The impending threat of climate change has scientists and researchers the world over seeking solutions. In the world of coffee, this often means new varieties that are more heat tolerant and resilient against diseases like Leaf Rust. One brand seeking such solutions is Nestlé. The mega-corporation that owns coffee labels including Nescafe, Blue Bottle, and Starbucks at Home has announced they have created a new variety of Arabica coffee, and the potential upsides are very promising.
Announced recently via press release, the new variety is known as Star 4 and was developed by Nestlé’s team of in-house agricultural scientists and agronomists. Using what they describe as “traditional breeding methods,” the researchers created Star 4 from Brazilian varieties, with the goal of creating something resistant to roya. They were successful to this end, and the new variety also produced larger-sized coffee seeds, all while maintaining the characteristic Brazilian coffee profile.
Star 4 was then tested test side-by-side against already extant varieties in São Paulo and Minas Gerais. They found that Star 4 produced yields that were “substantially higher than the two most used Brazilian local varieties.”
This increased productivity, per the researchers, has the knock-on effect of promoting sustainability. Coupled with improved farming practices, these higher yield coffee, they claim, reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their cultivation.
Given that the new variety is the intellectual property of Nestlé, it is unlikely you’ll find any in a bag from your favorite specialty coffee roaster any time soon. Even so, Star 4 has the makings of a big step in the right direction, especially as the global coffee supply struggles to meet demand. More coffee, few greenhouse gases. It’s a double whammy.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
