Ayush Bathwal, Co-Founder of Third Wave Coffee in India, shares his 2025 coffee industry predictions.
Third Wave Coffee will focus on expanding roastery operations to meet growing demand while ensuring consistent, high-quality coffee for retail and café customers. This expansion will also support the growth of our B2B and B2C segments, enabling us to deliver premium coffee solutions to partners and consumers. Additionally, we plan to expand our café presence in existing and new markets, and reach a wider audience through strategic brand partnerships to ensure we remain at the forefront of the specialty coffee movement in India.
One trend that will dominate the international coffee market is sustainability, encompassing every step from growing and sourcing to roasting and packaging. As climate change poses a significant threat to coffee production, the focus will shift towards implementing sustainable practices at every stage. Additionally, there will be increasing interest in Robusta as a way to boost global consumption, driven by its resilience to climate changes and its potential to cater to diverse taste preferences.
The biggest global industry challenge will likely be production and sourcing issues driven by climate change. Unpredictable weather patterns and rising temperatures are significantly impacting coffee-growing regions, leading to lower yields and higher prices. For instance, the surge in Robusta prices in 2024 due to shortages in Indonesia highlights the growing vulnerability of coffee production to climate disruptions. These challenges are expected to intensify, putting pressure on the industry to adapt thorough sustainable farming practices, diversification of sourcing regions, and innovations to stabilise supply chains.
My hope for the international coffee industry is for greater collaboration and transparency in sharing sustainable practices across the value chain. By openly exchanging insights on how brands are adopting sustainability we can collectively advance more eco-friendly practices. This shared knowledge would empower more brands to adopt and innovate sustainable solutions, ensuring the entire industry contributes to mitigating climate challenges while delivering quality coffee to consumers. Together, we can create a more resilient and environmentally conscious coffee ecosystem.
This article was first published in the January/February 2025 edition of Global Coffee Report. Read more HERE.
