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A while back, we mentioned that the fourth wave of coffee was coming. Guess what? It’s here. As we are in the early stages, we want to update what that fourth wave looks like and add a sixth area of focus and development.
When there are significant changes, shifts, or new approaches in an industry are often referred to as waves. Coffee, in particular, has experienced several significant waves that have disrupted the norm and elevated the quality of the product.
The most significant wave known to date is the 3rd wave, which brought us powerhouses like Blue Bottle, Ritual, Verve, and La Colombe, to name a few. As previously mentioned, this wave emphasized fair trade, popularized the pour-over method, and, somewhat controversially, made iced coffee a staple.
We are in the beginning stages of the fourth wave, which has already shown its influence in the industry. This wave promises a significant shift with eight key segments: domestic reinvestment, the advancement of specialty and single-origin coffee beans, a revival of legacy coffee regions, expansion of latte flavors, experiences (think cocktail and tasting bars), the refinement of the coffee process, including how coffee is process and roasting, and the rise of the micro roaster.
Over the next few weeks, I will delve into each of these segments, exploring how they will enhance your coffee experience and reshape the industry.
