S4 E6: From Builder to Brewer, Our Meadowbrook Cafe Manager Jayson

S4 E6: From Builder to Brewer, Our Meadowbrook Cafe Manager Jayson

In this episode of CoffeeU, Nathan and Brad sit down with Jayson Dobelstein, manager of Baba Java’s Meadowbrook cafe. Jayson shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Birmingham, to living in Bolivia, Peru, and Ethiopia, to returning stateside and starting Double Stone Handywork as a contractor and remodeler. He built out Baba Java’s Montevallo cafe (RIP) and later helped with Nathan’s home projects before stepping into cafe management at Meadowbrook. Jayson talks about the joy of hospitality, investing in his team, learning the world of specialty coffee, and what makes Meadowbrook’s regulars and culture so special. You’ll hear funny stories (including a mysterious floating latte cup), his thoughts on great coffee, and why he loves helping people move from everyday drinks to appreciating specialty coffee. A heartfelt, inspiring conversation about life, service, and finding your place in the coffee world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our blog: https://babajavacoffee.com/blog/ Find your new favorite coffee with our quiz: https://babajavacoffee.com/coffee-quiz/

S4 E5: What's Happening at Baba Java Dubai

Josh and Rachel Parvin join Nathan and Brad for a great conversation about the current state of Baba Java International in Dubai!In this episode, the couple shares how Baba Java is growing its presence in the Middle East by selling high-quality green coffee from their trusted farm partners to specialty roasters across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and beyond. They discuss exciting developments like Josh becoming a certified SCA Q Instructor, their plans to host more cuppings and classes throughout the Gulf region, standout client relationships (including Cotera Coffee and Grandmother Coffee), and which coffees are performing especially well.You’ll also hear their perspective on market challenges, the recent C-market fluctuations, what the next year looks like for the Dubai team, and some joyful personal news, but you'll have to watch to find out what!This episode gives listeners a clear, encouraging update on Baba Java’s international mission and the heart behind taking specialty coffee and ethical sourcing to the world.---------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our blog: https://babajavacoffee.com/blog/ Find your new favorite coffee with our quiz: https://babajavacoffee.com/coffee-quiz/

S4 E4: Baba Java's Dubai team at World of Coffee Dubai

We've heard from our cafe managers and American marketing department about their experience at the massive World of Coffee tradeshow in Dubai, now it's time to hear from our Dubai team! Baba Java's American branch is mostly a roaster and cafes. In the UAE we handle the other side of the coffee business, gathering the best beans from the best farms from all over the world and selling the unroasted "green coffee" to other roasters and cafes. We cover not only Dubai and the UAE, but all over the Middle East! In this episode Josh and Rachel discuss their journey of attending World of Coffee over the years, from hauling samples in their backpacks and not knowing anyone, to having a fully staffed booth and many attendees waiting to see what we brought this year! Listen along for all this, plus stories of car troubles, flipped ATVs, and an awkwardly long intro. ----------------------------------------------------------------------Visit our blog: https://babajavacoffee.com/blog/ Find your new favorite coffee with our quiz: https://babajavacoffee.com/coffee-quiz/

S4 E2: Noelle's Journey from Customer to Marketer

Welcome to Season 4 of CoffeeU! In this episode, Nathan and Brad sit down with Noelle, a key member of the Baba Java marketing team, for a fun and personal conversation. Noelle shares her journey from growing up in the Alabaster/Montevallo area, to becoming a barista at the Montevallo café (RIP), and eventually transitioning into full-time marketing after graduating with a graphic design degree. She talks about learning coffee from the ground up, working closely with Rachel (now in Dubai) and Randy, creating content, planning events, and what it’s like being part of a small but mighty marketing team that spans two continents. You’ll hear about her favorite drinks (including a secret menu tip), how she balances B2B and B2C storytelling, the challenges of jumping into marketing right out of college, and plenty of laughs about team dynamics, dad jokes, and Randy’s reactions. This episode gives you a behind-the-curtain look at one of the people helping tell Baba Java’s story every day. ----------------------------------------------------------------------Visit our blog: https://babajavacoffee.com/blog/ Find your new favorite coffee with our quiz: https://babajavacoffee.com/coffee-quiz/What you're looking for:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFwIlVKRsqc

S4 E2: Our Marketing at World of Coffee Dubai

We’re continuing our threepart series on World of Coffee Dubai! Nathan and Brad sit down with Noelle from the Baba Java marketing team, fresh back from her first experience at the massive Middle East coffee expo. Noelle shares what surprised her most: the explosion of bold, fruity co-fermented coffees (including a frankincense infused one and a piña colada style pour-over), the strong B2B focus compared to the more consumer driven U.S. shows, and how the days flew by in a whirlwind of conversations, cuppings, and networking. She also talks about the challenge (and fun) of creating content on the ground, capturing photos and reels while building relationships with roasters and producers, and how experiencing the event firsthand will shape the way she tells Baba Java’s story moving forward both in the U.S. and internationally. This episode gives a great behind-the-scenes look at the marketing side of the trip, the energy of the show, and why events like World of Coffee are so valuable for growing Baba Java’s presence in the Middle East. ----------------------------------------------------------------------Visit our blog: https://babajavacoffee.com/blog/ Find your new favorite coffee with our quiz: https://babajavacoffee.com/coffee-quiz/