The Role of Industry 4.0 in Specialty Coffee Roaster Sustainability: A Multi-Level Analysis Framework

This paper analyzes how six specialty coffee roasters integrate Industry 4.0 technologies in addressing supply chain sustain ability challenges. The six specialty coffee roasters represent a diverse international sample spanning four countries (Australia, UK, USA, Vietnam) across four continents. This geographic diversity adds significant value to the findings as it demonstrates how specialty coffee roasters across different markets, regulatory environments, and cultural contexts are implementing Industry 4.0 technologies to address sustainability challenges. The study addresses four research questions concerning the intersection of technology and sustainability in specialty coffee supply chains through secondary data analysis of six diverse specialty coffee roasters. In particular, the following topics are addressed: how digital innovations simultaneously enhance quality and sustainability; how transparency technologies transform information sharing in direct trade relationships; what barriers different-sized roasters face in implementing new technologies; and how sustainable roasting technologies impact environmental outcomes. Findings reveal that rather than following a single technological solution, specialty coffee roasters follow diverse pathways to technological integration and implement technologies that align with their specific values, resources, and strategic objectives. These implementations offer valuable lessons for the coffee industry as consumer demand for sustainable coffee grows and regulatory requirements become more stringent, highlighting the potential for knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation.