Sponsored Content by BWT water+more: Crystal-clear ice cubes can be achieved with the BWT bestico filter cartridge—irrespective of the quality of the untreated water.

The quality of water used to brew coffee is decisive for the taste experience in the cup. Water treatment plays a particularly important role in vending, gastronomy, and the hotel industry, where high demands are placed on coffee specialties.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) are pleased to announce a historic partnership that will provide better support and more accessible educational opportunities to the coffee industry.

In the last installment of a three-part series, JENN RUGOLO offers tips on how to familiarize yourself with the concepts and workflow of CVA, including suggestions about how to teach and implement the assessments in your workplace.

In this second instalment of a three-part series, LAUREL CARMICHAEL shares stories from industry leaders about the ways the CVA’s Affective Assessment has created space for our industry’s increasingly diverse preferences.  

In this first instalment of a three-part series, LAUREL CARMICHAEL shares stories from industry leaders about the ways the CVA’s Descriptive Assessment has become an insightful and powerful tool for their work.  

The quality of water used to brew coffee is decisive for the taste experience in the cup. Water treatment plays a particularly important role in vending, gastronomy, and the hotel industry, where high demands are placed on coffee specialties.

Following a preliminary release in June, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce the adoption of three Coffee Value Assessment components as its official cupping standards: SCA-102 Sample Preparation and Cupping Mechanics, SCA-103 Descriptive Assessment, and SCA-104 Affective Assessment. These standards, approved by the SCA Standards Development Panel, supersede the 2004 Cupping Protocol and Form, advancing the SCA’s comprehensive approach to coffee evaluation. Use these free resources in your cupping practice at sca.coffee/value-assessment

The Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) for Cuppers Course is a two-day, immersive professional development experience tailored specifically for coffee cuppers and other sensory professionals.

After valuable input from 800 Early Adopters, community groups, and various industry stakeholders, we are progressing to the next phase of the SCA Coffee Value Assessment—the tool the global industry uses to discover value in coffee!

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce that the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) and its tools are now available to use in the digital space, on two platforms: the Tastify Web App and iOS/Andriod application, CatadorCVA. The online platform Tastify and the next generation of the Catador cupping app, CatadorCVA, have adopted the CVA for digital use.

World of Coffee Jakarta marks the first World of Coffee trade show in Indonesia and focuses on a deep-rooted connection to one of the largest coffee-producing and exporting countries in the world. Indonesia ranks as the fourth largest coffee producer in the world and the second largest in Asia. Indonesia, renowned for its esteemed coffee-growing regions such as Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi, offers a rich tapestry of flavors and traditions that are deeply ingrained in its coffee heritage.

Last year was an exciting and inspiring year for us at the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Throughout 2023, the hard work of many enabled us to engage in research, develop standards, expand education, create events, and design experiences with a global reach—all in service on our continuous journey to fulfill our association’s commitment to make coffee better.  Dive in to the newly published 2023 SCA Annual Report

In 2024, the SCA will introduce the first major overhaul to its membership program in decades. The new model will focus on providing value and connectivity to the growing international community, enhanced features for companies, and new pricing structure.

We’re thrilled to announce that nominations are now open for the 2024 Sustainability Awards! The deadline to submit an application is January 31, 2024. The 2024 Sustainability Awards will recognize for-profit and non-profit organizations that advance sustainability in the coffee sector while inspiring others to design and initiate similar endeavors innovations.

Registration is now open for 2024 Specialty Coffee Expo taking place in Chicago, USA next April. Expo is North America’s largest B2B event for specialty coffee professionals and will be taking place at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago from April 12-14, 2024.

2023 Re:co Fellow RAGHUNATH RAJARAM, co-founder of Aramse, links their work to revive and modernize the South Indian Filter to the concept of value creation, reminding us that solutions to existing or emerging problems may already exist—and that they may hold the key to keeping more value where it’s created.

2023 Re:co Fellow DENNIS COTE, an ALM (Master of Liberal Arts in History) graduate candidate at Harvard Extension School, shared some of their thesis work on specialty coffee and gentrification in Portland, this year’s host city, from 1995-2020.

2023 Re:co Fellow OLGA L CUELLAR-GOMEZ, a social entrepreneur working with extensive experience structuring sustainability projects, reflects on the industry’s recent focus on green house gas (GHG) emissions and offers a methodology to ensure farmers’ voices and perspectives are integrated into new sustainability initiatives.

2023 Re:co Fellow GARRY JOHNSON III, the Founder and CEO of BVP Coffee Co., sheds light on the significance of Black history, the value of diversity, the importance of equity, and the role of education in fostering inclusivity. Here, he explains how embracing diversity and pursuing equity can lead to a robust and sustainable future for the specialty coffee industry.