About Me
1. How did you get into coffee? Do you remember your beginnings?
I became fascinated with coffee during my university years when I explored its complexity beyond the ordinary cup. My beginnings were humble, driven by curiosity and a passion for understanding the coffee plant, its transformation, and the art of creating exceptional beverages. My early experiences as a barista trainer and my desire to learn more about the coffee supply chain pushed me deeper into the industry. I have been a scout of the specialty coffee association since 2000 and was among the first SCA-authorized trainers worldwide. I have written 12 technical and popular coffee books and with other partners, I bought a coffee plantation in Honduras, finca Rio Colorado, where I organize training campuses twice a year on coffee harvesting and processing.
2. You have a PhD in Science, Technology, and Economy in the Coffee Industry. Is this something that can be studied elsewhere in the world? What knowledge and experiences did you gain during your studies?
My PhD program was unique in its multidisciplinary approach, combining agronomy, chemistry, technology, and economics specifically focused on the coffee industry. While such a program is rare, there are other universities globally that offer only botanical specialized studies in coffee, such as those in Brazil or Colombia. My studies gave me an in-depth understanding of coffee production, from farm to cup, and equipped me to bridge the gaps between science, business, and culture in the coffee world. Thanks to this academic course of study, I was able to study all the variables that are present in the coffee production chain that can influence the final quality of the beverage, especially espresso. These variables I found are more than 150, from the botanical variety to the bean processing, from roasting to the extraction recipe.
3. You are currently working as an Authorized SCA Trainer specializing in espresso tasting. How does tasting specialty espresso differ from cupping?
Cupping is more about evaluating coffee with the main purpose of finding out possible off-flavors in order to set up a price for green coffee, with minimal variables, focusing on its potential. Another thing is to evaluate the coffee in cupping for the determination of the Specialty classification and the SCA score, in which case the coffees have a clean cup, and the aim is to define the complexity of the flavor. Tasting coffee in espresso is a different thing. First of all, there is no standard brewing recipe —grind size, pressure, water temperature—all these parameters strongly affect the final extraction. It’s about finding the best balance between acidity/bitterness, the highest sweetness, and the velvetiest body, which requires a different set of skills and a deeper understanding of brewing techniques. Moreover, a coffee taster specialised in cupping is not necessarily good at espresso, as espresso is much more concentrated, has more than 1500 volatile aroma compounds and requires many years of training to be able to give an objective quality score.
4. I’ve heard that you’ve received several awards from the SCA for your lifetime contributions to the coffee industry. Could you tell me more about that?
It’s been an honor to be recognized by the SCA for my work in promoting coffee education, sustainability, and the culture of quality coffee, I have been awarded for two consecutive years as the best trainer at the international level. My awards reflect years of dedication to training, organizing the first Italian events about the World Barista Championship, the Cup Taster Championship, the coffee Roasting Championship, and contributing to the growth of specialty coffee. It’s rewarding to see how far the coffee community has come and to have played a part in that journey. In Italy, in 2012 I was the first to set up an SCA training school where I organized barista weeks with all the SCA training modules and the first in Europe to organize training campuses with SCA certifications in the coffee plantations of Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and many other countries.
5. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
One of my greatest achievements is creating the Coffee Campuses in Italy and abroad, these initiatives have allowed me to educate and inspire countless individuals about coffee, from its cultivation to its cultural significance. Seeing the impact of these programs on people’s understanding and appreciation of coffee has been immensely fulfilling. In Italy, I have trained almost all the micro-roasters and baristas working in specialty coffee shops with SCA certifications, contributing significantly to the Italian sector. I have achieved two other successes that are close to my heart; one is the purchase of the coffee plantation Rio Colorado in Honduras and the other is the first publication of the Italian Coffee Roasters Guide. The Guide is a first, it had never been published in Italy and after some research, I discovered that it does not exist in any other European country.
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About Coffee
1. In the coffee world, we talk about certain coffee periods or waves. How do you perceive them?
The waves of coffee represent the evolution of consumer expectations and industry standards. The third wave, with its focus on transparency, quality, and sustainability, has elevated coffee to a craft. It’s exciting to be part of this transformation, but I believe we must also remember the lessons of previous waves, particularly accessibility and consistency. Currently in Italy, we are only at the beginning of the third wave, the market is very traditional, and the players in the Italian Specialty sector have made the big mistake of alienating the Italian consumer from the Specialty espresso by offering undrinkable, too-acidic drinks. Moreover, the SCA's Italian community failed to work together to create a united front of operators who, instead of waging commercial warfare, should have joined forces to strengthen Specialty's presence in Italy and offer more enjoyable drinks.
2. Is specialty coffee for everyone or just for a certain group of people?
Specialty coffee should be for everyone. While it is often marketed as exclusive, its purpose is to showcase the best of coffee in an approachable and enjoyable way. Education and accessibility are key to making specialty coffee more inclusive. All agri-food chains have developed in different quality ranges, the best known being wine. There will always be the wine consumer who wants to buy standard products at super low prices, and there will always be a market that appreciates better quality, traceable, and sustainable products and is willing to spend more. This is also the case for the coffee market.
3. I’ve read that some specialty coffee shops in Italy don’t provide sugar at all. Is it okay if someone wants sugar in their specialty espresso?
Absolutely, coffee should be a personal experience. While we encourage people to try coffee as it is to appreciate its nuances, it’s perfectly fine to add sugar if that enhances their enjoyment. We must respect individual preferences. In my opinion, forcing the consumer to drink coffee by imposing the barista's style is wrong, especially in an Italian situation where the third wave of coffee is still at work. I find it stupid to force the consumer to drink the espresso in a way he does not like, this attitude only drives away possible new customers from Specialty coffee.
4. What do you think about some specialty coffee shops disregarding the needs or original cultural habits of individuals*
Disregarding cultural habits can alienate customers. The specialty coffee movement should celebrate diversity and adapt to local customs while maintaining high-quality standards. It’s a balance between educating customers and embracing cultural differences.
5. What can baristas and roasters do to be more accommodating to their customer's needs while maintaining global standards in the service and preparation of specialty coffee?
Baristas and roasters can engage in active listening and education. Understanding customers’ preferences while gently introducing them to new experiences can bridge the gap. Offering a range of options and being transparent about the coffee's story also builds trust and appreciation. To achieve this, baristas and roasters would have to participate in entrepreneurial training courses, I think everything would change if they had solid entrepreneurial training. Pleasing customers and making them happy must be the first goal of everyone, especially those who want to bring something new to the market! Let us remember that the Italian coffee history has been made up of espresso consumption since the early 1900s. This represents a tradition rooted in generations and which must be respected. This situation must be taken into consideration, and entrepreneurs in the coffee sector must act accordingly, with knowledge and intelligence.
6. What do you think is the future of specialty coffee?
The future of specialty coffee lies in sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity. Technologies like AI-driven brewing and genetic research on coffee plants are promising. At the same time, we need to address social and environmental issues, ensuring the industry benefits everyone in the supply chain. Specialty coffee represents the market of the future, any company operating in the coffee sector must bear this in mind and be prepared to enter this sector. Specialty coffee is the answer to so many critical points that the commodity market has left unresolved: low quality of the beverage, undifferentiation of quality and price, lack of barista training and green coffee bought at socially irresponsible prices.
7. A lot of people think that there is specialty coffee, and everything else is low quality. Do we have something in the middle? Like it's not a Specialty, but it's still good quality for everyday pleasant drinking?
Yes, there’s a growing segment of “premium coffee” that bridges the gap. While not scoring as high as a Specialty, it offers consistent quality and traceability, making it ideal for everyday enjoyment without compromising on ethics or flavor. Coffees that are not Specialty coffees can be of good quality and represent pleasant drinking occasions. Always referring to the wine world, it is enough to think that the sparkling wine ‘prosecco’ is by far the most sold in the world and represents the cheapest sparkling wine, while ‘champagne’ represents only a niche. With the Italian Roasters' Guide, we have reviewed hundreds of commercial coffees, non-Specialty, very good, clean cups and suitable for any time of day, very good in espresso or as a base for macchiato or cappuccino.
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