Alongside the push for more quality control and better farming practices in robusta production, the effects of climate change on the coffee industry could create a viable new market for robusta.
“It’s a more robust coffee species that is also highly productive and cross-pollinating,” Andrew explains. “This gives robusta the potential to adapt better to changing environmental conditions.”
In the 2022 research paper entitled Expected global suitability of coffee, cashew, and avocado due to climate change, it is predicted that the land used to produce arabica coffee in Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia will decrease in both size and suitability by 2050. This is largely attributed to the rise in average global temperatures.
“When considering factors such as climate change and robusta’s higher yields, it could be an alternative to arabica,” Philip tells me.
Andrew explains how robusta’s ability to evolve and adapt can also improve its flavour profile.
“No two separate gene pools of robusta are the same, which means different flavours, tolerance to climate change, cherry and tree size, and yields.
“Some robusta has even reduced some of its caffeine and chlorogenic acid content, which makes it less bitter than others. Essentially, robusta is evolving every generation,” he adds.
Philip also believes that high-quality robusta is an affordable alternative to cheaper arabica.
“Roasters need to find ways to adapt to the current situation with coffee prices, mainly by looking for more affordable alternatives,” he explains. “They need to try other coffees in their blends, especially bigger roasters, as smaller roasters tend to have more flexibility.”
And with blends seemingly becoming more popular across the coffee industry – such as in the 2021 World Coffee Championships – robusta could be a valuable addition for many roasters.
“Historically, countries such as France, Italy, Greece, and Spain have commonly used robusta in their blends,” he adds. “But now there are many roasters in most major cities who have a high-quality espresso blend that includes robusta.”
Andrew adds: “Roasters, particularly smaller specialty roasters, are willing to experiment with new and interesting coffees, [and robusta is a part of this].”
robusta in hopper
Robusta currently accounts for between 30% and 40% of the global coffee market, but this could change if quality continues to increase, as well as more innovative processing techniques emerging across robusta production.
Furthermore, as it looks like coffee prices still aren’t settling or falling any time soon, we could well see more roasters use robusta in the months and years ahead, whether as a blender coffee or a single origin. Only time will tell.