Over the past twenty years, coffee has evolved from a humble roasted bean to a processed product shaped by global market forces, food safety concerns, and consumer expectations. While we're all sipping our lattes, far more goes on behind the scenes—including growing, processing, "cleaning," and sometimes bleaching green coffee with chemicals to meet color, size, and weight standards. This transformation reflects shifting economics and regulatory frameworks—but it also raises important health, ethical, and environmental questions.
1. What is “sizing” in coffee, and why is it used?
Sizing broadly refers to manipulating the appearance or weight of green coffee beans to increase perceived quality or conformity to trade specs. Common practices include:
- Bleaching to lighten color (using ammonium-based washes)
- Moisture adjustment (humidifying in mist chambers)
- Weight enhancement by rehydration
- Polishing or glazing with food-grade oil or wax to enhance sheen
These steps help beans pass grading thresholds for size and color used in auction houses and by large roasters, enabling them to command uniform—and higher—prices. But they also reduce biodiversity in practice and mask genuine origin-based characteristics.
2. Trends over the last two decades
a) Global demand for consistent, “grade-A” lots
Global consumption has soared—from about 176 million 60 kg bags in 2022/23 to ongoing projected growth—spurred by rising incomes, especially in Asia and North America (excelsacoffee.com, cafely.com). This hunger for uniform, high-grade product has pressured producers to conform to sizing expectations—even if it means enhanced processing.
b) Sun-grown, high-yield systems requiring agrochemicals
Many farmers replaced shade-grown systems with sun-tolerant hybrids and synthetic fertilizers to boost yield. While boosting output, this transition often necessitates fungicides and pesticides to control pests and fungi.
In a 2023 review on global coffee sustainability, heavy agrochemical use was cited as a primary environmental concern—from field to cup (Wiley Food Science Journal).
c) Emergence of "cleaner label" and health-focused concerns
Increased awareness of chemical residues has led to stricter regulations, targeting fungicides, solvent residues in decaffeinated beans, and mycotoxins from poor drying.
d) Technological changes enabling more processing
Modern tools like misting chambers, optical sorters, and polishing machines have made sizing fast and cheap. Large-scale Coffee Processing Centers (CPCs) now reprocess beans to meet strict export standards.
3. Quantifying the chemical footprint
- Fungicide sprays: In Brazil and Colombia, surveys show that 60–70% of conventional farms apply fungicides—up from ~50% in 2005.
- Moisture adjustment: Green beans are dried to 10–12% moisture, then sometimes rehydrated to 12.5–13.5% to add weight.
- Color/bleaching washes: Washes using ammonia or chlorine were once common, and still show up in lab tests on imported lots as recently as 2020.
4. Drivers behind the increase
- Rigid trade specs: Push for uniform beans by importers favors processed beans.
- High-volume buyers: Processors chase premiums by manipulating bean quality.
- Regulations: Safety rules increase pressure to chemically treat beans.
- Climate change: Rising disease and drought require more agrochemical input on traditional species.
5. Environmental and health concerns
- Residues may remain even after roasting.
- Farm workers face chemical exposure.
- Monocrop runoff harms soil and biodiversity.
6. The counter-wave: specialty, shade-grown, and regenerative coffee
Consumers are driving demand for transparency and sustainability. Certifications like Rainforest Alliance and Bird-Friendly signal efforts to reduce chemical use, but even certified farms sometimes apply limited pesticides. Shade-grown methods help, but aren’t universally applied or scalable (Wikipedia).
Enter Excelsa – A Game-Changer in Sustainable Coffee
1. What is Excelsa?
Excelsa is a distinct species of coffee—Coffea excelsa—that grows as a full-sized tree, often reaching 15 meters. It has deep roots, strong limbs, and remarkable tolerance to pests, drought, and disease.
It’s native to Africa but is grown in places like Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and now parts of Central America and Puerto Rico. It is part of a rising wave of climate-resilient, chemical-free coffee farming (AP News).
2. Natural resilience means fewer agrochemicals
- Thick leaves and deep roots protect the tree naturally
- Survives drought and extreme heat
- Requires zero pesticides or fungicides in many environments
According to Perfect Daily Grind and MTPak, Excelsa is gaining traction because of its hardiness and sustainable nature.
3. Climate adaptation under duress
Brazil’s harvests have dropped due to heat and drought. But Excelsa remains strong in these conditions, offering a future-proof solution (AP News).
4. Flavor, yield, and value
- Flavor: Bright, tart, sometimes spicy or fruity—far from bitter
- Yield: Slower to mature, but longer-lived than Arabica
- Value: Specialty-worthy, rare, and under 1% of global coffee
Learn more about its flavor from Cafe du Monde.
5. Sustainability case & our farm’s role
- No chemicals—zero pesticides or fungicides used
- Tree-based ecosystem that supports local biodiversity
- Roasted locally in California, ensuring freshness and traceability
Our methods align with increasing consumer demand for transparency and impact. According to Market Research Future, over 40% of coffee consumers are willing to pay more for sustainably grown beans.
6. Comparison: Excelsa vs. commodity coffee
| Feature | Arabica Commodity | Sun-grown Robusta | Excelsa (Tree-Based) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticide use | Moderate–High | High | Minimal to None |
| Water requirement | Moderate | High | Low |
| Climate resilience | Low | Medium | High |
| Flavor | Balanced | Bitter | Fruity, Spicy, Tart |
| Agrochemical need | Medium | High | Minimal |
The Road Forward: Scaling Chemical-Free Coffee
Excelsa represents a bold alternative. With local roasting, direct-to-consumer sales, and climate-friendly cultivation, we’re committed to showing that coffee can be flavorful, profitable, and sustainable all at once.
Conclusion: A Hopeful Brew Ahead
- Global coffee has leaned heavily on chemicals and sizing practices over the past 20 years.
- Environmental, ethical, and flavor concerns are prompting consumers to demand better options.
- Excelsa offers a compelling path forward: zero pesticides, tree-grown resilience, and superior flavor.
- We believe this is the future of coffee—and we’re growing it ourselves, without chemicals or shortcuts.
Ready to taste the future? Visit ExcelsaCoffee.com and try it for yourself.