Dark Blend - Washed & Natural

Flavour Profile:

Dark Cocoa, Malts & Cinder Toffee

About this Coffee:

Components:

Kenya Kiangundo washed AB

Peru - El Palto - Washed

Brazil Fazenda Nunes - Natural

Kenya - Kiangundo Estates:

Producer: 690+ Smallholder farmers delivering to Kiangundo washing station

Altitude: 1700-1950 MASL

Process: Washed

Variety: Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34

Kiangundo Factory (the name for wet mills in Kenya) receives cherry from 690+ producers who farm on the land surrounding the factory in Karatina, Nyeri County. Kiangundo Factory is one of 4 factories managed by Kiama Cooperative Farmers' Society. Kiama, founded in 2004, represents over 3,000 farmers in Nyeri

Agricultural Practices, including fertiliser application, pruning guidance and renovation advice, which help them keep their small farms in optimal condition. Smallholders handpick ripe cherries and deliver them to the factory that day. At intake, the cherry is meticulously sorted. All sorting is overseen by the cherry clerk, who ensures that only ripe, undamaged cherry Is received. 

Once sorted, the cherry is pulped on the factory's disc pulper and then density sorted. Pulped cherry is dry fermented for 16 to 24 hours. Skilled staff oversee fermentation, checking regularly to ensure fermented is halted at just the right moment. After fermentation, the cherry is sent through washing and grading channels. 

Parchment is soaked for 24 hours and then placed on raised drying beds. Staff sort drying parchment to remove any remaining defective beans and turn parchment constantly to promote even drying. Drying typically takes between 1 and 3 weeks.

Peru - El Palto

Variety | Catimor, Caturra, Typica

Process | Fully Washed

Altitude | 1300 - 1800 MASL

Producer: JUMARP El Palto

JUMARP (Asociación de Productores Cafetaleros Juan Marco El Palto) is doing extraordinary work revolutionizing coffee production in rural Peru. We are particularly proud to support one of their innovative projects, the Mujeres program. The El Palto Mujeres program supports gender equity in the community. This certified Organic lot was produced by several Mujeres program members, all of whom are — fittingly – women.

The Asociación de Productores Cafetaleros Juan Marco "El Palto" - in short, JUMARP was founded in 2003 by José Carranza Barboza and 35 other smallholder farmers. The association was born out of a desire to develop a new, producer-focused model for growing and exporting coffee.

The cooperative noticed that women were typically only involved in the cooperative peripherally and even more rarely involved in decision making. To address this, JUMARP created the Mujeres program - named for the Spanish word for women. The program works to improve social and economic standing for women members.

To increase women's participation, they began by identifying barriers to women's active participation and then started implementing steps to help women get more involved. The Mujeres program helps women develop their skills in decision making, leadership, entrepreneurial management and teamwork. They also focus on bolstering self-esteem so women have the confidence to share their new skills in public settings and around men. Participants also receive sensory training and learn to roast to help them sell their roasted coffee at a local market and to gain a better understanding of quality.