The global coffee market has enjoyed consistent growth for some time now. This is something that is expected to continue into the next decade, with revenues potentially breaking the $500 billion mark by 2021.
However the type of coffee sought by consumers has been far less predictable, with new trends seeming to emerge every few months.
Keeping up with that is a key part of the job for Grace O'Shaughnessy, managing director of Java Republic.
"What's core to consider now is that more than 70% of the consumers in Ireland are taking more than one cup of coffee per day," she said.
"We celebrated our 20th anniversary in September of this year and at our core has been the sourcing, the roasting and the supply of coffee to what we call the hospitality sector. We're seeing consumption drive more than ever, where people are looking for quality coffee," Ms O'Shaughnessy said.
A major part of that is sustainability, with consumers increasingly demanding proof that what they are drinking is traceable and ethically sourced.
A sure sign of the health of the coffee market is the amount of money washing into the system, with Coca-Cola last year entering the fray through its acquisition of Costa Coffee.
That follows consolidation earlier in the decade by JAB Holdings, as well as Nestlé's move into craft with its purchase of Blue Bottle Coffee.
All of that - combined with dominant forces like Starbucks - means that Java Republic is dealing with some deep-pocketed competitors.
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"We're industries moving out of what their traditional channels were and into coffee - it's a very popular space," she said.
"But when you do it really well, you have that customer base who doesn't want to move away from you," she added.
At the other end of the spectrum is the explosion in smaller cafés and coffee roasters - though Ms O'Shaughnessy says there is room in the market for all types of players.
However Java clearly wants to be in a position to expand and that was a big factor in its recently-announced partnership with Cafento.
That saw the Spanish firm take a majority stake in Java, though its management has stayed the same following the deal.
"They believed in our DNA, our people, our brand, our product, our culture, with a view that our brand has an opportunity to travel over other borders outside of Ireland," Grace O'Shaughnessy said.
"What it will allow us into the future is investment to grow off the island, and that's something that's really strong," she added.
One headwind companies like Java Republic faces, locally at least, is the so-called latte levy - which could see a charge added to disposable cups.
Ms O'Shaughnessy says the industry accepts that waste is an issue, adding that it is already changing to address that.
However she feels the mooted charge on all cups - including those that are compostable - would be counter-productive. "The industry as a whole over the past couple of years have done an awful lot to change behaviour on consumer demand," she said.
"What we're not going to do, by putting a levy on compostable cups, is continue that really positive energy. We could possibly erode that behaviour and go backwards," she cautioned.
