A new company focused on understanding specialty coffee consumers is launching this year, and its arrival could reshape how coffee brands develop products and how shoppers discover the best beans for their needs.
What Happened
Furthers & Betters, a research and consulting firm founded by veteran consumer researcher Cheryl Hung and coffee industry strategist Brian Gaffney, is entering the specialty coffee market with a mission to bridge a critical gap. For decades, the specialty coffee industry has excelled at developing exceptional products, but consumer purchasing behavior and preferences have received significantly less attention than the coffee itself.
The company launches at a time when larger coffee enterprises routinely invest in consumer research departments, yet the resulting insights rarely reach smaller roasters, cafes, and retailers. “Without access to that kind of consumer understanding, many businesses are left to make decisions based on intuition, experience or educated guesses,” the founders explained. Furthers & Betters aims to change this by making research data accessible and affordable across the entire specialty coffee sector.
Hung brings over 20 years of market research experience, including leadership on major consumer studies for national and international coffee associations. Gaffney previously spent more than a decade at a major consulting firm advising corporate clients and has held strategic roles at green coffee companies and specialty coffee organizations.
The Service Model
The company will launch its first major product in October with a preview of its inaugural consumer segmentation study, followed by a full release in January 2027. The research will focus on understanding how American and Canadian consumers think about, purchase, and enjoy coffee.
Furthers & Betters is offering three ways to access its research. A “Founding Research Partner” program costs $2,500 annually and includes early access to quarterly reports, interpretation support, and discounted custom research. The standard annual subscription rises to $3,300 starting in 2027. Single reports will be available at $600 during the launch period, increasing to $800 in 2027.
The firm is targeting specialty coffee roasters, cafes and retailers, equipment manufacturers, importers, and industry investors. Each has a different reason to care about consumer data, but all share the same underlying question: how can deeper understanding of coffee shoppers lead to better business decisions?
What This Means for Shoppers
For consumers, this development could lead to several tangible improvements in the specialty coffee marketplace. When roasters and retailers better understand what customers actually want, they can invest in the right product lines, pricing strategies, and marketing messages instead of guessing.
Research-backed insights help companies answer crucial questions: Which brewing methods are gaining traction? Are shoppers willing to pay more for sustainability? What price points drive purchasing decisions? When choosing the best coffee beans for every budget and brewing method, consumers benefit from businesses that know their audience inside and out.
Small specialty roasters and independent cafes may see the biggest advantage. Large multinational coffee companies already employ teams of consumer researchers, giving them an edge in product development and marketing. Independent businesses operating on tighter budgets have historically lacked access to equivalent consumer intelligence. Affordable, syndicated research levels the playing field.
Additionally, as specialty equipment manufacturers develop the best burr coffee grinders and other tools, data about consumer preferences informs innovation priorities. Equipment makers will know whether shoppers prioritize speed, consistency, noise reduction, or price, allowing them to design products that actually match market demand.
Why Consumer Intelligence Matters in Coffee
The specialty coffee industry has historically focused on product excellence: sourcing, roasting, and brewing quality. Those skills remain essential. However, even exceptional coffee goes unsold if retailers and brands misunderstand their customers. Consumer research reveals which demographic groups prefer which flavor profiles, how busy professionals approach daily coffee rituals, and what environmental values influence purchasing.
“The industry has developed extraordinary product expertise because it’s full of people who are deeply passionate about coffee itself,” the founders noted, “but when so much attention is concentrated on the product, there’s a risk that understanding the consumer receives less attention.”
This research-first approach extends beyond trendy products. When selecting organic coffees we recommend for every budget, understanding actual consumer priorities helps shoppers identify options that align with their values and preferences rather than relying solely on marketing hype.
Looking Ahead
The October launch event will introduce the company’s inaugural research program and open enrollment for founding partners. The full consumer segmentation study arrives in January 2027. Over time, quarterly research updates will track how specialty coffee consumer preferences evolve, helping the industry respond quickly to shifting demand.
For shoppers, the real payoff comes when this research translates into better product selection, more transparent marketing, and specialty coffee options tailored to diverse customer needs. As the market becomes more data-informed, the specialty coffee industry can deliver what consumers actually want, not just what tradition suggests they should want.
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