Where Did Specialty Coffee Really Begin?

When you hear someone talk about 'specialty coffee,' you might assume it’s always been around — a timeless term for high-quality beans. But like most modern coffee concepts, it had a beginning. The truth is, 'specialty coffee' wasn’t always part of the conversation. So where did the idea come from, and who decided that some coffee beans deserved a different label altogether?

The term 'Specialty Coffee' was first used in 1974 by Erna Knutsen in an interview with Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. She introduced it to describe high-quality beans with exceptional flavor, setting them apart from mass-produced commercial coffee focused only on marketing.

What Is Specialty Coffee?

Specialty coffee refers to coffee beans that are grown, processed, roasted, and brewed to achieve a notably high level of quality and flavor. Unlike commercial coffee — which prioritizes volume, uniformity, and low cost — specialty coffee emphasizes origin, freshness, and sensory characteristics. The term was coined to highlight these differences and to elevate the perception of well-grown, well-roasted beans in a market dominated by lower-grade products.

Who Coined the Term ‘Specialty Coffee’?

In 1974, Erna Knutsen, a Norwegian immigrant to the United States, used the term 'Specialty Coffee' for the first time in a feature interview published in Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. At the time, she was working in the coffee industry as an executive secretary at B.C. Ireland, a San Francisco-based coffee importing company. It was there that she observed the overwhelming dominance of commercial coffee — particularly blends made with low-cost Robusta beans — and recognized the lack of attention given to high-grade Arabica beans with distinct flavor profiles.

Erna Knutsen’s Coffee Journey

Knutsen didn’t start in coffee. She immigrated to the U.S. as a child from Norway and didn’t engage with coffee seriously until her 40s. Her job at B.C. Ireland put her in contact with major U.S. food corporations like General Foods and Hills Bros., which purchased large quantities of cheap Robusta beans to produce canned and instant coffee. These companies relied heavily on advertising rather than quality, saturating the American market with bland, commercial coffee.

Despite the company also importing small amounts of high-quality Arabica beans — typically less than a full container (about 250 bags or 15,000 kilograms) — there was little demand for them. Knutsen took it upon herself to market these premium beans to smaller, regional roasters who cared more about flavor and were willing to work with smaller lot sizes. Her efforts were successful, and she became an advocate for what she would later term 'specialty coffee.'

Knutsen eventually rose to become president of the company and was later recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) with a Lifetime Contribution Award. In 1986, she founded her own company, Knutsen Coffee Ltd., based in Sacramento, California, continuing her legacy in the specialty coffee trade.

The Role of the U.S. Market

The United States, being the largest coffee consumer globally at the time, was almost entirely dominated by commercial coffee. Most Americans had grown tired of the dull, bitter taste of mass-market blends. Knutsen’s introduction of the term 'specialty coffee' gave a clear identity to a better alternative — one defined not by marketing muscle but by inherent bean quality and cup flavor. Her work helped spark interest in better coffee and laid the groundwork for the specialty coffee movement that would follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who first used the term 'Specialty Coffee'?

Erna Knutsen first used the term 'Specialty Coffee' in 1974 during an interview with Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. She used it to describe high-quality, flavorful coffee beans that stood apart from commercial, mass-market coffee.

What is the difference between specialty coffee and commercial coffee?

Specialty coffee refers to beans that are carefully grown, processed, roasted, and brewed to highlight unique flavors and high quality. Commercial coffee prioritizes mass production, low cost, and marketing over flavor and origin, often using lower-grade beans like Robusta.

Why did Erna Knutsen promote specialty coffee?

Knutsen saw that most Americans were dissatisfied with the bland taste of commercial coffee. She recognized the potential of high-quality Arabica beans and worked to connect small roasters with premium lots, promoting coffee that was defined by flavor rather than marketing.

Did Erna Knutsen found a coffee company?

Yes, in 1986, she founded Knutsen Coffee Ltd. in Sacramento, California. The company became well-regarded in the specialty coffee industry, continuing her mission of promoting high-quality beans.

What award did Erna Knutsen receive from the SCAA?

Erna Knutsen was honored with the SCAA’s Lifetime Contribution Award for her role in establishing and promoting the concept of specialty coffee in the United States.

How big was a typical coffee import container at the time?

A standard container held around 250 bags of coffee, equal to roughly 15,000 kilograms of beans — a volume rarely filled by the high-quality Arabica beans Knutsen promoted.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Exploring Specialty Origins

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for bright citrus and floral tones, or their Colombia Huila for balanced notes of caramel and red fruit. Both showcase the origin-driven profiles that define specialty coffee. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.