Craft & Automation – Mahlkönig’s tools that empower baristas and not replace them

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Grant, Head of Sales for the Americas at Hemro Group — the company behind Mahlkönig, Ditting, Anfim, and Hey Café — to talk about how technology and craft coexist in modern coffee. We trace Sam’s path from retail to coffee equipment sales, exploring what he’s learned from connecting baristas, roasters, and engineers around the world. At its heart, this conversation isn’t just about grinders — it’s about growth, adaptation, and learning from people who approach coffee differently. From the rise of automation to the art of keeping things human, we unpack how technology can either replace or empower craft, and how curiosity and humility keep you evolving in an industry that never stops changing. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Intro 01:13 Welcome Sam Grant 01:58 Sam’s journey into coffee 07:15 Settling in to the coffee industry 12:37 Crafting comprehension 15:49 Hemro Group 23:59 EK History 27:02 Grind by Weight 34:00 Preventative maintenance 41:34 Grind by sync 47:01 Automation behind the bar 59:01 Adoption of sync 1:02:17 New things 1:08:54 Bur tangent 1:07:37 Other things in the works 1:08:54 Home espresso market 1:13:25 Love for the work 🔗 Links – Hemro Group: Website: https://www.hemrogroup.com/en Mahlkönig: https://www.mahlkoenig.com/ Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.chrisbaca.com/ We are Cat & Cloud Coffee. Started by three friends trying to pursue their passions with the mission to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences, and we created this podcast to continue forming those connections inside and out of our cafes. The Cat & Cloud podcast was created as a space for us to share our experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week we sit down to talk about new challenges as business owners, how we utilize our mission and values to make decisions, and answer questions from our listening community. If you’re looking to expand your coffee knowledge, get some advice for your own small business, or just like the vibes, give us a listen! Enjoy!