Specialty coffee · Worth knowing

El Paraíso from Colombia's Cauca region exemplifies innovative specialty coffee processing, combining careful cherry selection with advanced fermentation techniques including 72-hour anaerobic fermentation with Lactobacillus milk culture, followed by thermal shock washing and dehumidifier drying to achieve remarkable clarity and complexity. Taith Coffee, an owner-operated roastery in East Sussex, sources this ethical specialty coffee and employs light roasting on a Loring Falcon S15 to highlight transparent, sweet flavours, demonstrating the craft-focused approach that defines contemporary specialty coffee culture.

Jonathan Gasca at Finca Zarza in Colombia has developed an innovative multi-stage fermentation process for naturally processed Wush Wush coffee that demonstrates how processing techniques now play an equally significant role as variety in shaping specialty coffee flavour. The method involves 24 hours of anaerobic fermentation to develop floral aromatics and fruit character, followed by 12 hours of controlled oxidation in sealed bags, submerged fermentation, and slow sun-drying over 10-12 days in parabolic dryers—showcasing the advanced post-harvest processing methods that have established Finca Zarza as one of Colombia's leading specialty producers and highlighted the evolution of Colombian coffee through meticulous cultivation and experimental fermentation protocols.

First Coffee, a New Delhi-based specialty coffee start-up founded in 2023, has closed a second funding round to expand in India's branded coffee shop market. The takeaway-focused operator opened its first store at Pacific Outlet Mall in New Delhi in April 2024 after raising $1.2 million in seed funding in September 2024, and is now pursuing further growth as part of a wave of specialty coffee ventures gaining momentum in India.

Speciality coffee brand First Coffee raised $1.3 million in a pre-Series A round led by Japanese VC firm DG Daiwa Ventures, signaling growing investor interest in India's speciality coffee market. Founded in 2024, the brand operates 25 stores across Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, using 100 percent Arabica beans sourced from Indian estates and targeting Gen Z consumers with premium grab-and-go beverages including cold coffee and matcha. The fresh funding will support expansion into Tier-2 cities, store network growth, product development, and marketing as First Coffee positions itself to build a national speciality coffee brand around quality, convenience, technology and accessible pricing.