How cherries are turned into coffee

The fruit of the coffee plant is called a “coffee cherry.” The pulp tastes sweet, while the skin is bitter. Usually, each cherry contains two coffee beans.

Ripe coffee cherries are placed in large water tanks for about twelve to twenty-four hours so that the pulp, called “pulp,” can then be removed more easily. In this way, two green beans are obtained from each cherry. These are then carefully washed again, because only when the pulp has been completely removed can coffee of the highest quality be produced.

The cleaned beans are dried in the sun on large drying beds for at least one week. Another method is the so-called “dry processing.” In this method, the coffee cherries are placed on drying beds without prior washing and then hulled. Packed in 60 to 85 kg sacks, the beans are stored until they are prepared for international transport and then shipped.

Before the beans finally end up in your cup, they go through what is probably the most important step: roasting. At Afro Coffee, we roast our beans gently and in small batches so their natural aromas can fully develop – from chocolaty and nutty notes to fruity accents that are typical of African highland coffees. Only when each bean has reached its perfect aroma profile is it packaged and sent on its way to you. Try one of our varieties now and discover the taste of Africa in its most intense form.