Anyone who has ever looked into coffee should know that coffee cannot thrive everywhere. In principle, you can grow a coffee plant in your living room, but it will not be able to bear fruit due to the (presumably) prevailing climatic conditions in your living room. The coffee plant needs very specific climatic and external conditions in order to grow well. You can only find these conditions in selected countries in the so-called coffee belt. You can find out where coffee comes from on this page.
The Coffea, as the coffee plant is called in professional circles, originally comes from tropical Africa, more precisely from Ethiopia, where it was discovered in the 9th century. Coffea is actually a very sensitive plant and only grows under optimal climatic conditions.
The plants grow best in countries that are close to the equator. The regions and countries around the equator are therefore known as the coffee belt. The growing areas have a humid, tropical climate. This ensures excellent growth and a quick flowering period.
The two most important varieties are Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (Robusta). In fact, there are other varieties, some of which grow wild in Ethiopian forests or in private gardens. However, the most common types of coffee plant are Arabica and Robusta.
As already mentioned, the coffee plant loves a humid, mild climate. Temperatures should be between 15 and 28 degrees. The plant also needs a lot of rainfall, but also a lot of sun. Typical growing areas start at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level, but coffee is also grown at altitudes of around 2,000 meters. The high nutrient content in the soil on and around the farm is also important. The more nutrients, the more comfortable the plant feels. Mineral-rich volcanic soils are particularly suitable. If these conditions are supported by high-quality care, such as with microorganisms, extremely high-quality coffees are produced that stand out with their unique flavors.
The developments that we are currently increasingly confronted with are not having a good effect on the coffee plant - they are climatic extremes that are primarily caused by climate change. This situation has worsened in recent years in particular, forcing farmers in the countries of origin to take action. Organic and ecological cultivation is becoming increasingly popular. The principles of organic farming with the targeted use of our own microorganisms ensure that soils damaged by fertilizers and pesticides are regenerated. But it is not only nature that benefits from this. The increased richness of the soil and the more careful treatment of nature result in particularly high-quality coffees.
The countries of the coffee belt extend over several continents: Central and South America, Africa, parts of Asia and indeed Europe. While European coffees (La Palma) are rarely found on the world market, it is mainly coffees from Brazil, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Rwanda and Colombia that find their way into our coffee cups. But countries such as Indonesia, El Salvador, Burundi, India and Panama also bring excellent coffees onto the market.
Transparency is very important to us at the Wildkaffee roastery. We want you to know exactly where your coffee comes from, how it was grown and processed. On our coffee blog and here in the coffee knowledge section you will find all the background information, where we show you exactly what special features are behind the excellent taste of your cup of coffee. We also participate in a number of coffee projects, such as our Coffee School Project, where we share our sustainable principles directly with the farmers in the country of origin.
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