Ripe red coffee cherries on a highland branch ready for harvest

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Coffee insights

From Bean
to Cup.

Q: How is coffee made step by step?

Coffee is made in six steps: harvest ripe cherry, process it by the washed, natural or honey method, dry the parchment to 10–12% moisture, hull and grade the green coffee, roast it to develop aroma, then grind and brew it with hot water.

Q: What is the bean to cup process?

The bean to cup process is the full supply chain that turns a coffee cherry into a brewed cup: harvesting, processing, drying, milling and grading, export, roasting, grinding and brewing. Each stage either adds quality or protects the quality created before it.

Q: How long does it take for coffee to go from farm to cup?

A coffee tree takes three to four years to bear fruit. Once cherry is picked, processing and drying take one to three weeks, milling and grading a few days, and shipment from East Africa three to six weeks. Roasting takes minutes and brewing seconds.

Q: What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee?

Arabica grows at higher altitudes, has more acidity and complex aromatics, and contains less caffeine. Robusta grows at lower altitudes, has a stronger, more bitter taste, a heavier body and roughly twice the caffeine.

Q: Where is Arabica coffee grown in East Africa?

High-quality Arabica is grown in the cool highlands of Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Key regions include Kenya's central highlands, Ethiopia's Sidama and Yirgacheffe zones, and Uganda's Mount Elgon and Bugisu areas.

Q: Where is Robusta coffee grown?

Robusta is grown at lower, warmer altitudes. In East Africa, Uganda is the main producer, particularly around Lake Victoria and the country's central lowlands.

Q: What are washed and natural coffee processing methods?

Washed processing removes the cherry skin and pulp before drying, producing clean, bright cups. Natural processing dries the bean inside the cherry, producing fruit-forward, heavier-bodied coffees.

Q: Why does altitude matter for coffee quality?

Higher altitudes bring cooler temperatures and slower cherry ripening. This allows sugars and acids to develop more fully, which often results in more complex, brighter and higher-scoring coffees.

The complete journey of East African coffee — from harvest and processing through roasting and brewing — explained for buyers, roasters and coffee lovers.

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How is coffee made? The bean to cup process in short

Coffee cherries are harvested by hand, processed to remove the fruit, dried to a stable moisture level, hulled and graded into green coffee, then roasted, ground and brewed. Each stage of the bean to cup process — harvest, process, dry, grade, roast, brew — shapes the flavour, body and acidity in your cup.

This guide explains how coffee is made from cherry to cup using East African coffee as the example, shows where Arabica and Robusta coffee is grown, and links to a coffee buying guide covering species, roast levels and grind types.

Bean to cup

Six Steps,
One Cup.

Every stage of the coffee supply chain adds or preserves quality. Here is how it works for the East African lots we source.

01HarvestRipe cherry is selectively hand-picked at peak sweetness.
02ProcessPulp is removed and beans are washed or dried in the fruit.
03DryParchment is dried to a stable moisture level on raised beds.
04Hull & GradeThe parchment is removed and green coffee is screen-graded.
05RoastGreen beans are roasted to develop aroma, body and acidity.
06BrewGround coffee is extracted with water to deliver the final cup.

Detailed guide

What Happens
at Each Stage.

Click or tap a section to understand the decisions that influence quality, flavour and value.

On the farm

Harvest: picking at the right moment

Great coffee starts with ripe cherry. In East Africa, most Arabica is selectively hand-picked across two main flushes, while Robusta may be strip-picked or hand-picked depending on terrain.

Cherry ripeness is judged by colour, firmness and sugar content.
Selective picking improves cup quality and reduces defect counts.
Kenya and Ethiopia's highland Arabica ripens slowly, building acidity and sweetness.

At the wet mill

Processing: washed, natural and honey

Processing is the step that turns cherry into green bean. The method strongly influences the final flavour profile.

Washed: pulp and mucilage are removed before drying — clean, bright, acidic cups.
Natural: beans dry inside the cherry — fruity, heavy body, lower acidity.
Honey: skin is removed but some mucilage remains — balance of sweetness and clarity.

On raised beds

Drying: locking in stable moisture

After processing, parchment coffee is dried slowly to about 10–12% moisture. Controlled drying prevents mould and preserves quality through export.

Raised African beds allow airflow and even drying.
Drying can take 1–3 weeks depending on weather and thickness.
Over-drying causes brittle beans; under-drying risks spoilage.

At the dry mill

Hulling, grading and quality checks

Dry milling removes parchment to reveal green coffee. Beans are then sorted by screen size, density and defects to meet export standards.

Kenyan AA, AB and PB grades are defined by screen size and bean shape.
Density sorting separates heavier, higher-quality beans.
Cupping scores flavour, aroma, acidity, body and aftertaste before shipment.

In the roaster

Roasting: where green bean becomes brown bean

Roasting triggers Maillard reactions and caramelisation. Roast degree determines whether the cup is bright and fruity or dark and chocolatey.

Light roasts preserve origin character, acidity and floral notes.
Medium roasts balance sweetness, body and acidity.
Dark roasts emphasise bitterness, body and roast flavours.

In the cup

Brewing: extracting the flavour

Brewing dissolves soluble compounds from ground coffee into water. Grind size, water temperature and contact time control the result.

Finer grinds extract faster; coarser grinds need longer contact.
Water temperature around 90–96 °C suits most methods.
East African washed Arabica shines as pour-over or filter.

Origins map

Where Arabica
and Robusta Grow.

Use the interactive map to see where East African coffee originates, plus altitude, climate and rainfall for each region.

Arabica origins

Robusta origins

Arabica thrives in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda highlands above 1,400 m. Robusta dominates Uganda's warmer lowlands. Click a marker for climate and altitude details.

Arabica vs Robusta

Two Species,
Very Different Cups.

Understanding the difference helps buyers choose the right coffee for their market and blend.

Arabica

Grown above 1,400 m in cool highlands
Smooth, bright acidity with complex aromatics
Lower caffeine, generally higher quality score
Common in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda highlands

Robusta

Grown at 900–1,500 m in warmer lowlands
Strong, bitter, heavier body
Higher caffeine, crema-friendly
Mainly produced in Uganda

Read the full Arabica vs Robusta comparison for taste, caffeine, price and blending detail.

Keep reading

Guides for
Coffee Buyers.

Two companion reads: the species comparison, and a practical guide to choosing beans, roast level and grind size.

Arabica vs Robusta: the complete comparison

Taste, caffeine, growing altitude, disease resistance and price — with the origins map and region cards.

Coffee buying guide

How to choose Arabica or Robusta, pick a roast level from light to dark, and match grind size to your brew method.

Frequently asked

Common Questions
About Coffee.

Straight answers to the questions buyers, roasters and curious drinkers ask most often.

How does coffee go from bean to cup?

Coffee begins as a cherry on a tree. The cherry is harvested, processed to remove the fruit, dried, hulled, graded, roasted, ground and finally brewed with water. Each step affects flavour, body and acidity.

How is coffee made step by step?

What is the bean to cup process?

How long does it take for coffee to go from farm to cup?

What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee?

Where is Arabica coffee grown in East Africa?

Where is Robusta coffee grown?

What are washed and natural coffee processing methods?

Why does altitude matter for coffee quality?

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Tell us the origin, grade, screen size and volume you need. We source washed and natural Arabica from Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, plus Robusta from Uganda.

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From Beanto Cup.