Coffee arrived relatively late to Ecuador, around 1860 in the province of Manabí. After a disease killed much of the cocoa crop in 1920s, many farmers started to move to coffee production. Exportation started to grow in 1935 peaking on 1985, being the most exported crop until1970, just before the world coffee crisis of 1990s dropped the production. In 2011 the production got back to higher numbers. 

Interestingly, Ecuadorians consume more soluble coffee than they do fresh and because the cost of production in Ecuador is relatively high the soluble coffee gets imported from Vietnam. 

Ecuador is one of the few countries producing Robusta and Arabica, and it has not hold great reputation about quality coffee. But now with the investment of speciality coffee and is seen as hidden gem with full potential. They certainly have the geography and climate to produce extraordinary coffees. 

Coffees from Ecuador tend to be sweet and with complexity and a nice acidity. Although each region in the country has a unique character paired with the different process methods used by farmers, bringing a very interesting coffees to the table.