The Food Economy

#9 – Why Gen Z does not drink what you think they do – André Eiermann, Gen Z Coffee Intelligence Lab

"Many people believe Gen Z only drinks those super colourful beverages with different layers, cream, and sprinkles. But this is not the typical Gen Z drink," says André Eiermann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-eiermann], founder of the Gen Z Coffee Intelligence Lab. How does Gen Z drink coffee differently than previous generations? André and his team have launched a global survey of coffee drinkers [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRbTc6c1nRaN_h9S6YxrU6jzsn6wqbo8l-EndwKP-YhL59hQ/viewform] to find out. The initial results show that Gen Z's coffee drinking behaviour is not only about colourful beverages but follows a framework of four Fs: function, familiarity, freedom, and fun. In this episode, André explains this framework, the origins of his interest in Gen Z, and the implications of the survey results for companies looking to target younger coffee drinkers.

#8 – How science shapes the coffee of tomorrow – Samo Smrke, Coffee Excellence Center

"The most effort in scientific research in coffee I see now is in securing the future of Arabica coffee." says Samo Smrke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samo-smrke-a2652172/], Head of the Coffee Excellence Center [https://www.zhaw.ch/en/lsfm/research/research-at-the-institute-of-food-and-beverage-innovation/coffee-excellence-center] at Zurich University of Applied Sciences. The future of Arabica is only one of the topics that Samo and his team at the Coffee Excellence Center are researching. Coffee companies often turn to them for advice on how to develop innovations and improve their products. Using science-based methods, they have supported more than 70 businesses in their research and development. In this episode, Samo explains how his team collaborates with coffee companies to innovate their products, what distinguishes good coffee science from bad coffee science, and which trends will shape the coffee world in the coming years.

#7 – Resilient coffee cultivation with biochar – Thomas Käslin, Cotierra

"Biochar is a very dominant solution. It does not only remove and store carbon in soils, but it also actually helps beyond that by transforming the way we produce food and it makes supply chains climate-resilient." says Thomas Käslin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kaeslin-cotierra/en?originalSubdomain=ch], CEO and co-founder of Cotierra [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cotierra-ag?originalSubdomain=ch]. Coffee cultivation faces numerous challenges due to climate change, inclusing increased droughts and soil degradation. The Zurich-based start-up Cotierra has developed an innovative solution that turns agricultural waste into biochar. This helps retain more water and fertiliser, locks carbon into the soil and substantially improves farm productivity. In this episode, Thomas explains how Cotierra enables farmers to produce biochar on their plantations, why coffee companies and traders are interested in this solution, and what the future of regenerative agriculture might look like.

#6 – What your coffee bag is not telling you (and why you do not ask) – Philipp Schallberger, Kaffeemacher

"If a sommelier said to you: 'I have this wonderful wine made of grapes coming from Europe.' You would not accept only this information. But when it comes to coffee, people are satisfied with this," says Philipp Schallberger [https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-schallberger-904075ba/], Managing Partner at Kaffeemacher [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaffeemacher-gmbh?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company]. We often do not know much about our coffee's origin, the type of beans used, or how they were processed. Have you ever wondered why most coffee bags in stores do not provide this information and why coffee drinkers do not demand it? And how can we tell where our coffee comes from if the origin is not written on the bag? In this episode, Philipp answers these questions and explains where the coffee we drink in Switzerland comes from.

#5 – The future of coffee – Yana Mikhailova, Nestlé

"In the next three years, I expect there will be more new plantations coming and gaining. There will be higher yields because the green coffee price is so high now that farmers are happier than ever. And this is really good," says Yana Mikhailova [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-mikhailova-aa0490], Head of Coffee Zone Europe at Nestlé. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nestle-s-a-] Today, global demand for coffee is higher than ever and is expected to continue growing over the next years and decades. However, Swiss scientists have calculated that climate change threatens to render more than half of the current coffee cultivation areas unsuitable for production by 2050. How can the industry meet rising demand with less available land? In this episode, Yana addresses this question and explains Nestlé's responsibility in the context of sustainability and the future of coffee.