• High quality has been a trademark of specialty espresso since its inception, shaping requirements for processing, sourcing, roasting, and brewing for the pursuit of excellence.
• Roasters leverage the distinctive attributes of coffees to assist construct their branding round quality-driven values.
• However as extra premium coffees seem on roasters’ choices, and the market turns into more and more aggressive, high quality alone is not sufficient to face out.
• Providing consistency and worth is changing into extra important, particularly with the brand new actuality of sustained excessive espresso costs.

High quality has at all times been a novel promoting level of specialty espresso. 

By way of grading techniques, cupping protocols, farming and roasting finest practices, and advertising and marketing methods, the business emphasises high quality as its differentiating issue – the “higher” different to commercial-grade espresso.

Even throughout the specialty espresso area of interest, roasters compete to supply public sale tons, high-scoring varieties, or the newest experimental processing pattern – all marketed with the promise of remarkable high quality and distinctive flavours.

As extra customers search premium choices, the push for extraordinary coffees intensifies. This, nonetheless, creates a double-edged sword; providing these coffees helps increase requirements and expectations within the business, nevertheless it means high quality alone is not the differentiator.

As a substitute, roasters should additionally depend on consistency, worth, and transparency to interact with prospects in new methods. Bogdan Ciocian of Meron Espresso and Mark Dundon of Seven Seeds share their perception.

You may additionally like our article on why it’s by no means been extra vital for roasters to spend money on high quality management.

Specialty espresso’s idea of “high quality” has modified

Specialty espresso positions itself because the artisanal, premium different to commercial-grade espresso. Whereas massive manufacturers give attention to reaching as many customers as attainable, specialty espresso roasters prioritise high quality above all else, catering to a distinct segment section of the market.

In consequence, its market share will at all times stay small, however the business’s give attention to excellence has fuelled a growth in premium espresso consumption during the last decade. The Covid-19 pandemic, particularly, was a major driver of curiosity in higher-quality espresso. With cafés closed the world over, customers had no alternative however to duplicate drinks at house – which meant investing in higher beans and tools.

The relentless pursuit of flavour variety and innovation has additionally spurred market development and diversification. As extra customers demanded new experiences, roasters pivoted their sourcing methods to supply really distinctive coffees: single origin micro tons, competitors and auction-winning coffees, and experimentally processed beans. 

These coffees sparked curiosity, gaining the curiosity of shoppers who needed to broaden their palates and check out extra unique choices. In addition they redefined what was attainable when it comes to high quality and flavour innovation, showcasing fully new sensory profiles and generally boasting larger cup scores.

Processing, particularly, grew to become a key level of high quality differentiation. Whereas the “huge three” – washed, pure, and honey – account for a lot of the coffees accessible in the marketplace, demand for much less conventional tasting notes accelerated the expansion of superior processing strategies. Phrases like “thermal shock” and “lactic fermentation” grew to become a part of fashionable specialty espresso tradition, altering how we describe high quality and flavour.

Nonetheless, because the specialty espresso market has matured in areas akin to Australia, Western Europe, North America, and Japan, these as soon as novel coffees have begun to lose their exclusivity.

“Just a few years in the past, anaerobic, carbonic maceration, or co-fermentation coffees have been uncommon and thrilling. Right now, they’re frequent in high-end cafes and competitions, and even exhibiting up in subscription choices,” says Bogdan, the CEO of Meron Espresso, a specialty espresso roaster in Transylvania, Romania.

“As soon as cutting-edge, these processes are not inherently differentiating – except tied to a novel story, origin, or execution. Many roasters are chasing the identical uncommon varieties, experimental processes, and unique farms,” he provides. “As extra roasters provide comparable tales, customers tune out the noise except the supply is outstanding or emotionally resonant.” 

Conflating exclusivity with high quality

High quality will at all times be a defining attribute of the values and ethos of specialty espresso. However as extra competitors coffees, “rediscovered” varieties like Sidra, Sudan Rume, and Chiroso, and experimentally-processed tons flood the market, exclusivity and high quality are sometimes thought-about interchangeable – however this isn’t at all times the case.

“Even a espresso that receives just a few hundred Euros per kilogram in an public sale might be mediocre high quality,” Bogdan says. “Some Asian markets are obsessive about shopping for costly, unique coffees, even once they’re low-quality.”

It is a phenomenon often called “premiumisation” – the follow of utilizing rarity and exclusivity to drive up model attraction and value, typically to an astronomic degree at competitions and auctions. When these coffees are smaller in measurement, akin to a limited-edition micro lot or a one-off batch of experimental processing, value and sense of worth solely enhance.

With out transparency in regards to the “goal” high quality of those coffees – together with grades and cup scores, not simply shortage – prospects can simply conflate “exclusivity” with “high quality”. This could trigger widespread confusion, injury client notion of “middle-tier” specialty coffees, and overexaggerate the dimensions of the high-end espresso market.

Moreover, as roasters typically use these upscale coffees as distinctive promoting factors, they threat dropping prospects if high quality isn’t a precedence throughout all of their choices.

“Some cafés can use a high-end lot as an unique providing, whereas their bulk espresso is subpar,” says Mark, the co-owner of Seven Seeds, a specialty espresso roaster in Melbourne, Australia. “Any roaster or café that makes use of the phrase ‘specialty’ ought to be clear in regards to the high quality of all of the espresso they purchase; to do this makes you stand out.”

However in additional mature specialty espresso markets akin to North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan, customers are accustomed to the widespread availability of specialty espresso.

“Persons are inundated with choices,” Bogdan says. “Along with the numerous new espresso outlets opening on each avenue nook, extra just lately, specialty espresso has additionally penetrated different kinds of retail companies.”

Expectations about high quality then rise, however the threat of client fatigue – when customers are overwhelmed by extreme advertising and marketing or too many buying selections – additionally will increase.

“Folks will query whether or not or not it’s value paying US$4 for an espresso or a cortado,” Bogdan provides. “The bar is raised larger and better, increasingly cash is invested in tools and design, and coming into a mature market turns into more and more troublesome.”

Worth and model expertise turn into essential

As espresso high quality turns into extra of a prerequisite than a differentiator, roasters should discover new methods to seize the eye of customers.

“Whether or not you wish to name it ‘peak specialty’ or one thing else, we’ve got reached a degree the place roasters have to make selections,” Mark says. “The necessity to stand out has pushed lots of change within the business; now it’s time to give attention to what longevity for the espresso business is.”

To remain aggressive, having a robust model that communicates values and permits folks to attach with them is extra essential than ever.

“Trendy customers are experience-driven; they bear in mind how they really feel greater than what they purchase,” Bogdan tells me. “They’re tremendous socially aware; they align with manufacturers that share their values.”

Concurrently, as retail costs rise, unbiased specialty espresso roasters have a chance to double down on the worth they provide prospects – convincing them to change to a purchase native or small mindset.

“Nonetheless, worth is not only about value – it’s additionally about perceived value: sustainability, origin story, craft, service, and café design,” Bogdan provides. “Model expertise is the emotional and sensory journey from packaging to in-café service to on-line interplay.”

To achieve success, model expertise ought to be greater than visible identification, a brand new brand, or refreshed packaging. The main target should shift from product-first to experience-first; roasters have to curate a cohesive model narrative that prospects wish to be part of, not simply purchase from.

“There may be room for any roaster to inform a brand new, lovely, and attention-grabbing story about nice espresso,” Bogdan says. “In an business filled with Colombians and Ethiopians, you can introduce lesser-known origins akin to Bolivia, Nicaragua, Tanzania, or Papua New Guinea.”

Above all else, roasters should provide dependability and reliability, particularly in an more and more unstable espresso market.

“The true differentiating issue is the consistency with which you’ll ship these coffees,” Bogdan provides. “You should persuade prospects by providing high quality coffees 12 months after 12 months – this consistency results in a tradition of high quality that individuals discover over time.”

As soon as differentiators, distinctive high quality and distinctive micro tons have turn into the norm in specialty espresso. To face out in right this moment’s quickly altering market, roasters now have to give attention to consistency, worth, and transparency.

“Every café must showcase what specialty espresso means to them,” Mark concludes. “The business wants ambassadors to speak the worth of espresso, why roasters are so enthusiastic about it, and why it requires a lot work and energy to serve it to prospects.”

Loved this? Then learn our article on how producers can drive high quality in specialty espresso.

Picture credit: Meron Espresso

Good Each day Grind

Need to learn extra articles like this? Join our publication!