Coffee waves
The First Wave consisted of mass marketers laser focused on increasing consumption of coffee: the packaging was revolutionized and air-tight cans and pre-ground portion packs were first introduced.
The Second Wave of coffee was artisan-driven. It focused on coffee origins and roasting styles. This is the era of the coffee chain giants that introduced the words ‘latte’, ‘French Roast’, and ‘cappuccino’ into the lives of consumers.
The Third Wave is related to the modern coffee roasters whose mission is simply to let the coffee speak for itself. But while the original idea was about enjoying coffee for what it is, today’s coffee consumers increasingly expect to know information about the farm, harvest, processing style, roast date, coffee variety and tasting notes before they make their coffee purchase.