Catuai
also: Catuaí
A hardy, productive Mundo Novo x Caturra hybrid common in Brazil and Central America, in red and yellow forms.
Catuai (Catuaí) is a high-yielding arabica variety bred in Brazil by crossing Mundo Novo with Caturra. From Mundo Novo it inherits vigor and productivity; from Caturra it gets a compact, short stature that makes harvesting easier. It comes in red-cherry and yellow-cherry forms, often labeled Catuai Vermelho and Catuai Amarelo.
In the cup, Catuai is typically clean, balanced, and mild, with moderate acidity and good sweetness, though it is usually considered a dependable producer rather than a showstopper. Plenty of high-grown lots are very pleasant, and processing choices shape much of the final character.
Why it matters: Catuai is one of the backbone varieties of Brazilian coffee and is widely planted across Central America too. Its strengths are agronomic: it is resilient, holds onto its cherries well in wind and rain, and yields reliably, which keeps it popular with farmers managing commercial volume. Its lineage traces straight back to bourbon. See varietals-deep-dive.