Finally, a Name for the SCAA/SCAE: Specialty Coffee Association

sca.coffee screenshot featuring the new Specialty Coffee Association logo.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe — which are in a kind of operational transition period at the moment, following last year’s high-profile membership vote to merge the two organizations — have announced their new name: Specialty Coffee Association.

The naming announcement has been accompanied by the launch of a new .coffee website and a new A-shaped logo, in which the C curls up into the S, with vertical orientation suggesting a strength and movement at the base and center of the image, leading to a pinnacle. The site currently offers some bare-bones organizational and membership information, in most cases pointing users back to the SCAA and SCAE sites for the latest information.

There’s also a new “About” section, in which concepts of openness, transparency and collaboration are reinforced:

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is a membership-based association built on foundations of openness, inclusivity, and the power of shared knowledge. From coffee farmers to baristas and roasters, our membership spans the globe, encompassing every element of the coffee value chain. SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide through a collaborative and progressive approach. Dedicated to building an industry that is fair, sustainable, and nurturing for all, SCA draws on years of insights and inspiration from the specialty coffee community.

Today, the two organizations are also merging their social media handles, while reminding members that they can continue to contact staff through the existing means.

The SCA name itself, reflecting an American English treatment with the notable lack of a second “i” in the word specialty, gets high marks for clarity and matter-of-factness, with lower marks in the category of fancy.

In terms of potential acronym confusion, some of the SCA’s primary competitors include the Supreme Court of Albania, the Scottish Canoe Association, the Swiss Cricket Association, the Society for Cultural Anthropology, and Sexual Compulsives Anonymous.