Roasted Coffee

Bulk Roasted Robusta Coffee

Robusta in a roasted programme is a functional decision. It is chosen for what it does to body, crema and cost in a blend, and those effects are predictable enough to specify tightly.

Last reviewed August 20262 min read

Quick answer

Bulk roasted Robusta may be supplied primarily from Ugandan and Tanzanian (Kagera) green Robusta. It is bought for body, crema and price stability in espresso blends and for industrial applications, and is specified by screen and defect basis before the roast is discussed.

Why a roasted programme uses Robusta

Crema and body in espresso. Robusta produces a denser, more persistent crema and a heavier mouthfeel than Arabica at the same roast degree. In the Italian espresso tradition this is the point of it, not a compromise.
Cost stability. Robusta trades on a different market to Arabica. A blend carrying a Robusta component is less exposed to Arabica differentials.
Caffeine content. Robusta carries roughly twice the caffeine of Arabica, which matters for some product specifications.
Soluble and extraction applications. Higher soluble solids yield makes Robusta the default input for much of the instant coffee industry. See green Robusta.

Origins

East African Robusta for roasting
Origin	Preparation	Typical specification
Uganda	Natural (dry-processed)	Screen 18, 17, 15, 14/12 and FAQ
Tanzania — Kagera	Predominantly natural	Screen 15 and above; screen 18 for a sized parcel

Washed Robusta is produced in smaller volumes and cups noticeably cleaner. Availability varies by crop and is confirmed per enquiry.

Specifying roasted Robusta

The green specification does more work here than in an Arabica programme, because Robusta quality is dominated by drying discipline and defect load rather than by terroir.

Fields that matter most

Screen: Screen 18, 17, 15 or FAQ — see screen sizes
Defect basis: The single largest driver of cup cleanliness in Robusta
Moisture: Range plus the measurement method
Preparation: Natural or washed, stated explicitly
Roast degree: Against a retained reference sample
Blend ratio: Where supplied as a component, stated as a percentage

Availability

Bulk roasted and ground coffee is supplied subject to product specification, origin availability, roasting capacity and commercial agreement. Nothing on this page is an offer or a confirmation of stock — availability, lead time and minimum quantity are confirmed per enquiry.

Roasted Robusta enquiries

Send the screen, defect basis, roast reference, format and quantity — or describe the blend the coffee is going into and we will propose a specification.

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Frequently asked questions

What Robusta percentage should an espresso blend carry?

That is a product decision, not a technical one — commercial Italian-style blends span from none to a majority. What we can do is supply a stated ratio consistently and tell you how the components behave. We will not recommend a ratio without knowing the machine, the market and the price point.

Is washed Robusta worth the difference?

It generally cups cleaner, with less of the woody, rubbery character that unwashed Robusta can carry. Whether that is worth the premium depends entirely on how visible the Robusta component is in the finished product. Ask for both on a sample and cup them in the blend rather than alone.

Can you supply Robusta for soluble coffee production?

Green Robusta for extraction is a core part of the green coffee business and is specified by screen and defect tolerance. See green Robusta. Roasted or extracted intermediate products are a different conversation and depend on the application.

Tell us the coffee you need

Lots can be specified by origin, region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year and packaging. Send what you know and we will confirm what each origin realistically supports.