What is Coffee?

Everyone recognizes a roasted coffee bean, but you might not recognize an actual coffee plant.

Coffee plants are pruned short to conserve their energy and aid in harvesting, but can grow to more than 30 feet (9 meters) high. Each plant is covered with green, waxy leaves growing opposite each other in pairs. Coffee cherries grow along the branches. Because it grows in a continuous cycle, it’s not unusual to see flowers, green fruit and ripe fruit simultaneously on a single plant.

It takes nearly a year for a cherry to mature after first flowering, and about 5 years of growth to reach full fruit production.

Proper care can maintain and even increase their output over the years, depending on the variety. The average coffee tree produces 10 pounds of coffee cherry per year, or 2 pounds of green beans.

All commercially grown coffee is from a region of the world called the Coffee Belt. The trees grow best in rich soil, with mild temperatures, frequent rain and shaded sun.

In the commercial coffee industry, there are two important coffee species — Arabica and Robusta.

1.Coffee Arabica

 These trees produce a fine, mild, aromatic coffee and represent approximately 70% of the world’s coffee production. The beans are flatter and more elongated than Robusta and lower in caffeine.

2.Coffee Robusta

Production of Robusta is increasing, though it accounts for only about 30% of the world market. Robusta is primarily used in blends and for instant coffees. The Robusta bean itself tends to be slightly rounder and smaller than an Arabica bean

8 Steps from Seed to Cup of Coffee

The coffee you enjoy each day has taken a long journey to arrive in your cup.

Between the time they’re planted, picked and purchased, coffee beans go through a typical series of steps to bring out their best.