How do coffee beans grow? Understanding Coffee From Bean to Cup

The Process of Growing Coffee from Seed to Cup

Ever wonder where the coffee in your cup comes from? Knowing the steps of coffee from bean to cup can help you truly savor your coffee down to the last drop! In this article, we will explore how coffee is grown and where it comes from. 

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How is coffee grown? 

Coffee is a plant that must be grown with care in the proper climate, usually at a high altitude with the right balance of shade and moisture. Mature coffee plants bear a red coffee fruit. The seed of this coffee fruit is the coffee bean. Let's talk about exactly how coffee grows so that you can get an idea of this fascinating plant's life cycle and production!

Coffee Growth in a Nutshell 

Coffee comes from the seeds of the coffee plant, a small shrub-like tree that reaches between 10 and 25 ft in height when fully mature. These seeds can be found in the form of pits, within the coffee cherries. Once these seeds have been cleaned, dried, processed and roasted, they become the coffee beans you use to make your favorite delicious coffee drinks. 

The Stages of Coffee Growth

Coffee growth is fairly labor intensive, it can take years to mature coffee seedlings into productive plants that bear coffee seeds, or “beans”. Coffee trees are usually kept in nurseries during the beginning stages to protect them from harsh elements and ensure lots of productive growth.

In time, mature coffee plant seedlings are planted in carefully controlled growing areas. These growth regions vary from plantation to plantation, but are usually shaded and chosen to provide the proper climate for young coffee plants to thrive. 

Depending on the species of coffee plant, red coffee fruit will emerge within one to four years. The fruit of the coffee plant takes the form of little red cherries that contain two coffee seeds a piece. These seeds are what we know as coffee beans! 

When ripe, the coffee cherries are harvested, cleaned, and the seeds are removed, processed, and dried. Then, they are sorted, roasted, and ground into the coffee used to make an array of beverages. 

Understanding Coffee from Seed to Cup

Although many of us don't take the time to think about it, the coffee you enjoy every day undergoes a long process before arriving in your mug! From planting to grinding, here's an overview of the stages of coffee cultivation from beginning to end. 

• Coffee Species and Regional Growth

There are many different types of coffee plants. However, the two most common kinds of coffee plant variants are Arabica and Robusta with an array of subspecies depending on the growing region.

Arabica coffee plants are more temperamental but ultimately produce a higher quality coffee bean. Robusta coffee plants are hardier and can be grown in drier regions but tend to produce a less flavorful coffee bean.

Coffee plants can be grown in regions all over the world. Coffee can be high-grown in the mountains or cultivated in a lush valley.

Where and how a coffee plant is grown will influence the final flavor of the coffee beans it produces. Some of the best coffee in the world comes from places like Ethiopia, Colombia, Yemen, Honduras, the Hawaiian islands, and Peru. 

• Coffee Planting and Growth 

No matter where coffee plants are grown, the growth and harvest process is similar. In the beginning, unprocessed coffee seeds are planted and germinated into seedlings. The seedlings usually grow in a nursery until they are tough enough to be planted outdoors. However, some coffee plantations do place seeds directly into the ground. It all depends on the growth region, soil, and climate. 

Coffee seedlings will eventually mature into large coffee shrubs, stout trees, or bushes depending on their unique growth conditions. Mature coffee plants can reach anywhere from 5 to 20 feet tall. It takes from 2 to 5 years for a coffee plant to produce ripe red coffee fruits with seeds inside. These seeds are what we know as coffee beans.  

• The Harvesting of Coffee

When coffee cherries are ripe, they turn a bright red color. At this stage, workers at a coffee farm can begin harvesting and sorting the cherries. Typically, coffee plants only have one major harvest every year. However, in some countries like Colombia, coffee trees flower more than once annually meaning a secondary crop can be collected. 

Many types of Arabica coffees are harvested by hand, making coffee a labor-intensive crop. It takes one to 200 lbs of coffee cherries to produce 20 to 40 lbs of coffee beans! 

While many smaller operations use a selective hand harvesting method, some coffee processors implement a strip-picking strategy which pulls all of the coffee cherries off of the branches at one time either by hand or by machine. 

• Processing, Sorting, and Grading

After being picked, the coffee cherries are cleaned and sorted. They can be dry-processed or wet-processed. The processing method used to remove the coffee fruit from the coffee beans can impact the ultimate flavor of the coffee in your cup. 

Dry Processing Coffee

With dry processing, freshly picked coffee cherries are spread out on a large flat surface in the sun or with drying fans. To prevent the fruit from going rotten, the cherries will be raked and turned over many times throughout the day. At night, they will be covered to prevent them from getting wet.

Depending on the type of weather, this process could take several weeks until 90% of the moisture is removed from the coffee cherries. When dry enough, the remainder of the fruit and dried husks will be removed and the beans will be sorted and processed. 

Wet Processing Coffee

Coffee cherries can also be wet-processed. Wet processing removes the pulp and fruit from the coffee seed with water, and there are varying wet-processing methods that produce many different flavor results. Sometimes beans are fermented, or even decaffeinated using the Swiss Water process. 

• Milling, Shipping, and Storage

Before coffee beans can be exported, they must be hulled and then also are often polished, graded, and sorted. Parchment coffee is processed using machinery that takes the husks off of the coffee. 

Polishing is an optional part of processing where any silver skin that remains on the coffee beans is removed using machines. Polished coffee beans are often considered superior to unpolished coffee beans, although there is little difference between the two types in flavor. 

Coffee beans are then graded and sorted by size, weight, and whether there are any flaws or imperfections. Coffee beans are sized by sorting them using different types of screens. Defective coffee beans will usually be removed at this stage due to faults like color, over-fermentation, insect damage, etc. This may be done using machines or by hand. 

Finally, the sorted coffee beans can be milled, sorted again, and exported. Milled coffee beans that have not yet been roasted are known as green coffee. Around 153 million 60 kg bags of coffee are exported from locations worldwide every year!

• Roasting and Grinding

Roasting is a process that transforms green coffee beans into delicious aromatic brown coffee beans that can be ground and brewed into coffee beverages. Coffee roasts range from light to dark. Most coffee roasters maintain a temperature of around 500° F, and the beans continue moving during the entire roasting process to keep them from burning. 

When coffee beans reach an internal temperature of 400° F, they begin turning brown, and a fragrant oil known as caffeol is produced. This is what creates the delicious aromatic taste of coffee!

After roasting, the coffee beans will be quickly cooled using either water or air. Generally, roasting takes place in the country where the coffee beans have been imported. After all, the more recently roasted the beans are, the better the coffee they produce will taste. However, some coffee producers will completely roast and process the coffee before it is packaged and shipped. All of these factors can influence the price and quality of the coffee. 

Roasted ground coffee beans can then be ground and brewed into an array of coffee beverages. Coffee can be ground into a fine espresso powder or slowly extracted with a coarse grind. Coffee can be brewed into hot beverages using hot water or cold brew beverages using cold-press or steeping methods. It all depends on what you like! 

Coffee Processing Summarized in Steps

Here's a quick summary of the coffee growth process from seed to cup! 

1. Growth

Green coffee beans are planted and grown into seedlings which become mature coffee plants. 

2. Harvest

After a few years, the coffee plants produce a red coffee fruit which is harvested and then sorted and processed in varying stages. 

3. Sorting

In the sorting process, twigs, leaves, and debris are removed. The coffee cherries are often sorted again by being tossed into the water so that any unripened coffee cherries can float to the surface where they are then removed. 

4. Cleaning

The coffee cherry pulp and skin are removed from the surrounding coffee beans. 

5. Processing

The coffee beans are then processed and or fermented, depending on their type and purpose. Indeed, processing can vary from sun-drying to ‘Swiss Water’ Decaf processing and may involve numerous different methods. 

6. Storage, Grading, and Shipping

After processing, the coffee beans are dried and stored. Sometimes, they are also fermented, but once again, this depends on the type of coffee. Eventually (anywhere from a few days to months later), the coffee beans will be milled, graded, and distributed. 

7. Roasting

In many instances, coffee arrives at a coffee roasting location in its processed and graded form but unroasted. Then, the coffee roaster can roast the coffee beans to a light, medium, or dark roast. 

8. Grinding

Roasted coffee beans can be ground finely or coarsely. Coarse ground coffee is ideal for making French press beverages while a fine powdery grind is often used as espresso.

9. Brewing 

Liquid coffee comes from an extraction process which is the result of running water over ground coffee to produce a liquid beverage. Espresso and regular hot coffee are brewed using hot water while cold brew coffee comes from steeping coffee grounds in water for an extended period of time. 

Where International Coffee Comes From 

Imported coffee can come from international regions across the globe. Leading coffee growth regions include Central America (Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panam coffee), South America (Peru, Colombia, Venezuela coffee), the Middle East (Yemen, Turkey, Israel coffee), the Pacific Islands (New Guinea, Fiji, Indonesia, Philippines, and Kona coffee) and Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Burundi coffee). 

Coffee likely originated somewhere in the Middle East, outside of Arabia. The most popular types of smooth, delicately sweet coffee beans are pure-grade Arabica beans. 

Where Does Coffee Come From in America?

The United States population consumes more coffee than any other country in the world, meaning coffee export to America is a massive part of the coffee trade industry. With that being said, only a small fraction of the coffee consumed in the US is actually grown here. 

Most of this home-grown coffee comes from Hawaii's volcanic coffee estates. Much of the rest of the coffee in the United States is imported from Central and South America. Some International Fair Trade Coffee Roasters (like this one)  import coffee beans and then roast them to order in custom coffee batches. 

Does coffee come from beans? 

The term ‘Coffee Bean’ is somewhat of a misnomer. Coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee fruit, a red, cherry-like fruit that grows on the shrubby coffee plant. The ripe coffee cherries are harvested and the fruit part is cleaned away, leaving a seed that is then dried and roasted. When you grind down this seed, you get coffee grounds!

What is a coffee fruit?

A coffee fruit is a tart red stone fruit, slightly smaller than a cherry and larger than a cranberry. The stone, or seed inside, is what we call a coffee bean. Unripe, the coffee cherry is green. As it ripens, it turns yellow and then a bright crimson red. Ripe coffee fruit has a tart flavor and contains antioxidants, nutrients, and caffeine. When unripe, it is very bitter to the taste. 

Where do coffee grounds come from?

Coffee grounds are coffee beans that have been ground into a consistency so that they can be brewed into the coffee beverage. Coffee grounds can be purchased online, at a grocery store, from a local coffee shop, and more. If you have been looking for a huge variety of custom coffee grounds sold online, click here! 

Can you grow a coffee plant yourself?

Sure you can! You can grow coffee seedlings bought at a nursery or soak coffee seeds overnight before planting them. However, coffee plants can be a little bit temperamental and must be kept at a temperature of 59 to 75° F. It can take up to eight weeks for seeds to germinate, and coffee plants may take up to 4 years to mature and yield fruit. 

How to Grow Coffee

Want to grow a coffee plant? Awesome! Coffee plants do well in a greenhouse but can also be grown as houseplants. Unless you live in a subtropical area well suited to coffee growth, it may be difficult to grow coffee plants outdoors.

You must place your coffee seedlings in a warm (but not too hot) location with bright indirect sunlight, preferably 6 to 8 hours a day. The ideal growing temperature is 65 to 70°. Water coffee plants regularly to help them establish their roots. 

Make sure to have enough humidity and mist your coffee plant’s leaves regularly, especially if you live in a dryer region. Coffee plants do require fertilizer for 2 weeks during the growing season; a liquid feed can help. After 2-4 years, they should begin producing coffee cherries. You can check out this guide for caring for a coffee plant to learn more coffee gardening tips!

Where Do Coffee Beans Come From - Final Thoughts

In summary, coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee plant, which produces a red cherry-like fruit with a stone, or seed in the middle. This seed is the coffee ‘bean’. Unprocessed coffee seeds are planted during the wet season.

In approximately 3 to 4 years, these seeds grow into a shrub-like coffee plant and produce more cherries. When ripe, these deep red coffee cherries are harvested and cleaned. After the fruit has been removed and the seed has been cleaned and dried, the seeds are processed and then roasted into the coffee beans that we know and love!

Coffee comes from growth regions all over the world and is usually imported into the United States before it is roasted. To browse a vast selection of premium freshly roasted US coffee from around the world, follow this link: worldwide coffee beans for sale!