OUR STORY
The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) sits at the very heart of the coffee community, where thousands of coffee professionals and enthusiasts can share their wealth of knowledge and experience with one another. Everything we do at SCAE is focussed on Inspiring Coffee Excellence through innovation, education, research and most importantly, communication. This is our vision t
o take speciality coffee out to the world, to educate consumers on this most fascinating beverage for the benefit of every level in the supply chain, whilst helping to ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry. WHAT WE DO
SCAE Tuesday 071As a non-profit membership association, SCAE has established an enormous network of coffee lovers and industry professionals across more than 90 countries worldwide, with many also working through a National chapter that offers a programme of coffee events, training workshops, competitions and social activities on a local level. On the international stage which is also served by a world wide network of ASTs, we regularly host training days and workshops as part of our well-established Coffee Diploma System. As well we offer networking events, Field Trips to origin countries, and our annual World of Coffee event, which brings together thousands of visitors, exhibitors and competitors from all over the world to take note of the latest trends in coffee innovation, as well as to witness the exciting spectacle of the World Coffee Championships. OUR VALUES
Our Vision: to be the authority on delivering coffee excellence
Our Mission: to create and inspire excellence in the coffee community through innovation, research, education and communication
Our Values: excellence, knowledge, leadership, integrity, communication, competence, education and community
SCAE are open to everyone with a commitment to quality coffee, operating a "one member, one vote” policy at our bi-annual elections to our Board of Directors. We keep our members regularly informed and up-to-date through several media channels, including our quarterly magazine, Café Europa, and our monthly e-Bulletin newsletter, while also providing access to exclusive content such as research papers, contact databases and other essential data from within the speciality coffee trade. We lobby strongly for the cause of quality coffee. Together with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and Speciality Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ), we represent the speciality sector on the International Coffee Organization's Private Sector Consultative Board. We take positions to defend coffee quality and to ensure a fair deal for everyone, and our voice is heard! We spearheaded the drive, now taken up by the ICO, to develop alternative uses for poor quality coffee and to remove it from the world market. OUR ORIGIN
"As coffee enthusiasts, we will be better heard as a strong association than as individuals. As businessmen, we will have the pleasure of enjoying an expanding total market for coffee both in value and in volume. We hope to become a 'cake baking organisation', so that our members have a larger cake to share when they go out and fight for their place in the market. In the aim of promoting 'the perfect cup of coffee for the consumer', SCAE will be significantly different from other European coffee associations. "It will have a vertical structure, and will be recruiting members committed to coffee quality from every level of the coffee chain - farmers and farmer associations, coffee boards, exporters and exporter associations, organisations and media, transporters, shipping lines and warehouses, importers, traders, processors, equipment manufacturers, roasters, retailers, coffee bars, and even end consumers." Alf Kramer
First SCAE President
1998-2000
HISTORY OF THE ORGANISATION
The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe was formed at a meeting of representatives of the speciality coffee community and coffee enthusiasts held in London on the 5th June 1998. The initial aim was to gather 50 committed individual and companies who would be prepared to become "Pioneer Members" who would each contribute €500 as seed money to get the Association off the ground. We succeeded, and the Association was able to get off to a magnificent start with everyone working on a volunteer basis. The first Board of directors was appointed on the recommendation of the President Alf Kramer, but it was emphasised at the time that Board meetings would be open to all members who wished to participate.
