How to Incorporate Robusta Coffee Beans into Your Cafe

Robusta coffee is one of two species of coffee that is consumed globally. It makes up around 40% of global coffee production. Before it becomes roasted coffee, robusta coffee grows on bushes and trees with cherries that ripen for processing and drying.

Growing at a variety of climates and altitudes, robusta coffee is a hardy plant that may be the key to sustainable coffee production in the future. With natural pest resistance due to its high caffeine content, robusta coffee is also a more environmentally friendly crop that requires less or no pesticides.

Robusta coffee is grown around the world including Africa and South America; Vietnam is the leading producer of robusta coffee in the world. Over 90% of Vietnam’s coffee production is robusta coffee!

Robusta coffee is known for its bold, smooth and low-acidic flavors. With 60% less sugars and fats than arabica coffee, robusta coffee often has notes of chocolate and nuts. For those who enjoy a deep, roasty flavor when they drink coffee, robusta coffee is highly recommended.

Single origin, specialty robusta coffee contains flavor notes that are rich and complex. We recommend trying it black first to get the pure flavor notes before adding milk and sugar. Because of its deep flavor profile, robusta coffee perfectly complements the creaminess of milk and the sweetness of sugar– it’s a cup of coffee unlike any other!

Besides its natural pest resistance and hardiness, robusta coffee is also a plant that matures faster than its arabica counterpart, allowing farmers to produce it more quickly to meet demands around the world.

Furthermore, robusta coffee is everywhere! It can be found in espresso and instant coffee blends as well as in specialty roasts around the world. Robusta coffee is growing in popularity as coffee lovers begin to diversify their tastes and seek out different kinds of coffee. This in turn allows producers to grow and process new varieties of robusta coffee that are unique and delicious.

Robusta coffee may be a different species of coffee, but it’s ultimately still coffee. It can be brewed in a number of ways ranging from drip to French press to espresso. Each brew style will create a different cup of coffee that contains different levels of oils and unique flavor notes due to the varying extraction methods.

Robusta coffee can be consumed with or without milk and sugar. In Vietnam, robusta coffee is most commonly consumed with sweetened condensed milk over ice, known as cà phê sữa đá. However, Vietnamese people also enjoy their robusta coffee in lattes, Americanos, and pour overs. Coffee is a personal experience and should be enjoyed as such!

1. Robusta coffee will provide a new and exciting experience for your customers who may be unfamiliar with this delicious bean.
2. Robusta coffee is sustainable, unique, and versatile with its ability to be prepared in any brew style.
3. Robusta coffee is smooth, bold, and delicious – it will certainly entice your customers to come back for more!
4. Robusta coffee is different. It’s underrepresented in American coffee culture, which has an overwhelmingly high demand for arabica. In contrast to arabica, robusta is nutty and chocolatey. By offering something different, you’ll be able to elevate a culturally unique coffee experience while also differentiating yourself from other coffee shops and providers.
5. Robusta coffee is PERFECT for folks who enjoy coffee with milk and sugar as its rich and bold flavor profile complement richness and sweetness very well.
6. Robusta coffee is familiar. Although robusta coffee has not been explored within the specialty coffee industry, robusta coffee makes up 40% of the global coffee production, which means many people are already familiar with this flavor profile – they just haven’t experienced it in premium cafe settings.

Nguyen Coffee Supply offers our specialty coffee at wholesale pricing for retail and cafe partners. For more information, fill out our wholesale inquiry form here and we’ll assist you promptly.

We offer four different blends of robusta coffee:

1. Loyalty – our signature robusta arabica blend with notes of cacao, salted caramel, and pomelo; medium roast
2. Truegrit – 100% robusta, one of our strongest coffees with notes of grapefruit zest and bitter melon; medium roast
3. Saigon – our dark roasted blend of robusta and arabica; perfect for new experiences
4. Hanoi – our 100% robusta dark roast coffee that packs a punch and harkens tradition