In 1929 the Brazilian authorities, desperate for alternative uses for their surplus beans, approached the Swiss multinational food manufacturer Nestle to ask if it could develop a coffee stock cube. It took Nestle over six years to come up with a palatable soluble coffee, by which time both Brazilian interest had long been withdrawn.
Nescafe, a spray-dried extract, was launched in 1938. War in Europe led to concentration of production in the US, where the War Department bought up virtually all production for military use.
The coffee industry’s evolution in Europe during the 20th century led to distinctive ‘national tastes’, with markets adopting different forms of brewing technology, roasts, blends and consumption habits. Many ‘traditional’ coffee styles we associate with particular countries date back no further than the last century. Often these were only consolidated in the mass consumer societies that arose after WW2. Local and regional roasters lost out as small grocers and specialist coffee shops declined, and supermarkets took over. These stocked the highly visible branded products that shoppers recognized from expensive television advertising campaigns on behalf of dominant ‘national’ roasters. Consumed in a similar fashion across classes, drinking coffee became an everyday expression of ‘national identity.’
Italy evolved a distinctive European coffee culture, due to its development of espresso brewing. The spread of upmarket cocktail bars where drinks were quickly prepared and passed to customers across the counter led to a demand from the hospitality industry for equally swift ways of serving coffee. Applying pressure to the brewing process speeded up the extraction time, enabling a fresh cup of coffee to be prepared ‘expressly’ for each customer.
A key advantage of the espresso process is that it intensifies flavours so cheaper commodity beans can form significant portions of the blend.
By 1994 espresso-based beverages were outselling brewed coffees in the US specialty stores. The theatre of the barista ‘hand-crafting’ the beverage — grinding fresh beans, pulling a shot from the machine, foaming and pouring the milk, topping with cinnamon, chocolate and / or sprinkles — all rendered visible the value added during the process. Consequently, consumers were prepared to pay a higher price for a premium product they could not make at home.
The high margins incorporated in the price paid for a comfortable environment in which the coffee could be enjoyed. Sofas, music, newspaper and clean toilets with babychanging facilities all helped create a ‘twenty-minute business.’ Coffee is the rental charge for using the facilities provided by the shop. It feels democratic, as customers are served in order of arrival at the counter; and inclusive, as the focus on coffee rather than alcohol renders it a ‘safe’ space for women, children and non-drinkers.
Schultz trumpeted Starbucks as an exemplar of a ‘third place’ between work and home in which informal contacts between unrelated people create a sense of community. Behavioural studies, however, find little evidence of conversations being initiated between strangers: the attraction of the coffee shop lies in being surrounded by people without having to engage with them. The continuing advances of digital technologies — the laptop computer, the mobile phone, the wireless Internet connection — allow individuals to continue working, or engage in social media conversation, while ‘consuming’ the coffee shop ambiance.