Coffee Spots Polska is back

What has changed in the Polish café market in the last six years? 

Aga Bukowska: It's a completely different world. The popularity of specialty cafes has definitely increased, in the first edition we described 170, now 300 places. The owners have changed, they are no longer just enthusiasts who decided to quit their corporate jobs or open their own premises after years of working behind the bar. They are also businessmen who also run other businesses. Quite a few monoconcepts have appeared, but also many places combining different functions: cafés and bakeries, breakfast shops, bookshops or spaces with art. Coffee shops are often local coffee shops - many of them supply their customers with beans and accessories. A quarter roast their own coffee, and already all serve plant-based milk alternatives.

How long did it take and how did you work on the guide? How did you divide up the responsibilities?

Krzysiek Rzyman: We started working on the new edition in the summer of last year. Until the end of 2023, we travelled around all the larger and smaller cities in Poland to visit newly opened cafés, and in January and February we looked into the smallest towns, connecting with the owners remotely. We made it a rule back when we had our first guidebook that we wanted to visit every place, and we stuck to it. Six years ago, I brought the publishing know-how to the project. Now Agnieszka was piloting the project - it was a great joy for me to see how well she had found her way into the industry. Aga already has several publications to her credit and I am delighted that we could work together again.

A.B.: It was intense! On one such trip, to Silesia, we visited five cities and thirty-three cafés. We split the writing and the contact with the cafes 50-50. I took on more organisational issues, such as planning the trip and the work, contacting the printer, proofreader, designers, preparing the event, while Krzysiek took care of technical matters - the online shop, coordinating the release of our podcast. We complement each other well.

In Coffee Spots Poland you describe almost 300 locations. In your opinion, is that a lot or a little? How does it compare with other countries in Europe?

K.R.: It's a huge number! We are very impressed by how the popularity of specialty coffee has spread across Poland. And we shouldn't have any complexes in relation to our western neighbours. Of course, there are more such cafés in Berlin or Paris, but this is related to the level of awareness and expectations of consumers, as well as the level of development of the market. On the other hand, if you look at the number of specialty roasters, Poland is certainly at the forefront of Europe. We still lack brands that are known throughout Europe, but we keep our fingers crossed and believe in our roasters and cafes.

A.B.: In other European countries, the numbers also fluctuate around 300: in Spain more than 300, in France closer to 250 - according to data from the European Coffee Trip. Nearly 500 such cafés operate in the Czech Republic and the UK, and over 400 in Germany - these are the most coffee-developed markets on the Old Continent. But in the south of Europe, in Greece, Portugal or Italy, the total number of coffee shops in a country is less than 100, there this market develops quite differently due to the long-established culture of drinking coffee, cheap coffee.

The book launch is scheduled for 20 April. This time, it will not be a single launch event, but a Coffee Spots Tour in PURO hotels across Poland.

20.04 Warszawa (Loreta)

11.05 Poznań

18.05 Gdańsk

19.05 Łódź

24.05 Wrocław

26.05 Kraków (MAK)

Authors:

Aga Bukowska

Writer and photographer, founder of the publishing project Przebłysk. Author of the books "Less waste Poland" (2020) and "Przebłyski" (2023). Specialist in the specialty sector - from coffee and tea to natural wine and local food. She often devotes her texts and photo projects to hospitality in the broadest sense. Journalist by training, light catcher by passion. She has made it her life mission to transmit the energy of the universe through words and images.

Krzysiek Rzyman

Green entrepreneur and podcaster. Owner of two STOR cafés and co-founder of ROST roasters, which have the idea of less waste in their DNA. He records the 'Green Podcast', in which he talks to experts about climate change. He is co-owner of the podcast studio - Studio Square. He started his career as a journalist at Radio Kampus and Polish Radio. He is a fan of coffees from Southeast Asia and Oceania and also enjoys decaf and teas.

----

Photos of authors: Paula Patocka

Photos of places: Aga Bukowska

Presentes cafes: Miejska/ Lublin, Sopot/Las, Toruń / CSW, Kraków/ Królowa Przedmieścia