The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward - Episode with Peter Giuliano

Host and Guest

• Host: Lee Safar
• Guest: Peter Giuliano, Chief Research Officer for the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and Executive Director for the Coffee Science Foundation

Key Topics

Specialty Coffee: Definition and Evolution

• Specialty Coffee Question: Discusses how the definition of specialty coffee has evolved.
• Historical Context: Specialty coffee has changed dramatically over past decades.
• Ambiguity: There is confusion around its current definition.

Peter Giuliano's Role

• Current Positions: Chief Research Officer at SCA and Executive Director at Coffee Science Foundation.
• Background: Began career as a barista 35 years ago.
• Role Intersection: Acts as a bridge between coffee trade and academic research.

Importance of Defining Specialty Coffee

• Necessity: Essential for distinguishing between specialty coffee farms and non-specialty coffee farms.
• Impact on Research: Accurate definition needed for research purposes, especially in labor studies.

Investigation and Findings

• Literature Review: Explored how other industries, particularly chocolate, define specialty products.
• Attributes-Based Definition: Specialty coffee defined by distinctive attributes that create value.
• Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Attributes: Attributes could be sensory (taste, aroma) or based on information/external factors.
• Economic Aspect: Value is recognized if consumers are willing to pay more.

Subjectivity in Specialty Coffee

• Subjectivity: Discussion on the challenge of subjective interpretation of coffee attributes.
• Intrinsic Attributes: Biological senses detect objective qualities (e.g., bitterness, acidity).
• Effective Attributes: Personal and cultural experiences affecting perception of quality.
• Training Panels Example: Sensory consistency in cross-cultural studies of soy sauce.

Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Approach

• SCA's Stance: Descriptive (how it is experienced) rather than prescriptive (how it should be).
• Market Dynamics: Consumer preferences dictate what is considered specialty.

Specialty vs. Commodity Coffee

• Commodity: Indistinguishable and uniform, aimed at consistency.
• Specialty Coffee: Has distinctive attributes and is valued higher than commodity coffee.
• Consumer & Expert Preferences: Both play a role in defining specialty coffee.

Conclusion

• Specialty Coffee as an Antonym: Serves as an antonym to commodity coffee in terms of quality and valuation.
• Evolution: Future episodes to delve into the business and market research of specialty coffee.

Next Episode Preview

• Topic: What market research tells us about specialty coffee businesses and their well-being.
• Focus: Business sustainability of specialty coffee.

Closing Remarks

• Sign-Off: Lee Safar closes by emphasizing the importance of understanding specialty coffee and its business aspects.

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