Coffee is the seed of a cherry grown from a tree in tropical climates from sea level to 6,500 feet above sea level. The Coffee tree is a tropical evergreen that can grow up to 20 or 30 feet in height but are usually trimmed to between 8 and 10 feet to accommodate harvesting. The tree needs lots of water, a warm humid climate and sun.

Three species of coffee are grown commercially: Coffea Arabica, Coffea Robusta, and Coffea Leberica. Of these three varieties Arabica beans are considered the higher quality more aromatic bean. Arabica beans grow best at altitudes between 2,500 feet to 6,500 feet above sea level. Robusta beans are grown from sea level to 2,500 feet above sea level. They usually produce a higher crop yield and are more resistant to disease than the Arabica beans. Coffea Leberica is similar to Robusta but is not used much commercially.

The coffee trees have glossy green leaves and white flower blossoms that turn into the cherries that contain the coffee beans. Each cherry contains two beans and it takes 2,000 cherries or 4,000 beans to produce one pound of coffee. The average coffee tree only produces one to two pounds of coffee per year and it takes 4 to 5 years before a tree produces its first harvest. It can bear fruit for up to thirty years.

Once the cherries are ripe they are picked and prepared to remove the coffee beans. There are two methods for removing the beans from the cherry. The wet method entails the berries passing through a pulping machine with water. The skin and mucilaginous substance is removed and the beans are sent out to dry. The dry method has the cherries spread out over a flat surface in the sun. The beans must be turned over and over until completely dried. After the beans are dry the skin is removed using special machines that separate the skin from the beans. After the skin is removed using either method, the green beans are graded and separated according to size.

The green beans are then bagged and prepared for shipment. The beans are packed in 130 to 150 pound burlap bags or 2,000 pound super sacks. Approximately seven million tons of green coffee is produced worldwide each year.