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Cultivars and Origin Intel

Looking for in-depth analysis on botanical varieties and terroir, the grading or sales systems in countries of origin, or disambiguation of geographic boundaries? Look no further! 

(If you are searching for origin-specific overviews, country by country, don't worry, we've got you covered. Check out our Coffee Origin home page for the essential data on everywhere Royal Coffee sources from.) 

Known variously as varietals, varieties, and cultivars ("cultivated varieties"), Coffea arabica's genetic lineage is historically fascinating and also important when considering both viable plant choices for farmers and interesting flavor profiles for roasters. Some of our most in-depth work is represented in the World History and Geography of Arabica Coffee Cultivars poster and companion booklet, which retraces the provenance of more than 60 popular coffee tree types in a context framed by history, geography, and genetics. A particularly deep dive on the topic is available in the article about Bourbon and Laurina, a story of unlikely survival and adaptation in one of modern Arabica's most cultivated varieties. 

Every coffee origin has its own story to tell, but the tale almost always starts in Ethiopia (which explains why much of our writing is heavily weighted towards this country of origin.) Shifting political boundaries, a complex system of trade and auction, and completely unique green coffee grading system make up the highlights of our Ethiopian writing. 

There are of course many other producing countries to explore, whether it be through our articles on various auction systems, the relevance of terroir and flavor, or the personal guides through landscapes growing coffee. 

Potato Taste Defect: What Roasters Need to Know

"Spuds, yams, tubers – baked, boiled, fried, mashed… There’s almost no limit to the versatility of the root vegetable we often associate with Idaho or Ireland. It might surprise you to know that there are more than 1,000 varieties of potato, and that Peru claims the origin of the plant, as well as the greatest genetic diversity."

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Exchange is the Only Constant: The Evolution of Ethiopia's Commodity Marketplace

"Ethiopia’s Commodity Exchange, the ECX, celebrated its tenth anniversary with a number of important changes in 2017. The country, with a deeply embedded history in coffee, has much to teach us regarding its forays into state-run auctions. After ten years of evolution of the ECX, it’s worth our time to examine how the past has shaped the present and to analyze what the current system can offer to farmers, traders, and roasters."

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A New World History & Geography of Arabica Coffee Cultivars

A Visualization and Narrative of the Historical Cultivation, Selection, Distribution, Mutation, and Hybridization of Arabica’s Most Common Cultivars, with the Context of Dates and Locations

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Cultivars and Origin Intel

Looking for in-depth analysis on botanical varieties and terroir, the grading or sales systems in countries of origin, or disambiguation of geographic boundaries? Look no further! 

(If you are searching for origin-specific overviews, country by country, don't worry, we've got you covered. Check out our Coffee Origin home page for the essential data on everywhere Royal Coffee sources from.) 

Known variously as varietals, varieties, and cultivars ("cultivated varieties"), Coffea arabica's genetic lineage is historically fascinating and also important when considering both viable plant choices for farmers and interesting flavor profiles for roasters. Some of our most in-depth work is represented in the World History and Geography of Arabica Coffee Cultivars poster and companion booklet, which retraces the provenance of more than 60 popular coffee tree types in a context framed by history, geography, and genetics. A particularly deep dive on the topic is available in the article about Bourbon and Laurina, a story of unlikely survival and adaptation in one of modern Arabica's most cultivated varieties. 

Every coffee origin has its own story to tell, but the tale almost always starts in Ethiopia (which explains why much of our writing is heavily weighted towards this country of origin.) Shifting political boundaries, a complex system of trade and auction, and completely unique green coffee grading system make up the highlights of our Ethiopian writing. 

There are of course many other producing countries to explore, whether it be through our articles on various auction systems, the relevance of terroir and flavor, or the personal guides through landscapes growing coffee. 

"What started innocently as a conversation over a cup of Colombian coffee, and an inquiry to create a quick graphic for a public coffee tasting, soon became an obsession. I’ve been quietly digging into coffee history for some time now, and suddenly I found myself pulling every reference I could. There was a massive gap in our industry’s commonly understood Arabica family tree. Where did these mutations and hybridizations take place? Who was responsible? And when did they occur?"

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Bourbon coffee traces its global influence back to Réunion Island, where a small genetic pool reshaped arabica cultivation worldwide. This article explores Bourbon’s botanical origins, its spread across Africa and the Americas, and the emergence of Laurina—a rare mutation prized today for its distinctive cup profile and potential for specialty market differentiation.

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"In a previous guide, we covered all the main coffee plant types, such as varieties, cultivars, hybrids, landraces and more. Now that we know the important distinctions between all these plant types and how they came into being, it’s time to explore the most prominent individual varieties and cultivars. If you’re a roaster, these are the most common names you’ll see on any seller’s offer sheet — names like Bourbon, SL28, Pacamara, Kent, or even the somewhat problematic “heirloom.” Where did they get these names? From which countries did they originate? Who are their parents? Why do roasters prize them? Read on to learn more…"

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"Coffea arabica has evolved dramatically over the course of history, rising from humble under-canopy trees growing wild in the forests of Keffa in western Ethiopia and South Sudan’s Boma Plateau into globally traded agricultural product. As with the difference between a Valencia and a Blood orange, the specific type of coffee can impact a plant’s morphology (physical appearance), annual yield, resistance to disease and, of course, flavor."

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"Coffee’s cultivated history on the world’s largest archipelagic state, and fourth-most-populous country, dates as early as 1699, introduced by Dutch colonizer-merchants. The botanical origins of the Typica variety of Arabica were taken from the Indonesian island of Java to the botanical gardens in the Netherlands, and thereafter to the rest of the world. Coffee leaf rust decimated production in the late 19th century, and the islands soon became a proving ground for alternative species of coffee resistant to the fungus, Coffea canephora, colloquially known as Robusta. Liberica and Excelsa, too, were introduced to the islands in ongoing efforts to improve resilience and genetic diversity."

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Origin Intel

"In December 2018, a small group of us drove the mercifully paved high route from Yirga Alem, in Sidama, to Shakiso, in Guji, arriving in the dark. Early the next morning on our way to the farms we stopped at a café for fatira, a flaky breakfast pancake cut into squares, bowls of honey, and boiling hot macchiatos. The early sun was a disco ball in the scuffed windows. It was the beginning of the end of months of unrest in the south and the Gedeo and Guji zones were allowing transit again. A few months earlier, conflict had erupted across the Oromia region, Ethiopia’s largest by area and population, which surrounds the main southern coffee zones of Sidama and Gedeo, and includes Guji."

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"The only time I’ve ever actually sprinted through an airport to catch a flight, I was on my way to Guatemala City, from Chicago, via Miami. While the Chicago–Miami connection landed on time, the gate was not ready to receive the plane, and we sat for nearly 30 minutes on the tarmac. I just barely made my connection to Guatemala, but my luggage did not. I spent the next few days trekking through Antigua with a single set of clothing and very little else."

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"“Karibu” is how I’m greeted, in local Swahili dialect. “Asante sana” is the reply. “Thank you very much.” And then I wait for what seems like ages in Dar es Salaam’s cramped, bustling international airport. It’s August, wintertime for the southern hemisphere nation, but that means relatively little at sea level on the coast so close to the equator. Dar is a hot city, and humid. The air is heavy with vehicle emission pollution. During rush hour it can take you 2 hours to reach the heart of downtown or the coastline from the Julius Nyerere International Airport, a mere 11km on a 6-lane divided highway. Downtown Dar es Salaam is like many other downtowns — tall buildings and narrow streets full of people, street artists and business suits and food carts vying for attention, competing with storefronts, residences, and the commercial coastline, all set against the dusky blues of the Indian Ocean."

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"Ethiopia’s Commodity Exchange, the ECX, celebrated its tenth anniversary with a number of important changes in 2017. The country, with a deeply embedded history in coffee, has much to teach us regarding its forays into state-run auctions. After ten years of evolution of the ECX, it’s worth our time to examine how the past has shaped the present and to analyze what the current system can offer to farmers, traders, and roasters."

Read

"Auctioning is perhaps one of the most convoluted and least efficient ways to complete a coffee transaction. It also happens to be one of the very first means used for trading green coffee. It persists today as the primary method for purchasing coffees from nations such as Kenya and Tanzania, and it maintains an important role in the promotion of high quality microlots. It can also, in best case scenarios, function as a method of discovery for roasters and producers, a means toward closer relationships through the supply chain."

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"At the same time, he directed the revocation of all licenses for traders purchasing coffee directly from farmers, reinstated cooperatives, and mandated all coffee be purchased by exporters through the auction, effectively eliminating the possibility of direct trade from farmer to exporter. As this year’s harvest approaches, Tanzania coffee farmers and traders are facing a stark new reality, and it remains to be seen how the market and the actors involved will navigate the new regulations, or what effect the new system will have on the specialty market. It’s the latest chapter in the long, complex history of Tanzania’s coffee sector."

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"Ethiopia is, arguably, the most important origin in specialty coffee. It appears on every roaster’s menu, consistently wins competitions like the Good Food Awards, and is generally regarded as the Crown Jewel (heh) of producing countries. As Royal’s Ethiopian buyer, I get to delve deep into this coffee paradise. Composing our lineup of top Fully Washed and Sun Dried Ethiopian selections each year keeps me excited about coffee."

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"Spuds, yams, tubers – baked, boiled, fried, mashed… There’s almost no limit to the versatility of the root vegetable we often associate with Idaho or Ireland. It might surprise you to know that there are more than 1,000 varieties of potato, and that Peru claims the origin of the plant, as well as the greatest genetic diversity. But this article is not about potatoes. It is about the potato defect — sometimes called PTD, standing for “potato taste defect” — found in coffee. Let’s explore some common questions:"

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"One day last November I was working at The Crown in Oakland when I received a call from Felix Chambi Garcia, who oversees quality control and exports for Bolivia-based Cooperativa San Juan. It was regarding Bolivia’s 7th annual Taza Presidencial coffee quality competition. “You’ve been invited to participate as a judge,” Felix said."

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"Origins matter when buying coffee due to the quality, sociopolitical implications among other things. Each coffee-producing country as a rich (and often dark) history in its cultivation of coffee. In this blog post we explore a brief overview of some of the counties that produce coffee. By understanding these implications better roasters can make better purchasing decisions and better market their product."

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"When I first joined Royal, I had a vague idea of the difference between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 Ethiopian washed coffee, but didn’t really understand the complexity of the country’s grading system. Over the past few years, cupping through hundreds of coffee from various grades, I think I got a little desensitized to the nuances, and maybe forgot a little bit about the fact that Ethiopian grades can be a complete mystery to most roasters. When one of our traders, and Ethiopian coffee buyer, Caitlin McCarthy-Garcia asked me about drafting a quick guide, I said sure. How hard could it be?"

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Green coffee has traveled a long and complex global path from its origins in Africa to modern supply chains linking farmers to roasters worldwide. History: Arabica originated in Ethiopia and South Sudan before spreading to Yemen, where commercial cultivation began in the 15th century. From there, Dutch and French colonizers carried coffee across Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean, establishing the crop globally by the 19th century. Robusta emerged later, first cultivated in the Congo basin and eventually expanding across Africa and Southeast Asia. By 2023, 79 countries produced coffee. Modern Supply Chain: Today’s green coffee trade connects smallholder farmers, cooperatives, wet and dry mills, exporters, importers, and roasters. Each stage, harvesting, processing, milling, shipping, and warehousing, adds value and complexity. Green coffee beans may pass through thousands of hands and multiple ports (like Santos, Dar es Salaam, or Oakland) before reaching the cup.

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