Great coffee is the result of a plant’s genotype and the terroir that surrounds it. The environmental factors of climate and soil, combined with farming techniques, create the specific environment, or terroir, of a farm. Some of the environmental factors that affect a coffee plant in its lifetime, such as the elevation at which it grows, are impossible to alter. Others, such as soil nutrition, can be altered, but often only with vast capital expenditure.

To get a clearer picture of the finances of farm management and how aspects of terroir can affect a plant’s shape, size, and other characteristics, we interviewed a range of scientists, agronomists, and green buyers. This book explores how terroir determines the character of a coffee and the success of a crop. It offers an overview of the factors you can control and the steps you can take to support a sustainable coffee crop and produce a great-tasting cup.