The debate will continue for the foreseeable future, especially with competitions like Best of Panama excluding infused coffees to “protect the authentic identity” of the country’s coffee sector.

It would be ignorant, however, not to acknowledge that the coffee industry has used flavourings and infusions for decades. The market for syrups and artificial flavours is huge, especially as beverage customisation becomes increasingly popular. Moreover, consumer interest in experimental processing methods and “funky” flavour profiles is a sign that there is demand for these coffees.

With this in mind, it’s important to ask where infused coffees fit into the industry, as well as how improved transparency could mitigate concerns. Rodrigo Sanchez, a producer at Finca Monteblanco and Aromas del Sur, and Isabella Vitaliano, Lab and Education Coordinator at Royal Coffee, provide their insight.

You may also like our article on why infused coffees divide opinion.

We’ve been adding flavours to coffee for decades

Infused coffees have gained notable attention in recent years. But as interest has grown, so have concerns about flavour profile manipulation. While some maintain these processing methods are a welcome innovation, others believe they create “inauthentic” flavours that can mislead consumers.

Although valid, these criticisms highlight a double standard in the industry. Many cafés charge extra to customise beverages with additional ingredients (such as syrups and flavourings) that can overpower a coffee’s delicate flavours.

Unlike single origin pour overs, coffee shops don’t serve flavoured drinks to highlight complex sensory profiles. These products tend to include lower-quality coffee with more pronounced bitterness, so additional flavourings can be the best way to mask this. This also increases margins, so it’s a win-win for customers who want customised products and businesses looking to cut costs.

Offering these products is clearly an effective way to reach a wider range of consumers, too. We only need to look at Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte (more than 420 million sold since the early 2000s) to understand how vastly popular these drinks are.

Isabella Vitaliano is the Lab and Education Coordinator at specialty green coffee trader Royal Coffee in Oakland, California. 

“Consumers who purchase flavoured coffees at a typical grocery store are looking for products at a lower price point, which impacts quality and roast profile,” she says. “Darker roast profiles tend to work better with popular flavours such as vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut.”

The consensus in specialty coffee is that roasting darker means losing terroir – and some share similar beliefs about infused coffees.

The problems with defining infused, co-fermented & flavoured coffee

The terms “infused”, “flavoured”, and “co-fermented” are used interchangeably. But as there are no formal or universal definitions for them, it’s difficult to make distinctions – which only exacerbates confusion and transparency concerns.

Rodrigo Sanchez is a producer and the owner of Aromas del Sur in Huila, Colombia – a co-operative that unifies all the farms he owns and manages. He has been using co-fermentation methods for more than 22 years, long before these techniques became a niche trend in specialty coffee.

“There is still a huge knowledge gap about infused, co-fermented, and aromatised coffees,” he says. “Using the terms interchangeably can make the different processes sound similar, but that isn’t necessarily accurate.”

In his opinion, co-fermentation doesn’t include artificial products that mask the innate attributes of coffee. “It mostly uses fruits so that naturally-present microorganisms can transform the flavour profile,” he tells me. 

According to Rodrigo, “infusion”, meanwhile, implies the use of artificial additives and flavours.

There’s also uncertainty about when infusion and co-fermentation can take place in the supply chain. The SCA attempted to clarify this in the 2024 World Barista Championship rules and regulations, which state that coffee exposed to additives of any kind after it reaches the “green coffee stage” is not permitted at the competition.

“Infusion can happen at any point in production, whereas co-fermentation refers to a very specific period when producers add fruits, spices, herbs, or even vegetables to coffee,” Isabella tells me.

“Flavoured coffee, meanwhile, involves the addition of chemical additives,” she continues. “This can be done at the green stage, but most often, roasted coffee is sprayed with additives to impart certain flavour notes to meet consumer expectations.”

Are these coffees any different from other experimental processes?

Interest in infused and co-fermented coffees is driven by consumers who want differentiated and more exciting sensory experiences. Alongside the rise of exclusive arabica varieties (and even different species like eugenioides), experimental processing methods are meeting this demand.

Historically, the coffee industry has focused on what we might refer to as the “big three” processing methods: natural, washed, and honey. In recent years, however, more producers have deviated from these “traditional” methods which often include different and diverse levels of fermentation. These experimental techniques have redefined the way we talk about coffee processing, including:

• Anaerobic fermentation – producers ferment coffee in hermetically-sealed containers to remove any oxygen. This allows microorganisms to break down the sugars at a slower rate to create more complex and nuanced flavours
• Thermal shock – made famous by Diego Bermudez, producers control the temperature of different fermentations to influence the final cup profile 
• Anoxic fermentation – similar to anaerobic conditions, but there is no “molecular oxygen”, so producers have more control over the process

The most obvious difference between these processing methods and infused coffees is the lack of additional ingredients. People are then more likely to believe that they are “natural” and enhance the innate characteristics of coffee rather than hide them.

However, some producers add yeast or bacteria as fermentation priming agents, which also changes the overall flavour profile. Koji fermentation is a prominent example, which has become popular in some niche specialty coffee markets.

Although they are more defined than infusion and co-fermentation, producers often establish their own unique takes on experimental processing methods – including different temperatures and fermentation periods. Much like infusion and co-fermentation, this also raises similar concerns about transparency, and makes it challenging for the wider industry to agree on what experimental processes “should” involve.

A clear need for transparency

People enjoy both infused and experimentally processed coffees for their unique tasting notes. This implies that concerns about the former aren’t related to sensory profile alone, but rather how producers create these flavours in the first place.

More specifically, there’s the fear that if infused coffees aren’t marketed or sold transparently then consumers will perceive these flavours as inherent to terroir and variety. This would be an inaccurate representation of the coffee, and could mislead consumer perception about similar processing methods or flavour profiles.

“Building trust and relationships with producers over many years has allowed us to have clear communication about processing for all coffees, not just co-fermented or infused lots,” Isabella says. 

She emphasises that clear and honest communication between producers, traders, roasters, and consumers is essential to effectively address concerns, but also highlights how underlying hypocrisy about flavour manipulation can ostracise producers.

“I think they captivate the playfulness and creativity that farmers can tap into at origin,” she says. “For so long, baristas have ‘infused’ coffee with syrups and flavourings, so why should producers on the other end of the supply chain be criticised for doing the same thing?”

Value addition

As part of specialty coffee’s never-ending search for the “next best thing”, Diego agrees that co-fermentation is an opportunity for producers to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.

“My inspiration comes from the wine industry,” he says. “Adapting techniques used in winemaking has allowed me to raise my standards even higher and recognise the true potential of my coffees.”

Simultaneously, he acknowledges improving transparency – which is the best way to retain more value at origin – is a work in progress.

“There is a lack of knowledge and resources about these coffees,” he tells me. “We, along with other industry professionals, put a lot of work into understanding co-fermentation so that we can demonstrate its complexities to consumers.”

Is there a long-term market for these coffees?

Industry professionals and enthusiasts are unlikely to agree on how infused coffees fit into the specialty sector any time soon. But Isabella believes that the market will keep growing. 

Considering they’re affinity for more fermented flavours – as well as premiumisation being a huge driver of growth in these regions – infused coffees will remain popular in East Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

“These coffees are marketed as premium, so they’re not easy for many roasters to sell,” she says. “The higher costs make investment riskier for roasters and importers, and the risk-to-reward ratio for producers is significant.

“As a result, many farmers are already excluded from producing these coffees,” she adds – indicating that there are limitations on how much the market can expand.

Infused coffees will be a contentious topic for the foreseeable future. But as long as there’s transparency, they have a place in the market.

If producers can experiment with flavours, potentially increase cupping scores, and meet consumer demand for new sensory experiences then infused coffees are hugely beneficial. At the same time, communication about how these coffees are processed needs to be clear and honest – otherwise value is lost.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the difference between infused and co-fermented coffee.

Photo credits: Evan Gilman

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Automatic pour over brewers and milk foamers have certainly become popular, however, the role of the barista is indispensable in specialty coffee. Acting as the “face” of the supply chain to the customer, they have to balance the art and science of making coffee, as well as educating guests about how coffee is grown and processed.

But what if coffee shops were to heighten customer service and place the entire experience in the hands of trusted baristas? Here is where omakase could help transform specialty coffee.

To learn more, I spoke to Eiichi Kunitomo, founder of Koffee Mameya Kakeru, and Mikael Jasin, 2024 World Barista Champion and founder of Omakafe.

You may also like our article on whether tasting flights are the best way to experience coffee.

How omakase has elevated the restaurant industry

Although the term may not be widely known around the world, “omakase” is a commonly used phrase in Japanese restaurants when ordering food, especially sushi. In English, omakase directly translates to “I leave it up to you” – meaning guests allow the chef to choose dishes for them.

The concept draws inspiration from three elements of Japanese cuisine and hospitality:

• Omotenashi – a tenant of Japanese hospitality designed to surpass guests’ expectations
• Kaiseki – a highly-ritualised and elevated multi course dining experience
• Kodawari – the pursuit of perfection and attention to detail

Seasonality, quality ingredients, and simple preparation are essential parts of omakase. As part of the experience, chefs typically serve lighter and more traditional plates first. Customers often sit at the kitchen counter to interact face-to-face with the chef, who guides them through the dining experience and gauges their reaction to the food served. 

Depending on responses from the guests, dishes may become more adventurous and interesting throughout – culminating in a truly unique dining experience. In recent years, omakase-style restaurants have been established in countries outside of Japan, with many of them serving sushi and traditional Japanese cuisine.

But what about coffee?

Japanese specialty coffee culture is incredibly sophisticated, so it’s no surprise that a small but growing number of the country’s cafés offer omakase-style experiences.

Blue Bottle Studio in Kyoto is one of the most notable examples, with other locations also in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Seoul. The eight-course tasting menu showcases the roaster’s selection of limited-edition and high-quality coffees, including Gesha and Wush Wush. Guests are also served drinks made from coffee leaves, flowers, and cherries, as well as two complementary desserts which pair with different flavour profiles.

Eiichi Kunitomo is the founder of Koffee Mameya Kakeru – a coffee shop in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa known as Tokyo’s “coffee neighbourhood”. 

“’Kakeru’ means ‘multiplication’ in Japanese,” he says. “It means that we as baristas must create new value by combining different aspects of the coffee shop experience, and showcase our skills and knowledge through extraction. Just like enjoying a chef’s cooking at a fine dining restaurant, customers can take part in an extraordinary coffee experience while learning more about where it comes from.”

Eiichi tells me Koffee Mameya Kakeru offers seasonal, signature, and coffee cocktail omakase courses. Each one comes with a sweet or small savoury dish which complements the drinks, and a designated barista prepares and guides guests through the beverages served.

“Baristas have a responsibility to tell the story behind the coffee, but until now, there has been a limit as to how traditional coffee shops can do this,” he adds. “Omakase-style experience allows baristas to serve customers like they are judges at competitions.”

Elevating the customer experience

In an omakase-style dining service, the guest is always the focal point. Although the customer has to put their trust in the chef to serve excellent food, the chef also needs to pay close attention to how each guest reacts to certain dishes. Essentially, there is a symbiotic relationship between the two to offer a more intimate and refined experience.

“Japanese hospitality is heavily influenced by tea rituals and ceremonies, which have also impacted omakase dining experiences,” Eiichi says. “Similar to sushi restaurants, omakase also includes face-to-face interactions with the chef or barista so that customers can see everything that happens in the kitchen or behind the bar.

“This artisanal and craftsmanship-style of hospitality builds trust with guests, and aligns with the values and ethos of specialty coffee,” he adds.

Mikael Jasin is the founder of Omakafe in Indonesia – whose name is heavily inspired by the omakase concept. He emphasises that the decision to provide more personal and elevated service is to offer customers an experience that many have never had.

“We don’t want to add ‘noise’ to the specialty coffee scene,” he tells me. “We want to be a source of inspiration and do something different, which is why we chose this style of service.

“There are five options on the menu and it rotates every three months or so based on the different seasons,” he adds. “Customers can also tour our fermentation room and the prep kitchen.”

Café design is equally important

Ambience is an essential part of omakase, which means the design and atmosphere of the space has a huge impact on the overall experience. Many restaurants and coffee shops reserve only a small number of seats so that chefs and baristas can focus as much of their attention on guests as possible.

Eiichi believes that interior design also impacts how the guests perceive their coffee.

“Carefully-curated design enhances the quality of the coffee and the hard work of the baristas,” he tells me. “We also considered the differences between exterior and interior design so that stepping into the store opens up a completely different world.”

He explains that he worked closely with Koffee Mameya Kakeru’s art director Tomohiro Kato and architect Yosuke Hayashi to design a minimalist yet visually-striking U-shaped coffee bar where customers can sit to interact with the baristas.

But there are limitations to omakase in coffee shops

Given that omakase is a more intimate experience, it usually attracts a certain type of customer that is looking for a more formal and revered dining service.

“We usually serve coffee enthusiasts and foodies, many of whom don’t normally go to specialty coffee shops, but want to experience coffee in new ways,” Eiichi says. “Although you don’t need to have specific coffee knowledge to visit Koffee Mameya Kakeru, we ask that guests reserve seats in advance.”

Mikael, on the other hand, says Omakafe has brought in a more diverse range of customers.

“When we first opened we thought we would only serve nerdy coffee connoisseurs or baristas,” he says. “Most of our customers enjoy food and want to try different things, but they wouldn’t describe themselves as coffee or wine drinkers.”

At the same time, we need to acknowledge that choice is important for many consumers, and omakase is essentially a trust exercise that comes with a higher price tag. Guests need to feel comfortable and assured that baristas will choose high-quality coffee that suits their taste preferences, which requires years of expertise and skill.

Accounting for business and customer needs

To integrate omakase in their operations, coffee shops would have to invest in extensive training so that both staff and customers are comfortable with the more intimate and knowledgeable style of service. Naturally, this isn’t a realistic option for many.

Meanwhile, for some customers, the experience may be intimidating, or they may simply prefer to order exactly what they want. Ultimately, the decision to offer a personal dining experience is a careful one to consider.

Specialty coffee is always on the lookout for new ways to elevate the consumer experience, and omakase could raise the bar even higher. For some cafés, a fine dining coffee concept could offer a new way to engage with customers.

However, it’s clear that this model won’t work for every coffee business. Operators need to consider their own needs, as well as what their customers are looking for.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how aeration can improve coffee flavour.

Photo credits: Koffee Mameya Kakeru, Omakafe

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The same can also be said about coffee. Geographical constraints mean people in majority-consuming countries have little opportunity to engage with coffee production in more meaningful ways.

A big part of marketing in specialty coffee is making consumers feel more connected to producers, but there are limitations. Sharing information about origin or photos of producers doesn’t always help to bridge the gap in the supply chain.

In turn, there’s demand for new and more sustainable ways to experience food. One is the farm-to-table concept: a growing social movement in restaurants that promotes direct trade with local producers to use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. 

Coffee, however, is not “local” to majority-consuming countries, but there are ways that it can intersect with the farm-to-table movement.

Emanuele Dughera, Slow Food Coffee Coalition coordinator at Slow Food International, tells me more.

You may also like our article on the Slow Food philosophy in specialty coffee.

Farm-to-table and coffee: How does it work?

First and foremost, let’s define what farm-to-table really means. Also referred to as farm-to-fork, the movement was born from a shift in attitudes about food quality, freshness, and seasonality in the early 2000s. In a nutshell, it encourages restaurants to source high-quality and nutritious food and ingredients from local producers. 

The movement encompasses a wide range of goods, including wine, beer, meat, fish, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. Ultimately, the goal of the farm-to-table concept is to improve food traceability and inform consumers about where these products come from to bridge knowledge gaps in supply chains.

It’s important to point out that there are many comparisons between farm-to-table and the Slow Food philosophy, which has been embraced by the specialty coffee industry.

Emanuele Dughera is the Slow Food Coffee Coalition coordinator at Slow Food International – a network of producers, traders, companies, chefs, and consumers invested in improving food traceability and quality.

“Slow Food is a global movement working to ensure good, clean, and fair food for all,” he tells me. “We cultivate a worldwide network of local communities and activists who safeguard cultural and biological diversity, promote food education and traditional knowledge, and influence food and agricultural policies in public and private sectors.”

He further explains the three main principles of Slow Food philosophy:

• Good – ensuring all people have access to delicious, healthy, and culturally-appropriate food
• Clean – supporting local and resilient food systems which regenerate natural resources and safeguard ecosystems and wildlife
• Fair – building value chains based on solidarity, cooperation, inclusion, and equality that benefit and empower all supply chain actors and stakeholders

Where does coffee fit in?

The similarities between these principles and the values of specialty coffee are easy to identify, which led Emanuele to start the Slow Food Coffee Coalition a little over three years ago.

“It’s an international, open, and collaborative network that works to unite everyone in the coffee supply chain,” he explains. “We improve representation of producers to raise consumer awareness and coffee knowledge, and we believe that sensory quality and good agricultural practices go hand in hand.” 

Circling back to the farm-to-table movement, however, specialty coffee’s place becomes less clear. Although producers, roasters, traders, and consumers can certainly work to improve coffee quality and freshness, the product itself is not “local” to where most people in the world consume it.

Majority-consuming markets such as North America, Europe, and Australia are located far away from countries where coffee is grown, which is essentially at odds with some of the values of the farm-to-table movement. Without an emphasis on sourcing local produce, many may argue that coffee can’t be a part of the farm-to-table concept.

Exploring the farm-to-table movement in producing countries

Looking beyond major export markets, the farm-to-table concept is more applicable. In different regions of producing countries, coffee is, of course, a local product – which makes the movement more fitting in these contexts.

Moreover, specialty coffee consumption is growing in some of these countries, which presents even more opportunities to increase consumer awareness of high-quality and traceable coffee.

“People in an increasing number of producing countries have started to drink more specialty coffee,” Emanuele says. “Although coffee may not always be locally-sourced in these places, awareness of drinking better quality coffee is at least increasing at a national level.”

According to research from the Specialty Coffee Association, Brazil’s specialty coffee market share doubled between 2016 and 2018 from 6% to 12%. Similarly, specialty coffee accounts for between 3% and 5% of Colombia’s total coffee consumption. In 2018, the estimated value of the Colombian specialty coffee market was around US $1.52 billion, and is sure to have grown since.

Overall, specialty coffee consumption in producing countries remains comparatively low to majority-consuming markets. But as targeted, policy-driven initiatives and a growing middle class help to drive interest in specialty coffee in these regions, some producers may be able to leverage this to their advantage. This could range from selling more of their coffees in the domestic market to partnering with local roasters to hosting on-farm tastings and cuppings for consumers to experience coffee as close as possible to its origin.

Inevitably, not all producers (especially smallholders) will have the capacity or resources to do this, but it presents a valuable way to help consumers feel more engaged with where their coffee comes from.

Improving consumer awareness of the supply chain

Similar to Slow Food philosophy, the farm-to-table movement is an opportunity for consumers to experience coffee in more conscious and appreciative ways.

“Networking is a huge part of the farm-to-table and Slow Food movements,” Emanuele says. “One way to include specialty coffee could be to connect chefs, restaurateurs, and consumers in export markets to local roasters so they can better understand and appreciate coffee.

“It’s also important to communicate to people that their coffee purchasing decisions have an impact on the climate,” he adds. “We all need to think more about the environmental footprint of our daily coffee intake.”

Emanuele explains how the Slow Food Coffee Coalition has worked with the SCA to improve awareness of how coffee is grown.

“The SFCC and SCA have many common shared values, and by working together, we have raised consumer awareness. The Slow Food network is made up of thousands of consumers who have started to ask more questions about coffee, so together, we can bring about significant change to the value chain,” he says. “The focus should be on the pivotal role of farmers, as well as how vital it is to safeguard nature and biodiversity to secure a sustainable future for coffee production.”

Specialty coffee’s place in the farm-to-table movement is nuanced and complex, but it presents roasters (and some producers) with an opportunity to engage with consumers on a deeper level.

Although coffee will never be local to majority-consuming countries, consumers can buy from local roasters who source high-quality, traceable coffee. In doing so, we can bridge knowledge gaps in the supply chain and make people feel more connected to the coffee they drink.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on the link between artisan bread and specialty coffee.

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The conversation about how coffee shops have become the new co-working space has been ongoing for some time now, especially following the pandemic. But opinions very much remain divided, and for good reason. 

From a business owner’s perspective, remote workers can decrease revenue, increase monthly bills, and impede the natural social dynamic of coffee shops. In turn, a growing number of them are choosing to go “offline” – ranging from no wifi to total bans on laptops. 

On the other hand, cafés need to cater to a diverse range of customers – and this should (within reason) include people who want to use their laptops and phones.

To find out whether offline coffee shops have a place in the industry, I spoke to Ralf Rüller, founder of The Barn Coffee Roasters, and Raf Młodzianowski, founder of Raf & Co.

You may also like our article on whether coffee shops should ban laptops.

Why technology has a place in coffee shops

Since the 17th century, coffee shops have embodied many characteristics of the third place. But it wasn’t until 1989 that sociologist Ray Oldenburg officially coined the term. With home being the first place and work as the second place, coffee shops (and other hospitality businesses) serve as the third place: a relaxed public environment that encourages social interaction.

There are eight defining characteristics, according to Oldenburg:

• Neutral ground
• No focus on an individual’s social or economic status
• A home away from home
• Conversation as the main activity
• A playful mood
• A low profile
• Accessibility
• Regular patrons

Many coffee shops certainly meet this criteria. Looking specifically at “conversation as the main activity”, however, it can be argued that this has changed in recent years, with more and more remote workers posting up in cafés across the world.

For example, based on data from a recent Forbes article, only 4.7% of UK employees worked from home prior to the pandemic. In 2024, an estimated 14% of people in the country continue to work remotely. 

While many of these workers may prefer the comfort of their own homes, coffee shops also provide a reliable and more affordable alternative to co-working spaces – especially those with adequate seating, power outlets, and stable wifi.

Moreover, when remote workers are mindful of how long they stay in coffee shops, they can provide a steady revenue stream on a regular basis, and can even help strengthen the sense of community in these spaces – as long as they engage with the people around them.

Considering business’ needs: The backlash against laptops

It’s a common belief that a busy coffee shop will attract more customers – indicating that the food, drinks, and service are all high quality. A café full of remote workers, however, can create an entirely different atmosphere that is much less inviting.

In response to this, some coffee shops have taken measures to minimise the number of remote workers, including:

• Signs on tables which encourage people to not “overstay”
• Not providing wifi to deter people from using laptops
• Reserving a few seats or tables for laptop use
• Total bans on laptops
• Offering dedicated subscription services for seat reservations

While these efforts can seem alienating, coffee shop operators and baristas have good reason to implement them.

Ralf Rüller is the founder of The Barn in Berlin, Germany – a pioneering specialty coffee roaster.

“From a business perspective, it’s not sustainable to run a coffee shop if your seats and tables are occupied for hours for one cup of coffee in return,” he tells me. “Rents are simply too high, and staff costs have doubled in the past ten years, while the price of a flat white has not.”

Customer turnover is crucial

Now more than ever, it’s become even more important for café operators to manage costs and margins effectively. According to data from the BBC, UK food prices reached a 45-year high in 2023, while the US and Europe also experienced rising inflation rates.

For coffee shop operators and staff, this is a real concern. As many businesses have to absorb some of these rising food and energy costs – tightening already slim profit margins – their customers have also started paying higher prices, too.

With this in mind, maintaining regular customer turnover is essential, but remote workers can certainly hinder these efforts.

Raf Młodzianowski is the founder of coffee consultancy Raf & Co. He is also a Q grader and the territory sales manager for green coffee importer Omwani Coffee Company.

“Digital workers often stay in their seats for long periods and have very low spend,” he points out. “This means a table that could have two to four customers with approximately one-hour rotations is used by one person for multiple hours.”

Going offline: Reclaiming social culture in coffee shops

In response to the growing nomadic working culture, a handful of coffee shops around the world have decided to go “offline”. This means no wifi and laptops, and in some cases, no screens at all – including phones and tablets.

There is certainly a case for making this decision, as Raf tells me.

“For the purpose of meeting friends or enjoying free time, offline coffee shops work best,” he says. “They also make a great third space and encourage more discussion and socialising.”

Ralf adds to this, stating: “In a world where face-to-face interaction has become less prevalent, coffee shops play a key role acting as a third place. Physical exchange with voice, tone, expression, emotion, and empathy are crucial to customer satisfaction.”

Although deciding to go offline can help strengthen the sense of community in a coffee shop, there are still many important factors to account for.

Raf acknowledges that some digital workers are regulars who provide steady income to cafés, so operators may risk losing these customers. 

“I sometimes find myself falling into this category, mainly due to travelling for work,” he tells me. “I don’t like working remotely, but if I need to, I will find a café with stable wifi and it will become my go-to place while I’m in the area.”

Is there a middle ground?

Limiting wifi or banning screens has the potential to alienate certain customers, so is it possible for coffee shops to remain inclusive?

“I know of many coffee shops that have ‘offline’ hours,” Raf says. “These places will happily let customers work outside of rush hours, which many guests are happy to accommodate.”

Ralf mentions that at The Barn, there are dedicated spaces for laptop users, which helps to create a welcoming environment for all types of customers.

“We have always tried to find a balance,” he explains. “The best option for us is to have designated laptop tables and seats to serve all types of customers and not completely exclude remote workers.”

Why location is essential

The decision to go “offline” is one that needs to be made carefully, but a coffee shop’s location will have a huge impact on whether they find success.

Cafés in residential neighbourhoods, tourist hotspots, and more rural areas are likely to see positive results, as customers will inevitably value social interaction more in these locations.

On the other hand, coffee businesses in university towns could experience some backlash to going offline. Students often look for places to work, and coffee shops can be some of the best options. For café operators in these areas, implementing laptop bans or not providing wifi might not work in their favour.

It’s a similar situation for coffee shops in bigger cities. Most customers visiting these locations will expect stable wifi and staff that are happy for them to use laptops, phones, and tablets. If not, cafés would risk losing out on significant revenue.

Laptops in coffee shops will always divide the opinion of both baristas and customers. But for business operators, choosing to go “offline” requires careful consideration.

For some, providing a space free from screens and remote workers could prove successful. Conversely, it may not be the best decision for others. Either way, offline coffee shops are definitely a reality, and serve an important purpose in the industry.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on our article on the reemergence of the neighbourhood coffee shop.

Photo credits: The Barn Coffee Roasters

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Common in the wine and craft beer industries too, tasting menus or flights allow customers to sample a selection of coffee beverages – including espresso, filter, and milk-based drinks. 

Baristas can also have the freedom to be as creative as they want with these menu options. Serving different processing methods, origins, and varieties can be a unique way to showcase the full spectrum of flavour and mouthfeel.

So as increasingly rare and exclusive coffees become more popular, tasting flights could be a useful tool for cafés and roasters to introduce more people to specialty coffee.

To find out more, I spoke to Reef Bessette, co-founder of The Coffee Movement, and Amy Chow, Marketing Officer at Moving Coffee.

You may also like our article on how different shaped cups affect coffee flavour.

What are the different types of coffee flights?

A tasting flight is a concept that not all coffee consumers will be familiar with. In the wine and craft beer industries, however, tasting menus have become increasingly popular in recent years. 

Bartenders or sommeliers typically serve three to five small samples of various beers and wines at the same time. This allows customers to experience different flavours, compare sensory profiles (i.e. a Chardonnay and a Pinot Grigio, or an IPA and a Gose), and learn more about beer and wine making.

Although coffee flights are much more niche, a small but growing number of specialty cafés and roasters are including them on their menus – especially businesses which sell more premium and exclusive coffees.

Reef Bessette is a co-founder of The Coffee Movement, a coffee shop and lab in San Francisco, California. He is also the 2023 Coffee Masters NYC Champion and US Barista Championship finalist.

“Unless you work in a café or have an impressive home bar set up, most people rarely have the opportunity to taste and compare different coffees in one sitting,” he says. “Tasting flights provide customers with that opportunity. We serve coffee in sample-sized glasses for a comfortable, at-your-own-pace tasting experience.”

There are several types of coffee flights, including:

• Espresso – usually with different origins, varieties, or processing methods
• Filter or pour over – similar to espresso flights, used to showcase differences between various origins, varieties, and processing methods  
• Brewing method – a specific coffee prepared in three different ways, such as espresso, pour over, and small milk-based drink (e.g. piccolo or cortado)
• Roast profile – often ranging from light to dark to demonstrate how roast level can change coffee flavour
• Cup or vessel – allows customers to experience how the shape or material of drinking vessels can impact flavour and aroma perception

How can baristas serve tasting flights?

Tasting flights can be one of the most creative ways for baristas to showcase the diversity of flavours and aromas in coffee. But for coffee shops interested in adding flights to their menus, a little bit of guidance can go a long way.

Reef tells me his team serves a filter coffee flight, as well as one coffee prepared in three different ways: filter, espresso, and piccolo.

“We serve three coffees in 4oz (118ml) glasses,” he says. “Customers can choose if they want to experience how different brew methods affect the flavour of a single coffee or to taste how wildly different coffees can be even with the same brew method.”

Amy Chow is the Marketing Officer at Moving Coffee, a roaster and tasting lab in Vancouver BC, Canada. She explains that Moving Coffee offers single origin espresso, pour over, and cappuccino flights (which includes two cappuccinos and a filter coffee), a single origin coffee three ways (espresso, filter, and piccolo), and the Figgjo Oslo cup set filter flight. 

These three distinct cups are Tulipan (cone-shaped), Splitt (wide mouth), and Åpen (classic U-shape), and are some of the first commercially-available drinking vessels specifically designed to highlight different characteristics of coffee. For example, the Tulipan cups can be paired with coffees that have lower acidity levels, while the Splitt cups are used for coffees with intense fruity and floral aromas and brighter acidities. The Åpen cups, meanwhile, pair well with coffees that have fruity characteristics and medium-intense acidities

“Customers can choose their desired flight format and coffees, or they can go for an ‘omakase’ style experience,” Amy says. “Omakase” is a Japanese phrase used when ordering in restaurants that largely translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” in English – indicating that the customer wants the chef to choose their dishes.

Should they be served a certain way?

There are no specific rules for coffee flights, so coffee shops can take their own unique approach to serving them that’s in line with their values and branding.

“To enhance the flavour experience, we serve all of our flights with no cream and sugar, and most with no milk,” Amy says. “We also provide information cards with tasting notes.”

Reef, on the other hand, emphasises that accounting for consumer preferences is also important: “Coffee is such a personal experience, so while we do recommend tasting filter coffee black, or drinking piccolos made with cow’s milk, we also offer a side of cream, sugar, and alternative milk upon request.”

He adds that guiding customers – especially those who are newer to specialty coffee – can also be helpful.

“When ordering something like a flight, customers are usually open to recommendations and new experiences, but if you want your guests to have the best chance of truly enjoying it, you sometimes need to bridge the gap to make the experience more comfortable,” he explains. “Not everyone will drink light roast experimental process espresso, and that’s okay.

“While we also recommend tasting coffee after it’s cooled to experience different flavours, we believe everyone should serve or experience flights in their own way – no order and no rules,” he continues.

Will tasting flights become more popular in specialty coffee?

With an ever-growing range of brew methods, new processing methods, and “rediscovered” varieties – as well as a bigger emphasis on enhancing the customer experience – tasting flights are sure to remain popular among coffee enthusiasts. But will we ever see them really take off in specialty coffee?

“I see more and more flights or tasting experiences popping up all the time in the coffee industry,” Reef says. “There’s no doubt they’re very popular, and I believe interest in these kinds of offerings will only grow in the future. 

“If we look at other industries like craft beer and wine bars, tasting flights have been a staple on menus for years and continue to gain popularity,” he adds.

Amy agrees, saying: “With our vision of ‘Moving Specialty Coffee Forward’, we aim to broaden people’s understanding of what specialty coffee truly embodies. Our tasting flights serve as one of the most effective means to achieve this goal.”

Tasting flights are a simple yet effective way for baristas to showcase just how diverse and exciting specialty coffee is. Although they may not suit every customer’s needs, adding coffee flights to a menu can be both a unique selling point and a useful tool to introduce more people to specialty coffee.

If coffee shops or roasters decide to include tasting menus as part of their offerings, creativity is fundamental. In turn, they can provide a one-of-a-kind experience to their customers and inspire others to learn more about coffee.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how aeration can improve coffee flavour.

Photo credits: Moving Coffee

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The report also found that US specialty coffee consumption was up by 7.5% on the previous year, with espresso-based drinks leading the trend. So as the global specialty coffee market grows, so too does consumer knowledge and interest – especially alongside a huge focus on consumer education following the pandemic.

Essentially, more and more people want to know how to make café-quality drinks at home. But to do so, they also need high-quality equipment and tools. In turn, coffee equipment manufacturers have shifted their attention to the burgeoning “prosumer” market – and have developed more intuitive machines and brewing equipment for consumers to use at home.

So how has the coffee prosumer market changed in recent years, and how could it evolve even further? To find out, I spoke to Josh Hockin, Head of Coffee at Eight Ounce Coffee. 

You may also like our article on how home coffee machines are evolving.

Home coffee equipment has come a long way

People the world over have been making coffee at home for centuries. But in comparison to the market today, home brewing equipment has largely been fairly rudimentary – think basic stove top percolators, for example.

So when bean-to-cup machines first launched (fully or semi-automatic systems which grind and brew coffee, including milk-based drinks), the way people prepared coffee at home changed forever. As equipment became more technologically advanced, consumers were able to make a more diverse range of coffee beverages to a higher quality standard than ever before.

The same can be said for the impact that capsules had on the at-home coffee market – particularly Nespresso. Launched by Swiss multinational Nestlé in 1986, the machines were designed to produce espresso-style drinks.

But it was two years later, when Jean-Paul Gaillard joined the company, that Nespresso changed its marketing strategies. Rather than targeting the product to businesses, Gaillard switched up Nespresso’s branding – instead marketing the capsules as “luxury” products.

Once again, the home coffee equipment market had changed forever. Both convenience and quality held equal importance among consumers – with drinking higher-quality coffee becoming more of a lifestyle.

How do we define a coffee “prosumer”?

“Prosumer” often means an individual who both produces and consumes. In the coffee industry, however, the term means something slightly different.

Josh Hockin is the Head of Coffee at Eight Ounce Coffee in Alberta, Canada – a specialty coffee equipment distributor which supplies machines and tools to cafés across North America.

“Personally, I define a prosumer as someone who has turned coffee into a hobby, or even a ritual,” he says. “Their approach to making coffee can intersect with their other interests as well. Some are more technically inclined and will dive into the mechanics of their equipment, others are rigorous tasters and like to fine-tune their extractions, and some people focus more on aesthetics. 

“I know people who are devout home roasters and others who know everything about paper filter porosity,” he adds. “What they all have in common is that they put a lot of effort into the decisions they make when purchasing their home equipment and coffee – they want to achieve specific results.”

Essentially, a prosumer is someone who invests in making specialty coffee at home. Naturally, however, people’s budgets can vary significantly – ranging from having a US $5,000 single group head espresso machine or a more simple pour over setup. The key element is having a keen interest in and passion for making specialty coffee at home.

How social media has influenced the coffee prosumer

Social media has certainly helped facilitate the growth of specialty coffee. And with the rising prominence of influencer figures in the industry over the past few years, coffee prosumers also have their own distinct presence on social media.

“I think more than any big trend in home coffee equipment, social media has had the biggest influence on coffee prosumerism,” Josh says. “Anyone who may be interested in learning more about specialty coffee now has so many easily accessible resources in as many formats as they could ever want.

“Coffee hobbyists used to get together on forums like atl.coffee, Home Barista, and Coffeed to ask questions, share knowledge, and build their community,” he adds. “This space has now expanded into YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.”

In line with this, the design of home coffee equipment – particularly espresso machines and grinders – has become much more visually appealing.

“The aesthetics of home coffee equipment has turned into Pinterest and Instagram-worthy setups, which more and more consumers can appreciate,” Josh tells me.

Covid-19 and home coffee consumption

Although the pandemic had a largely negative impact on the out-of-home coffee market, there was a boom in at-home consumption during this time.

“We saw a steep rise in home specialty coffee equipment sales,” Josh says. “Folks who shifted to working from home needed to replace their daily coffee break at a local café with something they could make at home.

“Similarly, people were looking for other ways to fill their time with hobbies,” he adds. “I remember sourdough bread baking taking off in the early months of the pandemic, and the same held true for brewing specialty coffee at home.”

To recreate café-quality beverages themselves, many consumers invested in higher-quality equipment – including premium home espresso machines and higher price point grinders. But to get the best results, it was important that consumers knew how to use this equipment.

In response to the sharp rise in at-home consumption, many roasters and coffee shops offered remote online courses or educational platforms to assist with more of the technical skills, including:

• Steaming milk
• Dialling in espresso
• Pouring latte art

Ultimately, this has led to more informed and educated consumers – meaning the prosumer market has evolved even further.

So what’s ahead?

Josh says that many consumers – but especially the prosumer segment – have retained their interest in preparing specialty coffee at home since Covid-19.

“We have not seen a post-pandemic shift away from at-home consumption so far,” he tells me. “I think that as people have learned that a deep dive into specialty coffee doesn’t necessarily mean dropping US $4,000 on a home espresso set-up, more and more people are willing to try it out.

“A growing number of people are also drinking more advanced processing methods and boutique varieties that have become more widely available,” he adds. “They feel more comfortable trying new things because they can learn from online sources or baristas at their local coffee shop.”

Josh also foresees that the prosumer market will continue to have a significant impact on the wider coffee industry.

“Prosumers on coffee forums often post about ‘temperature surfing’ to achieve an optimal temperature range on their home espresso machines, which in turn has influenced manufacturers to improve the technology of their machines. This is just one example of how prosumerism is affecting the coffee industry, and I would argue that we’re all better off for it.

“As our understanding of roasting and brewing deepens, making excellent coffee becomes easier for more people, so more people drink better coffee – it’s a virtuous cycle,” he concludes.

As specialty coffee consumption grows, so too does the “prosumer” market – with home coffee equipment becoming even more technologically advanced and intuitive.

Simultaneously, prosumers will continue to shape the wider specialty coffee sector – and push consumer standards even further.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how you can make better espresso at home.

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This can certainly make it challenging for specialty coffee brands to capture the interest of younger generations. In order to do so, roasters and coffee companies need to come up with innovative ways to keep specialty coffee new, fresh, and intriguing.

To learn more, I spoke to Genevieve Kappler, Director of Coffee at Roasting Plant, Savina Giachgia, Coffee Expert at Nestlé Professional, and Drew Dennehy, co-founder of THREE Specialty Coffee Roasters.

You may also like our article exploring how specialty coffee consumers have changed in recent years.

Gen Z’s growing influence on specialty coffee

We often talk about the impact that millennials have had on the coffee industry, and rightly so. According to data from a recent National Coffee Data Trends report, 65% of people aged 25 to 39 reported drinking coffee in the past day – a record high for the NCDT series among this demographic. 

In the same study, 46% of Gen Z respondents (people born in 1997 and beyond) also said the same, representing a 10% increase on figures in the previous report. So it’s clear that younger generations are having a huge influence on the coffee market, too.

One of the most noticeable is the huge push for convenience – but not at the expense of quality and flavour. Given their generally faster-paced and on-the-go lifestyles, Gen Z tend to favour ready-to-drink coffee options, such as canned or bottled cold brew, that better suit their needs.

Moreover, younger generations increasingly prioritise sustainability and transparency in their purchasing decisions. A study from the World Economic Forum found that out of all age groups, Gen Z stated sustainability was more important than brand name when making purchasing decisions. And this trend certainly extends to coffee as well.

Genevieve Kappler is the Director of Coffee at Roasting Plant – a US and UK roaster which uses its patented Javabot system to customise roast profiles.

“If you are a coffee business looking to engage with younger generations, always have it at the forefront of your business plan,” she says. “Younger people care more about consumer experiences and sustainability than any generation before them.”

The power of social media: Connecting with younger consumers

It’s fair to say that Gen Z is by far one of the most trend-driven age groups. So understanding how younger generations behave, as well as their general interests, can help the specialty coffee industry to stay ahead of upcoming trends – and continue to stay “exciting” and current.

Social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, have become powerful tools for reaching younger audiences, especially given Gen Z’s growing need to receive instant gratification, with access to information and products available at the tap of a phone screen. 

This behaviour also extends to their spending habits, as they are the most likely age group to make impulse purchases.

Drew Dennehy is the co-founder of THREE Specialty Coffee Roasters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He tells me he recently read a statistic which indicated that up to 60% of Gen Z coffee consumers were first introduced to specialty coffee through TikTok – showcasing its huge potential to increase engagement.

“Brands should utilise platforms like TikTok and Instagram,” he says. “For longer-form content, podcasts and YouTube are better suited to communicate bigger ideas, such as sustainability and farm gate pricing.”

Genevieve echoes his thoughts, saying: “Businesses need to keep an eye on what is trending on social media, especially Instagram and TikTok, and they need to use these platforms to engage with their younger customers.” 

It’s important to remember, however, that each social media platform requires different types of content and its own unique approach. For instance, TikTok’s short-form videos often include trending songs, voice overs, and text overlay, while Instagram has a variety of post formats – ranging from photos to stories to reels.

Creating meaningful connections

On top of knowing how to use different social media platforms as effectively as possible, specialty coffee brands need to make sure their content is authentic if they want to resonate with younger consumers.

As well as being a Coffee Expert at Nestlé Professional, Savina Giachgia is the 2023 World Brewers Cup runner up. She points out that now more than ever, coffee companies need to showcase their brand values front and centre to establish a meaningful connection through social media.

“Coffee brands should listen to and care about what young people have to say,” she says. “They need to incorporate these messages and references into their branding to make it feel more current and relatable.”

At the same time, however, these marketing strategies still need to come across as genuine and real, especially when talking about sustainability.

“To see the most success, you need to balance content focused on Gen Z’s stated values – such as quality, sustainability, and café experiences – alongside their actual purchasing preferences, like sweetened and cold coffee beverages,” Drew tells me. “Creating compelling visuals and messaging, and distributing them through channels where they consume content, is key.”

So how do we keep coffee “exciting”?

With Gen Z always seeking new experiences and products, coffee brands not only need to stay on top of current trends, but to also keep an eye out for emerging technologies and innovation.

“Now, it’s about leveraging technology to improve profitability and elevate the consumer experience,” Drew says. “In the coming years, we’ll see the rise of even more convenient solutions like high-quality vending machine coffee.”

RTD and cold coffee have certainly captured the attention of younger consumers, so if they have the resources available, roasters and coffee shops should seriously consider tapping into this market to reap the benefits.

“Young people think of coffee as a lifestyle. They are more curious to learn to enrich their understanding of it,” Savina says. “Additionally, they usually visit coffee shops as places to work and socialise, so enjoying their cup of coffee is like a ritual.

“Companies that go above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service build strong relationships, too,” she adds.

Drew agrees, telling me: “Customer service is and always will be king. Coffee businesses need to care about their customers’ experiences and how their staff communicate.”

Remaining accessible

Although the specialty coffee sector needs to be engaging and fresh to connect with a younger audience, we also need to keep in mind that a more simplistic approach can still be effective – especially with those who are less informed about coffee.

“The language of specialty coffee, including supply chain and ‘farm to cup’ terms, can muddy the waters and confuse customers,” Drew says. “We should simplify language used in our communications – whether it’s spoken, in social media captions, or artwork on coffee packaging. 

“We need to tailor the experience and journey of younger consumers who are new to specialty coffee,” he adds.

As the coffee industry continues to adapt and evolve, it’s clear that connecting with younger generations requires a deep understanding of their values, preferences, and behaviours. 

By leveraging social media, hopping on upcoming trends, and understanding how to customise experiences, coffee brands can stay current and relevant with Gen Z consumers. It’s equally important, however, to remain authentic and genuine in your marketing strategies to really make an impact – and keep the industry as “exciting” as possible.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article exploring how specialty coffee is evolving outside of more established markets.

Photo credits: Savina Giachgia, THREE Specialty Coffee Roasters, Roasting Plant London

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A small but growing number of brands (typically more premium roasters), however, have also started to print cup scores on their packaging. While this is certainly an indication of a coffee’s quality, do consumers take it into consideration when choosing their beans?

To find out more, I spoke to Will Corby, Director of Coffee and Social Impact at Pact Coffee, and Heather Perry, CEO of Klatch Coffee. 

You may also like our article on whether the new SCA cupping form and protocol will add value to specialty coffee.

Who uses cupping scores?

First and foremost, let’s clarify what cup scores actually are.

Industry professionals assign coffee scores during cuppings. This practice was first introduced in the 1980s by the Specialty Coffee Association as a standardised way to evaluate a coffee’s sensory characteristics – and to ultimately distinguish specialty coffee from commercial-grade beans.

Cuppings are typically carried out by Q graders, who are trained by the Coffee Quality Institute to analyse and grade coffee. During a cupping, the following categories are graded on a scale of one to ten using a dedicated form:

• Fragrance/aroma
• Flavour
• Aftertaste
• Acidity
• Body
• Uniformity
• Balance
• Cleanliness
• Sweetness
• Overall score

The scores in every category are then added together (subtracting any defects) to achieve the final cup score.

“The purpose of cup scores is to define a coffee’s intrinsic quality and, therefore, value,” Will explains. “A specialty coffee must score at least 80 points.”

Essentially, cup scores are largely used to communicate coffee quality between industry professionals – especially roasters, green buyers, and producers.

“Internally, we use cupping scores to track the progress of an individual producer’s quality over the years that we purchase their coffee,” Will tells me. “We also use this as a metric to compare coffee quality across individual countries.”

Cup scores on coffee packaging

Many consumers expect to see a certain set of information on coffee bags – including origin, variety, processing method, and even the name of the farm or producer who grew the coffee. Effectively, this information lets people know what flavours and aromas they can expect before buying it.

Considering, however, that cup score is arguably the most objective way of measuring coffee quality, a small number of roasters have started to print them on coffee bags.

Coffee enthusiasts and industry professionals are more likely to factor in cup scores when buying their coffee for personal consumption. But the question then arises: do consumers even notice when cup scores are included on packaging? And do they really mean anything to coffee drinkers?

“I think cupping scores can be confusing for consumers,” Will says. “I think this is a result of cuppers having a tendency to score specific attributes that are more commonly the preference of buyers.”

He adds that placing too much emphasis on cup score when choosing a coffee can be to “the detriment of their personal experience, as they may often choose a higher-scoring coffee over one which best matches their flavour preferences.”

Even though a score above 80 is considered specialty grade – and likely high quality – consumers may inadvertently value higher-scoring coffees over lower-scoring ones. Will, however, points out that consumers tend to have a much broader set of preferences than industry professionals.

“That can often mean coffees scoring 85 points, for example, could be significantly closer to the individual’s flavour preferences – and therefore add more value and increase enjoyment – than a coffee scoring 87 points, despite having a higher score,” he adds.

Other important factors to consider when buying coffee

When buying coffee, consumers are much more likely to look for information on packaging that they are familiar with.

“Traditionally, consumer decisions are based on origins, roast profile, and ‘strength’,” Will says.

Flavour notes also play a significant role in the decision-making process for consumers, largely because they can provide familiar and comfortable reference points.

“Blends are still some of the most popular products for all roasters (even in specialty coffee) because they allow people to repeatedly buy their favourite beans,” Heather explains. “Consumers have learnt what to care about when it comes to buying coffee, and that has never been based on scores.

“Many roasters don’t usually put cup scores on bags, primarily because the majority of coffees would score in the 80s – and that isn’t really what people want to see,” she adds. “There is so much more to a coffee, and why we buy it, than just the score.”

For more experienced coffee drinkers, detailed information on coffee bags can be helpful. However, Heather points out that many newcomers to specialty coffee could find this intimidating.

“Most specialty shops sell a lot more milk-based beverages, so when it comes to buying beans for home brewing, people usually buy coffee at a good price point that seems like it will taste good,” she says.

Additionally, sustainability has become another major purchasing factor. A 2023 Business of Sustainability Index survey found that 66% of US adults are willing to pay a higher price for a sustainable product, while 69% also take a product’s environmental impact into account – including coffee.

And ultimately, roasters must clearly communicate what consumers should be able to expect from their coffee. This information should make it easy for someone to find a coffee they love and can continue buying – or potentially try something new.

Will cup scores become more important to consumers in the future?

While cup scores could undoubtedly appear on more coffee packaging, they could have a more significant impact in the future as consumers become more educated about specialty coffee.

Will, however, believes there are better ways to generate value for consumers than cup scores. 

“I don’t think we will give consumers a product that is best for them by communicating cup scores, and this means we won’t add more value at origin,” he says.

Heather, meanwhile, tells me that cup scores can also create unnecessary bias, which could potentially have negative consequences for producers. 

“An 84-point coffee can be delicious, but people want to buy what they value themselves, so they may think they deserve a coffee with a higher score,” she tells me. “Unless someone develops a scoring method designed specifically for consumer preferences, I don’t see more cup scores being added to packaging any time soon.”

Many industry professionals use cup scores to dictate coffee quality and pricing. Beyond this, though, we don’t often see cup scores reach the end consumer – and they therefore don’t have a significant impact on their buying habits.

Nonetheless, specialty coffee roasters should provide customers with clear information to make it easier for them to find flavour profiles they will enjoy.

“Using industry-specific language only excludes consumers and potentially decreases their interest in specialty coffee,” Will concludes.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on what cupping can tell producers about their coffee.

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But although people the world over enjoy coffee, the preferred brew method certainly varies from country to country. While Scandinavia, North America, and Japan are known for their love of filter coffee, some European countries (especially Italy) drink much more espresso. Simultaneously, many people in coffee-producing regions continue to brew coffee in more traditional ways.

Ultimately, it appears to boil down to cultural preferences and different customs. So where is filter coffee the most popular and could this ever change in the coming years?

To find out more, I spoke to Professor Jonathan Morris, author of Coffee: A Global History and co-host of the History of Coffee podcast, and Peter Giuliano, Executive Director at Coffee Science Foundation. 

You may also like our article on why the US loves filter coffee.

A history of filter coffee

Brewed, drip, batch brew – all terms we can use interchangeably with filter coffee. 

Peter Giuliano is the Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation – an organisation which serves as the research arm of the Specialty Coffee Association. He tells me that the term “filter coffee” didn’t become popular until about ten years ago, largely driven by the growing specialty coffee market.

As well as being a podcast host and author, Professor Jonathan Morris is a Research Professor in Modern European History at the University of Hertfordshire – and is also known as “the coffee historian”. 

“Filter coffee belongs to the percolation brewing method category,” he says. “This is when hot water passes through a bed of ground coffee, which is primarily a 19th century innovation.”

In fact, percolation was the preferred brewing method across almost all of Europe between the late 18th and 19th centuries – before the invention of the first espresso machine, of course. 

There are some key differences between percolation and filter brewing methods, however:

• Percolation: coffee is brewed by continuously heating or boiling water through coffee grounds using gravity
  • The grounds are usually added to a perforated metal filter basket to keep them separate from the water
• Filter: fresh water passes through a bed of ground coffee
  • Different types of filters (whether paper, metal, or cloth) keep the grounds separate from the water

Filter coffee around the world

In his book All About Coffee, William H. Ukers describes the method of brewing coffee in France at the turn of the 20th century as: “prepared by the drip, or true percolator method”. Ukers also describes the “drip” method as the preferred way to prepare coffee in Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and even Italy at the time. 

It was, however, with the invention of the first-ever commercially available paper filters that filter coffee (as we would describe it today) really started to take off across the world. In 1908, German entrepreneur Amalie Auguste Melitta Bentz tried to brew coffee using a brass pot (with a few holes punched through) and some blotting paper to separate the grounds from the extracted coffee.

The result was a much cleaner and brighter tasting coffee. And so, the modern day filter brewing method was born. Since then, different countries have developed their own take on filter coffee.

So where is filter coffee the most popular?

At a quick glance, it’s very easy to see which countries drink the most filter coffee.

One of the most obvious is the US. Research from the National Coffee Association shows that filter coffee was the number-one preparation method in the country in 2023, with 41% of “past-day” consumers using filter coffee brewers.

Filter coffee is also popular both in and out of home in the US. Following the immense rise in popularity of automated home filter machines in the 1970s, it’s fair to assume that most US households today own one.

Another obvious choice is Scandinavia. In the 1900s, there was an alcohol prohibition in Norway – in addition to high taxes on alcoholic beverages in other Scandinavian countries – which led many people to start drinking more coffee.

Kokekaffe became a popular traditional full immersion brewing method in the region – and even has its own world championship. And since the explosive growth of influential Scandinavian specialty coffee roasters, an overwhelming preference for lighter roast profiles has kept filter brewing methods on top.

Japanese consumers also tend to opt for filter coffee over other brewing methods. This is largely the result of kissatens (art deco-style coffee shops) opening in the country in the early 1900s. These places had – and still continue to have – a more stripped back approach by focusing solely on serving black hand-poured filter coffee and tea.

Other countries

Although we tend to think of the US, Scandinavia, and Japan as the biggest filter coffee consumers, there are other parts of the world where consumers prefer variations of this brewing method – mostly because of local customs and traditions of preparing coffee.

Indian filter coffee (or filter kaapi), for example, is made using a cylindrical metal brewer and filter. As this drink traditionally contains a small amount of chicory, many people add milk, sugar, or honey to sweeten it.

Across Latin America, there are many traditional filter brewing methods, including:

• The café chorreado in Costa Rica – a wooden brewing device (known as a chorreador) used with cloth bolsita filters
• The Mexican cafetera – a stovetop brewer similar to a Moka pot
• Café de olla – a brewing method used by indigenous communities for centuries, where ground coffee is steeped in a clay pot

Similarly, some African countries have their own traditional takes on filter coffee. One example is Touba coffee (or Sufi coffee), which is prepared similarly to pour over using cloth filters. The drink is common in Senegal and other West African countries.

The influence of specialty coffee

Like any brewing method, specialty coffee has had – and continues to have – a huge impact on filter coffee. By balancing the craft and skill of preparing coffee with the exact science of tightly controlling extraction variables, the specialty coffee industry has helped elevate filter coffee to a whole new level.

Pioneering manual brewing devices like the Chemex, Hario V60, Kalita Wave, and AeroPress have all inspired both baristas and home brewers to experiment with different ways of making filter coffee. By changing an ever growing range of variables – such as grind size, brew temperature, and pour technique – we’re able to experience the full spectrum of a coffee’s flavour profile.

Moreover, with the design, shape, and material of manual brewers always changing, filter brewing methods will continue to evolve, too. For instance, a brewer’s ridge or groove design (as well as the number of ridges it has) will significantly impact flow rate, which has a drastic impact on the final cup profile.

Automation, however, is one of the defining factors in the future of filter coffee – particularly for pour over brewing. As more and more coffee shops have started to leverage the power of automation to serve filter coffee, consistency and quality keep on increasing.

The espresso-filter divide continues

Filter coffee definitely isn’t going anywhere, especially in certain countries where it’s by far the most popular brewing method. In some parts of the world, however, other ways to prepare coffee are much more common – and likely will be for the foreseeable future.

There have been many novel inventions in the global coffee industry, but arguably none are as pioneering as the espresso machine. A few decades after the first patent for a prototype espresso machine was filed in 1884, the machines became incredibly popular in Italian coffee houses – and further afield across Europe in the ensuing decades. 

Today, it’s still difficult to find a restaurant or café (besides specialty coffee shops) serving filter coffee in countries like Italy or Spain – and would likely receive an americano instead.

Traditional brewing methods

But beyond espresso, other ways of preparing coffee in certain countries are also unlikely to go out of fashion any time soon. Turkish and Arabic coffee, for instance, are a staple of many countries in the Middle East, as well as some in Eastern Europe.

Peter ultimately believes that filter coffee is unlikely to replace other brewing methods outright, but will possibly encourage people to embrace other ways to make coffee.

“Different filter brewing methods create a lot of interest in and bring new vibrancy to the specialty coffee movement,” he concludes.

Filter will always remain one of the most beloved ways to prepare and drink coffee. At the same time, however, cultural traditions and differences still play an important role in coffee consumption. 

So while filter methods will remain the most popular in certain countries, other regions will still gravitate towards more traditional ways of making coffee. 

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on which filter brewing method is best for you.

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So with a growing number of consumers becoming more conscious of their wellbeing, people are starting to be more mindful of how much coffee – and caffeine – they are drinking.

Quality, however, is also important to consumers. In turn, the market for naturally low-caffeine varieties has started to emerge in recent years. These coffees have a much lower caffeine content than other varieties, as well as more desirable flavour profiles overall.

But alongside the rise of low-caf varieties has been another decaf alternative: half-caff coffee. So what exactly is it and will it ever take off in specialty coffee?

To find out, I spoke to Luke Ford Croft, Roasting Team Leader at Rave Coffee, and Gabriel Moreira, Manager of Quality and Market Development at Daterra Coffee.

You may also like our article on whether low-caf varieties could replace decaf.

What does half-caff actually mean?

Before we break down what half-caff coffee is, let’s first recap other alternatives to caffeinated coffee:

• Decaf – no less than 97% of the caffeine content must be removed
  • According to European standards, however, a coffee should have 99.9% of its caffeine removed to be certified as decaf
• Low-caf varieties – certain coffees which naturally contain very low levels of caffeine
  • For example, Laurina’s caffeine content is around 0.2% to 0.3% (while most arabica varieties have between 1.4% and 1.8% caffeine)

So what about half-caff? Quite simply, it’s a blend of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee beans.

Luke works at Rave Coffee – a UK roaster which sells a half-caff blend.

“We look for two coffees that we know will work together in terms of flavour and roast profiles,” he says. “One is caffeinated and one is decaffeinated, so we blend them using a 50/50 ratio.

“We typically roast 50g samples of multiple coffees and then blend them post-roast to find the results we want to achieve,” he adds.

As with any type of blend – whether seasonal or signature – they don’t always have to be a 50/50 split of two different coffees. Most blends include a base component, which accounts for most of the overall product, but percentages can vary. For example, if a blend with three coffees includes 40% Brazilian, 35% Guatemalan, and 25% Ethiopian beans, the Brazilian coffee would be the base component. 

For half-caff coffees, however, the amount of caffeinated beans in the blend overall affects its caffeine content – “but these blends offer a milder experience than regular coffees,” Luke says.

Developing a half-caff blend

It takes skill and knowledge to create any kind of blend – largely because roasters need to take a number of different factors into consideration:

• Bean density and solubility
• Optimal roast profiles for different blend components – which is why post-roast blending is usually best practice
• Complementary sensory profiles

Luke explains to me how Rave developed its half-caff blend.

“The original concept was to use two coffees from El Carmen Association in Colombia, which has been a part of our flagship sustainability project for several years now,” he says. “We have been buying caffeinated and sugarcane decaffeinated coffee from El Carmen for many years, so blending the two was a no-brainer.

“Over time the blend has been adjusted to include new coffees, as well as the result of seasonal and price changes,” he adds. “But the principle of blending remains the same. All of our coffees go through extensive quality control testing to ensure consistent extraction. Once we’re happy, we carry out further tests using multiple brew methods.”

Why are the half-caff and low-caf markets growing?

There are many reasons why people want to limit their caffeine intake – whether it’s health concerns, sensitivity or intolerance, or simply personal preference.

The global decaf market is huge. According to data from consulting firm SkyQuest, its value is set to reach US $28.86 billion by 2030 – largely driven by rapid growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

With people drinking more coffee at home, demand for decaf options also spiked during the pandemic. And although standards for the decaffeination process have certainly improved, consumers and industry professionals alike still have ongoing concerns about compromising coffee quality and flavour for lower caffeine levels.

It’s certainly a matter of opinion, but many believe half-caff and low-caf coffees to offer more consistency and dependability when it comes to flavour and quality compared to decaf options. In turn, interest in these decaf alternatives has been growing in recent years. 

“Half-caff blends are a solid lower-caffeine option for those who enjoy the taste of coffee,” Luke says. “For some customers, it’s a lifestyle choice, but for others, it may be for medical reasons. Our co-founder is sensitive to caffeine, so it was the driving force behind launching our blend.”

Are naturally low-caf varieties a “better” solution?

For those looking to reduce their caffeine intake – while simultaneously not compromising on quality and flavour – half-caff blends are an excellent choice. But given that low-caf varieties grow naturally, are they a “better” option?

Two of the most well-known low-caffeine coffees are Laurina and Aramosa – with the former becoming particularly popular after 2018 World Brewers Cup Champion Emi Fukahori used it in her winning routine. The latter is a crossbreed between the C. arabica and C. racemosa species.

Gabriel works at Daterra – a pioneering coffee farm in Brazil which grows both Laurina and Aramosa.

“Laurina is a natural mutation of Bourbon,” he says. “We received seeds and plants from the Instituto Agronômico (IAC) – one of the main research institutions, not only in Brazil, but in the world.

“The variety was on the brink of extinction for quite some time,” he adds. “No producers were planting it, until research institutions started to look at increasing the market potential for Laurina – from both a quality and cup profile and a low-caffeine perspective.”

Aramosa, meanwhile, was intentionally developed to help coffee producers combat a particular set of problems.

“The main objective was to increase the plant’s resistance to leaf miners, the intention was never to grow a naturally low-caf coffee,” Gabriel explains. “But the caffeine content of Aramosa is around 0.7%.”

In addition to the World Brewers Cup stage, Laurina can also be found in some specialty coffee shops around the world.

“I have seen some farms in Colombia growing Laurina,” Gabriel says. “And even a farm in California, US, but production levels are very low. I think the market for Laurina will grow, but I don’t believe it will become widely available – it’s very difficult to grow successfully.”

Challenges with growing these varieties

“Laurina is very fragile and delicate,” Gabriel adds. The variety is also susceptible to certain diseases, mostly because of its low caffeine content. On top of this, it produces very small yields and very small beans.”

While coffees like Laurina and Aramosa pose a potential solution to drinking higher-quality coffee while also reducing caffeine intake, it’s evident that the market for them will remain small for years to come. And with farmers unable to scale production anytime soon for a number of reasons, these varieties can’t yet compete with the decaf and half-caff markets.

“There’s always the potential for demand to increase for these varieties,” Luke says. “But producers need to have the right resources to grow them in the first place. If the quality is there, however, then roasters are likely to keep buying them when available.”

For now, in the low-caf and caffeine-free markets, decaf remains on top. But with consumers continuing to prioritise quality and flavour, demand for half-caff and naturally low-caffeine varieties could definitely increase.

One could argue, however, that half-caff has a slight upper hand. With less low-caf varieties currently available – and production levels to remain low for some time – it’s more likely for roasters may opt to create their own half-caff blends. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how decaf coffee is made.

Photo credits: Rave Coffee

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