Automation in Cafes: Coffee - balancing craft and technology
Recently, Dan, our Head Roaster at Moon Roast, attended the Caffè Culture Show in London - the UK’s leading trade event for the speciality coffee and café bar market.
Over the two days (30 Sept – 1 Oct 2025), the show welcomed more than 3,500 visitors, 120 exhibitors, 50+ industry experts and thousands of innovative products. Among the buzzing discussions, one theme stood out: automation in cafés.
Automation takes centre stage
In today’s world, coffee automation provokes far less concern within the speciality coffee community than it once did. At the show, one standout example came from Eversys, a Swiss manufacturer of professional, fully automatic espresso machines.
Eversys’ ‘super-automatic’ systems can grind, tamp, brew and even steam milk - all at the touch of a button. Their vision is to develop innovative solutions for the coffee industry, aiming to become a global leader in precision automation that delivers consistently high-quality results.
For roasters and café owners alike, these advancements are transforming how coffee is served. Automation helps during the morning rush, reduces waste and lightens the workload for baristas, all while maintaining quality and speed.
As Dan observed, “It’s not about taking work away from baristas - it’s about freeing them from repetitive tasks so they can focus on what really matters: engaging with customers and creating memorable experiences.”
How automation enhances coffee quality
For many in the industry, the biggest revelation is that automation, when applied thoughtfully, can enhance coffee quality. By removing the stress and variability of manual brewing, cafés can achieve greater consistency, faster service and more reliable results - all without losing the essence of the craft.
Dan was particularly interested in how new technology affects both flavour and customer experience. With the right roast profiles and brewing systems, automation doesn’t diminish quality - it complements it.
At Moon Roast, this sparked valuable reflection on how we, as a roastery, can empower cafés as they adopt new technology. Whether it is providing beans tailored for modern equipment, developing versatile roast profiles, or supporting hybrid setups that balance traditional and automated systems, our goal remains the same: to help every cup taste exceptional.
A blend of craft and innovation
From super-automatic coffee machines to intelligent ovens and connected kitchens, automation is reshaping hospitality. It boosts output, improves consistency and frees staff to focus on service - the heart of great coffee.
Yet at Moon Roast, we believe technology should always work with people, not replace them. Coffee is about connection - and automation, when embraced thoughtfully, simply gives baristas more space to share their passion with every customer.
If Dan’s reflections from the Caffè Culture Show have inspired you to explore the art behind automation, why not start by learning the fundamentals of great coffee yourself?
Join our https://moonroast.co.uk/products/home-espresso-and-roasting-experienceat the Moon Roast roastery in Hampshire. It’s a hands-on, engaging way to understand how roast profiles, extraction and milk texturing come together - giving you the skills to brew café-quality coffee at home.
