Episode 12: Grounds for optimism

When Covid-19 hit over 12 months ago, the global hospitality industry was confronted with its biggest crisis in many generations. Now, as we look towards the end of the pandemic and businesses worldwide return to some form of normality, café owners may be asking themselves, “should we be cautious or optimistic”?

We believe there is much to be positive about. In this episode, we are speaking to coffee business leaders and a global economist to explore the positive business trends and opportunities that have emerged in the wake of the global pandemic.

We’ll hear a macro perspective from Deloitte’s Chief Global Economist Ira Kalish, who outlines what effect Covid has had on the global economy and how quickly he expects global GDP to rebound.

Phil McKnight, General Manager for Global Specialty Coffee at Breville and Sage Appliances shares why he believes the coffee market will grow even more both in the home and in the cafe once consumers are back on the streets.
 
We’ll also speak with Darren Levy, CEO of Africa’s largest coffee shop chain, vida e caffè, about the innovations he is bringing to South African coffee drinkers.

This episode is part of a series of articles and interviews examining the opportunities for positive change in a post-pandemic world. Read the latest edition of the 5THWAVE magazine here for more on the topic.
 
Credits music: Coffee 2 Go by Kirsten Izer in partnership with The Coffee Music Project