The World Of Coffee Round Up

Coffee is shifting, but not in the way purists might expect. At the World of Coffee, the biggest conversations were not just about origin, equipment, or technique, but about hospitality, community, beauty, and what makes people feel connected again, so where is the industry really headed next?

For Emily McIntyre, Andrew Aussie, and Kyle Lopez, the answer is a return to human connection. Emily sees coffee entering a more colorful, expressive, and hospitality-driven era; Andrew points to the energy of independent coffeehouses and the vulnerability of building something buyers and guests can believe in; and Kyle says baristas and owners are re-engaging with what hospitality means inside the cafe. Together, their perspectives show an industry becoming more open, more creative, and more focused on care as the thing that turns coffee into culture.

On this episode of the Firebelly Social Show, Duncan Alney is at the World of Coffee, where he speaks with Emily McIntyre of Swift Coffee Sourcing, Andrew Aussie of Earnest Eats, and Kyle Lopez of GFN Coffee about the evolving coffee industry. They discuss the return of hospitality, the rise of maximalist design, and the strength of independent coffee. They also share insight on community, innovation, and Colombia’s growing influence.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [0:58] Emily McIntyre on coffee’s shift toward innovation, alternative milks, R&D, marketing, and storytelling
• [5:29] The move from minimalist coffee spaces into a more colorful, textured, maximalist coffee aesthetic
• [9:52] Andrew Aussie on how founder experience creates empathy for food and beverage clients
• [12:28] The strength and energy of independent coffee and the community driving the industry forward
• [17:10] How World of Coffee helps people reconnect, get inspired, and reignite their spark
• [17:57] Kyle Lopez on hospitality as one of the best things returning to coffee

About Emily McIntyre, Andrew Aussie, Kyle Lopez:

Emily McIntyre is the CEO of Swift Coffee Sourcing, a boutique importer specializing in ethically sourced, high-quality coffee from Peru and Ethiopia. Under her leadership, Swift has nearly quadrupled growth expectations in its first year and boasts a newsletter open rate of over 50%, exemplifying her impact as a storyteller and connector in the specialty coffee industry. A former journalist, world traveler, and consultant to over 100 companies, Emily is known for her unconventional career path, operational expertise, and ability to blend narrative with business strategy.

Andrew Aussie is the President and Co-founder of Earnest Eats, a food brand creating breakfast innovations for coffeehouses and foodservice. A longtime food industry leader and former Kashi marketing executive, he has spent decades building, positioning, and scaling better-for-you food brands. Andrew also co-founded Purely Righteous Brands, which supports natural and organic brands with strategy, innovation, design, and go-to-market solutions.

Kyle Lopez is the Co-owner of Good For Nothing (GFN) Coffee, a San Antonio-based coffee roaster built around creativity, community, and high-quality coffee. GFN Coffee focuses on playful, approachable coffee experiences while sourcing from sustainable farms and highlighting producers from origins such as Colombia, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Kyle is especially passionate about equipment, brewing methods, and coffee innovation, and he sees hospitality as one of the most important shifts happening in the coffee industry today.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Duncan Alney on LinkedIn
• Firebelly Marketing
• World of Coffee
• Emily McIntyre on LinkedIn
• Swift Coffee Sourcing
• Andrew Aussie on LinkedIn
• Earnest Eats
• Kyle Lopez on LinkedIn
• Good For Nothing (GFN) Coffee
• “The Future Of Coffee, Sustainability Stories, And Emily McIntyre” on the Firebelly Social Show
• “Emily McIntyre On Building The Future Of Coffee” on the Firebelly Social Show
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
• Khanh Trang on LinkedIn
• Greater Goods Roasting
• Unblended

Quotable Moments:

• “I love seeing, for example, alternative milks and things that are in the coffee eco structure evolve because I’m seeing so much great innovation that’s taking place.”
• “Our key breakthrough was when we started to focus on hospitality versus, you know, teaching people something.”
• “How do we get to those fundamental human truths and then answer it with a creation that doesn’t exist in the world today?”
• “So just being independent is not the solution. It is about the care and the craft and the conscientiousness.”
• “I feel like we’re coming back to hospitality. I feel like we lost that about ten years ago.”

Action Steps: 

1. Refocus on hospitality in every customer interaction: Creating warmer, more intentional experiences can help coffee shops rebuild the sense of care and connection guests crave.
2. Build community through conversation: Encouraging genuine exchanges with customers, partners, and peers can turn a coffee business into a trusted gathering place, not just a place to buy coffee.
3. Embrace richer storytelling and design: Using more color, texture, narrative, and personality can help brands feel more memorable, human, and emotionally connected to their audience.
4. Stay open to innovation across the coffee ecosystem: Exploring new ideas in sourcing, equipment, alternative milks, functional ingredients, and cafe offerings can keep brands relevant as consumer preferences evolve.
5. Lead with craft, care, and conscientiousness: Being independent is not enough on its own; consistent attention to quality, service, and purpose is what makes a coffee experience truly stand out.

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