Why dry naturals?

A look at dry naturals & their story in Myanmar

Here’s the question on a lot of people’s minds: what exactly are dry naturals? “Dry” or “natural” processing means that coffee cherries are dried whole, rather than fermented or any other process that leaves the fruit on the seed without hulling. This particular process is also the oldest method of processing coffee and, importantly, it neither produces wastewater nor requires significant water resources. Yet the ability to produce consistently high-quality dry naturals is difficult, requiring slow sun-drying (typically between 15-30 days in Myanmar depending on altitude), raised dry beds for better airflow, and frequent turning to ensure the cherries dry evenly.

The idea of dry naturals being a potentially perfect fit for Myanmar was introduced by Marcelo Pereira, a CQI consultant at the time, as part of the USAID-Winrock grant that transformed the country’s specialty coffee sector from 2015-2019. Marcelo, who has expertise producing dry naturals in Yemen and around the world, pitched the idea of promoting community-based, specialty dry naturals because it’s a high-value market niche and doesn’t require high-tech processing equipment or water—which many of the community producers don’t have great access to in their high-altitude villages. While natural processing was previously used in Myanmar’s coffee communities, using this method to reach specialty standards took both some convincing and experimentation.

In a 2015 pilot run that utilized new techniques, the communities with USAID and the CQI team ultimately found that dry natural processing is ideal because the annual cool, dry season (November-April) in Myanmar’s coffee belt times up exactly with harvest time. As detailed by the USAID report, dry naturals are very often tricky because the fruit can ferment or spoil (especially with rainy, humid or overcast conditions), resulting in coffee that tastes sour or yeasty. But, when well crafted like in Myanmar, dry naturals show off a region’s unique terroir. Dry naturals allow the fruit’s sugars and flavors to concentrate in the bean, imparting greater body, less acidity, and fruited notes.

2020s & beyond: the legacy of dry natural processing

This strong foundation has continued until today with most of Myanmar’s specialty coffees. Dry naturals across the country are produced using simple, labor-intensive practices and technologies that avoid complex operations and maintenance requirements (therefore are more resilient) and maximize employment for these communities. It's also the most inclusive model because it can be easily replicated in new villages and communities looking to join—which is the key focus as coffee farmer associations like Shwe Taung Thu, Indigo Mountain and Amayar Women’s Processing Facility continue to grow.