Specialty coffee is a coordinated effort amongst many people spread across the globe. The unifying thread between us all is a unique expertise and a desire to make coffee special. 

In 2021, Counter Culture set out to visualize our value chain. We wanted to illustrate the complexity of the process and the many, varied participants. We also sought to debunk the narrative that sustainable coffee means cutting out the “middlemen.” Great coffee comes from the combined efforts of many talented and hardworking people throughout the value chain.

In the graphic, the circles represent the main actors in our value stream. The dotted lines indicate potential paths for the product’s movement, while solid lines are more common tracks. The icons surrounding the circles describe specialized activities occurring at each step. We depicted these actions as happening either “always” or “sometimes” at each stage to reflect different methods of production.

Every coffee has a unique story and this graphic is meant to help illustrate that story. Our value stream map is not a static description, but rather a jumping-off point to trace a coffee’s journey from farm to consumer. It also demonstrates how quality coffee is the result of an entire value stream’s focus on standards and excellence.

Download a printable version below. Available for non-commercial and educational use only. Copyright Counter Culture Coffee 2023.