Discover the full What’s Brewing podcast schedule and join the conversation shaping the future of coffee.
- Friday, October 16th
[OBJ]: Day 1 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[CONTENT]
The wait is over — What’s Brewing, Simonelli Group’s live podcast series at Host, kicks off today!
Join us at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or tune in live on YouTube for insightful discussions exploring how innovation is redefining the coffee experience.
Today’s conversations:
10:30 am – Technology-driven efficiency for cafes:
How businesses are leveraging technology for sustainability and optimized workflow. Join this panel for real world examples across different markets.
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Jessica Worden, Head of Coffee – Gail’s
Josh Brown, Commercial Director - WatchHouse
Svetlana Titova – Red Machines
11:30 am – The rise of Specialty Coffee in France
France has seen a boom in specialty coffee in recent years. How has a mature and traditional coffee market embraced specialty coffee. (In French)
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Virginie Sachs, Global Sales Director – Simonelli Group
Elie Magnin, Technical Manager – Nuova Distribution France
2:30 pm – Inside the future: equipment for a new era in coffee — a CEO Roundtable revealing what’s next in coffee equipment innovation.
We are entering a new paradigm in coffee. Social, environmental, and economic pressures are reshaping how businesses operate, while dynamic trends are transforming what, where, and how we consume coffee—both in-home and out-of-home.
Hosted by: Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of SCA
Guests:
Marco Feliziani, CEO – Simonelli Group
Adrian Steiner, CEO – Thermoplan
Tommaso Fontana, General Manager - UNIC
Garfield Kerr, CEO – Mokha 1450
Maurizio Fiorani, CEO – Eureka Grinders
3:30 pm - How to measure the electrical consumption in the espresso coffee machines: Norm EN 50730:2025.
What is the new standard and what are its implications for the industry.
Hosted by: Maurizio Giuli, Chief Strategy Officer – Simonelli Group
Guests:
Giorgio Beretta, Technical Manager - Anima
Claudio Cingolani, Head of R&D – Simonelli Group
Be part of the dialogue shaping tomorrow’s coffee industry — live at the booth or online.
[OBJ]: Day 1 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[CONTENT]
The wait is over — What’s Brewing, Simonelli Group’s live podcast series at Host, kicks off today!
Join us at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or tune in live on YouTube for insightful discussions exploring how innovation is redefining the coffee experience.
Today’s conversations:
10:30 am – Technology-driven efficiency for cafes:
How businesses are leveraging technology for sustainability and optimized workflow. Join this panel for real world examples across different markets.
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Jessica Worden, Head of Coffee – Gail’s
Josh Brown, Commercial Director - WatchHouse
Svetlana Titova – Red Machines
11:30 am – The rise of Specialty Coffee in France
France has seen a boom in specialty coffee in recent years. How has a mature and traditional coffee market embraced specialty coffee. (In French)
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Virginie Sachs, Global Sales Director – Simonelli Group
Elie Magnin, Technical Manager – Nuova Distribution France
2:30 pm – Inside the future: equipment for a new era in coffee — a CEO Roundtable revealing what’s next in coffee equipment innovation.
We are entering a new paradigm in coffee. Social, environmental, and economic pressures are reshaping how businesses operate, while dynamic trends are transforming what, where, and how we consume coffee—both in-home and out-of-home.
Hosted by: Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of SCA
Guests:
Marco Feliziani, CEO – Simonelli Group
Adrian Steiner, CEO – Thermoplan
Tommaso Fontana, General Manager - UNIC
Garfield Kerr, CEO – Mokha 1450
Maurizio Fiorani, CEO – Eureka Grinders
3:30 pm - How to measure the electrical consumption in the espresso coffee machines: Norm EN 50730:2025.
What is the new standard and what are its implications for the industry.
Hosted by: Maurizio Giuli, Chief Strategy Officer – Simonelli Group
Guests:
Giorgio Beretta, Technical Manager - Anima
Claudio Cingolani, Head of R&D – Simonelli Group
Be part of the dialogue shaping tomorrow’s coffee industry — live at the booth or online.
- Saturday, October 18th
[OBJ]: Day 2 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. Technology and Talent — Building the Café Tomorrow
[CONTENT]
Day two of What’s Brewing dives deep into the innovations and skills driving consistent quality across the coffee industry.
Today’s lineup:
10:30 am – Scaling quality: the tech for multi-site operator success
How does technology unlock high quality coffee and high-quality customer service in a multi-site operators' cafe business? Cafes today are much more than meets the eye. The equipment sitting on the counter is smarter. It offers solutions to make service better for the customers.
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Kamal Bengougam – CEO Coffee Pilgrims
Lino Nilsson, Managing Director - Coffema International GmbH
Brent Hall, Sales Manager – Nuova Distribution USA
11:30 am – Technical excellence: evolving service and skills for the technicans of tomorrow
As technology is developing and the requirements of food service operators evolve, how can technicians service these requirements?
Hosted by: Nicolas Poirot-Crouvezier, General Manager of Nuova Distribution France
Guests:
Marco Serri, After Sales Manager – Simonelli Group
David Burchett, Director - Lyncs
Ricky Neal, Managing Director – Modern Standard Service
Marcin Nowak, Technical Manager - Nuova Distribution UK
2:30 pm – Next-Gen espresso technology: What might we see
Current trends point towards a world in which espresso becomes a singular ingredient as opposed to taking centre stage. How will manufacturers and cafes adapt to this new reality, build pragmatic ecosystems to cater to these emerging trends, develop solutions that address both flexibility and workflow.
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Peter Larsson, CTO and Cofounder – 3TEMP
Oliver Dunkelberg, CTO and Chairman of the Board – Brainaix Engineering
Roberto Bresciani, CEO – Nuova Distribution USA
Claudio Cingolani, Head of R&D – Simonelli Group
Fritz Storm, CEO - Coffee by Storm
3:30 pm – Connected Coffee: IoT & AI in Action
Data mining- harvesting data from equipment and people has become the cornerstone of any modern business. How to best leverage information- discern between a signal and noise, balance humanity and technology, create harmony between functionality and community will become a key topic in our people-driven industry.
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Anders Eriksson, CoFounder – 3TEMP
Jiyoon Han – Bean&Bean Coffee and SCA Vice President
Luca Cognigni, Innovation & Laboratory Manager – Simonelli Group
Daniel Kim, SVP - Kiosoft
Sebastian Huber, CEO - Iovent GmbH
Vasilis Apostolopulous, CEO & Co-Founder – Bibe Coffee
Join us live at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or stream the conversations from anywhere.
[OBJ]: Day 2 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. Technology and Talent — Building the Café Tomorrow
[CONTENT]
Day two of What’s Brewing dives deep into the innovations and skills driving consistent quality across the coffee industry.
Today’s lineup:
10:30 am – Scaling quality: the tech for multi-site operator success
How does technology unlock high quality coffee and high-quality customer service in a multi-site operators' cafe business? Cafes today are much more than meets the eye. The equipment sitting on the counter is smarter. It offers solutions to make service better for the customers.
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Kamal Bengougam – CEO Coffee Pilgrims
Lino Nilsson, Managing Director - Coffema International GmbH
Brent Hall, Sales Manager – Nuova Distribution USA
11:30 am – Technical excellence: evolving service and skills for the technicans of tomorrow
As technology is developing and the requirements of food service operators evolve, how can technicians service these requirements?
Hosted by: Nicolas Poirot-Crouvezier, General Manager of Nuova Distribution France
Guests:
Marco Serri, After Sales Manager – Simonelli Group
David Burchett, Director - Lyncs
Ricky Neal, Managing Director – Modern Standard Service
Marcin Nowak, Technical Manager - Nuova Distribution UK
2:30 pm – Next-Gen espresso technology: What might we see
Current trends point towards a world in which espresso becomes a singular ingredient as opposed to taking centre stage. How will manufacturers and cafes adapt to this new reality, build pragmatic ecosystems to cater to these emerging trends, develop solutions that address both flexibility and workflow.
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Peter Larsson, CTO and Cofounder – 3TEMP
Oliver Dunkelberg, CTO and Chairman of the Board – Brainaix Engineering
Roberto Bresciani, CEO – Nuova Distribution USA
Claudio Cingolani, Head of R&D – Simonelli Group
Fritz Storm, CEO - Coffee by Storm
3:30 pm – Connected Coffee: IoT & AI in Action
Data mining- harvesting data from equipment and people has become the cornerstone of any modern business. How to best leverage information- discern between a signal and noise, balance humanity and technology, create harmony between functionality and community will become a key topic in our people-driven industry.
Hosted by: Kamal Bengougam, CEO of Coffee Pilgrims
Guests:
Anders Eriksson, CoFounder – 3TEMP
Jiyoon Han – Bean&Bean Coffee and SCA Vice President
Luca Cognigni, Innovation & Laboratory Manager – Simonelli Group
Daniel Kim, SVP - Kiosoft
Sebastian Huber, CEO - Iovent GmbH
Vasilis Apostolopulous, CEO & Co-Founder – Bibe Coffee
Join us live at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or stream the conversations from anywhere.
- Sunday, October 19th
[OBJ] Day 3 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE] What’s Brewing, the podcast. Creativity, Design, and the Expanding Coffee Experience
[CONTENT]:
Today on What’s Brewing, we explore how coffee culture continues to evolve — from design-driven café concepts to new beverage frontiers.
Today’s topics:
11:00 am – Regional trends: brands, concepts and products on the rise
In our connected world, strong regional trends quickly become international trends. We have brought together a panel of experts from different corners of the globe to share insights on the big trends in their regions. Will we predict the next global trend? Which trends are destined to stay local?
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Goutham Kumbargeri Srinath – Brewing Gadgets
Gerd Muller-Pfeifer – International Coffee Consulting
Sarah Baker, Editor in Chief – Prime Creative Media
Sarah Allen, Editor in Chief – Barista Magazine
Nicole Ou, Editor in Chief – Coffee T&I Magazine
Michal Molcan, Editor in Chief – Standart Magazine
2:30 pm – Coffee shop design: re-imagining the café experience.
With new consumer trends in beverages the traditional design and functionality of a cafe is evolving to service these needs. We will explore the implications for equipment, bar design, workflow, and customer experience.
Hosted by: Stephen Morrissey, Chief Commercial Officer at SCA
Guests:
Panagiotis Kostantinopoulos, Managing Director - Coffee Island
Carlos Eduardo Bitencourt, Founder & CEO – Cafezal
Andrew Tolley, Director – Tolley Coffee & Tea
3:30 pm – Beyond Coffee: Enhancing our lives with functional drinks AI in Action
In some respects coffee is the OG of functional drinks, and it sits at the top of the pyramid when it comes to functional beverages. But bubbling away underneath are a whole spectrum of coffee and non-coffee drinks that are fuelling, energising, enhancing, focusing, calming and surprising consumers. These drinks can look good, feel good and/or taste good - but don't always achieve those 3 things.
How is coffee changing, thinking about everything from cold vs hot, forms like instant and concentrates,
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Jesse Owens, Founder - Bloomin
Boris Zwick, CEO - Uber Milk
Louise Law, Head of International Markets - Linkbar
Kallie Kocourek – GSD Collective
Gemma Kiernan, Head of Marketing – Marco Beverage System
Let’s redefine what coffee can be — join the conversation live at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or online.
[OBJ] Day 3 of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE] What’s Brewing, the podcast. Creativity, Design, and the Expanding Coffee Experience
[CONTENT]:
Today on What’s Brewing, we explore how coffee culture continues to evolve — from design-driven café concepts to new beverage frontiers.
Today’s topics:
11:00 am – Regional trends: brands, concepts and products on the rise
In our connected world, strong regional trends quickly become international trends. We have brought together a panel of experts from different corners of the globe to share insights on the big trends in their regions. Will we predict the next global trend? Which trends are destined to stay local?
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Goutham Kumbargeri Srinath – Brewing Gadgets
Gerd Muller-Pfeifer – International Coffee Consulting
Sarah Baker, Editor in Chief – Prime Creative Media
Sarah Allen, Editor in Chief – Barista Magazine
Nicole Ou, Editor in Chief – Coffee T&I Magazine
Michal Molcan, Editor in Chief – Standart Magazine
2:30 pm – Coffee shop design: re-imagining the café experience.
With new consumer trends in beverages the traditional design and functionality of a cafe is evolving to service these needs. We will explore the implications for equipment, bar design, workflow, and customer experience.
Hosted by: Stephen Morrissey, Chief Commercial Officer at SCA
Guests:
Panagiotis Kostantinopoulos, Managing Director - Coffee Island
Carlos Eduardo Bitencourt, Founder & CEO – Cafezal
Andrew Tolley, Director – Tolley Coffee & Tea
3:30 pm – Beyond Coffee: Enhancing our lives with functional drinks AI in Action
In some respects coffee is the OG of functional drinks, and it sits at the top of the pyramid when it comes to functional beverages. But bubbling away underneath are a whole spectrum of coffee and non-coffee drinks that are fuelling, energising, enhancing, focusing, calming and surprising consumers. These drinks can look good, feel good and/or taste good - but don't always achieve those 3 things.
How is coffee changing, thinking about everything from cold vs hot, forms like instant and concentrates,
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Jesse Owens, Founder - Bloomin
Boris Zwick, CEO - Uber Milk
Louise Law, Head of International Markets - Linkbar
Kallie Kocourek – GSD Collective
Gemma Kiernan, Head of Marketing – Marco Beverage System
Let’s redefine what coffee can be — join the conversation live at Hall 16 – A11, A19, C12, C20 or online.
- Monday, October 20th
[OBJ]: Final Day of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. Closing the Series with Insight and Inspiration
[CONTENT]:
As What’s Brewing comes to a close, our final day focuses on science, competition, and sustainability — essential drivers of the coffee industry’s future.
Today’s sessions:
10:30 am - In hospitality, how do baristas, traditional machines, and technology come together to create quality and value in the business?
In this podcast, we explore how the world of hospitality is evolving through the synergy between skilled baristas, traditional espresso machines, and cutting-edge technology. Industry experts and innovators share insights on how this combination drives consistency, quality in every cup, and lasting value for businesses. (In Italian)
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Stefano Campolongo, head of Research and Development - Autogrill
Marco Rodi – Senior Global Brand Manager Marketing Food OCS @vending
Vincenzo Catrambone General Manager – Starbucks
Francesca Bieker – SCA Education Coordinator
Diego Montrone, Presidente – Galdus
Costantino Mauriello, Italy Country Manager – Simonelli Group
11:30 am – Coffee and health: Fact vs. Fiction
Is coffee good for you? what does the science say? We have a panel of leading reseraches, Dr Chahan Yeretzian, Dr Samo Smrke, Dr Agnese Santanatoglia and Peter Giuliano will discuss fact vs fiction in coffee health science.
Hosted by: Lauro Fioretti, Global Key Accounts Project Manager at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Chahan Yeretzian, Professor of Life Sciences and Facility Manager - Zhaw University
Agnese Santanatoglia, Researcher - University of Camerino
Dr. Samo Smrke - ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management
Section for Coffee Competence Centre and Analytical Technologies
2:30 pm – Competition focus: trends in the 2025 World Barista Championships
Each year over 50 national champions take to the world stage of the barista championships. Each year there are themes, coffees and techniques that the craft and the industry. Sit down with us as we unpack what we are seeing in the 2025 WBC's
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Daniele Ricci, 2025 Italian Barista Champion
Mikael Jasin, 2024 World Barista Champion
Lauro Fioretti, Global Key Accounts Project Manager – Simonelli Group
Surprise guests
3:30 pm – Innovations in post-harvest processing: impact on sustainability
The last few years have spotlighted one of the biggest shifts in coffee in the last 20 years - developments in post harvest processing. The WBC, WBrC and national coffee competitions have all witnessed this change and the results have opened up new opportunities for producers, roasters and consumers to offer and experience coffee in a different way.
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Juan Pablo, Founding Partner – Lohas Beans
Don’t miss these closing discussions uniting innovation and passion. Join us in person or stream live on YouTube.
[OBJ]: Final Day of What’s Brewing, the podcast. The Future of Coffee Starts Today
[TITLE]: What’s Brewing, the podcast. Closing the Series with Insight and Inspiration
[CONTENT]:
As What’s Brewing comes to a close, our final day focuses on science, competition, and sustainability — essential drivers of the coffee industry’s future.
Today’s sessions:
10:30 am - In hospitality, how do baristas, traditional machines, and technology come together to create quality and value in the business?
In this podcast, we explore how the world of hospitality is evolving through the synergy between skilled baristas, traditional espresso machines, and cutting-edge technology. Industry experts and innovators share insights on how this combination drives consistency, quality in every cup, and lasting value for businesses. (In Italian)
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Stefano Campolongo, head of Research and Development - Autogrill
Marco Rodi – Senior Global Brand Manager Marketing Food OCS @vending
Vincenzo Catrambone General Manager – Starbucks
Francesca Bieker – SCA Education Coordinator
Diego Montrone, Presidente – Galdus
Costantino Mauriello, Italy Country Manager – Simonelli Group
11:30 am – Coffee and health: Fact vs. Fiction
Is coffee good for you? what does the science say? We have a panel of leading reseraches, Dr Chahan Yeretzian, Dr Samo Smrke, Dr Agnese Santanatoglia and Peter Giuliano will discuss fact vs fiction in coffee health science.
Hosted by: Lauro Fioretti, Global Key Accounts Project Manager at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Chahan Yeretzian, Professor of Life Sciences and Facility Manager - Zhaw University
Agnese Santanatoglia, Researcher - University of Camerino
Dr. Samo Smrke - ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management
Section for Coffee Competence Centre and Analytical Technologies
2:30 pm – Competition focus: trends in the 2025 World Barista Championships
Each year over 50 national champions take to the world stage of the barista championships. Each year there are themes, coffees and techniques that the craft and the industry. Sit down with us as we unpack what we are seeing in the 2025 WBC's
Hosted by: Federica Parisi, Head of Coffee & Beverage Community at Simonelli Group
Guests:
Daniele Ricci, 2025 Italian Barista Champion
Mikael Jasin, 2024 World Barista Champion
Lauro Fioretti, Global Key Accounts Project Manager – Simonelli Group
Surprise guests
3:30 pm – Innovations in post-harvest processing: impact on sustainability
The last few years have spotlighted one of the biggest shifts in coffee in the last 20 years - developments in post harvest processing. The WBC, WBrC and national coffee competitions have all witnessed this change and the results have opened up new opportunities for producers, roasters and consumers to offer and experience coffee in a different way.
Hosted by: Andrew Tolley, Director Tolley Coffee&Tea
Guests:
Juan Pablo, Founding Partner – Lohas Beans
Don’t miss these closing discussions uniting innovation and passion. Join us in person or stream live on YouTube.