Perfect Daily Grind

🪑🤵 How is table service changing coffee shops? Brands like WatchHouse are scaling with this approach, using seated hospitality to elevate service and meet changing demands. But there are risks: table service can distance customers from the baristas and coffee itself. It also requires more staff, and multiplies the coordination between bar, floor, and kitchen. Bhavi Patel spoke with Annika Taschinski at elbgold Röstkaffee GmbH for her thoughts. #PerfectDailyGrind #SpecialtyCoffee #CoffeeShops Photo by: elbgold https://lnkd.in/dvr_B3PV  

🌈 How will Gen Alpha shape coffee? Some in this generation are turning 16, and coffee brands are already competing for their attention. Starbucks partnered with Mr Beast, YouTube’s most viewed creator, while Dutch Bros Coffee uses colourful limited-edition drops to draw in a younger crowd. It’s safe to assume Gen Alpha will follow in Gen Z's footsteps, with convenience, customisation, and health and wellness at the forefront. But brand loyalty may be harder to secure. Bhavi Patel spoke with Mike Healy at Lost Sheep Coffee for his thoughts. #PerfectDailyGrind #CoffeeGenAlpha #CoffeeTrends Photo by: Lost Sheep Coffee https://lnkd.in/eCj-NDqD

💥Global coffee production, exports & consumption all expected to hit record highs in 2026/27 According to recent USDA figures, production will rise 6% to 189.7 million 60kg bags, exports will climb 8.9% to 158.9 million, and consumption will hit an unprecedented 179.7 million. The report says it will be a bumper year for Brazil, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Uganda, offsetting lower harvests in Indonesia and India. After years of tight stocks and volatile prices, the forecast surplus of roughly 10 million bags should allow inventories to rebuild throughout 2027. This points to bearish green coffee prices, bringing welcome relief for traders, roasters and, eventually, consumers. Producers, however, face familiar pressures. Record harvests will push farmgate prices lower, and growers who expanded during the high-price years now face tighter margins. Smallholders with high production costs remain the most exposed if prices fall through 2027. There is one caveat: StoneX Specialty Coffee has already warned that a strong El Niño could disrupt coffee production in Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia. For now, the global coffee surplus is a forecast, not a certainty. Read about this story and more in this week’s PDG News Recap. https://lnkd.in/eKpahY9J

🤵🏽 Why is excellent customer service often so hard to get right? Baristas learn to treat every customer the same, yet a one-size-fits-all approach to hospitality often falls short. Instead, staff should read each customer's body language, match their energy, and anticipate what they want before they ask. Naturally, this is easier said than done. Jacopo Papi spoke with Freda Yuan, Director of Coffee at Origin Coffee, and 2026 Belgian Brewers Cup Champion Jaideep Sidhu at Wide Awake Coffee for their insight. #PerfectDailyGrind #Hospitality #CoffeeShops Photo by: https://lnkd.in/ePw_j43W

👀 Has the hunt for “new” varieties stalled? Over the last five years, several “rediscovered” coffees have entered the spotlight: Sidra, Pink Bourbon, Ombligon, Typica Mejorado, Papayo, and even rare species like eugenioides. These coffees still appear at competitions and on café shelves, but the rate of new releases has slowed recently. Price volatility is the likely driver, as roasters increasingly rely on more cost-effective coffees. Meanwhile, interest in overlooked species such as liberica and excelsa is growing. Thomas Wensma spoke with Philippine Barista Champion Michael Harris Conlin at Henry & Sons, Canadian Barista Champion Jill Hoff at Monogram Coffee, and Michael Mazzotta and Olin Patterson at Excelsa Coffee Company to learn more. #PerfectDailyGrind #SpecialtyCoffee #CoffeeVarieties Photo by: Jill Hoff https://lnkd.in/enXnextY

🌿 Why is matcha so polarising? It once demanded patience and simplicity, but matcha has become a shorthand for virality in recent years. Concerns about supply and sustainability persist, as does the question of whether the craze owes more to clever marketing than to quality. André Eiermann at Melitta Professional Coffee Solutions shares his insight into why matcha is so divisive. #PerfectDailyGrind #Matcha #CoffeeShops https://lnkd.in/esF3SVRW 

Cafe Imports recently announced that the US government has now issued refunds for tariffs paid in 2025, and that roasters can apply for credit.

📡 Ever heard of “ultrasonic espresso”? The new process, developed by the UNSW, uses high-frequency sound waves to pull espresso-strength coffee from room-temperature water. According to UNSW, the process cuts energy consumption by up to 75% compared with a conventional espresso machine. Additionally, consumers couldn’t tell the difference between traditional and “ultrasonic” espresso. Dr Francisco J. Trujillo from UNSW tells us more. #PerfectDailyGrind #Espresso #CoffeeResearch Photo by: UNSW https://lnkd.in/ehDmfNVd

Cafe Imports recently announced that the US government has now issued refunds for tariffs paid in 2025, and that roasters can apply for credit.