What is “Third Wave Coffee”?
Third Wave Coffee is a focus on sustainability instead of mass-production.
It’s about having a consciousness about each step in the production chain: farmer, importer, roaster, barista, and consumer.
As part of the third wave philosophy, the owner of the coffee shop visits the coffee farmers in places like South American, and supports quality and sustainability. The locals growers gain education in sustainability and the consumer, visiting the coffee shop at the other end, is able to be informed about the story behind the beans.
So what was the “first wave” and the “second wave”? The first one was the mass production of coffee that caused the boom in coffee consumption in the 1960s. That’s when my parents bought pre-ground Folgers coffee in a large red tin– it what was available in the stores. The second wave was Starbucks and Peet’s, upping the quality and providing a comfy place to enjoy it.
If you want to say no to mass-marketed beans and hello to sustainable coffee then join the third wave and choose to frequent hipster coffee shops. Two of my favorite are Verve (who began in my hometown of Santa Cruz) and Ditta Artigianale in Florence where I currently live.
Ditta Artigianale was the first third wave coffee shop to open in Florence. It has two locations, (a third in the works) and also has a connection to Verve back in my home town, which I learned about when making this video.
Check out more about Ditta Artiginale in the video below.
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