What is specialty coffee?
It's a term that you'll hear more and more, which may seem obscure at first glance and doesn't necessarily express what it represents well, but it's the one that seems to be the consensus in the small world of coffee, both among professionals and individuals.
Context - nm
A term still obscure to some, a taste revelation for those who have discovered it.
One thing is certain: once you've tasted specialty coffee after drinking "convenience" coffee since you were a child, there's no going back.
Today, the specialty coffee market, still tiny, represents 1% of global production . However, it has become an important segment in certain markets such as the United States, England and Northern European countries, with 15 to 20% of total coffee consumption.
To illustrate this shift, let's take natural wine (without added sulfur or additives), which has successfully shaken up the centuries-old codes and traditions of conventional wines, and has made a place for itself on the tables of the most prestigious wine bars and restaurants. IPA beers are another possible analogy: originating from the United States and arriving in France in the 2000s, they first surprised palates with their pronounced bitterness and then conquered France. They are now essential in the majority of establishments and points of sale.
Specialty coffee seems to be following the same trend, and is gaining more and more ground in the French coffee scene. However, it should not be considered an incremental product to the range of coffees traditionally consumed in France. It should be considered as a universe in its own right, a set of unique and complex products that no longer simply punctuate our day with caffeine hits, but rather tell a story and offer us a tasting experience.
There are several definitions of specialty coffee, which we will present to you in this article, which aim to objectively and rationally frame this rather vague term. However, in our opinion, specialty coffee is a question of sensations and deserves a more abstract definition as a complement. We therefore wanted to share with you our own interpretation, the one that rings true to our ears, the one that gave us the passion and the desire to create Celsius roasting.
"Specialty coffee is a source of emotion with every cup you enjoy. It's a story told by nature, reinterpreted by man for the greater pleasure of his senses."
It's about focusing primarily on quality, not quantity. It's also about sharing, like enjoying a beautiful bottle of wine with friends or family."
Origin of the term - nf
The concept emerged in the 1970s in the United States, driven by Erna Knutsen, who discovered the richness and complexity of coffee by studying microclimates, the work of producers, and certain local roasters. These roasters were moving away from industrial production and working on models that were much more virtuous for the environment and the coffee industry. Convinced of the importance of trust throughout the chain to produce high-quality coffee, she created her own coffee company in 1985 and buys all her coffees directly from producers.
A few years later, she co-created the SCAA, “Specialty Coffee Association of America” in order to promote quality coffee and stand out from the conventional and industrialized market.
This association will gradually structure the specialty coffee industry throughout the world, by creating bodies specific to each country (as in France in 2005), offering recognized training programs and organizing international competitions. The SCAA has brought together all the players: producers, importers, roasters and baristas, with the common goal of excellence, from the plant to the cup, constantly seeking quality at each link in the chain. ( See the article on the history of coffee)
Definitions - nf
Now that the context is set, it is appropriate to define what exactly specialty coffee is, which is contrasted in certain aspects with so-called "commodity" coffee and which has long been considered to be of superior quality.
It is therefore difficult to give a short definition of specialty coffee; it is surely more relevant to speak of specialty coffee as a plurality and a combination of distinctive attributes, which make a coffee unique and give it added value on the market.
However, here are the points that allow you to identify a specialty coffee and better understand the distinction with the vast majority of coffee found on the market:
Fair remuneration for producers
The price paid to the producer is above market standards and allows producers to be fairly remunerated. This is explained by the fact that specialty coffee is not indexed to the stock market . Its average price still marginally follows the behavior of stock prices and climatic and geopolitical hazards, but the price of each batch of coffee is determined above all by its intrinsic quality , the way it is produced and its rarity.
A coffee rated more than 80/100
On the universal scale established by the SCA, which, through a sensory analysis protocol, allows a coffee to be rated based on its absence of defects and its aromatic profile. Added to this are a number of criteria (origin, varieties and production process), which make coffee a true taste experience.
A local coffee
Grown at high altitudes, hand-picked at full maturity, and transformed into green coffee using specific drying and rigorous storage methods. The production process is complex and requires long-term work from producers. Like the greatest winemakers, each coffee grower uses their own unique farming techniques to bring out the richness of the terroir and the coffee varieties planted. Thus, each region offers coffee profiles specific to each: exotic fruits in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, subtle floral notes in a Geisha from Panama, or notes of blackcurrant and brown sugar in a Kenyan coffee. There's something for everyone!
A qualified exporter and/or importer
The exporter and/or importer play a major role in ensuring consistent quality and traceability right back to the farm . They are the link between producers and roasters. They are often very involved in the producing farms, often on site, supporting coffee growers with development, social, environmental and sometimes even infrastructure financing or labeling projects. They actively participate in establishing long-term relationships and trust between the different players in the coffee world.
Controlled roasting
In order to best transcribe the character of the coffee, a gentle roasting is essential. Commodity coffee, on the other hand, tends towards a much darker roast, which will certainly erase the defects but also burn all the aromas, eliminate the acidity and bring bitterness to the cup. This quick roasting (about 2 minutes) is also carried out with an eye to economy: the faster the bean is heated, the less machine time it will take.
For a specialty coffee roaster, this time will be between 8 and 17 minutes. Specialty coffee has nothing to hide; it is laid bare by a light, slower roast to reveal its natural aromas .
Finally, each coffee requires a specific cooking , called a "roasting profile". Each origin, each fermentation process, each harvest even reacts differently under the effect of roasting.
Thus, the roaster (the artisan), thanks to his experience, his senses and ultra-precise measuring software, will play on different parameters (time, heating power, temperatures, ventilation, drum speed, etc.) to refine his profile and adapt it to his coffee.
When this profile suits the roaster, all that remains is to reproduce it to ensure consistency in the quality of the product and so that the customer continually finds the same result in the cup.
Transparency
Transparency and traceability are essential throughout the production chain. This information is generally indicated on coffee packages:
- The specific varieties of coffee, not just the mention of Arabica
- An origin right up to the farm, the producer or even the plot in question
- The drying and fermentation processes applied
- The altitude at which the coffees are produced
- The harvest period
- The roasting date, which provides a crucial indication of the ideal consumption period (on average 60 to 90 days after roasting).
A limited and specialized distribution network
Specialty coffees are mostly available in independent coffee shops and at various roasters , in their stores or on their websites. In recent years, we have seen an increased presence in bistro and gourmet restaurants as well as in specialty grocery stores. Without this control of the distribution network, coffee can be consumed months or even years after roasting, and be only a shadow of itself. ( See the article on coffee freshness to learn more)
A mastery of coffee extraction and service
Regardless of the method or machine , it must be controlled to take full advantage of the work done on the coffee upstream, otherwise all the efforts are in vain and the result in the cup will not be optimal. ( See the page on recipes and preparation tutorials ). It goes without saying that the coffee must be in the form of beans until the last minutes before its extraction ( see the article on this subject), or the vast majority of the aromas will be lost and the result in the cup will be more than disappointing.
A coffee consumer
That is, you. The process of seeking out better quality coffee , the curiosity to learn more from your restaurateur. Do the test: if you ask a restaurateur the origin of the coffee they serve you, and you get wide eyes, consider that it is not specialty coffee. We have historically tended to reduce coffee in bars and restaurants to its extraction method: espresso, ristretto, long, etc. It is as if you were only given the cooking instructions for a meat, without knowing anything about the animal or the cut.
And for your home, don't hesitate to thoroughly read the labels on coffee bags before purchasing. Generally, keep in mind that the more subjective statements you have, such as "intense, exceptional, grand cru," the less likely you are to have a specialty coffee. ( See the article on the intensity scale)
On the other hand, if you observe a lot of specific information, such as the farm, the altitude, the roasting date or even the fermentation processes, you probably have one in your hands.
So, the spirit of specialty coffee does not depend solely on your roaster, but begins well before roasting, and must be respected all the way to the cup so that the taste is at the expected level.
Limits - nf
As with any name, appellation or label, there are limits:
The SCA score
Although universal and framed, the score out of 100 awarded by the SCA to cafes 
inevitably has a part of subjectivity . Between several Q-Graders there can be different assessments of the quality of a coffee according to personal tastes, and even between several tastings of the same person, a stronger sensitivity to acidity for example depending on the time of day or what the taster will have eaten or drunk before. In addition, the rating is attributed to a green coffee, but this one will have been judged on a certain roasting, after a certain time post-harvest. It is quite likely that coffee roasted in another way and after several months will be very different. Q-Graders are trained to avoid these biases , but it is a difficult exercise where no one is infallible. At Celsius, we have chosen to reveal the SCA score of our coffees, for information and reference purposes, but we strongly advise you not to take it as gospel and above all to trust your senses.
The promise of sustainable agricultural practices
Although specialty coffee is increasingly moving towards pesticide-free agriculture, it would be a lie to claim that all specialty coffees are grown without inputs. Some producing countries, such as Ethiopia, even without being labeled organic (because it is too expensive for family micro-farms), conduct their production in a completely natural way and often work in agroforestry (i.e. using the shade of trees and the interdependencies of crops to protect coffee trees and develop a healthy and eco-responsible terroir). Other countries, however, such as Kenya, are seeing significant increases in the use of synthetic products ; forced by economic and financial pressure or the lack of support towards more responsible methods. Here again, the role of exporters is crucial in selecting the most respectful and conscientious producers in their agricultural practices.
The promise of fair remuneration for producers
Specialty coffee ensures better incomes for producers, notably thanks to a fairer distribution of the value chain. However, since coffee is grown in regions of the world subject to fragile geopolitical contexts, subject to corruption problems, it is sometimes difficult to know who has really been paid and how much. Financial exchanges are still mostly informal, and coffee growers are paid in hard cash. This system benefits some more than others. Middlemen , also called "coyotes" in Latin America, buy batches of coffee directly in the most remote locations, and take a "nice" commission in the process, often arbitrarily. This problem highlights the importance of the work of exporters , in order to limit intermediaries who are not essential and who dilute the share of remuneration allocated to producers. More and more importers ensure total transparency regarding the breakdown of coffee prices, in particular the actual share paid to the farmer.
The profitability and viability of certain processes
Some very high-quality specialty coffees (rated 90+ on the SCA scale) do not systematically imply a sustainable economic model but rather contribute to the reputation and prestige of the sector. For the best, they compete for the " Cup of Excellence ," an annual international competition to identify the best coffees in the world. These coffees are then mostly sold at auction, and like wine or whiskey, do not escape speculation around certain coffee varieties or recognized producers. The coffees ultimately end up in various international barista competitions or in the hands of a handful of roasters. These are therefore unique batches, exceptional but produced in tiny quantities. They are expensive to purchase but also to produce and therefore do not provide a living for the producer.
The democratization of specialty coffee
It's still a niche segment in France, still little known to the general public but which continues to grow. Its slow growth compared to our European neighbors can be explained by several reasons:
-
Consumption habits have been influenced since the 1940s by West Africa and later Italy. For decades, we have been consuming bitter, strong, and often over-roasted coffee. The arrival of specialty coffee acts as a real taste bomb, between fruity and floral aromas, natural acidity and sweetness, to which our French palates are still not accustomed.
-
The sanctification of coffee , which, as in the world of oenology, is detrimental to the product. The nebulous and overly technical nature can scare off most consumers. Fear of not finding the aromas they should smell in the cup, fear of not using the right vocabulary , or even fear of entering a shop specializing in coffee. But specialty coffee, like wine, is above all a story of sharing and requires neither vocabulary nor special talent, just an interest in good products and the desire to drink good coffee.
-
The price barrier: Like any high-quality product, coffee is not exempt from a higher cost. We have been accustomed to paying ridiculously low prices for coffee (until the arrival of Nespresso), but it is important to highlight the collective effort that goes into producing a kilo of coffee. From the hand-picking of the cherries, through the agricultural techniques used, the promotional and negotiation work of importers, and finally the artisanal roasting, coffee is a luxury product, which justifies a certain price, which varies depending on its origin and production methods. However, there is something for every budget, and you can already drink very good specialty coffee at reasonable (but fair!) prices.
-
The barista's equipment to extract the best from coffee: it is a wide range of tools and accessories, which require time and money. It is also one of the components that does not facilitate the opening of specialty coffee to the general population. The elitist world of coffee, induces a constant search for the perfect extraction. This requires high-end equipment: grinder , coffee makers of all kinds, specific filters or even kettle with adjustable temperature . The coffee enthusiast can always go further, the only limit being the budget allocated to the practice!
However, the rise of automatic bean-to-cup machines like Jura or De'longhi provides a partial solution to the problem: opening up the world of specialty coffee to the general public, which until now was reserved for a handful of aficionados. These easy-to-use machines represent a great gateway to consuming good coffee, without having to over-intellectualize it and think about the multiple parameters to adjust for each cup tasted.
Conclusion - nf
Specialty coffee will continue to be a hot topic in the coming years. Much more than a passing fad linked to the rise of coffee shops in urban areas, it's a fundamental trend taking hold: "consume less but better." It's the ambition to restore coffee to its former glory, to savor the cupful of months of work by passionate producers and artisans. It's about understanding the diversity of terroirs, origins, coffee varieties, roasting types, and extraction methods to appreciate their unique qualities.
However, in an increasingly critical environmental context, the coffee industry is not spared. Even though global demand for coffee is increasing ( +3.3% between 2021 and 2022 ), production is declining (-2.1% between 2021 and 2022), due to adverse weather conditions (distributed droughts, heavy rains, frosts). The impact of climate change is all the more significant on sensitive varieties such as Arabica, which represents nearly 60% of the coffee sold worldwide. ( Colombia recorded a 12% drop vs. 2021 ).
To meet this demand, the mass-market coffee industry risks moving toward increasingly intensive agriculture, including deforestation and monocultures under the blazing sun. This will only increase carbon emissions and accelerate global warming.
The coffee market must find alternatives to adapt to the uncertainties: identify more resistant species, implement more sustainable farming methods, but this will probably not be enough to cover the growing demand, which will require a move towards perhaps more reasoned consumption, "less but better."
At Celsius, we offer only specialty coffees, with the goal of creating long-term relationships with producers to help build a sustainable industry. This involves finding alternative solutions every day to minimize our carbon footprint, and constantly seeking out exceptional products for a unique experience and sharing our passion for coffee with you.
Specialty coffee chain - nf
Sources:
Towards a Definition of Specialty Coffee , SCA 2021
Coffee is not rocket science, Sébastien Racineux and Chung Leng Tran
https://barista.by/en/articles/article2
https://www.cafemag.fr/2020/04/12/cafe-de-specialite-specialty-coffee/
SCA_Carbon_and_Coffee_Report_2022
It's a term that you'll hear more and more, which may seem obscure at first glance and doesn't necessarily express what it represents well, but it's the one that seems to be the consensus in the small world of coffee, both among professionals and individuals.
Context - nm
A term still obscure to some, a taste revelation for those who have discovered it.
One thing is certain: once you've tasted specialty coffee after drinking "convenience" coffee since you were a child, there's no going back.
Today, the specialty coffee market, still tiny, represents 1% of global production . However, it has become an important segment in certain markets such as the United States, England and Northern European countries, with 15 to 20% of total coffee consumption.
To illustrate this shift, let's take natural wine (without added sulfur or additives), which has successfully shaken up the centuries-old codes and traditions of conventional wines, and has made a place for itself on the tables of the most prestigious wine bars and restaurants. IPA beers are another possible analogy: originating from the United States and arriving in France in the 2000s, they first surprised palates with their pronounced bitterness and then conquered France. They are now essential in the majority of establishments and points of sale.
Specialty coffee seems to be following the same trend, and is gaining more and more ground in the French coffee scene. However, it should not be considered an incremental product to the range of coffees traditionally consumed in France. It should be considered as a universe in its own right, a set of unique and complex products that no longer simply punctuate our day with caffeine hits, but rather tell a story and offer us a tasting experience.
There are several definitions of specialty coffee, which we will present to you in this article, which aim to objectively and rationally frame this rather vague term. However, in our opinion, specialty coffee is a question of sensations and deserves a more abstract definition as a complement. We therefore wanted to share with you our own interpretation, the one that rings true to our ears, the one that gave us the passion and the desire to create Celsius roasting.
"Specialty coffee is a source of emotion with every cup you enjoy. It's a story told by nature, reinterpreted by man for the greater pleasure of his senses."
It's about focusing primarily on quality, not quantity. It's also about sharing, like enjoying a beautiful bottle of wine with friends or family."
Origin of the term - nf
The concept emerged in the 1970s in the United States, driven by Erna Knutsen, who discovered the richness and complexity of coffee by studying microclimates, the work of producers, and certain local roasters. These roasters were moving away from industrial production and working on models that were much more virtuous for the environment and the coffee industry. Convinced of the importance of trust throughout the chain to produce high-quality coffee, she created her own coffee company in 1985 and buys all her coffees directly from producers.
A few years later, she co-created the SCAA, “Specialty Coffee Association of America” in order to promote quality coffee and stand out from the conventional and industrialized market.
This association will gradually structure the specialty coffee industry throughout the world, by creating bodies specific to each country (as in France in 2005), offering recognized training programs and organizing international competitions. The SCAA has brought together all the players: producers, importers, roasters and baristas, with the common goal of excellence, from the plant to the cup, constantly seeking quality at each link in the chain. ( See the article on the history of coffee)
Definitions - nf
Now that the context is set, it is appropriate to define what exactly specialty coffee is, which is contrasted in certain aspects with so-called "commodity" coffee and which has long been considered to be of superior quality.
It is therefore difficult to give a short definition of specialty coffee; it is surely more relevant to speak of specialty coffee as a plurality and a combination of distinctive attributes, which make a coffee unique and give it added value on the market.
However, here are the points that allow you to identify a specialty coffee and better understand the distinction with the vast majority of coffee found on the market:
Fair remuneration for producers
The price paid to the producer is above market standards and allows producers to be fairly remunerated. This is explained by the fact that specialty coffee is not indexed to the stock market . Its average price still marginally follows the behavior of stock prices and climatic and geopolitical hazards, but the price of each batch of coffee is determined above all by its intrinsic quality , the way it is produced and its rarity.
A coffee rated more than 80/100
On the universal scale established by the SCA, which, through a sensory analysis protocol, allows a coffee to be rated based on its absence of defects and its aromatic profile. Added to this are a number of criteria (origin, varieties and production process), which make coffee a true taste experience.
A local coffee
Grown at high altitudes, hand-picked at full maturity, and transformed into green coffee using specific drying and rigorous storage methods. The production process is complex and requires long-term work from producers. Like the greatest winemakers, each coffee grower uses their own unique farming techniques to bring out the richness of the terroir and the coffee varieties planted. Thus, each region offers coffee profiles specific to each: exotic fruits in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, subtle floral notes in a Geisha from Panama, or notes of blackcurrant and brown sugar in a Kenyan coffee. There's something for everyone!
A qualified exporter and/or importer
The exporter and/or importer play a major role in ensuring consistent quality and traceability right back to the farm . They are the link between producers and roasters. They are often very involved in the producing farms, often on site, supporting coffee growers with development, social, environmental and sometimes even infrastructure financing or labeling projects. They actively participate in establishing long-term relationships and trust between the different players in the coffee world.
Controlled roasting
In order to best transcribe the character of the coffee, a gentle roasting is essential. Commodity coffee, on the other hand, tends towards a much darker roast, which will certainly erase the defects but also burn all the aromas, eliminate the acidity and bring bitterness to the cup. This quick roasting (about 2 minutes) is also carried out with an eye to economy: the faster the bean is heated, the less machine time it will take.
For a specialty coffee roaster, this time will be between 8 and 17 minutes. Specialty coffee has nothing to hide; it is laid bare by a light, slower roast to reveal its natural aromas .
Finally, each coffee requires a specific cooking , called a "roasting profile". Each origin, each fermentation process, each harvest even reacts differently under the effect of roasting.
Thus, the roaster (the artisan), thanks to his experience, his senses and ultra-precise measuring software, will play on different parameters (time, heating power, temperatures, ventilation, drum speed, etc.) to refine his profile and adapt it to his coffee.
When this profile suits the roaster, all that remains is to reproduce it to ensure consistency in the quality of the product and so that the customer continually finds the same result in the cup.
Transparency
Transparency and traceability are essential throughout the production chain. This information is generally indicated on coffee packages:
- The specific varieties of coffee, not just the mention of Arabica
- An origin right up to the farm, the producer or even the plot in question
- The drying and fermentation processes applied
- The altitude at which the coffees are produced
- The harvest period
- The roasting date, which provides a crucial indication of the ideal consumption period (on average 60 to 90 days after roasting).
A limited and specialized distribution network
Specialty coffees are mostly available in independent coffee shops and at various roasters , in their stores or on their websites. In recent years, we have seen an increased presence in bistro and gourmet restaurants as well as in specialty grocery stores. Without this control of the distribution network, coffee can be consumed months or even years after roasting, and be only a shadow of itself. ( See the article on coffee freshness to learn more)
A mastery of coffee extraction and service
Regardless of the method or machine , it must be controlled to take full advantage of the work done on the coffee upstream, otherwise all the efforts are in vain and the result in the cup will not be optimal. ( See the page on recipes and preparation tutorials ). It goes without saying that the coffee must be in the form of beans until the last minutes before its extraction ( see the article on this subject), or the vast majority of the aromas will be lost and the result in the cup will be more than disappointing.
A coffee consumer
That is, you. The process of seeking out better quality coffee , the curiosity to learn more from your restaurateur. Do the test: if you ask a restaurateur the origin of the coffee they serve you, and you get wide eyes, consider that it is not specialty coffee. We have historically tended to reduce coffee in bars and restaurants to its extraction method: espresso, ristretto, long, etc. It is as if you were only given the cooking instructions for a meat, without knowing anything about the animal or the cut.
And for your home, don't hesitate to thoroughly read the labels on coffee bags before purchasing. Generally, keep in mind that the more subjective statements you have, such as "intense, exceptional, grand cru," the less likely you are to have a specialty coffee. ( See the article on the intensity scale)
On the other hand, if you observe a lot of specific information, such as the farm, the altitude, the roasting date or even the fermentation processes, you probably have one in your hands.
So, the spirit of specialty coffee does not depend solely on your roaster, but begins well before roasting, and must be respected all the way to the cup so that the taste is at the expected level.
Limits - nf
As with any name, appellation or label, there are limits:
The SCA score
Although universal and framed, the score out of 100 awarded by the SCA to cafes inevitably has a part of subjectivity . Between several Q-Graders there can be different assessments of the quality of a coffee according to personal tastes, and even between several tastings of the same person, a stronger sensitivity to acidity for example depending on the time of day or what the taster will have eaten or drunk before. In addition, the rating is attributed to a green coffee, but this one will have been judged on a certain roasting, after a certain time post-harvest. It is quite likely that coffee roasted in another way and after several months will be very different. Q-Graders are trained to avoid these biases , but it is a difficult exercise where no one is infallible. At Celsius, we have chosen to reveal the SCA score of our coffees, for information and reference purposes, but we strongly advise you not to take it as gospel and above all to trust your senses.
The promise of sustainable agricultural practices
Although specialty coffee is increasingly moving towards pesticide-free agriculture, it would be a lie to claim that all specialty coffees are grown without inputs. Some producing countries, such as Ethiopia, even without being labeled organic (because it is too expensive for family micro-farms), conduct their production in a completely natural way and often work in agroforestry (i.e. using the shade of trees and the interdependencies of crops to protect coffee trees and develop a healthy and eco-responsible terroir). Other countries, however, such as Kenya, are seeing significant increases in the use of synthetic products ; forced by economic and financial pressure or the lack of support towards more responsible methods. Here again, the role of exporters is crucial in selecting the most respectful and conscientious producers in their agricultural practices.
The promise of fair remuneration for producers
Specialty coffee ensures better incomes for producers, notably thanks to a fairer distribution of the value chain. However, since coffee is grown in regions of the world subject to fragile geopolitical contexts, subject to corruption problems, it is sometimes difficult to know who has really been paid and how much. Financial exchanges are still mostly informal, and coffee growers are paid in hard cash. This system benefits some more than others. Middlemen , also called "coyotes" in Latin America, buy batches of coffee directly in the most remote locations, and take a "nice" commission in the process, often arbitrarily. This problem highlights the importance of the work of exporters , in order to limit intermediaries who are not essential and who dilute the share of remuneration allocated to producers. More and more importers ensure total transparency regarding the breakdown of coffee prices, in particular the actual share paid to the farmer.
The profitability and viability of certain processes
Some very high-quality specialty coffees (rated 90+ on the SCA scale) do not systematically imply a sustainable economic model but rather contribute to the reputation and prestige of the sector. For the best, they compete for the " Cup of Excellence ," an annual international competition to identify the best coffees in the world. These coffees are then mostly sold at auction, and like wine or whiskey, do not escape speculation around certain coffee varieties or recognized producers. The coffees ultimately end up in various international barista competitions or in the hands of a handful of roasters. These are therefore unique batches, exceptional but produced in tiny quantities. They are expensive to purchase but also to produce and therefore do not provide a living for the producer.
The democratization of specialty coffee
It's still a niche segment in France, still little known to the general public but which continues to grow. Its slow growth compared to our European neighbors can be explained by several reasons:
- Consumption habits have been influenced since the 1940s by West Africa and later Italy. For decades, we have been consuming bitter, strong, and often over-roasted coffee. The arrival of specialty coffee acts as a real taste bomb, between fruity and floral aromas, natural acidity and sweetness, to which our French palates are still not accustomed.
- The sanctification of coffee , which, as in the world of oenology, is detrimental to the product. The nebulous and overly technical nature can scare off most consumers. Fear of not finding the aromas they should smell in the cup, fear of not using the right vocabulary , or even fear of entering a shop specializing in coffee. But specialty coffee, like wine, is above all a story of sharing and requires neither vocabulary nor special talent, just an interest in good products and the desire to drink good coffee.
- The price barrier: Like any high-quality product, coffee is not exempt from a higher cost. We have been accustomed to paying ridiculously low prices for coffee (until the arrival of Nespresso), but it is important to highlight the collective effort that goes into producing a kilo of coffee. From the hand-picking of the cherries, through the agricultural techniques used, the promotional and negotiation work of importers, and finally the artisanal roasting, coffee is a luxury product, which justifies a certain price, which varies depending on its origin and production methods. However, there is something for every budget, and you can already drink very good specialty coffee at reasonable (but fair!) prices.
-
The barista's equipment to extract the best from coffee: it is a wide range of tools and accessories, which require time and money. It is also one of the components that does not facilitate the opening of specialty coffee to the general population. The elitist world of coffee, induces a constant search for the perfect extraction. This requires high-end equipment: grinder , coffee makers of all kinds, specific filters or even kettle with adjustable temperature . The coffee enthusiast can always go further, the only limit being the budget allocated to the practice!
However, the rise of automatic bean-to-cup machines like Jura or De'longhi provides a partial solution to the problem: opening up the world of specialty coffee to the general public, which until now was reserved for a handful of aficionados. These easy-to-use machines represent a great gateway to consuming good coffee, without having to over-intellectualize it and think about the multiple parameters to adjust for each cup tasted.
Conclusion - nf
Specialty coffee will continue to be a hot topic in the coming years. Much more than a passing fad linked to the rise of coffee shops in urban areas, it's a fundamental trend taking hold: "consume less but better." It's the ambition to restore coffee to its former glory, to savor the cupful of months of work by passionate producers and artisans. It's about understanding the diversity of terroirs, origins, coffee varieties, roasting types, and extraction methods to appreciate their unique qualities.
However, in an increasingly critical environmental context, the coffee industry is not spared. Even though global demand for coffee is increasing ( +3.3% between 2021 and 2022 ), production is declining (-2.1% between 2021 and 2022), due to adverse weather conditions (distributed droughts, heavy rains, frosts). The impact of climate change is all the more significant on sensitive varieties such as Arabica, which represents nearly 60% of the coffee sold worldwide. ( Colombia recorded a 12% drop vs. 2021 ).
To meet this demand, the mass-market coffee industry risks moving toward increasingly intensive agriculture, including deforestation and monocultures under the blazing sun. This will only increase carbon emissions and accelerate global warming.
The coffee market must find alternatives to adapt to the uncertainties: identify more resistant species, implement more sustainable farming methods, but this will probably not be enough to cover the growing demand, which will require a move towards perhaps more reasoned consumption, "less but better."
At Celsius, we offer only specialty coffees, with the goal of creating long-term relationships with producers to help build a sustainable industry. This involves finding alternative solutions every day to minimize our carbon footprint, and constantly seeking out exceptional products for a unique experience and sharing our passion for coffee with you.
Specialty coffee chain - nf
Towards a Definition of Specialty Coffee , SCA 2021
Coffee is not rocket science, Sébastien Racineux and Chung Leng Tran
https://barista.by/en/articles/article2
https://www.cafemag.fr/2020/04/12/cafe-de-specialite-specialty-coffee/
SCA_Carbon_and_Coffee_Report_2022
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