Last year's predictions were fun to write about and we think we had a pretty good hit rate of about fifty percent.

2018 has been kind to us and we hope it has been kind to you as well. 2019 is a bit of a blur at the moment, and hopefully some of these predictions can steer everyone into our own paths.

So here are ten serious and fun predictions for the coming year.

1. The Specialty Coffee industry will experience a slowdown internationally & locally, due to economic forces which are out of our control.
2. With the unfortunate ceasing of Alpha Dominche, there will be less coffee hardware start-ups hitting up Kickstarter, while established brands will play it safe.
3. Asian coffees will slowly gain popularity with Indonesia, Myanmar, and China leading the way (and hopefully the Philippines gaining more traction with relevant roasters in foreign markets). New coffee shop trends will also stem out of Asia primarily from Shanghai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Jakarta & Seoul.
4. Specialty Coffee roasters will be adopting a more developed roast profile, rather than keeping it light and tight.
5. The Starbucks Reserve & Roasteries will continue to lead the way and innovate in terms of customer experience, and we all shall follow and take cues.
6. The C-Market will drag on in its current low, which will continue to pose challenges for farm workers, overall yield and quality, which in turn will create meaningful dialogue within the industry.
7. The new wave of accessible coffee formats (Capsules, Single-Serve, Instant) will slowly make their way out of infancy to more roasters and customers in developed markets.
8. Specialty Coffee shops and concepts will sprout up in other cities outside of Metro Manila, and these will have to think outside the box for a more sustainable business model.
9. In terms of commercial coffee equipment, espresso machines and grinders will take that first leap in incorporating ‘smart’ technologies. Of course, these will be expensive to begin with.
10. There will be some changes in how coffee is taught, be it at a professional level or to the general coffee drinker at home. Think social media.

One More Thing --- We might be seeing new formats of Specialty Coffee retail concepts coming out of South East Asia - which will change how coffee is brewed, served, delivered or experienced. These formats will keep overheads low while making better coffee more accessible to a wider group of people.