- Infused and co-fermented coffees are shifting consumer expectations toward more immediate, intense flavours
- 37% of consumers find them exciting, while 33% say they have no place in specialty – highlighting a divided market
- Traditional coffees still matter, but roasters must differentiate beyond flavour as accuracy and intensity become harder to match
Infused and co-fermented coffees have shifted from being novel to prominent within specialty coffee, offering highly distinctive and immediately recognisable flavour profiles.
As these coffees gain traction, they are influencing how consumers expect each cup to taste. In turn, this is shifting how roasters source and share coffee, with more subtle, traditionally processed profiles becoming harder to position alongside more immediately expressive offerings.
However, their rise does not signal a complete shift in the market. Instead, it is creating a more complex landscape – one which is more segmented.
Intensity is shifting the conversation
One of the most common responses to infused and co-fermented coffees is regarding their accessibility. Their bold, often exaggerated flavour profiles require little interpretation, making them an effective entry point for consumers new to specialty coffee.
Justin Bull is the co-owner and Director of Coffee at Helm Coffee and the 2025 World Brewers Cup finalist. He believes that although co-fermented and infused coffees may offer an easy entry point, they tend to prioritise processing over other attributes.
“I see them as entry points; they give people a bold and expressive entryway to the world of what coffee flavour can be,” he says. “Typically over-exaggerated, they can be enjoyed but tend to overemphasise the entire experience for me, usually accentuating processing over the nuance between origins and variety.”
For less experienced consumers, the distinctions in more subtle specialty coffee profiles can be harder to perceive – particularly without guidance.
“I think it’s a much easier ask for customers to taste [co-fermented and infused] coffee and not get lost in the complexity or subtlety of a cleaner, washed coffee,” Justin explains. “I think we will continue to have an entire generation of new consumers looking for the next co-fermented blend over seeking out different varieties for their inherent origin and flavour profiles.”
This means expectations around flavour are shifting. Although co-fermented coffees remain relatively niche in terms of everyday consumption, their influence on the perception of specialty coffee is growing fast.
Justin explains that although he doesn’t completely believe that consumers view co-fermented and infused coffees as having higher inherent quality, they are still changing perceptions and expectations of flavour.
“I do think, though, that they are having a profound impact on those who have found them on flavour expectations, whether intentionally or unintentionally,” he says. “Without the guidance of the barista behind the counter, or lack of transparent marketing related to a coffee being served at the bar, consumers are definitely redefining what they have come to know from a flavour perspective.”
This creates a subtle but important shift: even if consumers are not demanding these coffees daily, they are still beginning to recalibrate what coffee can taste like.
Communicating flavour
It is also becoming more difficult for roasters to communicate the profile of traditional coffees using the same tools. Specialty coffee has long relied on flavour descriptors and themed releases to differentiate products. However, when compared directly with co-fermented coffees, these expressions can feel less immediate, or even less convincing.
Justin points to a broader shift in how coffees are marketed, prioritising flavour notes over other information such as producer, origin and processing methods – all of which have long been part of specialty coffee’s craft.
Rather than being solely used as a marketing tactic for specific coffees, this flavour-first branding is now much more commonplace.
“We’ve seen the advent of extreme branding for every coffee in some roaster’s lineup,” he says.
“I don’t think it’s restricted to special releases – if anything, there are entire roasteries built around this as their everyday or every week release cycle.
“If anything, they are also more accurate to the taste profile of the co-fermented coffee, you have people buying coffees labeled as ‘donuts’ or ‘orange creamsicle’ etc,” Justin explains. “People are intrigued by the novelty, influenced by the catchy and delicious-sounding name.”
At the same time, this rapid growth is driven as much by demand as by production. This reinforces the argument that co-fermented coffees are not just a trend in production – but instead a response to how consumers engage with coffee today.
A positioning shift
For roasters, this creates a new challenge. If bold-flavoured, infused & co-fermented coffees are easier to market, the implication is that “traditional” coffees may need to be positioned differently.
However, Justin says that while co-fermented and infused coffees may easily attract attention, they do not necessarily define the entire market.
“To newer consumers, they are a gateway to coffee; to experienced consumers, they offer an alternative to what has been out there for years,” he says.
In this context, traditional processing methods are not disappearing – but they may require more deliberate communication.
The likely outcome is that balance will be achieved – for example, Justin cites the reappearance of more “clean” and traditionally processed coffees at the 2025 World Coffee Championship, following rule changes in 2023 that allow coffees produced with non-traditional processing methods.
“While we may have seen a strong push towards co-fermentation, I think we will continue to see advancement and experimentation that also results in clean and expressive coffee outside of that context,” Justin explains. “Innovation doesn’t have to be co-fermentation, and most of the time it is not.”
This suggests that while co-fermented and infused coffees have gained prominence and are increasingly reaching mainstream consumers, they are not dominating speciality coffee; rather, they are expanding its boundaries.
For roasters, the implication is clear. As consumer expectations evolve, differentiation will rely less on flavour alone and more on how value is communicated. This means that while these coffees are certainly shifting explanations – they’re also forcing the industry to consider what matters beyond just cup profile.
