Specialty coffee should not be confused with “gourmet” or “premium” coffee. The latter are marketing terms with no defined standards. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), coffee which scores 80 points or above on a 100-point scale is graded “specialty.” Specialty coffees are grown in special and ideal climates, and are distinctive because of their full cup taste and little to no defects. The unique flavours and tastes are a result of the special characteristics and composition of the soils in which they are produced.
One day as we were Out Of Office, one of these ideas came:
Out Of Office Coffee – whether quite literally an escape from ‘the office’ or from housework that can wait until later or perhaps just an opportunity to put everything aside and catch up with friends over coffee.
We were convinced that everyone could benefit from being Out Of Office, from student to homemaker to businessman or retiree. More importantly, we wanted to see specialty coffee expand into the home counties and closer to our own homes for our friends and families to enjoy.