Consumption & Trends

As specialty coffee moves away from craftsmanship, the sector is trying to change perceptions on automation

As the specialty coffee sector continues to become more saturated, standing out has never been more important. However, while third wave coffee brands historically prided themselves on their unique branding, many of them are now starting to look the same.

Specialty coffee has become so popular that it is permeating other industries, and potentially becoming more of a lifestyle product.

For the past decade, plant milks have dominated the conversation in coffee shops around the world. But what about dairy?

Coffee companies invest heavily in building their brands because establishing a loyal customer base is crucial for driving growth. However, brand loyalty may be dying in the coffee industry

It's estimated that around the world, we drink more than 400 billion cups of coffee every single year. And with consumption growing year on year, that means there's plenty of money to be made in the coffee sector. But who tops the list?

Despite the fact that the definition is more complex, "specialty coffee" as a concept is still largely used to refer to small, single-store owner-operated businesses rather than larger organisations.

The success of companies like Blue Bottle has encouraged further investment in the coffee industry. However, there are cases that indicate venture capital may leave some coffee shops in a vulnerable position.

As the global coffee market continues to grow, the binary identities of “big” and “small” may begin to lose their relevance, and the persisting argument that specialty coffee is challenged by larger companies may be distracting us from broader and more pressing threats.

Blurring the traditional lines between “professional” and “consumer”, prosumers are individuals who seek to replicate a professional coffee experience at home. However, the grey area prosumers have historically occupied is becoming more defined – and it is an increasingly relevant space for espresso machine manufacturers.

Over the last two decades, coffee competitions have become increasingly popular. However, instead of uniting coffee consumers, the rising emphasis on experimental coffees could be alienating the average coffee drinker instead of engaging them in how coffee culture is evolving.

Auction-winning coffee lots sell for higher prices every single year. Competition at the top has become outrageously fierce; not least among buyers in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and other East Asian countries.

As the sector becomes more commercialised, it could be argued that the market for high-end specialty coffees is smaller than many people actually think.

CBD’s turbulent history has given way to an extraordinary rise in popularity as it continues to captivate a global audience. As with specialty coffee, will its growth come at a cost?

Until recently, cold brew was the industry’s singular solution to cold coffee. Now, the segment is widely recognised as one of the largest growth areas in the global coffee market.

It's no secret that specialty coffee companies have been driving innovation in the wider coffee industry – and that this is something larger coffee brands are looking to capitalise on.

In the early 2010s, Pacific Coffee was one of the most prominent names in the Chinese coffee market. Now, they face closures of hundreds of their stores.

DEMAND FOR flavoured coffees shows that the next generation of coffee consumers are after something different in their cup. While the pumpkin spiced latte from Starbucks is now infamous, flavours such as strawberry cheesecake, s’mores, twinkies, and cinnamon toast are all increasingly being added to drinks in large coffee chains around the world.

THERE IS evidence that an obsession with developing new products is eroding market share from the products that inaugurated the specialty coffee industry – and may be eroding the essence of what makes it “specialty”. You can see this with the coffee capsule taking market share from other products