According to Coffee.org, Tanzanian Peaberry has 1.42% caffeine whilst most other beans come in at around 1-1.37%. So, this is a 10-40% higher caffeine content per bean, depending on where it is grown.

Many challenges met the Tanzanian coffee board over time. However, the country continuously works on bettering its brand. Because most Tanzanian coffee is used as a blend in other brands, it has lost worth within the global market. While this is the case, the Japanese market appreciates Tanzanian coffee beans. It maintains the brand name “Tanzania Kilimanjaro Coffee” since the All Japan Fair Trade Council decided that Tanzania may retain this label in 1991. Regardless of the region in which the coffee beans were produced, if coffee beans from Tanzania is exported or forms part of a blend containing at least 30% of Tanzanian peaberry coffee beans, they use this label. Due to this appreciation from Japan, they rank as the leading importer. However, beyond the auction system, there is an active “internal market” in Tanzania. This is where farmers sell their coffee to private coffee buyers, farmer groups, and co-operatives at farmgate prices. Coffee is sold as both cherry and parchment. A railway expansion into Tanzania allowed the British to expand their network of coffee farming in Tanzania, and in 1925 the KNPA (Kilimanjaro Native Planter’s Association) was formed. It was the first of many coffee cooperatives to form in Tanzania and helped farmers obtain better prices for their beans. Post-Independent Production of Tanzania Coffee

McDonald’s uses 100% Arabica Coffee beans as opposed to Robusta. Arabica is known for its smooth and consistent flavor. It appeals to the masses due to its drinkability, moderate caffeine content, and versatile pairing with many foods. Needless to say, it’s clear why McDonald’s would choose such a coffee bean. Which coffee has the most caffeine in? By not having to grow with a twin, the beans don’t develop one flat side. Instead, peaberry beans are smaller and rounder than regular coffee beans. They also don’t have to share any of the natural resources when developing which can lead to a sweeter, more pronounced flavor. A single bean is able to develop flavours more fully, being given the nutrients of two beans instead of one, and the more uniform size allows for better flavor development during roasting. It’s very difficult to be objective in these matters as the ease of roasting is something that’s not too easy to measure.

Tanzania’s colonial past directed them to opt for British nomenclature of grading coffee. These grade the Tanzania coffee beans according to their density, shape and size. The eleven grades for the Tanzania coffee characteristics are: Peaberry coffee has a reputation of being sweeter tasting and considered to have a superior cup profile compared to ‘standard’ beans. However, there is a mixture of opinions on this for various reasons – and this is another blog post all together!! I will therefore keep it simple, peaberry coffee beans are special in way as they are not standard, they are labour intensive, they even react differently during the roasting process (mainly due to their round shape and their density) and, yes, one could argue that they have received more nutrients (due to them not sharing with the other half) but most importantly, if they are great quality just like a great quality ‘standard’ bean, then they will also taste superb! OUR TANZANIAN PEABERRY COFFEE

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Specialty coffee suppliers tend to market pure peaberry coffee at a premium. While its rarity and labour-intensive sorting process naturally drive higher prices, they also suggest it has a superior cup profile to normal coffee beans. At these auctions, AMCOS offer coffee on behalf of farmers, and only licensed buyers and coffee dealers are allowed to bid. Occasionally, the cherry develops differently and as I said earlier, through a natural mutation in the plant, on this occasion, only one seed develops inside the cherry. This is called a Peaberry! Peaberry beans are rounder and denser, due to the extra space within the cherry. Peaberry beans are found in about 5% of the worlds coffee and they also usually constitute 5%-10% of a harvest. Whether it’s a light roast or a medium roast, full development is essential. When performing a light roast, there is a much higher chance of inadequate development, as the coffee is roasted for less time and with less heat than a medium roast.

Most expansions failed, and production was hindered due to a mass movement in the 1970s caused by Ujamaa. Prior to 1976, Tanzania coffee trades were handled in Bukoba (Robust) and Moshi (Arabica), where two cooperative owned factories were situated. Coffee produced was sold at an auction in Moshi, and in 1977 the Coffee Authority of Tanzania was mandated by the government following the disestablishment of cooperative coffee unions. These government interventions, paired with high growing costs, caused severe suffering in the production of Tanzania coffee. Located in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro’s southern slopes, Kilimanjaro Plantation has been growing and producing high-quality coffee since 1955 as one of the first large scale single-origin producers in Tanzania. Kilimanjaro Plantation is made up of four individual farms: Two Bridges, Lyamungo, Mlama, and Kahawa. 95% of KP’s production is washed, though they are actively experimenting with more honey and natural processing. Drying is done on raised beds, where KP’s employees carefully monitor the moisture level of each lot to ensure even drying. First and foremost expect some stone fruit flavor notes. Big chunky stone fruits in the cup. Peaches, apricot, cherries, and currents. You might also find some more delicate vanilla flavor notes, as well as more herbal vibes like chamomile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plenty of coffee bean brands process their coffee using the wet method, but the dry method is just as popular. Regardless of wet or dry, most Tanzania Peaberry coffee uses a natural process to separate the beans from the cherries. Image Credit: Abdullah Öztürk, Pexels What is the Flavor Profile? Furthermore, we want to note that there are other factors that impact the quality of coffee beans far more than their shape and density. A bad roast or environment is going to produce subpar beans regardless of whether they’re peaberry or flat berries. If you like the profile of the region the peaberry is from and you know it’s a quality batch, chances are you’ll find it tastes pretty good. Coffee from Tanzania hadn’t yet gained momentum, nor had it developed the name for itself that it has today. No-one had heard much of Tanzanian coffee, and certainly not of Tanzanian peaberry. While Peaberry is more flavourful, Plantation A has more strength “The taste depends a lot on the variety of the beans and the blend. Coffee making is an art. It is not enough if you just put the powder in boiling water and add milk. Is coffee a fruit?

The history of coffee in Tanzania, being so close to the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia, is long-standing, extending long before colonization. While it wasn’t produced for commercial purposes until the 1890s, coffee was used by the local people as a fruit that was chewed on, rather than a bean brewed into a beverage. Tanzania's major coffee growing regions include Arusha (Meru), the Moshi district (on the slopes of Kilimanjaro), Oldeani (in the Arusha region), and Pare, the high plateau between Lake Taganyika and Lake Nyassa as well as Songea, the capital of the Ruvuma region of southeastern Tanzania where the Ruvuma River forms most of the southern boundary with Mozambique.Since the 19th century, coffee has been one of the most important exports in the country. It only makes up 0.7% of the global coffee trade, but it is the largest export crop in Tanzania – and has only recently been overtaken by other industries, such as tourism and mining. Peaberries are the result when the one ovule within the cherry fails to pollinate. This leaves plenty of extra room for the one developing seed to grow larger and rounder than a standard single seed would.