The Great Automation Debate, with Unity Coffee’s Scott Martin and Cimbali Group’s Andrea Coccia

Scott Martin is the coffee automation pioneer behind Costa Express and the founder of the premium self-serve coffee business, Unity Coffee. Andrea Coccia is the R&D Director at Cimbali Group, the iconic coffee equipment maker that is a key custodian of Italy’s espresso traditions. Hear what they have to say about how automation is disrupting the coffee industry – for better and for worse

Scott Martin believes that too many in the coffee industry romanticise craft while deploying automation at every opportunity. He’s one of the biggest advocates for automation in the coffee industry and says the technology can profoundly benefit operators of all kinds. But labour-saving tools should never come at the expense of quality, and the risks of poor integration are real.

As the R&D Director at Cimbali Group, Andrea Coccia is tasked with preserving the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic manual espresso machine brands while ensuring it is future-ready for the opportunities ahead. From his perspective, the line between manual and automation is no longer clear-cut. As technology evolves, manual espresso machines are too– but are operators ready to embrace change?

“Are we at the autopilot moment?”

Scott Martin, Founder of Unity Coffee and coffee automation pioneer