Unlike Robusta, the Arabica coffee plant is very demanding. It needs a high level of humidity and should not be too hot or too cold. Ideally, it is planted at an altitude between 400 and 1200 meters above sea level; high altitudes are desirable here for slow, healthy growth. Thus, not only the cultivation but also the harvest of Arabica requires a lot of sensitivity and patience.

Despite containing less caffeine than Robusta, Arabica beans are often considered superior in flavor. Arabica tends to taste milder and sweeter, with hints of chocolate and sugar. They often also have notes of fruits or berries. Robusta, on the other hand, has a stronger, harsher, and bitter taste, with grainy or rubbery overtones.

According to the International Coffee Organization, more than 60 percent of world coffee production comes from Arabica growers. This was the type of bean that started the entire history of coffee in Ethiopia, and it still grows best at higher elevations. Glorious smelling, Arabica flowers appear only after a couple of years and produce ellipsoidal fruits, within which are two flat seeds known as coffee beans.

In Colombia, the cultivated species is Arabica, which produces a soft drink, more widely accepted in the world market and at a better price.