The Bellwether Blog

The coffee industry has an enduring poverty crisis that, despite decades of various interventions and initiatives, doesn’t seem to be letting up—at least, not at scale.

Coffee subscriptions have been around for over a decade, but in 2020 they reached a height nobody saw coming. Trade, the JAB-backed subscription company, grew 400% at the start of the pandemic.

Take a stroll around coffee websites, packaging, and social media, and you’re sure to encounter language like ethical, sustainable, and fair. It sounds great—who doesn’t want to support fair and ethical sourcing?

Customers have more coffee options than ever before, and it’s forcing cafes of all kinds to get creative in how they present themselves and access new ways to generate sales.

Coffee shops based in the United States are about to be granted access to the largest financial program ever created that targets the restaurant and foodservice sector. 

Coffee subscriptions have been gaining steam for years, but nothing could have cemented their popularity like the 2020 pandemic. We heard from roasters all around the world that, as in-person coffee consumption declined, ecommerce and subscription orders skyrocketed.