5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

In today’s episode, we're speaking Gabriel Shohet, Co-founder of of UK coffee trailblazer Black Sheep Coffee.

Founded in 2013 with friend and business partner Eirik Holth, Black Sheep had a bold vision: to champion specialty-grade robusta at a time when the industry was almost entirely focused on arabica. Since then, the brand has achieved remarkable success, scaling to over 130 outlets across five markets and capturing the attention of a new generation of coffee drinkers along the way. 

In this conversation, Gabriel reflects on Black Sheep’s philosophy of challenging the status quo and choosing not to blindly follow industry trends. He also shares insight into the brand’s US expansion strategy – targeting Sunbelt states like Texas and Florida over more well-trodden markets such as New York and LA – to show the model resonates with a broader, more inclusive American audience.

Credits music: "Shock Me" by Gina Zo in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Emi Fukahori and Mathieu Theis, Co-founders of Swiss specialty coffee business MAME.

Multiple-time Swiss competition winners, Emi and Mathieu founded MAME in Zurich in 2016, driven by a shared passion for coffee tasting, sensory analysis and competition craft, combined with Japanese precision. Today, they operate eight coffee shops across Zurich and Geneva and, one most recently, Tokyo.

In this conversation, Emi and Mathieu share their guiding principles for tailoring every guest experience and creating memorable coffee moments. They also discuss how they’ve drawn inspiration from Michelin-starred chefs to scale high-quality and maintain a strong brand identity as they grow internationally.

Credits music: "Lay on Grass" by Sam Stokes in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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In today’s episode, we explore Vienna’s fascinating and distinct coffee culture – from the grand 19th-century coffee houses that shaped the city’s intellectual life to the specialty scene redefining coffee today.

What is the lasting legacy of Vienna’s historic coffee houses? How do heritage and modernity coexist in Vienna? And how has specialty coffee carved out its place within the city's deeply rooted café tradition?

We’ll hear from Art Historian Jamie Reurs, Johanna Parker (née Wechselberger), Founder of The Vienna School of Coffee and Philip Feyer Founder, of Jonas Reindl Coffee Roasters.

Credits music: "Miraculous Wonders" by Akeira Jade in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

To The Coffee House by Peter Altenberg
If you have troubles of one sort or another – to the coffee house
She can't come to you for some reason, no matter how plausible – to the coffee house
You have holes in your shoes – the coffee house
You have a salary of 400 crowns and spend 500 – the coffee house
You are frugal and permit yourself nothing – the coffee house
You find no woman who suits you – the coffee house
You hate and disdain people and yet you cannot do without them – go to the coffee house
Nobody extends you any more credit anywhere – the coffee house

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In today’s episode, we’re sharing two standout conversations recorded live on stage at the European Coffee Symposium last year, featuring Brazil’s The Coffee and Germany’s Lap Coffee – two highly ambitious, scalable brands built for the modern consumer.

First, Frank Maeda, Head of Europe at The Coffee, explores the brand’s rapid global expansion, shaped by Japanese minimalism, high-tech efficiency and a digital-first approach.

Then, Tonalli Arreola, Co-Founder of Lap Coffee, shares how automation and digitisation streamline operations, freeing up baristas to focus on what matters most – the hospitality experience.

Credits music: "Good Morning" by Lua de Morais and Sharon Mor in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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In today’s episode, we welcome back to the studio Edwin Harrison, Co-founder of London’s Artisan and Curious Roo Coffee Roasters.

Founded in 2011 by Edwin and his wife Magda, Artisan is a pioneering and influential voice in London’s specialty coffee scene. Edwin and Magda also run the Artisan Coffee School, where they share their expertise and work to elevate standards across the industry.

In this conversation, Edwin shares the very ambitious project he’s about to undertake with his family: An extraordinary 20,000 kilometre coffee journey over land and sea from London to Perth, Australia, in attempt to break the record for the furthest coffee bag ever delivered by hand.

Follow Edwin and Magda's journey here.

Credits music: "Earth Song" by Zana Messia in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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Today, we’re bringing you two live recordings from last year’s European Coffee Symposium, featuring conversations with Joe & The Juice and Hagen. While both are Danish-inspired concepts, each offers a distinct perspective on growth and the customer experience.

Thomas Nørøxe, CEO of Joe & The Juice, shares how the business has built a high-performance culture rooted in energy, ambition and personal development. He also explains how innovation across the brand is guided by four core pillars: health, experience, convenience and sustainability.

Tim Schroeder, CEO and Founder of boutique specialty coffee chain Hagen, shares his philosophy of building an analogue brand in a digital world and why he prioritises human connection and in-store experiences over a reliance on digital technology.

Credits music: "Heather" by Ayngi in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

Today, we’re bringing you two live recordings from last year’s European Coffee Symposium, featuring conversations with Joe & The Juice and Hagen. While both are Danish-inspired concepts, each offers a distinct perspective on growth and the customer experience.

Thomas Nørøxe, CEO of Joe & The Juice, shares how the business has built a high-performance culture rooted in energy, ambition and personal development. He also explains how innovation across the brand is guided by four core pillars: health, experience, convenience and sustainability.

Tim Schroeder, CEO and Founder of boutique specialty coffee chain Hagen, shares his philosophy of building an analogue brand in a digital world and why he prioritises human connection and in-store experiences over a reliance on digital technology.

Credits music: "Heather" by Ayngi in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

Today we’re bringing you a special episode in collaboration with the London Coffee Guide and Podcast, and republishing an insightful conversation with Nick Mabey and Michael Cleland, co-founders of London’s Assembly Coffee.

Founded in 2015, Assembly Coffee is an innovative specialty coffee roastery known for its commitment to sustainability and excellence. In this conversation, Nick and Michael discuss what it means to define your own version of success, and how to scale a business with sustainability at its heart.

For more on London’s specialty scene and interviews with the likes of Special Guests, Batch Baby and Hermanos, tune into the London Coffee Podcast.

Credits music: "Soho" by Eirra in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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Today we’re bringing you another session recorded live at the European Coffee Symposium + COHO. Taking to the stage is Gerd Müller-Pfeiffer, Founder of International Coffee Consulting.

In this session, Gerd explores the key trends shaping the DACH coffee shop market and how consumers are continuing to trade up and seek premium experiences despite ongoing inflation pressures. He also highlights how the bakery segment has quietly become a critical engine of out-of-home coffee growth across Germany.

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As we take a short break over the New Year period we’re bringing you a couple of our favourite conversations from the past year. We start with Christophe Servell, Founder of Terres de Café - a trailblazing Paris-based specialty roaster and café group.

In this conversation, Christophe discusses the evolution of the specialty coffee landscape in Paris as well as the challenges and future opportunities for coffee across France.

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Subscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear