Best Coffee Podcasts (2024)

1
We're Building Out On The Third Episode Of The Coffee Buildcast 34:03

2h ago34:03

34:03

Is it "nat" summer? Co-host of the Coffee Sprudgecast (and Sprudge co-founder) Jordan Michelman certainly thinks so. On Volume 3 of the 2024 Coffee Buildcast—our celebratory summer podcast spectacular celebrating the spectacular Build-Outs Of Coffee season—we feature four incredible builds from Denton, Texas to Bassano Del Grappa, Italy. But before…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Reassessing Growth 9:31

21h ago9:31

9:31

Growing the business is probably the number one concern in the cafe industry. In general we tend to look at growth as either scaling the size of the business physically, or the revenue and profitability. What if I told you there was another way you can look at growth? On today's Shift Break we will be talking about ways to look at growth that don't…

1
489: Tips for Creating a Resilient Cafe 45:51

17h ago45:51

45:51

Ever since 2020, we as a coffee industry have been looking for ways to create more resiliency in our businesses. The cafe in particular is vulnerable to a lack of resiliency. Not only is the coffee shop a relatively low margin and high effort entity with an ROI that can take years, it also relies on the public consistently investing in its products…

1
Lessons Learned - The importance of company culture as you grow 41:49

13m ago41:49

41:49

This week the guys are sitting down and taking a look back over the last 8 years of being Cat & Cloud, what we’ve learned and what has changed from where we started. As a business grows it becomes much easier for things to get missed, and for the culture you build to get more diluted. It’s happened to us! It’s through those low points that you lear…

1
488: Founder Friday! Honoring Coffee's Root w/ Bartholomew Jones of Cxffee Black! 1:05:30

7d ago1:05:30

1:05:30

Coffee is from Africa, yet the way we think of and enjoy coffee today is largely separated from the roots that produced that original fruit. The disparity we see in the value stream today, where those growing coffee do not receive the fruit of their labor, is the consequence. Today we get to talk with someone who has been laboring hard to honor cof…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Are You Growing With Your Business? 11:59

1h ago11:59

11:59

It is assumed that we should constantly be growing our businesses and looking to expand, scale, and add-to what we have now. Trouble is that, in today's abundantly resourced and optimized environment, we may actually be able to do so at rates that out pace our ability to become the kind of people we need to be to properly handle that growth. On tod…

1
487: How to Think Fast and Talk Smart in the Cafe w/ Matt Abrahams 45:53

8d ago45:53

45:53

Every day in the cafe we are called on to communicate "in the moment". Whether we are baristas, trainers, managers, or owners ; how effective we are in those moments determines the culture and effectiveness of our business. Wouldn't it be great if there were tools and methods formed specifically to help you not freak out under the pressure of impro…

1
Charles Babinski - The perspective from nine years ago 1:19:54

18m ago1:19:54

1:19:54

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week we are busting out the throwback of all throwbacks with our very first interview. In this episode Chris and Jared sat down with US Barista Champion Charles Babinski to talk through the rapid growth of his business. Listen to the full episode to hear some espresso tips straight from the mouths of co…

1
Listen To The Coffee Buildcast And Discover New Cafes Worldwide 23:00

1h ago23:00

23:00

Today's episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast focuses on builds. That's right, it's the second episode of the 2024 Build-Outs of Coffee Coffee Buildcast podcast series. Today on the show, we drink coffee from Scandinavian Alps Coffee in Hemsedal, Norway, brewed with the Ceado Hoop Brewer. We met these folks at the 2024 World of Coffee Europe event in C…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Don't Give Up 12:07

2d ago12:07

12:07

Seeing results form your efforts is what motivates most all of us. In the coffee shop you are engaged with a dynamic intersesion of moving and living communities that take your efforts and reward you with sometimes obvious and sometimes not-so-obvious feedback. It's when we don't see the results happening the way we imagined that we can be tempted …

1
486: Why You should Fire Your Landlord and Consider Owning Your Building w/ Paul Neal 56:40

22h ago56:40

56:40

One of the most heartbreaking things I see is when an established cafe is forced to upend everything due to changes to the cost or use of a space that they do not own. All the dreams, emotions, investment in the space itself, and developing a customer bases habits around that location are all up in the air. While renting may always be a great first…

1
Learning From Others - How outside industries give your perspective and help your growth 37:10

4h ago37:10

37:10

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week Chris and Jared are hopping in to share some thoughts on learning and growth. Are you limited by your industry, or is it possible to reach beyond and learn outside your bubble? We don’t always consider how multi-faceted the “Service Industry” is. Hospitality in Hotels looks a lot different than our…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Don't Manage by Crisis 10:39

5d ago10:39

10:39

Managing in a cafe is one of the ultimate forms of leadership. Part of leading as a manager is planning for, responding to, or avoiding altogether, problems with people, operations, and quality. But instead of spending our best energies in prevention of problems, we tend to manage reactively when problems turn into a crisis. It's a vicious cycle. O…

1
485: Your Shop vs The Industry - How to Free Yourself From Dependency 24:41

14d ago24:41

24:41

The Industry. What does that even mean? Owners and professionals use this term as though it has specific power to give clarity or meaning to the work they do, when in fact it is merely the most readily observable manifestation of millions of individual decisions across the supply chain, all made worse when based on a fixation on that reflection. Fo…

1
Giving Ownership - How empowering team members can make everything improve 40:33

21m ago40:33

40:33

Giving Ownership - How empowering team members can make everything improve by Cat & CloudBy Cat & Cloud

1
World of Coffee Copenhagen Enjoyed By All 41:27

20h ago41:27

41:27

In the last episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast, the Sprudge coffee podcast co-hosted by co-founders Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen, there was a lot of talk about The World of Coffee Copenhagen and what was to come: world competitions, new products, activations, cardamom buns, outside of the box thinking, professional development. Now, the dust…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Three BIG Hiring Mistakes (and how to avoid them) 14:57

6d ago14:57

14:57

Hiring is probably the most important decision you make in your coffee shop. As important as it is to choose the right people, we often are at the mercy of bad habits or are missing key practices we need to make that decisions and end up making too many mistakes that drain you, the business, and the your team of energy. On today's Shift Break we wi…

1
Blue Bottle Independent Union Takes On One of the World’s Largest Specialty Coffee Chains 39:14

12d ago39:14

39:14

In May 2024, workers across six Blue Bottle locations in Boston voted to unionize. Abbey and Alex are here to talk about how workers deserve to have a voice in decision-making in their workplaces. A full transcript of this episode is available at bossbarista.substack.com

1
The Story of Specialty Coffee: Brewer 31:11

4d ago31:11

31:11

I wanted to title this episode "Final Hands" but it seemed strange—so I titled it "Brewer" because the final hands are the ones that brew the coffee. Still, I did not like it, but it is the best I've got! Britt Schermerhorn talks about what it means to have and hand off ownership at the end of this specialty coffee journey. Britt Schermerhorn Insta…

1
Cristina and Ariel 1:35:28

5d ago1:35:28

1:35:28

Cristina Garces and Ariel Montoya visited DoubleShot for the first time the week of Independence Day. After visiting Washington, D.C., they hit the coffee capital of the world, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cristina is the daughter of Don Ernesto, who was once the largest independent producer of coffee in Colombia. Ariel was the owner of Hacienda El Boton, prod…

1
484: Demystifying Mentorship w/ Dr. Ruth Gotian, Author of "The Financial Times guide to Mentorship"" 56:23

5d ago56:23

56:23

In the the coffee industry, we all need help and we can all give help. In order to truly advance our own careers and those of others we want find success we need plan for and practice mentorship. The trouble is that the need we have for help also creates a lot of insecurities and the idea of mentorship can sound rather unapproachable or inaccessibl…

1
How Do You Rank - Comparing your work with others in the industry. 40:08

24d ago40:08

40:08

What if we talked about cafes the same way people talk about basketball teams? Looked at the movement of baristas from one cafe to another, and their performance the same way we do athletes. This week on the Cat & Cloud podcast the guys are looking at how you quantify a busy cafe and a successful cafe. Listen to this week's episode to hear their ta…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Hiring based on Staff Preference vs Business Needs 11:35

9d ago11:35

11:35

Making decisions about who to hire or even who might need to be let go are some of the hardest but most important decisions to make in a coffee shop. So hard in fact that we can often fall into avoiding the decision by deferring to our existing staff for their opinion on who is or is not a good fit. While involving key staff in these decisions is g…

1
483: Encore: 6 Essential Qualities of Coffee Shop Leaders 39:03

11d ago39:03

39:03

Leadership in the coffee shop can either be the glue that holds it together and nurtures its growth, or it is the force that tears it apart and depletes it of vitality. In order to make sure it is the former we need to make certain that we, and those placed in leadership possess key traits and qualities that create a people-first culture. Today we …

1
You Are More Than Your Work - Having hobbies gives perspective 31:09

1M ago31:09

31:09

You Are More Than Your Work - Having hobbies gives perspective by Cat & CloudBy Cat & Cloud

1
The Story of Specialty Coffee: Designer 33:10

16d ago33:10

33:10

Without a designer and packaging, how can a bag of specialty coffee tell the proper story? Patrick Lau shares his passion for packaging, design, and what it means to be pono. Patrick Lau LinkedIn @ patricklausavorbrands Savor Brands: Compost+ Sabor Brands: Mobile App Savor Brands: Pono Collective Mentions Metric (Xavier Alexander appearance) Sponso…

1
482: Founder Friday! w/ Rahul Reddy of Subko Coffee Mumbai, India 57:16

16d ago57:16

57:16

At the head of some of the most exciting brands in India's rapidly expanding specialty coffee scene is Subko. More than coffee, Subko has created a platform to show case the flavors, culture, and design of India through multiple disciplines. At it's heart is sourcing, roasting, and serving the best coffee the subcontinent has to offer and Mumbai is…

1
SHIFT BREAK: The Best Marketing Strategy 11:01

2M ago11:01

11:01

We only have so much energy, time, and money to give to marketing our coffee shops. There is a lot of stress related to having the right strategy for getting people to become aware of you cafe and then visit and keep visiting. To make matters more worse, the consumer must wade through a sea of competitors who are applying similar social media and a…

1
The World of Coffee Copenhagen Preview Coffee Sprudgecast Spectacular! 27:03

17d ago27:03

27:03

It’s a very special episode of the Coffee Sprudgecast! We’re hours away from the opening of World of Coffee in Copenhagen—the big Specialty Coffee Association trade show, and with it? Competitions. New products. Exquisite activations. Thinking out of the box. So much to do and then some. It’s all our co-hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen ca…

1
481 : Exploring Sensory Analysis Using "The Coffee Rose"/ Ian Fretheim, Director of Sensory Analysis at Cafe Imports 54:51

19d ago54:51

54:51

Tasting coffee is arguably one of the most important, yet subjective practices we engage in as coffee professionals. As our guest today will articulate, tasting and evaluating a coffee's Characteristics is done as a means of communicating to others. In order for us to communicate we need a common language and we need to contextualize as we go. That…

1
Communicating Your Needs - How expressing your desires leads to growth 37:25

20d ago37:25

37:25

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast we are throwing it back to an early conversation Chris and Jared had about the importance of communicating needs at work. As an employee, being able to ask for what you need and feeling empowered by your leadership team to speak up can be the difference between your team quitting or staying. Listen to the full e…

1
Coffee Buildcast 2024 - Part One 26:18

1M ago26:18

26:18

Born to build it out! Hosts Zachary Carlsen and Jordan Michelman are back with another special Coffee Sprudgecast—the first edition of the Coffee Buildcast—celebrating the annual Sprudge Build-Outs of Coffee summer series—in podcast form! The 2024 Build-Outs of Coffee is presented by Ceado and Dona. The 2024 Build-outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pac…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Stop Talking, and Start Doing 10:00

1M ago10:00

10:00

It is easy to talk about the things we want to improve, fix, and institute in the cafe. Trouble is that in all the talking of doing the how we need this or that, we tend to leave it there and wait until an opportune or ideal time comes along, rather than simply taking 1 small decisive step toward what we need. Today on Shift Break we talk about why…

1
Roasting Development - How much flavor is from roasting the coffee 44:15

26d ago44:15

44:15

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast Chris and Jared hop on the mic to discuss the complex process of roasting development. There are so many factors that affect the coffee that ends up in your cup, from water composition to the temperature of the air, but how much of your flavor profile comes straight from the way your beans are roasted? Listen to…

1
480: Focus on What Your Customers Love 27:05

1M ago27:05

27:05

Your customers count on you to create a wonderful cafe experience everyday. That is the implied or explicit promise of our marketing and what most of us aspire to deliver. The way we get there is by paying close attention to what our customers love and fortifying those element of the business through focused resourcing and training and improving as…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Respecting Your Barista's Professional Boundaries 10:30

2M ago10:30

10:30

In the cafe, it is easy to lapse into assuming that people who work for you, should also be available and responsive at all times even when off the clock. The lack of quick response from staff when off the clock to calls, emails, slack messages etc is often considered some sign that the employee is not right for the organization and can have a nega…

1
The Story of Specialty Coffee: Roaster 26:22

1M ago26:22

26:22

Roasting is more than a technical skill. Hara Kumaran tells his story and explains the way he thinks about roasting coffee with people in mind. Hara Kumaran Instagram: @photokumaran Metric (where Hara roasts) Mentions Coffee Roasting Series Episode 1: Roasting Basics Sponsor Message: With our revolutionary R+R upcycling platform, your coffee packag…

1
Managing vs. Leading - Fostering creative thinking in your team 43:15

1M ago43:15

43:15

Why is it important for your company's mission to match the intention behind your training programs? How do you empower your team members to be leaders on their own? This week on the Cat & Cloud podcast Chris, Jared, and Charles sit down and take a temperature check on the business so far this year. Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Why You Need Exit Interviews 11:07

1M ago11:07

11:07

Try as we might, the reality is that eventually even the best staff will leave our shops for another job or career. How they leave is largely up to us as leaders. Some will exit on bad terms for reasons related to bad management or their own personal behaviors that are an ill fit. Others will have been wonderful team members and right fit for the r…

1
Cat & Cloud x Valor Coffee - Burn Out, Human Dignity, Tacos & Dunking 1:32:35

1M ago1:32:35

1:32:35

Cat & Cloud x Valor Coffee - Burn Out, Human Dignity, Tacos & Dunking by Cat & CloudBy Cat & Cloud

1
479: Automation and the Future of Coffee Shops w/ Andre Eiermann, Eversys 1:12:53

1M ago1:12:53

1:12:53

The world of coffee and coffee shops is changing rapidly. The variations of business models that serve innumerable contexts globally require intentionality in how we pursue innovation and how we stay aware of the flavors and expressions that define the specialty coffee world. Today we are joined by a perpetual champion of coffee experiences and res…

1
478: Building Efficiencies Into Your Roastery w/ Scott Stouffer of Probat Coffee 53:36

1M ago53:36

53:36

Setting up and optimizing your roastery for compliance, efficiency, and sustainable quality output is not just something to be done once in the beginning. The disciplined pursuit of building and refinement should be the primary focus of operators in order to best serve the business and all the people that rely on it. Looking out at all the areas of…

1
SHIFT BREAK: When Numbers Lie 10:24

1M ago10:24

10:24

Numbers tell a story, but not the whole story. Though the number of times someone purchases an item on your menu may indeed mean that they prefer it to other options, what data cannot tell us is whether or not customers who generate those numbers are truly enjoying what they receive or are they quietly tolerating it. Today on Shift Break we will be…

1
477: Inspiring the next generation of Coffee Farmer w/ Yolima Taborda Rojas of Paisa Coffee, Colombia 58:59

2M ago58:59

58:59

Two of the most important things that help coffee farmers are market access, and being able to invigorate the younger generation to work in and advocate for coffee farming. While at the SCA Expo in Chicago this year I tasted some amazing coffees from Colombia that were presented by today's guest who has taken one the challenge to represent her fami…

1
Conversation with Beeline 27:36

2M ago27:36

27:36

This recording comes from January of this year, when Chris and Nick from Beeline sat down to talk through some of the challenges that come from running a business. Listen to the full episode to hear the guys talk through operational struggles and getting organized to tackle big projects.Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wan…

1
Cost and Value - What goes into what you pay 41:45

2M ago41:45

41:45

On this episode we discuss transparency in prices. How to give your team members the same coverage and care while also communicating to the Guest where the 5$ for their latte is going. and chris shares is option on what tipping someone should mean.Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast?…

1
476: Founder Friday! The Story of Story Coffee w/ Don Niemyer of Story Coffee Co. 51:57

2M ago51:57

51:57

Each one of our shops tell many stories. The story of our own arrival as owners, the story of the coffee and the efforts it has taken to get to a finished product, the story of our community and customers and the parts they play in shaping their world and shop itself. A coffee shop is at once a reflection of the people and a light that guides us to…

1
The Story of Specialty Coffee: Importer 31:48

2M ago31:48

31:48

What does it take to get coffee into a country? In this episode we talk with Timothy Hill about what it means to be a part of The Story of Specialty Coffee as a Coffee Importer. Timothy Hill Instagram: @timothybhill Atlantic Specialty Coffee Bio Throwback Episode on The Coffee Podcast Sponsor Message: With our revolutionary R+R upcycling platform, …

1
The Coffee Sprudgecast With Neon V60SPs 28:03

2M ago28:03

28:03

The Coffee Sprudgecast is back with a fresh, new episode featuring beautiful coffees and teas and an especially beautiful brewer! The episode starts with a lovely steep of DONA Wah White Peony Tea and segues into a beautiful brew of Sakura Blend with custom neon blue Hario v60SP from our friends at Post Coffee out of Japan. The fun doesn’t end ther…

1
SHIFT BREAK: Owners, It's OK to Make Mistakes 13:18

3M ago13:18

13:18

Coffee shop owners, do you ever feel as though the entire world is on your shoulders and that one mistake will send the whole business crashing down? The pressures and expectations that cafe operators face drive many to pursue unrealistic standards for themselves and others, which tends to multiply mistakes vs the intended avoidance of them. Today …

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