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But what is the point of experimentally processing other priorities such costs of labor and production,
a coffee if the consumer prefers dark roasts? Amilka climate change effect on their crops, as well as selling
said something that reasoned with me, “The consumer’s their coffee at a decent price.
preference is directly related to their coffee culture, Consumer trends eventually make their way to
their concept of “quality” and, above all, the econom- the farm, and as specialty coffee continues to grow,
ic factor. Plus the world of coffee, in general, has been we need to make sure that those driving the movement
static for many years, with the aggravating circum- are doing their best to be inclusive and support the
stance that, since coffee is a commodity product, communities they are impacting. Amilka thinks that
consuming countries did not have information on its staying committed to specialty coffee and its innova-
origin and the coffee growers’ needs and, above all, tions is giving more spotlight to those who grow
how much they are paid for their product.” coffee. “My vision is that baristas and roasters are the
Of course, just because the consumer prefers dark link that connects the consumer with the producer,
roasts or might not know what Arabica is, doesn’t mean as well as the visible faces that represent the entire
that specialty coffee should stop innovating and ex- industry. Share your knowledge of coffee with the
ploring. It is important to keep pushing boundaries end customer, because if the end customer does not
Kenean Assefa both for the sake of coffee quality, knowledge, and learn to appreciate quality and specialty coffee, it is
Dukamo access. However, it is also necessary to educate con- impossible for them to understand why they pay more
sumers in order to create an understanding of why for the ‘same coffee’.”
Head of Coffee at Daye
Bensa Coffee and 2022 specialty coffee may be different from their usual cup. Savina echoes Amilka’s thoughts and reflects on the
Cup of Excellence It’s important to remember that even though impact of climate change, “Love and respect have to be
Ethiopia winner coffee is just a drink to some, for others it’s their live- the two fundamentals for those interested in coffee.
lihood. You might be surprised to know that many Along the coffee cultivation and production processes,
coffee farmers have never even tried the coffee they many people work hard to ensure it reaches our hands
harvest. Depending on the size of their farm, which and as for all agricultural products, nothing assures you
sometimes might only be a few hectares, they have that it will be same year after year.”

Finally, the rise of coffee on tap is another trend But while the industry is preparing to offer all of
that favors convenience. Many consumers are starting this to consumers, what are the consumers really
to discover the world of coffee on tap, which is a sys- drinking? Amilka Lee, owner of Coffee Lovers Roast-
tem where coffee is brewed and stored in kegs and ers, coffee trainer and consultant, told me that, “Sur-
served from a tap. From nitro cold brews to nitro lattes, prisingly, in my travels I have discovered that the vast Amilka Lee
coffee on tap is becoming increasingly popular, as more majority of countries, including those that consume
and more coffee shops invest in these systems to meet the most in the world, drink a dark roasted coffee. Owner of Coffee Lovers
consumer demand. Despite the fact that in many places I have found good Roasters, coffee trainer
The COVID-19 also had an impact on how people quality coffee, it is very dark roasted and that does not and consultant
purchase and consume coffee. For many, convenience let us appreciate it.” He also pointed out that in recent
is now more important than ever. With more people years, coffee processes like anaerobic fermentation,
working from home, there has been an increase in carbonic maceration, the addition of yeast, and infused
demand for at-home coffee solutions that are easy to coffees have taken over the specialty coffee market at
use and require minimal effort. the industry level.
Services such as contactless pickup and fast delivery Kenean Assefa Dukamo, Head of Coffee at Daye
have also become more popular as consumers look for Bensa Coffee and 2022 Cup of Excellence Ethiopia
ways to minimize contact and get their coffee fix without winner, is a second generation coffee producer who
leaving home. A recent study by Deloitte, found that has been in the industry for the last five years. He
about four-fifths of consumers value convenience even shared with me that, “We have seen a major transfor-
more now than before COVID-19, and more than four- mation of coffee processing techniques in Ethiopia over
fifths of consumers expect flexible shipping and fulfill- the last few years. Many producers are experimenting
ment options, like BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store), with new practices such as honey processing, anaero-
from retailers. Many big companies have caught on to bic fermentation, and some even introducing experi-
this trend and are investing in ways to make their prod- mental processing methods that they believe will help
ucts more convenient for consumers. bring out the flavors and profiles of their coffees.”

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