Coffee Producing Countries

One of the world's longest coffee-producing countries, Brazil has a deep and varied history with coffee. It primarily produces Arabica coffee beans, with some robusta as well. Its flavor profile varies across its many regions but is generally considered nutty, sweet, and low in acidity. Consider our Paradiso blend and enjoy its mixture of Brazilian, Colombian, and Guatemalan flavors. 

While it is third around the globe, Colombia is just below Brazil as one of the biggest coffee producers in South America. With a similarly rich growing tradition, Colombian coffee is grown at high altitudes, ensuring high-quality coffee cherries and an excellent cup of joe.

While only accounting for 1% of world coffee production, Costa Rica still produces some of the best coffee beans around. The country's central growing regions are then flanked by ocean-facing coastlines, leading to them producing unique qualities in their flavor profiles.

At one time, Guatemala was among the top producers in the world. It remains among the best due to its exceptionally high-elevation regions, which are full of rich volcanic soil. With a syrupy body and chocolate sweetness, Guatemalan coffees are considered among the best in Central America.

Now among the top producers in the world, Honduras contains numerous regions ideal for coffee farms. Additionally, the country's coffees offer a wide range of flavor profiles, from excellent blend materials to high-quality specialty espressos.

Mostly in its southern regions, Mexico maintains itself as a strong coffee producer in Central America and around the world. Many of its best coffees are produced from small, organic coffee farms, offering gourmet-quality beans with a dry, low acidity, a light body, and a nutty flavor.

Another excellent yet low-key producer, Nicaragua, produces a mixture of low-grade and highly desired coffees. Their best coffees are made from the regions of Jinotega and Matagalpa, with flavors filled with notes of vanilla and floral fruitiness. Their unique experience makes Nicaraguan coffee worth trying.

Peru is considered to have among the best coffees for those seeking organic, fair-trade beans. Its best coffee beans are grown in high-elevation regions near the Andes Mountains, such as Urubamba and Chanchamayo. Beans from these areas are known for their rich sweetness and smooth body.

Although it isn't among the top coffee-producing countries, Cuba has a history of producing coffee and still produces a worthwhile bean. In particular, the country grows its coffee beans in the Maestra mountains, planting both arabica and robusta coffee varieties. Though its availability is limited, it's still a worthwhile experience to try.

Among the smaller coffee-producing countries in the world, the Dominican Republic is still an excellent source. Its best high-grown coffees are known to have similar qualities as Puerto Rican and Jamaican coffee beans, though with a higher acidity but still well-balanced body.

Though its history of French-led coffee plantations made it one of the world's highest producers, Haiti has since become a lesser-known producer. Despite that, its beans are known to have a typical Caribbean flavor profile, with a mildly acidic taste. That said, very little coffee is currently exported from the country.

One of the most sought-after coffee beans in the world, Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee is known for its naturally sweet and creamy flavor. Unfortunately, it is also among the smallest in world coffee production, making it difficult and expensive to obtain. But for its uniquely delicious flavors, it's simply one you should try at least once!

Puerto Rico has a rough history with coffee production, as it largely began under colonial rule and was then replaced by sugar cane when the country was annexed by the U.S. However, over time, coffee production has grown, and PR has proven to have a smooth, sweet flavor profile that is worth a taste

The origin of all Arabica beans and their variants is Ethiopian coffee, which holds a fair share of the global market, and for good reason. Not only does it have an influential history, but the country boasts an enormous variety of beans across many regions. Among the best is Yirgacheffe, with a bright acidity, floral aroma, and winey undertones.

Kenya's coffee production is among the country's most significant crops, and it is similar to Ethiopian coffee. Farmers grow Arabica beans, known for their strong flavors, notes of cocoa, and a winey richness in their body and aftertaste.

Among the world's top coffee-producing countries, Uganda grows a great deal of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. Having naturally received coffee from Ethiopia, Ugandan coffee beans produce many of the same flavor characteristics — winey acidity, yet with a lighter body and a sweet, chocolatey flavor.

Considering its longstanding relationship with tea, China has become a more recent coffee-producing nation in Asia. It mainly comes from China's Yunnan province, growing Arabica and some Robusta in nearby regions. It is known to have a clean, bright, and sweet flavor profile that is only getting better as the country continues to perfect its growing and processing techniques.

Regarded as one of the top coffee-producing nations, Indonesia is yet another country that has a long history with the simple plant.

Many Indonesian coffees offer a unique flavor profile due to a traditional processing technique known as "giling basah" or wet hulling. This technique mainly brings out a smooth, sweet body, with notes of tobacco, wood, and cocoa in its flavors.

The country is also the source of the prized "kopi luwak" coffee bean, known for its singularly unique flavors. The country also contains highly-distinct coffee varieties grown in island regions, such as:

• Bali
• Sulawesi
• Sumatra
• Java

Second to Brazil, Vietnam is one of the biggest coffee producers in the world. However, that is often amended because it primarily produces robusta beans, which are considered less prized than arabica. Despite this, it's desirable due to its strong, bold, nutty flavor, which is offset with condensed milk to produce an excellent traditional Vietnamese coffee. And to us, that sounds more than worth a try!

Hawaiian Kona coffee is among the best coffee bean varieties in the world. Grown only within the Kona coffee belt, these beans are grown under ideal weather and soil conditions. Because Kona coffee only grows in one district, it is among the rarest and most expensive coffees.

Its flavors range from spicy and buttery to notes of wine, bright acidity, and a balanced body. A coffee from a tropical paradise like Hawaii would surely offer some of the same qualities.

An unlikely addition to this list of coffee producing countries is the island-continent of Australia. While the first coffee plants were cultivated in the 19th century, Australia didn’t start producing coffee commercially until the 1980s. While the flavor of Australian coffee is generally regarded as excellent–similar to a Hawaiian bean–the small coffee estates, domestic demand and high cost of labor means that an Aussie cup is hard to find in the US.

The coffee bean was first brewed next door to Ethiopia in Yemen. As most of it is traditionally processed, Yemeni coffee maintains a unique profile compared to other coffees. It's complex and intricate, with notes of flowers, fruit, chocolate, and wood blending to varying degrees. Consider a cup from one of its many growing regions, and you'll be sure to find something new in its flavor.

India is another country with a long history of coffee production. Legends of its origins in the country stem from a daring man bringing fresh beans back from a pilgrimage. Grown along the country's southern coasts, Indian coffee is grown in either Arabica or Robusta varieties. Its flavor profiles are not particularly unique, but it produces a simple, well-balanced cup with flavors of citrus, nut, chocolate, and notes of wood and flowers in its aroma.