Climate Change: Fighting for Coffee’s Future | Your Cup of Coffee is at Stake
Arabica coffee, which makes up 64 percent of the world’s coffee supply, is “a little finicky,” as Goodejohn puts it. Here’s why: Most coffee only grows between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, often referred to as the “Coffee Belt.” Within this region, arabica coffee needs specific conditions to thrive. The trees grow best between 3,000 and 6,000 feet, where hot days and cool nights slow down the development of coffee cherries and create a more refined flavor.
Higher Quality Coffee
This sensitive species also requires a certain temperature, with the ideal annual mean ranging from 18 to 21 degrees Celsius. Although arabica can withstand higher or lower temperatures, quality could suffer.“Good things are often more difficult to get. In this case, arabica coffee is harder to grow, but it also is a higher quality in your cup,” Goodejohn said. At Starbucks, we only source and roast arabica coffee. But we run the risk of not having the finest quality if we don’t take action now against some of coffee’s biggest threats. Read more… 1912pike.com