How Coffee Cherries Are Picked, Processed & Dried

When you sip your morning espresso, you’re tasting the end result of a long journey that begins on a coffee tree—where bright red fruits, not beans, grow in clusters. But how does a juicy coffee cherry become the green beans we roast? The answer lies in careful harvesting, precise processing, and controlled drying. This guide breaks down each step, from when the cherry is picked to when it’s ready to ship as green coffee.

Coffee cherries turn bright red when ripe and are usually handpicked once a year, typically between September and March in the northern hemisphere or April and May in the southern hemisphere. After picking, they’re either sun-dried or processed via the washed method to remove the fruit layers and reveal the coffee bean inside.

What Is a Coffee Cherry?

What we call a ‘coffee bean’ is actually the seed inside a fruit that looks like a cherry. These fruits—properly called coffee cherries—grow in clusters on branches. Each cherry has several layers:

• The thick, bitter outer skin (exocarp)
• A sweet, grape-like pulp (mesocarp)
• A sticky, honey-like layer called mucilage (parenchyma)
• A parchment-like inner skin (endocarp) protecting two green beans
• A thin silvery membrane (silver skin) covering each bean

When and How Are Coffee Cherries Harvested?

Coffee is generally harvested once a year, depending on the region. In the northern hemisphere, picking usually happens between September and March; in the southern hemisphere, it’s from April to May. Most coffee is picked by hand—either stripping all cherries off the branch at once or selectively choosing only ripe ones. Selective picking is more labor-intensive and typically reserved for high-quality Arabica beans.

Coffee Processing Methods: Washed vs Natural

Once harvested, coffee cherries must be processed to remove the fruit and dry the beans. There are two main methods:

Sun-Drying Method (Natural Process)

This is the simplest and most economical approach. Freshly picked cherries are spread out in the sun and turned regularly with rakes. They’re left to dry for seven to ten days until their moisture content drops to around 11%. During this time, the outer skin turns yellow, and the beans inside begin to rattle as they dry.

Washed Method (Wet Process)

In the washed method, the fruit pulp is removed from the beans within 24 hours of harvesting. This is done using a pulper. The beans are then placed in fermentation tanks for 12 to 48 hours, where natural enzymes break down the sticky mucilage layer. After fermentation, the beans are either sun-dried or machine-dried. What remains is the green coffee bean protected by its parchment shell.

Drying, Sorting, and Exporting Green Coffee

After drying, all the remaining layers—the parchment, mucilage, and outer skin—are removed in a process called hulling. Sometimes a machine is used to remove the last thin silver skin. The beans are then sorted by size and density, often using vibrating screens or air blowers that separate lighter (lower quality) beans from heavier ones.

The final product, ready for export, is unroasted green coffee. It’s typically packed in jute or hessian sacks, or large plastic containers. Globally, around 7 million tonnes of green coffee are shipped every year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a coffee cherry look like?

A coffee cherry is a small, round fruit that grows in clusters on coffee trees. When ripe, it turns a bright red color. It has several layers: a thick outer skin, sweet pulp, a sticky mucilage layer, a parchment-like husk, and inside, two green coffee beans coated in a thin silver skin.

When are coffee cherries harvested?

Coffee cherries are usually harvested once a year. In the northern hemisphere, this happens between September and March, while in the southern hemisphere, harvesting occurs from April to May. The exact timing depends on the local climate and ripening conditions.

How are coffee cherries processed?

There are two main processing methods: the washed (wet) method and the natural (sun-dried) method. In the washed method, the fruit is removed within 24 hours and the beans are fermented before drying. In the natural method, the whole cherry is dried in the sun, and the beans are later extracted after drying.

What is the moisture content of dried coffee beans?

Dried coffee beans are dried to a moisture content of around 11%. This level is considered ideal for proper storage and further processing without risking mold or degradation.

How are green coffee beans sorted?

Green coffee beans are sorted by size and density. They may be separated using vibrating screens or air blowers that distinguish heavier, higher-quality beans from lighter, lower-grade ones. This ensures uniformity before export.

How is dried coffee shipped?

After processing and sorting, green coffee is packed and shipped unroasted. It is typically stored in jute or hessian sacks, or in large plastic freight containers. Around 7 million tonnes of green coffee are shipped worldwide each year.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans That Highlight Cherry Notes

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright red cherry and citrus notes, or Yirgacheffe for floral and berry complexity. Both are processed via methods that highlight the cherry’s natural flavors—either washed or natural—and showcase why careful cherry selection and processing matter. These single-origin beans let you taste the origin and process in every cup. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.