While there are more than 120 species of coffea, the genus of coffee plants, the two most common are Coffea Arabica (accounting for 60%-80% of the coffee on the market) and Coffea canephora or Robusta (accounting for 20%-40%).

The manual or mechanical process of harvesting ripe coffee cherries from coffee trees during the harvest season.

Though sometimes used interchangeably with “farmer,” a coffee producer typically serves in a supervisory role and can oversee operations at multiple farms from quality control to export logistics.

Coffee beans come from the coffee tree (or plant, shrub). These trees can grow to a height of 15-20 feet in the wild and live for up to 100 years.

A large-scale facility — typically found close to a port — where green coffee beans are stored before being shipped to roasters.

A brewing method that involves steeping coffee grounds in room-temperature to cold water for approximately 12-20 hours. Cold brew coffee lacks some of the bitterness and acidity of hot-water brewing methods. A 12-oz cup contains 109–285 mg of caffeine compared to about 144 mg for a 12-oz drip.

A term used to denote coffee with a cupping quality score of 60-80 according to the Specialty Coffee Association’s standard form.

Coffee beans that represent a flavor profile from a specific region and community of producers. Community lots allow roasters to support smallholder farmers and maintain regional traceability.

A formal agreement between buyer and seller that specifies terms i.e. price, quantity, and delivery conditions for coffee purchases.

A cultivated coffee plant variety bred for specific traits i.e. disease resistance, flavor profile, or yield. Also referred to as “varietal” or “botanical origin.”