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Rooting for the Underdog
Now more than ever, coffee enthusiasts have access to a
global platform where they can share their love of coffee with the
world. From popular YouTube channels and Instagram accounts
to TikToks and other digital content platforms, any person pas-
sionate about coffee can become an influencer, if they have a
knack for it.
These influencers often play a key role in promoting new
trends in specialty coffee, helping to educate their followers and
inspiring them to try new brewing methods, flavors, or types of
coffee. Some of these influencers have even become celebrities
in the specialty coffee community and beyond.
James Hoffmann is one example that comes to mind. He is
an English barista, YouTuber, entrepreneur, coffee consultant and
author who became well-known after winning the 2007 World
Barista Championship. Since then, Hoffmann has authored three
books including The World Atlas of Coffee and has launched
several businesses such as Square Mile Coffee Roasters while
consulting for a number of coffee ventures.
Hoffmann has gained a large following on YouTube, having
over 1.8 million subscribers in 2021. His videos focus on the
specialty coffee industry, and evaluate different brewing methods
as well as reviewing equipment in an easy-to-understand and
humorous way. In their 2021 article, titled “From Oslo Pram Guy
To The Teenage Vacuum Expert”, British newspaper The Guard-
ian notes Hoffmann’s distinct appearance such as his silver hair,
glasses and soft voice that adds to the charm of his channel.
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Over on the other side of the Atlantic, Morgan Eckroth,
better known as @MorganDrinksCoffee, is an established
American content creator and barista from Portland, Oregon.
She has garnered online fame across their social media ac-
counts; with nearly 7 million combined followers across
TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Their impressive barista skills and were recognized in 2022
when they won the US Barista Championship. They earned in-
ternational recognition for their second place finish at the World
Barista Championships and were invited to join Onyx Coffee Lab
as their content marketing specialist later that same year.
Hoffmann and Morgan are two influencers that have
helped to popularize specialty coffee. With their knowledge
and passion for coffee, each has made a significant impact inside
and outside the industry. The specialty coffee industry needs
ambassadors like them to spread knowledge about specialty
coffee and make it more accessible. What I believe makes these
two truly special is the honesty in their approach and how it
resonates with their followers. They are celebrities in their
own right, within the specialty coffee world.
Events and competitions are another medium of the spe-
cialty coffee industry to promote its work. They are primarily a
great way for members of the specialty coffee industry to come
together, network, and share knowledge. These gatherings pro-
mote innovation in the industry and allow attendees to learn more
about new trends and products that are emerging. Tristan Cam-
pher, owner of the Coffee Works coffee shop and micro-roastery
Groundwork Coffee in Dublin, Ireland, told me that he kept an
eye at this year’s World of Coffee in Athens, Greece.
“Usually innovators in coffee are at competition level and
so the recent events at World of Coffee Athens were insightful. I
enjoy picking and choosing ideas and seeing if I am able to repli-
cate and implement these ideas into my own practices,” he said.
Savina Giachgia, Coffee Expert at Nestlé Professional and 2023
World Brewers Cup Runner-Up, also believes that World Coffee
Events (WCE) serve as the ultimate meeting point for coffee
lovers and coffee trends to interact.
“WCE host great innovations, R&D and new technologies
around coffee and can inspire the coffee industry to further ad- Groundwork Coffee,
Dublin, Ireland
vance. During such events, you can also come across with great
coffee stories around the world, taste amazing coffees and learn
through their novelties! Competitions are an interesting part of
World Coffee Events too. We get motivated, inspired and well
informed by watching people participating, explaining their point
of view, their research results and of course creating the new
trends. World Coffee Events keep the coffee community and the
whole industry alive,” she said.
Morgan Eckroth
An established American content
creator and barista from Portland, Oregon,
2022 USBC Champion, 2022 WBC Runner-Up
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