Introduction to Major African Coffee Producing Countries - Best African Coffee Beans - How to Drink African Coffee Powder

Introduction to Major African Coffee Producing Countries

Yemen

Famous Representative Coffee: Mocha Mattari

Early Yemeni coffee was mainly exported from the port of Mocha, so later all coffee exported from here was named Mocha. Yemen's most famous coffees are Mattari and Sanani. Among them, Mattari tastes richer, with stronger fruit acidity and cocoa flavors, while Sanani has a more balanced taste and aroma. Yemeni coffee beans belong to the Arabica species. Generally, Mocha beans are smaller in size compared to regular coffee beans, looking quite different from other large coffee beans. However, despite their small size, they contain distinctive characteristics, especially their bright fruit acidity, which often serves as a flavor-enhancing role in blended coffees. No wonder they are compared to red wine in coffee, with memorable aromas and acidity.

The name Mocha has several spellings: "Mocca", "Mocha", "Moka", "Mokha"... etc., but they all represent the same meaning. Mocha coffee beans have a unique chocolate flavor that becomes especially apparent when dark roasted, which is why a flavored coffee with chocolate syrup is also named "Mocha Coffee."

Ethiopia

Famous Representative Coffee: Mocha Harra, Yirgacheffe

Ethiopia faces Yemen across the Red Sea and is the world's first place where Arabica coffee trees were discovered. Coffee is grown almost everywhere in the country. The eastern highlands of Harra produce the famous Harra Mocha, which has special wine-like aroma and acidity, comparable to Yemeni Mocha, making it high-quality coffee. Sidamo and Djimmah in the south are also well-known coffee-producing regions. The coffee they produce has a slightly different taste from Harra's, with cleaner acidity and nut aromas. Within Sidamo, there is a small area called Yirgacheffe, whose coffee has very charming characteristics, with jasmine and lemon aromas, as well as a special honey-like sweet taste, making it globally famous.

Why is the port of Mocha in Yemen, but Ethiopian coffee is also called Mocha? This is because previously Ethiopian coffee was also exported from Yemen's Mocha port, so it was also named Mocha, then further distinguished by different origin names, such as Mocha Harra, Mocha Djimmah, etc. So the same Mocha coffee could come from Yemen or Ethiopia.

Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Famous Representative Coffee: None

Côte d'Ivoire is a country in West Africa, next to Guinea and Liberia. The name Côte d'Ivoire comes from French translation, while the direct phonetic translation would be Côte d'Ivoire. Under French rule, to stimulate exports, coffee was massively planted along coastal areas together with cocoa and palm trees. By the 1960s, coffee production had increased to make Côte d'Ivoire the third largest coffee exporting country after Brazil and Colombia. However, in recent years, due to climate, economic factors, and reduced production from aging coffee trees, its coffee production no longer maintains its former glory.

Since Côte d'Ivoire is also a major African coffee producer, why aren't we very familiar with Ivorian coffee? This is because almost all Ivorian coffee is of the Robusta species, with only a few experimental Arabica coffees. As mentioned earlier, Robusta coffee, due to its special taste and characteristics, is mostly used for blended instant coffee or canned coffee, rarely consumed directly as specialty coffee in single-origin form, so it doesn't often appear among the coffee-producing countries we commonly mention.

Malawi

Famous Representative Coffee: Malawi

Malawi is a small country in southeastern Africa and a landlocked country without a coast. Its coffee is mostly grown in the northern plateau region, but production is not large. However, although it has no coastline, you can see on the map that there is a very large lake to its northeast - Lake Malawi, which is also the natural boundary separating Malawi from neighboring countries. Compared to Kenya, Malawi's coffee also has considerable sweetness and aroma, but its acidity expression is lower, showing another style. If we compare Kenya's acidity to high notes, Malawi's acidity feels like mid-to-low notes.

All coffee grown in Malawi is Arabica species, processed using the washed method. It is the country's ninth largest export product, accounting for only about 5% of total exports. However, what's special is that although export quantities are very limited, its coffee production and marketing is handled by local people who form their own production and marketing companies responsible for production, processing, and sales operations, rather than government-led coffee distribution like in Kenya. Under this independent operation model, Malawi's coffee quality has maintained a considerable level, making it one of the coffees quite favored by traders.

Zimbabwe

Famous Representative Coffee: Zimbabwe

From the map, you can see that Zimbabwe is located in southern Africa, a landlocked country without a coast, bordering Mozambique to the right. Zimbabwe only started growing coffee in the early 20th century, mainly planted in the eastern plateau region, all processed using the washed method. Zimbabwe's coffee characteristics are similar to Kenya's with strong acidity and fruit aromas, but unlike Kenya, it has a pepper-like taste. The best coffee comes from the Chipinge area.

Tanzania

Famous Representative Coffee: Kilimanjaro

Tanzania is also located in eastern Africa, just south of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean to the east with a coastline stretching 1500 kilometers. Coffee is not the main agriculture in Tanzania, mostly small-scale operations, with other major agricultural exports including corn and cotton. Coffee is mostly planted in northern Tanzania near Mount Kilimanjaro volcanic slopes adjacent to Kenya. About 70% is Arabica species, processed using the washed method, while the remaining 30% of Robusta species is processed using the natural method. Kilimanjaro coffee produced here generally has strong acidity, though slightly weaker than Kenya's, with a taste similar to Kenya's - rich texture with thick sweet aroma.

Kenya

Famous Representative Coffee: Kenya AA

Kenya is located in East Africa, on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to the east, Ethiopia to the north, and Tanzania to the south. Kenyan coffee characteristics include distinct fruit aroma and fruit acidity, with rich texture and a hint of wine aroma. Kenyan coffee is mostly grown in the southwestern and eastern plateau regions. All varieties are Arabica species and all washed coffee. Common varieties include Bourbon, Typica, Kents, and Riuri 11. When lightly roasted, Kenyan coffee's bright fruit aroma and acidity are described by some as being like fruit tea, showing its unique flavor. Among them, the famous Kenya AA has full-bodied beans, rich and intense taste, and is well-regarded worldwide.

African Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

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