The First Wave of Coffee: A Journey Through Time

The story of coffee is as rich and complex as its flavour. Each cup we enjoy today is the result of centuries of cultivation, trade, and innovation. In the world of coffee, we often talk about the "waves" of coffee history. Today, we're going to take a closer look at the first wave, a period that transformed coffee from a luxury item to a Canadian kitchen staple.

The Dawn of the Coffee Era

The first wave of coffee began in the late 1800s and lasted until the mid-20th century. In Canada, this period coincided with a significant increase in immigration, particularly from Europe, where coffee consumption was already established. This influx of newcomers helped to further popularize coffee in Canada.

During this time, coffee was consumed primarily for the benefits of caffeine, not for enjoyment. It was very bitter, often salvaged only by adding several teaspoons of sugar. Coffee drinkers at the time were mostly middle-aged adults who needed energy for a long day at work.

Quantity Over Quality

Due to the increase in demand, coffee companies started to mass-produce coffee. These large-scale productions focused on meeting the demand, which was simply for more coffee. Beans were typically blends from unknown origins and prioritized bitterness and caffeine content. A popular first-wave coffee brand in Canada was Chase & Sanborn, which was established in 1862 (with an office in Montreal opening in 1882) and is still available today.

Because of its focus on quantity, first-wave coffee is known to be low-quality. Consumers could only guess as to the practices involved in the growing, processing, and producing of the beans from the coffee plant to the coffee bag.

Innovations in Coffee Production

While focusing on quantity definitely sacrificed the quality of the coffee produced during the first wave, it was thanks to large-scale productions during this period that we now know about the proper handling and packaging of coffee beans to keep them fresh.

During this time, vacuum packaging was discovered, a method of packing that removed air from the container to preserve food. It has been proven to be so effective, cheap, and convenient that food manufacturers still use this type of packaging to this day.

The Legacy of the First Wave

The first wave of coffee laid the groundwork for the coffee culture we know today. It made coffee a common household item and introduced innovations in coffee production and packaging. However, it was also a period characterized by mass production and low-quality coffee.

As we sip our artisanal, single-origin coffees today, it’s fascinating to look back on this period of coffee history. The first wave of coffee may have prioritized quantity over quality, but it set the stage for the coffee revolutions that were yet to come.

Stay tuned for our next blog post where we’ll dive into the second wave of coffee, a period marked by a shift from quantity to quality and the rise of café culture.

I hope you enjoyed this journey through the first wave of coffee! If you have any questions or want to learn more about a specific aspect of coffee history, feel free to ask.