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Once overshadowed by arabica, robusta is becoming increasingly vital due to rising global demand—177 million 60-kg bags of coffee were consumed worldwide last year (ICO, April 2024)—and its climate resilience and high productivity.

Robusta now makes up 40% of global coffee production, up from 25% in the early 1990s. .

Why does robusta matter?.

The robusta breeding program follows a three-stage process: creation of genetic variation, propagation and distribution of clones, and partner-led evaluation and selection.

In response to industry demand, WCR launched its robusta research and breeding efforts in 2023. By 2024, crosses were underway using elite parent plants.

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@Cirad These crosses will bring together new and unique combinations of valuable genetics with a goal of generating high-performing, climate resilient varieties for many robusta-producing countries.

These seeds were the result of carefully selected parental lines chosen to maximize the valuable genetic diversity from across different genetic groups, some of which was generously provided in an agreement with @CIRAD.

World Coffee Research (WCR) has made significant strides in its robusta breeding program since initiating breeding activities in 2024. In early 2025, WCR successfully harvested seeds from individual trees used in its first round of crosses.

@caravelacoffee @dunkindonuts @keycoffee_jp @lincolnandyork @sucafina_apac @sucafina_eu These companies have demonstrated an expressed commitment to creating the future of coffee through innovation in agricultural research & development. Become a part of our global movement of 200+ companies to secure the future of coffee:

We are proud to recognize our member companies that have been a part of the World Coffee Research (WCR) community for 5 years or more as of the start of 2025:.🌱@caravelacoffee.🌱@dunkindonuts.🌱@keycoffee_jp.🌱@lincolnandyork.🌱Sucafina (@sucafina_NA,@sucafina_apac,@sucafina_eu)

@Starbucks @Intelligentsia @Keurig @drpepper Read more about "Why Your Morning Coffee Costs More—and What You Can Do About It" in this @Eatingwell Article featuring WCR here:

But research and development takes money. More than 200 coffee companies—including @Starbucks, @Intelligentsia, @keurig , and @drpepper—subsidize World Coffee Research.".

Most coffee varieties were created in a breeding push after coffee leaf rust arrived in the Americas in the 1970s, but by now, those varieties have lost their ability to resist the mutating pathogen. World Coffee Research has thousands of varieties of coffee trees in trials.

"'Coffee is under-innovated,' says Hanna Neuschwander, senior communications advisor at World Coffee Research. 'The number of apple varieties registered in the International Register of Varieties is over 5,000 since 1990, and for coffee it’s 120.'

Are you keeping up with the future of coffee?. Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates on our work—we share news about our progress across the globe and new resources, straight to your inbox! 📧.

@peetscoffee @lavazzagroup @Starbucks @Taylors @counter_culture @PhilzCoffee @CommunityCoffee @Unionroasted @Intelligentsia Become a part of our global movement of 200+ companies to secure the future of coffee:

@peetscoffee @lavazzagroup @Starbucks @Taylors @counter_culture @PhilzCoffee @CommunityCoffee @Unionroasted @Intelligentsia Many of these members pledged their support upon WCR’s founding and have invested in the organization’s work ever since, exhibiting a tremendous long-term commitment to creating the future of coffee through innovation in agricultural research & development.

@peetscoffee @lavazzagroup @Starbucks @Taylors @counter_culture 🌱 @philzcoffee.🌱 @communitycoffee.🌱 @unionroasted .🌱 @intelligentsia .🌱 The JM Smucker Co. 🌱 Allegro Coffee.