COFFEE BEANS

Robusta Coffee Specifications (Commercial Grade)

A standard commercial grade Robusta, often sourced from countries like Vietnam, is typically required to have a moisture content no higher than 12.5% to ensure proper preservation and roasting. It should contain very little foreign matter, usually limited to less than 0.1%, and have a low tolerance for defective beans, with black or broken beans not exceeding 0.4%. The beans are generally screened to be of a medium size, with at least 90% retained on a Screen 16 (about $6.3 \text{mm}$), and are often processed using the less resource-intensive natural (dry) method.

Arabica Coffee Specifications (High-Grown, SHB EP)

High-grade Arabica, such as the Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) European Preparation (EP) variety, demands much stricter quality controls, starting with growth: it must be grown at high altitudes above 1,200 meters (SHB) to ensure maximum bean density. The required moisture content usually falls within a tighter range of 10.0% to 12.5%, and foreign matter is minimized, rarely exceeding 0.2%. Crucially, the defect count is very low, often allowing for a maximum of only 8 to 15 full imperfections per 300-gram sample, ensuring a clean and consistent cup profile.