A critical techno-economic analysis of coffee processing utilizing a modern fermentation system: Implications for specialty coffee production

Abstract Fermentation is an important step in coffee processing which promotes the removal of mucilage adhering to the fruits. This process has a direct impact on the coffee quality, and the use of bioreactors and starter cultures has been suggested for process control. In this study, a techno-economic analysis was performed to assess the investment costs and economic performance of the inclusion of a stirred tank bioreactor (STB) model and starter cultures into a coffee processing plant. The total capital investment and production costs for a 45-ton capacity coffee farm operating with 2 STB were US$ 1 million and 0.74 $/kg higher, respectively, than the conventional processing using open tanks. The main factors for rising costs included the implementation of bioreactors (73% of the equipment costs) and starter cultures (88% of the production costs). However, the modern fermentation system (STB with the use of starter cultures) enables the production of specialty coffee beverages with scores among 85.5 and 91.5, which can be sold at 15.50 and 40.92 $/kg, respectively—more than sixteen times the estimated price for commodity coffee. Thus, the techno-economic analysis showed a viable and extremely favorable scenario, providing the economic support for the modernization of coffee fermentation and to value co-creation in the specialty coffee chain.