Out with the old, in with the ‘brew’
Stop the presses! We have brand new micro-lot coffee releases just for your refined palate!
This week sees the introduction of four more specialist micro-lots from around the world from us Caffe Society, to you, the coffee aficionado, including an Orangutan Friendly coffee and a women’s only coffee cooperative grown lot.
Sumatran Orang Utan Friendly Coffee
Our selected batch includes the one-of-a-kind Orangutan friendly coffee! The world’s only coffee dedicated to helping prevent the destruction of the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan’s rainforest habitat.
Grown on ecologically friendly plantations, without the need to clear vast portions of the Sumatran rainforest, this seriously specialist coffee sees farmers and conservationists working side-by-side to help save the endangered primate.
Sumatra is located in South-East Asia
The rainforests of Sumatra have that special climate needed for the growth of exceptional quality Arabica coffee, but also house the critically endangered ape primate – the Orangutan.
With fewer than 6000 of the animal actively living in the wild, due to mass deforestation, including massive areas being cleared to make way for palm oil and other intensive agricultural projects special coffee trade premiums with incentives designed to benefit these growers who adhere to strict Orangutan Conservation Guidelines.
A portion of proceeds made through the sale of this coffee is returned to the farmers, and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) which in-turn should help bolster the numbers of this beautiful animal.
An exceptional coffee that helps one of our most common animal relatives, we can’t think of a better way to support our caffeine addictions.
Ugandan Gumintindo Union Oliva Kishero’s Farm Coffee
We also have the women’s run Oliva Kishero farm coffee available for purchase from this week. Set on the slopes of East Africa’s oldest inactive volcano – Mount Elgon – the fertile rich Ugandan soil has provided the perfect climate for the growth of exceptional Arabica.
Gumutindo means ‘excellent quality’ in the local Lugisu language, with this coffee offering exceptional full bodied Arabica flavour with sweet dark tropical fruit notes and a complex acidity. A wonderfully smooth and balanced dark chocolate coffee awaits.
Born on a coffee farm in 1973, Oliva has been involved with Gumutindo since 2000, and seen her life improve dramatically.
“Fairtrade is a good idea and makes a big difference to us,” says Oliva, who is now seeing a change of mind-set in the male-dominated Ugandan society. “Now women are getting jobs and getting more respect from men.”
“I have built a house of coffee, if it weren’t for the coffee premiums, my older children would not be at school,” added Oliva, who now lives in a brand-new house with a concrete floor and rendered brick walls rather than the more commonplace mud hut or shack.
Caffe Society cannot think of a better way to support women in economically developing nations, than to help them realise their business aims and objectives.
We have a couple of more traditional South American coffees to round up our latest batch of micro-lots, with two top class coffees from Brazil and Colombia respectively awaiting the intrepid taster.
Fazenda Dona Nenem ‘Yellow Bourbon’ Coffee
The Yellow Bourbon from Fazenda Dona Nenem in the Minas Gerais region provides honey, citrus and floral notes in a typically Brazilian fashion.
The Brazilian Minas Gerais region
Sustainably farmed, cherries are only hand-picked into sheets to prevent direct contact with the ground and are then processed the very same day.
A rich, smooth and typically Brazilian coffee comes from award winning grower Eduardo Campos, who promotes the mantra: “Nature is Number 1!”
The plantation houses a nursery that helps to replant 10% of the crop each year and this in-turn has increased year-on-year production output.
Following strict environmental laws, and with the aforementioned good agricultural practices, management and impact on society, Dona Nenem has been fully Rainforest Alliance certified for a number of years.
Columbian Finca Monique Luis Gonzaga Ordonez
The Huila, Andes region, Colombia
A Colombian classic rounds off our newest additions, originating in the Colombian Andes, the Luis Gonzaga Ordonez grown batch creates a balanced and delicate cup with juicy fresh fruit notes that truly shines as an espresso.
Grown in partnership with the OCCICAFE, otherwise known as the Asociación de Productores de Café de Alta Calidad del Suroccidente del Huila, represents 244 coffee growing families in the southwestern Huila region of Colombia.
The association helps support farmers by providing advice and help with fertilization, purchase of agricultural tools, machinery and equipment for the sole task of coffee production activity.
“It is important to recognise the value in buying Fair Trade products,” says Luis Gonzaga. “Fair Trade Certified coffee is produced by small scale hardworking farmers who have a strong commitment to their environment and want to improve their livelihoods.”
So let’s help support them!