Quick answer: Women have shaped coffee at every step. Melitta Bentz invented the paper coffee filter in 1908; Erna Knutsen coined "specialty coffee" in 1974; Trish Rothgeb coined "third wave" in 2003. On farms, an ICO report cites estimates that women provide up to 70% of labor in coffee production but own less land and earn less. Groups like the International Women's Coffee Alliance work to close those gaps, and cafés can help through sourcing, hiring and storytelling.
Key takeaways
- 1908: Melitta Bentz's paper filter.
- 1974: Erna Knutsen's "specialty coffee."
- 2003: Trish Rothgeb's "third wave."
- Today: women do much of the farm work but face land and income gaps.
Melitta Bentz and the paper filter
In Dresden, Melitta Bentz was tired of bitter, gritty coffee. Germany's patent office tells how she experimented with a perforated brass cup and blotting paper from her son's school exercise book, then registered her filter as a utility model in June 1908. Every pour-over and batch brew filter owes something to that idea. See our pour-over bar guide.
Erna Knutsen and "specialty coffee"
Erna Knutsen, a green coffee importer, coined the term "specialty coffee" in a 1974 issue of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, describing beans with distinctive flavor from particular growing conditions. The SCA credits her as a key entrepreneur in launching the specialty niche, and notes she broke barriers in a male-dominated trade.
Trish Rothgeb and the "third wave"
In 2003, roaster Trish Rothgeb wrote about a "third wave" of coffee in the Roasters Guild newsletter, describing a movement focused on origin, craft and quality. The phrase became the shorthand for modern specialty coffee culture.
Women on coffee farms
The International Coffee Organization's 2018 report on gender equality cites estimates that women provide up to 70% of labor in coffee production, while operating an estimated 20–30% of coffee farms. The report also documents gaps: women own about 25% less land on average than men in studied countries, and women's coffee revenues were found to be substantially lower than men's in Ethiopia and Uganda. Gaps in access to training and finance compound the problem.
Organizations making a difference
The International Women's Coffee Alliance grew from a 2003 movement among women in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the U.S., and now counts 35 chapters worldwide. Chapters support women producers with training, leadership and market access.
Women behind the bar
Women lead cafés, roasteries, importers and coffee education programs across the U.S., and compete at the highest levels of barista and brewing competitions. Many of the cafés that defined local coffee scenes were founded or run by women.
What cafés can do
- Source thoughtfully: ask your roaster about coffees from women-led farms or cooperatives, and how producers are paid. See our roaster partner guide.
- Tell the story accurately: credit producers by name when you can, without overstating claims.
- Hire and promote fairly: create paths from barista to trainer, manager and buyer.
- Support organizations: host fundraisers or tasting events for women-in-coffee groups.
- Celebrate: feature women producers and leaders during Women's History Month in March and on International Women's Day, March 8.
Why it matters for your business
Customers increasingly ask where their coffee comes from and who grew it. A café that can tell a real, specific story about the people behind its coffee, including the women who do so much of the work, builds the kind of loyalty that price promotions can't buy. It also gives baristas something meaningful to talk about at the counter.
A note on honest storytelling
If you promote a "women-produced" coffee, make sure your roaster can document it. Specific, verifiable stories build trust; vague ones invite skepticism. See our greenwashing guide for the same principle applied to packaging claims.
Tell their story on your cup
Affogato Bean helps cafés share stories through branded cups, sleeves and signage, with design help included. Talk to us about a seasonal sleeve or menu card featuring the producers behind your coffee.
Frequently asked questions
Who coined the term specialty coffee?
Erna Knutsen, a coffee importer, coined the term 'specialty coffee' in a 1974 issue of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, according to the Specialty Coffee Association.
Who invented the coffee filter?
Melitta Bentz of Dresden registered her paper coffee filter as a utility model with the German Imperial Patent Office in 1908.
How much of coffee farming is done by women?
An International Coffee Organization report cites an estimate that women provide up to 70% of labor in coffee production, while operating an estimated 20–30% of coffee farms and owning less land on average.
Sources
- German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), “The Invention of the Coffee Filter.”
- Specialty Coffee Association, “Celebrating Erna Knutsen's Specialty Coffee (25 Magazine, Issue 6).”
- Sprudge, “Trish Rothgeb Writes a Letter to Sunset Magazine.”
- International Coffee Organization, “Gender Equality in the Coffee Sector (ICO Insight Report ICC-122-11).”
- IWCA, “About the International Women's Coffee Alliance.”
Sources checked October 2026. Statistics are reported as published by each source.