The impact of coffee origin information on sensory and hedonic judgment of fine Amazonian robusta coffee

Abstract

AbstractThrough the lens of predictive processing theory, perception is shaped by expectations we create about object information, including food products, and their match/mismatch with sensory stimuli. The popularity of labelling origin information to enhance product value has been spread to high‐quality foods, particularly as geographical indication (GI). The question we propose is whether the coffee's origin information can affect the sensory perception and hedonic judgment given by professional coffee tasters. Participants were divided into groups according to GI cue provision (absent, GI cue, GI storytelling) associated to the coffee sample served. Origin information proved to significantly affect participants' sensory perception, but not hedonic judgment. Precisely, participants judged acidity and overall flavor as more intense after reading the story whereas higher ratings of nutty, cacao, and caramel notes were given when origin was absent. It is likely that, origin and sorytelling influenced participants' expectations and sensory perception. Oppositely, a better perception of flavor notes was observed only in the absence of information.Practical applicationsThis study contributes to the literature of food marketing by showing that professional coffee tasters' sensory evaluations of specialty coffee are affected by product origin and how it is communicated. These findings emphasize the relevance of origin cues in food marketing and their potential on influencing expectations and sensory perception. Coffee companies and brands can benefit from communicating the origin of specialty coffee by building strategies on place reputation and image. Considering that the specialty coffee industry is growing fast and offers a variety of product options (e.g., organic, fair trade, award winner), new coffee varieties and recently registered GIs can disclose the origin cue to capture consumers' attention and enhance product value by referring to the uniqueness of a region. Additionally, different coffee profiles could be matched with different presentations of the origin cue in order to potentially enhance the consumers' perception of the beverage's attributes, improving the drinking experience.