Grounding Green Grading in Sensory Science: Research to Understand Physical Coffee Defects | 25, Issue 24
The SCA’s Publications Manager, LAUREL CARMICHAEL, introduces a Coffee Science Foundation research project on the sensory impact of physical defects in green coffee, undertaken at the Coffee Excellence Center at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
2025 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Breakout Report Now Available
The 2025 report shows specialty coffee consumption hitting a 14-year high.
How Sweet Coffee Tastes! Towards an Understanding of Coffee Sweetness | 25, Issue 22
Researchers Dr. NANCY CORDOBA and Dr. DEVIN PETERSON, joined by PETER GIULIANO, share early results of a multi-year Coffee Science Foundation research project, undertaken at the Flavor Research and Education Center at Ohio State University, to establish foundational knowledge about the phenomenon of sweetness in coffee.
Worth the Wait: How Cold Brew Differs from Chilled Hot Brew | 25, Issue 22
Director of the University of California Davis Coffee Center, Professor WILLIAM RISTENPART shares a summary of a four-year-long project on cold brew.
2024 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Breakout Report Now Available
The 2024 NCDT Market Research Series is an exclusive compendium of the most in-depth coffee industry market research currently available. The SCA has partnered with the NCA to help deliver key insights to coffee professionals.
What Color is Your Coffee? | 25, Issue 21
University of California Davis Coffee Center scientists LAUDIA ANOKYE-BEMPAH, IRWIN R. DONIS-GONZÁLEZ, and WILLIAM D. RISTENPART describe research undertaken in 2023 with a goal of developing new roast color standards for the coffee industry.
It’s Electric: Understanding—and Reducing—Static Electricity During Grinding | 25, Issue 21
Drs. JOSHUA MÉNDEZ HARPER and CHRISTOPHER H. HENDON discuss the chemistry and physics behind the electrification of coffee during grinding, its effect on extraction, and strategies to mitigate it. All images are adapted from their recent academic publication “Moisture-Controlled Triboelectrification During Coffee Grinding,” published in Matter.
Brewing Value: A Webinar on the Equitable Value Distribution Report
Join us for “Brewing Value: A Webinar on the Equitable Value Distribution Report” happening Tuesday, March 26th at 9am PDT, 12pm EDT, and 4pm GMT on Zoom.
SCA Report: Equitable Value Distribution Survey Findings
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce the release of its latest report, titled "Equitable Value Distribution Survey Findings," marking a significant milestone in the effort to shape mindsets and business behaviors in order to foster equitable value distribution as a sustainability tool for the specialty coffee sector.
Beyond Freshness: How Packaging Color Influences Consumer Behavior | 25, Issue 20
Neuroscientist Dr. FABIANA CARVALHO shares the recent results of a Coffee Science Foundation study, supported by Savor Brands Inc., to understand how packaging color influences consumer behavior.
Understanding Sustainability Interventions: An Assessment of Experimental Evidence in the Coffee Sector | 25, Issue 20
Economists DAVIDE DEL PRETE and ROCCO MACCHIAVELLO recently completed a literature review of sustainability interventions for the Coffee Science Foundation; here, with PETER GIULIANO, they summarize its findings.
The Coffee Science Foundation Releases New Specialty Labor Research
The Coffee Science Foundation is excited to announce this output from a project intended to understand the role of labor in specialty coffee.
Encuesta: Ayude a Dar Forma a la Agenda de Café Sostenible de la SCA Compartiendo Sus Ideas Sobre la Creación, Medición, Y Distribución de Valor
El equipo de Desarrollo del Conocimiento de la SCA, como parte de la Agenda de Café Sostenible de la SCA, está implementando una encuesta dirigida a los actores de la cadena de suministro del café para evaluar y rastrear el impacto sobre cómo el valor es creado, medido, y distribuido en las cadenas de valor del café, hacia el objetivo más amplio de lograr una distribución equitativa del valor (EVD).
Survey: Help Shape the SCA Sustainable Coffee Agenda by Sharing Your Thoughts on Value Creation, Measurement, and Distribution
The SCA Knowledge Development team as part of the SCA Sustainable Coffee Agenda is implementing a survey aimed at actors across the coffee supply chain to assess and track the impact around how value is created, measured, and distributed in coffee value chains, toward a broader goal of equitable value distribution (EVD).
2023 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Report Now Available
The 2023 NCDT Market Research Series is an exclusive compendium of the most in-depth coffee industry market research currently available. The SCA is partnering with the NCA to help deliver key insights to coffee professionals.
New Year, New Relationships—Same Cup of Coffee? | 25, Issue 19
CHERYL HUNG, lead researcher for the NCA's National Coffee Data Trends studies, traces the impact of the pandemic on coffee consumption in the US and Canada, highlights the collective urge to reconnect, and calls for the coffee community to focus on marketing the emotional benefits and the “softer” aspects of America’s favorite morning beverage.
Cold vs. Iced: Using Sensory Analysis to Test the Claim that Cold Brew is Sweeter and Less Acidic | 25, Issue 19
Lead author Dr. MACKENZIE BATALI shares the results of a controlled and systematic study exploring the impact of the cold brew process on the sensory profile of the beverage it produces, recently published in MDPI’s open access journal, Foods.
Two New Bonavita Coffee Brewers Join the SCA Certified Home Brewer Lineup
Two New Bonavita Coffee Brewers Join the SCA Certified Home Brewer Lineup
Just Released: The Value of Specialty Coffee Cuppers SCA White Paper
The new SCA White Paper: The Value of Specialty Coffee Cuppers: Perspectives, Roles, and Professional Competencies describes the various roles cuppers currently hold within coffee’s value chain, the value of these roles, and the competencies required to successfully operate as a cupper in each context.
Take the 2023 Specialty Coffee Education Survey
The SCA Knowledge Development team needs input from coffee educators to help shape future education programs. Tell us your thoughts in this 5 minute survey.