10/10/2022
What is the next wave in coffee?
1st Wave (1800s) : Coffee becomes a commodity, its consumption grows exponentially. Nothing super special, interesting or fun about it.
2nd Wave (1970) : American coffee giant Starbucks transforms coffee culture. Lattes, frappes, and everything in between. It's not your grandmas cup of Folgers anymore!
3rd Wave (2000s) : Coffee starts being purchased based on its production origin and its methods of production. We look more to where the coffee is coming from and the producers of it.
“Without them, we don’t exist as an industry,” says Paul Schlader, co-owner of NYC-based Birch Coffee.
4th Wave (current): Sustainability. Farmers and producers are looking more at the effect of things like climate change on the industry and how we can continue to exist, while doing right by the world around us.
So, as you sip on your cup of coffee this morning, whether its a latte from Starbucks, a single origin from Guatemala, or even a Geisha coffee (google it!), reflect on how far the industry has come and where it's going.
