Garfield Kerr, CEO of Mokha 1450 Luxury Specialty Coffee, is leading the Global Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) as its new president, marking a new chapter. In this exclusive interview, we explore how his contributions are shaping the Specialty Coffee Association, addressing industry challenges and influencing the future of the SCA.
How does your experience contribute to the SCA?
My unique background and experiences contribute to the SCA in various ways, primarily by offering a different perspective. This perspective is driven by a constant desire to introduce new ideas and approaches, which motivates me. While this approach feels somewhat innate, it’s also shaped by years of experience operating a café in Dubai. In Dubai, constant innovation is necessary to remain relevant in a saturated market, which makes the experience unique. In this region, coffee is valued more as an experience rather than just a caffeine boost, with deep cultural significance attached. Moreover, these experiences have significantly influenced my views on the coffee industry as a whole. Consequently, they guide how we serve every constituent along the value chain to continuously improve coffee quality.
How does the SCA collaborate with other coffee industry organizations to advance the specialty coffee sector and support consumers?
The SCA collaborates with several private industry organizations, nonprofits and NGOs to fund critical research and sponsor relevant programs, thereby advancing the industry. These partnerships also support other essential activities, all aimed at the betterment of the coffee industry, which benefits everyone involved. One notable example of such a collaboration is the signing of an MoU with the International Coffee Organization, which formalizes the relationship. This MoU highlights both organizations’ shared commitment to the global coffee industry, consequently driving significant progress on a global scale. It impacts a majority of the world’s coffee-producing countries, with the intent to implement actions benefiting stakeholders along the value chain, thus promoting sustainability. These actions will focus on knowledge-sharing, education and capacity building for long-term growth and success.
What are the current challenges facing the coffee industry and how is the SCA addressing them?
There are several challenges facing the coffee industry, chief among them right now is the exceptionally high prices facing the “C” coffee market that threatens a number of businesses and that has already led to a number of very recent failures. There are also issues related to global warming, geopolitics and global inflation, as well as general sustainability issues, some of which are also responsible for the aforementioned high C prices. The SCA has facilitated research on most of these challenges with groundbreaking work, such as the Price Crisis Response Initiative, and is dedicated to improving industry understanding of critical social, environmental and economic issues through education, events and awards.
What are the latest updates from the SCA?
Specialty coffee, often defined by coffees scoring 80 and above, is being redefined, challenging traditional beliefs in the industry. However, after extensive research, the SCA released a white paper proposing a new definition for specialty coffee. According to the paper, specialty coffee is now defined as “a coffee or coffee experience recognized for its distinctive attributes.” Furthermore, because of these attributes, coffee possesses significant extra value in the marketplace, which elevates its overall worth. I find this definition quite elegant, as it establishes a mutual agreement between the purveyor and consumer regarding value. The purveyor says: “This coffee has extra value.” The consumer replies: “I agree!”
Another exciting development is the new Coffee Value Assessment, which promises to make significant strides regarding fair distribution of value. Scoring coffee will now be a valuable endeavor for farmers. Moreover, the farmers will be better informed about the markets demanding higher prices for their coffee. Additionally, this new system supports sustainability efforts by helping coffee find the most appropriate market. Consequently, reducing its carbon footprint in logistics. This is a crucial step forward for both the industry and the environment, benefiting everyone involved.
Lastly, the SCA is shifting its focus from B2B to consumers, which greatly excites me. Furthermore, this means that more attention will be placed on educating consumers and involving them in the specialty coffee world. Consequently, this will lead to better-informed consumers and serve as a pipeline for the brightest minds in the industry. Moreover, this will help provide solutions to the pressing issues currently facing the industry, offering a bright future for specialty coffee.
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