He grew up in the rice paddies of Wujie, Yilan, in a family that farmed and raised pigs.

He studied design in university but ended up working at a coffee shop in Gukeng, Yunlin, immersing himself in the world of coffee.

He worked various jobs from north to south for over a decade, and since entering the coffee industry in 2000, he hasn't held a second job.

In 2013, he participated in the Taiwan Coffee Roasting Competition for the first time, only managing 12th place – a complete failure.

The following year, however, he won the World Coffee Roasting Championship.

He is Lai Yu-Chuan (Jacky).

This episode discusses:

・ The true profit margin of opening a coffee shop?

・ Why is opening a coffee shop essentially selling seats?

・ What changed from 12th place to world champion?

・ The secret behind the judges' scores for "bitter," "acidic," and "fragrant" coffees?

・ Are coffee machines in convenience stores more expensive than those in coffee shops?

・ The tragedies that can happen with a bad coffee grinder?

If you're currently running a shop or considering opening a coffee shop, this episode will make you rethink what you're actually selling.

Caf'e Natural Wake Up x Coffee Bulletin: https://www.coffeebullet.co/ Bemocafe: https://store.bemocafe.com/page/R5 World Champion Coffee Class: https://shifu.tw/course/details/coffee

Follow Lai Yu-Chuan:

IG: Instagram: jacky_lailailai
FB: https://www.facebook.com/lailailai100...

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Highlights of this episode

0:00 Preview

0:35 Main episode begins

1:06 Is opening a coffee shop profitable?

3:33 From rural Yilan to the coffee industry

6:48 Spending a year understanding the competition's judging criteria

12:21 Do the competition criteria align with consumer tastes? 13:44 Changes in the Taiwanese Coffee Market Over the Past Twenty Years

15:50 World Champions: Talent or Hard Work?

19:02 What Changed After Winning the World Championship?

19:56 Is Convenience Store Coffee Really Inferior?

23:07 Why Can a Batch of Coffee Beans Sell for 550,000?

26:11 What Coffee Drinking Habits Should Be Avoided?

27:13 How Can Beginners Appreciate the Different Flavors of Coffee?

30:16 How to Differentiate Between Dark Roast, Light Roast, and Pour-Over Techniques?

34:36 What Coffee Equipment is the Most Worthwhile Investment for Beginners?

39:04 Differences Between the Taiwanese and Overseas Coffee Markets?

42:41 In-Depth Search for Coffee in Ethiopia

44:17 Have You Ever Thought of Giving Up After Twenty Years in the Coffee Industry?

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