You've probably seen "specialty coffee" on bags, menus, and Instagram ads. But what does it actually mean, and is it worth paying more for?
The short answer: yes. Here's why.
If you've searched what is specialty coffee, specialty coffee meaning, or what makes coffee specialty grade, the short answer is this: it is coffee recognized for distinctive attributes, careful sourcing, and a much higher quality bar than commodity coffee.
If you want to go deeper after this, our guides on why coffee tastes different by origin, whole bean vs ground coffee, and how to store coffee beans are the best next reads.
The Specialty Coffee Definition and the 100-Point Scale
The Specialty Coffee Association now defines specialty coffee more broadly than score alone - as coffee recognized for distinctive attributes and higher value across the marketplace. In practice, though, the 80+ benchmark is still the shorthand most roasters and drinkers use to explain what makes coffee specialty grade.
Every coffee in the world can also be evaluated on a 100-point scale. Trained Q Graders - think sommeliers, but for coffee - score beans on aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, sweetness, and defects.
Historically, a coffee that scores 80 or above has been considered specialty grade. Below that, it usually falls into commercial grade - the stuff that fills most grocery store shelves.
To put that in perspective: the coffee in a typical grocery store bag scores somewhere in the low 60s. The difference between a 62 and an 84 is not subtle. It is the difference between coffee that tastes like coffee and coffee that tastes like caramel, berries, citrus, chocolate, and flavors you did not know a bean could produce.
Specialty Grade
The SCA threshold for coffee with higher clarity, sweetness, balance, and fewer defects.
Global Share
Only a small slice of the world's coffee production qualifies as specialty grade.
Why Most Coffee Doesn't Make the Cut
Only about 5-7% of all coffee produced worldwide qualifies as specialty grade. The reasons are straightforward.
Growing conditions matter. Specialty coffee typically grows at higher elevations, where cooler temperatures slow the cherry's maturation and allow more complex sugars and acids to develop. Commercial coffee is often grown at lower altitudes where yields are higher but flavor complexity is lower.
Processing is more careful. After harvest, specialty coffee is processed with precision - whether washed, natural, or honey processed - and dried to exact moisture levels. Defective beans are sorted out by hand. Commercial coffee skips most of these steps.
Roasting is intentional. Specialty roasters roast in small batches, adjusting profiles to bring out each bean's unique characteristics. Mass-market roasters roast dark and fast to create a uniform, and often burnt, flavor that masks the bean's origin.
"The difference between a 62 and an 84 is not subtle."
What This Means in Your Cup
When you drink specialty coffee, you are tasting the actual character of the bean - where it was grown, how it was processed, and how it was roasted. That is why an Ethiopian single origin tastes completely different from a Colombian or a Brazilian. Each has its own flavor fingerprint. If you want the full breakdown, read why coffee tastes different by origin next.
Commercial coffee, by contrast, is blended and roasted to taste the same every time. Consistency is the goal, not complexity.
If you want to taste that difference clearly, a coffee like Ember shows how expressive a single origin can be, while Second Chance shows how balance and structure can still feel intentional in a blend.
How to Know If Your Coffee Is Specialty Grade
Look for these on the bag:
- Specialty-grade sourcing. Look for roasters who specifically state their beans are specialty grade. The SCA 80+ standard is the benchmark, even if the exact score is not printed on every bag.
- Origin transparency. If the bag tells you the country, region, farm, or cooperative, that is a strong sign. If it just says "100% Arabica" with no other details, it is probably commercial.
- Freshness. Specialty roasters ship fresh, not after months in a warehouse. The closer to roast your coffee arrives, the better it tastes. Our guide on how to store coffee beans helps you protect that freshness once the bag gets home.
- Small-batch roasted. This usually means the roaster is controlling the process instead of pushing beans through an industrial line.
Once you know you are buying a better bean, the next upgrades are freshness and brewing. Read Whole Bean vs Ground Coffee if you want to keep more aroma in the cup, or The Perfect Espresso Ratio if your ritual starts at the machine.
Every Novaro Coffee Is Specialty Grade
Every coffee we source meets the specialty-grade standard. Our single origins - like Ember from Ethiopia and Solstice from Mexico - and the beans that go into blends like Second Chance are all sourced at the specialty level.
We also keep things transparent: the origin, the roast level, the process, and the tasting notes are all on the bag. Because if you are paying for specialty coffee, you should know exactly what you are getting.
Taste the difference
Start with the coffees that make specialty coffee easy to understand.
Ember is bright, layered, and expressive if you want to taste what a single origin can do. Second Chance is deeper, more structured, and built for espresso, milk drinks, and stronger brews.
Curious what specialty grade actually tastes like? Start with Ember and you will see how much more character coffee can carry when the sourcing, processing, and roasting all work together. And if you want a good example of specialty standards applied to decaf too, read What Is Swiss Water Process Decaf?.