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C

Social media has Complexity
had much influence What does it actually mean? When we think about

on the industry as complexity, the first thing to pop into our heads would
be flavor. The inflation of specialty coffee culture meant
well, in order to cater that the dark and bitter wake-me-up that we all knew
too well became a thing of the past and brought about
to a new generation an uprising of flavor chasers who sought after a myriad
of fruit flavors and the occasional hint of florals. With
audience. the help of modern apparatus, researchers found over
1,000 volatile compounds present in roasted coffee
beans. Coffee professionals and consumers alike grew
obsessed with the complex flavors that modern coffee
had to offer.
Since buy-and-go coffee had dipped in popularity,
coffee shops turned into sanctums where one could
hang out in the company of friends, or simply bask in
the pleasures of watching the world turn as they sip on
a delicious cuppa. Social media has had much influence
on the industry as well, in order to cater to a new gen-
eration audience, we’ve witnessed an influx of coffee
shops pouring bigger investments into aesthetic inte-
rior and crockery, all for Instagram.
The rise of specialty coffee brought about tailored
service offerings and experiences, each cafe had its own
personality and signature style of roasting or even
brewing coffee, which would come to be its unique
selling point. Specialty coffee baristas undergo rigorous
training to master the craft of coffee-making to deliver
paramount flavor in the cup. This skill set includes
brewing techniques, milk steaming, latte art, and reg-
ular cupping sessions to refine their taste buds for
flavor calibration.
Of course, the exquisite taste would be for naught
without world-class hospitality, a huge part of the gig
includes providing the highest standards of customer
service and the ability to assess a customer’s taste
preferences in order to recommend a coffee that each
Coffee has come a long way since the days of old, with individual customer might enjoy. At the pinnacle of that
new-age specialty coffee bars popping up all over town at an craft, we have barista competitions—a yearly affair
unprecedented rate. As the coffee scene progressed into its where coffee professionals from all walks of life gather
third wave, we saw a greater emphasis on the quality and and battle it out for the championship title. Competition
consistency of coffee products, especially with an increased season is always rough, but showcasing their talent on
demand for freshly roasted, whole coffee beans. It was then the world stage can be a huge game-changer for profes-
that the beverage evolved from an abused energy booster to sional baristas, opening doors in their career.
a cultivated sensory experience. While complexity in flavor meant the world to
As the coffee industry evolves it becomes more com- specialty coffee, it was not the only complexity intro-
plex and multi-faceted. In the last few years, we have seen duced in the third wave. The growing concern for the
a rise in awareness of the importance of sustainability and effects of global warming sparked widespread awareness
ethical trade practices, as well as a greater focus on conve- for sustainable living habits. As such, coffee business-
nience. How did this happen and what is the importance of es had to roll with the punches and rethink their busi-
these new complexities? ness practices to support the sustainability movement.

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