Robusta

At the present time - Robusta - the only significant competitor to the cultivated species of Arabica coffee. Robusta is now about 30% of world coffee production. This type of coffee is grown at low altitude, robusta trees above in size than the Arabica trees.

Robusta can make tight, but tasteless and low-quality beverage with higher levels of caffeine than Arabica. This type of coffee is used as the main component for the production of instant coffee, as well as for economy commercial mixtures. Robusta is not used in the coffee market specialty, other than in exceptional cases, adding it to increase body drink in some mixture of Italian style.

Historically, this type of coffee has begun to develop and actively cultivated during the development of the competitive wars in America and Europe in the 40-50's, when producers by reducing the cost of the product were trying to increase their market share. In this over-active use of robusta in some countries has led to a decrease in the level of coffee consumption as a product, and the general decline in the market. See also arabica coffee.