When we talk about coffee, we often, or almost always, hear these two botanical species mentioned, but in reality we should point out that there are more than 120 species worldwide.
Arabica and Robusta are the most widely marketed. To be more precise, the coffee market is divided between 75% Coffea arabica and 25% Coffea canephora (more commonly known as Robusta).
The coffee industry has treated Robusta as Arabica's poorer sister, but in reality it is the mother, because together with the Coffea eugenioides species, it gave rise to the Coffea arabica species.
Robusta in the coffee supply chain
Robusta is poorer in terms of flavor, and its taste profile is often described with notes of wood, mold, and earth, along with excessive bitterness and little acidity. The only positive aspect attributed to it is its great body, and perhaps for this reason, among others, it is often used in espresso blends. Its use in the coffee supply chain is often due, more than to its flavor characteristics, to market conditions that make its price considerably lower than that of Arabica coffees.
However, mine is a general view of the matter, and there will certainly be exceptions, but what is clear to everyone is that Robusta's presence is more a matter of price than flavor.
Robusta grows at much lower altitudes than Arabica (from 200 m up to a maximum of 800 m). Its rich caffeine content helps the plant grow, also making it stronger and better able to withstand various external attacks and harsher climatic conditions. Perhaps in fifty years we will be talking only about Robusta, given the climate change caused by ongoing global warming.
Coffee Arabica
As for the much-loved Coffea arabica, we must say that the coffee industry views it as the noble plant, thanks to its complexity and richness of flavor. Coffee obtained from this variety is much sweeter, more aromatic, and distinctly fruitier, with a low caffeine content. The Arabica species grows on higher plateaus, from 800 m to more than 2,000 m above sea level, and is characterized by several botanical varieties (more than 100 are counted), each with its own distinctive flavor profile. However, cultivating the Arabica species presents producers with numerous challenges: pests and diseases are the main threats, but today more than ever, what is most frightening is global warming itself.
Unfortunately, even today coffee is sold by country of origin rather than by botanical variety. We are often presented with 100% Colombian Arabica coffee, but this description, sadly, provides no useful information. Would you buy a wine described as 100% Tuscan grapes? Think about it.
Planting and growing a coffee plant requires a long and complex process: once the seed has been planted, it must germinate; afterward, the young plant is transferred to the nursery, where it generally remains for more than a year before being planted in the field. It then takes another three years before the first fruit appears.
Producing coffee is an investment that requires time and money, which is why I cannot understand why it is given so little value.
Now that you know the differences between Arabica and Robusta, choose your favorite coffee with awareness and take the proper time to enjoy it.
*The article was published in the newspaper La Nazione
