Specialty Coffee Beans

Specialty coffees , also called " Gourmet Coffees " are defined as high quality coffee beans (coffees with no or nearly no flaws), easily traceable (production region, farm and lot used) with controlled growth (climate study, manual and selective harvest, transformation process). It's the SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) who defines and improves the standards of specialty coffees.

Speciality coffees are high-end coffee - based drinks that are recognised (in a specific market and at a given time) as being of a unique quality . They offer distinct and superior taste and character compared to regular coffee-based drinks. The drink must be made from green coffee beans grown in select climates and must fulfill a series of demanding standards regarding its production, treatment, roasting, storage and preparation.

The analogy with wine and grand cru wines can be quickly made since we have focused on high-end products. Beyond the quality requirements in place, roasters are encouraged to be innovative , to create a new experiences and an exceptional coffee.

The term “ speciality coffee ” first originated in the USA , hence the spelling. In the United Kingdom, France and Scandinavia, the market for high quality coffee has been established for many years now, driven by the emergence of specialist coffee shops .

It took until only a few years ago for these coffee beans to arrive in Europe as part of the “ third wave ”, the term coined for the elevation of coffee to the status of exceptional food product . This “third wave of coffee” started in 2002. Thanks to the work of pioneering craft roasteries and baristas who helped to change people’s perceptions of coffee. They place an emphasis on the importance of the whole process from farmer to cup .