Liberica and Excelsa confirmed as separate species — Our journey with Excelsa continues
Yesterday, a landmark study published in Nature Plants confirmed that Coffea liberica and Excelsa are not the same, they are genetically and morphologically distinct species.
This discovery has big implications for the future of coffee biodiversity, breeding and climate resilience.
For us, it reaffirms the path we started back in 2023.
Our Excelsa journey since 2023
At Peacocks Coffee, we’ve been working closely with Mooleh Manay Estate and South India Coffee Company (SICC) to share the story and potential of Excelsa with the world.
• 2023 Matteo brought Excelsa to the competition stage for the first time, highlighting its unique cup profile, achieving a 2nd place in the national barista championship.
• The same year we visited Komal and Akshay at their breathtaking farm in Coorg, Karnataka and learned firsthand about their innovative, data-driven farming and processing methods.
• During the visit Matteo spoke alongside Dr. Aaron Davis at the World Coffee Conference in India, discussing coffee species diversity and the potential of Excelsa.
About Mooleh Manay Estate & SICC
Located near the backwaters of the Harangi Reservoir, Mooleh Manay is unlike any other coffee farm we’ve visited. Coffee here is shade-grown in a thriving agroforestry system, cultivated alongside other species for a healthier ecosystem.
Komal and Akshay grow different coffee species applying meticulous, data-driven processing to bring out each coffee’s best qualities. Their research arm, SICC Labs, focuses on low-intervention coffee species to climate-proof the future of coffee.
Why Excelsa matters
Excelsa has long been grown in India, often as a border crop, but has been overlooked due to harvesting challenges and susceptibility to pests if left unpicked. Yet it offers huge untapped potential:
• Unique sensory profile
• Lower caffeine content (0.9–0.98%) than Arabica
• Climate resilience, potential to diversify and strengthen coffee production in a warming world.
Local farmers sometimes group Excelsa with Liberica under the name Mara Kaapi (“Tree Coffee”), but DNA tests have confirmed the authenticity of Mooleh Manay’s Excelsa plants.
Looking Ahead, the 2025 crop
We’re not stopping here. We believe Excelsa is one of coffee’s most exciting frontiers, and we’re proud to continue our collaboration with Mooleh Manay, SICC and This Side Up to showcase its potential.
The 2025 crop is already on the way and we can’t wait to share it with you.
