The Terroir: Why Madagascar?

Madagascar isn’t just lemurs and vanilla beans. The country’s highlands offer volcanic soil, high altitudes, and a climate that forces coffee cherries to mature slowly.

Unlike mass-market Robusta grown in direct sun on flat Vietnamese plains, our Madagascar beans are shade-grown under native canopies. This slower maturation allows the beans to develop dense, intricate sugars. The result? A cup that boasts low bitterness and high body—a rarity in the Robusta world.

Flavour Profile: Cream, Chocolate, and Spice

If you are used to Arabica’s bright acidity, this Robusta offers a beautiful counterbalance. We are picking up notes of:

· Toasted hazelnut

· Dark chocolate

· Dried fig

· A whisper of Madagascar black pepper

The mouthfeel is what really sets this bean apart. Thanks to the natural oils and low acidity, this coffee delivers a syrupy, full-bodied texture that sits heavy on the tongue in the best way possible. It is the perfect base for espresso, but surprisingly delicate enough for a filter brew.

More Than Just Caffeine

Yes, Robusta naturally contains about double the caffeine of Arabica. But rather than using this as a crutch for a "wake-up call," we celebrate it for the structure it provides. The higher caffeine content is actually what creates that thick, persistent crema that latte lovers dream of.

If you’ve been searching for an espresso that can cut through steamed milk without tasting ashy, this is your bean.

Direct Trade & Sustainability

Kanto Coffee operates on a philosophy of transparency. This isn’t commodity coffee traded on the C-Market. We work directly with smallholder farms in the Lake Alaotra region, paying premiums that are reinvested into agricultural training and drying equipment.

By choosing this Robusta, you aren’t just challenging your palate; you are supporting farmers who are proving that Robusta can, and should, be treated with the same respect as speciality Arabica.

How to Brew It

Because of its dense bean structure and low solubility, we recommend grinding slightly finer than usual to tame the body and extract those sweet chocolate notes.

Our favourite methods:

· Espresso: 1:2 ratio in 28 seconds for a thick, syrupy shot.

· Moka Pot: The traditional method. Brings out the toasted nut flavours.

· Cold Brew: Unreal. Because of the low acidity, this bean produces a naturally sweet, non-astringent cold brew that doesn't need sugar.

Ready to step into the dark side?

Shop our Madagascar Single-Origin Robusta [here] and taste the complexity that the commodity market has been hiding from you.

The Kanto Coffee Team