About Liberica | Belitung Bay

We chose to grow Liberica coffee because it represents the future of sustainable coffee production, especially in light of global coffee specialist trends favoring unique, resilient varieties. While Arabica and Robusta, which dominate the global coffee market, are increasingly struggling with the impacts of climate change—such as lower productivity and susceptibility to diseases like coffee rust—Liberica stands out for its natural disease resistance and adaptability.

Despite making up less than 1.5% of global coffee trade, Liberica offers a rare opportunity for differentiation and something new for coffee lovers.Unlike Arabica, which requires high altitudes of 1,200 to 2,000 meters above sea level, or Robusta, which thrives at 200 to 800 meters, Liberica flourishes at low altitudes, making Belitung Island, with its tropical climate and sea-level environment, the ideal location. These conditions not only allow for productive cultivation but also enhance the unique, bold flavor profile of the Liberica bean, positioning us to meet growing demand for sustainable, high-quality coffee.

The full life cycle of a Liberica coffee bean, from blossom to final ground coffee.

Liberica trees have large leaves that are resistant to disease

YEAR

1740s

Liberica Coffee Discovery

Liberica Coffee Discovered in Liberia, West Africa. Began to spread.

YEAR

1880's

YEAR

1875

Introduction to Southeast Asia

Liberica introduced to Southeast Asia as a disease resistant alternative to Arabica

YEAR

1870's

YEAR

1950's

Decline in Global Popularity

Decline in Liberica popularity as Arabica and Robusta dominate the market.

YEAR

2000's

Liberica Takes Root in Indonesia

Spread of coffee leaf rust

Resurgence in Popularity

Disease devastates Arabica plantations, especially in Southeast Asia

Liberica planted in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra and Java.

Climate concerns and specialty coffee trends raise interest in Liberica coffee

History

Liberica coffee originated in the tropical regions of West and Central Africa and was first spread by Spanish colonial powers to the Philippines in the 1740’s, where it is still known as “Kapeng Barako”. However, its real popularity came later in the 1870’s, when coffee leaf rust disease began to spread and wipe out significant portions of Arabica plantations, especially in Asia. This made growers turn to Liberica coffee, which had a natural resistance to the disease and could grow at lower and warmer altitudes than Arabica plants. During this time in the late 1800’s, Liberica was a leading global coffee crop alongside Arabica, but today it accounts for only around 1% of global coffee production — why is this?

There are three main reasons that Liberica coffee became less popular over the past 100 years:

Robusta emerged as the leading coffee species alongside Arabica.

The Robusta species of coffee shared many of the same benefits as Liberica (resistance to disease, ability to grow at lower altitudes). As well as this, Robusta coffee has a strong flavour and high caffeine content, which made it perfect to blend together with Arabica beans for the mass market and commodity coffee. Because of this, Robusta overtook Liberica and now accounts for ~40% of global coffee production (Arabica ~60%).
Liberica coffee beans are more difficult to process to a high quality

Liberica coffee trees and fruits are much bigger than the Arabica and Robusta species, with the coffee fruit having a thick layer of flesh and skin. Due to this, it was more difficult to dry the beans consistently, and often resulted in unpalatable flavours because the fruit started to ferment. Because of the larger trees (up to 20m), Liberica plants also had lower yields than Arabica or Robusta, making them less attractive to growers.
Arabica production expanded significantly, especially in Brazil

Brazil became a global leader in coffee production, especially of Arabica coffee and by the 1920’s was producing 75% of the worlds coffee on its own. This rapid expansion of production drove global coffee prices down and shifted consumer tastes towards the milder and cheaper Arabica beans, further pushing Liberica to the side-lines of global coffee production.

But many of the factors that hindered the popularity of Liberica coffee in the past are beginning to emerge as unique and desirable characteristics of this rare coffee as it continues to grow in popularity.

Future

For decades, Liberica coffee remained on the fringes of global production - overlooked for it’s historical disadvantages and overshadowed by Arabica and Robusta . However, the coffee industry is now facing a turning point. With climate change threatening traditional coffee growing regions and consumers looking for more unique, sustainable, and high quality options — Liberica is making a comeback.

As temperatures and rainfall across the world’s coffee growing regions become more erratic, farmers of Arabica and Robusta coffee are faced with the need to move to higher altitudes or invest in costly mitigation strategies to survive. This cost is being passed on to consumers, as unpredictable weather patterns and low harvests of Brazilian Arabica and Vietnamese Robusta have driven coffee prices up by 70% between November 2024 and March 2025. Some analysts even predict that extreme weather conditions could double the price of coffee within the next year.

So it is not surprising that Liberica is garnering more interest, with its suitability to lowland tropical environments, disease resistance, and ability to survive drought periods. These advantages mean that Liberica coffee needs less water and chemical pesticides, as well as being able to grow across a larger geographical range - like the beachfront of Belitung Island. As the coffee producers and consumers look for more sustainable and resilient solutions, Liberica’s adaptability makes it a key player in the future of coffee production.

The market is also evolving, with specialty coffee increasing in popularity and more drinkers actively seeking new and exotic flavours beyond the traditional Arabica-Robusta spectrum. Modern processing techniques are able to bring out the best of Liberica’s natural complexity — enhancing its floral, fruity, and wine-like notes while eliminating the harsh flavours that have historically hurt its reputation. As more producers follow in the footsteps of Belitung Bay and refine their processing techniques, Liberica will shift from a forgotten species to a premium specialty coffee variety — allowing more coffee drinkers to appreciate the unique sensory experience of Liberica’s bold aromatic profile.

We are proud to be at the forefront of this movement, cultivating high-quality, sustainable Liberica coffee that reflects the best of what this unique species has to offer. By embracing both tradition and innovation, we are helping to shape a future where coffee is more diverse, climate-resilient, and sustainable—ensuring that the next generation of coffee drinkers can continue to enjoy exceptional coffee, no matter what challenges the world may face.

Liberica isn’t just a coffee of the past—it’s a coffee of the future. And we’re bringing that future to you, one cup at a time.

Liberica Coffee Historical Timeline

YEAR

1840s

Liberica Coffee Discovery

YEAR

1875

Introduction into Southeast Asia

YEAR

1950s

Decline in Global Popularity

Liberica Coffee Discovered in Liberia, West Africa.

Liberica Introduced to Southeast Asia as a disease-resistant alternative.

Global Decline of Liberica as Arabica and Robusta dominate markets.

YEAR

1870s

Spread of Coffee Rust Disease

YEAR

1880s

Liberica Takes Roots in Indonesia

YEAR

2000s

Resurgence of Interest

Coffee Rust Disease devastates Arabica coffee crops globally.

Liberica planted in Indonesia, particularly in Java and Sumatra.

Resurgence of interest in Liberica due to specialty coffee trends.