Ecommerce's Role in the Booming Global Coffee Industry

The pandemic briefly took away one of the world’s beloved
institutions - the coffee shop. As the world opens up, the
opportunity to sit down in a noisy cafe will soon rear its head.
But, coffee shops had to figure a way to survive during the
pandemic. Many pivoted to a pickup model, while some also added
e-commerce as a way to sell their beans online.


The Main Course Host Barbara Castiglia talks with Nick Stone, the
Founder, and CEO of Bluestone Lane Coffee, an Australian premium
coffee and lifestyle brand, about how the company adapted during
the COVID-19 pandemic down under. The duo also talked about what
the dynamic coffee roaster has in store for the future.


Stone opened the coffee shop in 2013. A former athlete and
investment banker, he loved the competitiveness and collaboration
in both arenas. He always enjoys being a part of high-performing
teams, and he brought this energy to the Australian coffee scene.


“To deliver a premium service in a very consistent way, you have
to have that ethos that you’re continually improving,” Stone
said. “It’s incremental gains every single day. It’s very akin to
being a part of a high-performing sports team, where you’re
training every day to improve, and you try to find an edge.”


With lost revenue initially, Stone laid off 650 employees as
their revenue plummeted 91 percent. But, as the company pivoted
to an e-commerce model, it grew its revenue by 260 percent. One
of the things that helped them during this was their new
subscription model. With the revenue increase, they plan to
reopen their 51 stores and continue their expansion plans.