From Coffee to AI: Investing in the Future of Reading Coffee Company
As the leader of Reading Coffee Company, one of the most important parts of my role is making sure we never stop learning, evolving, and pushing our business forward. Coffee is an industry built on relationships, innovation, craftsmanship, hospitality, and constant refinement — and some of the best opportunities for growth happen when you step outside your own walls and immerse yourself in what’s next.
Over the last several months, I had the opportunity to attend a series of conferences, educational experiences, and industry gatherings that reinforced just how rapidly the worlds of coffee, hospitality, retail, and technology are changing.
One of the highlights was attending the Specialty Coffee Association World of Coffee event in San Diego alongside members of our leadership team. Events like these are about far more than equipment or products — they are about connection. Spending time with fellow roasters, café owners, green coffee professionals, innovators, and longtime friends in the industry provides invaluable perspective. The conversations exchanged over coffee often become just as important as the seminars and exhibits themselves.
The conference allowed us to explore emerging trends in specialty coffee, café operations, sustainability, equipment technology, workflow efficiency, beverage innovation, and customer experience. More importantly, it reinforced something we have always believed at Reading Coffee Company: hospitality and quality still matter deeply in an increasingly automated world.
In addition to World of Coffee, I also had the opportunity to visit the American headquarters of Rancilio Group North America, one of the most respected names in espresso technology and the manufacturer behind the espresso platforms we proudly use in our cafés. The visit included advanced technical training, hands-on demonstrations, equipment education, and a deeper dive into the future of espresso systems and beverage consistency.
For us, investing in education surrounding our equipment is just as important as investing in the equipment itself. Understanding every layer of espresso extraction, workflow optimization, preventative maintenance, milk systems, automation, and beverage precision helps us continue elevating the experience we provide to our customers every single day.
Most recently, I attended the Progressive Grocer GroceryTech conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event focused heavily on artificial intelligence, retail innovation, consumer behavior, operational systems, and the future of grocery and retail environments.
AI is rapidly reshaping nearly every industry — including coffee, hospitality, and retail. From inventory forecasting and customer engagement to workflow optimization, loyalty systems, personalization, and operational efficiencies, the implications are enormous. While technology can never replace genuine hospitality, it absolutely can help businesses operate smarter, more efficiently, and more consistently.
One of the most exciting aspects of attending conferences outside the traditional coffee space is the ability to bring ideas back from adjacent industries. Some of the best innovations happen when concepts from one industry are thoughtfully adapted into another.
At Reading Coffee Company, we never want to become stagnant. Whether it’s investing in new roasting technology, enhancing our cafés, improving our wholesale partnerships, refining beverage programs, expanding our retail presence, or embracing new operational tools, we believe growth requires curiosity.
These experiences reaffirmed something I’ve always believed: great companies are built by people willing to continue learning.
I’m incredibly grateful to our team members who traveled alongside me, to the many industry colleagues and friends who generously shared their knowledge, and to our customers and partners who make it possible for us to continue investing in growth and innovation.
The future of coffee, hospitality, and retail is evolving quickly — and we’re excited to continue evolving with it.