Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Coffee culture is changing. With the pandemic increasing demand for more personalised, high-quality, and intuitive home technology, Lavazza has teamed up with Amazon to produce a coffee machine that includes an in-built Alexa smart assistant. Is this sort of luxury home technology the future?

It’s well-established that coffee culture varies from country to country, but prominent contrasts are also emerging between different generations. What do Gen Zers crave from their cup of joe? And how can coffee brands create innovative products that cater to their expectations?

Most British Gen Zers think there's such a thing as too much coffee. While older generations have flaunted coffee habits with pride, health-minded Gen Zers are much less likely to drink it excessively and more likely to never drink it at all, opting for alternative functional drinks instead.

How do you introduce coffee to a nation of tea lovers? With the demand for Starbucks continuing to grow, the coffee giant is innovating to offer the fastest, most convenient service for Chinese consumers. But how has the brand adapted its offering to promote coffee connoisseurship in China?