Signature beverages and seasonal drinks are a huge part of what rounds out the cafe menu and, if done well, can make you stand out for all the right reason.

Of course, it stands to reason, that if they are done not so well, you stand out for the wrong reasons. How can you go beyond TikTok trends and the latest viral sensations and create something that is both good for your culture and good for business?

Today on Shift Break we are talking about how you can approach creative drink making in a way that is fun, sustainable, and meaningful. Your customers want excellence and excellence is born from intentionality. Let's make some great drinks!

Related episodes:

• 274 : Crafting Specialty Drinks in your Shop w/ Matt Foster”
• 432 : How to Win in Specialty Retail Coffee
• 276 : Six Ideas for Increasing your Revenue
• 424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides

HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

chris@keystothshop.com

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

Coffee. We love it so much! However, in spite of our love for coffee, we have all been burned by taking in just a little too much caffeine as we sip, cup, and enjoy. As technology and methods around decaf coffee have improved and evolved, so too has the demand for having more control over the stimulating effects of the beverage.

This is where Caffeine Control Coffee comes in to educate us on caffeine and provide options for people who want to love coffee but stave off the less desirable impacts of it.

Beginning in 2003 as a barista in college, Pete Licata fell in love with both coffee and the industry behind it. As he worked in various cafes he took on leadership positions as well as roasting he also became deeply involved in competitions leading to his 2x US Championship titles and finally winning WBC in 2013.

Pete is a longtime coach and mentor for world class baristas and founder of Licata Coffee Consulting. In 2019 he took on R+D and eventually the role of Head of Coffee work in Australia for Nomad Coffee Group

In 2025 Pete, along with his wife Maria, opened Caffeine Control Coffee. A business focused on bringing clarity on caffeine in coffee with a focus on wellness to the masses with products designed to control how much and when their customers drink caffeine.

We discuss:

• The Evolution of Decaf Coffee
• Quality and Consumer / Professional Perception of Decaf
• Intentionality in Coffee Blending
• The Rise of Conscious Consumption and Health
• The Issue of Traceability in Decaf Coffee
• Exploring Caffeine's Impact on Health
• Navigating Caffeine Levels
• Brewing Techniques for Decaf
• Eye Opening Caffeine Content Myths
• What The Future Holds For Caffeine Awareness

Links:

https://caffeinecontrol.coffee/

@caffeinecontrol.coffee

Related episodes:

• 154: Decoding Decaf w/ Mike Stumpf of Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee
• 168 : How to get the Best from your Coffee w/ WBC 2013 Champ, Pete Licata
• 350 : The Physics of Filter Coffee w/ Jonathan Gagné
• 003: The Role of Mentorship in Specialty Coffee w/ Pete Licata
• 452: Championing the Customer Experience in Coffee w/ 3x SA Barista Champion, Winston Douglas Thomas of Cedar Coffee

KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

chris@keystothshop.com

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

In the busy cafe we tend to want to power through the work and in the process we rush the customer. The average cafe guest can feel as though they are simply being handled or herded instead of welcomed and served.

Today on Shift Break we are talking about how and why we need to fight against the urge to rush the customer and what it looks like to help them truly connect with and experience our unique offerings and hospitality.

Related episodes:

• 340 : Encore Episode of “10 Reasons to Love the Customer”!
• Ignoring the Customer
• Are You Open?
• Slow is Fast?
• Speed is not the Goal

HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

chris@keystothshop.com

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com