The third wave it’s not a surfing concept, if you thought so at first.

The third wave in coffee culture refers to a complex phenomenon that attempts to summarize the development of the industry and its approach to coffee over the years. It is truly a way of appreciating a quality product.

Third wave coffee is the result of everyone’s hard work. We can see the importance of every actor in the supply chain: producer, importer, roaster, barista, and consumer. 

But to understand this progression better, we must first talk about the first wave, and this refers to the time when there was a massive commercialization of coffee, where there was a large market for instant coffee.

The second wave refers to the emergence of coffee shops that until today dominate the market, like Starbucks for example. This phenomenon occurred in the 1960s in the USA, and represented the adoption of the Italian espresso culture.

The third wave refers to the greater sensory appreciation of coffee, from a culinary or gourmet point of view. An approach that appears to give a greater relevance to flavor, origin and process.

There is even a fourth and fifth wave, which refers to the emergence of the independent coffee shop movement, the concept of specialty coffee and a deeper exploration of the sensory appreciation of coffee.

As a summary, we could say that, although these definitions are too general assessments, they help us to identify the trajectory of the industry and to know where the new trends are pointing. 

We are lucky to be witnesses of the industry’s evolution. With an increased focus on production and quality, it’s leading to fairer, better coffee that benefits all parts of the coffee supply chain.