This Week at Map It Forward: Week 29, 2025
The Industry and Market: Is Diversification the SOLUTION To The Coffee Crisis?
As market volatility continues across the global coffee industry, one question is quietly making its way into more conversations: Is it time for all stakeholders to diversify, not just as a tactic, but as a strategy for long-term stability?
In a recent interview, investor Ray Dalio reinforced a principle long understood in investing circles: diversification isn’t just a way to grow, it’s a way to protect against collapse. Could that mindset offer something valuable to the coffee value chain, as the current instability continues to expose structural dysfunctions, some of which benefit a few but burden many?
After much reflection and analysis, we believe the answer is clear: For some, diversification is an option, while for most, it’s a necessity.
Here’s how diversification might be considered across the supply chain:
Coffee Farmers
Producers are often the most vulnerable stakeholders in the supply chain, facing risk from climate change, unstable pricing, labour shortages, and political instability. Those exploring intercropping, agroforestry, processing their own coffee, or roasting for local markets are not just adding value, they’re reducing reliance on a single income stream. Others are finding opportunities in ecotourism, education, or carbon credits.
Exporters and Traders
For traders, volatility in logistics, financing, and regulation limits flexibility. Some are broadening their roles, offering sourcing services for multiple product lines, integrating traceability platforms, or expanding into value-added services for producers and roasters.
Roasters
Margins are tight, risk is high, and consumer loyalty is shifting. Roasters who have diversified into subscription models, non-coffee beverages, co-roasting services, branded merchandise, content creation, or consulting are often better positioned to adapt. Those who blend their brand with strong storytelling and direct-to-consumer strategies are showing resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Cafés
Cafés may be uniquely positioned in this crisis because of their proximity to consumers and product flexibility. With the ability to test and evolve quickly, cafés are increasingly offering non-coffee beverages, signature drinks, pastries, food, merchandise, and hosting community events. Many are evolving into platforms for culture and commerce, not just places that serve coffee. The online space has become just as important as the in-store experience for the consumer now.
So… is the future of coffee, coffee? Maybe not.
Perhaps it’s time to reframe the value proposition of our businesses, not to abandon coffee, but to build around it. This isn’t a new idea, but it has often been judged and looked down on. And maybe that’s been part of the problem.
If we’re going to meet today’s consumer where they are, and continue pushing for equitable prices for producers, we have to acknowledge that while specialty coffee has made strides in changing the story told by commercial brands, we still haven’t solved the puzzle that makes “cheap coffee” possible.
Diversification may be what releases some of the pressure from how you’re experiencing the coffee crisis, allows you to reassess your options for the future, and pivot your business to build something more sustainable.
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The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast (GLOBAL)
This week, we feature a five-part series with Kelvin Ngow, a 27-year veteran of the Malaysian coffee industry and founder of Coffex Coffee and Mono Origine.
In conversation with Map It Forward founder and podcast host Lee Safar, Kelvin shares his approach to reducing the carbon footprint of his businesses, why it matters, what it costs, and what’s at stake for the future of coffee.
Watch the full series here:
Click the image to navigate to our Map It Forward Middle East Podcast
Map It Forward Middle East podcast
In this week’s five-part series, we’re joined by Yozo Otsuki, founder of Kurasu, a global Japanese coffee brand known for bridging minimalism, quality, and hospitality.
Yozo speaks with us about the journey of building Kurasu from a homeware brand into a globally recognised specialty coffee company, with its roots in Japan and a growing international footprint powered by a franchise model.
Watch the full series here:
Growing Kurasu Beyond Homewares
Expanding Kurasu Globally
Click the image to navigate to our Map It Forward Japan Page
Map It Forward Japan
This week, our team in Japan is translating and sharing our powerful conversation with Alejandro Cadena of Caravela Coffee, first released earlier this year.
In this series, Alejandro outlines why 2025 is unlike any other year in the history of the industry, and what coffee professionals across Japan and the world should prepare for.
Watch the series:
Access “Introduction to Regenerative Coffee Farming” On-Demand for as little as $10 at the new Map It Forward On-Demand Learning Hub here: www.ondemand.mapitforward.coffee
Diversify your revenue by becoming a consultant to the coffee industry or home brewers/roasters. It's time to make sure you’re taking care of your future. Click here