Roasting plays a vital role in the production of coffee as we know it. Roasting is the process which gives green beans their dark brown or black color that is expected from the bag of coffee. During the roast, chemical reactions inside the bean bring our aromatic oils, decrease acidity, and transforms starched into sugars. This process usually requires the use of large industrial roasters. The temperature and duration of roasting plays a large role on the product of bean. For example, “American Roast” coffee is roasted at 410 degrees Fahrenheit until a bean first experiences cracking, while the “Vienna Roast” is roasted at 460 degrees Fahrenheit until a bean experiences a secondary cracking period. The roasting method directly effects the quality and type of coffee that will be produced. (“How Coffee Works”)
Coffee roasted by the top three roasters is usually one roast that they continuously run. These roasts are typically what we see on supermarket shelves. Beans from a microroaster usually experience a series of evaluations. Visual inspection can reveal many potential flaws in roasted beans. Over-cracking can be seen and results in poor quality coffee. Poorly washed or over-fermented beans can be spotted by checking the color. Cup testing is usually completed similar to that of a wine tasting. A cup of coffee is brewed and checked for body, aroma, acidity, and unwanted flavors. Once all of this same been completed to the buyer’s standards, the coffee is purchased. (“The `Latte Revolution’?”)
In the United States alone there are approximately 1200 coffee roasters. The top three roasters are Nestle, Proctor and Gamble, and Kraft which control roughly 60% of the imported. The other 40% of imported coffee purchased directly by retailers or roaster by microroasters which roast less than 500 bags annually. Roasters have a large profit margin due to the value added during this phase. What once was an undesirable bean is now ready to be ground and brewed into your favorite beverage. (“Coffee FAQ”)