BRAZIL
Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, growing coffee across major regions such as Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Cerrado. The country’s warm climate, reliable rainfall, and expansive rolling landscapes create ideal conditions for large-scale coffee farming, with many farms able to use mechanised harvesting. Brazil mainly produces Arabica and Robusta (locally called Conilon), with Arabica from regions like the Cerrado and southern Minas Gerais often known for chocolatey, nutty flavours and mild acidity. The harvest typically runs from May to September, and many coffees are processed using natural or pulped natural methods, which help create the sweet, full-bodied profiles.
ETHIOPIA
Ethiopia, widely regarded as the birthplace of coffee, is home to millions of smallholder farmers cultivating coffee across fertile highland regions using traditional, low-input methods. In areas such as Sidama, coffee is grown at high altitude under natural forest or semi-forest shade, producing cups with bright citrus, delicate florals, and tea-like clarity. Processing methods vary by community, with both washed and natural techniques used to express the coffee’s character - washed coffees tending toward refined, elegant profiles, while naturals offer greater fruit intensity and sweetness. Many producers are organised into cooperatives connected through the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, supporting fair pricing, sustainable practices, and community development, with groups such as the Koba Mulatu Coffee Cooperative partnering with organisations like TradeAid NZ.
COLOMBIA
Colombia is one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality Arabica coffee, with production centred along the Andes where altitude, volcanic soils, and consistent rainfall create ideal growing conditions. Coffee is typically cultivated on small family farms between 1,200 and 2,200 metres above sea level, producing balanced cups with bright acidity and sweetness. The region of Antioquia is one of the country’s most significant coffee-growing areas, contributing a substantial share of national production and known for classic Colombian profiles with chocolatey, nutty and fruit-toned flavours. Colombian farmers increasingly plant disease-resistant cultivars such as Castillo and Catimor alongside traditional Arabica varieties, helping protect crops from coffee leaf rust while maintaining quality and productivity.
PERU
Peru produces exclusively Arabica coffee, grown high in the Andes across regions such as Cajamarca, Amazonas and San Martín. Much of the coffee is cultivated by smallholder farmers who work within diverse, forested landscapes using organic farming practices and shade-grown systems that support soil health and biodiversity. Eco-friendly processing methods are widely used, helping to reduce water use and environmental impact while maintaining quality. Coffee farming in Peru is deeply rooted in family life and community, with small farms working collectively through cooperatives to produce coffees known for their clean, sweet and balanced profiles.
HONDURAS
Founded in 2000 in the Marcala area of the La Paz region of Honduras, Café Orgánico Marcala (COMSA) began as a cooperative of farmers seeking a sustainable path through the global coffee price crisis. By working together to access the organic coffee market, the group created a more resilient model for small producers. Today COMSA has grown to around 800 members and is recognised for its commitment to organic farming, soil regeneration and environmentally responsible practices such as recycling coffee waste into natural fertiliser. Rooted in the traditions of local Lenca communities, the cooperative promotes biodiversity through shade-grown systems and diversified crops while supporting sustainable coffee production across the region, with partners such as Trade Aid NZ helping connect their coffee to international markets.
MEXICO
Mexico is one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality Arabica coffee, much of it grown by smallholder farmers in mountainous southern regions such as Chiapas. Coffee production here is typically based on small family farms where traditional shade-grown methods support biodiversity and healthy forest ecosystems. Cooperatives such as El Pilar Coffee Cooperative are known for encouraging innovation in sustainable farming and post-harvest processing, with producers refining fermentation, washing, and drying techniques to improve clarity and sweetness in the cup. Many organisations in the region are also working to strengthen gender equality by supporting women in leadership roles and providing training and financial opportunities within coffee-growing communities.
