Today, there is a heightened level of interest in specialty coffees that is spreading world-wide. A revolution is happening and its being dubbed the "Third Wave".

What is Third Wave?

The theory was first proposed by Trish Skeie of Zoka Coffee and I think she sums it up best when she said:

The "First Wave of Coffee" was the post-World War II era, a time when coffee was simply consumed, not enjoyed. The war forced the production of quick, easy foods and instant coffee reigned supreme.

"The "Second Wave of Coffee" started in the late 1960's with the birth of companies like Pete's and then Starbucks. Specialty grade Arabica coffees began replacing lower grade Robustas as cutting-edge roasters and baristas gained appreciation for the nuances of different roasts and origins.

Today, this Third Wave had allowed coffee to evolve on a wider scale from commodity to connoisseur beverage.

According to Trish, it's the evolution of coffee drinkers toward a deeper appreciation for the uniqueness of different coffees. Today it is not uncommon for our customers to ask for a certain country of origin (Ethiopian, Sumtran, etc), the roast profile and other unique attributes of the bean, when ordering their coffee.

We are proud to be one of the shops to bring this new level of quality specialty coffee to Montreal.