There’s a barista battle brewing in Boston

Mancini is the owner of the SIP Cafe in Post Office Square, and the missive was sent to three dozen coffee shop managers in Boston. Many wrote back, echoing his frustration, and saw the e-mail as a clarion call: The city’s coffee scene has never seemed more robust, but there’s a barista shortage brewing, and Boston’s cafe owners are struggling to hire and retain talent.

There’s now a lot of money backing the latte business. As a “third wave” of roasteries has ramped up, dedicated to sourcing high quality beans and treating coffee as an artisanal product, a subset of successful coffee entrepreneurs have found favor with well-heeled venture capitalists. With this influx of cash, high-end roastery cafes are expanding across the country.