When did specialty coffee start to grow?
emerged in the 1970s, catalyzed by importer Erna Knutsen’s 1973 coining of the term to describe beans of exceptional quality grown in unique micro-climates. While roots trace back to the 1960s, the movement gained structural momentum in the 1980s as importers began selling smaller, flavor-focused lots to regional roasters. This shifted the industry from commodity-based trading to a quality-driven model, eventually transforming global supply chains by prioritizing traceability and producer-level expertise over bulk volume.
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The growth of is often mischaracterized as a sudden consumer trend, but it was fundamentally a structural shift in trade mechanics. The movement began in the 1960s and 70s when the industry was dominated by massive, commodity-grade shipments. The pivotal mechanism for change was the 'micro-lot' model, championed by Erna Knutsen. By breaking the industry standard of full-container-load trading, Knutsen enabled regional roasters to access high-quality, origin-specific beans that were previously inaccessible. This allowed producers to move beyond the 'commodity' label, incentivizing them to refine processing techniques and focus on rather than just yield. A common misconception is that was driven primarily by cafe culture; in reality, the growth was anchored by importers and producers who redefined value through traceability. This shift forced a departure from the 'coffee as a generic beverage' mindset toward a model where flavor profiles and farm-level practices dictated market price. As the industry matured through the 1990s and 2000s, this focus on quality created a feedback loop: producers invested in better infrastructure to meet the demands of discerning roasters, who in turn educated consumers. Today, the challenge has shifted from merely defining 'specialty' to maintaining that quality amidst global market consolidation, where the pressure to scale often threatens the very traceability that birthed the movement.
- ·https://cafega.es/en/blog-en/a-brief-history-of-speciality-coffeeVerify source for reference 1 ↗
- ·https://royalcoffee.com/the-rise-of-specialty-coffeeVerify source for reference 2 ↗
- ·https://perfectdailygrind.com/2023/08/specialty-coffee-consumer-trends/Verify source for reference 3 ↗