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We believe that speciality coffee is for everyone. However, it’s built a reputation for being exclusive and elitist. In this article, we seek to break down the complexities of speciality coffee, explain its history, the science behind it, what it is, and what it means for the coffee in your cup.
In coffee’s long history, speciality coffee’s place within it is short—but fast evolving. The term was first used in 1974, coined by Erna Knutsen, who came to be known as the ‘godmother of speciality coffee’, and one of the founders of the Speciality Coffee Association, America.
The phrase, ‘speciality coffee’ was used in an interview Erna gave to the Tea and Coffee Trade Journal, by then already making waves and changing expectations in a world where womxn were not allowed in a cupping room. Changing attitudes and working to promote single origin coffee, Erna recognised the potential in working with small producers.
The term has had a few revivals since the 1970s, kicking off in the 2000s, with a drive to focus on quality over quantity. Increasingly, coffee has come to be appreciated as more than a stimulant, treated as a product, much like wine, to be enjoyed and savoured.
In the UK, coffee has come a long way since first being introduced in the 1600s. The first coffee shop was opened in Oxford, followed by coffeehouses in London. Coined ‘Penny Universities’, as they were places where anyone could come together and take part in lively debate and discussion for the price of a penny coffee, these social spots marked the start of the country’s relationship with coffee. With the arrival of alcohol in these spaces, conversation grew rowdier and the line between coffeehouse and pub began to blur. It wasn’t until 2005 that coffee began to stand out again in its own right, with Soho reigniting the UK’s love of coffee with a huge Australian and New Zealand influence.
Today, speciality coffee is estimated to account for 23%of the coffee you’ll find served in UK coffee shops. With over 250 independent coffee roasters in the UK, that number is only growing. Launched in 2024, Origin Coffee is one of the UK’s longest-standing independent speciality coffee roasters.
To meet speciality standards, coffee must showcase excellence throughout every stage of the supply chain. From meticulous care growing the crop, to selective harvesting and careful processing, the checks continue into roasting and cupping, ensuring that the quality is maintained throughout the journey from source to cup.
In comparison, mass produced coffee is often overpacked during shipping and is not handled with the same level of care and protection, often leading to defects and mould. Regarding the quality of the crops used, commercial coffee is made from both ripe and unripe cherries, whereas speciality uses ripe fruits only. This type of commodity coffee is commonly sold in supermarkets as well as some coffee shops.
This type of coffee is often dark roasted to mask the unpleasant tasting notes. Consequently, it’s harder to detect the subtle flavour nuances that can be traced in speciality coffee, where the selection of ripe cherries and quality control checks allow for a lighter roast, resulting in a clearer, more expressive, coffee in the cup.
At Origin, every coffee we source, roast, and brew, has passed stringent quality standards and been graded, qualifying as speciality coffee. In a literal sense, speciality coffee is a coffee that scores over 80 on a hundred-point scale which is set by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA). We really like this description from the SCA, using the idea of attributes, to clean up the definition:
“Speciality coffee is a coffee or coffee experience recognised for its distinctive attributes, and because of those attributes, has significant extra value in the marketplace.”
While commodity coffee has very few distinctive attributes, speciality coffee has many, with the origin, producers, quality of cherries, process, and roasting, all key factors.
Speciality coffee goes beyond flavour and aroma and stretches into ethical and sustainable practices. It signals support for coffee producers through fair pay, education and training, and champions direct trade with producers, supporting fairer wages and partnering with exporters who can help us negotiate fair pay and make the supply chain as transparent as possible. This results in quality coffee that’s supporting a better, more sustainable coffee future.
Speciality coffee is graded on a 100-point scale determined by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA), a nonprofit with members in over 40 countries. The SCA represents coffee professionals across the industry, including producers, exporters, roasters, and baristas. They set standards at every stage of coffee production, determine classification rules, and establish the definition of speciality.
To qualify as speciality, coffee must score over 80 on the 100-point scale. There are three grading brackets within this range: coffee graded with a score between 90-100 is considered ‘Outstanding’; 85-89.99 is ‘Excellent’; and a score of 80-84.99 is ‘Very Good’.
Once grown, harvested, and processed, speciality coffee beans must pass several checks to ensure that it meets one of three ratings. The SCA also set the standards on the process of coffee grading: a minimum requirement for speciality coffee is the number of defects: for every 350g of milled coffee, there must be no more than 5 classed defects.
Keen to discover the world of exceptional speciality coffee? Explore our consciously curated collection of speciality coffee now.
Speciality coffee is sourced from several different regions around the world, classically following what is known as the ‘bean belt’. This is a horizontal strip on either side of the equator, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, which covers the major coffee-growing regions. Speciality coffee is traditionally sourced at higher altitudes, and where possible on a direct trade level, working closely with farmers and producers.
As a speciality coffee roaster, every coffee we source — whether roasted for a blend, ground for our capsules, or selected for decaf — meets speciality standards. Building long-term relationships with the producers we source our coffee from is central to our approach sourcing. The strength of our relationships has led us to celebrated coffee-producing countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Panama, but also to lesser-known, and smaller coffee-producing countries, including Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Our approach to sourcing speciality coffee is consistent globally: we purchase exceptional coffee that is grown with respect to the land while providing the people throughout every stage of the supply chain with training, education, and support. Every purchase we make supports and invests in the future of coffee.
To reach speciality status, coffee must be farmed within specific conditions. From the outset, farmers will grow their coffee crops with intent, focusing either on speciality or commodity. Making this decision is necessary as numerous factors — including the type of coffee varietal chosen, the landscape, and the climate — will greatly influence the final cup flavour and aroma.
Due to its delicate flavour profile and pleasant acidity, arabica is currently the only species considered speciality coffee. However, even arabica must be grown and processed with care, otherwise its flavour and aroma can be compromised. Without careful cultivation and quality control, a coffee may also fail the multiple stages of assessment required to achieve a speciality score of 80 points or above.
Once grown and ready for harvest, ripe coffee cherries are picked and then carefully sorted. This is often done by hand to ensures no unripe cherries, or debris, such as leaves and twigs, are sent to processing.
The coffee cherry is a fruit, and coffee processing means removing the layers that surround the coffee seed within the fruit, which we know as the coffee bean. How a speciality coffee is processed after being picked and sorted, is given careful consideration to enhance the best flavours and aromas in the coffee varietals that have been grown. From classic processes, such as natural and washed, to more innovative and experimental processes, including anaerobic fermentation and black honey processes, each is considered with respect to the coffee varietals grown and the flavour and aroma potential.
The washed coffee process is one of the most popular processes, resulting in a clean, crisp, and medium-bodied coffee. The washed process involves removing the layers, including fruit, skin, mucilage, and parchment surrounding the coffee seed. A de-pulper is used to remove the skin and fruit, then the sticky mucilage is removed using a fermentation tank. After this, the coffee bean is washed with clean water, and left to dry, often on raised beds or patios in the sun.
Keen to explore a washed coffee process? Los Altos is a brilliantly easy-drinking washed process coffee we return to year after year.
Honey processing is sometimes referred to as ‘pulped natural’ depending on the country of origin. These coffees are often fruit-forward, showcasing the attributes of both washed and natural process coffees with medium sweetness and body. After being de-pulped, the coffee beans are left to dry with the mucilage left intact.
To explore a honey process coffee, explore our full feature coffee release.
Natural processing is the oldest and trickiest form of coffee processing. The coffee cherries are dried with the fruit and mucilage left on the bean; this allows the natural sugars and sweetness to ferment and merge with the coffee bean. Regular checks and care are needed to ensure the beans don't over-ferment or develop mould. The beans are turned regularly until they reach a set moisture level; the outer layers are then removed using a de-pulper or hulling machine.
Discover our current range of natural process coffees.
More producers are keen to experiment, testing new ways and pushing boundaries when it comes to presenting new and rare tasting profiles. Providing a great way to find your flavour preferences, explore the likes of anaerobic fermentation processes, malic fermentation, frozen natural processes, and more.
At Origin Coffee, we work with exceptional, pioneering coffee producers, such as Carlos Pola, who’s always willing to take coffee further.
Before being sold, samples from the coffee lot are lightly roasted and then tasted (or cupped) to identify any defects. It is here that the coffee buyer is involved. A Q Grader is the coffee equivalent of a sommelier, skilled in detecting and evaluating the sweetness, acidity, balance, mouthfeel, and tasting notes in a coffee.
During this first cupping, the coffee is blind-tasted using a Brazilian cupping method - coarsely grinding and brewing a specific amount of coffee with a specific amount of heated water. The coffee is smelt and tasted at different times as it cools, ascertaining the coffee’s underlying flavours and aromas.
Speciality coffee is generally roasted lighter than commodity coffee—this is to retain as much flavour as possible. Each coffee is unique, and the roaster’s job – and skill – is to find the ‘sweet spot’ of each coffee that’s been sourced and bought.
With so much care going into every stage of the cultivation and production of speciality coffee, the same level of care should go into brewing that distinctive cup of coffee, too. From a classic espresso to a V60 pour over, there are multiple brewing methods you can try to bring out different characteristics in your cup. Popular methods include the cafetiere (also known as the French Press), Chemex, Kalita, and the award-winning AeroPress, often a favourite in competitions.
Learn how to brew speciality coffee at home: See our Coffee Brew Guides.
At speciality coffee shops, you can enjoy speciality graded coffee brewed expertly by trained baristas. Speciality coffee shops provide a brilliant way to experience incredible speciality coffees from around the world. Along with offering the opportunities to explore new and rare coffees, visiting a speciality coffee shop presents the chance to learn more, through conversations with the fully trained and qualified baristas, such as all of those you’ll meet at any of our shop locations.
The baristas brewing your coffee for you will be trained to a professional level. This means they’re not only going to serve you the best possible coffee but will also be on hand with tips and advice should you wish to know more about the coffee you’re experiencing.
At Origin, we provide a Speciality Coffee Association accredited training programme to our baristas, as well as our wholesale customers, with the skills and knowledge to share incredible coffee. We also offer a full range of educational courses – designed for those new to the world of speciality coffee, as well as keen enthusiasts, with sessions designed to engage, inform, and inspire further learning and a fuller understanding.
Speciality coffee is a sensory experience, with nuances in flavour and layered complexity typically absent from commodity coffee. Some will have a rich body; others might have a well-rounded mouthfeel.
While choosing speciality coffee is highly dependent on personal taste, there are some universal key indicators of a great coffee. The tasting notes are a great way to understand if the coffee is aligned with your flavour preferences. For example, if you enjoy sweeter, classic coffee, you might opt for tasting notes that include demerara sugar, praline, or chocolate. If you enjoy bright, vibrant cups, then you might find that coffees with a higher acidity, and notes of yuzu or nectarine are to your liking.
One of the benefits of choosing speciality coffee is transparency. Alongside publishing each coffee’s SCA score, we also provide clear information about its country of origin, producer and processing method, sharing as much of the coffee’s story as possible. Where possible, we work direct trade, simplifying the supply chain, and documenting every step of the journey.
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Learn more about speciality coffee by checking out our journal and brew guides. Explore our current range of speciality coffee today, offering everything from single origin coffee and espresso blends to coffee subscriptions.