Organic Coffee Definition

What is Specialty Coffee? Is all specialty coffee organic?

What is an Organic Specialty Coffee? The definition of “specialty coffee” is pretty much whatever an individual producer desires it to be. It can refer to “special” blends of beans or it can refer to flavored beans. Coffee labeled “specialty” comprises around ten percent of the world’s market, but true specialty coffee, beans produced in optimum conditions, grown organically in the shade and processed in a way that assures the very best tasting beans, amounts to about one percent of the world’s coffee production. As the premium for growing organic coffee becomes less and therefore the incentive to grow organic coffee disappears, and as climate changes produce smaller yields and force prices in general to rise, it remains to be seen what the future holds for true organic specialty beans.

Today’s organic specialty coffee depends on growers that are concerned more with a great tasting coffee that is sustainably grown, than with their profitability. We will have to wait to see how many small producers have the ability to continue growing organic coffee which traditionally yields fewer beans and a smaller bean at a higher cost. It is becoming harder for the small farms to keep up with the cost of growing it. We will also have to wait and see how many consumers are willing to pay for a high quality bean and how many will settle for a cup of coffee of lesser quality. If you are drinking a specialty coffee make sure it really is an Organic Specialty Bean.

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