As the global coffee scene continues its rapid evolution, 2026 promises to be eventful. We continue our tradition of tracking global coffee industry trends and developments. In this article, we build upon last year’s predictions that came true and try to forecast where coffee will move in 2026.
Coffee Value Assessment protocol taking hold
In 2025, the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) protocol by the Specialty Coffee Association gained traction, changing how professionals evaluate and understand coffee quality.
As SCA pushed CVA into use, professionals were divided into camps with one pointing out weaknesses of the new system and criticizing the CQI and SCA merger.
Another point of view is that CVA will finally build a bridge between professionals and consumers when it comes to describing flavor profiles and assigning quality.
2026 will be the year when we see CVA being finally implemented by market makers, and the first result of this change will start to show.
“I see the CVA Descriptive form being used more and more in conjunction with the scoring logic of classic SCA protocol, and I believe that this is the way to evaluate and grade coffee going forward for green coffee traders and buyers, as well as roasters. CVA Affective form will probably be implemented for consumer testing.
The most controversial part of the CVA is the Extrinsic form, which assigns value but has no standard for translating data in the form to some sort of index. I hope we will see updates and revisions to a fledgling CVA form to address these issues.” — says specialtykava.si resident Q-Grader and AST Lev Volodarsky.
We also predict the growth of new mobile apps for coffee tasters such as Kavast_app, Catador, and others.
Specialty Coffee’s growth in 2026
With the rapid growth of the C Market in 2025, wider coffee consumers have learnt to pay more for any grade of coffee, which bolstered Specialty positions.
We see 2026 being yet another year of strong growth of Specialty coffee. To learn what Specialty coffee is, follow the link to our dedicated story.
Co-Fermentation and Flavor Experimentation
Innovation in processing continues to take center stage. A recent trend gaining traction in specialty cafés globally, especially in cultural hubs. While challenging the consensus among professionals when it comes to “perception of quality” and terroir “clarity”, consumers appreciate the new flavors in high-end coffees.
It is important to remember that although the co-fermented and experimental coffees are the loudest in the media and often are presented as flagship lots in specialty roasters’ lot collections, they still constitute a minority share in the overall specialty coffee sector.
In 2026, we foresee that this type of creative processing is likely to spread.
As producers experiment with fermentations beyond traditional methods, expect novel flavor profiles that defy the usual terroir taste maps, appealing to adventurous drinkers and social-media-driven hype.
Health, Wellness, and Mushroom Coffee
The link between coffee and wellness continues to strengthen, but takes a turn to a new format, taking the market by storm.
Functional blends — incorporating adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms — have attracted attention among health-oriented consumers.
The wellness trend is expected to deepen with coffees marketed for mood support, cognitive benefits, and gut health.
We expect more branded offerings in 2026 with added botanicals, nootropics, and tailored nutritional profiles, supported by new scientific research to support the health benefit claims.
Rise of non-SCA coffee associations
2024 and 2025 see a rise of regional non-SCA groups of coffee professionals offering small local events oriented to entertain baristas and roasters with fairs and festivals, with non-SCA championships being the main attractions.
Most prominently, such activity is seen in Eastern Europe and the Balkan regions that are emerging as new specialty coffee culture powerhouses.
We see 2026 being a year for such associations to solidify their status as party-makers in their respective areas.
Conclusion
After a stormy 2025, we expect 2026 to bring more clarity and stabilization to the coffee industry and new standards for understanding coffee value and quality to take root.
Lev is an Authorized SCA Trainer since 2019 with a deep passion for coffee that began in 2017. He has trained over 300 students in various coffee disciplines and holds certifications such as SCA Barista Skills Professional, Sensory Skills Professional, and Brewing Intermediate, culminating in the SCA Coffee Diploma in 2023. A key member of SCA Slovenia (ZSKS), Lev has served as a Sensory Judge, was the 2023 Cup Tasting Champion, and will lead as Chairman of the Directors Board for 2024-2026.
