SCA: Specialty Coffee Association

This entity originated from the merger between the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe at the beginning of the 21st century, with the purpose of unifying efforts and establishing guidelines and processes at a global level that would restore the natural position of coffee in the consumption chain.

With a membership that encompasses thousands of professionals around the world , this association is dedicated to conducting research, developing educational programs, guaranteeing the quality and optimization of processes, from cultivation to marketing, and other projects in order to promote and preserve the qualities of specialty coffee, its quality and its flavor until it reaches the final consumer.

In addition, the Specialty Coffee Association provides a variety of tools to carry out these tasks, such as the evaluation and scoring protocol for different coffees. The SCA, as a non-profit entity, strives to improve the quality of the coffee we consume through fair trade, the development of rural coffee-growing areas and the improvement of infrastructure related to the coffee trade.

Why is SCA so relevant? This association has more than 62,000 members worldwide, ranging from coffee farmers to baristas, covering all aspects of the world of specialty coffee, such as planting, processing, distribution, importing, roasting, education and more.

In addition to the large number of people involved, the importance of the SCA lies in its development projects , both environmentally sustainable development and rural and socioeconomic development to improve the quality of life of coffee growers.

It focuses on education, research and certification to ensure the continuity of specialty coffee as a well-paid and proliferating activity for its workers; and the study of its conservation, export, roasting and consumption to provide high standards of quality and precision.

The SCA's continuous commitment to generating value for the product and increasing knowledge on the subject has given rise to a network of trainers and professionals who attract more people to the world of specialty coffee every day, generating an increase in demand for this quality coffee.

The constant search for improvements in crops, more efficient and sustainable processes, as well as support for social development in coffee-growing regions, make this association a key actor in the promotion of quality, fresh and natural coffee, providing a framework conducive to development.

Activities promoted by the SCA

Among the numerous activities carried out by the SCA we can make the following classification:

1. Certifications and standardization: The standards established by the SCA help maintain the quality of coffee from its cultivation to the final cup, harmonizing the industry towards high quality global standards. These standards and certifications promoted by the SCA include the specialty coffee certification and the Coffee Skills program, among others;

1.1. Specialty coffee certification ; With the help of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), this program tries to rate coffees according to rigorous bean quality criteria and, as we have already mentioned, at more than 80 points, these beans are considered specialty coffee.

2. Coffee Skills program ; which consists of 5 modules and an introduction module to specialty coffee. These SCA skills programs are divided into three levels that the participant must pass to enter the specialist modules: barista skills, filtering, green coffee, coffee roasting and sensory learning.

As for education, it seeks to promote knowledge and increase skills within the specialty coffee industry, as we have seen previously, these courses include: SCA Skills Program, Sensory Skills, Green Coffee and Roasting Skills.

3. Promotion and events: The SCA participates in exhibitions and organizes events to celebrate specialty coffee, such as the World of Coffee Dubai, London Coffee Festival, Milan Coffee Festival, etc. But it has also developed its own events such as the Specialty Coffee Expo (this year it will be in Chicago, USA) or the World Barista Championship (which will be held in Busan, Korea during the WOC Busan).

• You can find the calendar of events in the following here .

4. Advocacy : The SCA defends fair trade, sustainable development and the quality of specialty coffee, working on sustainable projects, promoting fair prices for producers and guaranteeing the quality of the coffee. Through corresponding requirements and certificates, such as fair trade. But they not only focus on the coffee beans, but it is also very important to promote and control the interests of the members of this community.

• Sustainable projects: works on environmental conservation projects, improvement of infrastructure and optimization of natural resources and environmental conservation and how to embed crops in the natural environment in the most respectable way possible.
• Fair market: emphasis is placed on the social development of the growing areas so that the purchase prices of green coffee are fairer and end up in a greater proportion in the hands of the coffee growers by promoting ethical and responsible relationships on the part of the exporting companies.
• Coffee quality: the specialty coffee industry bases its philosophy on the promotion of standards that allow coffee to be placed in the field of the most refined wines, that is, ones that shine for their quality and aromatic complexity.
• Access to education: the continuous transmission of information and knowledge, as well as the countless courses, webinars and workshops make the industry evolve.
• Finally, by setting these standards, the SCA encourages public institutions and governments to try to access this market by proposing their own quality controls, investing in infrastructure and improvement for their coffee growers, and promoting direct access to imports.

In summary, the SCA plays a fundamental role in the promotion and preservation of specialty coffee worldwide, driving excellence at all stages of its production and consumption.

Other organizations worth mentioning at an international level that help the SCA combat the ups and downs of the specialty coffee industry are:

Cup of Excellence

For more than 20 years, the Cup of Excellence (COE) competition has pioneered integrity and transparency in the coffee industry . The level of scrutiny COE coffees undergo is unmatched anywhere in the industry. This means that the quality of COE coffees is also unmatched. We give farmers the tools they need to improve the economic model of their farms with recognition and economic reward for their work and effort.

Fair Trade

When they choose Fair trade coffee , farmers can not only build a better quality of life for their families and communities, but they can also invest in growing better quality beans.

Additionally, Fair Trade coffee farmers invest at least 25 percent of their Fair Trade Premium in improving productivity and quality.

When we choose coffee with the "fair trade" label we are supporting farmers to fight the challenges they may face . These include the effects of a changing climate, low and unpredictable incomes and, in some coffee-growing communities, there may not be enough food available for three or four months of the year.

For coffee farmers, being part of Fair trade has meant better knowledge about protecting the local environment, the opportunity to plant other crops and buy livestock to put more food on the table.

Finally, there are numerous national associations that ensure the development of the coffee growers' economy and their opportunities.