path to achieving it.

“We’ve also seen variations in water quality, climate, and usage patterns that influence how often certain cleaning tasks need to be done. For instance, high-humidity environments may require more frequent attention to mould prevention, while areas with hard water need robust descaling routines,” he adds.

Cleanliness at competitions

Upholding such high standards is also crucial at competitions. Cafetto was the Official Cleaning Product Sponsor of the World Barista Championship, a competition that sets the highest standards in specialty coffee, from 2008 to 2023.

“In an arena where precision, fairness, and cleanliness are non-negotiable, our products helped ensure equipment operated at its absolute best, removing variables and allowing baristas to focus solely on their performance,” Jason says. “Looking ahead, we’re excited to expand our support of the specialty coffee community through a new partnership with SCA UK, where we will serve as the official cleaning product and supplies sponsor for all UK Coffee Championships from 2025 to 2027. 

“This partnership reinforces our belief in nurturing local talent and raising standards at every level of the industry.”

Specialty coffee prides itself on precision and quality, so overlooking the role of deep cleaning equipment is a misstep. 

Investing in high-quality cleaning products and implementing regular routines isn’t just about maintaining machinery; it’s a strategic investment in customer satisfaction, staff safety, and the exceptional coffee experience.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why serving excellent espresso means using clean equipment.

Photo credits: Cafetto

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These figures have sparked debate across social media and news commentary, often framed as a direct result of coffee becoming more expensive to source. However, this narrative oversimplifies the complex web of operational costs that shape retail prices in the coffee sector.

Although the C price reached record highs earlier this year, linking coffee shop prices directly to green coffee costs tells only part of the story. The reality is far more complex, and unless coffee businesses are willing to discuss the many factors influencing their prices, they risk alienating the very customers they rely on.

I spoke to Samantha Scoles at BRITA UK to learn more.

You may also like our article on how much coffee shops should raise their prices.

It’s not just coffee prices that are rising

Green coffee prices reached their highest recorded levels earlier this year, exceeding US $4/lb. However, while raw material costs are important, they account for only a fraction of a coffee shop’s total expenses. Rent, wages, packaging, energy, and milk have all experienced significant price hikes since 2020, and these increases inevitably impact coffee shop prices.

Despite market realities, recent media coverage often oversimplifies the reasons behind rising prices. In doing so, it risks damaging public perception of coffee businesses.

“As coffee prices rise, customers are becoming more discerning, seeking quality over quantity,” says Samantha Scoles, the sales director at water filtration brand BRITA UK, which caters to coffee shops. “Now more than ever, it’s crucial for coffee shops to avoid cutting corners, especially when it comes to the quality of water used in brewing, as this directly impacts the overall coffee experience.”

In this climate, transparency becomes critical. Coffee shop owners and roasters need to help consumers understand why prices are going up, not as an excuse, but as an effort to preserve quality and sustainability.

“Coffee shops are feeling the pressure to manage rising costs on their own, but as consumers, we need to recognise the importance of supporting independent coffee shops and the broader industry,” Samantha adds. “If we want to ensure its long-term survival, it’s crucial that we stand behind these businesses now more than ever.”

In a recent CNN live report, roaster and coffee content creator Kat Melheim reiterated this sentiment. She believes that many coffee businesses feel torn between their need to raise prices to match the market and their fear of losing business to consumers unwilling to pay more for coffee.

“I’m hearing from roasters that they’re afraid to raise their prices – but the problem is that green coffee prices are at an all-time high,” Kat said in the report. “In order to stay in business and support coffee farmers, they will need to raise their prices.” 

Coffee has long been an undervalued commodity. For many consumers, it’s considered too expensive; however, for farmers, coffee production doesn’t provide a sustainable income.

Research shows that many customers are happy to accept higher costs when they understand where their money is going, especially when they feel they are supporting businesses that offer traceable, sustainable, and community-driven experiences.  

Yet if the narrative focuses only on green coffee costs, which is understandable given coffee’s historic undervaluing, it risks undermining the broader value delivered by skilled baristas, hospitality staff, and independent cafés.

Communicating value and building trust

Price increases are rarely short-term. Various reports note that spikes in the C price take about a year to fully reach consumers, and the impacts can linger for up to four years. As such, businesses must prepare for sustained higher costs in the long term, and consumers deserve clarity on what these costs mean.

Samantha highlights the need for such transparency and adds that by positioning price changes as a path to quality and longevity, operators are more likely to maintain customer loyalty.

“It’s important to have transparency with your customers about why prices are going up,” she says. “Ultimately, it’s a story that everyone in the coffee industry should share, no matter the size of their business.

“In the face of cost-cutting pressures, it’s critical that coffee shop owners avoid taking shortcuts in the short term that could compromise quality,” she adds. “It’s essential to deliver a consistent, exceptional experience each time customers visit to ensure they keep coming back for more.”

Sensationalising price increases or blaming a single cause can backfire. As media narratives continue to explain price increases without providing sufficient context, this could further erode the public’s trust in the coffee sector.

Some headlines have claimed that consumers will soon need to pay “up to AU $12 for a cup of coffee” – an exaggeration that grabs attention but can distort the conversation around real cost drivers.

Still, coffee shop owners must tread carefully. If consumers deem coffee too expensive to justify as a regular purchase, they may opt to drink it at home or switch to more affordable options. Many roasters and coffee shops are already seeing more customers treat café visits as an occasional treat rather than a daily or regular habit.

For operators, this means the pressure is on to make each visit count. It’s not just about pricing strategy; it’s about ensuring that every customer interaction reinforces value and loyalty. This could mean elevating service, improving consistency, or focusing more on community-building efforts that help customers see a café as a space they’re proud to support, even at a higher price point.

Shifting the conversation for consumers

As the conversation about rising coffee shop prices continues, businesses must shift the narrative. The cost of running a café in today’s climate is shaped by everything from energy prices and milk inflation to labour shortages and packaging costs.

In this context, Samantha advises that communicating value isn’t just about explaining or contextualising pricing – it’s also about creating a reason for customers to return. 

‘Offering customers a consistent experience – where they feel like they are getting value and a great product – will be vital in ensuring their loyalty,” she says. “Consumers don’t want to see their favourite local coffee shop close due to price hikes, so giving them a great product and experience will be pivotal in protecting the future of these businesses.” 

Rather than focusing solely on cost, businesses should frame pricing changes as part of their broader mission. This could include investing in quality, supporting producers, paying staff fairly, and contributing to their local community.

“By framing the price increase as a means of sustaining quality and business viability, consumers are more likely to understand and continue supporting their local coffee shops,” Samantha says.

Customers, especially those who drink specialty coffee, are likely to have a baseline understanding of why prices are rising and why higher coffee shop prices are justified. Still, the onus is on coffee shop operators to provide further explanation.

In a landscape where inflation affects nearly every consumer good, coffee shops are far from alone in raising prices. 

But they have a unique advantage: their product connects people. If businesses can share their story honestly, they’re more likely to retain not just their customers, but also their credibility.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why roasters and coffee shops need to strategise menu pricing.

Photo credits: BRITA Professional, Batch Baby

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Automation can support coffee shops in navigating the unprecedented times the industry is currently experiencing, but it can’t replace the fundamentals of investing in staff training and development.

To learn more about how coffee shops can stay ahead in a rapidly changing coffee sector, I spoke with Daniel Gerlach, a professional barista, three-time German Latte Art Champion, and WMF Professional Coffee Machines brand ambassador.

You may also like our article on how automation can better support baristas.

The evolving role of the modern barista

Over the last decade or so, the role of a barista in specialty coffee has undergone a remarkable transformation. No longer simply “the person who makes coffee,” today’s barista more closely resembles a sommelier – a knowledgeable guide navigating customers through complex flavour profiles, origins, and preparation methods. 

Customers are also increasingly educated about specialty coffee. They expect baristas to have comprehensive knowledge about everything from processing methods to water chemistry, while still delivering exceptional beverages and memorable service experiences.

“Guests no longer expect just standard coffee. Creative, personalised drinks are particularly popular with Gen Z, and they want barista-quality,” says Daniel Gerlach, coffee competitor, co-founder of Seven Hills Coffee Roasters, and WMF Professional Coffee Machines brand ambassador. “Plant-based milk alternatives are popular, and demand for hand-brewed coffee remains high, especially in the premium segment.”

These changing consumer demands have significantly expanded the responsibilities of the barista. Beyond technical skills in extraction and milk texturing, modern baristas also need to develop in-depth knowledge of coffee origins and processing techniques, understanding of complex brewing variables and their impact on flavour, strong sensory analysis capabilities, advanced customer service skills, and the ability to troubleshoot and adjust equipment on the fly.

The modern barista’s role demands more expertise, passion, and dedication than ever before, essentially elevating what was once considered an entry-level passion into a skilled profession requiring ongoing education and development.

Addressing the staffing crisis in specialty coffee

At the same time that the demands of the barista’s role have increased, the coffee industry faces significant staffing challenges. Finding and retaining skilled talent has become one of the biggest hurdles for coffee business owners. 

Industry-wide labour shortages, accelerated by the pandemic and changing workforce priorities, have left many cafés struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels. Hospitality staff turnover in Europe, particularly in the UK, is a significant issue, with the industry experiencing higher turnover rates than many other sectors.

Employee morale suffers as a result. According to Harpers, almost half of hospitality managers acknowledge the negative impact of staff shortages, with increased workloads (73%) and higher employee turnover (60%) cited as the primary consequences. 

Inevitably, this affects the customer experience, including a decline in service quality and longer waiting times. Given that 97% of customers have abandoned a purchase because they deemed it inconvenient, coffee shop operators can’t afford to ignore chronic understaffing issues.

Historically, however, underinvestment in barista training and development has created a perception problem, with many still viewing the role as a temporary stepping stone rather than a viable career path. Ultimately, the onus is on coffee shop owners to support and value their staff – or risk losing them.

“The human factor of specialty coffee is very important. Operators have to address high staff turnover rates, and I think as an industry, we need to be more open to new technologies,” says Daniel. 

“At the World Latte Art Championship at World of Coffee Copenhagen, for example, we used a fully automatic coffee machine for the first time,” he adds. “Automation in coffee continues to divide the scene, but I’m also seeing a change in attitude because many of my colleagues are realising these machines can produce excellent results.”

Finding balance through technology

When it comes to the barista job role, the disconnect between the skill level required and the compensation traditionally offered has created a perfect storm. Coffee shop owners are competing for a shrinking pool of skilled workers, while these individuals are increasingly seeking roles with better compensation and opportunities for career development elsewhere in the industry.

While the recent UK-EU trade agreement to remove trade red tape and develop a temporary EU work visa scheme could alleviate labour shortages in UK coffee shops, it won’t resolve the staffing crisis in hospitality.

For coffee businesses navigating these challenges, a multifaceted approach is essential. Investing in staff development remains critical; however, innovative automation solutions are also providing a complementary strategy. It’s not about replacing baristas, but about creating technical support systems that enable coffee shops to maintain consistent quality while addressing labour challenges. 

“Trained baristas are in more demand than ever before. But the number of experienced coffee professionals and baristas is not growing at the same pace,” Daniel tells me. “Technological innovations like the WMF espresso NEXT can help fill this gap.

“The semi-automatic portafilter machine optimises the workflow of each barista and offers the best of both worlds: Reproducible and consistently high barista-style coffee quality paired with the benefits of automation and technology,” he adds.

Unlike fully automatic machines, WMF’s hybrid solution can be operated in multiple modes to accommodate varying skill levels and staffing scenarios. 

In the traditional mode, experienced baristas maintain complete control over extraction parameters and milk steaming, allowing them to showcase their expertise. When less experienced staff are on shift, the same machine can operate in automated mode, ensuring consistent quality without requiring the same level of technical skill.

This flexibility proves particularly valuable during busy periods when additional support is needed. New baristas can leverage the automated functions, gradually taking control of more variables as their skills develop. This creates a gentle learning curve while maintaining product consistency.

Implementing automation thoughtfully in coffee shops

Coffee shop owners considering automation should approach it as one component of a broader operational strategy rather than a complete solution in itself. 

Proper barista training should be the first priority, alongside implementing efficient and effective systems and leadership. By elevating standards and improving staff training and support, cafés are better equipped to meet customers’ expectations.

Simultaneously, automation has become an increasingly prominent part of the coffee industry – from cafés to competitions. While some embrace this seemingly natural evolution of a maturing market, others remain hesitant. There has been an ongoing tension between honouring craftsmanship and striving for a greater level of precision and consistency.

Regardless of opinion, without this technology, specialty coffee wouldn’t have been able to advance to the high standards we uphold today. The introduction of automated technology, such as digital temperature controllers (PID systems), in espresso machines in the late 1980s, for example, allowed baristas to maintain precise brewing temperatures, significantly improving extraction consistency and opening up new possibilities for flavour. 

It ultimately comes down to implementing automation thoughtfully and intentionally, without removing the craft and human elements of specialty coffee. Hybrid systems, such as the WMF espresso NEXT, help maintain consistency across varying staff skill levels, enable baristas to focus on customer interactions rather than repetitive tasks, and provide operational flexibility during staffing shortages.

“Compared to conventional portafilter machines, the WMF espresso NEXT reduces the manual preparation steps for a cappuccino, for example, by up to 40%; this leaves more time for customer contact, which can lead to higher sales due to shorter waiting times and contributes to customer satisfaction,” Daniel says. “To make this possible, WMF espresso NEXT offers multiple features for automated processes in coffee preparation and simpler operation of the machines. 

“All time-consuming and error-prone tasks can be performed automatically by the machine –  from grinding, dosing, and tamping to milk dispensing and milk foam production,” he adds. “Self-regulating technologies such as the WMF Dynamic Coffee Assist allow continuous monitoring of dose and brewing temperature. It can automatically detect whether the machine needs to adjust grind size or dose, meaning manual fine-tuning is no longer necessary.”

Improving efficiency and reducing waste

Other key components of automation in coffee shops are improving workflow and minimising costs to reduce waste, which are increasingly crucial as business costs rise across the board.

The WMF espresso NEXT’s Auto Milk Dosing option delivers exact quantities of milk or plant-based alternatives and can foam them to the desired consistency. This avoids leftover milk and waste, as only the exact amount needed is dispensed. 

Meanwhile, the One Touch Americano function allows baristas to prepare the drink with the touch of a button, speeding up workflow on the machine and offering more hands-off time. The Auto Steam system also allows for the simultaneous use of the two configurable, automatic steam wands on both sides of the machine, effectively doubling the machine’s output. 

As the specialty coffee industry continues to mature, the most successful businesses will likely be those that find the right balance between human expertise and technological support. The future isn’t about choosing between automation and traditional service – it’s about thoughtfully integrating both. Coffee shops that leverage technology to support their staff rather than replace them will be best positioned to thrive amid ongoing challenges.

“Fully automatic machine manufacturers are increasingly focusing on portafilters, while portafilter machines are becoming more and more similar to fully automatic machines thanks to the wide range of technical possibilities,” Daniel concludes. “I’m convinced that automation will lead to an increase in coffee quality, especially in locations where staff are less experienced.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how automation improves barista workflow.

Photo credits: WMF

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Meanwhile, operating costs – from labour to rent to packaging – continue to climb, making cash flow management even more challenging. To stay competitive as they source more cost-effective coffees, while still offering a smaller range of high-end micro lots, roasters must be strategic with their menu prices.

To learn more, I spoke to Darius Vėželis, the CEO of Vero Coffee House, and Silvia Constantin Graham, the owner of First Coffee and the Barista School Romania. 

You may also like our article on why roasters now have to compete on more than price alone.

Catering to growing beverage trends

The specialty coffee industry is undergoing a shift in consumer preferences, compelling business owners to become more strategic with their menus and, consequently, their pricing.

Coffee customisation has emerged as one of the most dominant trends. A growing number of customers, particularly those in Gen Z, are increasingly viewing espresso and milk-based drinks as an ingredient or foundation to build rather than a complete coffee experience. They seek personalisation through an array of syrups, alternative milks, functional additions like collagen or protein, and seasonal flavour innovations – with cold brew and other cold coffee drinks leading the charge.

This evolution reflects a broader consumer desire for experiences that feel both individualised and indulgent, satisfying not just the need for caffeine but also for novelty, comfort, and self-expression.

“With sustained high green coffee costs, specialty coffee faces big competition with customised and functional drinks. It doesn’t mean specialty coffee shops should turn to commercial-grade coffees, but they need to showcase the difference more clearly,” says Darius Vėželis, the CEO of Vero Coffee House, a specialty coffee shop and roastery in Kaunas, Lithuania. “This is easy with millennials, as they are continually interested in taste profiles and information about origin, but we need to find a different language and approach for Gen Z.

“Only a few markets like the Middle East or East Asia are seeing a rise in demand for high-quality coffee. In Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, the new generation is looking for customisation or functional drinks, and they have a wide choice of alternatives to coffee,” he adds.

This customisation boom creates both opportunities and complexities for coffee pricing strategies. On one hand, it enables businesses to create compelling value propositions where customers pay premium prices for beverages tailored to their preferences. 

On the other hand, it transforms menu pricing into a multivariable equation where profitability depends not just on coffee quality and cost, but on the balance of multiple ingredients, each with its own supply chain vulnerabilities and price fluctuations. 

To add complexity, consumers maintain high expectations for the underlying coffee quality, creating a paradoxical demand for both creative beverage enhancements and foundational excellence.

Balancing quality with consumer demand

There’s an irony at the intersection of specialty coffee and customisation culture: the characteristics that make high-scoring micro-lots extraordinary – their delicate flavour profiles, distinctive terroir expressions, and nuanced acidity – are masked or overwhelmed by the addition of syrups, flavourings, and other ingredients.

“High-scoring coffees and micro-lots are recommended to be drunk by themselves, for the taste experience, to discover why they received those particular scores,” says Silvia Constantin Graham, the owner of First Coffee and the Barista School Romania in Bucharest, Romania.

“Depending on the cupping score, each roaster knows which flavour profiles they are roasting for,” she adds. And a dedicated barista also knows how to prepare the coffee to get the best results.”

Roasters pay higher prices for high-scoring or auction-winning coffees to showcase their exceptional qualities, prompting them to offer these lots as single origin pour overs, for example. However, with the customisation trend growing, these distinguishing qualities are often overshadowed by syrups and additional flavourings. 

This represents not only a financial inefficiency but also a disconnect between the craft-focused values that drive specialty coffee sourcing and the market-driven realities of contemporary café operations.

This tension raises a fundamental strategic question for coffee businesses: do customised beverages require the same coffee quality as drinks served black or with minimal additions?

Base or foundational coffees are important for overall balance and mouthfeel in customised drinks. However, a number of cafés and roasters are responding by developing tiered coffee programmes, utilising approachably priced, consistent specialty coffees (typically scoring 82-85 points) for their flavoured drinks menu, while reserving their higher-scoring, more expensive single origins for straight espressos and manual filter brewing. 

This strategic differentiation enables businesses to allocate their coffee investment effectively while delivering exceptional experiences across all of their menu offerings.

Managing coffee shop price rises

A growing number of cafés are now segmenting their coffee offerings on menus, developing delineated menu sections that help guide customers. They offer the highest-scoring coffees, 90+ micro-lots, and exclusive small-batch offerings as filter coffees, straight espressos, or at most, a splash of milk. These premium experiences come with premium price tags, appropriately reflecting their true cost while creating an elevated “tasting experience” that appeals to specialty coffee enthusiasts.

“At First Coffee, we specifically roast for filter and espresso, and we don’t have drinks with mixed syrups on the menu, but that’s our decision,” Silvia tells me. “A lot of work goes into each coffee, so we want to demonstrate our respect and commitment to quality.”

Meanwhile, their customisable menu options feature well-balanced, consistent coffees at more moderate price points, including blends that provide the necessary structure and “traditional” base flavour notes that hold strong with the addition of syrups and other flavourings – a strategy that both optimises ingredient costs and enhances the final flavour experience.

“When you come up with a menu, you need to think about which types of coffee you need to use, as well as the costs of these coffees and other ingredients to establish the final price, which can be borne by the consumer, but also cover all of your costs and make a profit,” she adds. “There are many variables to consider, but there is always a price option that works for both consumers and the business.”

As the specialty coffee industry navigates challenging economic conditions, adaptation hinges on embracing a nuanced understanding of how quality, value, and the customer experience intersect. The most successful coffee businesses will be those that can balance tradition with innovation, craft with customisation, and exclusivity with accessibility, and adapt their menu offerings and pricing accordingly.

In the more inclusive vision of specialty coffee’s future, there is room for both the US $10 single origin pour over and the US $6 flavoured latte – each respected for what it is, rather than judged for what it’s not.

The question for each café is not whether to embrace this menu diversity, but how to do so while building a business that can weather the storms of an increasingly unpredictable market.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how roasters can stand out with RTD coffee.

Photo credits: Vero Coffee House

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Some who anticipated the spike have already increased their prices, positioning themselves for a difficult year. However, as conversations continue about how high coffee futures could go in 2025, it’s clear that business operators need to remain agile and adaptable to navigate the challenges ahead.

According to a recent UN FAO report, up to 80% of coffee price rises will trickle down to EU consumers over 11 months, while 80% of them will feed through to US consumers over the next eight months. The report also found that the residual impacts of price rises will last for four years, indicating that further hikes could be on the horizon.

I spoke to Robi Lambie, founder of Cairngorm Coffee, Dafne Spadavecchia, co-founder of Faro – Caffè Specialty, and Paul Ashby, director of Bogota Coffee Company, to find out how much coffee shop prices could go up.

You may also like our article on why roasters need to compete on more than just price.

The impact of higher green coffee prices is global 

The C price – the global benchmark for coffee prices – has been consistently high for the last two years, leading to a fundamental shift in industry dynamics. Roasters are pushed to source more cost-effectively or seek alternative funding. At the same time, producers are dealing with a growing number of interconnected challenges, such as the rising costs of labour and fertilisers, that underscore how “higher” market prices don’t necessarily mean a more equitable supply chain.

“Global politics, which has a direct influence on the C market, is currently so fractured and unpredictable,” says Robi Lambie, the founder of Cairngorm Coffee in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Although market volatility is an inevitable part of the trade of coffee, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza conflicts have driven up global food and energy prices to record highs and caused unprecedented logistical backlogs and delays.

US President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on several countries, including Mexico, has slashed economic growth rates – and effectively started a global trade war that shows no signs of slowing down.

“The situation is also exacerbated by the climate crisis and commodity traders pushing up prices. These are factors out of our hands,” says Paul Ashby, the director at Bogota Coffee Company in Milton Keynes, UK. “People think the C price could peak around US $5/lb, and that even if it does hit this number by the end of the year, it will eventually settle around U$3/lb.”

Retail price increases have become inevitable for roasters & cafés

Roasters, which tend to thrive on lower coffee futures, everywhere then face the difficult decision of balancing price hikes with retaining customers. Operators have to quickly adapt to find new ways of managing cash flow and tight profit margins while maintaining and improving the quality and diversity of their offerings. 

Many have increased their menu prices over the last year to cover the higher costs of green coffee, energy, food, and labour. The cost of living crisis has exposed consumers to rising prices for essential goods and services that outpace wage growth, straining their pockets. In Greece, food prices have increased by almost 40% in the last 15 years, while the Japanese food and beverage industry is grappling with record inflation rates that are pushing business owners to focus more on export markets.

Inevitably, consumers around the world will adapt their purchasing habits as they feel the impact of higher coffee shop prices. At-home consumption could increase, while café visits are likely to become a “treat” rather than a daily occurrence. 

“We expect prices to rise, but in some ways, this may be the shift that has been needed for some time: to break through the artificial ceiling that has kept coffee undervalued as a luxury product,” Robi says.

For coffee drinkers in mature specialty coffee markets like Australia, Scandinavia, Japan, and the US, there may be less resistance to retail price increases, as people are accustomed to paying more for quality coffee. The situation for café operators in more “traditional” markets, however, may not be as straightforward.

“Italy, as well as some other Mediterranean countries, are facing issues related to the rising C price which are slightly different from, for example, the UK, Germany, France or Scandinavia,” says Dafne Spadavecchia, a co-founder of Faro – Caffè Specialty, the first specialty coffee shop in Rome, Italy. “Ten years ago, the Italian market knew very little about different ways to extract and drink coffee.”

How much should coffee shops raise their prices?

It’s never an easy decision to increase menu prices, but it has quickly become unavoidable. The mounting costs of green coffee, food, energy, labour, and packaging mean coffee shop operators and owners need to adjust accordingly to keep profit margins healthy. Otherwise, they risk huge hits to their business and losing out to competitors.

“We won’t feel the full impact of an industry-wide price increase for another couple of months, but when we do, the key for us is to be open and transparent, explaining that these increases aren’t solely about profiteering but about sustaining an industry that supports farmers, importers, roasters, and baristas,” Robi says.

“The key is to ensure that as costs rise, so does the overall value of what you offer. The real opportunity here is to encourage a customer base that understands the true cost of coffee and appreciates it for more than just affordability,” he adds. “The long-term impact will depend on whether businesses embrace this as a moment to reinforce the real value of specialty coffee rather than just absorb rising costs in silence.”

Maintaining quality and investing in customer service and hospitality then becomes paramount to warrant price hikes, ensuring increasingly price-conscious consumers feel valued.

“I think the most important thing that coffee shops can do, more important now than ever before, is consistency,” Paul says. “If customers are paying a higher price and they’re not getting the same drink every day, or the quality’s not there, then it’ll be a long time before they come back.”

However, for many coffee shop owners, the question of how much they should raise prices remains. In a recent newsletter, specialty coffee importer Royal Coffee suggested a US 25 to 50 cent increase per cup to cover higher green coffee costs, but these are just one piece of the puzzle. Business costs are rising across the board, and operators need to factor all of them in when managing menu prices.

“Nearly every aspect of running a coffee shop is becoming more expensive; milk prices continue to rise, labour costs are increasing, and energy bills are at an all-time high. These realities shape pricing decisions just as much as the cost of green coffee,” Robi says.

Finding ways to manage costs also isn’t strictly related to price increases.

“We have shifted our retail coffee bags from 250g to 200g. While the cost per gram remains the same, this keeps the total purchase price more manageable for customers,” Robi adds. “We’re also considering a similar approach in the coffee shop, potentially reducing our espresso dose slightly from 18g to 15g.”

An opportunity to engage more deeply with consumers

Higher retail prices are driving shifts in consumer behaviour that coffee businesses will need to adapt to. The expected rise in at-home consumption will likely push roasters to refocus on e-commerce and subscription channels, much like during the pandemic, bolstering their resilience as the industry undergoes fundamental changes.

These shifts, however, are set against the backdrop of mainstream media reports about rising prices, with claims of US $10 lattes undoubtedly causing concern and uncertainty among coffee drinkers.

“When media outlets sensationalise price increases, it can create unnecessary panic,” Robi tells me. “The reality is far more nuanced. While costs are rising, much of that increase is long overdue and reflects a fairer value for coffee producers.”

This presents roasters, café operators, and baristas with opportunities to engage more deeply with consumers about the perceived value of coffee.

“Television and radio talk shows in Italy keep talking about high coffee prices, especially with reference to the conventional market,” Dafne says. “The biggest challenge is to substitute and replace the word ‘high’ with ‘fair’. Coffee has been underpriced for years, so you can’t blame consumers for their lack of knowledge because it’s not their job to be informed.

“Although we belong to a niche market, we have to bring quality coffee to everyone and keep informing and educating people.”

But coffee businesses need to be mindful of consumer needs

There’s a notion in specialty coffee that consumers want to be more educated about roasting, brewing, and the wider supply chain, demanding better transparency and traceability. While this is certainly true, higher prices are likely to disrupt this trend as consumers’ priorities change.

“Education has always been a tricky word in specialty coffee shops, but explaining the value of what we do is essential, and it has to be done with a soft approach – one rooted in context rather than entitlement,” Robi says. “The key is making any shared information engaging and relevant. Rather than over-explaining, I believe we should focus on making sure our quality, service, and overall experience always justify the cost.

“So while education has its place, our priority should be ensuring that when people walk into a coffee shop and pay a little more, they feel like they’re getting something that’s worth every penny,” he adds. “Coffee shops have to do more than just pass on the cost; we have to focus on what makes us worth it. Rising prices should push coffee shops to double down on the value they provide beyond just the cup. That means investing in education, service, and storytelling – helping people understand what they’re paying for and why it’s worth it. In my opinion, this is an opportunity for coffee shops to raise the standard, not just the price.”

For some consumers, the knowledge gap is much wider, meaning coffee shops and roasters need to share information in more creative and inventive ways.

“We draw a parallelism with wine; learning about specialty coffee is like finding out that different types of wine exist,” Dafne says. “They’re both so similar in terms of altitude, fruit, and flavour.

“The gap between specialty and commodity has never been so narrow. The price of supermarket coffee will increase massively, and less so for specialty coffee, so coffee businesses have an opportunity to get their message across,” she adds. “Conventional coffee has been underpriced for decades, but I think we’re at a point where rising prices will encourage more people to drink with more awareness.”

It’s a turbulent time for the coffee industry, presenting new challenges and hurdles to navigate. But Dafne, Robi, and Paul agree that there is a silver lining: a chance to communicate the value of coffee.

“As coffee professionals, we should be amplifying these insights, helping both businesses and consumers grasp the realities of specialty coffee pricing. The larger trends – climate change, increasing production costs, and logistical challenges – aren’t going away, so while fluctuations will always happen, the days of artificially low coffee prices are likely behind us,” Robi says. “The real question isn’t whether prices will drop, but whether we, as an industry, can adjust to this new reality.”

Paul concludes with: “It’s an unpredictable situation, but the coffee business has been around for centuries, and we always adapt.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how high coffee prices could go.

Photo credits: Cairngorm Coffee

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