Over the past decades there have been regular injections of new roasting technology, espresso machine refining, and even coffee processing methods, but we've seen little in the way of new additions to raw plant material. This is one of the reasons why the recent identification of an entirely new genetic group in Yemen is so important – genetic diversity offers a more robust agricultural future. Another reason why this discovery is so important is that the benefits are so firmly tied to traditional small-scale farmer ownership that Yemen's dramatic landscapes - the world's oldest coffee plantation - have been devastated by civil war, climate change, and wildly undulating waters. global market.
Leading research to map the genetics of coffee grown for centuries in the terraced hills of Yemen. The results identified an entirely new genetic 'master' group – Yemenia – and the results in the cup were excellent!
While these coffees are undoubtedly expensive, what really stands out is the added genetic diversity that contributes to coffee's resilience and the potential positive impact it has on the livelihoods of the world's oldest coffee farming community.