The Espresso Insiders Podcast

On today’s episode of the Espresso Insiders Podcast I’m joined by a good friend of mine, Bob Pain. Bob amongst other ventures throughout his career has been a coffee shop owner and offers great insight into acquiring, successfully running and exiting a bricks and mortar coffee shop business. A few years ago Bob took over Whitewaters Café and Deli in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, UK and has since passed it onto new owners. Bob’s story of taking on a small coffee shop serves as great inspiration to aspiring cafe owners that are keen to take the plunge and may not know where to start. He purchased Whitewaters with little to no experience in small business ownership (by his own admission), but was willing to take a risk on it. I found Bob’s candid insights very interesting, particularly when it comes to customer retention, upholding high standards of service and delivering consistency by focussing on quality over purely profits. He also outlines how time consuming owning a coffee shop can be, owing to the levels of commitment, attention to detail and focus on customer needs required. I’d like to thank Bob for his time and for sharing his extensive experience within the coffee industry! If you liked this episode of the Espresso Insiders Podcast, please go ahead and like, subscribe and share it with your friends. You can follow Espresso Insiders across social media here: Website/Blog:https://espressoinsiders.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/espressoinsidersInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/espresso_insiders/profilecard/?igsh=MTZseW1pNnl2MmdoaA==YouTube:https://youtube.com/@espressoinsiders?si=96S1l2z0uQS4G-pHTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@espresso_insiders?_t=8rCONjuQD8j&_r=1LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/espresso-insiders/X:https://x.com/esp_insiders?s=21&t=k9IkUIbaQS7Jf4gPyQNNaQPinterest:https://pin.it/5oRlZDrC2

Today I'm joined by the CEO of one of the largerst, most recognisable and pioneering coffee companies in the UK, John Steel. John heads up Café Direct, a forward thinking coffee giant that was set up to give coffee farmers a better living through Oxfam in the 1990s. This movement helped mitigate the collapse of coffee prices throughout this period and served as a foundation for the thriving global coffee market we all enjoy today. Where Café Direct differs from so many other coffee companies is their long standing commitment to fair trade, supporting coffee smallholder cooperatives and promoting sustainable practices throughout the coffee supply chain.John and I covered a range of topics including challenges facing the coffee industry, what it’s like to be the CEO of a listed company, John’s background in the food and beverage sector, the history of Café Direct, their specialty brand “Grumpy Mule” and how John takes his own morning coffee. I’d like to thank John for his time and insight into the industry from such a well renowned company’s perspective. If you liked this episode, please go ahead and like, subscribe and share it with your friends. You can follow Espresso Insiders across social media here: Website/Blog:https://espressoinsiders.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/espressoinsidersInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/espresso_insiders/profilecard/?igsh=MTZseW1pNnl2MmdoaA==YouTube:https://youtube.com/@espressoinsiders?si=96S1l2z0uQS4G-pHTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@espresso_insiders?_t=8rCONjuQD8j&_r=1LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/espresso-insiders/X:https://x.com/esp_insiders?s=21&t=k9IkUIbaQS7Jf4gPyQNNaQPinterest:https://pin.it/5oRlZDrC2

On today’s episode we’re coving a quick run down of the most popular coffee drinks you’ll find in your local café.Use this as a handy guide to make your next trip to your local coffee house a smooth experience.To learn more about the most popular cafe drinks, check out this article on espressoinsiders.comhttps://espressoinsiders.com/coffee-info/10-popular-cafe-drinks-explained/If you liked this episode, please go ahead and like, subscribe and share it with your friends. You can follow Espresso Insiders across social media here: Website/Blog:https://espressoinsiders.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/espressoinsidersInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/espresso_insiders/profilecard/?igsh=MTZseW1pNnl2MmdoaA==YouTube:https://youtube.com/@espressoinsiders?si=96S1l2z0uQS4G-pHTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@espresso_insiders?_t=8rCONjuQD8j&_r=1LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/espresso-insiders/X:https://x.com/esp_insiders?s=21&t=k9IkUIbaQS7Jf4gPyQNNaQPinterest:https://pin.it/5oRlZDrC2

Today we’re going to cover how you can improve the way you buy coffee, be that for home brewing or at your local coffee house.In this noticed episode, I’ll cover the hidden reasons why supermarket coffee is worse than you might think, how to upgrade your coffee buying behaviour and when exactly to use freshly roasted coffee.I also discuss ways to identify the best coffee for your flavour preferences, how to store coffee and how long coffee needs to rest (or de-gas) after it’s been roasted.If you liked this episode, please go ahead and like, subscribe and share it with your friends. You can follow Espresso Insiders across social media here: Website/Blog:https://espressoinsiders.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/espressoinsidersInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/espresso_insiders/profilecard/?igsh=MTZseW1pNnl2MmdoaA==YouTube:https://youtube.com/@espressoinsiders?si=96S1l2z0uQS4G-pHTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@espresso_insiders?_t=8rCONjuQD8j&_r=1LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/espresso-insiders/X:https://x.com/esp_insiders?s=21&t=k9IkUIbaQS7Jf4gPyQNNaQPinterest:https://pin.it/5oRlZDrC2

Subko is rooted in the belief that the subcontinent holds immense potential to contribute meaningfully to the global specialty coffee, craft baking, and fine cacao landscapes. Beginning its journey on March 15, 2020, Subko opened its first space in a restored 1925 Goan bungalow in Bandra West, Mumbai—a neighborhood rich with history and resilience. This space became the foundation of Subko’s work to combine local heritage with a global outlook.Since then, Subko has quietly grown to include spaces in Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Hyderabad. The name “Subko” reflects its philosophy—short for “subcontinent” and meaning “for everyone” in Hindustani—a vision of inclusivity and community at its heart.Neha JoshiSenior Director of OperationsNeha Joshi’s journey with Subko began five years ago, bringing with her three years of experience as a pastry chef at acclaimed restaurants in Paris and Mumbai. From Subko’s earliest days on March 15, 2020—just before a global lockdown reshaped the world—Neha worked alongside the founding partners, Rahul Reddy & Daniel Trulson, to transform a bold vision into reality.Her role evolved from overseeing bakehouse operations to leading company-wide operations, seamlessly scaling Subko's systems to match its rapid yet thoughtful growth. With a shared ethos of sustainability and precision, Neha has been instrumental in crafting an operational framework that aligns with Subko’s commitment to quality and innovation.Prasanna GudiDirector of Sourcing, Research & Development, Innovation: Specialty Coffee + Fine CacaoPrasanna Gudi is a devoted pioneer in specialty coffee and fine cacao. With eight years as an Arabica Q Grader and Q Professor, he embodies a relentless pursuit of excellence. Over half a decade, Prasanna has been at the forefront of experimental coffee processing, earning accolades for his groundbreaking research and unwavering dedication to the craft.Prasanna’s passion goes beyond the technical—he views every cup of coffee and cacao as a bridge between origin and consumer. His vision for Subko Village (Subko VLGE) reflects his deep commitment to empowering farmers through hyper-traceable sourcing models and innovative processing techniques. For Prasanna, Subko VLGE is not just a location but a movement, bringing Subko’s values to life by spotlighting its culture, partnerships, and transformative community initiatives.The Subko ApproachSpecialty Coffee: Small-batch roasts of Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica, sourced directly from the subcontinent and highlighting the uniqueness of each origin.Craft Baking: Thoughtfully crafted bakes that marry locally sourced ingredients with global techniques, honoring tradition while embracing innovation.Fine Cacao: Single-origin craft chocolate rooted in the subcontinent’s rich biodiversity and indigenous practices.Subko’s story is not just about coffee, bakes, and cacao; it’s about quietly amplifying the voices of the subcontinent and sharing its untold stories with the world.INSTAGRAM: @SubkoCoffeeYOUTUBE: @subkospecialtycoffeeroaste7091LINKEDIN: @SubkoCoffeeWEBSITE: Subko Coffee Roasters, Subko GlobalIf you liked this episode, please go ahead and like, subscribe and share it with your friends. You can follow Espresso Insiders across social media here: Website/Blog:https://espressoinsiders.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/espressoinsidersInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/espresso_insiders/profilecard/?igsh=MTZseW1pNnl2MmdoaA==YouTube:https://youtube.com/@espressoinsiders?si=96S1l2z0uQS4G-pHTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@espresso_insiders?_t=8rCONjuQD8j&_r=1LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/espresso-insiders/X:https://x.com/esp_insiders?s=21&t=k9IkUIbaQS7Jf4gPyQNNaQPinterest:https://pin.it/5oRlZDrC2