SCAA and SCAE Take First Step Toward Merger

In March 2016, during the HOTELEX trade show in Shanghai, two of the most influential figures in specialty coffee governance—SCAE Executive Director David Veal and SCAE President Paul Stack—addressed a long-anticipated topic among industry professionals: a potential merger between the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE). For years, the specialty coffee community had speculated whether these two leading bodies would join forces.

Yes, a merger was actively being considered. Just 6% of SCAE members opposed it, while only 3% of SCAA members did. With strong internal support, discussions turned to how unifying the two organizations could strengthen global coffee advocacy and sustainability efforts.

Why Merge SCAA and SCAE?

The proposed merger aimed to pool the strengths of both organizations to build a larger, more impactful global coffee community. The ultimate goal was to drive progress toward sustainability across the coffee industry.

David Veal presented survey data showing broad internal support for the merger. SCAE’s educational resources were highly regarded, while SCAA had a strong track record in organizing large-scale coffee events and market engagement. By combining these assets, the unified body could expand its reach, enhance financial stability, and tackle sustainability challenges more effectively.

What Are the Proposed Benefits?

The merger would create a single organization with broader social connections and greater financial power. SCAE’s structured education system complements SCAA’s expertise in staging major coffee events. Together, they could address industry-wide sustainability issues more ambitiously.

Both organizations saw the merger as a way to centralize resources, unify voices, and better serve the evolving needs of coffee professionals worldwide. This included improving training, events, and advocacy efforts under one strategic framework.

What Happens Next in the Merger Process?

The Shanghai event marked only the beginning of a formal voting process. SCAE scheduled its official membership vote for May 23, 2016, in London. All SCAE members were required to complete two ballots: one to indicate support for the merger, and another to confirm acceptance of the final vote’s outcome—or to opt out of SCAE if they disagreed.

If the majority approved the merger, SCAE planned to develop a detailed integration proposal, with the goal of officially uniting the two associations by January 2017.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the key reasons for the SCAA and SCAE merger?

The merger aimed to combine the educational strengths of SCAE with the event organization capabilities of SCAA, creating a unified body with greater global influence, financial resources, and capacity to promote sustainability in the coffee industry.

How did SCAE and SCAA members feel about the merger?

Support was strong: only 6% of SCAE members and 3% of SCAA members expressed opposition to the merger, indicating broad internal approval.

When was the official vote on the merger scheduled?

The official SCAE membership vote took place on May 23, 2016, in London. Members voted on both supporting the merger and accepting the outcome.

What would happen if the merger vote passed?

If approved, SCAE would draft a detailed integration plan, aiming to complete the formal merger of SCAA and SCAE by January 2017.

Where was the merger discussion first publicly addressed?

The potential merger was first discussed publicly at the HOTELEX trade show in Shanghai on March 31, 2016, by SCAE’s David Veal and Paul Stack.

What were the intended benefits of a combined SCAA and SCAE?

The combined organization would leverage SCAE’s education system and SCAA’s event expertise to build a larger coffee community with stronger advocacy, financial power, and sustainability initiatives.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Professionals

For those following the SCAA and SCAE merger, these FrontStreet beans offer insight into specialty coffee’s evolving standards. Try the FrontStreet Yirgacheffe, known for its bright citrus acidity and floral jasmine notes, ideal for exploring cupping protocols. The FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui brings ripe blueberry and stone fruit with a winey finish—perfect for evaluating scoring consistency. Finally, the FrontStreet Red Cherry offers a balanced profile with sweet red fruit and chocolate, great for training or cupping sessions. These beans reflect the quality focus both SCAA and SCAE champion. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.