The Intellectnomics Research Group (IRG) has released the first issue of IRG.Scroll. This periodical strengthens our understanding of the relationship between property rights and entrepreneurship.
Explore: IRG.Scroll: Issue 1-February 2026
March 1, 2026
IRG.Scroll: Issue 1 - February 2026
The Intellectnomics Research Group (IRG) has released the first issue of IRG.Scroll. This periodical strengthens our understanding of the relationship between property rights and entrepreneurship.
October 30, 2025
A Recipe for Belonging
 |
| A Section of Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania in 2019 |
Growing up as
a mixed kid — half Arab, half East African — I often felt like a blend of
ingredients that didn’t know which kitchen she belonged to. At family
gatherings, I often caught myself in between two worlds: Arabic chit-chat on
one side, Swahili lore on the other. Both felt familiar and foreign at the same
time, like humming to your favourite song without knowing the words. The more I
learned about each culture, the more I felt I didn’t fully belong to either.
It all
changed when I started to delve into the connection between Emirati and East
African cuisines. Something in me healed. These two worlds I spent my whole
life trying to balance. They’d already been intertwined for centuries. My
favourite dish growing up, machboos, turned out to be
living proof that belonging doesn’t always mean picking one side. Sometimes we
are the perfect blend. The byproduct of trade, travel, and shared history over
generations.
Machboos (or kabsa,
as it was originally known) is a spiced rice and meat dish that is a staple in
Emirati cuisine. It’s usually served at Eid celebrations, family azeemas,
or honestly, any time your auntie wants to show off.
The dish is
built around fragrant rice, tender slow-cooked meat (usually chicken or lamb),
and a blend of spices like cardamom, turmeric and saffron (the holy trinity of
Arab household kitchens). But the secret weapon is loomi,
the dried lime that adds that perfect tangy element to the richness of the
meat.
The word kabsa comes from the Arabic verb kabasa,
meaning “to press together”. Fitting, since everything in this dish is cooked
tightly in one pot, allowing the flavours to infuse and become inseparable. It
was a practical meal for the nomads and coastal communities in present-day
Saudi and Yemen. The perfect desert dish: one pot, easy to share, heavily
nourishing, and impossible to mess up (unless you forget the salt, then God
help you…)
Fast forward
to the 17th - 19th century, the Omani Empire ruled parts of Zanzibar and the
Swahili Coast. It was the ultimate cultural bridge between Arabia and East
Africa. Arab settlers brought their dishes, like kabsa,
to the coast and the local cooks revamped it.
 |
| Dinner as experienced along coast of East Africa in 2019 |
When I first
tried pilau at
my grandmother’s house, it was a déja vu moment. It almost tasted like machboos but with a twist. The dried lime was
replaced with coconut milk, but the essence remained the same. It felt like
both sides of my family had been communicating through food for centuries.
Pilau, born in
Zanzibar and Mombasa, is a spiced rice and meat dish cooked in coconut oil and
flavoured with local cloves and cinnamon. Traders later carried those flavours
back to the Gulf, influencing machboos. The machboos that I know today is basically a
melting pot (pun absolutely intended), with its Arab technique, Indian rice,
Persian loomi, and African spice.
By the time
UAE was born in the 20th century, machboos had become ingrained into our national
identity. A beautiful tale of migration, trade and shared cultural heritage.
For years, I
saw my mixed background as a hindering imbalance. Never Arab enough, never
African enough. But identity isn’t about purity its about the mix of flavours
that makes you, you.
Now, I see my
“cultural imbalance” as a recipe for strength. Let’s call it a “fusion” instead
of confusion. Like machboos, i’m a blend of
different tales influenced by history and adaptation. I’ve lived two different
childhoods, and that’s a privilege. I’m a cultural chameleon fluent in both
worlds; I can code switch between habibi and habari like a pro.
When I eat machboos now, I don’t just taste the aromatic
rice and spices… I taste belonging.
Maryam
Marshad
Research
Assistant and Intern
Intellectnomics
Research Group (IRG)
October 16, 2025
More Than a Cup: What Terminal 3 Taught Me About Coffee
 |
| Terminal 3 Café. |
I’ve never been a coffee person. My usual order is something
sweet and safe—an iced blonde vanilla latte with syrup and cold foam. Black
coffee has always felt too strong, too bitter, too serious. So, when my mom
suggested we visit Terminal 3, a Fourth Wave Plus (4thW+) café, I agreed mostly
for the company. What I didn’t expect was to leave thinking about coffee in a
completely different way.
A Café That Feels Like a
Story
Terminal 3 is the kind of place that feels intentional from
the moment you walk in. It’s tucked inside a music school and store, which
gives it a calm, creative atmosphere. You’ll see people reading, chatting
quietly, or waiting for their music lessons. It’s the kind of space that feels
reflective; less like a spot to grab a quick caffeine fix and more like a spot
to slow down.
 |
| Terminal 3 shares space with a music store and a school. |
The name “Terminal 3” is inspired by Toronto’s airport,
symbolizing travel and connection. That idea carries through everything they
do. On their website, the café describes its philosophy as building
“multiculturalism and togetherness through coffee beans by sourcing from around
the world, listening to their unique stories, and sharing those findings with
the local community.” That line stuck with me because it perfectly captures
what Fourth Wave Plus coffee is all about: sustainability, storytelling, and
inclusion.
 |
| Each pour-over at Terminal 3 comes with a small card that looks like a luggage tag, listing the coffee's origin, roast, and tasting notes - a nod to the cafe's airport theme. |
Where Science Meets Care
 |
| Pour-over from Papua New Guinea (Jiawaka) - a light roast with notes of pomegranate, sugarcane, and grape. |
What surprised me most about Terminal 3 was how scientific the process felt. Every coffee is carefully measured, from TDS (total dissolved solids) to grind size, water composition, and espresso-to-milk ratios. They even sometimes add a special mineral powder to their brewing water to achieve ideal balance. It’s a reminder that coffee isn’t just an art, it’s chemistry.
 |
| Terminal 3 displays its selection of single origin coffee beans, each labeled with the country where it was grown. |
Everything is roasted in-house, and each bean is single
origin. There are no blends and no dark roasts. The staff explained that this
is what sets Fourth Wave Plus cafés apart from earlier waves of coffee—they’re
focused on precision and education just as much as flavour.
 |
| All of Terminal 3's coffee is roasted in-house using their on-site roaster, allowing complete control over quality and flavour. |
Our Visit
On a sunny day in September, my mom and I met up with her
best friend while her sons were at their guitar lessons next door. We decided
to stay for coffee and conversation.
We started with a flat white made from Ethiopian Guji beans,
a light roast with notes of floral, milk chocolate, and brown sugar. It was
smooth and beautifully presented.
Then came the pour-over, which I’d heard was a must-try for
anyone wanting to understand specialty coffee. The barista brought out a board
of six different beans, each labeled with its origin, acidity, aftertaste, and
tasting notes. It felt a bit like choosing a wine (from what I hear) and I
picked one from Papua New Guinea (Jiwaka) which was described as having notes
of pomegranate, sugarcane, and grape.
Pour-overs are served black, which felt intimidating at
first. I’m used to adding milk or syrup, so this was a big step outside my
comfort zone. Still, I tried to stay open-minded. The flavor was surprisingly
playful, and the pomegranate note really came through.
My mom’s pour-over, the Colombia Finca Villa Gesha, was also
light and aromatic, though both of us agreed we still had some learning to do
before fully enjoying this kind of coffee. We talked about how refining your
palate can take time, but that conversation became more interesting than the
cup itself.
 |
| Our flat white, cappuccino, and pour-over, beautifully presented on wooden boards with details about the brew. The second photo shows what was left - a good sign. |
A Space for Connection
While we were sitting there, I overheard someone telling one
of the baristas how happy they were that the café was still around. It was a
small moment, but it stood out to me. It showed how places like this become
part of a community, not just because of the coffee they serve, but because of
the relationships they build.
 |
| The café sells and $80 t-shirt that says "For the Coffee Connoisseurs" |
That sense of connection is what makes Terminal 3 feel special. They have done a very good job at creating a balance between expertise and openness. The café celebrates the idea of the “coffee connoisseur”, and you can even buy a shirt that says so, but the atmosphere itself isn’t unwelcoming. The baristas share their knowledge with genuine enthusiasm, turning what could feel intimidating into something inviting.
As an Accounting and Finance student, I’ve always noticed
how coffee finds its way into so many spaces whether it’s study sessions, early
mornings, or networking “coffee chats.” Being at Terminal 3 reminded me that
coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a shared ritual that can mean something
different to everyone. It can mean focus, comfort, or community, depending on
who you are and where you are.
The Question of
Accessibility
Still, I couldn’t help thinking
about accessibility. Ethically sourced and sustainably grown coffee often costs
more, and that’s understandable. But it raises the question: how can we make
these kinds of experiences available to more people? If coffee is meant to
bring people together, I hope the Fourth Wave Plus movement continues to find
ways to balance ethics, quality, and inclusivity.
What I Took Away
Before this visit, I’d never really
thought much about coffee beyond my own order. But sitting there, surrounded by
the sound of guitars and the quiet hum of conversation, I realized that coffee
can be more than just a drink. It can be a way of connecting with people and cultures.
Furthermore, the small moments create unforgettable memories.
Visiting Terminal 3 has shaped my impressions about coffee. I
may not have walked away a coffee convert, but I did leave curious. Curious
about the people behind each roast, the science behind each cup, and the
stories that travel in every bean. And maybe that’s a start.
Works Cited
Terminal 3 Roasters. (n.d.). Colombia - Finca Villa Betulia Gesha. Terminal 3 Roasters.
https://t3roasters.com/products/colombia-finca-villa-betulia-gesha
Terminal 3 Roasters. (n.d.). Our philosophy. Terminal 3 Roasters.
https://t3roasters.com/pages/philosophy
Terminal 3 Roasters. 20 August 2023. The Role of Water Quality in Coffee Brewing. https://t3roasters.com/blogs/gateway/the-role-of-water-quality-in-coffee-brewing?_pos=2&_sid=3b268c135&_ss=r.
Keira Popov
Undergraduate
Student
Ted Rogers
School of Management
Toronto
Metropolitan University (TMU)
A Taste of Asia
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Terminal 3: "Where Symmetry Meets The Sky"
Late at night in Jakarta, I stepped
out of the airport and was hit with the immense humidity. My clothes stuck to
me as I walked to the car, finding it harder to breathe. Travelling from
Toronto to Asia was more than a change of scenery; it was also a change of
pace. I have always heard about the richness of Asian cuisine but experiencing
it firsthand gave me a new appreciation for how deeply food is tied to our
culture and everyday lives. From airline dishes to local cuisine, every meal
had a story about its origin and the people behind it.
 |
| A table spread of Chinese dishes at a restaurant in Indonesia. |
My first flight from Toronto to Hong
Kong was quite long, about 15 hours in the air. This was the flight I dreaded
the most. 15 hours just sitting in economy and with no way to recline
comfortably. I flew with Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong-based airline. During the
flight, I had a mixed feeling, the last time I visited was six years since ago.
To while away the time, I had plans to watch my favourite movie Crazy Rich Asians, only to be
disappointed that they did not have it, so I was half asleep for the entire
flight. On the flight, I was provided with two meals. The first meal consisted
of chicken and rice with vegetables as the starter. The airline also offered a
container of sliced meat–which I assume was ham–a Babybel, bread with butter,
and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The second meal was cod served with a corn
sauce, accompanied by rice and broccoli. They also served us more bread with
butter, fruits, and a little slice of cake for dessert. Overall, the food on
the flight was quite filling and better than the ones on western airlines.
We arrived in Hong Kong with a two-hour
layover until our next flight to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. As soon as
we exited the plane, we passed through security and immigration personnels
before we could go on to enter our next gate. Before we had our bags checked,
we were required to go through an eGate, which only requires you to scan your
passport. That was an interesting experience since I had never been through
them in Canada. This flight was only six hours long, so it was more bearable,
though we only got an inflight meal. They served us Hong Kong-style pork with
vegetables. We were also served a bowl of fruits, some more bread with butter,
and Häagen-Dazs cookies and cream ice cream for dessert.
Jakarta, my ancestral home, was
humid, beautiful and tranquil. Shortly after arriving, we drove to a town
called Bandung, to explore good quality cuisines without making a hole in our
pockets. We arrived hungry, so before the drive to Bandung we visited the McDonald's
in the city. It was strangely familiar but foreign at the same time. We ordered
spicy fried chicken, which came with rice, and that's where I found out that
many people in Indonesia love fried chicken. There are other American fast-food
chains operating in Indonesia, for example A&W and KFC. The McDonald’s menu
was completely different, offering items such as spaghetti (McSpaghetti), Milo
shakes, Matcha ice cream and more. I was a bit sad that I was unable to try
some of the foods available at the McDonald’s in Canada.
The next day, we ended up at a
restaurant known for its Sundanese cuisine. We ate a variety of foods, from
fried rice to fish to deep-fried eggplants. The restaurant setting was an open
concept, so you were only covered by the roof above your head. Another thing to
note was that it was a restaurant where eating with your hands was both
expected and customary, though they did still offer utensils. This differs from
the restaurants in Canada, as most of them expect you to use the utensils
offered rather than your hands; In Indonesian culture, it is normal to eat with
your hands rather than with utensils or chopsticks. Personally, I felt more at
ease using my hands.
We also went to a Chinese restaurant
the next day with some more relatives. The food there consisted of a variety of
dishes, ranging from fish, tofu, bok choy, and many more. It was quite an
experience getting to eat authentic Chinese food after spending most of my life
eating Western food. After meeting my relatives and spending a couple of days
in Indonesia, it made me realize that I need to learn Bahasa. It was difficult
to communicate with them and the locals since I'd only known a handful of
Bahasa, so at times I was either confused about what they were talking about or
about how to say certain things.
After that, we headed to Pascal 23,
a mall that had some restaurants on the side. We got a Korean-style dessert,
some coffee-flavoured shaved ice with chocolate drizzled on top, accompanied by
some mochi on the side. A special note for the place would be that the servings
there were huge!
The day after, I purchased some
coffee from Fore Coffee, a premium
coffeehouse chain. I was able to try their Hot Cafe Latte, Iced Caramel Praline
Macchiato and Iced Buttercream Tiramisu Latte. I personally favoured the Iced
Caramel Praline Macchiato and the Iced Buttercream Tiramisu Latte, as they were
both sweet and caramelized. We then visited another mall where, on the lowest
level, they had a massive food court. They sold a variety of foods, such as onigiri,
yaki shrimp, and takoyaki. What shocked me the most was that they
had a wide selection of chicken legs available for customers to freely pick and
choose from.
 |
| A display showing a wide variety of fried chicken legs to choose from in an Indonesian mall's food court. |
A few days after we arrived, we took
a day trip to another town called Lembang, winding through rocky roads and
beautiful mountain ranges. We made a stop at Dusan Bambu, a retreat surrounded
by green forestry and a ton of activities, some of which were a racetrack, axe
throwing, a water slide and quite a few more. From there, we got to try a
lychee iced tea, which was very refreshing since it was a hot summer day. I
also had deep-fried bananas with shredded cheese on top, which, to me, was a
bizarre combination, but alas, it was pretty good; It goes to show that
different cultures create a unique blend of food and flavour profiles.
While in the continent of Asia, I
also decided to visit Singapore, the same country where I will do my exchange
program next year. The restaurants there were mainly noted to be either Chinese
or Malay, though I did have the opportunity to try out a Japanese restaurant,
where I enjoyed some sushi and a chicken and egg dish. The prices for the sushi
were cheap, whereas the bowl was quite pricey. I was also surprised to see a
Tim Hortons in Singapore, though I can’t complain about having a breath of
home; The menu was different as it is curated for the Singaporean market. They
had their classic Iced Capp, which is my favourite drink from Tim Hortons, but
they also had various assortments of Iced Capp flavours that I had never seen
before, such as Maple Macchiato or Belgian Chocolate Chip. The prices at Tim
Hortons were significantly higher than in Canada. A regular Iced Capp is $6.70
SGD, at the same price range with Starbucks.
The day’s trip was completed with a
local meal on our return to Jakarta. The local meal box costs around $2 CAD but
comes with a hard-boiled egg, yellow rice, chicken, noodles and complementary
sauces. It was an excellent meal at an affordable price. That is something I
miss about Indonesia. As we prepared for our return to Canada, I visited a cafe
in Central Park Mall with my aunts called Paul Le Cafe. One of my aunts told me
they import their croissants from Paris. I tried a Sea Salt Latte and a
croissant from there. The latte was very bitter, but the croissant was delicious.
It was very soft, buttery and overall rich in flavour.
 |
| A $2 lunch box with yellow rice, noodles, and a seasoned egg, served with beef and sambal. |
After a few weeks in Asia, it was
time to return to Toronto, I was sad that my vacation was coming to an end. I
felt like there was so much more to see, but I just didn’t have enough time. My
first flight was from Jakarta to Hong Kong; we were served great food. The meal
consisting of spicy chicken with rice and vegetables, as well as fruits, and a
mint cake for dessert, overall, the catering was good. The little mint cake was
also delicious, a nice, sweet treat. On our arrival in Hong Kong, we boarded
the flight back to Toronto, during which they served us two dishes: the first
was chicken and rice with bok choy, accompanied by even more bread with butter,
fruits, and ice cream for dessert. The second meal consisted of a marinara fish
dish with vegetables, bread, fruit, and some coleslaw. Overall, the meals were
good, despite being airline food.
After my return to my regular life
in Toronto, I was able to reflect on my trip, realizing that food tells us a
lot about a country and its people including landmarks. I realized that no
matter the scenario, whether it’s the affordable $2 Indonesian meal boxes to
elegant cafes, and even airline meals, every dish reveals cultural values such
as hospitality, community and creativity. Travelling across Asia changed my way
of seeing food; It is not just about taste but about identity and connection to
the locals and the culture. Beyond taste and identity, every dish holds
memories, whether it is the old ones that linger or the new ones I make while
sharing meals with family; it will always have a place in my heart. I am deeply
humbled to have the opportunity to experience different cuisines and learn from
them.
Josephine
Husen
GMS
Student
Ted
Rogers School of Management, TMU
August 25, 2025
Part II: Single Origin Coffee
 |
| Single origin coffee preparation by Hannah Ababa at an Ethiopian ceremony |
*This is the second part of my three-part treatise on
coffee.
Preamble
Attributes
Cafés are places where people enjoy
coffee among other benefits but are not necessarily the same and the
selection of coffee offered are not the same. Most places offer a blend of
coffee beans to minimize transaction cost associated with sourcing, make low
quality saleable, gain economies of scale and maximize profits. This situation
creates a condition where consumers can source coffee from three main outlets;
a mainstream café or store, a specialty café with blended coffee beans, and a
café with single origin coffee. My direct observation of these outlets for
patronage indicates that mainstream cafés have an average[1]
of 30 people/hr (morning), 17 people/hr (afternoon), and 12 people/hr (evening)
excluding drive through. The specialty cafés with blend coffee have on average
26 people/hr (afternoon), and 25 people/hr (evening: most are closed by 6pm
after COVID-19). The cafés with single origin coffee have an average of 24
people/hr (morning) and 15 people/hr in the afternoon. Public holidays, summer
periods, and weekends all affect the number of customers.
The payment method in the cafés
also differ among different generations. GenZ[2]
people usually pay with smartphone; millennials[3]
use smartphones or card more often; GenX[4]
tend to use cards, and the baby boomers[5]
and silent generation[6]
usually use cash or cards. Exceptions exist; for example, I have preferences
for the use of cash though I am a GenX, because it allows me to monitor my
expenditure and it’s an austerity measure. There is a possibility that the
payment method is a function of the prevailing technology when each group
started handling financial transaction. The payment behaviour of consumers was
observed with our extensive coverage of cafés in Ontario. Moreover, the use of
smartphones was more pronounced in mainstream[7]
cafés as compared to specialty cafés. The drive through culture was also
non-existent in specialty cafés and fourth wave plus (4thW+). Specialty cafés are
ahead of mainstream cafés with respect to innovative
subscription models. They also seem to be a safe space for women.
The population of women in specialty cafés is higher than males as observed in
my ten years exploration of specialty cafés.
The general impression is that
there are three types of coffee roasts, light, medium, and dark. Most of the
exceptional single origin coffee are light roast to bring out the flavour and
notes of the coffee. Apart from the known types of coffee roast, there is a
type of roast that is not popular because some coffee drinkers don’t see it as
coffee. This is referred to as white coffee. ‘White coffee’[8]
is not well documented. It is referred to as biji kopi putih in
Indonesia but the one I consumed was roasted at Cavan with coffee beans from
Las Nubes Farm, Oaxaca[9],
Mexico. A white coffee is produced when coffee beans spend half of the
time they are supposed to spend in a roaster at half of the temperature.
Roasting stops before sugar caramelizes. As indicated by a chief roaster during
my field work, the caffeine content is not necessarily more than light, medium,
or dark roast. Specie, variety, and production technique are the most important
factors in terms of caffeine content. It
has a savoury, mild, and nutty taste[10]. It
can be consumed with or without milk but it’s better with oat milk (non-dairy)[11].
The addition of oat milk is complimentary and adds to the smoothness of the
drink including health and sustainability reasons. There are no sediments
whatsoever, the glass cup was clean after consumption.
White coffee with oat milk
Health Implications
Doepker and her colleagues in
2022 posit
that policy that directs consumers to avoid drinking coffee may be detrimental
because an increase in consumption of coffee may promote public health. Recent
studies also indicate that drinking your coffee
black increases longevity. Coffee consumption is even more desirable
if the coffee beans are grown ethically and organically. Conventionally raised
coffee may inadvertently lead to the consumption of chemical residues. Consumption
of coffee is also associated with lower
risk of depression and anxiety.
The health benefits of coffee because
of its antioxidants notwithstanding, caffeine consumption make some people
nervous and unable to sleep. The panacea is to consume coffee early in the day
or consume decaffeinated products. Alternatively, such consumers can consume
non-caffeinated beverages like red cappuccino from
rooibos, a plant with geographical indications that can only be grown in the
Cederberg region of South Africa.
The implication on health is
enhanced by the consumption of single origin coffee because they are supposed
to be organic and traceability is easy, and beans are usually of high quality
unlike a blend which at times can be a way of selling low quality or damaged
beans.
Single Origin
A single origin coffee is from a
coffee bean which is grown and harvested from a specific location. The location
can be a farm, group of farms, cooperative, or country. Under the fourth wave
plus (4thW+)[12],
single origin should be a single producer (With the name of the farmer on the
label) or a group of farms in the same neighbourhood who belong to a
cooperative. There is also what is referred to as a field blend, where
different cultivars/varieties are grown on the same land. Dating is very
important in the production of single origin coffee and the 4thW+ regime. Date
of planting, harvest, processing, and roasting are well documented and
published on the label. Single origin coffee is for a niche market and is the
highest end of specialty coffee. Coming exclusively from a region ensures that the
flavours, unique taste, and quality are guaranteed. Coffee is picked by hand, and
it makes the growing and production labour intensive.
Large producers such as Brazil
practice mostly mechanized farming. The challenge with mechanized production is
that it mixes ripe and unripe berries together and coffee beans out of this
process are mostly used for instant low-quality coffee. Unlike, Panama where
coffee farms are small and mostly interested in producing high Arabica coffee.
Cooperatives are important for processing to gain economics of scale – reduce
per unit cost. Moreover, high attitude coffee produces fruity and floral favour,
and this is the reason why roasters indicate the altitude of the farm where the
coffee was grown on the label.
The stages of coffee processing
start with red berries, then wet parchment, dry parchment
after drying. The green coffee is the next stage after the dry parchment,
and the final stage is the roasted coffee. Single origin coffees are
usually light roast unlike commodity coffee that are dark roast a technique
usually used to cover defects and make the product bitter – the expectation of
most people of what coffee should taste like. Single origin coffees are
supposed to taste differently, and this is the reason why Sidamo, Yirgacheffe,
and Harrar coffees all taste and smell differently even though they are from
the same country.
One of the challenges with the sustainability
of single origin and coffee in general is the rising temperature and erratic rainfall
because of climate change. This challenge will require the growing of Arabica,
the most preferred coffee, under regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. There
are also coffee species, apart from Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea
canephora (Robusta), indigenous to Sierra
Leone and DRC that are able to thrive with the challenges of climate change. Examples of lost species in Sierra Leone are Coffea
stenophylla which when brewed seems to be tastier than Arabica and Coffea
affinis. The specie indigenous to DRC is Coffea dewevrei – Excelsa.
Bugisu Arabica coffee from carefully selected gardens at an altitude above 2000 metres above sea level on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda
Single Origin and Geographical
Indications: The Nexus
A geographical
indication (GI) is a label
on a product that indicates that product is from a specific location and
exhibit the attributes associated with the location. A
single origin coffee is a type of geographical indications without a recognized
certification as intellectual property. Some single origin coffees already have
certification as GI. For example, the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) has assigned appellation of origin to single origin coffees such as
AO840: Café Veracruz (Mexico); AO852: Café Chiapas (Mexico); AO893: Café Villa
Rica (Peru); AO902: Café Machu Picchu (Peru); AO1151 TARRAZU (Costa Rica).
Furthermore, the European Union (EU) also accepted GIs for El Salvador’s Café
Alotepec, Balsamo Quezaltepec, Cacahuatique, Chichontepec, and Tecapa Chinameca
in June 2022.
Imagine Mr. A has the option to
consume coffee in three places. The first place is a mainstream café (CM),
the second place is a specialty café where they offer blend coffee (CB), and the last place is specialty café
with single origin coffee (CS). The
utility derived from the consumption of mainstream coffee is U(CM), while that of blend and single origin
coffee are U(CB) and U(CS) respectively.
Suppose Mr. A has spent 10 years
visiting mainstream cafés, eight years consuming coffee at café with blended
coffee, and six years exploring single origin cafés. The experience of Mr. A is
presented below:
Mainstream café: coffee is
bitter and there is need to add sweetener and milk to douse the acidity of the
beverage. Baristas are interested in the volume of sales and not necessarily
quality of service. Ambience is good but not extraordinary, and traceability is
not published.
Blend coffee café: attention to
details better than mainstream, different roasts are available, and baristas have
an idea of the origin of the coffee. Products are organic, and artisanal.
Ambience is a worthwhile experience, and the attitude of baristas is
commendable. They get to know the regulars and offer them bespoke (customized,
off the menu drinks) occasionally.
Single origin café is based upon:
single origin served, chemistry enhance flavour, meticulous attention paid to
the process from growing of the coffee plants to brewing the coffee at the
café. Baristas are familiar with regulars and initiate a conversation with
explorers’ and newcomers to educate them about the coffee they are
drinking. Furthermore, different coffees are available based on origin,
processing, roasting (light, medium or dark roast) coupled with the fact that
they change their menu weekly or biweekly[13].
Consumers do not need to add sweeteners because the original sweetness of the
Arabica coffees[14]
comes out with the appropriate roasting, grinding and brewing.
The scenarios presented above creates
an incentive for Mr. A to visit the single origin café more. In other words, U(CS) > U(CB)
> U(CM), the utility derived from
the single origin specialty café U(CS) is more than the blend coffee
café U(CB) and the least preferred is the mainstream café U(CM).
The desirability of single
origin café is logical based on the premises presented above. But what about
the price? Premium single origin coffee can cost between $9 and $12 CAD per
serving. A package of roasted beans can cost between $25 - $50 CAD /250g. These
coffees are pricey because beans are organic, artisanal, ethically sourced, and
farmers are well compensated. The information about free on board (FOB) and
farm gate prices, and other important attributes of the coffee are published on
the label - an important attribute of 4thW+. It should be noted that a cheap
coffee might have created precarious work conditions along the value and supply
chains. Quality is also compromised when food is mass produced. Finally, single
origin coffee will trump blended coffee an expensive price notwithstanding.
Labelling of single origin coffee under 4thW+
Exploring Single Origin
During my exploration of the single
origin coffee landscape, I consumed more than 50 products from different parts
of the world. One of the major lessons I learned is that coffee does not
necessarily need to be bitter, the taste of coffee is a function of the
variety, where it’s grown, climatic condition, post harvest handling and
processing (natural, washed, fermentation approach, etc.), and the roasting
technique (light, medium, and dark). Examples of single origin coffees are
presented in the table below.
Examples of Single Origin
Coffees
|
Name/Roaster |
Country
of Origin |
Variety/Process |
Notes |
|
Bekele Kachara/Cavan |
Ethiopia |
Jimma Agricultural
Research Centre (JARC)/Natural |
Blueberry,
hazelnut, lemon, and ginger cream. |
|
Benjamin Lopez/Subtext |
Guatemala |
Caturra &Yellow
Bourbon/Washed |
Chocolate,
cherry, dried fruit and round |
|
El Vergel/Cavan |
Colombia (Tolima) |
Caturra/Anaerobic,
fermented E.A decaffeination |
Subtle
hibiscus, cinnamon, and jasmine. |
|
Enrique Lopez/Subtext |
Mexico |
Geisha/Black honey |
Root
beer, earl grey, clementine, complex, vibrant acidity, and sophisticated. |
|
Frank Torres/Subtext |
Colombia |
Geisha/Washed Carbonic
Maceration |
Lychee,
mango, floral juicy, and complex. |
|
Peanut
Brittle/September |
Brazil |
Caturra/Natural |
Peanut
butter, salted caramel, chocolate, after effect is great. |
|
Pepe Jijon/Phil & Sebastian |
Ecuador (Intag Valley) |
Sidra/Washed |
Butter,
flora, white tea, sage, sophisticated and easy to drink. |
|
Rumba/DAK |
Ethiopia |
Landraces/Semi
anaerobic, Natural |
Umami,
stewed strawberry, and excellent taste. |
|
Tony Medina/Subtext |
Guatemala |
Caturra/Washed |
Hazelnut,
dried dates, toffee, and mild bitterness. |
|
Yirgacheffe/Planet Bean |
Ethiopia |
Ethiopian
heirloom/Washed |
Bold,
juicy, black tea, moderately acidic, and magnificent aroma. |
Source: Cavan Coffee, Kanoo Coffee, Planet Bean, Personal
observation and consumption (2023 - 2025).
The most expensive among the coffees on the tables was
Frank Torres, it cost $12 CAD/serving. In terms of aroma, Yirgacheffe is the most
outstanding.
A Field Survey
Consultation with people in
different parts of the world indicates that most people are not familiar with
single origin (more than 90%)[15].
For further empirical details we administered a survey to 291 undergraduate
students in a private university in Nigeria[16]
in October 2024. Their age was between 15 and 27, the average age was 18 years;
80% drink tea while 50% drink coffee. There was an indication that there is
preference for tea as compared to coffee among the undergraduate students. The
breakdown of the consumption of coffee indicates that the highest number of the
consumers drink latte (30%) followed by cappuccino (26%), and then espresso
(20%). Their knowledge of single origin coffee
was insignificant – only seven respondents, out of 291, have heard of single
origin coffee before the survey. Moreover, an analysis of interviews[17]
of selected people, mostly millennials, in Nairobi (Kenya), between July and August
2025 indicated that they drink both tea and coffee though frequency of
consumption differs. They spent between 800 and 1500 KES (Kenyan Shillings[18])
for a 500g package. Most of them have consumed single origin but they are not
sure of the coffee’s actual attributes. They also struggle with the definition
of single origin coffee.
A survey of undergraduate students in Nigeria indicate that they are unaware of single origin coffee
The rise of ‘pour over’ is one
of the attributes of 4thW+. It should be stated that drip coffee is not pour
over. Drip coffee process is automated while pour over is manually controlled
and customized – it is bespoke, artisanal, and well filtered. Time for
preparation, lack of knowledge, and price are the deterrent to the consumption
of pour over. It is cheaper if consumers buy a pack of roasted beans and brew it
at home.
The
process of pour over starts by boiling water to a specific temperature. The
coffee beans are weighed and ground. A cone filter is then moistened with hot
water after which a well measured grind of coffee is poured in the filter, hot
water is then poured over the grinds for two minutes. The coffee is then
allowed to steep for more than two minutes, after which the brewed coffee is
released into the carafe below the filter. Baristas have a leeway
to do trial and error until they perfect their pour over brew. Pour over brings out the distinct flavours of
single origin coffee and it is one of the reasons why the consumption of single
origin coffee as pour over is highly recommended. An attribute of the 4thW+ is
the chemistry involved in the extraction of brews. During the pour over process
when hot water first contacts the coffee grounds in the filter, it results in a
"Bloom". This
Bloom is caused by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the
coffee grounds.
An example of a cultural pour
over is the Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa nóng).
This is not fully a pour over based on the 4thW+ attributes, but the coffee is
also filtered using a Vietnamese Phin filter. The one we tried is from the Dak
Nong province of Vietnam and it cost between $5 and $6. The Vietnamese coffee is a partly pour over,
the beans are mostly robusta (quality is not at the level of Arabica),
condensed milk is part of the ingredients, and the filtration process pays
attention to the “bloom” but extraction can not be compared with using a filter
paper. The milk has doused the acidity of the coffee because robusta beans are
more acidic. The water for the coffee preparation should be 200°F and the
condensed milk should be 30g.
Whether traditional or
mainstream, the use of pour over gives a cleaner brew of coffee. The
consumption of pour over especially when it’s allowed to cool gives distinct
notes of coffee and is easy for consumers to identify their favourite coffee
based on the aroma and taste.
Brewing of Vietnamese coffee
Exploring Single Origin: A
Mathematical Thesis
Production:
Based on my observations and
participant observations over the years, below is a model that explains the
production of single origin coffee.
Where SO = Production of single
origin.
AL = Autonomous production.
P
= Consumption of ‘Pour Over’
L
= Expertise of coffee farmers
O
= Level of organicness of coffee
A
= Awareness about the desirability of single origin
α, β, γ, δ are positive integers measuring the relationship
between variables and production of single origin.
As seen: SO = ALPαLβOγAδ,
is a non-linear relationship as life itself is not linear.
To transform the model to a linear
equation the natural logarithm (ln) of both sides was applied.
ln SO = lnAL + αlnP +
βlnL + γlnO + δlnA + µ (error term). The error term
accounts for the variables that are not in the model but may affect the
production of SO.
The Level of organicness of
coffee (O) = ƒ (organic coffee beans, climatic condition, organic cultivation,
artisanal, collaboration through cooperatives) = ƒ (regenerative agriculture).
Consumption:
My interaction with baristas and
my several visits to specialty cafés where single origin coffees are served led
to the development of the relationship below:
Cs
= ƒ (P, I, HS, Oc, L, Ca, µ)
Where Cs
= Consumption of single origin coffee
P
= Price of coffee
I
= Income
HS
= Household size
Oc
=Occupation
Ca
= Proximity to Specialty café
µ
= Other variables not covered by the model
It is also important to note
that the consumption of single origin gives more information to consumers. Consumers are in control once they are
familiar with the coffee. In other words, there is reduction in asymmetric
information. Whereas, when blended coffee is offered, there is asymmetric
information and importers, roasters, and cafés are in control. Furthermore, Cs
α P {consumption of single origin is directly related to enhanced public
health}. The culture of drinking water to complement the coffee, especially
sparkling or carbonated, add flavour to douce the acidity. Personal experience
indicates that drinking water while consuming coffee adds to the flavour, because
of chemistry, of single origin espresso. It also helps with hydration and
aesthetic value.
Equilibrium:
The single origin coffee market
is an evolving market, and it may be difficult to have an equilibrium
condition. This is expected because producers will continue to work on
desirable varieties of Arabica including strengthening the processing methods
to guarantee sustainable competitive advantage. Furthermore, roasters are working
on roasting techniques to enhance the flavour and aroma of the beverage. As for
the consumers, who are interested in single origin coffee, they are already
knowledgeable about good coffee and will become more sophisticated under the 4thW+
regime. All these scenarios make equilibrium practically impossible. The best
that can occur are equilibrating
tendencies because players in the market are rivals and will forever
try to outdo each other.
Conclusion
4thW+ and single origin coffee
have transformed stakeholders in the value and supply change to scientist. Baristas
are becoming meticulous and artistic (extraordinary latte art is now part of
the service in specialty cafés) concurrently. Single origin cafés also have signature
dinks that can be customized, bespoke, for their regulars.
The Cup of Excellence, a global
prestigious coffee competition, has become a key mechanism for locating and
certifying single origin coffee. This mechanism employed more in Latin America
have created and added
premium to the single origin coffee from this region. But the most
important variables that give a specific coffee the added value are variables
related to geography such as the altitude of the farm, coffee farm size,
country of origin and soil type. Enhanced consumption of single origin coffee
may lead to uneven development. Scarcity due to seasonality and artisanal
practices also make single origin coffee to be procured at a premium.
Regenerative agriculture coupled
with community shared agriculture including subscription-based production are
all desirable characteristics of sustainable production. Mixed farming of
coffee with other crops such as rice and avocado is desirable based on empirical
evidence from Vietnam. Organic production of single origin coffee
makes the inadvertent consumption of chemicals impossible.
In the summer of 2025, the
farmers were busy growing and processing the best coffees wearing their
gumboots in Latin America, the roaster in Canada keep improving their roasting
techniques, the cafés are getting closer to 4thW+ standards, and the consumers
are enjoying the best single origin coffees as espresso, pour over, latte or
drip in their Birkenstock sandals. Single origin coffee consumed as a pour over
makes the notes discernable, additionally it is a better way to drink coffee
black since dinking coffee black seems to be more desirable.
*Part I of the treatise is
available at https://evcontario2011.blogspot.com/2025/06/part-i-understanding-coffee.html.
I acknowledge the support of the
Intellectnomics Research Group (IRG).
[1] Numbers
vary based on location.
[2] People born between 1997 – 2012.
[3] People born between 1996 and 1981.
[4] People born between 1965 and 1980.
[5] People born between 1946 and 1964.
[6] People born between 1928 and 1945.
[7] Tim
Hortons, Starbucks
[8] Consumed
at Cavan Coffee based on Rufus Cavan recommendation.
[9] Thanks
to Cavan Coffee.
[10] Ardent
coffee drinkers don’ t see it as coffee though the caffeine is relatively the
same as the normally roasted coffee.
[11] It
makes the beverage vegan.
[12] See
Adekunle B. 2025. Part I: Understanding Coffee. https://bamideleadekunle.substack.com/p/part-i-understanding-coffee.
[13] Some of
their products are also seasonal.
[14] Coffee
does not need to be ‘bitter’
[15] Some
baristas at both mainstream and specialty cafés became familiar with the
concept after a discussion with us.
[16] The
survey was administered by Dr. Folasade Bosede Adegboye.
[17] Interviews
were conducted by Kageha Ambembo.
[18] The
exchange rate as of August 12, 2025: 1CAD = 93.80 KES; 1USD = 129.24 KES
(Central Bank of Kenya).
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