WHERE DOES COFFEE GROW?

Coffee beans grow on the Coffea, or coffee plant in tropical regions around the equator. All species belong to the woody plants and can be creeping, tree-shaped, vine-shaped or bushy depending on the species. As you probably already know, there are 2 types of coffee beans most commonly used for our coffee blends. The Arabica and Robusta, two different types of plants that produce different beans, look different and grow in different places.

The Coffea Arabica grows at extremely high altitudes, as the plant grows at altitudes between 1000 and 2000 meters. Because they grow at these altitudes, they suffer little from parasites and diseases, which is why the plant needs to produce much less caffeine than the Robusta. The lower caffeine content also affects the taste of the bean, the Arabica is milder in taste and has many mild aromatic notes.

In contrast, the Coffea Robusta grows at lower altitudes, as the plant is less susceptible to parasites and diseases due to its high caffeine content (2.-2.5%). This is about 70% more than the Arabica. The Robusta can be recognized by its small and round shape.

Now that we have had the difference between Arabica and Robusta, we can move on to the growing process. The coffee plant starts bearing fruit only after three or four years. The life of a coffee bean then begins as small white flowers in groups of 2 to 20 in the leaf axils of the coffee plant.

The flower buds begin to develop immediately after rainfall and over a week later the flower grows into a beautiful green coffee berry. Then begins the ripening process of the berry, the seeds are contained in a kernel and grow together as they ripen. As the seeds grow together, the characteristic shape of the coffee bean is created. Over time, the coffee berry turns from green to dark red. When the berries are red in color, the berries can be picked.

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