Why is specialty coffee more expensive? Here is the real reason

Introduction: Is specialty coffee really worth the price?

About If you have ever stood in a coffee shop comparing the prices of regular coffee and specialty coffee, you have surely noticed the significant price difference. A bag of specialty coffee can cost double or even three times more than mass-produced coffee at the convenience store.

But why is that? Is it just a luxurious marketing trick, or are there real reasons behind the price? The answer is that specialty coffee is more expensive for good reasons – and when you understand why, you will realize that it is actually more worth the price than regular coffee.

In this article, we will go through the most important factors that affect the price of specialty coffee and why it is an investment in quality, sustainability, and better working conditions for coffee farmers.

Specialty coffee is grown under better and more sustainable conditions

Unlike mass-produced coffee, where farmers are often pressured to maximize yield at the expense of quality, specialty coffee is grown with great care.

☕ Carefully selected coffee beans – Only the best beans are chosen, resulting in smaller harvests but higher quality.

🌱 Sustainable farming methods – Specialty coffee farmers often focus on shade-growing, organic methods, and biodiversity to protect both nature and the flavor of the coffee.

👨‍🌾 Better working conditions for farmers – Instead of paying extremely low prices per kilo, specialty coffee farmers provide fairer compensation and better working conditions for their employees.

👉 What does this mean for the price? Specialty coffee requires more work and investment from the farmers' side, which drives up the price – but also improves both the flavor and sustainability.

Specialty coffee is handpicked and selected for the best quality

In industrial coffee production, coffee cherries are often mechanically harvested without sorting the ripe from the unripe. The result? A coffee that contains defective and substandard beans that negatively affect the flavor.

Specialty coffee, on the other hand, is handpicked by skilled workers who carefully select only the perfectly ripe cherries. The beans then undergo several quality checks to ensure that only the best beans reach the roasters.

👉 What does this mean for the price? Handpicking and quality control take time and require skill, which increases production costs.

Fairer payment to coffee farmers – no exploitation

Commercial coffee is often sold through intermediaries and large players who push prices to the absolute minimum. This means that coffee farmers in developing countries often earn less than a crown per kilo of coffee, making it About impossible for them to invest in better farming methods or live off their work.

Specialty coffee, however, is often purchased through direct trade or fair trade models, where farmers receive fair prices for their work. This allows them to:

💰 Invest in better coffee production

👨‍👩‍👧 Improve living conditions for their families

🌱 Grow coffee in a more sustainable way

👉 What does this mean for the price? Paying a higher price for coffee means that farmers receive a wage they can live on, which improves the entire coffee industry.

Specialty coffee is roasted in small batches to preserve flavor and aroma

The amount of roasting time and temperature plays an enormous role in how the coffee tastes.

• Industrial coffee is often roasted in large quantities over a short period, which leads to many flavors being burned away and the coffee acquiring a bitter and flat taste.
• Specialty coffee is roasted in small batches and with great precision, which highlights the unique flavor notes in the beans.

Many Swedish specialty coffee roasters, such as Johan & Nyström, Lykke Kaffegårdar, Swerl Coffee, and Drop Coffee, use methods where each coffee variety is roasted individually to bring out its full potential.

👉 What does this mean for the price? Small-scale roasts cost more per kilo than mass production, but provide a superior taste experience.

Specialty coffee is fresher and has higher traceability

Most industrial coffee varieties have been stored for several months or even years before they reach the store. This leads to old and dull coffee that has lost much of its aroma.

Specialty coffee, on the other hand, is roasted in small batches and sold quickly after roasting. On the packaging, you can often find the exact roasting date and origin, so you know where and when your coffee was produced.

👉 What does this mean for the price? Specialty coffee is a perishable good and requires faster logistics, making it more expensive than regular coffee.

Is specialty coffee really more expensive? Or is regular coffee just too cheap?

It's easy to think that specialty coffee is expensive, but in reality, it is regular coffee that is unnaturally cheap due to mass production, exploitation, and low quality standards.

When you buy a bag of specialty coffee, you are paying for:

✅ Better quality and taste

✅ Sustainable cultivation and environmental consideration

✅ Fair wages for coffee farmers

✅ A more responsible coffee industry

In the end, it comes down to About what you prioritize. Do you want coffee that is just cheap, or do you want coffee that tastes fantastic and makes the world a little better?

Conclusion: Specialty coffee is an investment in quality and sustainability

Yes, specialty coffee costs more – but that is because it is produced in a way that is more fair, more sustainable, and more flavorful.

About if you are a coffee drinker who values taste and responsibility, specialty coffee is worth every penny. So next time you are comparing prices on coffee – think not only about what it costs in money, but also what it costs for the planet and the people behind each cup.

What do you think? Is specialty coffee worth the price?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! Do you have a favorite roastery or a tasting experience you want to share? ☕✨