Whats the difference between Arabica & Robusta Coffee?

After being picked, peeled and then roasted, most coffee beans look very similar. However, of all the different coffees grown in different parts of the globe, there are only two which matter when enjoying your daily ritual: Arabica and Robusta.

The difference between Arabica and Robusta are quite noteworthy and are important to help you when choosing your favorite coffee. Not only do Arabica and Robusta have different tastes, they are grown differently and have a significant difference when it comes to quality.  

Arabica Beans: These beans are predominantly grown in Latin American countries but are also produced in Africa and in Papua New Guinea and have a much smoother flavor profile.  The bean comes with a fruitier taste and much higher levels of acidity.  As with most great things, the Arabica bean requires more time and effort to grow by farmers because, like humans, bugs love this tasty plant.

Robusta Beans: These beans are grown solely in the lower altitudes of the Eastern Hemisphere in the countries of Africa and Indonesia and have a much stronger and “robust” taste with hints of nuts and grain. Robusta also has twice the amount of caffeine as Arabica and is generally considered overall to be of a much lower quality.  This type of bean is commonly used in mass-produced coffee like instant coffee.

WHAT BEAN IS BETTER? If you had a choice between Arabica and Robusta beans, you should almost always go with Arabica for a higher quality, better tasting cup of coffee.  This is why Marea coffee uses 100% Arabica in all our blends.