Most Popular Coffee Regions: Beans That Your Customers Demand
As a coffee roaster, knowing about the important coffee regions around the world is key to a successful coffee roasting business. Understanding this is extremely crucial in today's changing coffee scene, where people are more curious and excited to try specialty coffee from different coffee regions.
If you want to meet this increasing demand and guide your customers on choosing the flavor that fits their palate, it's important to know the difference in taste of coffee beans from different countries.
What Are The Three Main Coffee Growing Regions?
The three leading coffee regions in the world are Latin America, Africa, and Asia/Pacific. These regions form part of the "Bean Belt" or "Coffee Belt."
What Is The Coffee Bean Belt?
The coffee Bean Belt is an imaginary strip that wraps around the Earth, going through the center of the planet. This belt is found in the tropical area that lies between the Tropic of Cancer at 25 degrees north and the Tropic of Capricorn at 30 degrees south of the equator. The Bean Belt stretches about 3,200 miles (5,100 km) from the north to the south.
The Bean Belt has warm temperatures that usually fall between 15 and 26 degrees Celsius, and it sits at altitudes from 2000 to 7200 feet (600 to 2200 meters) above sea level.
The combination of these conditions, along with the right mix of rainy and dry seasons, makes it an ideal place for growing coffee plants, especially Arabica types.
The Best Coffee Growing Regions in the World: Coffee Roasters Full Guide
There are certain coffee regions that really stand out for producing amazing beans that grab the interest of both coffee lovers and professional coffee roasters.
This guide takes a look at the most noteworthy coffee-growing regions around the world, focusing on both well-known coffee regions and emerging areas that you should start paying attention to.
North American Coffee Regions
North American coffee beans come with a variety of flavors and traits, showcasing the distinct growing conditions and traditions found in each area.
Mexico
This country is famous for its amazing range of coffee beans, each bringing unique flavors that vary by region. Here are the main coffee-producing regions in Mexico:
Chiapas: Coffee from Chiapas has a smooth flavor that features hints of cacao and a caramel-like sweetness.
Veracruz: The coffee flavors from Veracruz can vary in taste, but most of the time they are mild and have some fruity characteristics.
Oaxaca: You can often pick up hints of chocolate and some floral notes in it too.
Puebla: This region, right in the heart of Mexico, is famous for its coffee farms that thrive at high altitudes. Puebla coffee has some sweet and spicy flavors.
United States
Hawaii: Hawaii is famous for its amazing coffee beans, especially Kona coffee, which is popular around the world. It usually has a bright, crisp, and clean flavor that coffee lovers around the globe really appreciate. Kona coffee has hints of fruit and nuts that you might pick up on.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rican coffee is known for its smooth taste, featuring hints of caramel and a little bit of acidity.
Central American and the Caribbean Coffee Regions
Central America and the Caribbean are famous for making some of the best coffees in the world, known for their unique flavors and outstanding quality. The area's warm climate, fertile volcanic soils, and high altitudes make it perfect for growing coffee, leading to a wide variety of flavors.
Guatemala
Guatemalan coffee is known for its complex flavor profile, typically featuring notes of chocolate, nuts, and fruits.
Some of the notable coffee-growing regions in Guatemala include:
Antigua: Known for floral and spicy notes
Huehuetenango: Produces fruity and winey flavors.
Atitlán: Offers chocolatey and citrusy profiles.
Costa Rica
Costa Rican coffee is renowned for its rich aroma, bright acidity, light body, and fruity, floral notes.
Tarrazu: Orange, lemon, or grapefruit notes. The honey-like sweetness balances citrus.
Central Valley: Cocoa or chocolate notes. Balanced flavor and silky finish.
Honduras
Honduran coffee offers diverse flavor profiles, ranging from fruity and sweet to chocolatey and nutty, depending on the specific region where it's grown.
Copán Region: Often features notes of caramel, toffee, or brown sugar. Prominent nutty flavors (almonds, walnuts).
Opalaca Region: Often features notes of tropical fruits (citrus, berries). Floral aromatics (jasmine, honeysuckle).
El Salvador
El Salvadoran coffee is typically characterized by a medium body and well-balanced taste, often featuring distinct notes of cocoa and nuts, complemented by a clean, sweet finish.
Bourbon: A classic variety known for its sweet, complex flavor.
Pacamara: A hybrid of Pacas and Maragogipe, known for large beans and unique flavor.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua's coffee is generally characterized by its mild acidity and medium body, often accompanied by pleasant chocolate and floral notes. Here are the most popular coffee regions in Nicaragua:
Jinotega Region: Known for producing bright, citrusy coffees.
Matagalpa: Makes a smooth, well-rounded cup with subtle nutty flavors and a hint of sweetness.
Panama
Panamanian coffees are known for their delicate, complex, and often tea-like characteristics.
Gesha (or Geisha): Has complex flavor notes including jasmine, bergamot, and tropical fruits.
Jamaica
Jamaican coffee is characterized by its mild, smooth taste with low acidity and subtle floral notes.
Jamaica Blue Mountain: Known for its balanced, clean, and mild flavor. It often exhibits a complex taste profile that includes hints of chocolate and fruit, with a smooth, full-bodied texture. The coffee is known for its smooth texture and refreshing finish, which makes it popular among coffee lovers.
Haiti
Haitian coffee is often described as having a creamy texture with almond notes and a sweet aftertaste.
Blue Pine Forest: Has notes of rich cocoa, sweet cream, and nuttiness.
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic's coffee has a subtle sweetness, and some varieties exhibit fruity undertones.
Cibao Valley: Known for producing balanced, nutty coffee. Often described as having a smooth, clean taste.
Cuba
Cuban coffees have a smooth, sweet taste and hints of chocolate and caramel. Sometimes described as having a slightly earthy aroma.
Sierra Maestra Coffee: Sierra Maestra coffee stands out because of its unique tobacco-like flavor, paired with rich notes that remind you of dark chocolate and cocoa.
South American Coffee Regions
South America is a powerhouse in the coffee world, accounting for about 60% of the global coffee supply. Here are some of the most famous South American coffees:
Colombia
Colombian coffee is world-renowned for its rich, full-bodied flavor and mild acidity. It often has notes of chocolate, nuts, and fruits. These are the three most-popular coffee regions in Colombia:
Huila: Often exhibits flavors of red fruits, caramel, and chocolate.
Nariño: Known for bright, citrusy flavors and floral aromas.
Medellín (part of the Antioquia region): Often has a sweet, nutty flavor profile.
Brazil
As the world's largest coffee producer, Brazil is known for smooth, nutty coffees with low acidity.
Santos: Often has nutty, chocolatey flavors with a slight sweetness.
Minas Gerais: Known for full-bodied coffees with nutty, caramel flavors and a hint of citrus
Peru
Peruvian coffee is celebrated for its sweet, gentle finish with fruit and nut undertones.
Cajamarca: Flavors often include notes of chocolate, nuts, and citrus fruits. It's home to the famous Jaén and San Ignacio coffees.
Ecuador
Ecuador produces coffees that often have a full body with chocolate and floral notes.
Loja: Produces coffee with bright acidity, full body, and complex flavors. Often exhibits chocolate, floral, and citrus notes.
Bolivia
Bolivian coffee is gaining recognition for its clean, bright taste with fruity notes. The Yungas region produces coffee with apple and apricot undertones.
Yungas: Known for producing coffee with apple and apricot undertones. Also exhibits floral notes and bright acidity.
African Coffee Regions
African coffees often have fruity, floral, and even some wine-like notes. Below are the most famous coffee regions in Africa:
Ethiopia: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and is still the top coffee producer in Africa. It's famous for its unique varieties, such as Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, and Harrar.
Kenya: Known for bright, acidic coffees with complex flavor profiles.
Uganda: Ugandan coffees often have a heavy body with notes of dried fruit and chocolate.
Tanzania: Flavors can be bright and acidic with notes of black currant and citrus.
Asian/Pacific Coffee Regions
The Asia-Pacific coffee-growing region is well regarded for its coffee production and exports all over the world. This area has an array of different flavors, usually with some earthy and strong notes.
Indonesia
Indonesia is a big player in the coffee world, and you can taste the difference depending on which island it comes from.
Sumatra: Known for full body, low acidity, and earthy flavors. Often described as musty or funky, with notes of cedar, spice, and sometimes tobacco.
Vietnam
Vietnam mainly grows Robusta coffee, which is recognized for its bold, bitter flavor that carries hints of earth and wood. Vietnamese Arabica often brings a mild, sweet flavor that can remind you of chocolate notes.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea coffee beans have this bright and clean feel, and they usually come with a medium body. You'll find flavors that bring in fruity notes, especially those zesty citrus vibes, mixed with hints of chocolate and some nutty undertones.
The Best Coffee Beans Around the World
The quality of coffee beans really hinges on a number of factors, and altitude is definitely one of the big ones.
The best altitude for growing coffee is between 2000 to 7200 feet (600 to 2200 meters). This is why Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is considered among the best coffee beans around the world because it is grown at an altitude of 3000-5500 feet (900-1700 meters).
By providing a variety of high-quality beans from different popular coffee regions in the Coffee Bean Belt, you can appeal to all sorts of tastes and give your customers a rich, global coffee experience.
Remember, amazing coffee can come from all sorts of places in this belt. Keeping an open mind to new and up-and-coming coffee regions can set your roastery apart.
In the end, the best coffee beans for your roastery are those that excite your customers and keep them coming back for more. Keep that curiosity alive, try new things, and let the fascinating world of coffee keep surprising and delighting you and your customers.