All Ethiopian coffee is arabica. Arabica is one of the only two coffees now traded internationally, the other being robusta. Arabica, which forms about two thirds of the world’s coffee trade, is of higher quality, superior flavour and of higher value, but it is lower in caffeine content. It is mostly grown on small farms in the highland tropics (above 2000m). Robusta is bitter, but with twice the caffeine content is used to provide cheaply both the ‘bulk’ and the ‘kick’ of instant coffees…
