There are few drinks in the world that are as widely and as habitually consumed as coffee. That dark roast you enjoy in the morning, afternoon or evening is a very popular drink. Entire business empires have been built upon the tiny beans that come from those red coffee €cherries€ that hang off of plants like low-hanging fruit. And although coffee beverages are enjoyed in almost every country in the world, coffee beans cannot be grown and harvested everywhere. There are certain conditions and climate that make particular regions of the world best suited towards producing coffee beans.
In terms of trade and business, coffee is the most widely traded commodity in the world, next to oil. In terms of dollars traded, coffee is big business. It is grown in about 50 countries worldwide and millions upon millions of tons of beans are produced and traded every single year. For some countries, coffee and the health of coffee crops are critical to the growth and sustainability of their economy. Brazil is the largest supplier of coffee and Columbia is second. And although much of the United States is unable to grow coffee, it is one of the largest consumers of coffee in the world. Every year, Americans consume more than a third of the overall coffee that is produced globally. Hawaii, an outlying island of the US, and Mexico are the only places in North America where coffee can be grown successfully.
All of the coffee grown in the world is grown close to the equator between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. These €tropics€ are simply the imaginary grid lines that surround our globe twenty three degrees north and south of the equator. This middle portion of the earth has climate that is warm and humid, which is ideal for growing coffee plants. And although there are over sixty different varieties of coffee that are grown on earth only two types are cultivated for commercial use (i.e. buying, selling and brewing). These two strains of coffee are Arabica beans and Robusta beans.
Arabica coffee beans are a better quality of beans and are lower in caffeine that Robusta. They are grown in rich, volcanic mountain soil at higher elevations, which slows growth and adds to flavour and aroma. Robusta plants are more resistant to disease and drought than Arabica beans and grown at much lower elevations. While Arabica is grown at elevations over 3000 feet, Robusta beans are grown from sea level up to 2000 feet. And although Robusta trees produce about twice as much as Arabica trees, the quality of the beans is much lower. These beans are usually mixed with Arabica beans for use in large commercial coffee machines and canned or instant coffee.
Coffee beans are a very big commodity in today's world. It is used and consumed by a large portion of the global population as a breakfast, a dessert and as an after-meal drink. The amount of coffee consumed is enormous and there are no signs of consumption slowing down. And because the beans are only able to grow in certain climates and conditions, the value of these beans can, at times, skyrocket depending on supply. Whether it's gourmet coffee, or the instant stuff, one thing is for certain €" it's all about the bean and where it's grown.
In terms of trade and business, coffee is the most widely traded commodity in the world, next to oil. In terms of dollars traded, coffee is big business. It is grown in about 50 countries worldwide and millions upon millions of tons of beans are produced and traded every single year. For some countries, coffee and the health of coffee crops are critical to the growth and sustainability of their economy. Brazil is the largest supplier of coffee and Columbia is second. And although much of the United States is unable to grow coffee, it is one of the largest consumers of coffee in the world. Every year, Americans consume more than a third of the overall coffee that is produced globally. Hawaii, an outlying island of the US, and Mexico are the only places in North America where coffee can be grown successfully.
All of the coffee grown in the world is grown close to the equator between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. These €tropics€ are simply the imaginary grid lines that surround our globe twenty three degrees north and south of the equator. This middle portion of the earth has climate that is warm and humid, which is ideal for growing coffee plants. And although there are over sixty different varieties of coffee that are grown on earth only two types are cultivated for commercial use (i.e. buying, selling and brewing). These two strains of coffee are Arabica beans and Robusta beans.
Arabica coffee beans are a better quality of beans and are lower in caffeine that Robusta. They are grown in rich, volcanic mountain soil at higher elevations, which slows growth and adds to flavour and aroma. Robusta plants are more resistant to disease and drought than Arabica beans and grown at much lower elevations. While Arabica is grown at elevations over 3000 feet, Robusta beans are grown from sea level up to 2000 feet. And although Robusta trees produce about twice as much as Arabica trees, the quality of the beans is much lower. These beans are usually mixed with Arabica beans for use in large commercial coffee machines and canned or instant coffee.
Coffee beans are a very big commodity in today's world. It is used and consumed by a large portion of the global population as a breakfast, a dessert and as an after-meal drink. The amount of coffee consumed is enormous and there are no signs of consumption slowing down. And because the beans are only able to grow in certain climates and conditions, the value of these beans can, at times, skyrocket depending on supply. Whether it's gourmet coffee, or the instant stuff, one thing is for certain €" it's all about the bean and where it's grown.