Companies are turning to automation as a tool to fight back against industrial action. In coffee, that role could well be played by robot baristas—in fact, it sort of already has.
Coffee companies are going all in on automation. We’re told that it improves efficiency, cuts costs, and yields a better product. But what does it mean for the baristas whose labour these automations displace?
The volatility in cocoa futures markets is having an effect on coffee, with Bloomberg reporting that speculative buyers are moving into what they perceive to be a similar commodity.
Howard Schultz went on a LinkedIn rant (lol) about how bad Starbucks is doing, after the company’s quarterly earnings dipped ever so slightly. Schultz is very concerned that his former company has lost touch with “the customer experience”—I’m sure the fact that he remains the company’s largest individual shareholder and said shares are down 20% this year had nothing to do with it.
Cold brew is slow, so scientists are constantly trying to come up with ways to speed it up. They’ve tried lasers, now it’s time for ultrasound.
The Blue Bottle union won its election in a landslide! Woo!
I'm the creator and writer of The Pourover. Based in Scotland, I have over a decade of experience in the specialty coffee industry as a barista, roaster, and writer. Ask me about coffeewashing.
Fionn Pooler
