Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood is an author, three-time UK barista champion and coffee business founder based in the United Kingdom, where he owns and runs Collona Coffee in the cities of Bath and London. An experienced and respected figure in the industry, Dashwood has written academic articles on the science behind coffee and books on the fine details of the role water plays in making coffee. Maxwell's latest book, which we've been able to bring to South Africa with the help of Scott Rao Publishers, is distinctly about the bigger picture. It's an in-depth overview of everything Dashwood has learned about the specialty coffee industry over the years.

Notes about The Business of Specialty Coffee by Maxwell Dashwood

The Business of Specialty Coffee covers virtually every part of the specialty coffee supply chain. From the seed market, to coffee farming,  international logistics, business finance, roasting, distribution, retail, hospitality and food manufacturing, Maxwell puts each component of the broader industry under the microscope to see what we can learn about the business. Drawing on his own analysis, micro, and macroeconomic theory, Maxwell offers insights about where there are niches to carve in the industry as well as inspiration on how to do it. The result is a book with a wide appeal, for everyone from budding coffee professionals to those who already work in the industry, or even for the obsessive coffee enthusiast.

A significant portion of the book is devoted to what is and is not possible to build in the coffee industry. Maxwell emphasises the conflict between the vision of the founder with the wider market forces that prescribe what can and cannot be done in the coffee economy. Rather than portraying the tug of war between quality and profitability as mutually exclusive, Maxwell uses his insights to provide any established or would-be coffee entrepreneur an understanding on what is reasonable; how to run a sustainable coffee business that fulfills your values and vision. If you're looking to improve your existing business or professionalise your love of specialty coffee, Maxwell has lessons for you.

Those working in the industry or passionate observers will also finish this book with a far greater appreciation for the institutional machinery behind the specialty coffee industry. Maxwell zeroes in on intricacies such as coffee cash flow, the surprising similarities between green trading and banking, and the emerging missing middle in coffee.

You can read a sample chapter here.

Notes on Scott Rao Publishers

Scott Rao is one of the most accomplished and respected consulting professionals in the specialty coffee space. He has been making an impact on the industry for decades on multiple platforms, from his blog to his books, and most recently on Youtube. He is perhaps best known for his print publications which have served as handbooks for the industry since the 2000s, whether that is for roasting, brewing or making espresso.

Scott has continued to publish his own works but has also expanded his remit and helped to publish books about coffee from other respected authors. All of them aim to help coffee professionals improve their craft, but will also provide great value to passionate consumers and lovers of specialty coffee who want to dive deeper into the workings of the industry. We feel privileged to have partnered with Scott to make his entire selection of publications available in South Africa.

The Business of Specialty Coffee by Maxwell Dashwood book format

• Hardcover
• 352 pages
• Dimensions: 12 x 23 x 3 cm
• Weight: 0.7kg