Infused coffees took the industry by storm in the late 2010s. Some claim these new processing methods meet demand for unique flavour profiles and improve cup scores. Others, meanwhile, express their concerns that they mask terroir and undermine the values of specialty coffee.
The debate will continue for the foreseeable future, especially with competitions like Best of Panama excluding infused coffees to “protect the authentic identity” of the country’s coffee sector.
It would be ignorant, however, not to acknowledge that the coffee industry has used flavourings and infusions for decades. The market for syrups and artificial flavours is huge, especially as beverage customisation becomes increasingly popular. Moreover, consumer interest in experimental processing methods and “funky” flavour profiles is a sign that there is demand for these coffees.
With this in mind, it’s important to ask where infused coffees fit into the industry, as well as how improved transparency could mitigate concerns. Rodrigo Sanchez, a producer at Finca Monteblanco and Aromas del Sur, and Isabella Vitaliano, Lab and Education Coordinator at Royal Coffee, provide their insight.
You may also likeour article on why infused coffees divide opinion.
We’ve been adding flavours to coffee for decades
Infused coffees have gained notable attention in recent years. But as interest has grown, so have concerns about flavour profile manipulation. While some maintain these processing methods are a welcome innovation, others believe they create “inauthentic” flavours that can mislead consumers.
Although valid, these criticisms highlight a double standard in the industry. Many cafés charge extra to customise beverages with additional ingredients (such as syrups and flavourings) that can overpower a coffee’s delicate flavours.
Unlike single origin pour overs, coffee shops don’t serve flavoured drinks to highlight complex sensory profiles. These products tend to include lower-quality coffee with more pronounced bitterness, so additional flavourings can be the best way to mask this. This also increases margins, so it’s a win-win for customers who want customised products and businesses looking to cut costs.
Offering these products is clearly an effective way to reach a wider range of consumers, too. We only need to look at Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte (more than 420 million sold since the early 2000s) to understand how vastly popular these drinks are.
Isabella Vitaliano is the Lab and Education Coordinator at specialty green coffee trader Royal Coffee in Oakland, California.
“Consumers who purchase flavoured coffees at a typical grocery store are looking for products at a lower price point, which impacts quality and roast profile,” she says. “Darker roast profiles tend to work better with popular flavours such as vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut.”
The consensus in specialty coffee is that roasting darker means losing terroir – and some share similar beliefs about infused coffees.
The problems with defining infused, co-fermented & flavoured coffee
The terms “infused”, “flavoured”, and “co-fermented” are used interchangeably. But as there are no formal or universal definitions for them, it’s difficult to make distinctions – which only exacerbates confusion and transparency concerns.
Rodrigo Sanchez is a producer and the owner of Aromas del Sur in Huila, Colombia – a co-operative that unifies all the farms he owns and manages. He has been using co-fermentation methods for more than 22 years, long before these techniques became a niche trend in specialty coffee.
“There is still a huge knowledge gap about infused, co-fermented, and aromatised coffees,” he says. “Using the terms interchangeably can make the different processes sound similar, but that isn’t necessarily accurate.”
In his opinion, co-fermentation doesn’t include artificial products that mask the innate attributes of coffee. “It mostly uses fruits so that naturally-present microorganisms can transform the flavour profile,” he tells me.
According to Rodrigo, “infusion”, meanwhile, implies the use of artificial additives and flavours.
There’s also uncertainty about when infusion and co-fermentation can take place in the supply chain. The SCA attempted to clarify this in the 2024 World Barista Championship rules and regulations, which state that coffee exposed to additives of any kind after it reaches the “green coffee stage” is not permitted at the competition.
“Infusion can happen at any point in production, whereas co-fermentation refers to a very specific period when producers add fruits, spices, herbs, or even vegetables to coffee,” Isabella tells me.
“Flavoured coffee, meanwhile, involves the addition of chemical additives,” she continues. “This can be done at the green stage, but most often, roasted coffee is sprayed with additives to impart certain flavour notes to meet consumer expectations.”
Are these coffees any different from other experimental processes?
Interest in infused and co-fermented coffees is driven by consumers who want differentiated and more exciting sensory experiences. Alongside the rise of exclusive arabica varieties (and even different species like eugenioides), experimental processing methods are meeting this demand.
Historically, the coffee industry has focused on what we might refer to as the “big three” processing methods: natural, washed, and honey. In recent years, however, more producers have deviated from these “traditional” methods which often include different and diverse levels of fermentation. These experimental techniques have redefined the way we talk about coffee processing, including:
- Anaerobic fermentation – producers ferment coffee in hermetically-sealed containers to remove any oxygen. This allows microorganisms to break down the sugars at a slower rate to create more complex and nuanced flavours
- Thermal shock– made famous by Diego Bermudez, producers control the temperature of different fermentations to influence the final cup profile
- Anoxic fermentation – similar to anaerobic conditions, but there is no “molecular oxygen”, so producers have more control over the process
The most obvious difference between these processing methods and infused coffees is the lack of additional ingredients. People are then more likely to believe that they are “natural” and enhance the innate characteristics of coffee rather than hide them.
However, some producers add yeast or bacteria as fermentation priming agents, which also changes the overall flavour profile. Koji fermentation is a prominent example, which has become popular in some niche specialty coffee markets.
Although they are more defined than infusion and co-fermentation, producers often establish their own unique takes on experimental processing methods – including different temperatures and fermentation periods. Much like infusion and co-fermentation, this also raises similar concerns about transparency, and makes it challenging for the wider industry to agree on what experimental processes “should” involve.
A clear need for transparency
People enjoy both infused and experimentally processed coffees for their unique tasting notes. This implies that concerns about the former aren’t related to sensory profile alone, but rather how producers create these flavours in the first place.
More specifically, there’s the fear that if infused coffees aren’t marketed or sold transparently then consumers will perceive these flavours as inherent to terroir and variety. This would be an inaccurate representation of the coffee, and could mislead consumer perception about similar processing methods or flavour profiles.
“Building trust and relationships with producers over many years has allowed us to have clear communication about processing for all coffees, not just co-fermented or infused lots,” Isabella says.
She emphasises that clear and honest communication between producers, traders, roasters, and consumers is essential to effectively address concerns, but also highlights how underlying hypocrisy about flavour manipulation can ostracise producers.
“I think they captivate the playfulness and creativity that farmers can tap into at origin,” she says. “For so long, baristas have ‘infused’ coffee with syrups and flavourings, so why should producers on the other end of the supply chain be criticised for doing the same thing?”
Value addition
As part of specialty coffee’s never-ending search for the “next best thing”, Diego agrees that co-fermentation is an opportunity for producers to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
“My inspiration comes from the wine industry,” he says. “Adapting techniques used in winemaking has allowed me to raise my standards even higher and recognise the true potential of my coffees.”
Simultaneously, he acknowledges improving transparency – which is the best way to retain more value at origin – is a work in progress.
“There is a lack of knowledge and resources about these coffees,” he tells me. “We, along with other industry professionals, put a lot of work into understanding co-fermentation so that we can demonstrate its complexities to consumers.”
Is there a long-term market for these coffees?
Industry professionals and enthusiasts are unlikely to agree on how infused coffees fit into the specialty sector any time soon. But Isabella believes that the market will keep growing.
Considering they’re affinity for more fermented flavours – as well as premiumisation being a huge driver of growth in these regions – infused coffees will remain popular in East Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
“These coffees are marketed as premium, so they’re not easy for many roasters to sell,” she says. “The higher costs make investment riskier for roasters and importers, and the risk-to-reward ratio for producers is significant.
“As a result, many farmers are already excluded from producing these coffees,” she adds – indicating that there are limitations on how much the market can expand.
Infused coffees will be a contentious topic for the foreseeable future. But as long as there’s transparency, they have a place in the market.
If producers can experiment with flavours, potentially increase cupping scores, and meet consumer demand for new sensory experiences then infused coffees are hugely beneficial. At the same time, communication about how these coffees are processed needs to be clear and honest – otherwise value is lost.
Enjoyed this? Then readour article on the difference between infused and co-fermented coffee.
Photo credits: Evan Gilman
Perfect Daily Grind
Want to read more articles like this?Sign up for our newsletter!
The post The industry should admit that there’s space for infused coffees – but transparency is key appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.
