The love-hate relationship with co-ferments: What are the real issues?

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Key takeaways

• Co-fermented coffees offer bold, obvious flavours that challenge traditionally processed coffees.
• Some consider co-fermentation as a shortcut to quality, rather than a tool to add value.
• Transparency across the supply chain remains an unresolved issue.
• Flavour authenticity concerns are valid, but need informed dialogue rather than resistance.

Co-fermented coffees, particularly those from Colombia, have gained prominence in recent years. During processing, producers use additional ingredients, whether fruit or other external organic substrates, that interact with the coffee’s mucilage, altering microbial activity and influencing flavour development.

What was once a novel processing method now appears on roastery menus and brew bar offerings around the world.

Two forces are driving the category’s growth. Consumers, especially those in emerging specialty coffee markets like China and Saudi Arabia, are seeking new flavour experiences, while producers use co-fermentation as a way to differentiate their lots, attract higher prices, and build more stable income.

But the category hasn’t won universal approval. Co-fermented coffees have provoked strong reactions from both consumers and industry professionals, with opinions dividing between those who welcome the innovation and those who question whether it belongs in specialty coffee at all.

Co-fermented coffees often face three specific criticisms. A lack of transparency between producers, exporters, roasters, and consumers creates distrust, while overly obvious flavour profiles can mask terroir, which has long been central to quality. Co-fermentation can also be applied without sufficient knowledge or intention, positioning it as a shortcut to quality rather than an expression of it.

You may also like our article on how the market for co-ferments is changing.

Co-ferments offer new flavours – but do they diminish other coffees?

Co-fermented coffees are appearing across more markets, roasteries, and café menus than ever before. Consumer curiosity is a clear driver, but so is a broader shift in how people engage with coffee flavour.

“Co-ferments occupy their own space. They’re playful, experimental expressions that highlight producer creativity and skill,” says Dan Davenport, owner of ALL CAPS Coffee. “They broaden appreciation for the full spectrum of what coffee can be.”

Recent research shows that flavour trends are becoming more “unconventional”. Mintel’s The Future of Flavours 2025 report highlights a growing appetite for flavour experimentation, more global influences, and a shift towards indulgence. Co-fermented coffees fit this pattern; they tend to be expressive and accessible, with bold, fruit-forward, and winey flavours that appeal to changing consumer tastes.

It’s exactly these flavour profiles, however, that draw criticism. Washed coffees set the benchmark in specialty coffee, valued for their clarity and the way they express terroir. This standard hasn’t disappeared, but it now competes for attention in a market that increasingly rewards intensity and novelty.

Some producers have responded to this demand in ways that stretch the boundaries of coffee flavour. Descriptors like sour candy, Haribo, and banana pudding are hard to achieve with traditional processing methods.

“The problem arises when co-ferments are positioned as a shortcut to quality rather than as a deliberate, well-executed process grounded in knowledge and intention,” says Ana Maria Donneys, a fifth-generation coffee producer and founder of Café Primitivo in Colombia.

Demand from younger consumers and producers

Co-ferments appeal to a younger generation of coffee drinkers drawn to exciting, fruit-forward flavour profiles. “When approached responsibly, I think co-ferments expand consumer choice rather than diminish other coffees, leaving room for many different preferences within specialty coffee,” says Beatriz Ferreira, co-founder of Swerl Coffee Roasters.

This same shift is also happening on the production side. “A new generation of producers is bringing science and deeper understanding into fermentation, but this does not mean the future must be extreme or overly ‘funky,’ but rather more balanced, deliberate, and refined,” Ana Maria says.

“Market pressure has accelerated experimentation, but it didn’t create the curiosity or the need to innovate,” she adds. “High costs and volatility have simply made it more urgent to explore value-added processes that can help sustain farms economically.”

Opinions on co-ferments remain split, but the division isn’t necessarily an issue. Disagreement has historically pushed the coffee industry to examine its assumptions and adapt its standards as preferences change and evolve.

Moreover, co-fermented coffees are rarely everyday options, so their ability to shift the market is minimal. Their intense, fruit-forward profiles invite consumers in, especially those new to specialty coffee, before inevitably switching to more familiar flavour experiences.

Transparency will always be a sticking point

Transparency is one of the most persistent challenges with co-fermented coffees, but Ana Maria argues that it isn’t unique to the category.

“It shouldn’t need to be ‘defined’ in the first place; it should be intrinsic to any healthy relationship within the coffee value chain,” she says. “It’s not a checklist; it’s the result of mutual respect and shared growth. When coffee is bought only for flavour, without understanding the producer or the context behind it, those conversations become much harder.”

The co-fermented coffee category has faced questions about disclosure since its emergence, and without clearer definitions and shared frameworks, those questions will likely persist. “The reasoning behind certain processes isn’t always clearly communicated, and there are still many questions around how these coffees are processed and presented to consumers,” says Beatriz.

Producers have at times faced accusations of misleading buyers, particularly around whether distinctive flavours come from natural ingredients or artificial flavourings and essential oils. Artificial flavourings are often perceived as “less than” compared to natural, whole-food ingredients, potentially creating more synthetic, one-dimensional tasting notes.

Roasters and importers, meanwhile, often understand little about these coffees, which can further confuse or mislead consumers.

In turn, progress with co-fermentation will likely depend less on rigid enforcement and more on a shared commitment to disclosure and honest communication throughout the supply chain.

This transparency, Dan suggests, should start with producers, “since they understand the process, ingredients, and intent better than anyone. But roasters and buyers also have a responsibility to carry that information forward in a clear, accessible way.”

Can we dispel claims of inauthenticity?

Concerns about inauthenticity in co-fermented coffees often stem from how far their flavour profiles differ from those of traditionally processed coffees.

“They challenge long-standing reference points around what coffee ‘should’ taste like, so part of the resistance is naturally rooted in tradition and familiarity,” Ana Maria says. “When sensory profiles move outside what we already know, it can feel like a loss of authenticity rather than an evolution of process.”

Dan notes similar friction among those who value terroir: “When flavours move beyond familiar fruit notes into more constructed profiles, it can feel inauthentic to purists who prioritise terroir expression.”

Many perceive co-fermented coffees as artificial. Their flavour intensity isn’t the result of terroir and variety alone, and the use of artificial ingredients raises legitimate concerns around food safety. “These concerns, however, should be addressed through science, not fear,” Ana Maria says.

Underpinning all issues with co-ferments is a lack of trust. “The tension reflects a moment of transition. As the industry deepens its technical understanding, conversations around authenticity and safety can move from emotional reactions to informed, constructive dialogue,” Ana Maria adds.

As co-fermented coffees continue to diversify, they are more likely to settle into a defined space within the specialty market than to destabilise it. “They’re not replacing traditional coffee, but expanding the playground,” Dan says. “We should keep championing clean, terroir-driven coffees while staying open to thoughtful innovation.”

For now, co-fermented coffees remain divisive. Concerns about a lack of transparency and flavour inauthenticity are valid, and the only solution to address them is to engage in open conversations.

“The real challenge is not deciding whether co-ferments belong in specialty coffee, but whether we are willing to engage with innovation through curiosity, respect, and honest dialogue,” Ana Maria concludes.

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