Which type of coffee does Starbucks buy? (Does Starbucks use Arabica or Robusta? + More information)

If you cannot go for long without coffee, you probably get your drinks from Starbucks. This company has a lot of coffee drinks you can enjoy. Which type of coffee does Starbucks buy?

Starbucks uses Arabica coffee beans since they have a more refined flavor than robusta. Many people ask how Arabica differs from robusta. Coffee has always been my go-to morning beverage for many years now. Since I love good-tasting coffee, I always buy my drinks from Starbucks.

I came up with this post to help you find out the type of coffee that Starbucks uses. By the end of this post, you will also learn the main suppliers of coffee beans to Starbucks. Read on!

Does Starbucks use specialty coffee?

Yes, it does. This company is a retailer of specialty coffee across the globe. The specialty coffee community loves most Starbucks coffee drinks like cold brew coffee. This coffee brand also participates in the specialty coffee industry and follows the specialty coffee trends. Every year, Starbucks sponsors the SCAA trade show.

Starbucks does not pass all the tests to be considered specialty. For instance, it fails to meet the set standards since it does not publish roast dates on its coffee bags. It also does not publish the required details about the origin of its coffee.

Does Starbucks use Arabica or Robusta?

Starbucks uses 100% arabica coffee beans in its drinks. This coffee brand chooses Arabica over robusta due to its high-quality flavor. Arabica trees do well at higher altitudes than other coffee beans like robusta. They thrive at elevations of 3,000-6,000 feet. In such elevations, cool nights and hot days reduce the growth rate of coffee cherries. Since the coffee beans and cherries get more time to develop, they create a more refined taste.

Apart from that, Starbucks also chooses arabica coffee beans over robusta since the sugar content and lipids are higher than those of robusta. Arabica coffee beans are sweeter and softer than Robusta coffee beans. The sweet toast of arabica coffee beans contains flavor notes of sugar and chocolate. These coffee beans also have hints of berries or fruits.

Though Arabica coffee beans do not have as much caffeine as robusta coffee beans, Arabica is more popular and considered better quality. Arabica forms around 70% of the coffee exported to America. These coffee beans also have higher acidity. Many people don’t like the rubbery overtones of Robusta coffee beans. Starbucks, therefore, uses arabica coffee beans to ensure that you can enjoy delicious beverages.

How does Starbucks get its coffee?

Starbucks gets its coffee by sourcing it from over 30 countries. The key growing regions where it gets its arabica coffee include Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. It sources its house blends from Latin America and gets Pike Place roast from Brazil and Colombia. The signature coffee blends at Starbucks come from the Asia Pacific region.

Once it gets its coffee from the different regions, it roasts the coffee beans and then distributes it to thousands of its stores around the US. Starbucks has roasting machines that convert green coffee beans into brown.

This company roasts most of its coffee beans at high temperatures to produce more quantities within a short period. This results in bitter coffee. If you are not a fan of bitter coffee, you can order the drink with your preferred sweeteners at Starbucks.

Who supplies coffee beans to Starbucks?

Tata has been supplying coffee to Starbucks since 2004. The two companies formed a partnership in 2012. They have been working together to pick the right processing and harvesting methods and improve the quality of arabica coffee beans. These companies even developed a popular espresso roast. Starbucks procures at least three percent of the coffee beans sold across the globe.

Final thoughts

Though many people take Starbucks coffee almost daily, not many know where it comes from. Which type of coffee does Starbucks buy? Starbucks uses arabica coffee. This type of coffee is of high quality and has a sweeter flavor than robusta. It gets its arabica coffee beans from different regions like Brazil and Colombia.

FAQ section

Is Starbucks coffee high quality?

Yes. Starbucks uses arabica coffee beans to make its drinks. This type of coffee bean is of high quality since it is grown at high altitudes and has a refined flavor.

Does Starbucks grow its own coffee?

Though Starbucks gets its coffee from different regions, it also purchased its own coffee farm in 2013 in Costa Rica.

What’s the most popular coffee at Starbucks?

White chocolate mocha is the most popular coffee drink at Starbucks. You can either order it in the hot or iced version. It is popular since it has high sugar content from vanilla syrup and white chocolate mocha.