Reacting to the Third Wave: Alternative Approaches to Coffee Premiumisation

Key findings

Coffee’s third wave is one of the key drivers of premiumisation in the industry. However, not all efforts to improve coffee quality are part of it. A small, but significant number embrace the drive for quality coffee but reject one or more aspects of the third wave itself.

The aspects they reject tend to focus on the external trappings of the third wave, not the quality of the coffee itself. Some do not like the sense of elitism that is surrounds some high-end coffee. Others are put off by the intensity of preparation increasingly required, or by the cultural atmosphere that pervades third wave coffee shops.

This reaction shows that there is not a monolithic path towards premium coffee. Successful paths to premiumisation will consider whether there are some aspects of the third wave that might be off-putting to an intended customer base and adapt accordingly, while keeping a focus on quality.