COFFEE FUTURE LAB
The Coffee Future Lab presented by Coffee Commune at Food & Hospitality Queensland is a bold dive into what’s next for coffee, from how it’s brewed to how it’s bought, sold, and served.
From cutting-edge automation and the booming flavoured coffee market to controversial supply chain debates and wild new brews, each session dives deep into the trends reshaping the café world. Whether you’re a café owner, roaster, or just coffee-curious, this is your chance to experience the future of coffee – up close, unfiltered, and full of flavour.
THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BEANS
HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS
Chris Bowe
General Manager, Learning and Customer Experience / Coffee Commune
Raihaan Esat
General Manager / International Coffee Traders
Tim Sweet
Sales / Bombora Supplies
Jason Long
Commercial & Industrial Services / Coffee Commune
Sergio Londono
Head of Coffee / Jack Murat
Michael Bishop
Founder, Flavour Hunter, Storyteller / Alchemy Cordial Company
Understanding the Forces Reshaping Café Drinks
Sunday 12 October 2025
9:00 am - 9:45 am
Coffee Future Lab
From Local Loaf to Iconic Status: How to Bake for—and Win—Your Market
Sunday 12 October 2025
9:30 am - 10:15 am
Café Success Stage
Beyond the Smash: Mastering Sauces & Dressings with Australian Avocados
Sunday 12 October 2025
9:30 am - 10:15 am
Chef's Table
Session sponsor
Cafe Strategy: Building a Profitable Business Model That Lasts
Sunday 12 October 2025
10:30 am - 11:15 am
Café Success Stage
Queensland Growth Surge: Where Are The Smart Hospitality Operators Heading?
Sunday 12 October 2025
10:30 am - 11:15 am
The Business Stage
Steven Minnikin
Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business
Queensland Government
Andrew Baturo
Restaurateur
Dap & Co. Hospitality Group
Bernie Hogan
CEO
Queensland Hotels Association
Rob Comiskey
Co-founder & Director
Comiskey Group
Clare Riley
Managing Editor
Restaurant Business
Session sponsor
Sustainability, Beyond The Buzz Words And Green Washing - The Circular Kitchen
Sunday 12 October 2025
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Chef's Table
Session sponsor
Bringing Your Breakfast A-Game: Menu Innovation That Drives Morning Revenue
Sunday 12 October 2025
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Café Success Stage
How To Solve The Staffing Crisis Without Breaking The Bank
Sunday 12 October 2025
12:15 pm - 1:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
The Native Table: Stories, Flavours, and Culture
Sunday 12 October 2025
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Chef's Table
Top 5 Mistakes When Setting Up A Roastery
Sunday 12 October 2025
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Coffee Future Lab
Between Two Slices: Mastering the Art of Profitable Sandwich Operations
Sunday 12 October 2025
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Café Success Stage
What does it take to scale your venue without losing your soul?
Sunday 12 October 2025
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Nose to Tail: Maximising Profit and Sustainability Through Whole Animal Cooking
Sunday 12 October 2025
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Chef's Table
The $50,000 Mistake: How To Avoid Expensive Tech Failures
Sunday 12 October 2025
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Disruptive Dialogues: Why Women Should Be Leading Hospitality's Future
Sunday 12 October 2025
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Elevating Your Menu with Authentic Flatbreads: Techniques, Toppings & Profitability
Sunday 12 October 2025
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Café Success Stage
Rewriting the Recipe – Aged Care Catering Under Reform
Monday 13 October 2025
9:15 am
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
The Sweet Spot - Insights Shaping The Future Of Desserts
Monday 13 October 2025
9:30 am - 10:15 am
Café Success Stage
Navigating Nutrition – Managing Risk, Choice & Compliance
Monday 13 October 2025
9:45 am
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
Julie Dundon
Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian
Nutrition Professionals Australia
Julie Cichero
Speech Pathologist & Co-Founder
IDDSI Global
Dijana Dragicevich
National Allied Health Manager | Speech Pathologist
Bloom Healthcare
Tawnya Bahr
MC | Podcast Host | Food Expert
Straight To The Source
Disrupted Dialogues: Behind The Pass
Monday 13 October 2025
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Menu Engineering: How To Turn Every Dish Into Profit
Monday 13 October 2025
10:30 am - 11:15 am
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Roasters vs. Traders: The Unfiltered Truth
Monday 13 October 2025
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Coffee Future Lab
Playing to Your Strengths: Meeting Standard 6 with Smart Menu Design
Monday 13 October 2025
11:00 am
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
Fixing the Kitchen: Design, Equipment & Efficiency
Monday 13 October 2025
11:15 am
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
Traditional Roots, Modern Flame: Native Flavours Reimagined
Monday 13 October 2025
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Chef's Table
Too Good in Toowoomba: A Case Study For Local Community Success
Monday 13 October 2025
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Food Allergen Risk Management for Aged Care Caterers
Monday 13 October 2025
11:45 am
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
Disrupted Dialogues: Breadlines & Battle Cries - The Sandwich Uprising
Monday 13 October 2025
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Café Success Stage
Mozzarella Masterclass with Giorgio Linguanti
Monday 13 October 2025
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Pizza Demos
Session sponsor
"If I Had $100k..." Strategic Investment Planning
Monday 13 October 2025
12:15 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
The Sweet Assassin - Innovations in Patisserie
Monday 13 October 2025
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Chef's Table
Green and Profitable: Restaurant Sustainability That Pays
Monday 13 October 2025
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Coffee-nomics – What Every Café Owner Needs to Know
Monday 13 October 2025
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Coffee Future Lab
Marketing that Works: The No-Bullsh*t Tactics Your Venue Needs
Monday 13 October 2025
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Cafe Crowd Pleasers: Menu Items That Keep Customers Coming Back
Monday 13 October 2025
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
Café Success Stage
Session sponsor
The Fat Equation: The Science Behind Irresistible Burgers
Monday 13 October 2025
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Chef's Table
Ingredients with Impact: Smarter Sourcing for Better Results
Monday 13 October 2025
2:15 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
From Invisible to Unmissable Venues: Is Digital Dominance Possible?
Monday 13 October 2025
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
The Mealtime Experience: From Kitchen to Table
Monday 13 October 2025
2:45 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit (Separate Ticket Required)
Sandra Grey-Smith
Health & Clinical Education Specialist
Dementia Training Australia
Lindsey O'Grady
Catering Operations Specialist
RiseUp Group
Ben Cook
Director
Smooth Dining
Laura Stasinowsky
Occupational Therapist & Dementia Consultant
Alongside You
Tawnya Bahr
MC | Podcast Host | Food Expert
Straight To The Source
Inside the Winning Slice: Emanuele Malara’s Signature Pizza
Monday 13 October 2025
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Pizza Demos
From Curds to Creation - The Art of Cheesemaking
Monday 13 October 2025
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Chef's Table
Future-Proofing Your Business: What's coming next in hospitality?
Monday 13 October 2025
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
The Business Stage
Session sponsor
Beyond Compliance: Putting Food, Dining and Quality of Life at the Heart of Aged Care
Monday 12 October 2026
9:00 am - 9:45 am
Aged Care Catering Summit
Queensland on a Plate: How local produce creates standout menus and stronger businesses
Monday 12 October 2026
9:30 am - 10:15 am
Chef's Table
Dementia Dining Done Better: Designing Meals and Environments That Support People Living with Dementia
Monday 12 October 2026
9:45 am - 10:30 am
Aged Care Catering Summit
The New QSR Playbook: Growth, Scale and Operational Excellence
Monday 12 October 2026
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Turning Busy Cafés into Profitable Machines: The Systems Every Successful Café Needs
Monday 12 October 2026
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Café Success Stage
Food, Culture and First Nations Knowledge: Exploring the story, impact and opportunity behind native foods
Monday 12 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Chef's Table
The Long Game: How Toby's Estate Builds a Coffee Brand That Lasts
Monday 12 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:40 am
Café Success Stage
Commission Update: Standard 6 in Practice - 12 Months On
Monday 12 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:20 am
Aged Care Catering Summit
Making Sense of the Numbers: Creating a QSR that Lets You Build the Life You Want
Monday 12 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Business & Tech Stage
Session sponsor
Leading the Change: Creating Dining Experiences That Support Choice and Wellbeing
Monday 12 October 2026
11:20 am - 12:15 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit
From the US to Australia: Inside Firehouse Subs' Australian Launch
Monday 12 October 2026
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
The Café Brand Playbook: What it Takes to Win at Scale
Monday 12 October 2026
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Café Success Stage
Inside the Change: Giving Residents a Voice in Menu Design and Mealtime Experiences
Monday 12 October 2026
12:15 pm - 12:45 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit
Against the Grain: Rethinking the Rules of the Menu
Monday 12 October 2026
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Chef's Table
Brisbane 2032: Hospitality's Biggest Opportunity of the Decade
Monday 12 October 2026
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
Café Reality Check: What Customers Actually Care About (Coffee, Food & the Cabinet Effect)
Monday 12 October 2026
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Café Success Stage
Balancing the System: Protecting Quality Dining Amid Cost, Workforce and Supply Pressures
Monday 12 October 2026
1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit
Building the Next Generation of Hospitality Destinations
Monday 12 October 2026
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
How To Build a Café Brand That People Talk About
Monday 12 October 2026
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Café Success Stage
Safe Food, Better Care: Practical Food Safety Strategies for Aged Care Providers
Monday 12 October 2026
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit
Profit by the Cup: Turning Your Coffee Program into a Competitive Advantage
Monday 12 October 2026
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Café Success Stage
Session sponsor
Be a Better Boss: The Tools and Tactics of Great Leadership
Monday 12 October 2026
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
Session sponsor
What’s Next: Innovation, AI and the Future of Aged Care Foodservice
Monday 12 October 2026
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Aged Care Catering Summit
Session sponsor
Chef’s Notebook: The Story Behind the Dish Quality, sourcing and the decisions that make a dish work
Tuesday 13 October 2026
9:30 am - 10:15 am
Chef's Table
Session sponsor
What's Next on the Plate? The Food Innovations That Will Shape Hospitality's Next Decade
Tuesday 13 October 2026
9:30 am - 10:10 am
Business & Tech Stage
Heather Smyth
Deputy Director of Research, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
Australia's Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA)
Sarah Jayne Farley
Product Development Manager
Few & Far Food Professionals
Keary Shandler
Client Partner
OnTalent | Leadership, Workforce & Sustainability
The New Customer: Understanding the Café Consumer of Tomorrow
Tuesday 13 October 2026
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Café Success Stage
Session sponsor
Smarter Systems, Better Outcomes: Where Automation Creates Value
Tuesday 13 October 2026
10:15 am - 11:00 am
Business & Tech Stage
Session sponsor
Saving Room for Dessert: Why Dessert is the Last Great Upsell
Tuesday 13 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Chef's Table
The Art of the Signature Drink: Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Tuesday 13 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Café Success Stage
Why Some Food Brands Get Chosen (And Others Don't)
Tuesday 13 October 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Business & Tech Stage
Leading from the Front: Women Shaping the Future of Hospitality
Tuesday 13 October 2026
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
Run Better: The Systems Behind a High-Performing Café
Tuesday 13 October 2026
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Café Success Stage
From Country to Kitchen: Using Native Ingredients to Create Authentic, Distinctive Menus
Tuesday 13 October 2026
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm
Chef's Table
The Hospitality Tech Stack That Actually Works
Tuesday 13 October 2026
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
The Bakery Advantage: How Food Became the Most Profitable Part of the Café
Tuesday 13 October 2026
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Café Success Stage
Session sponsor
Smarter, Faster, Leaner: The Tools Modern Cafés Are Using to Stay Ahead
Tuesday 13 October 2026
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Café Success Stage
Session sponsor
The Hidden Profit Centre in Your Kitchen: Cut Energy Costs 50% Without Losing Food Quality
Tuesday 13 October 2026
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
Session sponsor
Profit by Design: Smarter Sourcing, Less Waste and Better Margins
Tuesday 13 October 2026
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Business & Tech Stage
Session sponsor