Good Coffee

We call good coffee those coffees that are far from roasted, that are roasted weekly and fresh, those coffees that do not use preservatives or additives for their preservation and that our trusted coffee roaster details their origin, roasting date, aromatic nuances. and even its origin.

Where to find good coffee in Spain?

The consumption of good coffee is growing in our country, every day we are younger and not so young those of us who decide to opt for a good coffee for our personal delight and our well-being.

Currently, this business is booming, especially in online sales , the specialty coffee consumer seeks to buy beans from different roasters; And it is a world so wide and new that it invites you to try the different grains :

• Natural processed
• The washed processed
• The light roasts
• The most toasted
• And an endless number of variables that come together to create multiple symphonies of flavor in each cup.

But what is good coffee or good coffee?

There are many names for this new coffee that is flooding our lives and modifying our consumption habits. We have rediscovered coffee through small gourmets who demanded better coffee. Now Spanish culture is opening up to this revolution of artisanal coffees .

To identify one of these coffees we must know its qualities and why people are attracted to them.

Imagine that you drink a coffee that is not bitter, unthinkable, right? Well, nothing could be further from the truth, the constant search, research and innovation have caused a brutal improvement in both cultivation methods, processing methods, and roasting methods.

This has increased the quality of the flavor of specialty coffees to such an extent that we now talk about nuances as specific as “nutmeg” or “black tea” to refer to those aromas that we find in good coffees.

Furthermore, we no longer treat coffee as that product that ends up in our pantry for years. Now we see good coffee as a fresh, rich, healthy product. Good coffee is no longer a mere morning impulse, it is now the vehicle that helps us feel alive and full of energy every day.

But, what if I tell you that specialty coffee, good coffee, Arabica coffee, fresh or recently roasted coffee, etc. Due to the characteristic of its beans, they contain less caffeine, no preservatives, no sugars (roasted) and it comes loaded with vitamins , especially B2 and B3; and other minerals such as: magnesium, potassium, proteins, phosphorus, fiber, iron, etc.

Now, believe me, we are talking about good coffee , right?

Specialty coffee market in Spain

In Spain, this market niche has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, especially since the pandemic, where many, having to buy online, came across this coffee and were intoxicated by its aromas.

From trash coffee to good coffee

Although we are not at the forefront of global coffee consumption, Spain is a large coffee consumer, consuming an average of 4 cups per inhabitant per day .

The Spanish coffee market is enormous and with a multitude of companies operating at a national and international level. In Spain it is estimated that about 85 million kg are consumed each year .

Traditionally, we Spaniards have drunk low-cost coffee and therefore of very poor quality, most of which have been roasted coffees . That is, coffee beans that have been sprinkled with sugar during the roasting process to increase the amount of coffee (in kg) produced.

Today, roasted coffee is considered an illegal and harmful substance in many countries; and it is practically only consumed in Spain and Portugal . In fact, some claim that consuming this coffee can cause stomach problems and other health problems.

But don't worry! An increase in the consumption of good coffee has been observed in recent years, as well as an increase in the consumption of natural coffee. Every day there are more Spaniards who want to drink coffee without having to suffer a bad stomach or alteration of our nervous system.

There are many Spaniards who have switched to good coffee, flavored coffee, less caffeinated, and fresher.

Every day more of us consume specialty coffee, good coffee. I leave you the wheel of flavors and aromas with which we classify coffee so that you can identify your favorite flavors:

 

The increase in Specialty Coffee consumption

Specialty coffee or good coffee, as many of us like to call it, was almost unknown in the country until a few years ago, it is in full expansion and growth. You can imagine why!

According to the online magazine Daily Grind ; Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 450 specialty coffee shops in the country , this number is constantly growing. This movement adds to the global specialty coffee scene, which amounts to 28% of the global coffee market and is expected to reach 51% by 2026 . 

In Spain, the good coffee sector has grown by 2000% in the last five years .

This magazine ( Daily Grind ) also analyzes the trend of specialty coffee shops in Andalusia, currently it has more than 70 stores of this type distributed mostly between Malaga, Granada and Seville. In Huelva, for example, we are falling behind and today there is no specialty coffee shop.

Furthermore, the consumption of Huelva coffee goes against the rest of the national coffee framework, as bars demand increasingly roasted blends, reaching the point of offering 80-20 blend coffee, that is, coffees that contain 80% roasted and only one small portion of natural and low quality coffee.

In Spain, according to AECafe , 317 million tons of green coffee beans were imported in 2022 . Which represents an increase in demand for said raw material of 3.9% compared to 2019. But these data include both robusta and arabica coffee, with Vietnam being the country from which we buy the most tons due to its high-quality robusta.

Now, if we look at imports, the data offered by AECafe are quite revealing and attractive since an increase in demand for Arabica beans is observed from 2015 to the present day.

Coffee consumption increased by 9.13% during 2020, although we must remember that it was a turbulent year in which the citizens of this country were forced to change our customs.

Regarding consumption trends, the most consumed coffee comes from Vietnam, followed by Brazilian, Kenyan and Columbian coffee.

According to India; Specialty coffee is on the rise in Spain. Faced with these data, experts are excited by the new perception that the Spanish consumer has of specialty coffee : one in which each phase of the process has been prepared with the highest quality, resulting in excellence in aroma, flavor , body and personality.

This is what some industry experts say:

• Israel Quintana, Business Development Manager EMEA of Sage Appliances , has highlighted as one of the reasons for the company's arrival in our country the fact that "we are aware that more and more Spaniards see coffee as a consumer product of high quality and they perceive it as a culinary experience.”
• For his part, Jordi Mestre of Nomad Coffee has pointed out that “the sector is at a very strong pace” and that “we are reproducing patterns that have occurred in other countries in terms of specialty coffee, such as the United Kingdom or Australia.” highlighting the commitment “of roasters, cafeterias and baristas as main agents in the sector, and the great reception by the Spanish consumer.”
• Along these lines, Julio Guevara from Perfect Daily Grind has stated that “Spanish people are increasingly looking for more information about specialty coffee” and has pointed out that the growth of the sector in the last five years has been “approximately 2,000%, with the opening of some 450 cafeterias, mainly in the Community of Madrid and Catalonia.”

There is still a long way to go until the good coffee market is on par with the rest of the world; since the great lack of knowledge on the subject and the beliefs instilled by the industry make it an arduous task to try to introduce natural coffees.

In my opinion

The Spanish coffee market is in full evolution after years of relying on the same standards. We are seeing an increase in establishments that offer natural coffees and an uncontrollable explosion of new establishments that switch to good coffee directly.

This is because the average citizen is demanding healthier products including coffee.

We are also developing the awareness that coffee is not so harmful (many doctors do not recommend its consumption) but its components ( which are not coffee ) and we try to consume good coffee to avoid discomfort.

We demand better roasts to avoid the old roasts where the coffee was brought almost to a carbonated state and harmful to our health.

Let's say that good coffee faces thousands of false beliefs and myths about coffee to combat by offering a quality and fresh product.

On the other hand, the lack of good coffee roasters and the growing demand have caused the appearance of numerous micro-roasters such as Hortelano Coffee Roasters that intend to help and promote the consumption of good coffee, to contribute that grain of sand in improving the quality of coffee and the well-being of consumers.

Although the increasing prices of good coffee, the increase in prices of food and essential consumables for our daily lives have caused the demand for specialty coffee to be affected.

Finally, we must highlight that the emergence of technology-based companies in the Spanish coffee sector has brought new coffee-making products at a lower cost, which is why we Spaniards now enjoy better tools to enjoy a good cup. of coffee.

We must understand that the Spanish coffee market is following the wine and beer markets in leaps and bounds .

Both start from looking at consumers and their consumption habits as something generic; But the growing demand for quality, as well as the development of knowledge and taste on the part of the consumer, have been shaping the industry until reaching craft wines or beers that seek quality and diversification.

The natural coffee market follows these steps and in a few years we will see how in many establishments we will find coffee menus as they already exist abroad.