World Coffee Research

Without innovation, coffee could face a significant supply gap. Underinvestment in R&D drives instability, consolidation, and loss—fewer farmers and fewer countries growing coffee, and greater supply risk. By 2030, we anticipate a supply gap of up to 62.3 million bags of coffee globally. What does that number mean? A gap of 62.3 million bags nearly equates to the total amount of coffee that Brazil—the highest-producing country worldwide—yields in a single year (ICO, 2020). For our industry to close this gap without innovation, we would have to bring another "Brazil" online within the next 7 years, which is not a realistic solution. Instead, World Coffee Research aims to meet this central challenge through the development and introduction of technologies that can increase coffee yields, mitigate losses from pests and diseases, and bolster the climate resilience of our favorite crop. Read more about our work on our website: https://lnkd.in/gFbMnGGv

Supporting research institutions in producing nations is critical for ensuring a diverse and high-quality supply of coffee that supports farmer success. WCR supports national breeding programs in multiple coffee-producing countries to assess their breeding capacity, develop roadmaps for investment and modernization, network with other breeders from within and beyond coffee, and take advantage of global tools developed by WCR and others. Read more about how we do this and the types of support we offer our partners: https://lnkd.in/gXNhMeyv

We're accelerating progress for coffee. Typical breeding timelines are long—and the journey for new varieties to reach farmers is sometimes even longer. But, at World Coffee Research, we're accelerating progress through the implementation of modern methods, co-investment from the public and private sectors, and collaboration with national governments to overcome regulatory bottlenecks. While the agricultural R&D that's necessary to innovate coffee farming and ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry will take time—it will be worth it—and with targeted investment and efficient, globally coordinated efforts, we'll be able to get there sooner rather than later. Learn more about our work: https://lnkd.in/gFbMnGGv

It was a pleasure to welcome Anne Abberton in Peru this summer! Thanks for engaging with our work on the ground and for your continued support of the future of coffee.

After discovering the contribution of World Coffee Research in promoting collaborative research and development in the world of coffee, it was a pleasure and an honour to savour the aroma of the coffee beans harvested from the new coffee varieties they developed. And a joy being able to share it with our colleagues under the skilled guide of Elisa from Taste Coffee. #TransformingWithIntegrity #WorldCoffeeResearch #DeLonghi

Congratulations to World Coffee Research member companies Dear Green Coffee Roasters and Wonderstate Coffee on the amazing achievement of taking home Roast Magazine’s 2025 Roaster of the Year awards! We are so appreciative of your brands’ strong commitment to the future of coffee.

Farmers need varieties that perform better than what they already have. Through our international network of trials, we test both existing and new varieties—in the field and in the cup—and support the creation/diffusion of better plants that meet both farmers’ and roasters’ needs. Read about our programs, including our trials, on our website: https://lnkd.in/et_XJQX6

Did you know? Robusta is more sensitive to rising temperatures than many previously thought. It has been long reported that robusta can be grown in hotter, more humid temperature ranges, lower altitudes, and with fewer maintenance requirements. Despite these attributes, robusta is still sensitive to disturbances, and many current assessment overestimate its suitable production environment. For example, temperatures over 20.5 degrees C can have a significant impact on yields, and many robusta varieties are still susceptible to key diseases and pests. That's why World Coffee Research is elevating robusta breeding as a priority alongside arabica—improving the species will make farming it more sustainable, and developing new varieties will give farmers the choices they need to succeed. Learn more about our robusta breeding program and our next steps: https://lnkd.in/gvgfZxrw

World Coffee Research offers its sincere congratulations to member companies Dear Green Coffee Roasters, Driftaway Coffee, and Wonderstate Coffee, all of which have been announced as finalists in Roast Magazine's 2025 Roaster of the Year awards! Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/g_xeyfFn

We had a wonderful time convening with our UK members this week! Thanks to Union Hand-Roasted Coffee for welcoming us into their space and hosting folks from companies large and small that are coming together to forge the future of coffee through investment in innovative, collaborative research & development.