What to watch at The London Coffee Festival 2026
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In this episode of the Fifth Wave podcast, host Geoffrey Young explores what's new and exciting at the 2026 London Coffee Festival, one of the most influential gatherings in the global coffee industry. Featuring insights from key players like Ian Bryson of Lincoln & York, Siala Farhani-Tomlin of Elsewhere Coffee, Sam Warren of Lassa Vista, Will Hinton of BWT Water & More, and Corinne Kamish of SumUp, the episode reveals how the festival has evolved from a niche specialty coffee event into a multidimensional hub for innovation, connection, and education. From cold brew innovations and functional beverages to water quality’s impact on espresso and digital loyalty tech, the festival continues to drive industry-wide evolution. The recurring theme is that the true value lies not in immediate sales, but in long-term relationships, brand building, and learning from peers across the coffee ecosystem. The episode underscores the festival’s unique ability to unite professionals from all corners of the UK and beyond, creating a rare space for collaboration over competition. Guests emphasize the importance of mindset—approaching the event with curiosity and connection rather than pure ROI. Practical takeaways include the rising demand for functional ingredients, the power of experiential branding, the critical role of water in coffee quality, and the strategic use of technology to deepen customer engagement. The London Coffee Festival, as portrayed here, is not just a trade show but a living laboratory for the future of coffee and hospitality.
Prioritize relationship-building over immediate sales at industry events like the London Coffee Festival.
Functional beverages (digestive health, GLP-1 support) and innovative formats (cold brew, concentrates) are key growth areas.
Water quality is a critical, often overlooked factor in espresso machine longevity and coffee taste.
Use the festival as a research and innovation playground—observe, listen, and gather insights from real users.
Tech solutions like digital loyalty programs (SumUp’s Register) help turn one-time visitors into repeat customers.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction: The Heart of the London Coffee Festival
“If you go with a mindset that all you want to do is sell product, you're probably going to the wrong place.”
Lincoln & York: Building Relationships, Not Just Sales
Ian Bryson shares how Lincoln & York uses the festival to strengthen relationships with customers, competitors, and partners. He highlights the shift from a niche coffee event to a broad beverage innovation showcase.
Elsewhere Coffee: Innovation in Flavor and Experience
“It's not often that in an industry as large and widespread as ours that you get so many people from disparate parts of the country all into one place.”
Lassa Vista: The Rise of Functional Beverages
“At the very top, that's really growing very, very quickly and has a very strong prevalence in the market is things like digestive health.”
BWT Water & More: The Hidden Ingredient in Great Coffee
“We can talk about the taste of the coffee forever and demonstrate it, but actually not having limescale or corrosion is a real win for most coffee shops because it saves a lot of money.”
“We can talk about the taste of the coffee forever and demonstrate it, but actually not having limescale or corrosion is a real win for most coffee shops because it saves a lot of money.”
“If you go with a mindset that all you want to do is sell product, you're probably going to the wrong place.”
“At the very top, that's really growing very, very quickly and has a very strong prevalence in the market is things like digestive health.”
Host
Guests
London Coffee Festival
other
Ian Bryson
person
Lincoln & York
brand
Elsewhere Coffee
brand
Geoffrey Young
person
Siala Farhani-Tomlin
person
Fifth Wave
media
SumUp
brand
Sam Warren
person
Lassa Vista
brand
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