Although robusta is associated with having a less desirable flavour profile than arabica, Philip explains that certain stereotypes about robusta can be harmful.
“It is crucial to avoid stigmatising robusta as an inferior product to arabica,” he says. “Classifying arabica as high-quality and robusta as low-quality is too simplistic.”
Andrew adds to this, saying: “It’s important to remember that all arabica is not necessarily good quality, nor is all robusta necessarily poor quality.”
Within the specialty coffee sector, there is a growing focus on how coffee quality can be improved. For the most part, this largely encompasses arabica coffee, but people are becoming increasingly aware of how robusta quality can be improved as well.
“New processing methods have helped to increase robusta quality,” Jamie says. “Vietnam and Brazil are both growing new robusta varieties, as well as using these new processing techniques. India’s coffee industry is also using more unique processing methods.
“When we sold an anaerobic robusta, we had a lot of requests for samples,” he tells me. “People are willing to try robusta and understand more about it.
“Roasters looking for high-quality robustas will certainly source robustas that have met more rigorous quality control standards,” he adds.
Andrew tells me how these standards are helping to improve flavour profiles in robusta, as well helping to change the industry’s perception of robusta quality.
“You can find exceptionally clean robusta coffees grown in Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Uganda, and Vietnam, which was not the case ten years ago,” he explains.