Co-located with The Coffee & Hospitality Expo →

We were thrilled to host an inspiring ECS Talks Programme at this year’s event, with an array of insightful Live Podcasts from 5THWAVE, attendees experienced thought-provoking talks and interviews with industry leaders, driving forward the future of the European coffee and hospitality landscape.

Stay tuned for updates on the 2025 line-up!

Coffee & Hospitality 2.0: Building Better

JEFFREY YOUNG, Founder & CEO <br> Allegra Group & World Coffee Portal

JEFFREY YOUNG, Founder & CEO
Allegra Group & World Coffee Portal

10:15 - 10:45 "Futureproof Your Business: Uncover the Latest Market Intelligence from Project Café Europe 2024"

worldcoffeeportal.com

NIKOLAS NIEBUHR, CEO <br> Espresso House

NIKOLAS NIEBUHR, Country Manager
Espresso House Germany

10:45 - 11:05 "The Espresso House Story from 1996 and Beyond"

espressohouse.com

PETRA DAHLMAN, Chief Franchise & Business Development Officer <br> Espresso House

PETRA DAHLMAN, Chief Franchise & Business Development Officer
Espresso House

10:45 - 11:05 "The Espresso House Story from 1996 and Beyond"

espressohouse.com

KAROLIN SAAK, Brand & Experience Lead
Zeit für Brot

11:05 - 11:25 "Building a Strong Foundation: How to Expand While Staying True to Your Brand"

zeitfuerbrot.com

JESSICA WORDEN, Head of Coffee <br> GAIL's Bakery

JESSICA WORDEN, Head of Coffee
GAIL's Bakery

11:25 - 11:45 "Growing Quality Through People at GAIL’s Bakery"

gails.com

BENJAMIN THURNER, Vice-President <BR> WMF

BENJAMIN THURNER, Vice-President
WMF

12:00 - 12:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "The Future of Data & Technology in Coffee & Hospitality"

wmf.com

GUIDO BERNARDINELLI, CEO <BR> La Marzocco

GUIDO BERNARDINELLI, CEO
La Marzocco

12:00 - 12:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "The Future of Data & Technology in Coffee & Hospitality"

lamarzocco.com

CHRISTIAN HAUETER, Commercial Director <br> Eversys

CHRISTIAN HAUETER, Commercial Director
Eversys

12:00 - 12:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "The Future of Data & Technology in Coffee & Hospitality"

eversys.com

DR. MARCEL LEHMANN,

DR. MARCEL LEHMANN, CEO, Hemro Group

12:00 - 12:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "The Future of Data & Technology in Coffee & Hospitality"

hemrogroup.com

ANDREA CLERICI

ANDREA CLERICI
Group Business Director
Cimbali Group

12:00 - 12:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "The Future of Data & Technology in Coffee & Hospitality"

cimbaligroup.com

KONSTANTINOS KONSTANTINOPOULOS, CEO Coffee Island

KONSTANTINOS KONSTANTINOPOULOS, CEO Coffee Island

13:45 - 14:15 5THWAVE PODCAST "Transforming Coffee Waste into High-Value Products: A Circular Approach"

coffeeisland.com

ALEXIS PANTZIAROS

ALEXIS PANTZIAROS, CEO & Co Founder, Coffeeco Upcycle

13:45 - 14:15 5THWAVE PODCAST "Transforming Coffee Waste into High-Value Products: A Circular Approach"

coffe-eco.gr

David Abrahamovitch, Founder & CEO <BR> Grind

David Abrahamovitch, Founder & CEO
Grind

14:15 - 14:45 5THWAVE PODCAST "Raising Funds and Growing Grind: Expanding a Global Specialty Coffee Business"

grind.co.uk

CHRIS SALIERNO, Chief Marketing Officer <BR> La Marzocco

CHRIS SALIERNO, Chief Marketing Officer
La Marzocco

14:50 - 15:20 5THWAVE PODCAST "Growing a Global Community-Led Brand Through Culture, Authenticity and Strong Customer Ties"

lamarzocco.com

KAJSA-LISA LJUDEN, Head of Sustainabiltiy Löfbergs

KAJSA-LISA LJUDEN, Head of Sustainabiltiy Löfbergs

15:25 - 15:55 5THWAVE PODCAST "Navigating the EUDR: Strategies for Business Preparedness"

lofbergs.co.uk

JONNY ENGLAND,

JONNY ENGLAND, Head of Coffee Löfbergs

15:25 - 15:55 5THWAVE PODCAST "Navigating the EUDR: Strategies for Business Preparedness"

lofbergs.co.uk

PIM POLESIE,

PIM POLESIE, Success Manager, Era of We

15:25 - 15:55 5THWAVE PODCAST "Navigating the EUDR: Strategies for Business Preparedness"

eraofwe.com

DAVID BAUMGARTNER, Founder & CEO <BR> Dean & David

DAVID BAUMGARTNER, Founder & CEO
Dean & David

16:00 - 16:30 5THWAVE PODCAST "Building a Healthier Future: Scaling a Vegetarian Salad Chain in Germany’s Bread-Dominated Market"

deananddavid.com

2023

09:00: Jeffery Young, Founder & CEO

Allegra Group & World Coffee Portal

"Scaling Success. How to fast track your growth and navigate the current economic landscape."

09:30 ROLAND HORNE, Founder & CEO

WatchHouse

“Why our real daily pressure is our own quick demise (stick with me for a minute….)”

09:55 Ignacio Llado Alvarez-Salas, UK Managing Director

Blank Street Coffee

"Redefining the Coffee Shop Chain"

11:00: Yassir Rais, Founder & CEO

Syra Coffee

"Democratizing specialty coffee - Excellence from "bean to cup" while scaling with Syra Coffee."

11:25 Laurent Sagarra, Vice President Sustainability

JDE Peet's

“Sustainability isn’t a product, it’s an intrinsic company value: The culture shift to deliver true impact and business growth.”

11:50 Koral Ibrahim, Founder & Managing Director

The Ready House

“Stop Obsessing Over Customer Acquisition! Unlock the Power of Community Through Social-First Thinking.”

14:00 - 16:00

Hosted by Jeffrey Young, Editor-in-chief of 5THWAVE magazine and founder of Allegra Group, the Live Podcast Series at ECS will delve into thought leadership from entrepreneurs and industry experts across Europe.

14:00: Marta Pogroszewska, Managing Director

GAIL's Bakery

In this upcoming 5THWAVE Live Podcast, we will delve into the fascinating journey of GAIL'S, one of Europe's most rapidly expanding coffee-centric bakery chains, and uncover the key elements behind their remarkable success.

14:30: ELAINE SWIFT, OUT-OF-HOME DIRECTOR

UCC Coffee Europe

In this exclusive interview, Jeffrey will delve into the remarkable journey of Elaine Swift, one of the world's most accomplished female leaders in the realm of total coffee solutions for foodservice providers. From her initial days at First Choice, navigating buyouts, to her current role as the head of the European foodservice unit at UCC, Elaine will unveil the secrets behind her extraordinary career and the enduring culture she has cultivated.

15:00: Adrian Steiner, CEO

Thermoplan

Jeffrey unveils the journey of Thermoplan's linchpin, Adrian Steiner. Starting as Thermoplan's 21st employee, Adrian Steiner climbed the ranks, expertly managing pivotal U.S. clients. By 2009, the founding family recognized his prowess, elevating him to management and granting co-ownership. Under his leadership, Thermoplan burgeoned from a modest team to an industry powerhouse of 500+. Dive into the tale of a transformative leader.

15:30: GUIDO BERNARDINELLI, CEO

La Marzocco

Jeffrey delves into how, in just over a decade, Guido, along with a newly formed management team have contributed to turning a small, underdog cult player from Florence into a fast growing and successful traditional coffee equipment brand known the world over.

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Connect with 500 industry leaders for 3 days of strategic new business development, knowledge exchange, and high-level networking.

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