Overview of the Coffee Industry
Types of Coffee Beans and Roasts
Coffee Brewing Methods
Espresso Basics
Overview of the Coffee Industry
1.1.1 Introduction
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and an important commodity in international trade. It plays a significant role in the hospitality industry, particularly in hotels, restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, and catering establishments.
The coffee industry involves much more than preparing and serving a cup of coffee. It includes the cultivation of coffee plants, harvesting and processing of coffee cherries, roasting, distribution, brewing, and final service to consumers.
| Simple definition: Coffee is a non-alcoholic beverage prepared by brewing roasted and ground coffee beans with water. It naturally contains caffeine, a stimulant that can increase alertness. |
1.1.2 Meaning of the Coffee Industry
| Simply, the coffee industry is the collection of activities involved in producing, processing, selling, and serving coffee to consumers. |
The industry connects coffee farmers and agricultural producers with exporters, importers, roasters, wholesalers, retailers, hospitality establishments, and final consumers.
Detailed definition: The coffee industry is a global value chain encompassing the agricultural production of coffee, post-harvest processing, international trade, roasting, distribution, retailing, and beverage preparation, through which coffee is transformed from an agricultural commodity into a finished consumer product.
1.1.3 Major Stages of the Coffee Industry
The coffee industry operates through a series of interconnected stages. Each stage contributes to the quality, availability, and commercial value of the final coffee product.
History of Coffee in the World
Coffee has a long history that began in southwestern highlands of Ethiopia (East Africa), developed as a beverage in the Arabian Peninsula, and gradually spread to Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
| 1.1 Origin of Coffee – Ethiopia |
The coffee plant, particularly Coffea arabica, is associated with the highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is therefore regarded as the natural homeland / origin country of coffee.
There is a famous legend about a goat herder (i.e.गोठालो) named Kaldi, who supposedly noticed that his goats became energetic after eating red coffee berries. However, this story has not been historically confirmed, and there is no clear evidence that Kaldi actually existed or discovered coffee in this way. Modern historical research indicates that the early history of coffee in Ethiopia is difficult to document precisely.
Important point: Ethiopia is considered the origin of the coffee plant, but Yemen played a major role in developing coffee as a cultivated crop and beverage.
| 1.2 Development of Coffee in Yemen |
Coffee moved from Ethiopia across the Red Sea to Yemen, where it became cultivated and prepared as a beverage.
By the 15th century, coffee drinking was established in Yemen, particularly among Sufi communities, who used coffee to remain alert during religious practices and night prayers. Yemen became an important centre for coffee cultivation and trade.
The famous Yemeni port of Mocha (Al-Makha) became strongly associated with the international coffee trade. This is also the origin of the term “Mocha” in coffee history.
For a long period, Yemen maintained considerable control over the coffee trade.
| 1.3 Spread to the Middle East |
From Yemen, coffee spread to other parts of the Muslim world.
During the 16th century, coffee became popular in cities such as:
- Mecca
- Cairo
- Damascus
- Istanbul
Coffeehouses became important social places where people gathered to drink coffee, exchange news, discuss politics, conduct business and socialize.
Thus, coffee changed from being simply a beverage into an important part of social and urban culture.
| 1.4 Introduction of Coffee to Europe |
Coffee reached Europe through trade and travel from the Middle East.
By the 17th century, coffee had become increasingly popular in European countries. One of the earliest European coffeehouses appeared in Venice around 1645, followed by coffeehouses in England and other European countries.
Coffeehouses became important centres for:
- Social interaction
- Business
- Intellectual discussion
- Political debate
- Exchange of information
The development of European coffee culture greatly increased demand for coffee.
| 1.5 Expansion of Coffee Cultivation |
As European demand increased, coffee cultivation expanded beyond Arabia.
European colonial powers introduced coffee plants into suitable tropical regions of:
- Asia
- The Caribbean
- Central America
- South America
- Africa
Coffee gradually became a major plantation crop and international trade commodity.
Brazil eventually became the world’s leading coffee producer and has remained a dominant producer for much of the modern era. Other major producing countries later included Colombia, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
| 1.6 Coffee in the Modern Era |
During the 19th and 20th centuries, coffee became a truly global beverage.
Technological developments improved like:
- Coffee roasting
- Grinding
- Brewing
- Packaging
- Transportation
- Instant coffee production
In the second half of the 20th century, coffee culture developed further through cafés, specialty coffee and international coffee chains. The opening of the first Starbucks store in Seattle in 1971 became one notable milestone in the development of modern coffee culture.
Today, coffee is consumed across the world and is important not only as a beverage but also as a source of employment, export earnings, rural livelihoods and international trade.
History of Coffee in Nepal
Coffee cultivation in Nepal is relatively recent with short history compared with its history in Ethiopia and Yemen.
| 2.1 Introduction of Coffee into Nepal |
Coffee was introduced into Nepal in 1938 AD (1995 B.S.).
According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board of Nepal, Hira Giri, a resident of Gulmi, brought coffee seeds from Burma (present-day Myanmar) and planted them at Aapchaur in Gulmi District. This is generally recognized as the beginning of coffee cultivation in Nepal.
Initially, coffee attracted very little commercial attention and remained mainly a curiosity crop for several decades.
| 2.2 Expansion During the 1970s |
Coffee cultivation began receiving greater attention during the 1970s.
The Government of Nepal imported coffee seeds from India and distributed them to farmers. This helped coffee cultivation gradually move beyond Gulmi and encouraged farmers to consider coffee as a potential cash crop.
A significant milestone came in 1978, when King Birendra declared Gulmi a coffee region, helping to promote commercial coffee production.
| 2.3 Commercial Development in the 1980s |
The 1980s were an important period in the commercialization of Nepali coffee.
The Nepal Coffee Company (NeCCo) was established at Manigram, Rupandehi, in 1983/84. It purchased dry coffee cherries from farmers and processed them for the domestic market.
This provided farmers with a more organized market for their production and helped move coffee from a small-scale crop toward a commercial agricultural product.
| 2.4 Institutional Development |
Coffee development gradually became more organized through farmer groups and government institutions.
Important developments included:
- Formation of coffee producer organizations
- Government technical and financial support
- Expansion of coffee nurseries and plantations
- Development of processing facilities
- Promotion of organic coffee
- Establishment of the National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) in 1993
These institutions helped provide technical assistance, promote production and support the development of Nepal’s coffee sector.
| 2.5 Export and International Recognition |
Nepali coffee gradually entered the international market.
After 2002, increasing exports and growing domestic consumption encouraged farmers to view coffee more seriously as an income-generating crop.
Nepal’s high-altitude, shade-grown and largely smallholder production has also helped create an identity for specialty and organic coffee.
| 2.6 Present Status of Coffee in Nepal |
Coffee cultivation has now spread to approximately 40 districts, particularly in the middle-hill regions of Nepal.
Important coffee-producing districts include:
- Gulmi
- Palpa
- Syangja
- Kaski
- Kavre
- Sindhupalchok
- Lalitpur
- Tanahun
- Lamjung
- Gorkha
- Parbat
- Baglung
- Arghakhanchi
The National Tea and Coffee Development Board identifies coffee cultivation as increasingly widespread across Nepal’s middle hills.
Types of Coffee Beans and Roasts
| Coffee beans are the seeds found inside the fruit (coffee cherry) of the coffee plant, which are processed, dried, roasted and ground to make coffee. |
Coffee belongs to the botanical genus Coffea, which contains numerous species. However, only a few species are commercially important, particularly Arabica and Robusta. The quality and characteristics of coffee depend on several factors, including the coffee species, variety, growing region, altitude, climate, soil, processing method, storage, roasting and brewing techniques.
Structure of a Coffee Cherry
A coffee cherry generally consists of the following layers:
| Skin → Pulp → Mucilage → Parchment → Silver Skin → Seed |
- Exocarp (Skin): It’s outermost protective layer of the coffee cherry. It is generally green when unripe and changes to red, yellow or orange as the fruit matures, depending on the variety.
- Mesocarp (Pulp): The soft, fleshy layer beneath the skin. It contains water, sugars and other compounds and plays an important role in coffee processing and fermentation.
- Mucilage: A sticky, sweet layer surrounding the seeds.
- Endocarp (Parchment): It’s a tough, protective layer surrounding the coffee seeds. After the fruit is processed and dried, this layer becomes hard and paper-like.
- Spermoderm (Silver Skin): It’s a thin membrane directly surrounding each coffee seed. It remains attached to the green coffee bean after processing and is largely removed during roasting as chaff.
- Coffee seed: The seed that is processed, roasted and used to prepare coffee.
- Center Cut (Crease): A small groove or line running along the middle of the coffee seed. It is the natural line that separates the two sides of the seed.
Usually, each coffee cherry contains two seeds. These seeds are separated, processed and dried before being roasted. After roasting, they develop the familiar brown colour, aroma and flavour associated with coffee.
Green Coffee Beans
Before roasting, coffee seeds are known as green coffee beans. They are usually greenish or yellowish in colour, hard and dense in texture. Green coffee beans have a mild smell and do not yet have the strong aroma and flavour associated with roasted coffee.
Green coffee beans contain substances such as carbohydrates, proteins, oils, acids, minerals and caffeine. During roasting, these components undergo physical and chemical changes that develop the characteristic colour, aroma and flavour of coffee.
Major Types of Coffee Beans
Coffee belongs to the genus Coffea, which contains many species. However, only a few are commercially important. The four commonly discussed types are:
- Arabica
- Robusta
- Liberica
- Excelsa
Explanation:
- Arabica:
| Scientific name: Coffea arabica |
Arabica is the most widely consumed coffee species, known for its mild and smooth taste, pleasant aroma, acidity, sweetness, and complex flavour.
Origin:
Arabica is believed to have originated in the highlands of southwestern Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, it spread to other parts of the world and is now cultivated across Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Brazil and Colombia are among the major producers of Arabica coffee. Other important producing countries include Ethiopia, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala and Kenya.
Arabica is generally associated with higher-altitude and relatively cooler growing environments. A broad range such as 800–2,200 metres above sea level can be used as a general study reference, but the suitable elevation varies according to variety, climate and geographical location.
Growing Conditions
Arabica generally grows well in cooler and suitable highland environments. It prefers:
- Moderate temperatures
- Regular and adequate rainfall
- Well-drained and fertile soil
- Higher elevations in many producing regions
- Suitable sunlight and, in some production systems, shade
Arabica is more sensitive to high temperatures, pests and diseases than Robusta. Therefore, it generally requires more careful cultivation.
Common Arabica Varieties and Cultivars:
Arabica has numerous varieties and cultivars developed or selected in different coffee-growing regions. Examples include:
- Typica
- Bourbon
- Caturra
- Catimor
- Geisha
- Pacamara
- SL28
- SL34
These varieties differ in characteristics such as plant growth, yield, disease resistance and flavour potential.
Characteristics of Arabica:
- Scientific name: Its scientific name is Coffea arabica.
- Global production: Arabica makes up approximately 60–70% of the world’s total coffee production.
- Mild and smooth taste: Arabica generally has a mild, smooth and slightly sweet flavour, making it popular among many coffee consumers.
- Pleasant aroma: It has a pleasant and delicate aroma, which may be floral, fruity, chocolate-like, nutty or caramel-like depending on its origin and processing.
- Good acidity: Arabica generally has noticeable acidity, which gives coffee a fresh and lively taste. In coffee, acidity is not simply the same as sourness; it is an important part of the overall flavour balance.
- Lower caffeine: Arabica generally contains less caffeine than Robusta, giving it a comparatively milder character.
- Light to medium body: Arabica commonly produces a light to medium-bodied coffee, although body is also affected by processing, roasting and brewing.
- Oval-shaped beans: Its green coffee beans are generally oval or elongated in shape.
- Greenish colour: Unroasted Arabica beans are commonly green to bluish-green, although colour can vary according to processing and storage.
- Curved centre line: The groove or line running through the middle of an Arabica bean is generally curved or slightly wavy.
- Sensitive plant: Arabica is more sensitive to pests, diseases and environmental stress than Robusta.
- Popular in specialty coffee: Because of its pleasant flavour and aroma, Arabica is widely used in specialty and premium coffee.
Uses of Arabica
Arabica is commonly used for:
- Specialty coffee
- Premium coffee
- Single-origin coffee
- Filter coffee
- Espresso
- Café beverages
- Coffee blends
It can be used alone or blended with other coffee species, particularly Robusta.
- Robusta
| Scientific Name: Coffea canephora |
Robusta is an important coffee species known for its strong flavour, higher caffeine content, full body, and good resistance to pests and diseases.
Origin and Distribution
Robusta originated in the tropical regions of central and western Africa. It is now cultivated in several coffee-producing countries, particularly in Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, Uganda and India. Vietnam is especially important in global Robusta production.
Robusta generally represents around 40% of global coffee production, although its share can vary from year to year depending on production conditions and market supply.
Growing Conditions
Robusta grows well in warm and humid tropical climates and is generally cultivated at lower elevations than Arabica. It can tolerate higher temperatures and is comparatively more resistant to several pests and diseases.
It requires adequate moisture and suitable soil for healthy growth. Its greater tolerance and hardiness make it suitable for areas where the cooler conditions required by Arabica are difficult to maintain.
Characteristics of Robusta
- Scientific name: The scientific name of Robusta is Coffea canephora.
- Production: Robusta contributes approximately 40% of the world’s coffee production, although its share may vary from year to year.
- Flavour: Robusta generally has a strong, bold and bitter flavour compared with Arabica.
- Acidity: It usually has lower acidity than Arabica, giving the coffee a heavier and less bright taste.
- Aroma: Robusta commonly has an earthy, woody and nutty aroma, which can sometimes be quite strong.
- Caffeine content: Robusta contains more caffeine than Arabica, which contributes to its stronger taste and bitterness.
- Body: Coffee made from Robusta generally has a full and heavier body, giving a stronger mouthfeel.
- Bean shape: Robusta beans are generally rounder and less elongated than Arabica beans.
- Centre line: The centre line or crease on a Robusta bean is usually straighter than the curved centre line found in Arabica beans.
- Growing conditions: Robusta grows well in warm and humid tropical climates and can tolerate higher temperatures than Arabica.
- Growing altitude: It is generally cultivated at lower elevations than Arabica, although the suitable altitude varies according to the growing environment and variety.
- Resistance: Robusta plants are comparatively more resistant to many pests and diseases, making them hardier than Arabica plants.
- Productivity: Robusta can produce relatively higher yields under suitable growing conditions, which makes it important for commercial coffee production.
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Hardy and disease resistance | Strong and bitter taste (not preffered by everyone) |
| Grows well in warm climates and low attitudes | Lower acidity and complex flavour compared to Arabica |
| Higher Caffeine content | Less aromatic |
| Lower production cost | Often used in blends rather than single-origin coffee |
| Produces a thick crema (good for espresso) | |
| Suitable for instant coffee and blends |
- Liberica
| Scientific Name: Coffea liberica |
Liberica is a less common species of coffee known for its large beans, tall coffee trees and distinctive smoky, woody and fruity flavour.
Origin and Distribution
Liberica is native to tropical regions of West and Central Africa. It later spread to parts of Southeast Asia, where it became particularly associated with countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Today, Liberica represents only a small proportion of global coffee production and is mainly found in specific growing regions and specialty markets.
Growing Conditions
Liberica grows well in warm and humid tropical climates. The coffee plant can grow much taller than Arabica and Robusta and is capable of developing a large root system.
It can adapt to a range of tropical growing conditions, although suitable soil, moisture and climate are still important for healthy growth and good-quality coffee.
Characteristics of Liberica
- Scientific name: The scientific name of Liberica is Coffea liberica.
- Production: Liberica accounts for only a very small share of global coffee production and is considered a relatively rare commercial coffee species.
- Tree size: Liberica plants can grow much taller and larger than Arabica and Robusta plants, making them distinctive among commercially cultivated coffee species.
- Bean size: Liberica produces unusually large coffee beans compared with the beans of Arabica and Robusta.
- Bean shape: The beans are generally large and irregular in shape, which makes them easy to distinguish from the more uniform beans of Arabica and Robusta.
- Flavour: Liberica has a distinctive flavour that may include smoky, woody, fruity and slightly floral characteristics.
- Aroma: The aroma can be strong and unusual, with fruity, floral and woody notes depending on the variety and processing method.
- Acidity: Liberica generally has moderate acidity, although the level can vary according to growing conditions and processing.
- Body: The coffee can have a noticeable body and a distinctive mouthfeel that differs from the lighter character of many Arabica coffees.
- Growing climate: Liberica grows mainly in warm and humid tropical environments.
- Caffeine: Liberica contains caffeine, but its exact level can vary depending on the variety, growing conditions and bean characteristics.
- Adaptability: The plant can adapt to certain tropical environments and is known for its ability to grow under conditions where some other coffee varieties may be less suitable.
- Market position: Because of its limited production and unusual flavour, Liberica is mainly found in particular regional and specialty coffee markets.
Advantages of Liberica
- Distinctive flavour: Liberica provides a unique flavour profile that is different from the two most widely cultivated coffee species.
- Large beans: Its unusually large beans make it easily recognizable and commercially interesting.
- Adaptability: The plant can grow successfully in suitable warm tropical environments.
- Specialty market potential: Its rarity and distinctive characteristics can make it valuable in regional and specialty coffee markets.
- Cultural importance: Liberica has particular importance in some Southeast Asian coffee-growing communities and traditional coffee markets.
Limitations of Liberica
- Limited production: Liberica is produced on a much smaller scale than Arabica and Robusta.
- Limited availability: It is not easily available in many international coffee markets.
- Large tree size: Its tall growth can make harvesting and general farm management more difficult.
- Less familiar flavour: Its unusual flavour may not appeal to consumers who are accustomed to conventional Arabica or Robusta coffee.
- Smaller market: Because production and consumer demand are limited, Liberica has a much smaller commercial market than Arabica and Robusta.