IT’S JUST COFFEE!

Chris Maybury’s cafe ranked #13 in the World!

So how did he do it?? Beta Coffee is one of the more experimental coffee shops out there at the moment, pushing the envelope with automation and pre-batched espresso. We spoke to Chris at MICE2026 about Beta Coffee: The role of automation, his recent system challenges, and the importance of mindful and authentic service. 

00:00 Intro & guest

00:46 The experimental café concept

03:02 Ranked #13 in the world

04:37 Pre-batched espresso explained

09:00 Results, challenges & taste test

14:51 Automation, speed & cost savings

21:58 Lessons, mistakes & hospitality

29:01 Costs, financials & future plans

If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee!

Chris Maybury: https://www.instagram.com/mayburyc/ 

Beta Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/beta_coffee/ 

Want more coffee content? 

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/

Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

Thanks for listening! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does ethical coffee buying look like in practice? This week’s Coffee Break aims to turn the complex concepts into actionable steps:

What questions should you ask importers? How can you use living income reference prices? And what’s the go on marketing ethically sourced coffee without greenwashing?

CHAPTERS !

00:00 Introduction to Ethical Coffee

00:01:56 Meet Colleen Anunu & Her Work

00:02:44 Direct Trade vs Fairtrade Explained

00:05:24 Why Transparency in Coffee Pricing Matters

00:08:17 Certifications, Trust, and Verifying Claims

00:10:09 Tools for Understanding Coffee Prices

00:13:11 The History and Ethics of Coffee Trade

00:16:35 Coffee Market Update (Condesa)

00:18:41 Communicating Sustainability Without Greenwashing

00:21:11 Making Specialty Coffee More Accessible

00:23:51 Rethinking Coffee Menus & Customer Education

00:24:35 Final Thoughts

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.

Want more coffee content? 

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

Thanks for listening! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethical coffee buying, explained. 

Fairtrade International veteran Colleen Anunu joins us to explain what ethical coffee buying actually means in the 2020s. *Hint - it’s more than just paying higher prices. 

Whether you’re buying green beans or a takeaway flat white, it’s important to understand the complexities of coffee trade. We unpack the unbalanced risk distribution in the supply chain, threats facing smallholder farms, and the unpaid family labour that is often overlooked in coffee production.

If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee!

Fairtrade International: https://www.instagram.com/fairtradeofficial/

Website: https://www.fairtrade.net/en/about/about-fairtrade-international.html 

Want more coffee content? 

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/

Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

Thanks for listening!

chapters

0:00 Intro

1:56 Coffee Preferences

9:48 Turning Point

22:36 Sustainability Reality

28:58 Producer Hardships

35:16 Pricing Limitations

45:35 Fairtrade Debate

54:48 Transparency Limits

1:03:29 Value Chain Issues

1:11:35 Industry Advice

1:17:51 Final Reflections

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite being one of the most widely consumed coffees in the world, instant coffee still carries a bad reputation. And sure, some commercial options can taste like the bottom of an ashtray, but there are genuinely excellent instant coffees out there.

We blind taste-tested seven instant coffees, ranging from low-grade to specialty. Join sensory expert and WBC judge Ben Bicknell as he guides us through a cupping session and reveals what instant coffee can (and can’t) deliver.

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews , hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.

Want more coffee content? 

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/

Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

Thanks for listening! 

00:00 Instant Coffee vs Specialty - The Reality

00:47 Why Specialty Instant Is Getting Attention

02:25 Blind Taste Test - Can Instant Actually Be Good?

11:35 The Reveal - What Were We Drinking?

16:18 Takeaways - Has Instant Coffee Improved?

18:16 Coffee Market Update (Condesa Report)

20:30 Could Cafés Start Serving Instant?

21:43 Pricing - Is It Actually Worth It?

24:04 Instant as an Espresso Alternative

27:14 Who Is This Actually For?

30:13 Final Thoughts - Where This Could Go

33:34 Coffee News - Trade + Blue Bottle

37:09 Outro

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can instant coffee be just as good, (if not better) than espresso? Hugh Kelly seems to think so!
The three time Australian Barista Champion and longtime Head of Coffee at Ona joined us to discuss the ways instant coffee can be used to uplift the industry as a whole - making coffee more accessible, consistent, and dare I say tasty…!

Plus stay tuned for Hugh’s expert tips on how to make a banging cup of instant.

00:00 Trailer
01:00 The Big Question: Is Coffee Becoming Too Complicated?
01:56 Introducing Hugh Kelly (ONA Coffee)
02:16 Espresso vs Filter - What Coffee Pros Actually Drink
06:20 Instant Coffee: The Most Consumed Coffee in the World
12:21 How Instant Coffee Is Actually Made
15:52 The Real Limits of Instant Coffee
25:30 Blind Tasting: 7 Instant Coffees
30:51 Can Instant Replace Espresso in Milk Drinks?
33:36 The Café Industry Problem: Too Many Coffee Shops
43:00 The Future of Coffee Convenience
52:00 Final Thoughts - Making Coffee Easier

If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee!

Hugh Kelly: https://www.instagram.com/hugh_t_kelly/

Ona Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/onacoffee/

Want more coffee content?

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/

Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/

Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

Thanks for listening!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices