 Coffee is the second most traded product in dollars, surpassed only by petroleum. Our politics, culture and every day lives have been shaped by this mystical beverage, but what is that special something that makes a coffee “Specialty”. The current market is filled with a confusing mix of labels and marketing schemes that tempt us to pay an extra premium for our daily brew. Specialty, gourmet, single origin, organic, shade friendly, fair-trade, the list seems to be endless. Because coffee is so deeply embedded in our culture, there is no simple answer to this question. There is, however, one distinct difference between commercial coffee and coffees labeled “Specialty”. Commercial coffee is of lower quality on every level. The coffees that are used in the major grocery brands are primarily purchased on the coffee futures exchange in New York City and London. The coffee traded in New York is all Arabica Species and is referred to as C grade; the lowest certifiable grade in the industry. Coffee traded on the London market is Robusta Species. Robusta is the second most used species of coffee in the world. Found in the 1890’s in Central Africa, Robusta is now a large part of commercial coffee production. Robusta is easier to cultivate, is more resistant to insects and disease and has twice the caffeine of Arabica coffees; Robusta is also very cheap to purchase. Although Robusta does have a place in some espresso blends its major problem is a horrible taste profile. It is for this reason that Robusta is used as a blender to lower the price of commercial coffee products. Low prices equal bad taste on many levels. Virtually all Specialty coffee roasters utilize top grade Arabica coffees for their blends, flavored and straight origin coffees. There are over 4000 independent coffee roasters in the United States and the majority of them are buying coffee on a farmers market rather than on the futures market. As roasters, we are paying a premium on the daily exchange benchmark for the highest grade coffees available. These coffees are primarily purchased through brokers who purchase direct from the farms and co-ops and then have the coffee stored for shipping in warehouses throughout the country. If a roaster is fortunate enough to have the means, many will buy direct from the farm or co-op and make visits to the origin to build a closer relationship with the farm. Many of the roasters and brokers that visit the countries of origin have made great strides over the last twenty years to insure the livelihood, culture, and heritage of the farms and co-ops by paying a fair price and insuring that the producers are provided with a good standard of living.  When you purchase Specialty Coffee from your favorite roaster, be sure to look at or ask about their mission statement and business practices in regards to the coffees they roast. Do not depend solely on labels, and choose carefully. As I have said before the truth is in the cup.
Spring is here and with that a whole new crop of coffees that are sure to please many pallets. I will cover some new coffees and their cup qualities next month. Catch ya on the refill! About the Roaster
 Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc. is a roaster of specialty coffees in West Yellowstone, Montana. At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc., we are passionate about the close-knit coffee community from "seed to cup", and are proud to roast and provide some of the best coffees in the world on our website catalog and at our West Yellowstone, MT Coffee House. At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc., we feel it is important to roast our coffees appropriate to the origin characteristics rather than to a particular roast color.
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