Is Third Wave Coffee Cooked in 2026? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 165

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep165What happened to third-wave coffee? Today, we unpack how the industry has shifted: from purist pour-overs and strict “rules” to flavored lattes, matcha, and a reality that most cafés are just elevated versions of Starbucks. We talk through our own coffee shop journey since 2016, the tension between passion and profitability, and why customer demand has reshaped coffee shops more than anything else. Plus, we dive into whether this shift is actually a bad thing and how it impacts producers, baristas, and the future of specialty coffee.This week's episode is brought to you by our friends at Odeko: Use our code VALOR10 for 10% off your first supply order! Hit the link below to sign up now:n https://portal.odeko.com/signup*If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale*Buy Valor Coffee: ⁠⁠https://valor.coffee/shop?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep165Watch on Youtube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16⁠⁠Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account!Want to send us coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffeeWant to get your business in front of more people? We partnered with Local Eyes Growth to grow our business through SEO and the results have been incredible. Local Eyes is offering a FREE backlink ($300 value) to Valor Coffee Podcast listeners who partner through our exclusive link. Visit ⁠⁠https://localeyesgrowth.com/valor⁠⁠ to get the ball rolling!Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod⁠⁠Follow Valor on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valor.coffee⁠⁠Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Riley:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Ross: ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rosswalters⁠⁠Follow Ethan's Parody Account:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777