The history of Tanzanian coffee dates back to the 16th century, when Robusta coffee would have been imported from Ethiopia. Coffee was initially chewed like tobacco after it was boiled and smoked. Nowadays over 90% of the coffee that is produced in Tanzania is grown by smallholder coffee farmers that use a cooperative washing station, however some of the best traceable coffees come from estates that have their own processing facilities.
Tanzanian coffee can differ fairly radically depending on where the coffee was grown. A coffee originating from the Kilimanjaro region can exhibit floral and subtle complexities that are not dissimilar to a washed Ethiopian. While a coffee grown in the Mbeya region can possess a more full bodied richer flavour.