We spoke to Jerome Ribot, founder of Coglode.com to get the behavioural scientists perspective on the concept of loyalty programs for cafes. Jerome is a coffee lover and was a regular at one of Andrew’s cafes from 2008. His passion for understanding people’s behaviours is contagious. In this interview we focus on the subject of loyalty. 

Why are we talking about loyalty - because it is at the heart of the success of many coffee businesses. Through loyalty we can increase revenue and margins at a time when revenue and margin gains are hard to come by.

Fundamentally, loyalty is a positive tool we can use to support our businesses, our people and our communities. 

The conversation flows. Starting with defining loyalty before Jerome offers 6 elements he would utilise in a cafe loyalty program. As we move past the hour, we were heading towards a conclusion but we kept talking. So stay to the end to hear the unscripted conversation about loyalty and the value of understanding our own behaviours for personal and professional growth.

Jerome Ribot

Coglode takes complex behavioural science research and distills it into practical insights that businesses can use for product development, marketing strategies, and customer experience design.
Coglode’s work has been used by large consultancies like BCGX, Mckinsey and Deloitte, alongside pioneering companies like Apple, Google, Spotify, Octopus Energy, Meta and Monzo Bank.
He also loves coffee...a lot.

Coglode.com

Coffee knowledge hub video

Summary

In this episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub podcast, Filip Bartelak discusses the complexities of coffee assessment, exploring both subjective and objective measures of quality. He shares his journey in the coffee industry, the evolution of sensory assessment systems, and the importance of understanding different coffee markets. The conversation delves into the Coffee Value Assessment System and the role of Q Graders in establishing a common language for coffee quality. Filip emphasizes the need for professionals to be well-versed in various assessment methodologies to effectively communicate and evaluate coffee quality in a global market.

Takeaways

Coffee assessment can be both subjective and objective.

Quality in coffee is defined by market preferences.

The Coffee Value Assessment System is a new standard.

Q Graders play a crucial role in coffee quality evaluation.

Understanding different coffee markets is essential for professionals.

Communication about coffee quality must be standardized.

The evolution of coffee scoring systems reflects market changes.

Subjectivity in coffee tasting can enhance the experience.

Training in sensory assessment is vital for professionals.

The future of coffee assessment will adapt to new trends.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sensory Assessment in Coffee

02:55 Philip Bartolak's Journey in Coffee

05:25 Defining Quality in Coffee

07:11 Understanding Sensory Assessment Systems

09:43 The Role of Q-Grader and Coffee Value Assessment

11:58 The Evolution of Coffee Quality Definitions

14:14 Communication in Coffee Quality

17:16 Attributes vs. Quality in Coffee

19:05 The Paradigm Shift in Specialty Coffee

21:39 Cultural Perspectives on Coffee Quality

24:23 Subjectivity and Objectivity in Coffee Assessment

26:41 The Future of Coffee Quality Assessment

34:05 Understanding Sensory Assessment in Coffee

37:44 The Role of Training in Coffee Evaluation

42:37 Affective vs. Descriptive Assessment

42:44 Navigating Coffee Quality Standards

46:43 The Impact of Market Preferences on Coffee Quality

51:33 Addressing Quality Disputes in Coffee Contracts

52:47 The Future of Coffee Value Assessment

This is an expansive episode about the price of coffee at this inflection point in the market and how it is impacting different actors along the coffee value chain.

We talk to our friend Stuart Ritson, the European manager of Osito coffee. Stuart has worked in the coffee industry for 14 years in roles spanning barista to wholesale manager for Workshop coffee and then European sales director for Cafe Imports and now Osito coffee. This experience gives him a wealth of knowledge that he has shared with us here.

Stuart introduces what the C-market is, why it exists and who uses it. We then look at the impact of higher prices and volatility on the value chain. We consider pragmatic solutions for roasters and cafe operators to mitigate the impact of higher prices and hopefully improve their businesses.

Tibor and Andrew finish 2024, season 1 of the CKH podcast, reflecting on trends in the South East Asian coffee industry and why we should be paying close attention to what they are doing in other parts of the world.

We also discuss trends for 2025, C-price, latte art patterns and more.

Watch the video on Spotify or on the coffee knowledge hub

Guidance for buying, selling, starting and operating a café business

Insights from John Richardson

Whether you are buying, selling or operating a café business, you need to understand what drives the sellable value of that business. The Café Expert, John Richardson shares his knowledge – defining a sellable business, understanding leases, all the variables to consider in valuing a business and what to consider as a buyer, or seller in single and multi-site businesses. 

The insights shared could save both time and money, it is essential learning for anyone working in café businesses. For those considering starting their own cafe, it is also worth listening because you should start with the end in mind.

We spoke about many topics in this interview and edited it mercilessly but it is still a long one. During the last 30 minutes with John we go into specific details and summarise how to create sellable value.

Tibor and I also do a wrap up at the end, reflecting on what John has said and hypothesising which cafes we would buy, if we were buying a business.

Find out more about John:

https://thecafeexpert.com

https://www.instagram.com/thecafeexpert/

If you’re a café operator struggling with rising costs and declining revenue, this episode of the Coffee Knowledge Hub Podcast is just what you need. We sit down with John Richardson, The Café Expert, to dive into the numbers and explore practical strategies to boost your margins. This episode is packed with actionable advice that you can start implementing right away.

With over 30 years of experience, John has founded, sold, and consulted on hundreds of successful businesses, helping them grow and thrive.

12 cups explainer: https://thecafeexpert.com/numbers/

Contact John:

Free cafe and coffee shop owners Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cafeandcoffeeshopprofits/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thecafeexpert/

Chapters:

0:00 - John's professional history, defining COGS and labour costs

41:00 - 12 cup model

44:00 - Wastage impact on profit as a percentage

46:50 - Increase revenue

51:00 - Evaluating the ‘we need more staff conversation

58:25 - Operational complexity

1:01.30 Top 10/bottom 10

1:09 - Improving variable costs

124:50 - Avoiding being overwhelmed

Paul’s voice has that croaky sound which is the product of long hours of work at the expense of sleep. While the cafe has dominated his time, he has also needed to continue working on the core business and his additional coaching work. At least he is not bored :)

In this episode we talked about the first month of opening of the cafe. Did it go as expected? Were our predictions accurate?

This is the final part of our series following Paul's journey in opening the cafe. You can start at episode 1 of the series to get the full picture of what it is like to open a cafe. His journey is unique in that it is his business and his location, but it is not unusual to face all the challenges that Paul has had to overcome. If you are considering opening a cafe, you can learn from Paul's experience as he describes it here.

You can watch the video on the coffee knowledge here: https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/podcast/

For quick reference here is the series:

1. Episode 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KxgQt8U1QFkmAWbxCGj7y?si=933419074b40414a
2. Episode 2 -https://open.spotify.com/episode/11XWKFdAe9U3ROwgXQGS8y?si=b5eed848711349b5
3. Episode 3 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Zp1zVKO2Wwq6umsWae7ke?si=a44ec30d77a44c42
4. Episode 4 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ER1vGgDg7L3ZcWVK5IUuv?si=fe363cdf1fb344eb
5. Episode 5 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Zwvwm4TWhDoCuUEPZkXs8?si=446526a68bcc4564
6. Episode 6 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nWehMJLJ1AIfWIu2hWT9V?si=5f504c49c27c48db

Imagine going to a trade show on tractors and being served coffee that is better than any coffee you have had before. Or rocking up to a wedding in a field and being served coffee that is as good as your favourite local cafe. 

In this conversation with Esther Maasdam, co-founder of Manhattan coffee roasters and founder of her eponymous events business: Esther Maasdam coffee connoisseur, we talk about how she has been bringing specialty coffee to the people at events for the past 20 years. 

For many people operating coffee businesses, there are requests to serve coffee at events, but the reality of doing this versus the expectations of the customer are often completely misaligned. There is a specialist skillset to set up a bespoke coffee service, that incorporates events management but also the skills of a coffee technician, barista and cafe operator. It is no wonder, so few people and companies in the world can do this well. 

• Bringing great coffee to people
• Providing great work for baristas - fun, quality coffee
• Brand implications for Manhattan coffee at events - attracts baristas and promotes the Manhattan brand
• Resilience - the essential trait of an events coordinator
• Power of deduction
• Technical knowledge
• War stories 
• Pricing events
• Events is not about making the best espresso in the world, it is about getting people excited
• Recruiting baristas and skillset of an events barista
• Growing the brand - building from always present to entrusting others.
• Service models - speed and experience
• The menu at events
• Coffee on the bar
• A Manhattan coffee shop?

https://esthermaasdam.com

https://manhattancoffeeroasters.com

Since launching the sustainability reporting course from the Chain Collaborative we have been curious about the real world impact of sustainability reports. Why would a company invest time and money in creating one, what are the pros and cons of doing it. 

Micah Sherer, our friend at Skylark Coffee in Brighton, UK has been writing their transparency report since launching nearly 5 years ago and it has had a big impact on their growth and on communicating the mission and values of Skylark coffee to their community. 

This episode was co-hosted by Nora Burkey to bring subject matter expertise. Andrew’s research was all done by doing the course, so if he sounds like he knows what he is talking about, it is all thanks to Nora. 

We discuss:

• What are sustainability reports and their different variations - impact, transparency, sustainability
• Tangible benefits of reports
• Holding yourself accountable
• Where are the biggest margins in the coffee supply chain
• Who are sustainability reports for
• Considerations in data collection - transparency versus ethics in verifying supply chains
• How do you vet the ethics of the companies you buy from
• Skylarks growth as a result of reporting

Websites:

https://community.coffeeknowledgehub.com/c/sustainability-reporting-by-the-chain-collaborative

https://thechaincollaborative.org

https://skylark.coffee/pages/transparency

https://www.probaristas.com/

Social handles

https://www.instagram.com/skylark.coffee/#

https://www.instagram.com/thechaincollaborative/#

https://www.instagram.com/ProBaristas

Mentions:

Micah mentioned the charity under which Skylark operates - One Church Brighton. We also spoke with Ben Szobody about the great work that Pro Baristas do in episode 5 of this podcast. Pro baristas is one of the projects coordinated by One Church Brighton. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ENVmjgfVWI2XnvpDkVDqY?si=8bce5e1313c640e0

This is the last episode recorded before Paul opened the doors to his cafe for the first time on October 5. 

We discussed his menu, opening hours, vision for the cafe and its impact on different stakeholders and we did some predictions for sales in the first month. 

Tibor and Andrew have started sharing their reflections on the conversation after the recordings, so stay tuned to hear our post interview thoughts.