What is the real meaning of the third wave of coffee? What's the difference from boutique coffee?

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The term "the third wave of coffee" is often heard in stores or on the Internet, but do you know the true meaning of the third wave? What's the difference between the third wave and boutique coffee? What do you mean by the first wave, the second wave or even the fourth wave?

It is not easy to clearly define the third wave of coffee. There are different interpretations, some of which even contradict each other. In order to find out the truth, the author interviewed experts in the industry and asked them to define the third wave of coffee.

It's not just coffee.

Why the third wave? What happened to the first and second waves?

Let's take a quick look at the history of the coffee industry. In the 1960s, the consumer market for coffee began to grow rapidly. For the first time in history, coffee became easy to obtain. This is the simple definition of the first wave of coffee.

The second wave of coffee has been accompanied by an improvement in the quality of existing coffee, and large companies like Starbucks have begun to operate coffee shops and profit from this business, and coffee has become a luxury rather than a necessity.

More importantly, we began to realize the importance of the entire coffee supply chain, from producers to consumers, raw bean buyers began to pay attention to the production location and handling of coffee, this information will eventually be transmitted to consumers.

The above is a very simple definition of the first and second waves of coffee. What about the third wave?

A cup of coffee can be easy to get or luxurious.

Why is the third wave of coffee independently examined?

Matt Milletto of Water Avenue, a coffee company, told the author that he has been in the industry for more than 20 years, and that the essence of the third wave of coffee is really the best way to appreciate a good cup of coffee.

There are two keywords in the above paragraph, "appreciation" and "quality", which for Matt are closely related to the third wave of coffee we drink.

Similarly, Dismas of Caffe Ladro in Seattle said: "the third wave of coffee does not allow coffee to be grown or brewed in outdated and traditional ways. "

In Dismas's answer, we can see the importance of each participant in the supply chain: producers, importers, bean bakers, baristas and consumers. Unlike the first wave of coffee, consumers only focus on "easy access to coffee", while the third wave of coffee is the result of the commitment of each character in the supply chain to develop coffee.

However, these are still relatively vague concepts, so let's analyze the more specific details of the third wave of coffee.

In the third wave of coffee, we understand that espresso is not only made by baristas, but also by producers and bean bakers.

The key points of the third wave of coffee

Improve coffee quality, direct trade, more emphasis on the importance of sustainable development, shallow baking degree, innovative brewing methods, etc. These are the inherent characteristics of the third wave of coffee. We pursue the sweetness, complexity and uniqueness of coffee, and everyone loves it.

But when it comes to the more professional part, there is another area we missed and left out, that is, customer service.

Thanks to the business model of direct trade, baristas and bean bakers can give consumers a better understanding of the story behind coffee beans, Luo Guzhe, winner of the 2016 World Cooking Competition, told the author.

Matt also said: "drinking a cup of boutique coffee produced in the right way, coupled with the added value gathered in the supply chain, makes boutique coffee a great experience. This experience is a combination of education, knowledge, enthusiasm and hospitality. "

The third wave of coffee is to create experiences that make customers feel special. Customer service is part of it, while the story behind telling the tasters about coffee is another. The story is woven by producers, importers, bean bakers and baristas, which explains why coffee is unique, why you taste the special aroma and flavor, and how quality coffee is not easy to come by.

This kind of consumer education can also be achieved by establishing smoother channels of communication between producers and consumers, including direct trade and social media.

The way we brew affects the flavor of the coffee we can drink.

What is the difference between the third wave of coffee and boutique coffee?

You may also often hear that "boutique coffee" and "third wave of coffee" can be used interchangeably, so the author asked respondents if they saw the difference between the two, and all respondents agreed that there was a difference.

Sarah, marketing manager at Slayer Espresso, shared: "the third wave of coffee doesn't really mean a cup of coffee, but contains all the elements that love coffee, that is, the presentation of a complete supply chain." "

So if the third wave of coffee is different from premium coffee, what is boutique coffee? The Fine Coffee Association SCA defines that a cup score of 100 points is commercial coffee as long as it reaches 60 points but less than 80 points, while it can be called fine coffee if it reaches 80 points. These special coffees are usually grown in specific microclimates and soils, focusing on production and delicate handling (that is, removing the pulp from the coffee beans).

"Fine coffee is an important element of a range of quality services because it ensures the quality of the coffee that drinkers will drink and systematically evaluates its quality," Sarah said. "

Similarly, Julian of the Mexican boutique coffee shop said: "boutique coffee is the final product of the spirit of the third wave of coffee, as long as the coffee served has a unique quality and is significantly different from ordinary coffee, we can connect it with the taste buds of consumers. "

The third wave of coffee is an experience, and fine coffee is what we come into contact with in this experience.

The third wave of coffee shops serving boutique coffee

Can boutique coffee be connected with the second wave of coffee?

It is mentioned above that we combine the boutique coffee with the third wave of coffee very well, but if the third wave of coffee represents the relationship between consumers and coffee, can we theoretically connect the boutique with the second wave?

Zhe agreed: "for boutique coffee, it does not have to be the third wave, or to highlight the value of coffee through service, but it is undeniable that in order to create a perfect experience, this service link is still necessary. "

In other words, the third wave of coffee needs boutique coffee support, but boutique coffee does not necessarily need the third wave of coffee to prove itself.

Experience boutique coffee under the essence of the third wave

The fourth wave of coffee... Is it possible?

Recently, I have heard some people talking about the fourth wave of coffee. There is a lot of controversy about this argument. Is it possible for the fourth wave of coffee to exist? Or is the fourth wave happening just because we don't know it?

In fact, it is very difficult to have a fourth wave, because in the third wave of coffee, we already have high-quality coffee, meaningful trade relationships, innovative brewing methods, understanding of the planting and processing process, and so on.

However, Dismas said he believes the fourth wave is possible. "the fourth wave may represent the highest and ultimate outcome of the boutique coffee movement. I discussed this topic with several people, and everyone agreed that we should not give up the possibility of inquiring about the fourth wave of coffee. "

He extended the idea and told the author: "the fourth wave can be seen as a scientific breakthrough for coffee." We will talk more deeply about the precise knowledge of soil, coffee trees and coffee beans.

Behind the coffee fruit, is there the scientific development of the fourth wave of coffee?

The third wave of coffee is a movement, an experience, education and services focused on consumers. No matter how you define the third wave, I believe we are very lucky to witness the evolution of the coffee industry. As the public pays more and more attention to coffee production and quality, fairer and better coffee will be produced, benefiting all roles in the coffee supply chain.

So the next time you go to a third wave coffee shop, don't be afraid to ask the barista what kind of coffee you're drinking, because a question and answer is the essence of the third wave.

The article is reproduced from: Chengzhen Coffee