Are Cafés Still a Good Business in 2026? | DAN DICK!

Why has Dan Dick stepped back from the cafe industry? After over a decade of operating successful Melbourne venues Nigel and then PaperBoy, Dan has called it quits. Our conversation was had in the midst of handing the reins over to new operators; an equally emotional and practical decision that has catapulted Dan into a new chapter of his career. We discussed the problems facing cafe owners today… and why it has become so much harder to run a profitable cafe. If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee! Dan Dick: https://www.instagram.com/danielpeterdick/  CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Running a Café Is Harder Than Ever 01:48 Why Dan Is Leaving the Café Industry 05:17 Are There Too Many Cafés? 10:40 How to Open a Successful Café in 2026 14:12 When Should You Sell Your Café? 18:31 Are There Too Many Coffee Roasters? 20:04 Why Direct-to-Consumer Coffee Is Growing 25:43 Why Dan Didn’t Build a Roastery 31:44 How to Sell Coffee Online 35:40 Why Co-Fermented Coffee Is Selling 42:19 Should Your Café Start Roasting? 47:35 The Mistakes That Nearly Broke the Business 49:30 A Public Holiday Café Meltdown 52:55 Wages, Coffee Prices and Café Closures 57:27 What’s Next for Born and Raised Want more coffee content?  IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236 Want to get in touch? Hit us up at hello@itsjustcoffeepod.com for any questions or comments. Proudly sponsored by: Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/  Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/   Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/ Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices