Florida Grew Arabica Coffee. The Harvest Data Just Arrived.

University of Florida researchers planted arabica coffee 30 miles south of Miami in 2023. In 2025, they harvested it. Not a greenhouse curiosity, actual coffee plants producing actual cherries in actual Florida soil.

The study published in Crop Science this month represents the first serious agronomic assessment of arabica cultivation in the southern United States. Four cultivars. Forty-eight plants. Real yield data. And one very large question mark hanging over specialty coffee sourcing.

Why Sofia Should Pay Attention

For specialty roasters in Bulgaria, operations built on consistent access to traceable beans from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Central America, this research signals something uncomfortable: the map of coffee origins is being redrawn, and not by choice.

A 2022 climate study projected that the world's highest-suitability coffee-growing areas could decline by more than 50% by 2050. Traditional origins face mounting pressure from shifting rainfall patterns and rising temperatures. For roasters who have spent years building direct relationships with specific farms, this instability creates a sourcing problem that no amount of careful cupping can solve.

What the Researchers Actually Found

The trial plots sat at the university's Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida. Researchers germinated 48 arabica plants in 2022, transplanted them in May 2023, and collected their first meaningful harvest data in 2025.

Four cultivars were tested: Typica, chosen for its historical importance and cup quality; and three less common varieties, Fronton, Limani, and Obatã, selected for disease tolerance and productivity.

The yield numbers were encouraging. Average fresh cherry production exceeded 3 kilograms per plant across all four cultivars. Several Fronton plants hit approximately 5 kilograms, while one Obatã plant exceeded 6 kilograms. The funding came partly from Severin Hacker, the Duolingo co-founder who also runs Above Ground Coffee.

The Quality Problem Nobody Can Ignore

Here's where the story gets complicated for specialty coffee.

The Florida-grown cherries averaged about 10 Brix, a measure of soluble sugars in the fruit. Typical arabica from established origins registers between 16 and 20 Brix. That gap matters enormously. Sugar development directly influences sweetness, complexity, and the flavour compounds that make specialty coffee worth paying for.

The researchers identified several possible causes: South Florida's warm nights, which prevent the temperature drops that help sugars concentrate; rocky alkaline soils; uneven rainfall; and the simple fact that these plants were still young.

For specialty roasters like Blue Bag Specialty Coffee in Sofia, which works directly with verified farms to ensure peak ripeness and traceability, the Florida research raises a practical question: as climate shifts traditional origins, will new regions require the same level of direct partnership and quality oversight? Based on this data, the answer appears to be yes.

Фото: Виктор Младенов

One Data Point in a Global Scramble

Parallel research is happening across multiple continents. A 2025 Costa Rica study showed that low-elevation arabica hybrids grown under shade demonstrated promise in the country's Caribbean lowlands. A 2024 Brazilian study explored using high-elevation robusta in place of arabica in existing coffee lands.

The Florida study's authors don't claim immediate commercial viability. Instead, they suggest farm-to-table and agrotourism models as the most realistic near-term path, positioning Florida coffee as a specialty niche rather than a commodity crop. Which aligns with how specialty coffee culture already works: small lots, direct relationships, stories worth telling.

The trial proves that arabica can survive and produce in subtropical conditions outside the traditional coffee belt. It does not prove that Florida coffee will taste good enough to compete with established origins. That distinction matters. The sourcing decisions being made today will determine who has access to quality coffee in 2040.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Florida actually produce specialty-grade arabica coffee?

A: Not yet. The 2025 harvest showed promising yields (over 3 kg per plant), but sugar development averaged only 10 Brix compared to the 16-20 Brix typical of quality arabica. Closing this quality gap will require years of additional research into soil management and cultivar selection.

Q: How much coffee-growing land could be lost to climate change by 2050?

A: A major 2022 study projected that the world's highest-suitability coffee-growing areas could decline by more than 50% by midcentury. This projection drives current research into alternative growing regions like Florida and Costa Rica's lowlands.

Q: What is the most likely commercial path for Florida-grown coffee?

A: The University of Florida researchers identified farm-to-table and agrotourism models as the most promising near-term path. Florida coffee may never become a commodity crop, but could function as a specialty niche with direct consumer relationships.