What is specialty coffee?

Specialty coffee is the term used to describe the highest quality tier of the coffee industry - green coffees that score 80 points or above on the SCA 100-point cupping scale, and the roasters, importers, and cafes that work with them. The term was coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974 to describe coffees with unique flavour profiles produced in specific microclimates.

The specialty coffee movement is built on a set of interconnected commitments: sourcing traceable, high-quality green coffee, roasting to highlight rather than mask that quality, and brewing with care and precision. It's defined as much by values - transparency, traceability, fair pricing, quality focus - as by the 80-point threshold.

For GCC's customers, specialty coffee is the context that defines why green coffee quality matters. A home roaster buying green beans is engaging directly with the specialty supply chain - controlling roast development, freshness, and ultimately cup quality in a way that pre-roasted coffee can't offer. The glossary you're reading is part of that engagement: the more a roaster understands about where their coffee comes from and how it's made, the better the decisions they can make.