I went to Porto Coffee Week to find out…
Porto Coffee Week, if you haven’t heard of it, is Portugal’s biggest celebration of coffee, drawing everyone who’s anyone in Portuguese coffee circles. Specialty coffee roasters, exhibitors, coffee pros – you name it. I got to meet some of them, learn more about specialty coffee Vs. commercial coffee, and get completely buzzed while doing it!
I went in thinking I was a coffee lover, but turns out I was just getting started.
Here’s what I discovered…
Specialty coffee and slow living are made for each other
Whether you’re air pressing, French pressing, chemexing, or pouring over, the coffee making process is a ritual in itself.
Each brew is a precise blend of art and chemistry, where everything – grind size, water purity, and even the way you pour, affects the extraction. It’s like watching magic in motion, aroma and all.
The truth is, specialty coffee beans deserve a brewing ritual that honours their origins. And here’s why…
Your specialty coffee goes through 165 hands before it reaches your cup
Did you know that?I can’t even picture this!
I picked up this cool little titbit from the brilliant presentation given by Sandra Azevedo, Consultant and Trainer at Academia do Café.
You don’t need to be a coffee expert to appreciate the incredible journey and labour intensive process those beans must go through to land in your cup. And as you might expect, this is reflected in the premium you pay for a bag of specialty beans – and rightfully so.
A story that begins at the source
While mingling and sipping my way round the exhibitors, one theme became clear: specialty coffee is rooted in strong relationships and responsible sourcing. Many roasters intentionally seek out smaller farms that prioritise sustainable and ethical farming practices. And many of the roasters have a direct relationships with farmers that cut out the middle man.
This ensures fairer trade, transparency around sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods, and a true farm-to-cup connection. Every roaster I spoke to was deeply passionate about this process. For them it’s not just about the beans, it’s about the story behind them. Sustainability, traceability, and respect for the craft are integral to their identity and what sets specialty coffee apart.
The meticulous processing methods of sustainably sourced coffee
1. The harvest
With specialty coffee the fruit is regularly handpicked from the plant, as and when they become ripe.
In commercial coffee production, everything is stripped from the plant at once (leaves too), resulting in a mix of ripened and unripe ‘cherries’.
This process is typically machine-driven focused on maximising yield, and often results in defective beans. These lower quality beans are what end up as the standard stuff you find on supermarket shelves.
2. The natural process
Washed, fermented, and sun dried on raised beds
Unlike commercial processing, the natural process is strictly chemical-free. With a focus on highlighting the beans’ unique flavour profiles, those that float during the wash process are selected for commercial coffee. Those that sink are the specialty kind and are ripe for use!
Attention is paid to factors like fermentation and drying time to maintain the fresh delicious qualities of the beans in their raw state.
3. Transportation
A greener future for coffee transportation?
Clean ocean, fresh coffee is a new brand from Belco, designed to cut down carbon emissions through eco-friendly coffee transportation. I discovered this game-changing initiative at the presentation given by Caroline Ginoux.
Belco is a major player in the coffee world, and with the launch of their new purpose-built sailing ships they are revolutionising the way coffee is transported globally. Sustainable coffee just got even greener! Now you can choose to sail your coffee across the ocean, like they used to in the good ole’ days!
The ships are decked out with ventilated holds and temperature control, so your coffee stays fresh and travels in style. Most importantly, it arrives in the same condition it left in – a big selling point that other transportation methods cannot guarantee. The best part? Belco’s making space for other specialty coffee roasters to get on board too! For a cost of only €1 extra to the customer per bag, it’s a no-brainer.
With an ambitious goal of transporting 90% of their coffee by sail by 2030, Belco is seriously committed to making waves in sustainable coffee transportation. And if I were a roaster I’d be all over it.
4. The perfect roast
Given all the care you’ve taken to maintain the beans’ quality to this point, it’s down to nailing the perfect roast to bring out their full potential.
Specialty coffee beans are roasted in small batches (instead of in bulk, like commercial coffee) often to a lighter or medium roast to preserve and enhance their natural flavours.
Roasters adjust roast profiles depending on the specific characteristics of each batch of beans. It’s all about bringing out the unique flavours of the bean from each origin. In contrast, commercial coffee lacks the same complexities, sometimes giving it a bitter or burnt taste due to the darker roast and lower quality beans to start with.
As a coffee lover, I can appreciate the difference between a decent cup and a meh one. But only since I’ve experienced ‘specialty coffee tastings’, I’ve learned to pick up all the subtle flavours that come from perfectly roasted beans.
When you take the time to savour these qualities through roasting, filtering, and brewing, it’s easy to see how you can get particular about your coffee.
Specialty coffee and sustainability go hand-in-hand
I met some seriously passionate people at Porto Coffee Week who care deeply about their craft. In just a few hours I discovered that specialty coffee and commercial coffee are in totally different leagues.
From the roasters it’s great to see there’s a genuine commitment for fair trade, and methods that prioritise people, while reducing waste and working harmoniously with the environment. This ethical approach to supply chains is something we need to see more of in business, for damned sure.
Everyone I chatted with agreed, the origin story is as important to the success of the brand as the product itself. When people connect with that story, they become more receptive to what they are consuming and naturally buy-in. Plus they feel good knowing they’re contributing to something that’s been sustainably and ethically produced.
Because when people do spend the extra on buying specialty over commercial, they’re not just buying coffee, they’re making a conscious choice that aligns with their values. You could have asked anyone there, and they’d tell you the price difference is totally worth it (even just for the taste alone).
Absolutely they’ll savour every sip, measure it out like a pro, account for humidity, and grind it to perfection. And honestly, I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for what I thought I knew about coffee.
I don’t think I’ll be running with the connoisseurs any time soon, but I’ll always think twice about where my coffee came from, and I am slowly making my way round Lisbon’s roasteries one by one!
Want to make your coffee habit more sustainable?
Support your local specialty coffee shops
In my opinion you never need an excuse for coffee. Just get out there and try it all! Explore specialty coffee shops, support local roasters, and choose businesses that support ethical sourcing. They’re doing amazing work uplifting farming communities and setting new standards for sustainablity. They truly deserve your backing.
Choose ethical coffee and make a positive impact!
And if you’re a slow living brand looking to give your origin story the edge, let’s connect!
I specialise in creating intentional and purpose-driven copy that flows with your values and speaks to the people on your wavelength. Let’s chat over a cuppa.
