The meaning of specialty coffee

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), specialty coffee is a term to describe arabica beans with a cup score above 80+ points.

Billions of pounds of raw coffee are produced each year around the world, and the varieties of coffee we enjoy in specialty coffee shops or buy online represent only a small fraction of that total.

But why are only some batches specialty coffee?

Let’s start by mentioning that coffee is a seasonal product that only grows in the worldwide tropical highlands which lie between the tropic of cancer and Capricorn, making up the coffee belt.

This exquisite drink that is part of the morning ritual of many or is the perfect company at work, travel and good times, is made from the seed of a drupe. A fruit that takes approximately 3 years to produce.

Now knowing what coffee is and where it comes from, we can say that only some crops are special, since they are beans produced in microclimates, conditions and sustainable practices that development of unique flavours and highlight characteristics of their origin and/or process.

Currently, specialty coffee is part of the third wave, in which there is a modern demand for quality and a high standard of consumption. Consumers not only want to have a drink but also to know the story behind each one.

How does specialty coffee exist?

Thanks to the dedication of people who have consistently made quality the top priority in their work. Achieving the specialty is only possible when everyone involved in the value chain such as; Growers, green bean buyers (importers or exporters), roasters, baristas, and consumers work in harmony and maintain a strong focus on standards and excellence from start to finish.

Now it is your turn to prepare the best cup of coffee through one of the many specialty coffees available at the moment, all over the world or probably next to your house.