Before differentiating these two coffees , it is important to clarify that there are 4 levels in the botany of coffee:

Hierarchy - nf

• Family : Coffee belongs to the plant family Rubiaceae, which includes, for example, bedstraw and dyer's madder.

• The genre: Within the Rubiaceae, we find the genus Coffea or coffee tree.

• The species: There are approximately 124 species of coffee, but two of them are mainly cultivated: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (which is often assimilated to Robusta because it is its most common variety). Two other species can be mentioned: Coffea liberica and Coffea excelsa, both edible, but whose presence is anecdotal.

• Variety: Our two main species produce more than 100 different varieties. Like grape varieties in wine, they can be either natural mutations or crosses of two varieties, in order to adapt to environmental constraints (resistance to heat and adaptation to humidity), terroir characteristics (soil, altitude) and to face different problems (productivity and resistance to diseases). We can cite common varieties such as typica, bourbon, catuai or even pacamara, which themselves have given rise to numerous sub-varieties, the details of which we will spare you here.

Differences - nf

If you were asked, you'd probably say that Arabica is much better and less potent than Robusta. But do you know why and what are the specific characteristics of each of these species currently available on the coffee market?

Arabica

It originated in Ethiopia. This species only grows between 600m and 2400m above sea level, with temperatures ranging between 15 and 24°C, which allows it to achieve good maturity by developing its full aromatic complexity and its particular acidity. Arabica is relatively susceptible to diseases depending on the variety.
The species represents 57% of the global market. Therefore, not all Arabica coffees are of equal quality. Superior quality depends on multiple factors such as the quality of the terroir, soil cultivation, coffee processing, altitude, and agroforestry to protect the plantations from the sun. The majority of production comes from Latin and Central America, as well as East Africa.

Robusta

Its discovery came only later, in the 1870s in Congo. It is significantly more resistant than Arabica to disease and high temperatures (22 to 30°C), and grows at low altitudes between 0 and 700m. Robusta is therefore easier to cultivate and, above all, less expensive. It represents 43% of the world market and is mainly used for instant coffee, blends, and some capsules.

Aromatically, it is generally not very complex, powerful, and bitter. Its caffeine content is twice that of Arabica, which is largely responsible for the bitterness. Most Robusta is produced in Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, and India), Brazil, and West Africa.

Celsius currently only works with high-quality Arabica coffees. This doesn't mean that Robusta should be banned. With the constraints of global warming, it will become increasingly difficult to produce quality Arabica coffee, and it seems likely that we will have to turn to alternative solutions in the coming decades, such as Robusta. We are witnessing the emergence of specialty Robusta coffee, and we are convinced that its quality will continue to improve over the years.