Crafted in celebration of De Mello’s 12th anniversary, Birthday Cake is a limited-edition blend with tasting notes of strawberry chocolate cake—sweet, rich, and delightful character. This special release is our way of saying thank you—for being part of the journey and for sharing a love of coffee that keeps us inspired every day.
Available April 1–30, online and in cafés.
Don’t miss your slice! 🍰
Introducing Colombia Pedro Echavarria,
Santa Barbara Estate, located in the Antioquia Department of Colombia, has been a cornerstone of Colombian coffee production for over 40 years. Founded by Pedro Echavarria, the estate has evolved from its deep-rooted family traditions into a leader in the specialty coffee sector. In the past decade, the farm has integrated a dry mill and export operations, ensuring complete control over quality from cultivation to shipment. The estate’s focus on paying farmers based on the quality of their harvests rather than the quantity promotes meticulous picking and processing of perfectly ripe coffee cherries, resulting in an exceptional product.
Grown at an elevation of 1,600 meters, the Colombian varietal from Santa Barbara Estate is processed using the natural method, with harvests taking place in October. The beans are dried on raised beds and exported by December, ensuring they retain their sweet and creamy profile. While not fair trade certified, the estate goes above and beyond in compensating its workers, adhering to sustainability practices that align with traditional organic farming methods, despite not holding organic certification.
A standout feature of Santa Barbara Estate is its limited production of a unique natural process lot. This small batch, grown under the shade of a 20-year reforestation project, showcases the farm’s dedication to both quality and environmental stewardship. Nestled high in the Andes Mountains, the estate combines volcanic soil, expert growing techniques, and a commitment to sustainability, making it a shining example of Colombia’s best in natural process coffee.
Introducing Guatemala Finca Las Moritas,
Las Moritas, located in the San Antonio La Paz region of El Progreso, Guatemala, is perched on one of the country’s highest non-volcanic mountain ranges. This farm, lovingly managed by Don Higinio Gomez and his wife, Dona Aura, benefits from a unique humid and forested microclimate. The high altitude and diverse environment impart distinct flavours to the coffee. Las Moritas is home to several coffee varietals, including Bourbon, Pache San Ramon, Castillo, Pacamara, and Red Bourbon, all cultivated with care and dedication.
Grown at an impressive 1850 meters above sea level, the coffee from Las Moritas is meticulously processed using the fully washed method, with harvest taking place in April. The beans, dried on patios, are exported in March, ensuring they are handled with precision from start to finish. Among the varietals, the Pache variety stands out—a natural mutation of Typica discovered in 1949 in Santa Cruz Naranjo, Guatemala. Known for its compact growth and higher yield, the Pache adds a unique dimension to the coffee. The combination of high altitude, diverse varietals, and careful processing results in a coffee that reflects the rich heritage and passion of its producers, offering a truly exceptional cup.
Introducing Ethiopia Gora Kone,
a remarkable coffee from the Refisa kebele in the Nensebo district of Ethiopia’s West Arsi zone. The name “Gora Kone” translates to “mountain hump,” referring to the distinctive mountain shape in the region. Nestled in a valley below this mountain, the Gora Kone washing station transforms cherries from local small-scale farmers into exquisite coffee. The high-altitude environment (1900 to 2050 meters) and natural forest cover, although relatively new to the specialty coffee scene, create an ideal setting for cultivating complex and floral coffee with a hint of citrus.
Gora Kone coffee is sourced from 600 to 1000 dedicated small-scale farmers, primarily from the Oromo ethnic group, who grow their coffee under natural shade provided by native acacia and wanza trees. Despite challenges like a shortage of rainfall during the 2021-22 season, Testi Trading PLC, which recently took over the station, is making strides to improve production quality by installing new, water-efficient machines. With plans to explore washed, natural, and fermented coffees, Testi Trading is committed to enhancing both the quality and variety of coffee from Gora Kone, promising an exciting future for this Ethiopian gem.
Introducing Rwanda Tumba
Rwanda Tumba Washed hails from the North Rulindo region, grown at an altitude of 1776 meters above sea level. This region is renowned for producing some of Rwanda’s finest coffees. The Tumba coffee washing station, established in 2007 by three private investors and now solely owned by Venuste Mugiraneza, plays a crucial role in this success. Venuste, a former teacher and local resident, has brought his meticulous attention to detail to coffee production, ensuring consistently high quality. Since becoming part of RTC’s supply chain, Tumba’s reputation has soared, with demand often exceeding supply. Venuste reinvests profits into the local community, providing lime to combat soil acidity and seedlings to replace aging coffee trees, enhancing the sustainability of the farm.
This exceptional coffee is made from the Red Bourbon variety, celebrated for its delicate and balanced flavour profile with notes of Pomegranate, Grapefruit, and Bergamot. The cherries undergo a meticulous washed process at the Tumba washing station, which employs 12 full-time staff and approximately 95 seasonal workers during peak harvest months. Processing involves careful reception and sorting of cherries, pulping with mechanical pulpers, and drying on specially designed raised beds to ensure uniform drying. The parchment is mechanically stripped after 15-17 days, revealing the green coffee beans ready for storage. Tumba’s coffee has gained recognition for its high quality and consistency, earning the ‘Supreme’ designation from Project Origin since 2020. Venuste’s dedication to quality and community ensures that each cup of Tumba coffee offers a taste of Rwanda’s best while supporting sustainable growth and local farmers.
Introducing Costa Rica Rita Aguilera
Located in Los Robles, San Jerónimo Naranjo, in the Valle Occidental region of Costa Rica, Finca Pegujal is a testament to the passion and dedication of Rita Herrera Aguilera and her family. Spanning four generations, their history in coffee farming is deeply rooted, with her father inheriting a small plot from his parents. Over the years, through sacrifice and hard work, the family expanded their land. In 2019, Doña Rita began training with Bean Voyage, learning to process her coffee for better pricing and sustainability. She also prioritizes conservation, dedicating part of her land to forest and fauna preservation, fostering a habitat for birds among the coffee plants.
Introducing Ethiopia Testi Natural
Located in the Guji zone of southern Ethiopia, Mulish washing station stands as a pivotal hub for coffee processing, established by Testi Coffee and led by Faysel Abdush. It serves local farmers by providing a nearby facility, alleviating the need for long journeys. Situated amidst fertile soil nourished by the Mormora River, Mulish benefits from an optimal environment for coffee cultivation. Despite recent challenges like lower harvests due to insufficient rainfall, Faysel and the smallholders remain committed to enhancing coffee quality through modernizing their processing machinery.
Ethiopia Testi N coffee, grown at altitudes of 1800 to 1950 meters, includes local ancient and mixed heirloom varieties processed as washed and natural methods. Known for its fruity notes of orange, ginger candy, and jasmine, Mulish coffee exemplifies Guji’s distinctive flavours. Since Testi Coffee’s establishment in 2014, the region has seen an increase in coffee farmers, leading to the expansion with the opening of sister station Bishan Dimo in 2016. By 2022, over a thousand farmers were delivering cherries to Mulish and Bishan Dimo, solidifying Guji’s reputation for exceptional coffee.
Introducing Kenya AB Kaguyu Lot 2164
Located near Kerugoya town in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, the Kaguyu washing station stands out as a significant hub for coffee production. Positioned on the slopes of Mount Kenya at an elevation of 1800 meters, Kaguyu benefits from two distinct wet seasons, creating an ideal environment for cultivating high-quality coffee. This strategic location, combined with the region’s unique microclimate, contributes to the exceptional characteristics of the coffee produced here.
The Kaguyu factory operates under the Inoi Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), which oversees 11 factories within a 200-hectare area. This cooperative supports 1000 active members, each tending to an average of 200-300 coffee trees. The collaborative efforts of these farmers result in an impressive annual production of 250,000 kilograms of green coffee. This not only supports the local economy but also fosters a strong sense of community among the farmers, who work together to achieve common goals and improve their livelihoods.
At Kaguyu, the coffee cherries undergo meticulous hand-picking and are processed using a fully washed method with double fermentation. This process begins with pulping, followed by overnight dry fermentation and thorough washing in grading channels using water from the Rutui River. After soaking in clean water for 24-48 hours, the beans are dried on raised beds, ensuring careful defect selection and optimal sun drying. The diverse varietals grown, including SL28, SL34, and Ruiru11, each contribute unique flavours to the final product. Thanks to the precise processing techniques and dedication of the Inoi FCS members, Kaguyu coffees consistently showcase remarkable flavours and high quality, making them a standout choice for coffee enthusiasts.
Roaster’s Note:
Kenyan coffee is celebrated for its high density and robust body, and the Kenyan coffee we’re introducing today truly stands out in this regard. We’ve extracted it at a higher temperature of 96°C and ground it finer than usual, down to size 8 (compared to our usual 9 to 9.5).
We’ve also extended the blooming time from the typical 30 seconds to 45 seconds and slowed the extraction process to over 3 minutes. This careful approach highlights the coffee’s remarkable acidity, making it particularly delightful when enjoyed as an iced coffee.
In the lush landscape of Ethiopia’s Gedeo Zone, Hirbe Gasha nurtures his 8.3-hectare farm in the vibrant community of Worka Sakaro. Here, amidst verdant slopes and bustling coffee commerce, Hirbe cultivates a rich diversity of coffee varietals, each contributing to the complexity of his harvest. His farm lies in the heart of Ethiopia’s coffee country, where tradition meets innovation to create some of the world’s most exquisite coffees. Hirbe’s journey begins with meticulous processing, where ripe cherries undergo careful hand sorting and floating to ensure only the finest beans are selected. These cherries then embark on a 15-21 day drying period on raised beds, meticulously tended to by Hirbe and his team. Their dedication shines through as they stir the cherries multiple times a day, ensuring uniform air exposure and optimal drying conditions. This dedication to quality results in a coffee that not only embodies the rich heritage of Ethiopian coffee but also offers a unique and flavorful experience in every sip, inviting coffee enthusiasts to savour the essence of Ethiopia’s coffee culture.
Beyond their role as coffee producers, these women are driving forces for transformation. Their hunger for knowledge and dedication to education drive constant innovation and development. Operating smallholder farms positioned between 1800 and 2100 meters above sea level, these women navigate a cool, often cloudy climate, yielding a coffee harvest from mid-February to early May.
Amidst this collective of determined women lies a mosaic of inspiring tales. From Julia Cifuentes, instilling the value of hard work in her children as a first-generation producer, to Adhani and her husband returning to ‘Chulubaba,’ their farm, reigniting their connection to coffee, and Rebeca, who diversifies her agricultural activities for a stable livelihood—each woman weaves a story of resilience and dedication to their craft. The Ella Todos Santos reflects their unwavering spirit, offering a robust, wild, and aromatic brew with captivating notes of walnut, brown sugar and baked apple, a testament to these women’s fortitude and commitment to crafting exceptional coffee against all odds.
Located in the serene region of Cartago, El Guarco, Tobosi, Tablón, Costa Rica, Rosa Aura is a family-owned coffee farm renowned for its dedication to quality and sustainability. Positioned at elevations between 1,700 and 2,000 meters above sea level, the farm enjoys an optimal altitude and microclimate, perfect for nurturing exceptional coffee beans. Through collaborations with organizations like Bean Voyage, Rosa Aura implements innovative technologies and sustainable practices while preserving the unique traits of its coffee varieties.
Beyond coffee cultivation, Amalieth plays a vital role in the local community and environmental conservation efforts. Providing employment opportunities to individuals from Nicaragua ensures dignified living conditions for its workers during their tenure. Additionally, the farm prioritizes environmental sustainability by employing eco-friendly practices such as the natural processing method, which eliminates water usage and minimizes ecological pollution—utilizing residues from the peeling process as fertilizer further underscores the commitment to sustainable agricultural practices. Certified by AAA and Rainforest Alliance programs, Amalieth showcases its dedication to social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Sensory Note:
Rosa Aura presents an intriguing sensory profile reminiscent of Anaerobic naturals. It features prominent berry flavours like ripe strawberries and jam, harmoniously balanced with pronounced sweetness and a full-bodied texture. Delicate floral highlights, evoking images of violets, elegantly enhance its aromatic bouquet.
Occasionally, you may encounter notes of fermented spiciness akin to chilli paste, adding depth and character to the coffee’s profile. Slowly savouring such coffees reveals their remarkable complexity, with aged nutty nuances contributing to a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering finish that captivates the palate.
Introducing Colombia La Union, a coffee sourced from the Nariño region of Colombia, where it flourishes amidst the high altitudes ranging from 1800 to 1900 meters. La Union, nestled deep in Southern Colombia, boasts small-scale coffee farms, typically around 1 hectare each, contributing to this regional blend. The local producers deliver their coffee to centralized warehouses, ensuring a collective effort to produce this exceptional coffee. Situated amidst dramatic slopes and valleys, the geography of La Union influences the coffee’s high acidity and sweetness, resulting in a unique flavour profile representative of Nariño, Colombia’s southernmost coffee-growing region.
The varietals used in this blend, including Caturra, Colombia, and Castillo, undergo meticulous processing through thoroughly washed methods and patio drying. The coffee then begins a 14- to 16-hour fermentation journey before delicately drying on parabolic beds. This process yields a clean, sweet, and complex cup, accentuated by delightful praline, pear, and mandarin notes. Representing the distinctive characteristics of Nariño, Colombia’s southernmost coffee-growing region, this blend embodies the geography’s influence, with its dramatic slopes and valleys shaping the coffee’s high acidity and sweetness. The unique temperature modulation, from warm, humid lowlands during the day to cooler mountain nights, allows coffee to flourish at extraordinary altitudes, culminating in the distinct flavour profile of Nariño coffees.
Roaster’s Note:
For optimal enjoyment of Colombia La Union, we recommend a patient approach to extraction, allowing its delightful flavours and enticing aroma to blossom fully. Moreover, consider letting the coffee cool slightly before indulging; around 80 to 85 degrees Celsius is the sweet spot where the fruity essence of La Union shines brightest, promising a truly satisfying coffee experience.
a captivating coffee sourced from the Karongi District, Western Province, Rwanda. This exceptional batch of Bourbon varietal undergoes a Fully Washed process followed by Patio Drying, resulting in a truly delightful brew. What makes this coffee even more remarkable is its origin at the Mbizi Coffee Washing Station, where the Women Coffee Extension (WCE) initiative, founded by Aline Christine and Odette Uwamariya in 2017, empowers female coffee producers through education and various support services. With over 700 members, WCE has significantly impacted the lives of its members, leading to increased coffee production and expanded green coffee output, all while providing essential services like family planning and agricultural training.
Beyond its empowering origin story, Rwanda Kawa Yacu offers a unique flavour profile that balances brightness and sweetness. This unique coffee delivers a full body and creamy texture, with distinct flavours of ripe raspberry, dried strawberry, orange zest, and milk chocolate—a delectable choice for coffee enthusiasts seeking a truly exceptional brew.
This captivating coffee originates from the Nyabikenke Washing Station in the Kiremba Commune of Ngozi, Burundi. At an impressive elevation of 1867m, the station overlooks a hill that shares its name, steeped in local tradition and community spirit. Cherries harvested from nearby smallholder farms undergo meticulous selection and processing at Nyabikenke, ensuring only the ripest ones contribute to the coffee’s exceptional quality.
As fascinating as its taste, the narrative of Nyabikenke unfolds. Derived from “Umukenke,” reflecting community bonds, the hill embodies unity among its inhabitants. Traditionally, gatherings over sorghum beer strengthened these bonds, fostering kinship and camaraderie. Each sip of Burundi Nyabikenke echoes this rich heritage, celebrating the harmony and collaboration that defines the coffee’s origin.
Crafted with care, Burundi Nyabikenke undergoes a thoroughly washed process to unlock its unique flavour notes. From meticulous handpicking to extended drying on raised beds over 11 days, every step is a testament to the dedication of those behind its production. The result is a Bourbon variety coffee that embodies the essence of its origin, delivering a taste experience that captivates the senses and honours the spirit of the community.
Driven by their innovative spirit and boundless energy, Arleen and Maria are on a mission to elevate their farm and mill to new heights. Collaborating with @beanvoyagecoffee, they embark on a journey of dedication and creativity. This year, their coffee has undergone a delightful transformation, boasting enhanced sweetness reminiscent of apple juice. The pronounced jasmine fragrance, especially noticeable in espresso extraction, adds an extra layer of allure to this captivating brew. Whether enjoyed as an espresso or pour-over, each cup offers distinct nuances, making it a delightful choice for coffee lovers everywhere.
De Mello Coffee is thrilled to be part of Arleen and Maria’s journey, and we invite you to savour this exceptional coffee while supporting a good cause. Join us in celebrating the resilience and innovation of these remarkable women as we raise our cups to their continued success.
This exclusive 46kg lot, crafted exclusively for De Mello, showcases Franciny Vargas’ dedication to pushing the boundaries of coffee fermentation. While fermentation is a common practice in coffee production, the non-traditional approach taken here requires exceptional attention and care. Even the slightest variance or mishandling could jeopardize the entire batch of coffee cherries. Through years of experimentation and recipe refinement, Franciny has achieved a flavour profile that is both rich and exquisite, specifically crafted for us. The unique fermentation process brings out inherent notes of cinnamon, a source of immense pride and satisfaction for Franciny.
The anaerobic fermentation process employed for this coffee is a meticulous journey. Only perfectly ripe coffee cherries are handpicked and carefully separated, followed by 18 hours of resting without disturbance. After this initial fermentation, the outer red skin of the cherries is removed, and the seeds, still coated with some mucilage, undergo a 72-hour fermentation with added yeast, sugar, and cinnamon. Subsequently, the coffee seeds are moved to raised beds for 22 days of slow sun drying, with both mucilage and water left intact. This process results in a truly exceptional coffee that embodies Franciny’s commitment to innovation and flavour perfection.
Adjacent to the captivating Book Nora Waterfall, the Abore washing station stands as a testament to tradition, with roots tracing back to its establishment in 1997. A cornerstone of the local coffee community, this station boasts employees who have been part of its journey since day one. With each sip, the Ethiopia Bombe Washed unveils a tapestry of flavours that pay homage to its exceptional origin, inviting coffee enthusiasts to experience the rich heritage and dedication woven into every cup.
El Salvador La Reforma Red Bourbon is a testament to the family’s unwavering dedication and passion. Thriving in the fertile, sandy loam soil of El Salvador’s Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range at an impressive 1,450 meters above sea level, this coffee boasts distinctive characteristics. The Alvarez family’s innovative “shadow tree” technique, creating a natural shade canopy for the coffee plants, not only makes it bird-friendly but also conserves soil quality and enhances disease and insect resistance. This coffee’s story is a remarkable blend of tradition, dedication, and innovation, truly representing El Salvador’s rich coffee heritage.
Roaster’s Note:
The El Salvador La Reforma is of the Red Bourbon variety, known for its high density. For this reason, we’ve focused on the extraction temperature and time when crafting the recipe. Initially, raising the extraction temperature highlighted a tendency for a slight bitterness, so instead of increasing the temperature, we opted for a finer grind size and a longer extraction time. This has brought out the bright acidity and clean taste that characterizes this coffee, making it an excellent choice for enjoying with a French Press.
This blend combines two renowned coffee varieties: Caturra and Colombia. Thoroughly washed and carefully dried on open patios, the coffee cherries are prepared meticulously, enhancing their unique characteristics. Sol Naciente, established in 2008, unites competing coffee producers from Sierra Nevada. Hailing from Siberia and San Pedro townships in the Cienaga municipality, these farmers are recognized victims of armed conflict, part of a land restitution program. Reclaiming their land, they have turned adversity into opportunity, producing high-quality organic coffee.
Sierra Nevada Sol Naciente is a story of unity, excellence, and the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity. With a compelling origin, elevation, varietals, and processing methods, it delivers a taste of a region’s essence and its remarkable journey.
Roaster’s Note:
This coffee falls under the exelso-sized (exportable grading size) category and is a treasure trove of sweetness and rich aroma. We’ve fine-tuned the roasting process to maximize these qualities to take advantage of its solid density. By reducing airflow and extending the roasting time, especially after the yellow stage, we’ve coaxed out a fuller aroma and elevated the sweetness. To fully savour its magic, we recommend a slower and longer extraction time during brewing, revealing a cup that’s both aromatic and incredibly sweet, ensuring each sip is nothing short of extraordinary.
Ngugu-Ini’s coffee is a harmonious blend of classic Kenya varieties, including the renowned SL34 and SL28, both celebrated for their exceptional cup quality. Additionally, disease-resistant varieties such as Ruiru 11 and Batian add resilience and intricate flavour layers. The journey from cherry to cup involves meticulous and time-honoured steps. Ripe cherries, hand-picked with care, undergo sorting, pulping, washing, and drying at the cooperative’s wet mill. These precise methods are pivotal in shaping the coffee’s unique flavour profile. When you indulge in this coffee, anticipate a vibrant acidity accompanied by citrus and floral notes, all embraced by a full-bodied richness that sets it apart.
The world of specialty coffee reserves a special place for Kenyan beans, and Ngugu-Ini coffee is a shining example. Its exceptional altitude, varietal diversity, and the utmost care in processing make it a cherished favourite among coffee enthusiasts and roasters alike. It embodies the essence of Kenyan coffee excellence and serves as a testament to the craftsmanship of the region’s farmers. Whether you’re a seasoned coffee connoisseur or simply curious, this coffee promises a delightful journey into the realm of extraordinary brews.
Roaster’s Note:
Diving into the nuances of our Ngugu-Ini, Kenya coffee, you’ll notice its unique characteristics. It’s compact but packs a punch with higher density compared to other AB-grading coffees. When roasting this beauty, we took a slightly different approach. We roasted it at higher temperatures and allowed ample airflow right from the beginning of the process.
Now, let’s talk brewing. Given the high density of this coffee, we recommend using hotter water and slightly finer grounds to extract its full potential. The magic of this particular Kenyan coffee reveals itself as it cools, developing a richness and sweetness akin to a syrupy consistency. From hot to cold temperatures, it offers a delightful spectrum of flavours that can be savoured with each sip.
While Doña Flor and Jacqui manage the farm with unwavering dedication, they do not have their own mill facility. Instead, they process their coffee at the Centro Agricola Cantonal de Frailes (CAF), a regional mill representing around 60 smallholder families in Frailes. Since 2017, Bean Voyage Coffee has worked closely with CAF to enhance training components. Alexis Calvo, CAF’s General Director, a Q-grader and Q-processing certified professional, has been instrumental in shaping the training programs. Nayarith Calderon, since the 2020-21 harvest, oversees the mill’s overall operations, ensuring the meticulous processing and export of the coffee.
Doña Flor and Jacqui’s dedication extends beyond their farm. They actively engage in community development projects in Bustamante, contributing their time and effort to uplift the community. Despite her weekday role as an accountant in the city, Jacqui chooses to live on the coffee farm with her mother, cherishing its tranquillity. She works with the community’s development committee on weekends and joins her mom in coffee-related projects. Jacqui’s commitment to coffee and community led her to graduate as a Care Trader from Bean Voyage’s Care Training program.
Costa Rica Los Naranjos is a testament to the enduring spirit of coffee farming, a blend of tradition, family, and community. With tasting notes of cherry, plum, and mango puree, this coffee invites you to savour its rich flavours while celebrating the remarkable journey of Doña Flor and Jacqui, two inspiring women who bring this exceptional coffee to life.
The essence of Doña Ara’s dedication shines through in the remarkable quality of her coffee. Through meticulous washing processes, she cultivates a captivating blend of Caturra, Catuai, and cr-95 varieties, consistently achieving an impressive cup score of 86. Her coffee presents a delightful flavor spectrum, highlighted by enchanting notes of peach, fruitiness, and spices, all balanced harmoniously. Undertones of sugarcane, chocolate, and clove add layers of complexity, creating a truly satisfying experience.
Beyond her exceptional coffee, Doña Ara holds a visionary goal of empowering the next generation of coffee enthusiasts, particularly women within the industry. She firmly believes that education holds the key to a brighter future, and her collaborations with organizations like @beanvoyagecoffee reflect her commitment to providing opportunities for growth and success. In the heart of Frailes, Doña Aracelly Robles embodies the soul of coffee production, inspiring others through her boundless passion, unwavering dedication, and sincere efforts to foster a thriving coffee community.
Experience the culmination of Doña Ara’s journey with each sip of Costa Rica Terranova. Let her story and devotion unfold on your palate, as you savor the exceptional flavors she carefully nurtures on her beloved La Del Rio farm. Every cup tells a tale of tradition, inspiration, and the enduring spirit of coffee.
At the heart of this esteemed estate lies a close-knit community of over 100 dedicated individuals. Living and working on-site, they bring together time-honoured traditions and modern practices to meticulously oversee every stage of coffee production, investing 24 to 36 hours of care into each batch. During fermentation, a crucial “mid-wash” is performed between 12 and 18 hours, ensuring precise timing for optimal flavour development. Following these meticulous steps, the beans undergo a gentle drying process over 21 days, allowing their unique and distinct characteristics to fully emerge.
With a moisture content of 10.5%, the carefully conditioned dry parchment embarks on a journey to the dry mill, where it undergoes rigorous hulling and grading. This meticulous attention to detail results in consistently exceptional specialty green coffee, delivering a cup of unparalleled quality that enchants coffee enthusiasts with its season after season. Mondul Coffee Estate’s unwavering commitment to preserving traditional methods while embracing modern techniques, combined with its ideal geographical location and the expertise of its devoted workforce, ensures the production of extraordinary Arabica specialty coffee beans.
Experience the true essence of Tanzania Mondul PB Washed, a testament to the harmonious blend of heritage and innovation. Indulge in its captivating flavours, inspired by the unique terroir of the highlands and crafted with unwavering dedication. From the first sip to the last, this remarkable coffee invites you to embark on a sensory journey that celebrates tradition, passion, and the pursuit of excellence.
The PB (Peaberry) beans in this coffee are known for their dense nature, and this particular batch showcases both high density and high moisture content. Our roasting approach focused on achieving the perfect balance, ensuring that the heat penetrates the beans without scorching the surface. To accomplish this, we extended the time from low temperature to reach the desired exhaust temperature, harnessing the power of heat convection for efficient heat transfer.
Due to its remarkable density, we recommend grinding the beans finely for extraction, allowing for optimal flavour extraction. Using higher-temperature water during the brewing process further enhances the richness and complexity of Tanzania Mondul PB. This coffee offers a full-heavy body accompanied by a refreshing acidity that creates a truly delightful sensory experience. For those who enjoy iced brews, this coffee is particularly enjoyable, as it delivers a satisfying and refreshing sip with every glass.
Santa Barbara Estate’s coffee stands out due to a combination of key factors. Situated at high altitudes, the farm benefits from cool temperatures, which contribute to the development of intricate flavours within the cherries. The volcanic soil in the region imparts enriching nutrients to the coffee beans, enhancing their overall taste profile. With their extensive experience and unwavering expertise, the Echavarria family ensures meticulous care at every stage, from cultivation to processing, resulting in one of Colombia’s most extraordinary natural process coffees.
By astutely shifting their focus to meet the demands of the growing specialty coffee sector, Santa Barbara Estate established a cutting-edge dry mill and export operations, empowering them to deliver truly exceptional coffee. Alongside their unwavering commitment to excellence, they annually present a distinctive natural process lot, solidifying Santa Barbara Estate’s well-deserved reputation as one of Colombia’s premier producers of natural process coffee.
In this newly cropped batch, we focused on a key element: effective moisture removal in the early stages. Unlike the conventional approach, we took a unique approach by completely turning off the gas and avoiding the application of heat until the turning point. From there, we gave extra attention to ensuring ample airflow for optimal moisture reduction.
As Santa Barbara ages, something truly magical happens. The aroma intensifies, filling the air with captivating fragrances, while the taste undergoes a delightful transformation. For the best experience, we recommend aging the beans for approximately 10-12 days before grinding and brewing, allowing them to reach their full potential.
Get ready to savour this exceptional coffee and let it captivate your senses with its rich aroma and irresistible sweetness!
One of their exceptional coffee varieties is the Durato Bombe, sourced from 626 dedicated farmers in the Durato of Bombe Kebele (village) within the Sidama zone’s Bensa Woreda (district). The village’s name, Durato, pays homage to the magnificent Bombe mountain, where these coffee plants flourish.
To bring out the distinct flavours, the coffee beans from the Durato Bombe undergo a meticulous process at the Kontama mill. The cherries are sun-dried for an extended period of 10-15 days, allowing the beans to develop their captivating taste profile characterized by its fruity and complex notes.
Daye Bensa Coffee prioritizes crafting exceptional coffee experiences through careful processing and sourcing practices. By working hand in hand with local farmers and harnessing the natural resources of the Sidama region, they consistently deliver outstanding, high-quality coffee for discerning consumers like you.
Get ready to fall in love all over again with our beloved Bensa single-origin coffee! Highly regarded by both our enthusiastic team at De Mello and our amazing customers, Bensa has made a triumphant return that has everyone buzzing with excitement.
Prepare to be whisked away by the irresistible charms of Bensa. With its luscious fruity aroma, as if a symphony of berries came together just for you, and delicate floral hints of jasmine and rose, every sip is a delightful adventure for your taste buds. Whether you prefer it as an espresso, brewed coffee, black coffee, or with a splash of milk, Bensa is here to deliver an unforgettable taste experience that will leave you craving more.
We’ve taken extra care to ensure that Bensa reaches its peak flavour and satisfaction. After aging for approximately 7 days, it develops a more stable and full-bodied profile that will have you savouring every sip, completely immersed in its richness.
So, join us on this delightful journey with Bensa as your guide. Let it rekindle your love for exceptional coffee and create moments of pure joy in every cup. Get ready to fall head over heels for the irresistible charm of Bensa!
Established in 1987, the Teka Washing Station serves as an exceptional hub where the ripe cherries are received with utmost care and undergo meticulous sorting and floating processes. These crucial steps honour the illustrious history of Teka Hill, once the residence of King Mwezi IV Gisabo, a revered figure predating the German colonization era.
Burundi Muramvya Teka delights with a distinctive flavour profile that reflects the region’s unique terroir and meticulous processing. With lush soils, ideal climatic conditions, and the expertise of skilled farmers, these beans exude vibrant acidity, accompanied by captivating floral and fruity notes that gracefully dance upon the palate. Each sip offers a medium to full-bodied experience, a testament to the coffee’s elevated origins and the unwavering commitment of the Burundian coffee community.
In essence, Burundi Muramvya Teka captures the spirit of a united collective of smallholder farmers in Teka Hill, Burundi. Their passion and expertise shine through, resulting in a remarkable coffee that enchants coffee lovers worldwide with its exquisite flavours and captivating story.
When preparing your Lollipop, we recommend using a slightly coarser grind than usual and opting for a higher water temperature. This will help extract the cleaner, more vibrant taste of the coffee. For an extra twist, try brewing it stronger and shorter, then add some ice to transform it into a refreshing iced brew. Trust us, the crispness of Lollipop on Ice is simply mind-blowing!
So, if you’re ready to infuse your summer days with a burst of energy and flavour, grab a bag of Lollipop and let the neon magic unfold. Cheers to a colourful coffee experience!
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If you prefer black coffee, we recommend trying an iced Americano. This coffee boasts a sweetness that lingers on your taste buds, while the cinnamon aroma adds a refreshing touch. And for those who like to get creative with brewing methods, we recommend trying our unique recipe! Simply sort the ground coffee to coarse and fine, extract 18g of coarse ground coffee with 50ml of water, then add 100ml after 25-30 seconds. After 60 seconds, add 1.6g of finely ground coffee and pour 150 ml of water to complete the extraction. This brewing method highlights the bright acidity and enhances the aroma of this amazing coffee.
Café EyF produces Caturra and Catuai varieties of coffee, which are processed using the honey method and dried in the sun on raised beds. This careful process results in a coffee with a cup score of 85.5-86 and a unique flavour profile featuring notes of tea, red berries, green tea, chocolate, and juicy sweetness.
In 2015, Ericka Mora lost her right leg to bone cancer and struggled to earn enough income from coffee production to support her family and cover business expenses. However, after partnering with Bean Voyage in 2016 and receiving skills-based training, Ericka learned how to process and sell her coffee on the global market, earning up to three times more than she did previously.
Bean Voyage has worked closely with the family since 2016 and has witnessed the steady improvement of their coffee’s quality. Café EyF’s dedication to hard work and diligence is evident in their coffee production, and they strive to become one of the top artisanal coffee farms in Costa Rica.
Roaster’s Note:
This special coffee has a unique flavour profile that sets it apart from other Costa Rican beans. The beans are slim, flat, and round, similar to Brazilian beans, which are also relatively flat, thin, and rounded. To preserve its flavour and character, we used the “one pour” extraction method and roasted the beans with minimal air level, starting at the same point as Brazilian beans.
The result is a coffee with a particularly smooth body, with fruity and refreshing notes reminiscent of tangerine and bergamot. It has a well-balanced sweetness and acidity, making it a perfect coffee to enjoy throughout the day. We invite you to savour the unique taste of our Costa Rica Ericka Mora & Roben Dario coffee, and to experience the dedication and hard work of this family-owned coffee farm. Enjoy!
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Buttermilk, Sugar, Blueberries, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Buttermilk, Cheddar Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Cream Cheese, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Shredded Coconut, Butter, Coconut Milk, Buttermilk, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, 35% Cream, Sugar, Salt, Baking Powder, Strawberries, Lemon Juice.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Yogurt, Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Eggs, Flour, Corn Meal, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Vanilla Extract, Blueberry, Butter
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Yogurt, Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Eggs, Orange Juice, Flour, Corn Meal, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Orange Emulsion
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Butter, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Semi-sweet Chocolate, Bananas, Yogurt, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Flour, Oats, Yogurt, Canola Oil, Butter, Egg, Brown Sugar, Walnuts, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, Clove.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Nuts.
Description: The most iconic cookie. Our cookie is crisp on the outside, yet fudgy and chewy on the inside. Filled with 56% semi-sweet chocolate chips, this cookie will satisfy any sweet craving.
Ingredients: Butter, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Vanilla Extract, Salt
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Demello espresso, Demello nomnom coffee, Brown sugar, Pecan , All purpose flour, Eggs, Butter, White chocolate, 35%cream
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Nuts.
Description: This is our house granola bar. Filled with almonds, dried fruits, and seeds, this bar is good for any situation. Whether you’ve missed breakfast, going for a hike, or just looking for a snack, this granola bar will curb your hunger.
Ingredients: Oats, Almonds, Dates, Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut Oil
Allergens: Nuts. May contain traces of gluten.
Description: The most iconic cookie. Our cookie is crisp on the outside, yet fudgy and chewy on the inside. Filled with 56% semi-sweet chocolate chips, this cookie will satisfy any sweet craving.
Ingredients: Butter, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Vanilla Extract, Salt
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts.
Ingredients: Demello espresso, Demello nomnom coffee, Brown sugar, Pecan , All purpose flour, Eggs, Butter, White chocolate, 35%cream
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Nuts.
Description: This is our house granola bar. Filled with almonds, dried fruits, and seeds, this bar is good for any situation. Whether you’ve missed breakfast, going for a hike, or just looking for a snack, this granola bar will curb your hunger.
Ingredients: Oats, Almonds, Dates, Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut Oil
Allergens: Nuts. May contain traces of gluten..
Description: Our house made granola is to die for. It’s great in yogurts, as a cereal, or even just as trail mix. It is filled with plenty of nuts, isn’t sickly sweet, and just delectable.
Ingredients: Oats, Almonds, Pistachio, Shredded Coconut, Flax Seeds, Butter, Molasses, Brown Sugar, Honey, Vanilla Extract
Allergens: Dairy, Nuts. May contain traces of gluten..
Shonora Trading has taken steps to address these problems by investing in transport infrastructure and providing interest-free advance payments to larger farms to help with harvest costs. The company also rewards farmers who supply the best cherries to the station each year, which creates an incentive to strengthen their relationships. Additionally, Shonora Trading has committed to building a local school and established a scholarship scheme to cover school and living expenses for two children for four years.
The Gerba Dogo coffee lot comes from the Gerba washing station, where 220 smallholders contributed cherry. The coffee is grown under native shade trees and processed naturally. The cherries are laid out in thin layers and dried on raised beds for approximately 15-21 days. During this time, any under-ripe cherries are sorted out.
Roaster’s Note:
Variety 74110 is a wonderful coffee bean highly regarded for its impressive resistance to coffee berry disease (CBD). The assortment of coffee varieties is based on leaf and bean shapes and colours, and in the case of 74110, it is classified as a medium-high-altitude “Metu” type.
74110 and 74112 are high-yielding varieties with a balanced physical shape and a delightful aroma. These beans can produce excellent cup quality in both washed and natural processes.
It’s worth noting that size 74110 and 74112 is on the smaller side, which means they require extra care during the roasting process. A gentle and mindful approach is essential to bring out their full character and aroma. Rapid changes in temperature should be avoided.
For a truly exceptional cup of Gerba Dogo, we recommend grinding the beans a bit coarser than you would for a regular light roast. This will allow you to fully savour the coffee’s strong fruity aroma and flavour. To achieve the perfect balance, increase the dose with coarse ground beans and complement it with a higher water temperature.
Costa Rican coffee is known for its consistent quality and is often used as a benchmark for other central and south American coffees. The country’s coffee industry is highly regulated, with strict standards for harvesting, processing, and exporting coffee beans. Additionally, Costa Rica has a strong tradition of sustainable coffee production, with many farms using environmentally friendly practices such as shade-grown coffee and organic farming.
El Fabio is harvested in farm Finca Fabio, located 1550m above sea level. The producer – Dona Ruth, has been in the coffee industry her whole life. For Ruth, coffee is a family heirloom, a tale of her family. She has been running Finca Fabio (named after her loving husband) for about 15 years. Her farm doesn’t use any herbicides. Instead, she plants banana, plantain, and avocado trees to attract natural wildlife that could damage coffee trees, which is a very organic and sustainable way of harvesting. But since she doesn’t own a mill, she sends coffee cherries to CACF for processing.
Centro Agricola Cantonal de Frailes, or CACF, is a regional mill in Frailes, Desamparados, Costa Rica. CAF serves around 60 smallholder families in Frailes, and the mill has been working and training with @Bean Voyage since 2017. The general director – Alexis Calvo, is a certified Q-grader and Q-processing professional. Although CACF’s primary crop is coffee, it is also involved in social and environmental initiatives. The cooperative had implemented programs to promote gender equality and support the education of local children as well as efforts to conserve and protect the natural resources in the region.
Roaster’s note:
El Fabio is categorized as a honey-processed bean, but it actually has more of a natural process outcome than other honey-processed coffees. Its green beans emit a delightful fermented aroma that reminds you of wine.
Costa Rican beans are very special – they go through a unique honey process that preserves a good amount of the pulp, resulting in a beautiful deep hue that sets them apart from other beans roasted at the same level. To bring out their full flavour, it’s essential to roast them gently, so they don’t end up looking burnt or smoky. El Fabio is a particularly dense and thick coffee, so it needs to be roasted at a moderate temperature of 200C with a lowered air level to ensure that it absorbs heat effectively.
When it comes to El Fabio, you’ll be blown away by its incredible sweetness – it’s truly the standout feature! The coffee has a dense, jam-like body that’s a delight to experience. But that’s not all – El Fabio also has a lovely floral fragrance and a refreshing, deeply satisfying aroma, making it an absolute pleasure to drink.
Unlike roasting, brewing El Fabio is quite simple and requires no complicated techniques. There’s no need to worry about getting the timing right – whether you brew for a longer or shorter duration, it won’t significantly affect the final result. The secret to unlocking its delicious flavour and aroma is using hotter water, which will surely bring out the best in this delightful coffee.
Costa Rica Matazano is honey-processed coffee under the variety of Caturra-Catuai, grown on the loving family-owned farm named Finca Mario Jimenez, which is a wide footprint of about 5 hectares, and an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level. Located in La Angostura, Tarrazu, one of the oldest in the region.
The producers are passionate sisters – Arleen and Maria- carrying on their father’s business. The sisters have been joining forces with their father for seven years to help and break out of the challenge they have been facing- low market price, growing cost of production and lack of support from the locals. Despite the driving hardships, Arleen and Maria never lost their enthusiasm for maintaining and developing the business.
In addition, they also participated in bean voyage’s most recent participatory documentary project <Stronger Than Coffee> by writing, filming and editing their part of the story.
Roaster’s notes: Costa Rican coffee has the character of high-altitude grown beans. It has a round and thick body, and its density is relatively high. Thus, it could easily get under-roasted, requiring intensive heat while roasting. Upon tasting it, the very first impression of its taste was “gooey sweetness,” which featured the flavour of brown sugar and date fruit. To highlight its unique character, we have focused on enhancing its sweetness and creating harmony with its well-balanced acidity, likewise a perfectly ripe blackberry.
Considering the recipe is intended to preserve its excellent taste, we recommend using finer ground coffee and higher water temperatures (96-97 Celsius) for pour-overs. Enjoy!
Isaura has been telling her children and grandchildren about the tips and value regarding the coffee farm, in terms of caring and maintaining such an excellent production. We truly look forward this heritage could pass down generations.
Roaster’s Note: Typica is a type of species that had spread from Ethiopia to Yemen, it flourishes in highlands, very firm and solid. Typica has perfect ratio of sweetness and acidity. On the other hand, it can easily get damaged by disease and insects, which is reason why Typica has been so rare in the market for quite a while (so glad to see it!). Since typica has “big, nice body”, it needs some patience during roasting, the heat must be consistent till the very end to boost its flavor.
For the taste wise, its delightful acidity is just quite right as any stone fruit; its soothing woody taste reminds of caramel that covered in hazelnut; and it has very refreshing “foresty” taste, just like a fresh and firm tomato, which is very interesting! In order to fully enjoy its good “foresty” flavour, we recommend increase the dose and shorten the brewing time while brewing, or it would possibly taste dry and monotonous.
I started this YouTube channel and blog back in early 2020 with the goal of helping aspiring “home baristas” to make informed buying decisions, as well as get the most out of their existing equipment. As an Engineer by training, I try to bring a methodical approach to my reviews and techniques, breaking things down in such a way that can be understood by people of all skill levels. Over 2 years and 100+ videos later, we have built a supportive community of coffee lovers who are eager to learn (and help me learn), as well as take a look at the newest most exciting products in the home brewing space.
Bringing excellent quality coffee into the home is such an enjoyable addition to any daily routine, but it’s not without its own set of hurdles. Not necessarily monetary, equipment, or skill-based hurdles, but simply the need to understand the basics of coffee extraction, and how to treat these amazingly unique coffee varieties that we now have access to thanks to passionate local roasters.
The producer members of Asorcafe have farms ranging in altitude from 1700 – 2200 masl, extreme altitude. The group has done a miraculous job warding off the newer varietal pushers and their Colombia and Castillo seeds. Inza is still full of Caturra with healthy doses of Bourbon and Typica to boot in specific fortunate subregions. Processing is standardized across the region in true smallholder Colombia fashion – great focus on ripe cherry selection, manual depulping of coffee beans from their cherries, 18–24-hour fermentation, washing in clean, tiled tanks and drying on raised parabolic beds to protect from the elements. They cup every lot within 15 days of finishing the drying stage and immediately put all approved lots into grainpro in the association warehouse. These coffees don’t leave the grainpro until they are dry-milled and go into new bags immediately after.
The sweetness is so rich and laden with dark sugar notes of panela/muscovado, aged rum, and ripe stone fruits. These are full-bodied coffees. They are complete and supreme in the sense of balance. Acidity can run the gamut from the malic flavours of crisp Asian pear and fuji apple to tart, refreshing green grape. Asorcafe coffees demonstrate thought-provoking complexity.
As one of the first producers to start a mill in the region, Don Mario, father of Arleen and Maria, invested his “pure sweat” (borrowing his words) to start the Beneficio La Angostura. He believed in coffee’s power to lift his family economically, and it did for a while. The sisters then joined a few years ago to help their family combat the challenges they were facing with the farming business back then – low market prices, continually growing production costs and lack of support from the local coffee industry.
Amidst the challenges, they are two of the most enthusiastic producers with many innovative ideas and energy. They are ready to take their farm and mill to another level, and we are so excited to accompany and witness them along with you all!
The cooperative owns a single wet mill that serves six communities and 2,504 smallholder farmers from the surrounding area, and 2,104 active members. Sitting at nearly 1,900 metres, the wet mill is one of the region’s highest and, in many ways, benefits significantly from the cool temperatures that characterize this high altitude. Not only do cherries in the surrounding area ripen slowly, but the low temperatures also contribute to longer fermentation and slower drying times, which, when well-managed (as in this case), can lead to a better cup.
Another advantage is the community spirit underlying the cooperative’s activities. According to the manager, Thiriku has “increased quality together” rather than as individual farmers. The next goal is to increase productivity and to receive 3 million kg of cherry in a single season! Right now, the cooperative is at roughly 1.1 million received per harvest. Once they reach their goal, they plan to renovate some of their pulping infrastructures and make other improvements.
Farmers selectively handpick the ripest, reddest cherries, delivered directly to the cooperative’s wet mill or received at one of 4 collection points and ferried over on the same day. Cherries are stringently hand sorted before pulping, with damaged and under-ripe cherries being separated from the red, ripe lots (the process is overseen by the ‘cherry clerks’ who are specifically tasked with managing and keeping records for payments). After pulping, the coffee is put through a demucilager (rather than traditional soaking), where it is washed using clean, fresh river water to remove all traces of mucilage before being delivered to dry on raised beds for between 9 to 15 days. While drying, the parchment is repeatedly moved and sorted to remove any damaged or discoloured beans.
Some issues farmers face include low production due to pests and diseases and high input costs. Many cannot afford to plant disease-resistant varieties and face being priced out of the market as their gains diminish. The cooperative has undertaken actions to increase yields and improve its member’s livelihoods and is currently looking for programs to strengthen the participation of young people and women in coffee.
The AA, AB and other grades used to classify lots in Kenya only indicate screen size. They are not any indication of cup quality. The AA grade in Kenya is equivalent to screen size 17 or 18 (17/64 or 18/64 of an inch) used at other origins.
All pre-order products are
– for pick-up at our Eglinton Cafe and Vaughan Roastery only.
– freshly baked on the morning of the pick-up date.
– non-refundable, so please pick it up at the scheduled time.
Order: Thursday 10:01 AM – Tuesday 10:00 AM
Pick-up: Wednesday between 11 AM – 4 PM
Order: Tuesday 10:01 AM – Thursday 10:00 AM
Pick-up: Friday between 11 AM – 4 PM
One of the first families to cultivate coffee was the Pérez family. The oldest, Osbaldo Pérez, worked tirelessly with his siblings to grow coffee successfully, and over the decades, the family founded several estates throughout the valley. One of the farms, called “Flor Del Café,” or The Coffee Flower, would become one of the most prestigious coffee estates in the region, well regarded by coffee people around the world.
Over the years, Don Osbaldo’s sons innovated new agricultural techniques and implemented natural applications throughout the farm for disease and pest control. In the 1990s, Osbaldo’s youngest son, Osbaldo Pérez Ramirez, bought the farm, improved processes and planted more varieties to push quality. Today, Flor Del Cafe’s varietal menagerie includes traditional varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, and Pache, alongside the more exotic Maracaturra, Maragogype, Pacamara, Laurina, Anacafe 14, and Geisha.
When processing cherry, Flor Del Cafe continues with traditional tank fermentation, agitation in washing channels, and patio drying. But the farm has also ventured into specially processed lots such as honeys, naturals, and anaerobics. Parts of the estate are annexed for producing 100% organic coffees to produce high-quality organic certified coffees. Flor del Cafe currently exports its coffee to countries like the United States, Holland, Germany, Greece, Taiwan, China, Korea, and Japan, among others.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Sugar, Milk, Salt, Yeast, Egg, Cream.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts. Non-kosher.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Sugar, Milk, Salt, Yeast, Cheddar Cheese, Egg, Cream.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts. Non-kosher.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Sugar, Milk, Salt, Yeast, Chocolate, Egg, Cream.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts. Non-kosher.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Sugar, Milk, Salt, Yeast, Almonds, Egg Whites, Icing sugar, Almond Flavor, Egg, Cream.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Nuts. Non-kosher.
Ingredients: Flour, Butter, Sugar, Milk, Salt, Yeast, Black Forest Ham, Cheddar Cheese, Egg, Cream.
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs. May contain traces of nuts. Non-kosher.
There are mountains in the region, which characterizes its topography. Its cold climates allow cherries to ripen slowly, leading to sweet coffee. It frequently rains in this region, so coffees need an average of 20 to 25 days to dry.
Throughout the last 80 years, smallholder businesses have grown and supplied high-quality Colombian coffee to exporters. In 2015, it expanded its operations and began producing, sourcing and exporting specialty coffee to the rest of the world. As producers, they specialize in alternative fermentation processes new to Colombia. On their farm and Production Center, La Pradera, the most exotic varieties are processed to achieve unique profiles that are unknown to the Colombian culture.
Mate Matosa and his wife, Tsehaynesh Girma, are one of them. Mate, Tsehaynesh and their ten children -three of whom are adopted- have been cultivating coffee on their 6ha farm near Doko, Bensa, in the famous Sidama coffee growing region of Ethiopia. Mate is doing an excellent job preparing his land for growing coffee and selecting and planting improved coffee cultivars to improve coffee quality, yield and disease resistance. As a single farm lot producer, Mate and four of his children hire seasonal, and daily labourers to hand-pick ripe coffee cherries once harvest time arrives. 5Ha of Mate Matosa’s farm is currently planted for coffee.
The cherry-picking process is very labour intensive; pickers must often return to the same tree multiple times over the harvest season. Catalyst and Mate’s family teamed up with Asnake Bekele, a key player in the Ethiopian market, to encourage single producers such as Mate Matosa to process their coffee for better income and a more direct relationship. As such, cherries are brought to Asnake’s washing station, and he is helping Mate and his family with processing. Coffee is brought to the station, hand-sorted laid on raised drying beds where they are spread out in thin layers. The cherries are turned up to 6 times per day. It can take 15 to 21 days for Mate’s lot to reach optimum moisture content, depending on the sun access and temperature. This is determined by traditional knowledge and craftsmanship: skin brightness is closely monitored, and moisture level is assessed using your teeth to crack a sample of dried cherries. Mate and his family are very quality focused and his working hard to expand his coffee farm business in ways that can help him produce award-winning coffees.
We are thus super thrilled to bring this super rich, delicate and complex coffee to you!
As the farm is situated at an altitude of 1900 masl, climate change and fluctuating temperatures create problems for the plots. Droughts are becoming more frequent, so one of the best ways to mitigate climate risks is to plant shade trees around the growing areas, build irrigation infrastructure and disperse fertilizer to maintain soil health.
After picking the coffee cherries, the coffee rests for 16 hours in sealed bags under shade before being pulped. Following pulping, the coffee undergoes 30 hours of fermentation and gets washed, sun-dried for 30 minutes to allow for drainage, then moved for drying again, where it will rest for 18 to 24 days. Upon being ready, the coffee is taken to Falcon’s warehouse in Jaen, where it is evaluated for quality.
At this stage, a price is agreed for the coffee depending on its perceived cup score. Prices are set according to lot quality. Falcon aims to pay 30% above the local cost as this quality bonus will significantly impact the farmer’s livelihood and that of their family. Finally, the coffee is transported to a plant called Café Selva Norte SAC and checked for defects before being bagged and moved to the coast for shipping.
Robusta Coffee came to India in 1670 when a man named Baba Budan went to Mecca on a pilgrimage and discovered the dark brew in Yemen. The story says that he smuggled seven coffee beans from Yemen into Mysore, India, by tying them around his waist. It was illegal to take green coffee beans out of Arabia at that time. Once in Mysore, Baba Budan planted the seeds in the Chandragiri Hills. The location was eventually named after Baba and is now called Baba Budan Giri.
The first plantation was established in 1840 near the hills where the seeds were first planted. Cultivation of coffee spread to other areas of India and was enhanced by the British colonial presence and its drive to export the product. Along with the cultivation of coffee, the popularity of consuming coffee also spread within India, particularly in the South, where it remains a commonly enjoyed beverage today.
In the mid-19th century, coffee rust reached India, infecting the Arabica trees. By the late 1860s, the rust had become an epidemic. Many farmers replaced their Arabica trees with Robusta or Liberica, a rust tolerant hybrid. The transition to Robusta in the late 1800s had a lasting impact on coffee production in India, with Robusta composing half of all the coffee produced in India today.
Coffee production in India has steadily evolved while maintaining many unique traditions from its long history. One interesting relic is the processing of Monsooned coffee. The export of coffee from India into Europe began during the age of wooden sailing ships. The voyage took about six months to complete. Due to its long exposure to damp ocean air, the coffee had a unique golden yellow colour and a distinct musty flavour. Once steamships came into use, the voyage became shorter, and coffee reached its destination without undergoing the same transformation. However, consumers in Europe had developed an affinity for the distinct flavour they identified with coffee from India. So the coffee producers intentionally exposed the coffee to Monsoon winds to recreate the process that occurred on the long sea voyages of the past. Monsooned coffee is still popular today.
Also somewhat unique to India is using “Cherry” and “Parchment” to describe processing methods. Coffee types referred to as “Cherry” are natural processed coffees, and types referred to as “Parchment” are washed process coffees.
Currently, India is the sixth-largest coffee producer globally, accounting for over four percent of global coffee production. Although India was one of the earliest growers of Arabica, it now produces a higher percentage of Robusta. The Arabica grown in India grows between 1,000 and 1,500 meters above sea level. 70% of the coffee farms in India are very small, often less than 10 acres. Almost all Indian coffee is shade-grown and frequently inter-cropped with pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. The cup quality is generally low-acid, mild, and well-balanced, with spicy notes and very weighted.
The coffee supply chain can be a complex structure to understand for the public. That’s why we want to break it down to you! Down the line, multiple agents can emerge on top of the coffee farmer, from producing, milling, exporting, shipping to importing. Farm gate is the price paid to the producer for his/her coffee production. FOB, standing for Free On Board, represents the price the buyer pays the seller for the delivery of the ready to ship coffee. The buyer is either a roaster such as De Mello or an importing partner, and the seller, an exporter -sometimes helping the producer processing, milling and exporting his production- or more rarely the farmer her/himself. EXW, for exwarehouse, means all the cost and risk of importing is covered by an exporter/importer partner before being sold to us. In case of buying ‘”spot”, this represents our total cost paid to our partner. We commit to trying our best to provide you in detail.
Beneficio San Vicente is a truel resource for Santa Barbara. Also, he is a small-scale producer in terms of expertise, marketing and making connections with the specialty market. The Paz family is a real connection force with international buyers such as importers and roasters. The farmers on the Santa Barbara hillside are neighbours and help each other refine their lots. In the attempt to support newer and more inexperienced producers around to breach into the specialty market, Beneficio San Vicente and Collaborative Coffee Source decided to curate a regional blend of different small producers with the potential to produce quality.
This regional blend mix of Pacas, Catuai, Parainema and Lempira varietals and Lempira is considered lower quality than Pacas, Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra specialty buyers usually look for in Honduras. However, it tends to be less susceptible to diseases, including leaf rust. Most of these farms employ two permanent staff at best and five pickers during the harvest season from December to April and are located around 1580 to 1820masl. Finding pickers can be challenging, but Beneficio San Vicente provides support. Each picker is paid 110 Lempiras (CAD$ 5.67) per 100lbs of coffee. Beneficio San Vicente processes the coffee at the milling station. Coffee is handpicked to remove defects, de-pulped and fermented, then put on raised African beds. It is circulated every half hour for 15 days to ensure even drying. We liked that project, as we are willing to develop relationships with emerging producers breaching into the specialty market and were surprised by the quality of Cabañas. Very typical of the Santa Barbara terroir, you will find a high sweetness in the cup, a nice complexity, the classic caramel backbone and hints of tropical fruits. A comforting cup.
Let us know what you think!
In Woreda, there are a few small-scale industries and some retail businesses and service providers. Roads are difficult, and while the area is blessed with beautiful rivers, only 5% of the population has access to clean drinking water. However, the Oromia region, specifically West Arsi, is now a well-renowned coffee-growing region with stellar quality attracting international buyers. The surrounding land is mountainous and hilly, carpeted by forests. Therefore, the Robe Negele washing station in Nansebo is earning a reputation for producing award-winning coffees and continually striving to improve the quality of the process. It works with some 480 smallholder farmers throughout the harvest season near the site. For these people owning 2ha to 10ha farms, coffee is a major crop income shared with wheat and false banana. The smallholders carefully pick their cherries and bring them to the station for processing, where they are not distinguished as individual lots due to their respective low yields. They are paid per kg of cherries delivered (31 birr/kg or CAD$ 0.75, for context renting a house, costs 5-8 birr/month).
The cherries are assessed for overall quality, weighed, logged into the record books and purchased by the washing station agent. Once sorting has been done (primarily by local women hired for the season), the cherries are off to the pulper for removal of skins and pulp. Then washed and fermented in Robe Negele’s 12 washing tanks are submerged in clean water and allowed to ferment naturally to remove the mucilage left. This process takes 48 to 72 hours. Next, the parchment is taken to mesh screens where excess water can drain for 10 to 15 hours. Then the coffee is moved to link drying tables; Robe Negele operates more than 380 of these. The coffee cherries are carefully turned and handpicked throughout the drying cycle, which takes about 8 to 10 days. This meticulous and carefully handled process, paired with fantastic coffee quality, results in a clean, delicate and floral washed coffee.
We hope you will dig as much as we do!
Some think Pink Bourbon is a hybridization of Red and Yellow Bourbon. Others recognize a fruit complexity, acidity, and an appearance leaning towards an Ethiopian origin, with less body than Caturra, the local mutation of Bourbon, but with more aromatics and tropical components as well as malic acidity and a black tea backbone. Speculation remains as Pink Bourbon is yet to be genetically tested.
Moving to La Argentina, Floriberto and Faiber connected with Willington Ultengo and joined the ASOPROCAAR group of 13 members. The group works together to provide help, structure, improve processes, organic management, peer-to-peer training, and market their coffee directly to exporting buyers and breach into the specialty coffee market. Very early on, the group made steps to transition towards fully organic agricultural
practices, which is challenging in the region because of climate change, coffee leaf rust, and other pests that endanger their crops. Pink Bourbon, as its Bourbon and Caturra relatives, are very susceptible to coffee leaf rust, which puts challenges on Floriberto, Faiber and their families. This year, labour prices were up to 60% and fertilizers up to 100%, so they decided to compost their coffee pulp organically, returning the composted soil to the farm. Cold weather this year in Colombia and thus lower yields were challenging too. They also monitored their trees a lot, carefully picking the cherries when they were ripe and returning after harvest to gather the remaining unripe and over-ripe cherries from the trees to prevent them from attracting coffee borer beetles and other pests. Cold weather this year in Colombia and thus lower yields were challenging too.
Our importing partner, Shared Source, started working with the group in 2015, purchasing micro-lots at local auctions and trying to understand their challenges and find solutions. The solution was to use moisture meters to handle drying processes better, improving the storage of parchment coffee in the group’s warehouse, where it is less susceptible to heavy air moisture and re-humidification of dry coffee. Our importing partner paid Floriberto and Faiber 2 400 000 pesos per carga (125kg of coffee), CAD$ 2.80 per lb of parchment coffee, which he then transferred from Huila to a mil in Cauca at the importer’s expense.
Through ASOPROCAAR’s and Willington’s expertise, they developed a systematic and dynamic process on their farms. Coffee cherries are carefully picked, hand-sorted, separating un-ripe or over-ripe from their lots. The coffee is then de-pulped and fermented in sealing bags before being washed and placed on a large parabolic dryer on the farm. Floriberto and Faiber’s mastering of the entire farming to processing Pink Bourbon chain gives us a delicate, juicy and exotic cup, very «Ethiopian-like.» Very drinkable.
Enjoy!
The Fair Trade market and price were created in an attempt to overcome the issues presented by the C-Market. Due to the high volatility of coffee global prices and the adjacent lack of visibility, Fair Trade aimed at offering farmers some safety net with a fixed price, in a more stable and predictable environment. Fair Trade is trying also to incentivize better practices like additional price for organic certifications, premiums for investments etc. Fair Trade definitely had an impact that should not be denied. However, those labels might have been used to justify paying producers bare minimum prices which is not enough to overcome the price and production costs crisis. At De Mello, we will not pretend to solve a systemic issue, but to be mindful of the price paid to increase sustainability, understanding the environment and conditions under which our producers are working, where possible working with local resources to encourage premiums, quality initiatives and helping with investments in infrastructure.
More than 125 million people worldwide rely on coffee production for their livelihoods and around 25 million smallholders produce around 75% of the world’s coffee production. These coffee farmers often come from generations of producers, as the history of coffee itself is highly tied to colonial and rural history in Asia, South East Asia, Africa and Latin America. The connection to the product runs deep for the farmers but the majority of coffee purchased worldwide is irrelevant to the cost of production. Instead, coffee is considered an agricultural commodity reliant on the C-Market or International Coffee Exchange in New York City. Like the stock market, goods are traded, bets are made on speculation and short-term projections. As such, the price of coffee is extremely volatile and fluctuates depending on projected yields, volumes, and even climate patterns in big exporting countries like Brazil. On the C Market, the minimum price producers get for their coffee has hovered between USD$0.30 and $3 maximum, often around and under USD$1.00. However with inflation the cost of production and living have gone way up since the 1970s. This is of the upmost importance because, except for profitable, extended and well connected industrial farms, it is getting harder for small scales farmers to produce quality coffee, or in fact any coffee at all, without going into debt and make a decent, sustainable living for them and their families. C-Market right now is pretty high, notably because of the pandemic, supply chain world disruptions and because of climate change and frost in Brazil this year. However, so did the cost of living, tools, fertilizers, gas and other fixed costs for smallholders.
The production cost covers a non-exhausting list of the expenditures that come with running our company in both Toronto and Montreal. For instance, fixed costs (leases in both cities, rent for our caf s, other fees), taxes, roasting coffee, packaging, marketing and labor. In a holistic approach and as a small family business, our focus is to be mindful of the economic security, the well-being, peace of mind and the professional and personal growth of our employees. Our small but stellar team is our best asset and at your service!
This represents the cost of moving the purchased coffee, either directly from the producing country in case of FOB or from our partner’s warehouse in case of exwarehouse, to our roastery in Toronto.
Galo and Grace -an agronomist-owners of Cruz Loma and siblings, only dedicate 6ha of their crops to coffee production, growing varietals such as typica mejorado, sidra, caturra, tabi and some geisha, at an elevation of 14500masl. This honey lot is caturra, and shortly, they are planning to dedicate another 6ha to produce caturra, typica, java and geisha. They are now consistently scoring high in competitions, including Taza Dorada, Best of Quinto-Pichincha. They have a minimal harvest between February and March, which they use to do different experiments (levels of de-pulping, fermentations, naturals, honeys, etc.) Every nano-lot is analyzed and cupped in the lab, and the experiments that perform best, are then processed in bigger volumes during the harvest. The cherries are floated for this honey processed caturra to remove over/underripe upon arrival. Afterwards, the coffee bean is allowed to ferment in the cherry for 24 to 26 hours. Finally, the coffee is de-pulped and left to dry on raised beds for around 25-30 days. Each lot is individually cupped to put together the final export-size lot of the best-performing small-lots from the harvest.
As a solution, I decided to incorporate Central American coffee with a chocolatey and mild taste. I envisioned an adventurous journey of charming and festive coffee that initially offers a sweet aroma to your nose. As this coffee hits your tongue, a bright and floral taste emerges, followed by a slight sweetness and a gentle warmth that goes down your throat.
The result was…way better than I’d expected!
The sweet-citrus, refreshing flavour of Stone Fruit and the Cherry Blossoms-like flowery scent merged slowly with a chocolatey and mild-tasting finish that beautifully resembles cherry blossoms in a warm spring day.
Sadly, José Amado passed away in 2019 of cancer, and the ownership of the farm was passed onto Sandra and their children: Keyly, Osdan and Mycon. José Amado was a true gentleman, great father, husband and friend. He was also very passionate about coffee production and dedicated to quality. Through collaborating with the Beneficio San Vicente, Sandra and José invested in more processing facilities, drying beds and processes. Sandra Trochez continued in the same philosophy and commitment for the last three years. The small farm with three permanent employees and 17 pickers produces about 7580kg of green coffee per year during the harvest season. It gets complementary revenue from other crops such as bananas, plantains and avocados.
This year, the unfavourable weather caused slightly lower yields. The challenges on the farm are numerous and sadly very common in Honduras. In the last decade, diseases, including coffee leaf rust, have been very aggressive in the region, only exacerbated by climate change. Furthermore, attracting pickers during the extended harvest season -December to June- has been challenging, and the cost of labour of 50 lempiras per 25lbs of coffee for the pickers (CAD$2.58/25lb – CAD$0.10/lb) represents almost 50% of Sandra’s total cost of production.
This year alone, the cost of labour is up by 110%. Sandra and José are true examples of resilience and commitment, and despite the difficulties, they managed to maintain quality and a 55% profit margin on their green coffee over the years.
Thanks to our partners at Beneficio San Vicente and Collaborative Coffee Source, the coffee we are very proud to bring to you today is a washed, processed coffee. Cherries are hand sorted, pulped and go through a relatively fast 15 hours of dry fermentation. In his last years, José worked a lot on improving this stage of processing. The coffee is then washed with water sourced from the family farm and drained into a separate lagoon after use. Sandra then moved the coffee to a solar dryer where the beans were laid on raised beds for 12 to 15 days, where it regularly turned to ensure even drying. This super clean lot, with a pleasant acidity, a comforting backbone of molasses, marzipan and hints of red apple, raspberry, peach watermelon and vanilla, is Sandra Trochez’s hard work as well as José’s legacy. Enjoy!
Willington Ultengo and his family are also part of the Nasa indigenous people community. Wanting to learn more about processes, Willington reached out to Felipe Trujillo, owner of La Ventolera coffee, a tremendous player and regional institution in Antioquia for specialty coffee, asks for advice on improving his farm’s farm processes. From there, Willington was committed to helping his peers and managed to create a small association production in the municipality of La Argentina, made up of 13 group members named ASOPROCAAR. The group works together to provide help, structure, improve processes, organic management, peer-to-peer training, and market their coffee directly to exporting buyers. Very early on, and thanks to Felipe and Willington’s advice, the group is taking steps to transition towards fully organic agricultural practices, which is very challenging in the region because of climate change, coffee leaf rust and other pests susceptible to endanger their crops.
Shared Source, our importing partner, began working with the group in 2015 by purchasing micro-lots at local auctions. They analyzed challenges and found solutions, such as using moisture meters to improve the drying process and storing parchment coffee in the warehouse where it is less susceptible to heavy air moisture. Many producers at ASOPROCAAR started creating their compost on-site to use as few chemical fertilizers as possible, reducing their cost of production. Our importing
partner paid Willington Ultengo 2 300 000 pesos per carga (125kg of coffee), CAD$ 2.70 per lb of parchment coffee which he then transferred from Huila to a mil in Cauca at the importer’s expense. Besides leading ASOPRCAAR, Willington also runs a farm considered one of the healthiest in the area.
He is increasing volume and experimenting with different processes, such as naturals requiring less water use and differentiating his lots. He has trees as old as 80 years old with Typica, pink, orange and yellow Bourbon, Caturra and some variedad Colombia, which tends to be most resistant to pests and diseases. This coffee is a super tasty farm blend of both Caturra and Colombia. For this washed process, Willington leaves his coffee cherries to ferment under controlled conditions for 24 hours in a low-oxygen environment (sealed bags) before de-pulping them and leaving them to ferment for another 24 hours in an open tank. Once washed, the coffee is carefully dried in his homemade parabolic solar dryer on raised beds with a shade cloth. This attention to detail on Willington’s end allows the coffee to display a very subtle terroir with tons of red berries, jasmine tea and flowers in a cup. Enjoy!
Idido’s private station is not meant to be confused with the Yirgacheffee Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU), a different co-op station, famous as well, located a few miles away. Idido’s contributing farmers number over 800. As usual in Ethiopia, coffee is grown on small privately-owned farms of about 4ha, producing other crops such as ensete (false banana). Idido’s owners contribute financially to local schools each harvest to support their farmers’ families. Traditionally, smallholders grow their coffees at the farm, then bring them to the station for processing. Additionally, after coffees are sold, Ranger Industry distributes a second payment of 1 birr per kilogram of cherry to each farmer, a profit share equivalent to an additional 5-8% of a farmer’s revenue for the season. Competition is fierce in the Yirgacheffe region, and programs like the ones developed by Ranger are essential if they want to keep their farmers. Indeed, coffee farmers in Yirgacheffe are typically multi-generational, and their production is highly valued nationally and internationally. Translated as the «Land of Many Springs,» Yirgacheffe is indeed considered by many as the birthplace of coffee, with ideal topography, warm, temperate and humid climate, elevation and water sources to produce outstanding coffee quality.
The Idido private station is no exception: they produce exceptionally floral coffees, typical of the Yirgacheffe region. This results from careful fermenting, sorting and drying routines executed to perfection throughout the dramatic temperature fluctuations of Yirgacheffe’s unique high-elevation climate. Coffee cherries are directly dried for 15-21 days on raised beds and frequently rotated and covered during the hottest hours of the afternoon. The result is that classic but delicate and floral natural Yirgacheffe fruit bomb.
We hope you enjoy this coffee!
What is interesting here is inherent to Benjamin’s choice to genuinely become a coffee farmer himself, alongside his exporting activities at Beneficio San Vicente. Although coffee production is in his family’s history, Benjamin’s father actually gave up being a coffee farmer due to the terribly low prices during the 1989 coffee crisis following the failed negotitations of the International Coffee Agreement. Benjamin bought land to plant coffee in 2012 with two fincas: La Lagunata and La Orquidea. Today, Benjamin oversees his two plantations together with a full-time manager, Elias Meza. La Orquidea is located near El
Cedral and sits at a maximal altitude of 1600masl, on volcanic soil. La Orquidea is a very small farm of 1.75ha but produces a high yield of about 50 bags of green coffee (3 450 kg) a year, mostly Pacas, a natural mutation of Bourbon in Central America, and Catuai. Elias Meza, the manager, is very focus on coffee quality: the farm also grows lychees but 75% of the income is directly derived from coffee production. La Orquidea has 3 permanent employees that also work on Benjamin’s other farm, and Elias hires about 6 to 10 seasonal
pickers during the peak harvest season from Januray to June, paid 150 Lempiras (CAD$7.72) per bucket. Like the rest of producers in Santa Barbara, they have been struggling with labour cost and attractivity for pickers, climate change and a slight lower yield this year, but also recovering from Hurricanes Eta and Iota that reality impacted the Santa Barbara region in late 2020.
We were lucky enough to put our hands on a handeful bags of this year’s La Orquidea production with a interesting honey process led on the farm. Benjamin, Elias and their employees hand sort the cherries. They are then placed in plastics bags and fermented under anaerobic conditions for 72h. The coffee is then de-pulped, dried and fermented in a tank for 16h. The parchment is then laid on raised beds and pre-dried for 8h. Finally, the beans are placed in a parabolic solar dryer for about 18 days: during that process, defective parchment is again picked and sorted by end. The result is amazing! We are getting a clean cup, a rounded-bodied and creamy coffee with tons of caramel, citric acidity. Very complex, very floral, very delicious. Enjoy this beautiful expression of Hondurian terroir by Benjamin Paz and Elias Mezra!
ASOPROCAAR, was created in the early 2010s by Willington Ultengo. Together, they managed to associate 13 coffee growing members from around La Argentina, Huila : the group works together to provide help, structure, improve processes, organic management, peer-to-peer training and to market their coffee directly to exporting buyers and breach into specialty coffee market. Very early on and thanks to Felipe Trujillo -famous coffee farmer
and exporter, owner of La Ventolera in Antioquia- and Willington’s advice, the group is making steps to transition towards fully organic agricultural practices, which is very challenging in the region because of climate change, coffee leaf rust and other pests susceptible to endanger their crops. Our importing partner, Shared Source, started working with the group in 2015 purchasing microlots at local auctions but also trying to understand their challenges and finding solutions : using moisture meters to better handle drying processes, improving storage of parchment coffee in the group’s warehouse where it is less susceptible to heavy air moisture and re-humidification of dry coffee. Many producers at ASOPROCAAR started creating their own compost onsite, in order to use as little chemical fertilizers as possible, reducing their cost of production. Our importing partner paid Francisco Alirio 2 250 000 pesos per carga (125kg of coffee), CAD$ 2.61 per lb of parchment coffee which his then transferred from Huila to a mil in Cauca, at the importer’s expense. Since this cooperation with ASOPROCAAR started, Francisco has seen his coffee production, yield and income increased, with better connectivity on the specialty market. However, challenges remain. Francisco’s farm is located on a very steep hill and labour, maintenance and cherry picking are difficult. A few months ago, Francisco
suffered a terrible head injury sliding down the hill, requiring several days of hospitalization and treatment. He is now recovering thanks to the help of his brother-and-law and two sons.
Francisco worked a lot to improve his coffee quality, starting with inclination of his trees : given the steepness of his farm, he planted his coffee tress on a gradient curve, which helps to retain moisture and nutrients in the soil, avoiding erosion. During harvest, cherries are hand picked and sorted. He then processes coffee at a micro-mill at his house at the lower part of his property. Coffee is de-pulped and then fermented in an open tank. After washing the coffee, he and his family take it to parabolic dryer where coffee is dried for serveral weeks, monitoring moisture content. Francisco is ending the process when it’s around 10.5%. We are super happy to bring you that delicious Tabi, fruit of the hard work and dedication of Francisco and his family. Super delicate, tons of malic and citric acidity. Enjoy!
That is to say, this coffee is absolutely outstanding. This coffee was processed using an anaerobic honey process. When the cherries are picked, the skin is removed but the mucilage of the fruit of the cherry is left intact. From there, the cherries are fermented for 5 days without any oxygen and then dried on raised beds for 12 days until the humidity of the lot reaches 10.5%. With this careful process, this coffee boasts delicious, fruity notes of Japanese plum, cranberry, and floral lavender. Every sip is as bright and flavorful as the last, and we’re so excited for you to try it.
We are incredibly excited to release this coffee! In 2019, we proudly ran a micro-financing project to connect our community here in Canada with a farm we’ve been working with in Honduras called San Jacinto. Our goal, through the help of our community, was to help fund our beloved coffee producer, Donã Isaura Martinez, in order to enhance the quality of coffee by improving working conditions and building infrastructure on the San Jacinto farm.
The Honduras San Jacinto hosts a delicious unique and exquisite tasting notes of grape bubblegum, wild berries, jam, and orange caramel. This medium roast coffee has a well balanced acidity profile, wine-like body, and is a perfect autumn morning cup to start your day.
Donã Isaura Martinez is a second generation coffee producer, who is now in her late 70s. She is also a certified organic trader. Before our financing project, it was hard to predict the future of her farm, due to her age and lack of helping hands. However, we couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
The initiative itself was quite simple. From our San Jacinto sales in 2019, we put aside $5 from every wholesale bag sale, and $1 from every retail bag sale, and put it towards the project.
The result of this micro-financing project was the acquisition of raised coffee drying beds. These beds are an effective and efficient way to improve coffee quality, by allowing air to circulate more evenly, therefore drying the coffee cherries more uniformly, leading to a more consistent flavor.
When we received a new batch of coffee from Donã Isaura this year, we were so excited to notice a fantastic improvement in the quality and flavor in the coffee.
As a roastery, we are determined to keep building similar collaborative, harmonious relationships with our coffee producers, and aim to continually improve social conditions, in any way we can.
We also hope you can join us in this journey!
We recently launched a micro-financing project to connect our coffee community in Canada with Doña Isaura’s farm in Honduras which wrapped up at the end of February 2019—thank you to everyone who purchased this coffee during that time and supported this initiative. This meant that $1 from every pound of wholesale San Jacinto sold, and $1 from every retail back of San Jacinto sold (or $1 per half pound) was put towards building raised coffee drying beds on the farm.
Oftentimes, increased quality in the cup leads to an increased premium for coffee producers. Raised beds, coupled with longer drying times, are a cost-effective and low impact way to hopefully improve quality. In life, as in coffee, there are no guarantees but we hope this can be the first step of many alongside Doña Isaura.
We know it can be hard to read all of the information about every coffee — we don’t think you need to. However, we provide it all here for those who are interested. For those who don’t have the time, here’s what we hope you learn about this coffee.
In September 2017, we were approached by an organization called TFO Canada and offered the opportunity to connect with a wide range of Honduran coffee producers.
As part of this meeting, we were introduced to Edgar and Karen Carillo, a young brother and sister who operate Pacayal Coffee in La Paz, Honduras. They themselves are coffee producers and saw that there was a need in their department to better represent and support their local coffee growing community. As such, they reached out to people in search of funding, and after taking in some capital, began the process of developing a group of farmers that would be represented by Pacayal.
Edgar is a hard worker. He has gone everywhere from Europe to the United States and Canada, tirelessly working to connect his producers with these markets, and is highly motivated to shift all of these producers he works with to the Fair Trade Organic market, or better, the specialty market. As he says, “la mejor idioma es la calidad” — The best language is quality. The quality of Pacayal Coffee has spoken for itself as in short order, he’s found himself a specialty market base in the United States, Northern Ireland, and Europe.
We are amongst his first buyers in Canada, and we see a lot of potential in Edgar and Pacayal. Honduras is an emerging coffee market, its volume has exploded in the last few years, especially in Canada. While there is some truly exceptional coffee being produced in small sections of the country, there is still a lot of growing and learning to do for other producers to meet these growers standards.
Pacayal currently shares a dry mill, and is still in the process of building their own washing station where cherries can be brought for processing by the producers who don’t have such a set up in their own farms. They’re also working to build a cupping lab and quality control centre in the same space. This will lend a great deal to increasing the quality of all of the producers they are supporting, and should go a long way to connecting them to the global specialty market.
Edgar sent us several samples from Pacayal producers, but the ones that won came from Doña Isaura Martines, who is basically his superstar producer in the Pacayal roster.
Over breakfast in her modest home outside the town of Opatoro, La Paz, we learned a lot about her unique story. Her father, Don Antonio, was at one time the largest coffee producer in all of Honduras. He started with his own farm and slowly began to purchase land from those around him, growing to encompass six distinct fincas accounting for around 50 hectares of land. In Honduras, many producers operate on less than 5 hectares, so this is a huge operation.
Don Antonio was also very advanced for his time, technologically speaking. He built a beneficio in 1982 on his own land, which is now mere steps from Dona Isaura’s house, including depulpers, fermentation tanks, and drying patios, as well as an office and bodega for storing coffee. From these patios, at around 1700masl, you can see all the way to El Salvador, the San Miguel volcano visible on clear days.
Don Antonio spent his whole life selling coffee at bottom barrel prices, and this is why he kept growing his land. At this point, volume was the way he was going to stay afloat. In 1998, Dona Isaura took over the farm and has been tending to it ever since. She continued in the same path as her father, selling large quantities of coffee at local market price until only three years ago in the 2015 harvest, when she began working with Pacayal Coffee.
With their help, she took the first step of becoming Fair Trade and Organic certified, which brings her a minimum of $1.90. However, on the basis of her lifetime of knowledge and skill as a coffee grower, Edgar has worked to connect her also with the specialty market, with buyers like us, who are willing to pay a premium based on the quality. As such, we paid $3/lbUSD FOB for this coffee, $1.80lb over the current market price and $1.10 over the FTO minimum.
Working with Doña Isaura represents a challenge and an opportunity. At 76 years old, with two children who are no longer interested in working on the farm, the future of San Jacinto and her other farms is up in the air. This is in fact a real example of how a lifetime of producing coffee for little money was likely a hard pill to swallow for her children, and they moved to the city in pursuit of other opportunities.
While Doña Isaura is doing a great job for her age, she’s also working with a well-equipped but dated beneficio for processing, plus an enormous volume of harvest that can make consistency difficult. As well, due to a lack of connected specialty buyers she’s had little chance to receive feedback on her coffee, from which she can learn to improve her harvesting and processing.
Our hope is that we can continue to work with Dona Isaura and focus on lot separation where we can work closely on the whole process together for the education of all, and are in talks about the possibility of investing into improving the infrastructure on her farm to assist with this.
As part of our ongoing purchasing philosophy, we’re always seeking to develop levels of purchasing in which we buy from one producer or group of producers who have ore access to the specialty market and/more resources while also purchasing from those who are more on the fringe of the specialty market. Honduras is a great place for this as the market is growing very rapidly and many producers are seeing the ability to earn more for their coffee.
To be specific, our purchases in 2018 then include the always exceptional Beneficio San Vicente in Santa Barbara as the more resource based operation, while Dona Isaura represent s the latter part Next year, we hope to add another small producer who is attempting to access the specialty market.
We are a small buyer, as far as the overall coffee production of Honduras goes, but it is our hope is to work together to increase the quality of Dona Isaura’s coffee, and to progressively pay more each year, thereby lending some level of economic security. We also hope these efforts will lead her to greater success with the broader specialty market.
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Gakuyuini is a single washing station that constitutes Thirikwa Cooperative in Kirinyaga county at the Southern slopes of the Mt Kenya highlands where the rich and fertile red volcanic soils and plenty of rainfall result in high quality coffee with a wonderful complexity.
The membership constitute small scale farmers with an average of 0.25 ha where they practice mixed farming within the parcel, that is they will grow food for their subsistence together with the coffee as a cash crop.
The current membership stands at 1600 small scale farmers.
The variety planted within its capture area is SL28, Ruiru 11 and Batian.
All the coffee is fully washed, that is the farmers will pick the ripe berries from their farms and deliver to the factory/washing station on the same day. Cherry hand sorting (where the overripe and the unripe are removed) takes place under the supervision of the factory manager before pulping. After pulping the parchment is fermented and washed with clean water from Kiri river before it is dried on raised beds. The factory is managed by a 5 member board that is elected directly by the farmers.
JOB SUMMARY
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
EDUCATION & TRAINING
EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, & COMPETENCIES
Doña Flor inherited a small piece of land from her dad and has tended the coffee farm her whole life. She and Jackie’s love for coffee and community work have them involved with the development projects in their community in Bustamante even during the weekends.
Her youngest daughter, Jackie helps her mom, Flor with the farm work. During the week, she works as an accountant in the city. Despite having to drive every morning over an hour to get to her work in the city, she chooses to live with her mom on a coffee farm for its tranquility. Over the weekend, she works with the community’s development committee and helps her mom on coffee-related projects. She has participated last year in our Care Training program and graduated as a Care Trader.
This year, she has been an active part of the Care Fellowship to design a project to incentivize and motivate her community to engage with the local cooperative 🌱 We asked her what coffee meant for her.
“For me, what I do in life, from my memory of being in the middle of a coffee farm—I am picking coffee, getting up early to go to the ca fetal, get my hands dirty with the honey of the coffee, getting bitten by a worm or wasp: coffee is my life. It is my childhood, what I have accomplished, that I could go to school, to high school, and also to the university. It is what maintains me now because although I work and have a salary the house where I live is maintained thanks to coffee. We eat thanks to coffee; in reality, coffee means a lot. Personally, its meaning is more than income. It is what I am. I am proud to say that I come from the countryside, that I am from a coffee zone.”
“Para mi, todo lo que hago en la vida desde que tengo una memoria en medio de un cafetal, voy a coger el café…levantarme temprano para ir al cafetal, ensuciarme las manos con la miel del café, que me pique un gusano y que me piquen avispas pues el café es mi vida.
Significa mi infancia, lo que logro, que pude ir a la escuela, pude ir al colegio, y también la universidad y también lo que me mantiene ahorita porque a pesar de que yo trabajo y tengo mi salario, la casa donde vivo se mantiene gracias al café. Sea como sea todavía nos alimentamos gracias que el café nos da algo o sea en realidad el café significa mucho.
Personalmente significa mas que un ingreso. Es lo que soy. Y sea como sea me siento orgullosa decir que soy del campo y que soy de zona cafetalera.”
If you are ordering for christmas holidays there are two ways to get them in time.
Thank you for all your support and happy holidays. Please look out for our Boxing week sale coming this weekend.
The Aricha station was a dump. A neglected, abandoned, and the out-of-business station that did not process a single cherry for years on end. Faysel Yonis, the founder of coffee exporter Testi Coffee. Faysel shared his plans to make Aricha a hub for quality Yiracheffe coffee. After the traditional coffee ceremony, the elders expressed their enthusiasm and gave their blessing. Faysel’s vision goes beyond coffee and business. Because besides reviving the station, Faysel started to work with the community to build an electricity-network for surrounding villages. Testi Coffee is also coordinating the construction of a school and plans to give families access to clean water.
Cencoic has 19 groups and a total of 2757 smallholder families; all leaning heavily on the income from coffee. These families are spread out over the Toribio, Santander de Quilichao, Caldono, Morales, El Tambo, Corinto, Miranda, and Almaguer Municipalities. On average, producers own a plot of 0,87 hectares and their farms are situated between heights of 1400 to 2200 m.a.s.l.. The varieties Castillo, Caturra, Typica, and Bourbon are favored and popular among growers.
The people of Colombia, and in particular Cauca, have survived a history of narcotics and violence. This unrest has destabilized the region and left deep scars within communities. The peace accords in Colombia have shifted this balance, however. With the arrival of peace, coffee started to prove to bean alternative for the Nasa. A majority of Nasa have turned their backs on illicit economic opportunities and chose coffee. Coffee has delivered hope and economic growth.
Coffee is considered to be one of the tools for peace in Cauca. The Cencoic Cooperative is one of the groups that has understood the ‘peace-movement’ of coffee. Through coffee, Cencoic strives to improve the lives of their members. The Coop offers advice, education, and assistance during harvest and processing.
Aricha Highlights
• Aricha washing station offers complex and floral Yirgacheffe grade- 1 coffees. You can either find washed or natural processed coffees.
• In 2019, just one year after reviving the station, four Aricha coffees made the final selection of The Ethiopian Cup.
The road to the Aricha washing station
• As soon as you pass the city of Dilla, you’ll notice the road roughening. A bumpy A8- highway, that feels like a country-side mountain bike trail, takes you to the Aricha mountains. Then a curly rocky road leads you to the gate of Aricha washing station. The famous Naga Singage mountain looms over the station and the Wogida river creates a continuous serene rush of water, only interrupted by singing Gedeo women stirring parchment and coffee cherry.
• If you’re looking for floral and complex-tasting Yirgacheffe’s, Aricha is the place. The recently revived washing station collects coffee cherries from Yirgacheffe’s most potent coffee forests. The washing station provides an income for surrounding communities. And coffee roasters find the finest natural and washed grade-1 Yirgacheffe’s on the market. But it wasn’t always like this.
Dormant washing station turns into Yirgacheffe coffee hub
• The Aricha station, in the words of the current manager, was a dump. A neglected, abandoned, and the out-of-business station that did not process a single cherry for years on end. Grass covered the entire terrain and the buildings were in decay. The surrounding smallholders had to deliver their cherries to another washing station further up the road. A far from an ideal situation, since transport goes on foot or by mule. But just a few months before the harvest of 2018, the communities met with a new potential station owner. Faysel Yonis, the founder of coffee exporter Testi Coffee. Faysel shared his plans to make Aricha a hub for quality Yiracheffe coffee. After the traditional coffee ceremony, the elders expressed their enthusiasm and gave their blessing. Faysel’s vision goes beyond coffee and business. Because besides reviving the station, Faysel started to work with the community to build an electricity-network for surrounding villages. Testi Coffee is also coordinating the construction of a school and plans to give families access to clean water.
• Aricha experienced rapid developments and innovations in a short period. This is because Faysel appoints well-equipped managers to run operations before and during the harvest. Adham Yonis, the nephew of Faysel, is the manager of Aricha. He was born in Dire Dawa (Ethiopia) and raised in Texas (US). Adham also served in the US Army for eight years. After twenty years of living in the US, he returned to Ethiopia and joined the family’s coffee business in 2014. When you visit the washing station during harvest, Adham will introduce you to Yirgacheffe cuisine. You will then enjoy a tour of the station and see how cherries are processed during night-shifts.
The coffee communities of Aricha
• Today Aricha is a Yirgacheffe coffee-hub. Testi Coffee estimates that one-thousand smallholders from different communities come to Aricha to sell their cherries. During collection, Adham marks the lots per community to ensure traceability. In the hills surrounding the station, you find four coffee communities; Aricha, Gersi, Idido, and
Reko Onancho.
• All four communities submitted micro-lots for the 2019’ Ethiopian Cup and ranked among the top-scoring coffees within the auction. Each farming family received a portion of the auction premium to improve their livelihoods. When you search for lots from Aricha, be sure to look for the community names as well.
Details
Coffee varieties: 74/158, 74/110 and local variety known as Setami and Mikicho
Soil type: loamy clay
Certifications: NOP and JAS Organic Certified, C.A.F.E. Practices
Wet Mill site location – 1905 MASL
farm elevations – 190 0 to 2100+ MASL
Personnel
Owner: Asefa Dukamo
General Manager: Matiyos Werana
Assistant Manager: Tefera
Process Control Manager: Samson (Sami)
Processing Coordinator: Eyasu Bekele
Mechanic: Berasa
Demographics
Local people group name: Durato, Faficho
Local language(s): Sidama, Amharic
Processes
Special Prep Washed screen size isolation 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Special Prep Natural screen size isolation 13/14, 15, 16/17
2018/2019 Washed Coffee Production Totals
We exported multiple lots, comprised of a total of 110 x 60kg bags, accounting for the entire top
lot Washed production of Shantawene Village at the Abore site this season.
Dried Parchment Pre Processed – 142 bags / 18,783.192 lbs / 8,520 kgs
2018/2019 Honey Process Production Totals
We exported a total of 43 x 60 kg bags of Honey Shantawene
Dried Parchment Pre Processed – 66 bags / 8,730.216 lbs / 3,960 kgs
2018/2019 Natural Process Productions Total
We exported multiple lots, comprised of a total of 158 x 60 kg bags, plus 40 x 60 kg of 48 hr.
Semi-Anaerobic Natural, accounting for the entire top lot production of naturals from
Shantawene Village at the Abore site
Naturals Pre Processed – 128 x 85kg bags / 23,986.048 lbs / 10,880 kgs
Naturals in Dried Cherry = 43,174.8864 lbs / 19,584 kgs
48 hr. Semi-Anaerobic Pre Processed = 38 x 85kg bags / 7,120.858 lbs / 3,230 kgs
48 hr. Semi-Anaerobic in Dried Cherry = 12,461.5015 lbs / 5,652.5 kgs
Shantawene Relationship
We have worked for several years now with the producers of Shantawene, our first season
beginning in 2015. Shantawene village is situated between the village of Bombe and the Bombe
mountain. The producers are part of a member organization consisting of 667 producers in
various parts of the mountain range, which also includes producers from Bombe and Keramo.
We’ve worked with this group since before it was officially founded (more on that below). For the
last two years, these member producers deliver their coffee cherries to the Bombe site Abore
Washing Station for processing to our specifications. We always anticipate every lot from
Shantawene each year, as they are to us the quintessential Ethiopian coffee – full of dynamic
herbals and sparkling acidity, with articulate fruits. This coffee continues to stand out as a team
favorite on the cupping table. Like Keramo, it is a dense coffee, with heaviest concentrations
comprised of the smaller screen sizes (the majority of the coffee screen sizes at 14 and 15).
The larger screen sizes are a treat for the very few roasters who get them. In screens 16 and
17, we find heavy concentrations of fruit juice and lovely tea-like subtleties that the smaller
screen sizes tend to hide with heavy-handed perfumes.
Prior to the 2017/18 harvest, this producing group delivered coffee cherries to a different
washing station nearby, called Shantawene washing station, where we first encountered the
coffees and purchased them as mixed lots. Up until the 2017/2018 harvest, all coffees from
Bombe, Keramo, and Shantawene villages were processed together and sold under the name of
Shantawene. We were noticing different cup dynamics from the cherries that came from
different areas and eventually began to isolate coffees by the village. This led to the move to
Bombe site washing station and getting even more isolation in the lots. For the past couple
of seasons, all producers we work with from Shantawene, Bombe, and Keramo all deliver cherries
to the more centralized Bombe site Abore Washing Station.
What is EA – Decaff
“Ethyl Acetate (E.A.) – This naturally occurring ester (present in bananas and also as a by-product of fermented sugars) can be isolated and used as a solvent to bond with and remove caffeine from green coffee. First, the coffee is sorted and steamed for 30 minutes under low pressure in order to open the coffee seeds’ pores and prepare them for decaffeination. The coffee is placed in a solution of both water and ethyl acetate, where the EA will begin to bond with the salts of chlorogenic acids inside the seeds. The tank will be drained and refilled over the course of eight hours until the caffeine is no longer detected as a present. The seeds are steamed once more to remove the ethyl acetate traces, though EA is only harmful to humans in very high quantities (400 parts per million or more). The coffee is then dried and polished for export.”
Take advantage of a great program dedicated to bringing the highest-quality,non-chemical-processed decaf coffees to market. Our Origin Select Decaf offerings are single-origin blends of coffees selected by cup quality grown by multiple smallholder producers. Our Colombian E.A. (ethyl acetate) decafs are cupped as regular green samples and specifically identified for decaffeination, which happens in-country in Colombia before the coffee goes to export. This allows us to maintain both the integrity of the quality of the coffees we choose to decaf, but also to extend our intentional and responsible sourcing to our decaf offerings as well as our “regular.” This process works by soaking green coffee in a bath of water and a solvent called ethyl acetate, which is naturally derived from fermented sugar, among other natural sources. The solvent bonds to the salts of chlorogenic acid within the coffee, which allows for the extraction of caffeine. The coffee is removed from its bath and steamed at low pressure to ensure no traces of E.A. are left, and the finished product is almost entirely free of any but the most trivial (0.1–0.3%) caffeine content.
According to legend, coffee was first discovered by an Ethiopian farmer named Kaldi who observed his goats begin to jump and dance after eating the red berries of the plant. Dancing Goats is a De Mello mainstay, a blend that pays homage to the fascinating history of the little beans we all love so much. Rich caramel notes blend with a smooth pecan and dark cherry finish to create a cup that’s familiar but forward.
Despite Brazil’s major status in the history and presence of coffee, it’s oft-maligned as an origin for producing low-quality coffees in massive volumes. However, this is slowly changing and we are proud to be allied with a group of quality-focused small producers that are showing the true potential this country has as a top-tier coffee country.
All of these producers are based in the Serras de Minas micro-region of Minas Gerais, and due to the volume capacities of this region, we’re able to receive coffees on an ongoing basis year-round. Each new shipment is made up of coffee produced by a specific community — the current installment features a group of nine producers situated around the town of Posses — and is constructed to match our desired profile, one that is rich in caramel, nut, and dark red fruit flavors.
Brazil is an incredibly unique coffee producing country. Through a combination of protectionist measures such as guaranteed floor pricing and also the luxury of incredible volume outputs, Brazilian coffee producers are typically able to pick and choose when they wish to sell their coffee and to whom in order to get the best for themselves.
However, the current system has incentivized a volume over quality mindset which has left producers putting very little effort into improving quality. For many farmers producing 2000 plus bags a year, the notion of gaining extra by putting more work in seems pointless as they’re able to reap such a reward already with little effort at all.
In the Serras de Minas micro-region, it becomes a little trickier. Producers are growing between 400-1000 bags, a monumental amount for many coffee producers, but such a small amount that they are often overlooked by major brokers who would buy their coffee. Add to this the fact that this region is very hilly and features some of Brazil’s highest altitudes, it renders mechanical picking impossible, thereby slowing down production and volume even more so.
As such, this region represents a great opportunity for quality incentives. If these producers can receive more for higher quality, they see the benefit as they can maximize their returns and make the farming more profitable despite its relatively small size.
We hope you’ll enjoy this true taste of Brazil, produced by a dedicated group of coffee farmers who are focused on showing all their country and their specific terroir can show!
Process: Washed, oak-tank fermentation Producer name: Esnaider Ortega
Farm names: Finca La Esperanza
Farm area: 2.5 hectares
Variety: Yellow Caturra
Details: Cherries floated to remove defects prior to depulping, depulpled same day of picking, fermenteted in wood tank for 38 hours, dried for 30-33 days in shaded raised beds.
Esnaider is a third generation coffee farmer from San Agustin in Southern Huila. We had the pleasure of spending several weeks travelling beside him in October during our trip to Colombia and developed a very close relationship that puts our team in near daily contact with him. A shy and humble young man, he truly lives and breathes coffee, not only working in the farm all year round but also working as a sample roaster for our Colombian coffee partners Fairfield Trading.
At 27, Esnaider has already shown that he has the potential and the drive to become one of Colombia’s best coffee producers, and as a result his coffee is in high demand around the world. We can proudly say that for this year’s main harvest, which runs from November – February, we purchased the lions share of the farms production including these yellow caturra lots that will be presented in the competition, some 24 bags.
Esnaider and his family operate a small farm of about 5 hectares in size, 2.5 of which belongs to Esnaider himself. His goal is to produce nothing but 86+ coffees and he is in the process of or has already planted a wide range of coffee varietals in his pursuit to create a “menu” of coffee for buyers to consider from him.
That being said, the majority of his farm are varietals common to the average Colombian coffee producer — caturra, colombia, and castillo. Amongst his newly planted varietals are Tabi, Yellow Catuai, Geisha, and Typica. Esnaider is a big fan of yellow coffee, and has been trying to plant as much of it as he can! This is interesting because yellow coffee varietals tend to produce more mucilage than their red counterparts, which leads to a sweeter coffee in the long run.
During our visit last fall, Esnaider told us about a new project he was working on. A long time ago, when his grandfather was producing coffee, he didn’t use concrete or tiled fermentation tanks but rather “roble” or Colombian oak. As Esnaider is always in pursuit of new ways to increase quality and develop new flavours in coffee, he decided to build some oak fermentation tanks himself and to ferment his yellow caturra in these tanks.
Our interest was piqued, and so we asked for him to send us samples of these coffees when they were ready. Esnaider also sent us yellow caturra fermented in his traditional tiled tanks, and it was fascinating to see how these wood tanks did indeed infuse the coffee with a distinct flavour difference — notably we found that the coffee was deeper, sweeter, and held more complex tropical fruit flavours ranging from pineapple to papaya and passionfruit. Point-wise, while the yellow caturra in tile tank yielded a result of 86.5 to 87, the wood tank boosted that score to 88 to 88.5, a remarkable difference and one that pushed this average varietal into competition worthy standing.
We were very impressed with the quality of this coffee, but even moreso by Esnaider’s gung ho attitude to try something new. As a result, we agreed to a farmgate price of 12 times market rate for our two favourite lots of this coffee and are proud to showcase it in this setting as a competition coffee. We then purchased the rest of his yellow caturra wood lots at a more sustainable long term price of 4 times over market.
Esnaider and his family are in many ways very typical smallholder coffee producers. They are not wealthy, they don’t have exceeding amount of land or access to resources, and they struggle with low market prices alongside their neighbours.
However, due to Esnaider’s diligence to improve through cupping, visiting other farmers, and the generational knowledge learned from his family, he’s actively changing the future for himself and his family and is becoming an example for the entire community around him. In fact, just last week, Esnaider’s family hosted 50 other coffee producing families at their farm to show them what they are doing to improve quality!
We’re thrilled to promote a true small producer on the competition stage, rather than promoting estate farms with large resource sets and networks. Beyond that, we’re also excited to put forth a staple of Esnaider’s annual coffee harvest — rather than choosing an exotic, low yielding and costly varietal like Geisha, this yellow caturra lot is simply one of the best of several lots harvested throughout the year that he was able to raise the quality of to a competition worthy level.
Washed: white rose / jasmine blossom soda / rose hips / orange creamsicle / ginger soda / pomegranate juice / candied apricot / candied papaya
Natural: rose / hibiscus / coffee flower honey / mango / peaches and cream / strawberry rhubarb jam / guava / papaya juice / grenadine
Honey: lilac / red rose / violet / jasmine / blackberry / dark cherry / orange candy / grenadine / rosemary / ginger tea
Bombe/Abore Washing Station
SNNPR Region
Sidama Zone
Bensa District
Bombe Village
Bombe site / Abore Washing Station
GPS Coordinates: N6° 32.442′ E38° 50.460′
Details
Coffee varieties: 74/158, 74/110 and local variety known as Setami and Mikicho
Soil type: loamy clay
Certifications: NOP and JAS Organic Certified, C.A.F.E. Practices
Wet Mill site location – 1905 MASL
farm elevations – 1850 to 2100+ MASL
Personnel
Owner: Assefa Dukamo
General Manager: Matiyos Werana
Assistant Manager: Tefera
Process Control Manager: Samson
Processing Coordinator: Eyasu Bekele
Mechanic: Berasa
Demographics
Local people group name: Durato, Faficho
Local language(s): Sidama, Amharic
Processes
Special Prep Washed screen size isolation 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Special Prep Natural screen size isolation 13/14, 15, 16/17
Special Prep Honey
2018/2019 Washed Coffee Production Totals
We exported multiple lots, comprised of a total of 130 x 60kg bags, plus 21 x 60kg bags of Dry Ferment Washed micro lot, accounting for the entire top lot Washed production of Bombe Village at the Abore site this season.
Dried Parchment Pre Processed – 198 bags / 26,190.648 lbs / 11,880 kgs
Dry Ferment Dried Parchment Pre Processed – 33 bags / 4,365.108 lbs / 1,980 kgs
2018/2019 Honey Process Production Totals
We exported a total of 20 x 60 kg bags of Honey Bombe
Dried Parchment Pre Processed – 35 bags / 4,629.66 lbs / 2,100 kgs
2018/2019 Natural Process Productions Total
We exported multiple lots, comprised of a total of 110 x 60 kg bags, accounting for the entire top lot production of naturals from Bombe Village at the Abore site
Naturals Pre Processed – 88 x 85kg bags / 16,490.408 lbs / 7,480 kgs
Naturals in Dried Cherry = 30,507.2548 lbs / 13,838 kgs
Bombe Relationship
The producers of Bombe live high in the lush and lovely Bombe mountain valley. They are part of a member organization consisting of 667 producers in various parts of the mountain range, which also include producers from Bombe and Shantawene. We’ve worked with this group since before it was officially founded (more on that below). The last two years, these producers chose to process their coffees through the Bombe Washing Station to our specifications. Like the other coffees from this site, the Bombe coffees are always stand outs on our cupping tables. It is dense coffee, with heavy concentrations of the smaller screen sizes (the majority of the coffee screen sizes at 14 and 15), just a touch larger than the average screen sizes found in the Shantawene and Keramo lots, which also reflects a slightly larger concentration of the Mikicho variety than the other coffees have. Mikicho is easily identified by its larger cherries with wavy leaves, the seeds appearing elongated and canoe-shaped. No doubt, this is a distant relative to the Gesha variety, and the prominent cup characteristics that stand out in all Bombe lots are lush, tropical fruit tones and delicate florals.
Prior to the 2017/18 harvest, this producing group delivered coffee cherries to a different washing station nearby, called Shantawene washing station, where we first encountered the coffees and purchased them as mixed lots. Up until the 2017/2018 harvest, all coffees from Bombe, Keramo and Shantawene villages were processed together and sold under the name of Shantawene. We were noticing different cup dynamics from the cherries that came from different areas, and eventually began to isolate coffees by village. This led to the move to Bombe site washing station and getting even more isolation in the lots. For the past couple seasons, all producers we work with from Bombe, Keramo and Shantawene all deliver cherries to the more centralized Bombe site Abore Washing Station.
We know it can be hard to read all of the information about every coffee — we don’t think you need to. However, we provide it all here for those who are interested. For those who don’t have the time, here’s what we hope you learn about this coffee.
A pleasure to introduce myself and comment a little on my story:
In the year 1955, my father Patrocinio de Jesús Rodriguez Ortiz began cultivating cafe Arabigo (Typica) and since then I have inherited this from him. 25 years later, I began to grow my own coffee, beginning by planting a half manzana (~.9 acres) of the varieties Pache San Ramon, Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai as these are the highest quality coffees. Continuing to the present day, my children and I continue working to improve the management of these coffee fields by, for example, planting trees such as Cuje. Gravileas, Pine, and others.
Also, we undertake practices of soil management including weeding and draining, in order to conserve the environment and our soils, and we also continue fighting for our common house or, that is, everyone’s home who is fighting against megaprojects and monocultures.
It is worth mention a little of my story from the 11 of April in the year of 2013, I was unjustly detained for peacefully protesting against the mine, for which we were detained four days for having defended our common house, being a right of all and being a constitutional right of free expression, because we know the damages these mineral extraction companies cause.
Thank you for your close attention,
Miguel Angel Rodriguez Cordero
Miguel is part of a group of coffee producers in the municipality of Mataquescuintla, in the Jalapa department, 40 miles southeast of Guatemala City. Jalapa is, for the most part, a largely overlooked coffee producing region despite coffee figuring as the one of the region’s most common agricultural products.
This is our first time buying from Miguel, who was brought to our attention by Bows x Arrows Coffee Roasters. He’s part of a group of coffee producers in Mataquescuintla who have organized around a shared resistance to the Escobal silver mine, located in the nearby town of San Rafael des Flores.
Estimated to be the third-largest silver mine in the world, Escobal is owned by Canadian-based Tahoe Resources, and operated by a national subsidiary named Minera San Rafael (MSR). This is the mine Miguel is referencing when he says he was detained for peacefully protesting. The mine received its final permits for extraction in 2013 and began functioning in 2014.
The areas around Mataquescuintla and San Rafael have been the focus of mining development since 1694 when silver was discovered there. In 2006, these efforts regained forced, specially regarding the land concession that included the Escobal mine.
Canadian companies have been involved with the development of this project for over two decades. In 1996, Mar-West Aruba mining company — a subsidiary of the Canadian firm Mar-West Resources — was awarded the Escobal concession and since then company changed hands several times before becoming property of Tahoe Resources in 2010. Tahoe Resources is registered in British Columbia, with offices in Vancouver B.C. and Reno, Nevada.
Peaceful resistance to this project has been ongoing since 2010.
In 2010, a series of information sessions took place throughout the surrounding communities to discuss the economic, social, political, legal, and environmental impacts of this project in their communities. This led to emergence of coalition between the local Catholic diocese and the local indigenous Xinca peoples for the purpose of organizing local plebiscites and also organizing to protect the legal rights of the affected community members. Much of the resistance from the communities is rooted in their fears that the project will damage their water sources, upon which their agricultural lifestyles depend.
Between 2011 and 2012, four formally recognized municipal plebiscites received a No vote to the mine of above 98% by participating voters. After these were held, the Guatemala Chamber of Commerce brought a constitutional challenge against these actions only to see the Constitutional Court rule in favour of the plebiscites. There were also an additional 8 good faith plebiscites held in 2013 where the No vote won in percentages ranging from 93-100%. In the municipality of Santa Rafael Las Flores, closest to the mine, the plebiscite was blocked by municipal authorities.
In December of 2013, the Constitutional Court further endorsed the results of community plebiscites regarding mining projects, stating that is is mandatory for a community to hold these votes and to take the results into consideration. The court referred directly to the plebiscite held in Mataquescuintla, and based its ruling on the International Labour Organization’s Convention of the Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. Their statement was that “it is the unquestionable right of peoples to be consulted but it is [also] necessary to reinforce the proper procedure (for consultation).”
During 2011-2013, 280 citizens also registered formal complaints against the Escobal mineral extraction license. These complaints argued that the environmental impact report was inadequate and that Tahoe Resources had fail to conduct good faith consultations with the community members as to the impacts of the Escobal project. On April 3 2013, the Mining Office at the Guatemalan Ministry of Energy and Mining announced the license had been granted and all 280 complaints would not be processed.
In the time since these plebiscites, private security firms hired by MSR, in conjunction with the police, have cracked down on the local communities. This included a violent exchange in April 2013, when peaceful protesters were fired upon by private security guards, resulting in seven being injured.
A military state of siege was then declared in May 2013 by the central government, effectively squashing most community consultation being planned in the areas affected by the Escobal project. MSR has also funded the building of a police station in order to increase police presence in the area, and has had up to 6 local mayors on its payroll.
Hugo Loy, Mayor of Mataquescuintla, is one of the sole holdouts. As a result, there’s been an increased “criminalization” of these peaceful protestors that has resulted in 100s of arrests. All have been released, and no evidence has ever been presented. This is part of a broader attempt to destabilize the communities resistance.
Nevertheless, the communities have carried on in their combined resistance. In July 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled against Tahoe Resources and suspended their mining license. The mine has been closed since then, and Tahoe Resources has filed an appeal, arguing that past local precedent backs their position and assuring stockholders they will be functioning again soon. In early September 2018, the Supreme Court ratified the Constitutional Court ruling, upholding the suspension. Tahoe has no agreed to go forth with a consultation as demanded by the ILO, but doubts remain of whether this will be done in good faith.
This is a clearly complex and variegated issue, but our hope is that we can showcase the layers of struggle that coffee producers face, beyond the already large struggle of selling coffee at a sufficient price. Miguel, a second-generation coffee farmer, has previously sold his coffee on the commodity market and this is one of his first opportunities to sell his micro-lots. Now, he and his peers find themselves struggling as land defenders in an area of the world where environmental activists are killed or injured in record numbers.
We hope that in buying from Miguel (and another yet to be released lot from Randolfo Pacheco), we can provide support to this community in their time of uncertainty, and bring the struggle of the Mataquescuintla community to the forefront.
Further reading: Mining Watch, LA Times, The Guardian.
The group has an excellent relationship with a medium sized Estate in Jalapa, Finca la Concepción that often has their mill unused during harvest as they are not a large operation. An excellent wet milling service is offered to them at a very low price, the mill-manager, Roberto, is part of the anti-mining resistance and wants to do all he can to help the producers realize the highest quality possible from their coffee, as does the owner of the Estate. The producers get to concentrate on producing exceptional cherries, which are then processed and dried separately. Cherries are floated prior to depulping to remove over and under-ripes, and then fermented in small tanks covered with plastic, or clean nylon bags when the quantities are tiny, for between 24 and 36 hours depending in the weather. The mill sits at 1552masl. The coffee is then washed in channels and density sorted carefully dried on the patio for over eight to ten days.
