How does coffee grow?

Every morning, when you enjoy a cup of coffee to start the day, you are in harmony with yourself, with the pleasure of enjoy your favorite drink. However, you can’t imagine the incredible journey of this coffee beans with complex flavors. Because to get to your cup, the coffee has crossed continents, has been prepared and selected by expert and passionate hands and, above all, has been carefully selected.

Discover with Cafés Méo, the origins of coffee, the journey of this exceptional cerealhow the quality of each cup takes shape from the first sprouts of the coffee plants.

Where does coffee come from and how does it grow?

With its elliptical evergreen leaves, its splendid five-petalled white flowers and summer scents reminiscent of jasmine, the coffee it is one of the treasures that nature offers us.

The coffee plant: the leafy shrub from which the beans grow

The coffee plant is a tropical shrubit has large green leaves and colorful red cherries. Originally from equatorial regionsit belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is available in different varieties, each carrying its own aromatic finesse. The two best known species are Coffea arabica et Coffea canefora (better known as Robusta).

To flower and produce quality fruit, the coffee plant needs particular conditions. It’s this ideal combination which promotes the growth of the cherries that contain the precious coffee beans:

• A altitude from 800 to 2,000 meters
• soils riches in nutrients

of temperatures mild temperatures oscillating between 18 and 25°C.

The two stars of coffee culture: Arabica and Robusta

You don’t need to be a coffee expert to know about it two varieties flagship coffees that dominate global production: Arabica and the Robust.

• Arabicacultivated mainly in Latin America, East Africa and Asia, it is appreciated for its complex aromas and sweetness. This coffee is more fragile, sensitive to climatic variations and requires careful and precise care, which explains its higher price.

• The Robusta it is more robust (as the name suggests) and resistant to disease. With a higher caffeine content, it is mainly grown in Africa and Asia, especially Vietnam. This coffee offers a more robust and bitter taste, ideal for those looking for an intense coffee.

THE diversity of regions the production naturally offers a rich and varied palette of flavours. Every terroir influences the flavor of cerealsfrom the intense body of African coffees to the fruity notes of Latin America or Asia.

From fruit to seed: the fundamental stages of coffee cultivation

From fruit picking towheat extraction and theirs roasting before grindCafés Méo accompanies you through every stage of coffee preparation.

Blossoming cherries and coffee

Coffee culture begins with an ephemeral but magical spectacle: the flowering. The coffee plant, covered with white flowers fragrant, it is preparing to produce its precious products fruit. A few weeks after flowering, the cherries begin to form. At first green, they gradually take on a color bright red or yellow, a sign of their maturity.

It is these cherries, carefully picked, that determine this the quality of the coffee. The pulp of each cherry contains two cereals of green coffee, which will subsequently be processed. The quality of the cherries, their maturity and their size will have a direct influence taste and aromas coffee.

Harvesting: a meticulous art to preserve quality

When and how harvest? The harvest time depends on the region, but is often concentrated in the period dry seasonswhen cherries are easier to pick and dry. Coffee harvesting is a fundamental process that can be done in two ways:

• The collection: cherries are picked manuallyone by one, selecting only the ripe cherries. This method, although expensive and slow, guarantees better quality, because it preserves the aromas and freshness of the beans.

• Stripping: the branches are collected in one goand therefore producers harvest fruit at different levels of maturity. This faster method is often used for Robusta beans.

Pulping and drying of cereals

Once harvested, cherries go through the harvesting phase depulpation to eliminate the pulp and isolate the beans. Subsequently the beans are rigorously dried, in the sun or mechanically. This step is essential for remove moisture and prepare the beans for the processing phases that will influence their aromas.

The different treatments: how they influence the taste of coffee

THE grain processing transforming into a product ready for roasting must undergo several treatments. These methods allow producers to adapt their techniques according to desired flavors and thus create a variety of flavor profiles.

• Washed treatment: this process consists of removing the pulp by washing, to offer a coffee with clean and delicate aromas.

• Natural treatment: here the cherries dry with their pulp. This process takes longer, but gives the coffee a richer, fruitier flavor.

• Semi-washed treatment: compromise between washed treatment and natural treatment, allows part of the pulp to be preserved during drying, for an intermediate aromatic profile.

From fruit to cup: our commitment to sustainable quality

At Cafés Méo, thecommitment to sustainable agriculture it’s a priority.

Sustainable practices and quality of Méo coffees

We work with manufacturers who respect the land and guarantee preserve the soil for future generations. Our beans are carefully selected, guaranteeing quality coffee quality unparalleled, while respecting the traditions local e ecosystems.

Collaborating with committed producerswe help provide a meaningful cup of coffee by supporting ethical practices, like the organic coffee and promoting respectful agriculture.

Keep an exceptional product!

THE climate change are undeniable, coffee culture must evolve to meet consumer quality expectations while adapting to the new realities of weather conditions. Manufacturers are experimenting with methods to resist to drought and protect coffee plants. This adaptability aims not only to ensure the sustainability of crops, but allows us to continue to enjoy exceptional coffee in every cup.

At Cafés Méo, each coffee bean embodies the essencehistory of this incredible tropical shrub, the careful care of passionate producers and respect for a centuries-old tradition. Now that you know what course fascinating, you can savor every sip with a appreciation renewed? Amateur of Arabica fruity or Robust full-bodied, each cup now tells you its story, that of the creation of coffee.