We speak to the chief espresso officer of “robotic barista” firm Artly Espresso—and reigning U.S. Latte Artwork Champion—about discovering espresso, transferring to Portland, Ore., and extra.

BY CHRIS RYAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Pictures courtesy of Joe Yang

Rising up in Central China’s Anhui province, Wenbo Yang didn’t uncover espresso till his school years in New Zealand. There, a café job excited his style buds and ignited his ardour. With espresso in his sights, Wenbo returned to China and launched into a journey of coffee-business possession. Finally, this trek would take him to the espresso paradise of Portland, Ore., the place he has lived since 2016.

After working as a barista in Portland, Wenbo—who goes by Joe—began three espresso companies in Portland earlier than co-founding Artly Espresso, a Seattle-based tech startup that makes use of robots to make espresso drinks. Joe can be the corporate’s chief espresso officer, and its robotic baristas are modeled after his motions.

Along with his jobs, Joe has been one of many busiest U.S. Espresso Championships opponents in recent times, participating in 5 totally different occasions and incomes two titles: 2023 U.S. Brewers Cup Champion and 2024 U.S. Latte Artwork Champion.

Within the first installment of our two-part interview with Joe, we find out about how he found espresso and launched his profession.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

Barista Journal: First, how did you get fascinated about espresso earlier than you moved to Portland?

Joe Yang: I’m from the Anhui province in Central China, however I by no means tasted espresso in China rising up. I began my espresso journey in 2010 in New Zealand. I did a two-year program in Auckland as a world scholar, and I acquired a part-time job at a espresso store. This chance opened my thoughts to how fascinating espresso may very well be. The supervisor there preferred to do experiments with totally different coffees, and launched me to single-origins and lighter roasters. I tasted all various things, and I noticed that espresso isn’t simply easy, black, bitter water—it may very well be one thing extra.

What did you do after Auckland?

I moved again to China in 2012 after I graduated, and I opened a espresso store. I felt like I actually cherished this trade—I loved creating all of the totally different flavors and stunning prospects—and I needed to carry that New Zealand fashion to China. We actually struggled the primary couple years as a result of the espresso tradition was not very robust in China then, however finally the espresso store was going properly.

Within the meantime, as a result of I used to be within the first bunch of individuals doing specialty espresso in China, I discovered one other enterprise alternative. Lots of people on the web have been asking me for tips about beginning a espresso store. So I began a buying and selling firm in China in 2013 to promote espresso machines to outlets. It was profitable, so I moved my consideration there, going to totally different cities to go to all the brand new espresso outlets and attempting to promote them machines. That firm nonetheless exists now; since I’ve moved to america, I nonetheless work for them as a marketing consultant.

You moved from China to Portland in 2016; why Portland?

Earlier than I moved, I did some analysis in regards to the espresso market in america, and I felt like Portland was a dream metropolis for me, with all of the small impartial specialty-coffee roasters throughout the town. Additionally, Portland felt like a extra livable metropolis—different cities like San Francisco and Seattle have been too costly, however Portland felt OK for beginning out. So I moved there on my own with out figuring out anybody.

How did you launch your espresso profession in Portland?

For the primary couple of months, I simply went to highschool for English class. Though I had lived in New Zealand, I had then lived in China for 5 years, and I by no means spoke English. So I took lessons to attempt to make amends for my English, and in these months I went to all of the espresso outlets with a resume. I acquired a barista job I believe within the third month; I used to be fairly fortunate. After which fairly quickly I acquired a unique barista job, at Case Examine Espresso Roasters, a reasonably well-known store in Portland. I labored there from 2016 to 2018, after which I discovered an area to open my very own store,  In J Espresso, in 2018.

I do know you at present work as co-founder and chief espresso officer for Artly Espresso. How did you transition from enterprise possession to Artly?

From 2018 to 2023 I ran three espresso companies in Portland. I began In J Espresso with a enterprise associate. Then I began my second enterprise, Tremendous Pleasure Espresso Lab, additionally with a associate, Topher Ou. And I began Much less and Extra with Ryan Jie Jiang, additionally as a partnership. As soon as I went full-time to Artly Espresso, I give up the partnership aspect of these companies, however I nonetheless work as a marketing consultant for them, roasting and growing drinks.

What do you do at your full-time job at Artly?

Within the very starting, two years in the past, I skilled the robots on all of the steps to make espresso effectively—easy methods to brew, easy methods to pour latte artwork, and extra. Now, my every day job is to develop roasting profiles, and likewise to create all of the drink recipes. The corporate has a number of espresso outlets—in New York Metropolis; Toronto, Canada; Vancouver, Canada; with extra deliberate. I do high quality management to ensure the drinks are wanting and tasting proper, and a few coaching for employees. As a result of even when robots make espresso, they nonetheless want people to ensure the flavors are proper.

Examine again for half two of this story tomorrow, the place we’ll speak to Joe in regards to the time he has spent participating in espresso competitions.

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