Region: Yirgacheffe
Sub region: Gedeb
Washing Station: Halo
Altitude: 1950 - 2100 meters above sea level
Variety: Kurume
Process: Washed
Tasting Notes: Crisp acidity and smooth body with notes of apple, lemon, orange, honey and a peach finish.
This exquisite coffee originates from the Gedeb region in Ethiopia, specifically from the Halo washing station. Founded in 2016, this station has quickly become one of the largest growing areas in Gedeb, boasting a sprawling total area of 1240 hectares of coffee farms. The washing station is strategically located at an altitude of 2100 meters above sea level, near Worka Town. This prime location ensures that the farmers, who collectively own 170 farms ranging from 0.5 to 2 hectares in size, have a short journey of no more than 40 minutes to transport their cherries to the station.
The cherries are hand-picked by skilled workers and subsequently hand-sorted to ensure the highest quality. The predominant cultivars cultivated in this region are Welisho and Dega, known for their exceptional flavours and characteristics.
Once the red cherries have been collected, they undergo a thorough process of cherry selection. They are carefully placed in a tank to remove any floaters, ensuring that only the ripest and densest cherries are used for further processing.
The cherries are spread out on raised African beds, allowing for optimal airflow, and even drying. Over the course of 15-21 days, depending on the weather patterns, the cherries are regularly moved and turned every couple of hours to ensure uniform drying. This natural processing method enhances the complexity of the coffee, resulting in a rich and full-bodied cup with distinct flavours that reflect the terroir of the Gedeb region.
Overall, this coffee from the Halo washing station showcases the dedication and expertise of the local farmers and the meticulous processing methods employed. From the careful cherry selection to the precise drying techniques, every step is undertaken with the goal of delivering a truly exceptional coffee experience. With its high altitude, small farm sizes, and focus on quality, this coffee embodies the unique characteristics that have made Ethiopian coffee renowned worldwide.
Region: Yirgacheffe
Sub region: Gedeb
Washing Station: Danche
Altitude: 1950 - 2100 meters above sea level
Variety: Kurume
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Light and silky with notes of candied orange and black tea florals.
This exceptional coffee comes from the Danche washing station, which was founded in 2016. Located in the Gedeb district, this station sits at an
altitude of 1950-2100 meters above sea level. Danche is situated near Worka Town and is part of the Chelbesa growing area, known for its expansive
1240-hectare coffee farms. The station collaborates with around 170 farmers in the vicinity, each cultivating coffee on farms ranging from 0.5 to 2
hectares in size.
Girum Assefa, the station manager, oversees the operations at Danche. During the harvest, cherries are carefully handpicked and manually sorted. The
main cultivars grown in this region are Welisho and Dega. After collection, the cherries undergo the pulping process using a traditional Agaarde
Discpulper. This method removes the skin and fruit pulp, following which the parchment is graded as 1st or 2nd quality based on density.
Subsequently, the cherries undergo wet fermentation for an extensive 72-hour period. The next step involves washing and grading the coffees in
channels, where they are sorted by density. The lower-density beans, indicating lower quality, float and are removed, leaving behind the denser and
higher-quality beans, which are separated as higher-grade lots.
Once the washing and grading process is complete, the coffee is meticulously dried. It is piled up in layers of approximately 2 centimetres in height
and left to dry over a period of 10 days. After this drying phase, the coffee undergoes hand sorting for a duration of 2-4 hours, ensuring that only the
finest beans make it to the final product.
Overall, this coffee showcases the dedication and meticulousness of the farmers and staff involved in its production. With its prime location, careful
cherry selection, and rigorous processing methods, this coffee promises to deliver a memorable and high-quality cup, rich in flavour and complexity.
Region: Tarrazu
Altitude: 1450 - 1600 meters above sea level
Farm: Hacienda Cafetalera
Variety: Caturra & Catuai
Process: Pulped Anaerobic Fermentation
Tasting Notes: Smooth sticky body and mouthfeel, cherry acidity with notes of sweet cinnamon, vanilla, and milk chocolate.
The Hacienda Cafetalera is an estate farm that belongs to Coope Tarrazu Cooperative. Purchased in 2013, the farm spans 99 hectares, however
Anaerobic processing forms only a very small part of overall production from the estate.
The coffee cherries are hand harvested at their most uniform and ripe. The coffee is pulped and then placed straight into a sealed steel fermentation tank for about 4 days. It is then dried in the full sun on raised African beds.
The sale of this coffee will benefit more than 4200 members of the Cooperative. On the farm they have projects designed to research and develop improvements of the coffee production in the Tarrazu region. There are several interesting projects ongoing which include Las Casas de La Alegria (Child Care Center) for the children of the coffee pickers. The Coop also runs a responsible management system for their coffee by-products - which reduces compost emissions and waste.
Region: Caldas, Chinchina, La Paz
Altitude: 1350 - 1500 meters above sea level
Farmer: Felipe Hoyos
Farm: La Esperanza
Variety: Castillo, Colombia and Cenicafé 1
Process: Double Carbonic Maceration
Tasting Notes: Deep, complex and boozy with notes of raspberry, guava and red frogs.
At the beginning of the 1960´s Gustavo Hoyos and his family acquired this precious piece of land, located on the mountain called “Alto de la Paz”, which in Spanish means “Mountain of Peace”.
This area belonged to traditional coffee growers; pioneers dedicated to growing coffee of local varietals, under natural shade and to process coffee on the farms.
The vocation of growing coffee, their most important legacy, is located in this splendid region now known as “La Esperanza" farm. This is a rich and fertile land, with volcanic soils that make the land perfect for growing coffee of the best quality. The total area of the farm it's about 80 hectares and has a soft topographic configuration, looking like a beautiful, majestic and colourful coffee field.
The farm is fed by the “Campo Alegre” river that crosses the property, with the crystalline clarity of its waters rhythmically running over beds of stones. The native bamboo-like trees known as "Guadua", guardians of the river, bow to the caress of the wind and provide shelter and nesting habitat for flocks of native birds. The herons and colorful birds that live near the riverbed, create a natural symphony that complements the coffee plantation, which dazzles with the impressive ruby red colour of the coffee cherries and the contrasting dark green leaves of the trees.
The workers of “Alto de la Paz”, who are in charge of producing the best quality coffee, enjoy a supportive working environment, ensuring their wellbeing and that of their families. They have at their disposal several recreation areas along with comfortable lodging. But above all, fair and respectful work/life balance. Many of them have been with La Esperanza since they were kids. “Alto de la Paz" coffee has a tradition of three generations of hard work, effort, dedication, and sacrifice to provide Colombia and the world with excellent quality coffee. Their culture and coffee production has achieved the international quality certifications and good practices of production from UTZ Khape and FLO-Cert, besides being able to support the permanent traceability of their product.
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Region: Cerrado Mineiro
Altitude: 980 meters above sea level
Producer: Rafael Vinhal
Variety: Topazio
Process: Triple Fermentation Washed
Tasting Notes: Clean, light and delicate with notes of lemongrass, florals, grape, limencello and tropicals.
Processing details:
1. Mechanical harvest
2. Washed to select ripe cherries
3. Dry anaerobic fermentation 56 hours
4. Thermal shock
5. Depulped
6. Anaerobic fermentation with water 120 hours
7. Centrifuged
8. Dried on raised beds 21 days
Since 1988 Vinhal Farm has been producing very high quality coffees in the heart of Minas Gerais state, in Cerrado Mineiro Region - Brazil. Throughout this trajectory they have improved their work and adopted the best sustainability practices and respect for people and the environment. They are a family running a business and everyone who works in the farm is absolutely passionate about their coffee.
Their properties are certified by Rainforest Alliance, 4C and Certifica Minas. With great care and relying on innovative craft production, they do their best to ensure that their coffees stand out both in the domestic and foreign markets, and they are very proud of all the awards they have already won in some of the main quality contests in Brazil.
They are sure that their product really stands out for its extremely different aromas
and flavors. Sustainability and Quality are their main focuses - their properties
(Recanto Farm and Estrela Farm) have three different independent certifications,
two of them international: the Rainforest Alliance, with headquarters in the USA, and the 4C Common Code of the Coffee Community, from Germany; and one of them, national: Certifica Minas, ran by Minas Gerais state.
To achieve and maintain these certifications, they need to comply with a series of
standards regarding issues such as: environmental conservation and sustainable
production, good social practices and working conditions, an efficient management and control system for the entire production chain and, of course, full compliance with all current legislation. Thus, they periodically receive audits on farms to validate the fulfilment of more than 100 evaluation criteria.
Region: Alajuela, West Valley
Altitude: 1400 - 1700 meters above sea level
Producer: Alejo Kahle Castro
Variety: SL28
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Complex and buttery with notes of blueberry, tropical fruit, black tea and melon.
At the beginning of the 19th century, when coffee production was in its early beginnings in America, without knowing it, two pioneers and entrepreneurs, Alejo C. Jiménez in Costa Rica and Wilhelm Kahle in the south of Mexico, shared the same dream: “To produce the best coffee in the world” to satisfy the new demanding European gourmet market.
Today, descendants of these visionary farmers still produce coffee within the same ideals of excellency and top quality that inspired their ancestors that continue with the tradition in Costa Rica.
Today, the production process starts with the planting of the coffee trees on highly fertile volcanic soil above 1400 meters above sea level (SHB) in 3 different regions from Costa Rica.
Nowadays, the descendants of Don Alejo C. and Don Wilhelm want to further enhance the principles of quality inherited by our founders by adding the value of conservancy of natural resources, through the acquisition of extensions of natural rainforest for its protection and conservation. These facts, not just words, are small actions taken by one family to reduce air contamination and global warming. This is the contribution we want to make to mankind, this is the new awareness we want our future generations to inherit.
Today, the farm is managed by Alejo Khale Castro. His dedication to quality and innovative drive has seen Volcán Azul consistently placing in COE, picking up 2nd spot in 2017, two places in 2020 and another two places in 2021.
This is the part of the process that catches less attention, but it's probably the most important part of processing great quality coffee. It is the most difficult part because it takes constant hard work for years and stopping doing this for a short period will spoil all the work done all the years before.
Pre Harvest - In order to have a well developed coffee bean with complex flavours we need to plant the best varieties, manage the soil so its healthy and able to give the nutrients the tree needs, protect the plantations from diseases and to procure sustainability so we can have constant high quality for many years.
Harvest - Its fundamental that we pick the cherries at optimum level of ripeness This will allow us to have more complex flavors in our cup of coffee We have found that measuring the brix content of the mucilage of the coffee cherries we can know the best time to pick them In our farm we usually start at 22 brix content (depending on the variety but we have had measurements of 28 even 30.
Wet Mill - The first step is to measure the cherries coming from the plantation by truck or tractor. We measure the cherries by volume using a box of 200 liters; 2 of these will give us 1 fanega (400 liters) that will give us around 46kg of green coffee. After this, we separate floaters which normally are unripe, overdried or defective cherries. At this step we also clean the coffee from branches, leaves, dirt, and any other foreign matter that comes from the field.
After this step we must decide which process we are going to give to the lot we have just harvested. It's fundamental to slow dry our coffee to preserve our quality. It's important to understand that the more mucilage, pulp and time, the more fermentation we are going to have in the process while drying our coffee.
Processing Natural - The cherries are taken to the patio or raised beds with all the pulp. Depending on the fermentation we want for the process we can keep the lots unstirred for a period and, we can make thicker or thinner layers while drying. Then the coffee will be stirred each day from 8am to 2pm. At 2pm we start covering the coffee with plastic, so we maintain it warm during the night and it won´t gain humidity from the mist we normally have during the early morning. This process will take between 12 and 16 days depending on the weather.
]]>Region: Los Santos
Altitude: 1500 - 1600 meters above sea level
Producer: Alejo Kahle Castro
Variety: Marsellesa
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Clean and full flavoured with notes of cherry, peach and lime.
At the beginning of the 19th century, when coffee production was in its early beginnings in America, without knowing it, two pioneers and entrepreneurs, Alejo C. Jiménez in Costa Rica and Wilhelm Kahle in the south of Mexico, shared the same dream: “To produce the best coffee in the world” to satisfy the new demanding European gourmet market. Today, descendants of these visionary farmers still produce coffee within the same ideals of excellency and top quality that inspired their ancestors that continue with the tradition in Costa Rica.
Hacienda La Union has been in the Castro-Kahle family since the 1840's. Currently it is run by Alejo Kahle Castro, a fifth generation producer whose dedication to quality and innovation has places in Cup of Excellence competitions with Hacienda La Union and the family's other farms; Hacienda Colima and Volcan Azul. The main crop on the farm is sugar cane, but this is quickly changing as the demand for excellent quality Costa Rican coffees continues to grow.
Alejo says “This is the part of the process that catches less attention, but it's probably the most important part of processing great quality coffee. It is the most difficult part because it takes constant hard work for years and stopping doing this for a short period will spoil all the work done all the years before. In order to have a well developed coffee bean with complex flavours we need to plant the best varieties, manage the soil so its healthy and able to give the nutrients the tree needs, protect the plantations from diseases and to procure sustainability so we can have constant high quality for many years.”
Alejo continues “Its fundamental that we pick the cherries at optimum level of ripeness This will allow us to have more complex flavours in our cup of coffee We have found that measuring the brix content of the mucilage of the coffee cherries we can know the best time to pick them In our farm we usually start at 22 brix content (depending on the variety but we have had measurements of 28 even 30).”
All of the cherries from Hacienda La Union are processed at the Volcan Azul micro mill. The first step is to measure the cherries coming from the plantation by truck or tractor. We measure the cherries by volume using a box of 200 liters; 2 of these will give us 1 fanega (400 liters) that will give us around 46kg of green coffee. After this, we separate floaters which normally are unripe, overdried or defective cherries. At this step we also clean the coffee from branches, leaves, dirt, and any other foreign matter that comes from the field. After this step we must decide which process we are going to give to the lot we have just harvested. It's fundamental to slow dry our coffee to preserve our quality. It's important to understand that the more mucilage, pulp and time, the more fermentation we are going to have in the process while drying our coffee.
The cherries are taken to the patio on raised beds with all the pulp. Depending on the fermentation we want for the process we can keep the lots unstirred for a period and, we can make thicker or thinner layers while drying. Then the coffee will be stirred each day from 8am to 2pm. At 2 pm we start covering the coffee with plastic, so we maintain it warm during the night and won't gain humidity from the mist we normally have during the early morning. This process will take between 12 and 16 days depending on the weather.
]]>Region: Cauca
Altitude: 1850 meters above sea level
Producer: Camilo Merizalde
Variety: Red Bourbon
Process: Double CM
Tasting Notes: Full bodied and funky with notes of balsamic, cherry and plum.
Finca Santuario was founded by Camilo Merizalde, who started with a clear vision and desire to create a unique farm, capable of producing the best specialty coffees in Colombia. With quality coffee as the focus, he realised that the key was to create a biodynamic and diverse environment which will benefit the coffee as well as the volcanic soil and surrounding ecosystem in the long run. This is important for the varieties at Finca Santuario because they are high quality, typically low yielding and often vulnerable in comparison with other varieties grown in Colombia. The harmonious relationship that Finca Santuario facilitates between the plants and their surrounding environment allows for the creation of some of the most spectacular coffees available from Colombia. Santuario became an international entity in 2021, expanding to Costa Rica and Brazil and later into Mexico partnering with our ECOM network.
For the Cherry Madness process, cherries are harvested between 24-25 brix's level and soaked in water for 5 hours. This is followed by fermenting cherries in an anaerobic and Co2 rich environment for 48 hours with Mossto, recirculating the Mossto concentrate every 8 hours, this is the first of two cycles of Carbonic Maceration. The second CM process takes place with coffee cherries for an additional 30 hours, recirculating the Mossto concentrate every 10 hours.
Coffee is then sun dried on African beds for 23-24 days until humidity is reduced to 10.5 %. Final humidity stabilization for 6 days inside a warehouse (Fique Bags), then coffee is finally stored on grain pro bags for the final stabilization of (8-10 days). Finally coffees are cupped and vacuum packed and prepared for export.
Mossto is a concentrate of crushed cherry pulp, a technique similar to wine makers. Adding this gives the microbes extra sugar to process.
Region: Quinidio
Altitude: 1650 meters above sea level
Producer: Edwin Norena
Variety: Sidra Bourbon
Process: Black Honey CM
Tasting Notes: Silky, big and fruity with notes of jamsine, juniper and mandarin.
Finca Campo Hermoso is located in the department of Quindío, proudly offering three generations of coffee growers hard work. Edwin Noreña, is not only a third-generation farmer, but also a Q grader and an agroindustrial engineer. He saw the need to revamp the coffee producing model early on and has since used his expertise to do just that, entering specialty facing markets. Finca Campo Hermoso produces high quality, innovative coffees which have been used in competitions giving Campo Hermoso international recognition. Edwin is one of many small producers that work with the Santuario Project. The Santuario Project isolates exceptional lots from their producing partners and work with clients abroad to create beautiful results.
Cherries are harvested 22-24ô brix's. Cherries are soaked in water for 5 hours. The initial Cherry carbonic maceration is conducted for 22 hours with Mossto innoculation. The wet milling process leaves 75 % of Mucilage, and the cherries are laid out on raised beds for drying. The reserved Mossto is Sprayed over the drying cherries during drying to further develop the flavour. Coffee is sun dried on African beds for 22-24 days until humidity is down to 10.5 % . Final humidity stabilization for 10 days inside a warehouse (Fique Bags), then coffee is finally stored on grain pro bags for the final stabilization of (8-10 days). Finally coffees are cupped and lots organized.
]]>Region: Quinidio
Altitude: 1650 meters above sea level
Producer: Edwin Norena
Variety: Wush Wush
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Bright, complex and jammy with notes of floral, lemon, lychee and milk chocolate.
Finca Campo Hermoso is located in the department of Quindío, proudly offering three generations of coffee growers hard work. Edwin Noreña, is not only a third-generation farmer, but also a Q grader and an agroindustrial engineer. He saw the need to revamp the coffee producing model early on and has since used his expertise to do just that, entering specialty facing markets. Finca Campo Hermoso produces high quality, innovative coffees which have been used in competitions giving Campo Hermoso international recognition. Edwin is one of many small producers that work with the Santuario Project. The Santuario Project isolates exceptional lots from their producing partners and works with clients abroad to create beautiful results.
For the Natural Process Cherries are harvested at 23-24ô brix's level. Cherries are soaked in water for 2 hours. Anaerobic fermentation on tanks for 16 hours. Coffee is sun dried on African beds for 22-24 days until humidity is down to
10.5 % . Final humidity stabilization for 8-10 days inside a warehouse (Fique Bags), then coffee is finally stored on grain pro bags for the final stabilization of (8-10 days). Finally coffees are cupped and lots organized. Finally coffees are cupped and vacuum packed and prepared for export.
]]>Region: Pérez Zeledón
Altitude: 1400 - 2000 meters above sea level
Farm: 391 small-scale farmers from CoopeAgri
Washing Station: CoopeAgri
Variety: Caturra & Catuai
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Soft and sweet with notes of rose, blueberry jam, spiced cocoa and vanilla.
CoopeAgri, one of the largest farmer cooperatives in Costa Rica, was founded in 1962 by
391 small-scale farmers with the aim of bringing development opportunities to their communities. Today they have over 8,000 members growing coffee on plots averaging 1.3 hectares and employing 700 workers.
The cooperative produces Café Don Claudio, honouring Claudio Gamboa Calderón who was one of the founding members and also a great advocate for the cooperative. The coffee is grown in the highlands surrounding Cerro Chirripó. Located in the Pérez Zeledón region, this area has mountainous terrain and volcanic soil, as well as altitudes ranging from 1400 – 2000 masl, ideal for growing sweet and dense coffee beans.
There are 200 producer associates from 7 selected towns harvesting 250 hectares between December and February. The farmers carefully harvest cherries and deliver them to a nearby wet mill. This lot is dried under the sun with the fruit pulp and stored in GrainPro bags to maintain its sweet and fruity flavours.
Café Don Claudio came out on top in this year’s Golden Cup Fair Trade Coffees 2023, winning first place by scoring an 85 point rating in the Fancy Wash category. This competition is known for its high standards and has greatly contributed to improving coffee quality in Latin America.
In 1998, CoopeAgri became Fairtrade Certified for sugar cane and in 2004 they extended their certification to cover coffee. In 2022, Don Claudio coffee produced by the cooperative took part in the Cup of Excellence contest and passed the first stage.
CoopeAgri is dedicated to supporting their members and improving the well-being of farming communities. Projects such as building medical offices for access to healthcare and creating an agronomy support program demonstrate this commitment. The co-op also produces organic fertiliser for members so that they can maintain ecologically healthy farms and runs a local café showcasing their coffees.
Region: Boquete
Sub Region: Chiriqui Provence
Altitude: 1450-1525 meters above sea level
Farm: Finca Irma
Owner: Gabriel de Dianous
Variety: Geisha
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Sweet, complex and creamy. Notes of citrus, florals, tropical fruit, and papaya.
Gabriel de Dianous Jr. bought 24 hectares in Volcancito, Boquete’ in Chiriqui Provence in 1980 which is now Finca Irma. It was a cattle farm at the time and Gabriel had just retired from working on citrus farms in Florida when he planted his first coffee trees. Gabriel still manages the farm at 88 years old however a lot of help from his grandson, also Gabriel, keeps the farm running.
The farm is at an altitude of 1450-1525 meters, and the volcanic soil and optimal climate produces superior quality coffee. As well as the Geisha variety, which was planted in 2012, the farm grows Mundo Novo, Catuai, Bourbon, and Caturra. The coffee is shaded by banana and Ingas trees.
All of our coffee is handpicked with a special crew picking the Geisha beans. The Geisha beans are processed through a sun-dried natural on raised beds, which ensures a unique flavour.
Though small in coffee production, Panama is a mighty player in coffee quality. In particular, Panama is famous for producing Geisha variety lots that have fetched prices exceeding $800 per pound. Today, its renown as a producer of rare and sought-after varieties positions Panama as a contender for a new kind of ‘coffee-tourism’ that has the potential to change the way we produce, purchase, consume and talk about specialty coffee on a global scale.
The high value of Geisha has brought out both the best and worst in the industry. For established producers who receive excellent prices for their Geisha and other lots, the high prices they receive have often been reinvested in their communities and in renovating their farms to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Unfortunately, the lure of Geisha’s high value has led some people bypass traditional land purchasing agreements and illegally deforest areas of national parks to get the best location for new (and illicit) Geisha farms.
Even as the number of producers those receiving high prices for their Geisha remains relatively low, the blossoming coffee industry in Panama has demonstrated potential to raise incomes for a wider spectrum of producers and coffee workers.
European immigrants brought coffee to Panama when they settled in the region in the late 19th century. The first area where these early European settlers planted coffee was the province of Chiriqui (valley of the moon in the language of the native peoples that once inhabited this region). The province remains one of main coffee-producing regions in Panama today.
Early plantations were in coastal areas but, due to the low altitude, early farms were plagued with pests and diseases, and cultivation soon moved to higher elevation. Today, the three primary coffee regions are Boquete, Volcán and Renacimiento; all three are within Chiriqui Province.
Panama’s three coffee growing regions are situated around the country’s three volcanoes: Volcán Baru, El Valle and Le Yeguada. These regions have exceptional microclimates, rich volcanic soils and are cooled by moderate breezes that flow from both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
As the winds coming from the north pass over the mountains, they create a fine mist called bajareque that lowers the temperature around the mountainside coffee farms and slows cherry ripening. When cherry ripens more slowly, it accrues a higher sugar concentration and more of the volatile oils that make coffee so sweet, complex and delicious.
Boquete and Volcán are separated by a volcano called Volcán Baru. Strong transportation and processing infrastructures in both regions, including well-run wet and dry mills, are important factors contributing to the high-quality production emerging from the regions.
Renacimiento is less widely known than Boquete and Volcán, mainly because it is remote and difficult to access. This remoteness also contributes to the reduced infrastructure for processing and transportation. Despite such geographic obstacles, farms in Renacimiento have also produced exceptional lots. Renacimiento has the same ideal conditions as Boquete and Volcán, and, with the right investment, could become their equal in quantity, quality and export volume.
Although it is a relatively small coffee producer, Panama stands out for the exceptional quality of the specialty coffee it produces. The microclimates in the mountainous coffee regions help keep pests and diseases under control and also provide unique environments that have demonstrated an ability to bring out the best in specific Arabica varieties that do not do as well elsewhere.
Among those varieties, Geisha is the most well-known for its role in catapulting Panama to international specialty coffee stardom. The first Geisha variety specimen was collected from wild-growing trees in Ethiopia in the 1930s. In 1953, Geisha was brought to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE). CATIE distributed Geisha, then called T2722, across Panama in the 1960s. Despite the widespread dissemination of seeds and seedlings by CATIE in the 1960s, most farmers did not plant very many Geisha trees because the variety proved difficult to grow and maintain.
In fact, Geisha’s utility was a bit of a paradox. CATIE originally promoted Geisha because it demonstrated a resistance to coffee leaf rust (CLR), but when planted at lower altitudes—the areas most susceptible to CLR—Geisha yielded remarkably poor tasting coffee.
And though Geisha thrived at higher levels—about 1,700 meters above sea level—the variety is difficult and temperamental to grow. Due to thin foliage and shallow root structures, Geisha is extremely inefficient and its yield is half that of Catuaí.
Even if you get past all those issues, Geisha is an even more finnicky when it comes to timing the harvest. According to a fourth-generation Panamanian coffee grower, the window for peak maturity for Geisha cherry appears to be smaller than other varieties, and the cherry does not fare well if it is not processed immediately after being harvested.
In the 1960s, Geisha was not at all an appealing variety to farmers. In addition to producing a small harvest and being difficult to grow, the coffee industry in the 1960s was more price sensitive and more focused on volume and uniformity than today. While many farmers kept a few Geisha trees on their plots, the difficult, low-yielding tree was not often planted en mass.
It took several decades before the exquisite floral and fruit notes of Geisha were fully discovered. The cherry from the Geisha trees that remained on farms were always blended with cherry from many other varieties on producers’ farms. Farmers were unaware that Geisha—a variety they knew mainly as fussy and capricious—offered flavors that would later be bid on so ferociously for prices that reached over $800 per pound. It was not until the early 2000s, when the Peterson family, owners of Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, Panama, decided to isolate and process Geisha cherry as a single-variety lot that Panama—and the world—became familiar (and enamored) with the perfumed, floral notes of Geisha.
In 2004, the Peterson family submitted their all-Geisha lot to the Best of Panama auction and received the hitherto unheard-of price of $20.10 per pound. As Geisha remains in high demand today, all-Geisha lots frequently score 90+ points on the SCA scale, and Panama retains its status as a leading producer of single-variety Geisha coffees.
Today, many of the coffee farms in Panama are owned by expatriates or international investors. International owners bring many skills and ideas to their farms. Their extra financial heft can help boost farm infrastructure, inputs and growing practices, especially with an eye towards social responsibility and environmental sustainability. While their impacts are mainly positive, the increase in international investors—as well as the growth of the tourism industry in Panama—has been accompanied by increases in land value that frequently out-price native-born producers and land owners.
The high value of Geisha has brought out both the best and worst in the industry. For established producers who receive excellent prices for their Geisha and other lots, the high prices they receive have often been reinvested in their communities and in renovating their farms to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Unfortunately, the lure of Geisha’s high value has led some people bypass traditional land purchasing agreements and illegally deforest areas of national parks to get the best location for new (and illicit) Geisha farms.
Even as the number of producers those receiving high prices for their Geisha remains relatively low, the blossoming coffee industry in Panama has demonstrated potential to raise incomes for a wider spectrum of producers and coffee workers.
Coffee-tourism is a growing industry that is offering better incomes and opportunities to Panamanians. Some people have called Boquete “the Napa Valley of Coffee” after the valley in California that is well known—and popular—for its wine production. Just as it is common for vacationers to spend several days touring California’s Napa Valley, stopping at various wineries and vineyards along the way to taste wine and learn about production methods, it could soon be popular for coffee lovers to tour Boquete, visit producers and have tastes of some of the region’s finest coffees. The impact of coffee-tourists could spread beyond the producers they visit. Tourists need lodging, meals and transportation and often seek a variety of souvenirs from bags of coffee to locally-made crafts. Increased tourism in Panama’s coffee regions could funnel money into the local economy and small and large farms alike.
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Region: Santa Ana
Altitude: 1500 - 1550 meters above sea level
Farm: Chalchuapa, La Cumbre
Farm Size: 70 hectares
Owner: Emilio Lopez and Jose Roberto Santamaria
Variety: Caturra
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Sweet and syrupy with notes of melon, red apple and chocolate.
La Cumbre (the top) is the highest section of Finca El Manzano, where the best of Emilio’s coffees are found. Established in 1872, Finca El Manzano has remained under the stewardship of the López Díaz family for an impressive span of seven generations. In 2005, Emilio López Díaz undertook an expansion of El Manzano by erecting a processing mill, thereby affording him precise control over every facet of production. This visionary move also witnessed the introduction of unconventional varieties, such as SL-34 and Geisha, which were previously absent in the Salvadoran coffee landscape.
As a testament to these enhancements, Emilio's Geisha took both 1st and 2nd positions during the 2018 Cup of Excellence competition—an unprecedented feat. The diligence exhibited by Emilio and his team in El Manzano's processing operations is evident. Each delivery of cherry undergoes rigorous assessment based on its sugar content prior to acceptance. This data subsequently guides the determination of optimal drying periods, ensuring uniform quality among daily lots and a consistently remarkable cup profile.
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.
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Region: Santa Ana
Altitude: 1500 - 1550 meters above sea level
Farm: Chalchuapa, La Cumbre
Farm Size: 70 hectares
Owner: Emilio Lopez and Jose Roberto Santamaria
Variety: Geisha
Process: Washed
Tasting Notes: Harmonious and silky with notes of peach, honey, jasmine and lemon curd.
This Geisha lot from Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría takes the high-quality Geisha variety and gives it the best care and attention from producers with generations of knowledge and passion for coffee production. The result is priceless.
This coffee is the product of Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría’s multigenerational coffee producing families. They have a deep connection with their land and together, they joined forces to create Odyssey Coffees, an El Salvador and Portland-based coffee company.
Their operations are located on 6 farms: Fincas Las Isabellas, Tapantogusto, Las Piedras, La Cumbre, El Manzano and Ayutepeque.
When they merged their operations, Emilio and Jose worked together to ensure that they were using the same methods on all their farms and ensure that their quality is consistent and sustainable. They offer coffee to clients worldwide and have a strong recurring demand for their production.
Finca El Manzano was founded in 1872 and has been in Emilio López’s family for generations. He planted new varieties and built an on-site wet mill in 2005.
In order to support the producing communities near Finca Tequendama and Finca Las Isabellas, they created their project “Growing Together” in April 2021. They offered workshops for suppliers to help them increase their productivity and quality. They also offer medical assistance and educational programs for youth.
Cherry is selectively handpicked and delivered to El Manzano’s on farm wet mill. Ripe, red cherry is pulped. Then, coffee is fermented for 16 to 20 hours before being washed in clean water. Parchment is laid to dry on patios where it is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 7 to 10 days for parchment to dry.
Geisha (also known as Gesha) is known for its exceptional cup quality, especially when grown at high altitudes. The variety comes from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from Ethiopian coffee forests in the 1930s. The name supposedly derives from Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest.
There is some confusion with several genetically distinct varieties that have all been called Geisha, but the most famous variety is the Panama one. The variety was brought to Lyamungu research station in Tanzania and from there to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in 1953. At CATIE, the variety was logged as T2722. CATIE distributed T2722 across Panama in the 1960s for its Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistance, but its brittle branches meant it was not widely planted.
Panama Geisha reached its modern fame in 2005 when a Geisha lot won the “Best of Panama” competition and broke contemporary records at over $20/pound. DNA analysis has demonstrated that the Panama Geisha descended from T2722 is distinct and uniform. Today, Geisha is known for its delicate florals, jasmine and stone fruit.
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.
]]>Region: Santa Ana
Altitude: 1500 - 1550 meters above sea level
Farm: Chalchuapa, La Cumbre
Farm Size: 70 hectares
Owner: Emilio Lopez and Jose Roberto Santamaria
Variety: SL34
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Jammy and sweet with notes of plum, peach and lychee.
This SL-34 lot from Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría takes the high-quality SL-34 variety and gives it the best care and attention from producers with generations of knowledge and passion for coffee production. The result is priceless.
This coffee is the product of Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría’s multigenerational coffee producing families. They have a deep connection with their land and together, they joined forces to create Odyssey Coffees, an El Salvador and Portland-based coffee company.
Their operations are located on 6 farms: Fincas Las Isabellas, Tapantogusto, Las Piedras, La Cumbre, El Manzano and Ayutepeque.
When they merged their operations, Emilio and Jose worked together to ensure that they were using the same methods on all their farms and ensure that their quality is consistent and sustainable. They offer coffee to clients worldwide and have a strong recurring demand for their production.
Finca La Cumbre is a plot on the highest-altitude land on the larger farm, Finca El Manzano. Finca El Manzano was founded in 1872 and has been in Emilio López’s family for generations. He planted new varieties and built an on-site wet mill in 2005.
In order to support the producing communities near Finca Tequendama and Finca Las Isabellas, they created their project “Growing Together” in April 2021. They offered workshops for suppliers to help them increase their productivity and quality. They also offer medical assistance and educational programs for youth.
Cherry is selectively handpicked and delivered to El Manzano’s on farm wet mill. Ripe, red cherry is washed and then transported to El Manzano’s patios. Cherry is laid on patios to dry and raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 12 to 14 days for cherry to dry.
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.
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Region: Yirgacheffe
Sub Region: Gedeo
Altitude: 2200 meters above sea level
Washing Station: Halo Beriti
Variety: JARC varieties, local landraces
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Balanced and fruity coffee with notes of cream, berries and stone fruit.
Halo Beriti station was founded in 2014 in the renowned coffee-producing region of Yirgacheffe. About 700+ farmers deliver to the station. They cultivate local landraces and JARC varieties on small farms that are typically 1.5 hectares in size. Their farms sit at 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level and are located within 3 kilometres of the station.
Halo Beriti pays a price premium for high-quality cherry to incentivize careful cultivation and selective picking. For most farmers, coffee is the main – and often only – source of income for their families. Since there has been a population boom and a shortage of land, one important use of family income is sending their children to school so that they can find jobs that don’t require land ownership.
Most farms are organic-by-default. Farmers use mainly animal manure and compost as fertilizer. Halo Beriti station provide training in Good Agricultural practices and agronomist extension.
Farmers and their families selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to Halo Beriti washing station. At intake, cherry is floated to remove under-ripes.
Ripe cherry is laid in a single layer on raised beds to dry. Parchment is turned frequently – about every 30 minutes – to ensure even drying. As cherry dries, workers inspect drying cherry and remove any damaged cherry.
After a few days of drying, cherry is adjusted into a slightly thicker layer to slow drying and frequent raking continues. In total, it takes 8 to 20 days for cherry to dry.
The next day, parchment is moved to raised drying tables to sundry slowly. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes between 9 and 12 days for parchment to dry
Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.
]]>Region: Sidamo Bensa
Altitude: 1834 meters above sea level
Owner: Tibebu Aleto
Farm Size: 4 hectares
Variety: JARC 72165, JARC 74158
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Soft, sweet and perfumy with notes of blueberry, strawberry, milk chocolate and raspberry.
Tibebu Aleto cultivates coffee in Sidama Bensa, Sidamo. He inherited 1 hectare in the 1990s and expanded his farm by purchasing an additional 3 hectares. He grows two JARC varieties that have been created to thrive in Ethiopia’s climatic conditions.
Working with Sucafina Ethiopia, Tibebu gets technical support and training that help him make his farm more sustainable and the coffee he produces more high-quality.
Tibebu uses sustainable agroforestry practices to cultivate coffee. His farm is organic-by-default. In addition to coffee, he also grows false banana (enset), fruit trees and legumes. Fruit and timber trees provide shade for growing coffee and legumes fix nitrogen, a vital nutrient for growing all plants.
Tibebu selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry and processes it on his farm. He lays cherry on raised beds to sun dry and rakes cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for cherry to dry. Once dry, he bags cherry and stores it in a warehouse on the farm for about 5 months before it’s transported to the dry mill for processing.
Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavours. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavour, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.
]]>Region: Sidamo
Sub Region: Sidama Bensa
Altitude: 1894 meters above sea level
Owner: Dawit Dangiso
Variety: JARC vartieties, local landraces
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Sweet and complex with notes of blueberry, tropical fruit, black tea and melon.
Dawit Dagiso cultivates coffee at Shantawene Farm in Sidama Bensa, Sidamo. He grows a range of local landraces and JARC varieties, which have all evolved to thrive in Ethiopia’s climatic conditions.
Dawit inherited his farm in the 1990s and has raised his own family on the farm. Today, his two adult children help with the farm tasks, especially during the height of the season.
Working with Sucafina Ethiopia, Dawit gets technical support and training that help him make Shatawene Farm more sustainable and the coffee he produces more high-quality.
Dawit uses sustainable agroforestry practices to cultivate coffee. His farm is organic-by-default. In addition to coffee, he also grows false banana (enset), fruit trees and legumes. Fruit and timber trees provide shade for growing coffee and legumes fix nitrogen, a vital nutrient for growing all plants.
Dawit selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry and processes it on his farm. He lays cherry on raised beds to sun dry and rakes cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for cherry to dry. Once dry, Dawit bags cherry and stores it in a warehouse on the farm for about 5 months before it’s transported to the dry mill for processing.
Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grade 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavours. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavour, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems..
]]>Region: Mukurweini, Nyeri
Altitude: 1800 - 1900 meters above sea level
Washing Station: Ndia-Ini Cooperative
Growers: 369 farmers delivering to Ndia-Ini station
Variety: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28 and SL34
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: TBC
Natural processed coffees are less common in Kenya, but this delicious, fruity Natural from Ndia-Ini Cooperative highlights all the best parts of Natural coffees combined with Nyeri’s superb microclimates.
Named for the village near where Ndia-Ini Cooperative was formed, the name means the deepest part of a river. The station is owned by cooperative members who deliver their cherry there. The station was built in 1969.
The cooperative has 1,200 registered farmers, of whom about 395 farmers consistently deliver cherry to the station.
Farmers delivering to Ndai-Ini cultivate primarily SL28 and SL34 in small coffee gardens that are, on average, about 200 trees. ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye towards sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible.
Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.
Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to Ndai-Ini Cooperative’s station. At intake, the Cherry Clerk oversees meticulous visual sorting and floating, accepting only dense, ripe cherry. Cherry is laid on raised beds to dry. Drying cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 10 to 14 days for cherry to dry.
Though coffee growing had a relatively late start in Kenya, the industry has gained and maintained a impressive reputation. Since the start of production, Kenyan coffee has been recognized for its high-quality, meticulous preparation and exquisite flavors. Our in-country sister company, Sucafina Kenya, works with farmers across the country to ensure these exceptional coffees gain the accolades they deserve.
Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory. The remainder of annual production is grown and processed by small, medium and large land estates. Most of the larger estates have their own washing stations.
Most Kenyan coffees are fully washed and dried on raised beds. The country still upholds its reputation for high quality and attention to detail at its many washing stations. The best factories employ stringent sorting practices at cherry intake, and many of them have had the same management staff in place for years.
]]>Region: Rianjagi, Embu
Altitude: 1700 meters above sea level
Washing Station: Rianjagi Factory
Growers: Farmers delivering to Rianjagi Factory
Variety: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28 and SL34
Process: Fully Washed
Tasting Notes: TBC
Built in 1976, Rianjagi Factory and Rianjagi Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS) is owned by the farmers. The factory and FCS are named for the area, which is also called Rianjagi. Farmers receive a variety of supports from the FCS, including farm inputs, farmer trainings and marketing for their coffee.
Farmers delivering to Rianjagi washing station cultivate primarily SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian in small coffee gardens that are, on average, smaller than 1 hectare. ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye towards sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible.
Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.
Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to Rianjagi Factory. At intake, a cherry clerk oversees all cherry and ensure only the highest quality cherry is accepted. Cherry is pulped and fermented in tanks for 12 to 16 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid on raised beds to dry. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying.
Kenyan coffees are classified by size. AA beans are the largest size. AA grade coffees are those that are 17/18 screen size, meaning that they are larger than 7.2 millimeters.
Though coffee growing had a relatively late start in Kenya, the industry has gained and maintained a impressive reputation. Since the start of production, Kenyan coffee has been recognized for its high-quality, meticulous preparation and exquisite flavors. Our in-country sister company, Sucafina Kenya, works with farmers across the country to ensure these exceptional coffees gain the accolades they deserve.
Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory. The remainder of annual production is grown and processed by small, medium and large land estates. Most of the larger estates have their own washing stations.
Most Kenyan coffees are fully washed and dried on raised beds. The country still upholds its reputation for high quality and attention to detail at its many washing stations. The best factories employ stringent sorting practices at cherry intake, and many of them have had the same management staff in place for years.
]]>Tasting Notes: Complex and floral with notes of lavender, bergamot, yuzu and a honey finish.
The Las Flores Farm is located in the Huila Region of Colombia at 1730 masl. Spanning over 14 hectares, the farm produces two crops of coffee pear season – the main crop is harvested from February to March, and the mid-crop from September to October.
Begun in 1990 by the matriarch of the Vergara family, who was dedicated to raising 18,000 coffee trees. Each year the family continued to plant more seedlings until they reached 90,000 coffee trees. In 2006 Las Flores participated in the Cup of Excellence. From that moment the family began their journey into the world of specialty and differentiated coffees. Dedicated to several years of testing, learning and a lot of experience, the family took time to identify what profiles their coffees had and how they could be improved agronomically and in the cup.
Now three generations on, owner Edilberto Vergara with the help of his son Johan, have begun to adjust production and improve the post-harvest processes. Today they propagate varieties such as: Pink Bourbon, Tabi, Java, Maracaturra. In addition, they have implemented fermentation processes in exotic varieties such as Wush Wush and Bourbon Sidra.
All the coffee at Las Flores is handpicked and naturally dried to ensure consistency in quality. Different fermentation techniques such as oxidation followed by anaerobic process and fermentation in bags is used to create unique flavour profiles.
]]>Region: Kayanza
Altitude: 1700 - 1900 meters above sea level
Farm: various community small-holders
Washing Station: Nemba
Owner: Green Co
Variety: Bourbon
Process: Yeast Inoculated (Cima) Dry Natural
Tasting Notes: Boozy and bold with notes of dark berries, chico lollies and pineapple.
Nemba station lies in the northern province of Kayanza. Each washing station is managed and lead by an agronomist. This agronomist oversees the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and farmer education. They collaborate with the producers to ensure they have access to the necessary farming tools. The agronomist also helps farmers determine and implement the practices best suited to the specific growing conditions of their farming plots.
Nemba uses a monitoring system to ensure traceability all along the production and processing chain. All 3,000+ producers are smallholders who own an average of 150 coffee trees. The farms delivering cherry to Nemba are all located around 1,700+ meters above sea level, near the Kibila forest. The washing station has over two hundred drying tables and can process up to 750 metric tons of coffee cherry annually.
Most coffee trees in Burundi are Red Bourbon for reasons of quality. Because of the increasingly small size of coffee plantings, aging rootstock is a very big issue in Burundi. Many farmers have trees that are over 50 years old, but with small plots to farm, it is difficult to justify taking trees entirely out of production for the 3-4 years it will take new plantings to begin to yield. In order to encourage farmers to renovate their plantings, Greenco purchases seeds from the Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU), establishes nurseries and sells the seedlings to farmers at or below cost.
During the harvest season, all coffee is selectively handpicked. Most families only have 200 to 250 trees, and harvesting is done almost entirely by the family.
Cherry is placed in Epoxy-coated concrete fermentation tanks. Cima yeast purchased from the French company Lalcafe is added to the tanks. The tanks are left to ferment in this environment for approximately 48 hours.
Cherry is placed in airtight containers and Cima yeast purchased from the French company Lalcafe is added to the tanks. The tanks are then covered and left to ferment in this environment for approximately 36 hours.
LALCAFÉ CIMA™ yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was especially developed for coffee production over a four-year period of research and trials. Trials in various regions and environments showed that Cima is well suited to better control the wet process’ efficiency and to upgrade the cup quality. The yeast is able to control the fermentation process against the risk of spoilage micro-organisms that can generate undesirable defects. Furthermore, its specific metabolism and its high capacity of implantation even at cold temperatures (minimum 15°C inside the coffee tank) allows for the expression of fresh and fruity characteristics of the coffee beans while respecting the varietal original aromas of the beans. The longer fermentation time for yeast processed coffees also allows for more developed flavors. The extra time enables the beans to absorb metabolites, which can enhance flavors. Complexity, acidity, brightness, floral and high notes and more are all boosted by the lengthened fermentation time.
After fermentation, cherry is carried to the drying tables, where they will dry slowly for 2-3 weeks, during which time the cherry is repeatedly sorted and sifted to ensure even drying. Cherry is left to dry from sunrise to sunset and is covered with a sheet during the evening or when it rains. The moisture level is carefully monitored and any cherry with visual defects is removed.
Once dry, coffee is then bagged and taken to the warehouse. Greenco’s team of expert cuppers assess every lot (which are separated by station, day and quality) at the lab. The traceability of the station, day and quality is maintained throughout the entire process.
]]>Origin: Colombia
Region: Trujillo, Caicedonia
Altitude: 1500 - 1950
Farmer: Rigoberto & Luis Eduardo Herrera
Farm: Finca Potosi
Variety: Colombia
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Balanced and boozy with notes of stonefruit, orange and chocolate finish.
Granja La Esperanza is a group of 6 farms in El Valle del Cauca and Cundinamarca owned by Rigoberto and Luis Eduardo Herrera, two brothers from a traditional coffee family. Their grandfather owned a very large Hacienda in the region of Trujillo that was slowly sold off over decades. The Herreras left Colombia in the 1970’s to study engineering abroad but returned in 1998 with a dream to reconstruct their grandfather’s Hacienda and get back into coffee farming. Cafe Granja La Esperanza has taken great strides under the brothers leadership and forward thinking vision. In the last decade, the farm has moved from traditional 'C' market coffees, to the more delicate and exquisite varieties coveted by the specialty coffee industry. The farm looks like a garden full of different coffee varietals and is one of the most progressive and experimental farms in the world. What we are witnessing here is an approach more akin to the rigours of fine wine-making where varieties are chosen more for their flavour attributes than their disease resistance. Many innovations have led to this excellence in the cup.
A hand picked group of pickers for example are trained to pick only the ripest cherries and are paid by the day, rather than the weight to discourage filling up baskets with unripe fruit. Rigoberta describes the 3 pillars upon which their control of coffee quality is built as 'The Genetic Material of the Variety, the Terroir and the Human Talent. Of the 3, the people who work at Granja La Esperanza are the most important resource'. This enlightened approach doesn't stop there - every delivery to the mill is tested with a brix meter, to measure sugar levels in the fruit - how wine industry is that! The processing and drying can then be adjusted accordingly. There are actually 95 different quality hurdles in place for the beans to negotiate from nursery to port! This tremendous investment of human resources, time, energy and money can only come about through total dedication.
]]>Tasting Notes: Rich, silky and boozy with notes of blueberry, blackberry and orange.
The name of this coffee comes from the Sipi Falls - a series of three waterfalls that lie on the edge of Mount Elgon National Park in Eastern Uganda. The areas surrounding the falls are well known for the cultivation of 'Bugisu' Arabica, the most renowned of the Ugandan Arabicas.
Organically certified, this coffee has been grown and harvested as part of the Sipi Falls Coffee Project. The project was first initiated in 1999 and has grown to incorporate more than 5,000 smallholder producers who tend an area over 2000 hectares in size. Approximately 3.5 million families are linked both directly and indirectly to coffee through the Sipi Falls Project. Through training and extension services offered through the project, producers are encouraged to improve agronomic practices in order to increase yield and improve quality. Producers practice intercropping with food crops and shade trees to improve coffee quality and foster income diversification. Field officers mentor members on the effects of climate change, good agri practices, internal control systems, water recycling, community education and organic standards.
The coffee is grown on the slopes of Elgon mountain range in three distinct areas, namely the Mbale, Sironko, and Kapchorwa Districts, and is thus found at varying altitudes, ranging from 1300 metres in the South, climbing up to 1900 metres in the Central and Northern Districts. For this nation of farmers the cultivation of coffee has always been a major preoccupation and one of the few sources of commercial income available to rural families. Coffee growing has always remained the exclusive preserve of the smallholder, and the leading sector of the Uganda economy.
]]>Tasting Notes: Full creamy mouthfeel with notes of honeydew, melon and cooked pears.
The Karambi Natural coffee is produced in the district of Nyamasheke in the western province of Rwanda that borders the Nyungwe Forest National Park. It was built in 2016 and is, to date, the sole station that Rwacof has built from the ground up.
The farm is just under a hectare in size with the altitude in the region starting at 1700m and extends up to 2000m above sea level, with the coffee being provided nutrients from a rich clay soil.
Karambi serves a wide range of farmers in the region, and over 66% of the farmers delivering to the washing station are women. The cherries once farmed are sent through a strict sorting process to ensure the highest quality coffee is used for the final product. The natural coffee is sent through a washing and floatation station in order to remove the lower quality cherries. Trained staff are then utilized to visually inspect the remaining cherries to sort out any visual defects.
Finally, after this selection, the cherries go straight to the raised beds and are raked frequently to ensure an even drying process. This process as a whole takes on average 3 weeks to complete, before the coffee is fully dried to then be processed.
As the farmers are paramount to the production and overall end quality of the coffee bean, they are heavily invested in, to help improve their skills, production line, efficiency, and financial literacy. Rwacof’s Farmer Field School shares information with all their producer partners about the best agricultural practices, conservation tactics, and the importance of managing personal income and savings.
Practices like these show that coffee production is bigger than the coffee itself. The efforts employed by suppliers and farmers help to build a more supportive and cohesive environment resulting in better work flow and efficiency, leading to an overall higher quality product.
]]>Origin: Indonesia
Region: Aceh Tegah, Sumatra
Altitude: 1500 - 1700 meters above sea level
Owner: Asman Arianto & 350 farmers of the Ribang Gayo Musara Cooperative
Variety: Abyssinia, Ateng, Gayo 1, Gayo 2, Timtim
Process: Honey
Tasting Notes: Sweet and Silky with notes of white peach, rockmelon and honey.
Asman Arianto is originally from Palembang, South Sumatra but has been living and working in Aceh Tengah since 1998. Most of the farmers in Aceh Tengah are migrants. Many of them were evacuated from Sinabung Berastagi in North Sumatra after the long-dormant volcano became continuously active again in 2013.
Asman sold various items during the time he lived in Palembang, but he was interested in coffee production. So, when he arrived in Aceh, Asman entered the coffee industry and began collecting and processing wet-hulled coffee. He soon switched to collecting cherry and processing as Fully washed, Honey or Natural.
He decided he wanted to build a cooperative to unite coffee farmers. In 2018, Asman formed the Ribang Gayo Musara Cooperative. His goal is to offer competitive prices that can help farmers reinvest in their farms and their families. The cooperative currently has over 350 members who deliver cherry to their processing facility in Pantan Musara.
Almost all farms on Sumatra are small. On average, farms are between 0.5 to 2.5 hectares. Coffee is usually the primary cash crop for farmers, but most also intercrop their trees alongside vegetables, maize and fruit. This intercropped produce will make up a substantial part of the family’s diet for the year.
Ribang Gayo Musara is profiting and expanding. Members doubled production yields in just 5 seasons (2016 to 2020). A newly completed cooperative wet-mill will be available for use in the 2020 harvest. While Indonesia is known for its unique ‘Wet Hulled’ Process (Giling Basah), Asman and his team are expanding Indonesia’s coffee possibilities by diversifying the cooperative's processing methods.
Cherry is handpicked on member farms. Upon delivery to the cooperative wet mill, the cherry undergoes a rigorous selection process. Cherry is then laid to dry on raised beds in greenhouses.
In addition to growing coffee as a cash crop, many smallholder farmers also work as hired laborers at the nearby tea plantations. Tea is also a huge crop in the area. The bigger tea plantations are often near coffee farms. When the harvest is finished, coffee farmers will go there and pick leaves under contracted labour.
Our green partner, Sucafina, has established offices and quality labs in Indonesia that are staffed by an experienced team who manage our activities across this vast and diverse island nation. We partner with farmers, cooperatives, collectors, mills, and exporters from many producing islands including Sulawesi, Flores, Bali, Java and Sumatra. We work to identify the best producers across Indonesia and support their ability to improve quality, increase capacity and access the market.
We regularly travel to visit partner producers. Visits are essential to maintaining and strengthening the relationships that are integral to our communal success. Visits help us gather accurate, up to date information on harvest and post-harvest timing and practices. We also use this time with producers to help identify challenges they are facing and determine where we can help them work towards sustainable, affordable solutions. Our local team oversees logistics to ensure that coffee moves safely and efficiently from farm to mill to port, and on to you. With comprehensive quality control at multiple stages of the supply chain, we ensure the integrity of each shipment and work continuously on quality improvement.
Indonesia has an impressive diversity of coffees to offer and the industry continues to evolve and change. Whether you’re looking for consistent deliveries of the classic wet-hulled profile from North Sumatra or Aceh, the clean washed coffees from Flores or Sulawesi, or experimental micro-lots from the new generation of producers emerging around the archipelago, the team at Sucafina Indonesia is ready to help.
Indonesia has a long coffee producing history, but recently their coffees have been overlooked by the specialty market. Thanks to our innovative and ever-expanding supply chain, we are proud to bring you high-quality coffees from many of Indonesia’s unique regions, accompanied by in-depth traceability information.
Indonesia is perhaps best known for its unique wet hulling process (giling basah). Though its exact origins are unclear, wet hulling most likely originated in Aceh during the late 1970s.
Wet hulling’s popularity can be attributed to producers’ need for prompt payments. It was also adopted specifically by many producers who lacked the drying infrastructure that was needed to shelter drying parchment from the high humidity and inconsistent rainfall typical in Sumatra. At higher elevations with constant humidity and unpredictable rainfall, drying can prove to be slow, risky and difficult.
The Dutch colonial government planted the first coffee trees in Indonesia around Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) in the 17th century. Those the first seedlings were destroyed in flooding, but the second iteration of seedlings successful produced cherry. By the early 1700s, the first exports of coffee left for Europe from the Port of Java on Dutch East India Company ships. Just a few years later the government was exporting several thousand pounds of coffee annually, making Indonesia the first country outside of the Arabian Peninsula and Ethiopia to cultivate coffee in commercial volumes.
For the better part of a century, Indonesia produced nearly 100% Arabica. However, in the 1860s, coffee leaf rust (CLR) spread beyond its birthplace in Ethiopia and obliterated the majority of Indonesia’s production. Soon thereafter, most farmers replaced their Arabica trees with Robusta. While Indonesia remains a formidable coffee producer—ranking fourth in the world—less than 20% of production is Arabica. When only Arabica coffee is considered, Indonesia ranks as the world’s 12th largest producer.
Indonesia is perhaps best known for its unique wet hulling process (giling basah). Though its exact origins are unclear, wet hulling most likely originated in Aceh during the late 1970s.
Wet hulling’s popularity can be attributed to producers’ need for prompt payments. It was also adopted specifically by many producers who lacked the drying infrastructure that was needed to shelter drying parchment from the high humidity and inconsistent rainfall typical in Sumatra. At higher elevations with constant humidity and unpredictable rainfall, drying can prove to be slow, risky and difficult.
The basic process for wet hulling is as follows: Cherry is harvested and pulped at or near the farm, on small hand-cranked or motorized pulpers. The coffee is fermented overnight (in small tanks, buckets, or bags) and washed with clean water the following morning. Parchment is sun-dried for between half a day and two days, depending on the weather, to allow for skin drying which eases the removal of parchment.
At this juncture the moisture content is between 30-40% and parchment is delivered to a processor (often by the village collector) for wet hulling. A wet hulling machine is larger, requires more power, and runs at a faster speed than a traditional dry huller. After the hulling, the coffee seed is whitish and pliable and is called labu. It is laid out to dry on tarps or patios, where it reduces in size and moisture to 14-15%. This stage the green coffee is known as asalan - unsorted and with defects. Much of the internal commercial trade is for asalan. Exporters, most of whom are based in Medan, will finish the drying down to 12-13%, sort and prepare for shipment.
Our premium and specialty wet hulled coffees are produced in direct collaboration with village collectors and processors so that the drying, storage, and lot integrity remain in place from the farmer all the way you. In this way we can export cleaner, more stable and more traceable regional lots.
Indonesia is an incredibly diverse and expansive country. Each coffee growing region has their own unique system of production and trade, with local varieties, climate, and terroir contributing to the distinct profiles. The most well-known regions for specialty coffee are Aceh, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, West Java, Bali, and Flores.
On average, farms are between 1-5 hectares and often grow vegetables, fruits, and spices alongside coffee plants. Many of these farms are in remote, difficult to access regions. A vast network of collectors, processors and traders connect the farmer to the exporter. There are hundreds of active exporters, mainly located in Medan. Surabaya in East Java is another hub for export (generally for coffees from Java and further east), while smaller volumes are exported from Jakarta and Makassar (Sulawesi).
The Indonesian coffee industry has experienced wide fluctuations in production and as a result, pricing. With strong demand from large roasters and increasing local consumption, a bad harvest can result in skyrocketing prices. For example, 2016 was a recent production high while 2017 was a historic low, caused mainly by unseasonably long rains and severe weather. By early 2018 dozens of exporters had gone bankrupt, unable to fulfill contracts they had sold prior to the price spike. To further complicate things, the exchange rate between the US dollar and Indonesian Rupiah is volatile and collectors can often hold stocks and speculate on the market.
Export volumes, which once grew prolifically, are slowing down.
The cause of the decreased global demand for Indonesian coffee is largely a mix of changing palates and high cost. While some producers are responding by learning new production methods and honing quality in order to meet changing tastes and expectations, others are increasingly turning to the growing national market.
Many coffee drinkers in Indonesia are interested in trying a wide variety of high-end specialty coffees from Indonesian producers throughout the country, and many producers are reaching out directly to consumers to sell their coffee. Selling via Instagram, e-commerce apps and other popular platforms, in many cases, can mean higher prices for coffee farmers. This focus on nationally produced coffee is in part due to a sense of pride in coffee production that reaches from the ranks of farmers in remote agrarian areas to the president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, who has even posted pictures of himself cupping coffees on his Instagram page.
In many cases, the shorter distances that coffee must travel from a producer to an in-country roaster, combined with the shortened supply chain, enable roasters to pay higher prices to farmers while still making a profit at their roasteries and cafes. The direct relationships between roasters and producers, along with the higher prices those roasters are willing to pay, mean that many of the best quality lots are staying in country for the first time. It remains to be seen whether growing national demand will significantly affect export costs in the future. At the moment, it appears that rising national demand and slowing global demand are maintaining an equilibrium.
Sucafina has established offices and quality labs in Indonesia that are staffed by an experienced team who manage our activities across this vast and diverse island nation. We partner with farmers, cooperatives, collectors, mills, and exporters from many producing islands including Sulawesi, Flores, Bali, Java and Sumatra. We work to identify the best producers across Indonesia and support their ability to improve quality, increase capacity and access the market.
We regularly travel to visit partner producers. Visits are essential to maintaining and strengthening the relationships that are integral to our communal success. Visits help us gather accurate, up to date information on harvest and post-harvest timing and practices. We also use this time with producers to help identify challenges they are facing and determine where we can help them work towards sustainable, affordable solutions. Our local team oversees logistics to ensure that coffee moves safely and efficiently from farm to mill to port, and on to you. With comprehensive quality control at multiple stages of the supply chain, we ensure the integrity of each shipment and work continuously on quality improvement.
Indonesia has an impressive diversity of coffees to offer and the industry continues to evolve and change. Whether you’re looking for consistent deliveries of the classic wet-hulled profile from North Sumatra or Aceh, the clean washed coffees from Flores or Sulawesi, or experimental micro-lots from the new generation of producers emerging around the archipelago, the team at Sucafina Indonesia is ready to help.
]]>Tasting Notes: Soft, delicate and complex with notes of pink sherbet, lilac, rose and elderflower jelly.
Finca Las Flores is one in a group of five farms that have banded together for the greater success of each producing family. This tight-knit collective in the Pitalito area collaborates closely in everything from agronomy and processing innovations, through to marketing networks and community get-togethers.
Las Flores began with 2 hectares mixing Caturra and Colombia variety coffee trees (some 18,000 in total planted) when Edilberto Vergara and Nubia Ayure arrived, moving the family from Cundinamarca to Acevedo in 1990. As their three boys grew up, they became instrumental in the Las Flores production. Eldest Carlos with youngest Diego runs most logistics for the farm on the ground. Whilst middle son, Johan, has brought his experience from working with other celebrated producers to direct processing decisions at Las Flores and having an extraordinary impact on the qualities being achieved.
Since 2006, the family have gradually built on their traditional beginnings with the introduction of alternative varieties for the region, such as Chiroso, Java, Pacamara, Pink Bourbon and Tabi. Currently, Las Flores spans over 14 hectares with 90,000 trees, whilst always retaining a dedicated natural reserve to protect its biodiversity.
Sidra bourbon (also goes by Sydra or Sidra) is one of the latest in Vergara’s experimental varieties. Thought to have its origins in Ecuador as a natural mutation of Red Bourbon and Typica. In the cup, we experience both the body and sweetness of red bourbon as well as the complexity and acidity associated with Typica.
Loosely characterised as washed, Johan has implemented advanced processing techniques to amplify the intrinsic characteristics of the variety. Cherries at optimal ripeness (averaging 22 degrees brix) were hand selected and then held for 18 hours in permeable polypropylene fibre bags to begin cherry oxidation. They were then transferred into 200L sealed plastic barrels without water for 36 hours of anaerobic fermentation. Cherries were then floated to remove inferior fruit and impurities before being pulped back into the plastic barrels without water for a further 48 hours of anaerobic fermentation. Finally, fermentation is ceased and the remaining mucilage is removed by washing coffee with water heated to 35 degree Celsius (known as thermal shock processing). Drying of parchment coffee took 12 to 15 days on raised beds under a parabolic shade canopy, purpose-built to protect micro-lots from direct sun and maximise each lot’s full expression of extraordinary qualities.
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Region: Veracruz
Altitude: 1450 meters above sea level
Producer: Santuario Project
Variety: Red Bourbon
Process: 72hr Anaerobic Natural
Tasting Notes: Silky and juicy with notes of cherry, stone fruits, florals and honey.
Ixhuatlan del cafe is the processing centre of the Santuario Project Mexico. It is a fully integrated facility, with wet and dry mills, greenhouses and drying areas, coffee garden, laboratory and a warehouse all dedicated to achieving quality excellence. The Ixhuatlan centre works with small producers from Veracruz to produce and isolate only the most exceptional lots, which are then processed under the watchful eye of the expert processing managers of the Santuario project.
To achieve consistently high quality, the focus begins on the farms. Brix measurements, selective picking, meticulous cleaning and cherry sorting are all factors that are closely considered before cherries are delivered to the centre. Cherries are picked at varying stages of ripeness depending on the processing method they are undergoing in order to control and maximise the final quality of the coffee.
In the centre itself, all aspects of the post harvest are closely monitored and controlled. The state of the art facilities are incredibly clean, allowing the processing managers to precisely control each stage of fermentation. Each lot is slowly shade dried on African beds, with fans and extractors used to maintain absolute temperature and humidity stability through the drying process. The final result is an incredibly clean and stable coffee with great clarity and a long finish.
Processing details:
The cherries are first harvested once they are above 24 brix, then they are soaked in water for 2 hours. The initial fermentation is 72 hours with Mossto. Then the coffee is depulped leaving 20% of the mucilage remaining around the seeds before undergoing a second fermentation with mossto for 48 hours. Afterwards, the cherries are sun dried and left to rest on African beds for 22 days. The final humidity stabilization occurs after 6 days under shade, until finally the coffee is stored in grain pro bags.
Region: Shevaroys Hills
Altitude: 1450 meters above sea level
Owner: Prakash Kalaraman
Variety: SL9 (Ethiopia/Timor Hybrid)
Process: 72hr Papaya Ferment Natural
Tasting Notes: Silky and rounded with notes of brown sugar, chamomile, glazed cherry and kiwi.
Hand picked ripen cherries are washed in natural spring water and real papaya fruits are used to ferment in an air tight bags for 72 hours. Temperature and ph are monitored in the process to produce consistency in every lots. once the fermentation is complete cherries are sun dried in raised bed for 25-30 days.
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Region: Gedeo, Yirgacheffe
Altitude: 1980 - 2400 meters above sea level
Owner: Tarkegn Gutu + Gutu Birre (Father + son)
Variety: Kurume, 74110 and 74112
Process: Natural
Tasting Notes: Light and delicate with notes of milk chocolate, nougat, orange, pear and red fruits.
Till the mid of 2017, the Ethiopian coffee industry used to be known for lack of transparency, very long value chain and complex coffee marketing policy that did not permit smallholder coffee farmers from carrying out direct trade practices on the national and international markets. The establishment of ECX in 2008 as a marketing and warehousing platform has been helpful for farmers in terms of only providing market information on a daily basis. However, its contribution to connect smallholder coffee farmers with the international market had been insignificant. The system was questioned for lack of coffee transparency, quality integrity and traceability. With the ambition of transforming the Ethiopian coffee industry, the government went through a rigorous reform in 2017 and could revise and update the ECX era coffee marketing and quality control policy. With the new reform, the ECX monopoly could diminish and a more liberalized coffee marketing and quality control approaches have been implemented. In this process, producers, exporters, green coffee traders and roasters could enjoy the level of coffee traceability and transparency at ECX. One of the most fascinating changes that the new policy brought to the system is the participation of smallholder coffee farmers on the direct trade through their special coffee export competency certificate. Moreover, farmers are exempted from annual income taxation.
Despite such an encouraging policy, there are several factors which hinder farmers from using the full privilege and opportunity rendered to them through the new reform. To mention some of the challenges, handling coffee marketing, quality control, coffee export and logistics activities as a smallholder coffee farmer and exporter is impracticable. In particular, the process is economically less feasible and affordable for most Ethiopian smallholder coffee farmers who own smaller coffee farm sizes with an average annual production potential of 1.8 metric tons of clean green coffee. Whether a bigger exporter or smaller in size - as an exporter everyone should establish quality control facilities, marketing systems, export warehouses, milling facilities and employ skilled manpower. These are requirements by the government but also to carry out coffee export business those are the pillars. With the purpose of supporting smallholder farmers coffee export business, and to bridge the gap between source and market , G Broad Trading PLC has been investing in sourcing, marketing, quality control, training, export documentation, logistics and financing areas by working very closely with smallholder coffee farmers.
Jabanto farmers business group was established in 2018 with the help of G Broad. A total of 29 smallholder coffee farmers from Gedeo zone founded the group in 2018 and the size of the group kept expanding over years and as of today there 87 registered smallholder coffee farmers in the group. The group has reached a production volume of 288 metric tonnes of high quality natural and washed coffees together. The group tries to produce different coffee types: regional lots, village level lots, single farmer lots, variety lots and processing lots. The collaboration between Bi-Lab and Co-Lab, specialized coffee laboratories owned by G Broad in Addis Ababa and Condesa in Sydney respectively, could help better define coffee sourcing approaches, quality control mechanisms, marketing and promotion opportunities for farmers. In doing so, this cropping season, i.e., 2020/21 a great amount of high quality and different coffee types were supplied through Condesa to the Australian and Taiwan markets.
Single farmer lots represent the largest percentages of the product developed at Bi-Lab and Jabanto, Condesa's coffee sourcing collaborators at origin in Ethiopia. Promoting coffee lots under the name of a smallholder coffee farmer is at the heart of our business and development philosophies. Out of 87 registered member farmers in the Jabanto farmers business group, those farmers who produce an outstanding coffee with superior quality and cup score are promoted as a single farmer lot. We pay a better and higher price for a single framer lot as compared to a composite (group) lot - for example Jabanto lot. We believe that rewarding farmers for quality is a good mechanism to create competition among farmers for quality and motivate them to produce better quality coffees year after year.
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