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I must say, however, the question I always seem to find coffee shops operate on narrower profit margins than large
myself asking during these events is if the consumer is being companies, whose global reach and budgets far exceed those
left behind. Are the new methods, products and trends created in the specialty sector.”
actually making specialty coffee more accessible to everyone? During our interview, Savina briefly touched upon this
Innovation in the industry is always exciting, but it’s important topic and explained to me why she believes the future of special-
that it not be exclusive to just the professionals and coffee fa- ty coffee is expected to grow in terms of consumer demand,
natics in the industry. “Consumers, nowadays, are knowledgeable and conscious about
In the 2023 Coffee Intelligence article, “The Fight For coffee quality, origin, and processes and are looking for unique
Specialty Coffee Is More Than ‘Big vs Small’”, Jordan Mont- flavors and transparency in the coffee they consume. In addition,
gomery, writes, “Over the years, the specialty coffee sector as consumers prioritize environmentally friendly choices, the
has increased its market share, but still remains a minuscule demand for such coffees is likely to increase. Moreover, with
segment of the wider coffee market – which is why it main- specialty coffee we push the boundaries of innovation, from new
tains its identity as a dedicated underdog. The battle between brewing techniques to unique coffee bean varieties or cross spe-
‘big’ and ‘small’ lives on, and perhaps with good reason. cies, usually resulting in fresh experiences to consumers.”
Brands like Starbucks have seen revenue increases of over While this is in line with the consumer demand facts I
140% over the last ten years, driven largely by rapid growth mentioned above, and even though I agree with what Savina is
in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Comparatively, the spe- saying, it’s hard to ignore that specialty coffee is indeed, an
cialty coffee sector is predicted to grow annually by around underdog. It is up to the industry to create accessibility and
11 to 12% until 2030, despite exponential growth during the equity so that everyone within the coffee supply chain is reap-
last two decades. With up to 62% of specialty coffee shops ing the rewards of its growth. It takes a collective effort, from
failing within the first five years of opening, it’s no wonder both large and small players in the industry, to promote spe-
they feel challenged by larger brands. Small and independent cialty coffee’s values and keep access to it open.

Savina Giachgia

Coffee Expert at Nestlé
Professional and 2023 World Trends From The Grounds Up This echoes a quote I read by Andy Newbom,
Brewers Cup Runner-Up
instigator at Torque Coffees for the 2023 Fresh Cup
I often feel like there are two categories of Magazine article, Experts Share Emerging Coffee In-
trends in specialty coffee: those that are tailored dustry Trends Of 2023, “Every coffee location will
to the consumer and those that are a response to ‘roast,’ and at some point, the roaster and the espres-
what the industry itself needs. For example, new so machine will combine. Using rapid roast conveyor
brewing techniques like cold brew and a stronger belt-type systems, a customer’s coffee will be contin-
focus on convenience-based brewing have been uously roasted per drink and then ground and extract-
created over the past few years largely due to con- ed into a cup.”
sumer demand. On the other hand, trends such as There are a few key consumer trends that have
specialty Robusta and innovation at the coffee-pro- emerged in recent years that show a clear preference
ducing countries level, feel like a response to the for convenience when it comes to coffee.
needs of the industry itself. The emergence of single-serve coffee makers and
I asked Tristan what trends he is seeing in special- coffee pods is one such trend. Consumers can simply
ty coffee, “There are always multiple trends across the place a coffee pod in their machine and have a fresh
globe, staying up to date with what’s happening around cup of coffee in seconds. This is a major time saver for
the world has been interesting and engaging. In particu- people who are rushing out the door in the morning.
lar the process independent coffees have gained popu- Another key trend is the rise of ready-to-drink
larity amongst roasters and brewers whilst more and (RTD) coffee. These are coffee drinks that come in
more cafes and coffee shops have started roasting their bottles or cans and have become increasingly popular
own coffee. On a recent trip to South Africa I was as- in recent years, especially among younger consumers.
tounded at how many coffee shops had their own roast- More and more coffee brands are launching RTD prod-
ers. I believe the next or current macro trend is leaning ucts as a way to meet the demand for convenient, grab-
towards cafes roasting their own coffee in store.” and-go coffee options.

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