Jamaica Coffee Origin Guide

Coffee production on the Caribbean island of Jamaica is limited to a very small share of global production volume, just 20,000 60kg bags in 2025. The nation enjoys a reputation for its “Blue Mountain” variety, which can command extraordinary prices and is often exported in wooden barrels instead of the standard jute or burlap bags. 

Coffee was brought to Jamaica as early as 1723 from some of the first Typica trees in the Western Hemisphere, originally planted on the island of Martinique. As sugarcane production declined in the early 1800s, coffee became an important source of export income for the island. 

Following a major flood in 1815 and the abolition of slavery in the 1830s, coffee production began to decline. In the meantime, Blue Mountain’s reputation for quality became an important differentiator. Blue Mountain is both a variety (Typica variant) and a region. Legally, only coffee grown above 900 meters in the specific parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland, and Saint Mary can be exported as “Blue Mountain,” though there is a strong likelihood of fraudulent labeling due to the high value of the brand. 

Jamaica remains a niche in the specialty coffee industry, though its reputation for quality has been eclipsed by new flavors and varieties available elsewhere in the world in the 21st century.