The Beverage Standards Association of UK was founded in 1996 in Great Britain by a founding group of representatives of the large beverage industries, ie coffee, tea, chocolate, water, espresso machines, filter machines, who believed in the need of creating a non-profit association that would represent, support and promote standards in the beverage market.
The Beverage Standards Association (BSA), represents and supports the interests of its members, promoting industry best practices through education, information and networking, aiming at enhancing standards and the quality of products and services in the field of beverage outside household consumption.
Furthermore, the organization operates in the UK as an advisory platform on relevant issues with the UK government, as well as with the legislative authorities, on issues related to the broader beverage and catering industry.
The BSA provides certified training courses focusing on beverages in England, Scotland and Ireland, which operate in the UK as a Vocational Qualification (VRQ), that is official qualifications in the fields of ‘Hospitality’ and ‘Tourism’.
It also operates the BSA 5 Cup Accreditation Scheme, a certification system for shops, cafes, restaurants, etc., based on the services and standards displayed by a coffee shop during its secret evaluation. Based on this rating program, the Best Drink winner for the UK market is awarded first prize at the BSA Golden Cup Awards dinner each year.
The vision of the organization is to promote the development of the beverage industry, foster the ethos and raise standards in the field of out of home beverage consumption.