The third wave of coffee

Let’s look at the most important developments that took place during the third wave of coffee. The “Waves of Coffee” is a designation of different periods that indicate the development of coffee consumption. A total of 5 waves can be described, all of which have their own characteristic developments.

With the third wave of coffee, we are slowly beginning to creep towards the period we are in now. In the mid-2000s, the third wave of coffee began. One of the features was that the craftsmanship behind coffee roasting was really discovered and embraced during this period. There was a move away from branded coffee chains and a focus on micro-roasting and the culinary appreciation of coffee.

Third wave of coffee

Slowly, more and more micro roasting companies emerged that wanted to control the coffee process from start to finish; from sourcing green beans to roasting and finally brewing coffee. They went back to the roots of manual coffee roasting, but now with the knowledge and information that was not available at the time.

Transparency

There was also more focus on transparency. The knowledge of coffee among ‘ordinary’ consumers is increasing and the salesperson also has to keep up. Where does my coffee come from? Did the coffee farmer get a fair price for his coffee? Is my coffee single-origin and not a blend with inferior Robusta beans? These are all questions that weren’t asked before, but which a consumer now wants answers to.

third wave of coffee

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Updated on 17-01-2022