The Revolution in a Cup

For much of the 20th century, coffee was an afterthought. It was the stuff of diners and office breakrooms—a functional, often bland, percolated brew scooped from a can. The concepts of 'origin' and 'roast profile' were largely unfamiliar to the average American consumer, and espresso was uncommon outside of immigrant communities. The First Wave had successfully made coffee a household staple, but the Second Wave was about to make it an experience.

The seeds of the Second Wave were sown not in a boardroom, but in a small storefront in Berkeley, California. In 1966, a Dutch immigrant named Alfred Peet opened Peet's Coffee & Tea. Unlike his contemporaries, Peet was obsessed with quality. He sourced high-quality Arabica beans and, inspired by his time in Indonesia, introduced a signature dark roasting style that was revolutionary for the American palate. His roasts were bold, intense, and complex, a stark contrast to the light, mild coffees of the era.

Peet was more than a shopkeeper; he was an educator. He taught his customers about the beans, their origins, and the importance of freshness. He mentored a generation of coffee entrepreneurs, including the three founders of a small Seattle coffee shop—Starbucks—who sourced their green beans from Peet in the early 1970s. That shop was Starbucks.

"The Second Wave wasn't just about selling better coffee; it was about teaching a new language of coffee."

While Starbucks initially emulated Peet's focus on quality beans, its direction changed when Howard Schultz, then the company's marketing director, visited Milan in 1983. Schultz wasn't just an employee - he was head of marketing. He was captivated by the Italian espresso bars—not just by the drinks, but by the atmosphere. They were vibrant community hubs, places where people started their day, met with friends, and unwound after work. They were a "third place," a social environment separate from the two primary spheres of home and work.

Schultz saw an opportunity to bring this culture to America. He envisioned a space that was more than just a store; it was a destination. This vision transformed Starbucks from a simple bean retailer into the global café behemoth it is today. The Second Wave gained momentum, bringing with it a new vocabulary and consumer expectations. Suddenly, terms like Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, and Macchiato entered the mainstream. The dark roast profile pioneered by Peet became the signature flavor of this new coffee experience—a rich, powerful taste that stood up well to the addition of steamed milk.

This movement standardized the café experience, making quality coffee accessible and understandable to millions. While today's "Third Wave" has shifted focus towards lighter roasts and single-origin terroir, it stands firmly on the shoulders of the Second Wave. Without this revolution, the modern specialty coffee landscape simply would not exist.