Looking Ahead: What’s Brewing in 2026: AI, Coffee, and the Power of Community

In this episode of Bean There Done That, host Phil Di Bella and Rai Esat, General Manager of International Coffee Traders, look ahead to 2026 and unpack what café and hospitality owners can expect – and how to not just survive, but thrive.

They explore the growing role of AI as a productivity tool, the ongoing challenges of retention, attraction and productivity of staff, and why community, emotional connection and a strong “why” will separate the winners from the strugglers.

Phil and Rai discuss shifts in customer behaviour, shrinking disposable income, the real cost of sustainability, and the dangers of poorly executed government regulation. They also share practical ideas like smaller-format cafés, building-centric kiosks, memberships, and pantry items as new revenue models.

The episode closes with two powerful themes for 2026: perseverance and recomposition – doing the mental work, applying the lessons of 2025, and recomposing your business around what actually works.

Key Topics & Themes

• AI’s role in reducing workload and boosting productivity

• Retention, attraction and productivity as the defining staffing challenges

• Why emotional connection and community will be the ultimate differentiators

• The rise of coffee raves and non-alcohol social gatherings

• Hiring for attitude rather than skill

• The upcoming customer segmentation tool for hospitality

• The real economic weight of sustainability

• Government regulation causing unintended industry ripple effects

• Smaller cafés, kiosks, memberships and new emerging models

• The “three flawless visits” rule for customer loyalty

 

About Our Guest

Rai Esat is the General Manager of International Coffee Traders and a key leader within The Coffee Commune. With extensive experience across coffee, operations and hospitality, Rai offers a practical, data-driven view on building smarter café models, improving customer experience and growing sustainably in challenging economic conditions.

Key Takeaways

• AI helps reduce mental load and streamline workflows

• Staffing challenges persist, but hiring for attitude reduces long-term pressure

• Emotional engagement outperforms discounting in a tight economy

• Understanding customer segments prevents misaligned café concepts

• Sustainability is valuable but costly – and must work for all parties

• Government decisions can disrupt supply chains and pricing

• Smaller footprints and kiosks will dominate new openings

• After three flawless visits, a customer becomes a loyal regular

• Mindset work underpins perseverance and success in 2026

Links & Resources Mentioned

• The Coffee Commune

• International Coffee Traders

• My Mate’s Place (Coffs Harbour)

• Books referenced:

  • Psycho-Cybernetics

  • The Go-Giver

  • Dr Joe Dispenza’s mindset concepts

  • Growth mindset principles

Time-Stamped Key Points

00:35 – Welcome to 2026 & setting your outcomes
01:57 – Introducing Rai Esat & the theme: What’s brewing next?
02:13 – AI as a game-changer in hospitality
02:42 – Retention, attraction & productivity: the big three for 2026
04:04 – The power of a strong “why”: My Mate’s Place story
04:50 – Value, connection & emotional engagement in a tough economy
06:09 – Staff engagement & hiring for attitude
07:30 – Craving connection: events and networking
08:11 – 7am coffee raves & the health-focused generation
08:53 – Serving unmet needs & solving problems
09:35 – Emotional connection & fighting for the dollar
09:46 – Customer segmentation tool: a hospitality game-changer
11:04 – Building from the outside in
12:33 – Keywords for 2026: perseverance & recomposition
14:27 – Trends: smaller cafés, shorter leases & lower staffing
15:20 – Prices, tax and disposable income
16:19 – Sustainability: ideals vs economic reality
18:34 – Government mandates & unintended consequences
22:13 – Focus back on opportunity & growth
22:25 – Loyalty, micro-interactions & the 3-visit rule
23:20 – Apartment boom & the return of the kiosk
24:44 – Membership models for cafés
25:13 – Community & the human element
26:17 – Final thoughts: experimentation, sustainability & new models

 

 Press play on your favourite podcast platform and get ready for a practical, insightful look at the year ahead.

Produced by The Podcast Boss