Quick answer: "Third wave coffee" describes treating coffee as an artisanal product: traceable origins, direct relationships with farms, lighter roasts that show off flavor, and precise brewing. Roaster Trish Rothgeb coined the term in 2003. The first wave made coffee convenient and everyday; the second wave (Peet's, Starbucks) made dark-roasted specialty beans and espresso drinks mainstream. "Fourth wave" has no single definition, but usually points to science, transparency and sustainability.
Key takeaways
- First wave: convenience and mass-market coffee at home.
- Second wave: specialty beans and espresso drinks go mainstream.
- Third wave: origin, craft, lighter roasts, transparency (term coined 2003).
- Fourth wave: an open conversation, not an official era.
Where the "waves" came from
In 2003, roaster Trish Rothgeb wrote in the Roasters Guild newsletter The Flamekeeper about a "third wave" of coffee. The framework stuck because it gave people a simple way to describe how coffee culture had changed.
The first wave
The first wave is usually described as the era when coffee became an everyday household product: canned and instant coffee, convenience, consistency and affordability. Quality and origin weren't the selling points; availability was.
The second wave
The second wave brought the idea that coffee could be special. UC Davis Library's history of the era notes that Alfred Peet opened Peet's Coffee & Tea in Berkeley in 1966, roasting darker and brewing stronger, and that Starbucks was founded in Seattle in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl, who were mentored by Peet. In the same period, importer Erna Knutsen coined "specialty coffee" in 1974.
The second wave made espresso drinks, café culture and whole-bean coffee familiar across the country.
The third wave
The third wave shifted attention to the coffee itself:
- Origin and traceability: country, region, farm, variety, process
- Lighter roasting to highlight a coffee's inherent flavors
- Direct or relationship trade with producers
- Precise brewing: scales, ratios, water quality, pour-over and refined espresso
- Barista craft and education
Today, specialty coffee is mainstream: the SCA reports 47% of American adults had a specialty coffee in the past day.
The "fourth wave" (and beyond)
There's no official fourth wave, but people use the term for trends such as:
- Science and precision: refractometers, water chemistry, temperature-stable equipment
- Transparency: publishing prices paid to farmers, sharing supply chain details
- Sustainability: packaging, waste and climate resilience
- New formats: tech-enabled ordering, cafés inside other businesses, ready-to-drink specialty
- Inclusion: broader representation across the industry
Some people dislike the waves framework entirely, arguing it oversimplifies and that many cafés mix elements of every wave. That's fair: the waves overlap, and plenty of excellent cafés serve a great dark roast alongside a light single-origin pour-over.
What it means for your café
You don't need to pick a wave. Instead, decide what you want customers to experience:
- Comfort and speed? Great drip, consistent espresso drinks, quick service.
- Craft and discovery? Single-origin rotations, pour-over, tasting notes; see our pour-over bar guide and flavor wheel guide.
- Values? Transparent sourcing and honest packaging; see our greenwashing guide.
Most successful cafés blend all three.
How to talk about it with customers
Skip the jargon. Instead of "we're a third wave café," say what you do: "We rotate single-origin coffees from farms our roaster visits." Specific beats buzzwords.
Your wave, your brand
Whatever your style, your cup is the first thing customers see. Affogato Bean prints branded cups, sleeves and merch with design help included. See products.
Frequently asked questions
What does third wave coffee mean?
Third wave coffee describes a movement that treats coffee as an artisanal product, emphasizing origin, farm relationships, lighter roasting to highlight flavor, and careful brewing. Roaster Trish Rothgeb coined the term in 2003.
What were the first and second waves of coffee?
The first wave is usually described as the spread of convenient, mass-market coffee in homes. The second wave brought dark-roasted specialty beans and espresso drinks to the mainstream, led by companies like Peet's (1966) and Starbucks (1971).
Is there a fourth wave of coffee?
There's no single agreed definition. People use 'fourth wave' to describe trends like scientific brewing precision, transparency in pricing and sourcing, sustainability, and new café formats. It's more of a conversation than a defined era.
Sources
- Sprudge, “Trish Rothgeb Writes a Letter to Sunset Magazine.”
- UC Davis Library, “Brewed Awakening: The Second Wave.”
- Specialty Coffee Association, “Celebrating Erna Knutsen's Specialty Coffee (25 Magazine, Issue 6).”
- Specialty Coffee Association, “2026 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Report.”
Sources checked October 2026. Statistics are reported as published by each source.