Specialty coffee · Worth knowing

The 2026 Global Coffee Awards Latin America edition showcased the region's growing specialty coffee market, with Café Baluarte de Veracruz from Mexico winning overall. Roasters from over ten Latin American countries competed, with judges using double-blind protocols and objective scoring systems to evaluate coffees across Filter, Espresso, Flat White Dairy, and Flat White Plant-Based Milk categories. The judging panel, composed of Q graders and competition veterans, provided roasters with detailed written feedback on roast profiles, including specific recommendations like adjusting Maillard phase timing, post-crack duration, and finish temperatures to improve body, complexity, and clarity. The competition reflects Latin America's expanding specialty coffee movement, where roasting at origin is gaining momentum as a way to retain value in producing countries. All regional category winners will compete in the 2026 GCA World Championship at PRF Mexico on 18-19 March 2027, with industry leaders highlighting how competitions like the GCA provide essential benchmarking, recognition for producers and roasters, and opportunities for the specialty coffee community to network and innovate on a global stage.

The primary processing methods in specialty coffee—washed, natural, and honey—each produce distinctly different flavor profiles from the same cherry. Washed processing, the most common method in regions like Kenya and Central America, removes the fruit mechanically and ferments beans in water tanks, resulting in clean, transparent flavors with bright acidity and citrus or floral notes. Natural processing, the oldest method requiring minimal equipment, involves sun-drying whole cherries for weeks, creating intensely fruity coffees with full body and wine-like complexity, though careful monitoring prevents over-fermentation. Honey processing, increasingly popular in Central America, leaves the sticky mucilage on the bean during drying in varying amounts—yellow, red, or black honey—producing natural sweetness with stone fruit notes and a syrupy mouthfeel that bridges the characteristics of washed and natural coffees.