Welcome to Coffee, Decoded, the Specialty Coffee Association’s weekly column on science, research, and all things coffee knowledge.

PETER GIULIANO, the SCA's Senior Advisor for Scientific Communication writes about flavor chemistry in coffee: how can we understand the compounds behind what we taste and smell?

Welcome to Coffee, Decoded, the Specialty Coffee Association’s weekly column on science, research, and all things coffee knowledge.

PETER GIULIANO, the SCA's Senior Advisor for Scientific Communication, helps us understand the impact of roast color on coffee flavor

Welcome to Coffee, Decoded, the Specialty Coffee Association’s weekly column on science, research, and all things coffee knowledge.

PETER GIULIANO, the SCA's Senior Advisor for Scientific Communication, helps us understand the history of coffee roasting and why roast level matters so much to consumers.

Welcome to Coffee, Decoded, the Specialty Coffee Association’s weekly column on science, research, and all things coffee knowledge.

PETER GIULIANO, the SCA's Senior Advisor for Scientific Communication, helps us understand the mystery of coffee sweetness: How do we perceive it? What causes it? Can we smell it?

The Specialty Coffee Association is now accepting nominations for the 2027-2029 SCA Board of Directors.  The SCA will announce the slate of candidates selected through the interview process by August 27.

Rather than viewing the grinder simply as a machine that crushes coffee beans, Ceado approached grinding as an active part of flavor development, a system capable of controlling the physical variables that directly influence extraction and sensory expression in the cup. 

At World of Coffee Brussels, BWT water+more is redefining what exceptional coffee can be. The message is bold and simple: great coffee starts with great water.

One of 25’s goals is to share academic research on coffee in plain language and in free-to-access formats. But we also believe that the coffee sector is full of stories and that these stories are important and influential. Research can sometimes feel abstract and theoretical, but we also know that there’s a story behind every project—even those conducted in a chemistry laboratory or by poring over data from scientific studies in something known as a global meta-analysis.

Peter Giuliano, SCA Senior Advisor of Science Communication, shares insights from research into the perspectives of coffee farm workers, and how this research has shaped knowledge building at the SCA.

Emily Pappo, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Fellow with Smithsonian Bird Friendly Coffee & Cocoa, draws on a global meta-analysis to argue that while tree planting dominates current climate strategies in coffee, protecting existing biodiverse agroforestry systems should also be recognized as an effective climate and biodiversity solution. When incentivized, this approach can build shared value for producers and buyers.

The SCA’s Content Development Manager, Laurel Carmichael, speaks to researchers at the Hendon Coffee Lab about their chemistry lab that looks like a café, and about how they use electrochemistry and Design of Experiments to better understand the complexities of espresso extraction.

An interdisciplinary research team from Switzerland, Bolivia, and Colombia, led by Chahan Yeretzian, Nelson Gutiérrez Guzmán, and Johanna Jacobi, and including researchers Derly Lara, Daniel Castro, Sebastian Opitz, Sabine De Castelberg, Sergio Urioste, and Alvaro Irazoque, worked alongside coffee farmers, processors, and traders to examine which value chain structures improve farmer livelihoods in the Yungas of Bolivia and Huila, Colombia.

Dr. Aaron Davis, Senior Research Leader of Plant Resources and Head of Coffee Research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, shares the history of Liberica coffee, recent genomic research that has redefined it as three distinct species, and how Liberica and Excelsa’s climate resilience and unique flavor profiles offer new opportunities for the specialty coffee sector.

Neuroscientist Dr. Fabiana Carvalho explores the specialty coffee sector's perceptions of canephora and how the development of the new Canephora Flavor Wheel could help cuppers better describe and value the species' sensory potential.

Congratulations to the winners of the Best New Product Awards, and to all of the 2026 entrants that showcased their innovations. SCA’s panel of experienced judges bring years of industry expertise and will rigorously evaluate each product based on specific criteria, ensuring the most deserving products get the spotlight they deserve.

The 2026 Coffee Design Awards recognize remarkable creativity and innovation across coffee branding, packaging, and environments. These awards—which are hosted at World of Coffee trade shows annually—celebrate the vision, skill, and storytelling that define the coffee experience. Thank you to all who submitted their work to the 2026 awards.

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Bluestone Lane improved efficiency and customer service by implementing Square's integrated technology platform, optimizing operations, and enabling smarter business decisions across its locations.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) are proud to announce the 2026 Sustainability Award winners.

Attendee registration is now open for World of Coffee, the premier global event for the specialty coffee industry. The event will take place in Brussels, Belgium at Brussels Expo from June 27 – 29, 2026.