History and culture
Third-wave and speciality coffee
From the early 2000s, a movement often called 'third-wave coffee' emphasised single-origin sourcing, lighter roasting, manual brewing and closer relationships with producers.
Each section below is labelled by how well-established its claims are — look for the label under each heading.
From commodity to speciality
Documented history · 2000s onward
Building on the wider availability created by earlier waves of café culture, a movement commonly referred to as 'third-wave coffee' emerged from the early 2000s, treating coffee more like wine or craft beer — emphasising origin, processing, roast development and brewing technique as points of distinction. The term itself is commonly attributed to a 2002 essay by roaster Trish Rothgeb, though as with many movement labels, its exact origin and boundaries are debated within the industry.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica coffee and coffeehouse history entries; The World Atlas of Coffee
Direct trade and sourcing transparency
Documented history · 2000s onward
Alongside changes in brewing and roasting style, this period saw increased emphasis on direct relationships between roasters and producers, and more detailed disclosure of origin, farm and processing information on packaging — part of a broader shift toward treating provenance as a marketable and meaningful attribute of the coffee itself.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica coffee and coffeehouse history entries; The World Atlas of Coffee