Naturally Processed Coffee

What is naturally processed coffee? What's involved in the natural process? What happens to the beans? How is the natural process different to the washed and pulped natural/honey process? What can you expect flavour wise from a natural coffee? Find out more here with our guide to natural coffee processing.

After the ripe coffee cherries are picked, they're set out to dry in the sun. Known as sun-dried or, more commonly, natural processing, this causes the fruit around seeds (the green coffee beans) to dry out and shrivel up like a raisin. After they are dry, the fruit is put through machinery at a Dry Mill to remove it and just leave the green beans behind.

Natural processed coffees range in flavour from bruised fruit and boozy flavours through to dried fruit, nutty or chocolatey. They often have a heavier texture than washed coffees and sometimes have a noticeably “funky” quality.

Have a look at all the naturally processed coffees we're currently roasting here.