Why One Cooperative Is Exporting Roasted Coffee

The routine process goes something like this.  The producer or cooperative grows and processes green beans; the buyer exports and/or imports them; the roaster roasts them; and then either a café or a consumer buys them to make coffee.  The outlier in this routine is delosAndes Cooperativa in Colombia.   

This cooperative buys the beans from its members, processes them, roasts them, and then sells them directly to consumers.  By doing this, the cooperative sees a greater share of the profits from each bag of coffee, which in turn benefits those producers who belong to cooperative.  Here’s how it works.

SEE ALSO: Under the Microscope: How Do Exporters Work With Coffee Farmers?

Beautiful landscape from Andes Southwest of Antioquia Department  Credit:  www.delosandescafe.com

The Relationship Between Cooperative and Producer

delosAndes Cooperativa has 3,600 members, all of them coffee growers from the southwest  of Antioquia in Colombia. The cooperative has been exporting coffee for 10 years, and this year it received two awards from Sustainable Harvest/Let’s Talk Coffee – one of which was for Commercial and Financial Innovation.

The Cooperative has two brands: delosAndes Premium Selection and delosAndes Limited Editions The latter one are its micro-lot offerings. For a producer to qualify for this designation, he or she must first participate in a cooperative-led quality program. The cooperative then buys the coffee at the market price, but, once it has sold the coffee, it gives a portion of the additional income to the producer. In  this  way,  the cooperative encourages  and  supports  producers  in  producing  specialty  coffee.  Moreover, producers see a greater and more stable income.

Quality control Credit: www.delosandescafe.com

The Decision to Roast Commercially

The cooperative currently sells green coffee to 20 countries, and it has been selling roasted coffee locally for many years. More recently, it had the idea of selling roasted beans internationally.

Paulina Lezcano, Marketing Representative, explains, “We’re looking to achieve a higher income in order to finance more of our social projects. Providing this new service from origin could bring both an added value to the consumer and a higher margin to our organization. We’re a non-profit association and it’s important to constantly look for new resources.”

Hand picking coffee beans Credit: www.delosandescafe.com

Roasting as a Cooperative

The cooperative has its own laboratory and roastery, where coffees are first cupped in order to determine the ideal roast profile. The Antioquia region, where most of their farmers are, is known for its citrus profile with notes of sugar loaf and chocolate. “We like to use a medium roast in order to preserve the attributes and highlight the acidity, flavours and aromas of our coffees,” says Paulina.

The coop currently roast 100,000 lbs. of coffee annually, which is half of its capacity, but Paulina tells me the goal is to achieve 100%. Furthermore, the coop roasts the Premium Selection daily and it also offers Special Editions three times a year in 250g and 500g bags. Using FedEx ensures quick delivery so the coffee can arrive fresh.

Coffee bags at the cooperative’s warehouse Credit:www.delosandescafe.com

How Roasting Benefits Producers

By reducing the number of intermediaries in the supply chain, the cooperative offers consumers extra transparency and gains more profit. Some of that profit goes straight to the producers in cash; the rest is used to increase the quality and size of their programmes, which benefit all producers – not just those whose coffee has been accepted for roasting.

These programmes include the quality programme that helps producers grow microlots, which in turn enables even more of them to benefit from their coffee being sold as specialty and/or roasted beans. It also helps producers gain certifications, such as Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance. This means that even those who aren’t producing specialty benefit from increased prices.

Additionally, the cooperative runs a soil lab, which gives feedback to producers about things such as nutrient deficiencies. Producers can then take action to improve the soil, and so improve the productivity and quality of their coffee.

Further technical assistance is given in terms of resource optimization, logistics and administration, and education in how to use equipment. The cooperative also has two wet mills, and a third one will be built next year.

They also focus on the future generation, subsidizing high school and university fees for the children of producers. This program can only support a set number of students, but has great potential to improve incomes, quality of life, and even coffee quality for entire community in years to come.

Coffee growers bringing their coffees to the cooperative Credit:www.delosandescafe.com

A cooperative that roasts and sells its own coffee – we don’t expect it to become the norm any time soon. It requires expertise in a new sector of the market, investment in packaging, transportation, and marketing.  Building new relationships is also crucial.

However, it’s clear that when a cooperative works to develop the expertise, logistics, and relationships, producers can benefit significantly.

Written by A. K. Molina Ospina.

delosAndes Cooperative is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind. This interview was conducted in accordance with our editorial policies, and delosAndes Cooperative has had no greater influence on the final copy than any of our other interviewees.

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Why You Should Consider Offering Single Shots

Double shots are so common in specialty coffee, that many cafés have removing the option by using double baskets with naked portafilters. But I believe there are good reasons in support of the single shot. And with a spouted portafilter, it doesn’t have to be double or nothing.

SEE ALSO: Espresso Machine Mods: 4 Reasons to Use a Naked Portafilter

A double shot, but only one is wanted. Credit: J. Loayza

Single vs Double Basket, Naked vs Spouted Portafilter

There are three different options we, as baristas, can choose from:

The single shot basket: we extract just one shot at a time

The spouted portafilter with a double shot basket: we extract two shots into two different cups

The naked portafilter with a double shot basket: we extract two shots into a single cup

At the moment, the norm is double shot baskets. In fact, some even find the shape of the single shot basket can lead them to unevenly extract their espresso (although this is debatable, and also varies according to brand and design). But we all know how important consistency is.

However, unless the dosing and distribution of grinds in the basket and the tamping are awful, two espressos from a spouted portafilter are unlikely to be noticeably different from each other.

A lot of specialty coffee shops use naked portafilters and only brew double shots. The arguments for this (some of which are debatable) are that it allows you to control the flow and detect channeling, avoid temperature loss (since the coffee doesn’t touch the metal spouts), and potentially create a thicker, more attractive crema.

Yet only a few of these relate to flavour! Detecting channeling is useful for quality control, so in that way it can result in a better flavor – but if you’re pulling great espressos, this will make no difference to the final product.

The Customer Experience

The biggest problem I see with the double naked shots is that sometimes they force people to drink more coffee than they actually want. Espressos can be delicious, but we should never forget that they are intense beverages.

The Italians gave us a beautiful tradition, that of a quick espresso drunk while standing at the counter of a crowded bar. Single espresso shots are the perfect size for this. It’s a tiny but tasty accent in our busy lives. And when it comes to milk-based drinks, many customers want to experience a balanced and mild latte – without having to drink a lot of milk just to contrast the double shot espresso.

People deserve small single-shot milk-based drinks. Why? Because coffee should be for everyone.

How many shots? Shouldn’t it depend on the customer’s preferences? Credit: Habitat Coffee

What About The Double Ristretto Shot?

The double ristretto shot: twice the amount of dry coffee used to produce a drink the same size as an espresso.

Jim Shulman, one of the founding members of SCAA, wrote in 2007 that “in Italy, the shots tend to get shorter as one goes south, to go along with the darker roasts and heavier bodied beans”.

In short (pun intended), ristrettos are a good idea when roasts are dark. Lessening the extraction avoids extreme bitterness (and, some might say, makes the drinker’s suffering quicker).

But specialty coffee likes lighter, more acidic roasts, and acids are one of the first sets of chemicals to be extracted into the espresso cup. This means that, with a shorter yield, you can end up achieving sourness, saltiness, and too much intensity.

And double ristrettos in milk-based drinks, in my opinion, can be a dangerous game. Dairy mixed with too much acidity can start to taste of yogurt – and there’s a reason you won’t find that on the flavour wheel!

Of course, some disagree with me. But I would argue for caution when pulling a double ristretto shot with a specialty coffee. Not all beans are suited to this.

Consider the beans you’re using. Credit : Art Bar

The Business Angle: Savings and Profits

Another of the reasons people give to justify naked portafilters and double shot drinks is minimal wastage. I admire the intention, but I’d argue that the wastage is the same. This is because, instead of looking at yield, we should be considering the dry coffee in the basket.

Naked portafilters will give you espresso for one serving. So if you’re making one cappuccino, you’ll just use one cup. On the other hand, with a double spout portafilter, you’re forced to use one cup plus a container for the extra espresso nobody wants. Cleaning that container is always annoying, I agree. But, at the end of the day, both portafilters have been brewing the same quantity of dry coffee (assuming you’re using a double shot basket with a range of 14g to 22g).

If, however, your customers happen to order two single shot cappuccinos, that double spout will increase your profits. Of course, if the order is for double shot cappuccinos, this is irrelevant – but if a customer wants a single shot drink, and it will decrease wastage, shouldn’t we offer them that possibility?

Shouldn’t we let the customer choose how many shots they want? Credit: Sonder Coffee

Workflow

Profits should also take into account workflow. Good workflow depends on multiple factors: shop and bar design, equipment speed, barista efficiency, protocols… But choosing between double and single shot beverages can also have an impact. The critical factor here is time.

Imagine two small cafés facing each other on a busy street in a small town. Both use three group espresso machines and both make most of their profit through cappuccinos.

The first café uses naked portafilters, the second one prefers double spouts. The first one needs an average of one minute to finish one cappuccino, from dosing, distributing, tamping, and pulling the shot, through to steaming and pouring. The second one, because they can do two shots in two different cups simultaneously, has an average time of one minute for two cappuccinos.

Of course, this is only relevant for customers who want a single-shot cappuccino. But assuming there is a demand for this, which of these café owners will be able to buy a yacht first?

The single vs double shot debate can also have an impact on workflow. Credit: billiamjeans

Flexibility

Naked portafilters look amazing. The ability to see the espresso flowing into the cup, with that thick crema – it reminds us why we became baristas. But sometimes they’re not the most practical choice. We’re serving our customers, and so their wants must come first.

Working with double spout portafilters can open up new possibilities. It’s true that a too wide a range of products can confuse customers – but a small menu with distinct beverages that you can customise the strength of? I call that good service.

Some customers will prefer double shots, paying a little more for the extra espresso. Others will opt for single shots, and others a half shot diluted in extra hot milk. The choice is theirs.

People love being in charge of their coffee orders. Deciding how many shots they get in their drink is simply one more way they can decide what kind of drink they want.

Written by J. Loaza. Feature photo credit: Quentin Café

All views within this opinion piece belong to the guest writer, and do not reflect Perfect Daily Grind’s stance. Perfect Daily Grind believes in furthering debate over topical issues within the industry, and so seeks to represent the views of all sides.

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Maracaturra: Why a CoE-Winning Farm Grows Hybrid Varietals

The Maracaturra: a hybrid varietal, a cross of Maragogype and Caturra, that is common to Nicaragua.

But in Apaneca, El Salvador, it’s growing on a two-time Cup of Excellence-winning farm: Finca Himalaya. We spoke to Mauricio Salaverria, Founder and General Director of Divisadero Coffees (which has also won Cup of Excellence two more times for other farms).

We spoke to him at Micro Coffee Festival El Salvador, where he hosted international visitors. He told us why he believes farming Maracaturra will help him produce even higher-quality and higher-yield coffee.

SEE ALSO: Batian: Can This New Varietal Transform Kenyan Coffee?

Mauricio Salaverria pauses while drying natural Maracaturra. Credit: Divisadero Coffees

Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara: El Salvador’s Coffee Varietals

Maracaturra is rare in El Salvador, where Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara make up 83% of the total coffee production (according to the Consejo Salvadoreño del Café).

These three coffees can produce excellent cup profiles. The World Coffee Research (WCR) says they have “very good”, “good”, and “very good potential at high altitudes” respectively. However, they are also all susceptible to coffee leaf rust (la roya), as well as coffee berry disease. Coffee leaf rust hit El Salvador hard in 2012, along with many other countries in Central America.

Like Maracaturra, Pacamara is a Maragogype hybrid – but in this case, Maragogype has been crossed with Pacas, not the high-yielding Caturra. The non-profit Fundación para el Desarrollo Socioeconómico y Restauración Ambiental (FUNDESYRAM) reports that the average yield for Pacamara in El Salvador is just 18 quintals/manzana. This is compared to 24-70 quintals/manzana for Pacas and 25-55 quintals/manzana for Bourbon.

Ripe Maracaturra growing in Nicaragua. Credit: Alejandro Valiente C.

Breaking With Tradition: Why Maracaturra?

Mauricio currently grows Maragogype, Orange Bourbon, and Pacamara. But despite their high cup profiles, he was keen to find ways to improve his coffees.

Then he spoke to Manuel Meza, who at the time was Research Director of The Salvadoran Foundation for Coffee Research (Procafé). Manuel Meza told him about seeing Maracaturra in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. He also told him that it had been in the top five in the Cup of Excellence in Nicaragua more than once.

Mauricio knew he wanted to try farming this varietal. “I was looking for a more productive varietal than both the Maragogype and the Pacamara,” he told me. “They both have great profiles, but the Maracaturra could provide great cup profiles and yield.”

And Manuel Meza was happy to help Mauricio out. He brought him Maracaturra seeds to plant.

Maracaturra grows on Mauricio’s farm. Credit: Divisadero Coffees

What’s So Special About Maracaturra?

Just like Maragogype, which is known as “the elephant bean”, Maracaturra has a large bean size. And Mauricio tells me it inherits a great taste profile and high productivity from the Caturra. With a short stature but abundant foliage, it’s resistant to wind-damage – which is useful on Mauricio’s windy farm.

Unfortunately, this varietal is susceptible to coffee leaf rust so it requires a high level of maintenance. However, its cup profile is characterized by tropical fruits and bright acidity. It has already won fifth place in Cup of Excellence 2015, and Mauricio believes that in future harvests it may turn out to be superior to the Pacamara.

In the future, Mauricio plans to semi wash, honey, and natural process the Maracaturra cherries. In this way, he will find the best processing method. He also uses African beds, which with the constant air flow at Finca Himalaya will help to ensure even drying.

As with every coffee farm, and every varietal, care, experimentation, and monitoring over the long term is necessary to see the best results – but Mauricio is confident in the potential of Maracaturra.

Maracaturra cherries growing on the tree. Credit: Divisadero Coffees

For Mauricio, keen to increase the quality of his coffees, Maracaturra is a promising varietal. It also allows him to offer his clients a wide variety of choices. He’s found that clients from France, Australia, and Canada are open to it – an exciting sign for him.

Written by A. K. Molina, with thanks to Mauricio Salaverria for hosting and talking to us while at Micro Coffee Festival El Salvador.

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Can Education Keep Youths in Coffee?

Young people are giving up their parents’ professions, leaving the coffee farm to work in big cities. And the coffee industry is struggling because of it.

But imagine if these young people, after finishing their degrees, returned to the farms to put their newfound knowledge into practice. Imagine if they aspired to be producers, roasters, exporters and baristas – and they studied to advance those careers. Imagine coffee farms where you could find agronomists, chemists, social workers, lawyers, teachers, demographers, and more.

Because it doesn’t have to be a case of education vs coffee farming. In fact, I believe the solution to this “disappearing generation” lies in education.

SEE ALSO: The Film Asking If Teaching Children to Farm Can Stop Gang Crime

Lesi Ruiz and Yuli López, two young producers from Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Credit: PDG

Why Young People Are Leaving the Farm

I live in a producing country. And so I’ve seen firsthand what the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) reported on in 2014, and what the SCAA chronicled in 2015: many of our youth can’t envision farming as a part of their future.

Many don’t want to work with the land; for them, it’s not associated with progress. Or they’ve seen how their parents, whether they are producers or pickers, work so hard – and they don’t want the same life.

The IDS – which analysed smallholder farming of all crops, including coffee – also found that a lack of access to land and capital, and a lack of investment from the government, are key factors.

It all leads to the same point: coffee farming isn’t believed to offer a secure future.

But what if we change the way we teach the culture of coffee? And what if we seek alternative ways in which young people, no matter what they study, can contribute to the progress of our industry? Then it might just offer them that positive future they need.

Just the red! Youths learn how to pick coffee. Credit: Karla Ly Quiñones García

Supporting Youths Through Coffee Production

We need to show young people the immense satisfaction of working in this industry. We need to let them know that their hard work will be valued and respected. We need to assure them they will have a future.

In 2003, Carlos “Pineco” Pineda set up the first cupping school in Honduras. 100 students, mostly from producing families, learn better agronomic practices, milling and processing, fermentation and drying, and cupping. They then commit to advising producers in their home regions of the best practices in farming, processing, and cupping.

This school gives those children a future – one that is secure, one that is associated with progress, and one that offers a better quality of life than their parents have.

Students learn about roasting coffee at Carlos Pineda’s Cupping School. Credit: Carlos Pineda

Supporting Coffee Through Educating Youths

By providing a better future for youths, we also provide a better future for the coffee industry. We previously wrote about coffee borer beetle (broca) traps made from recycled plastic bottles. A small coffee farm – Selva Negra in Nicaragua – created them in their organic coffee lab. All that was needed was an understanding of the beetle, a little creative thinking, and waste products from around the farm.

Initiatives like this bring hope. It’s a solution so small and so simple, yet it could safeguard thousands of coffee cherries and help producers. And if more youths receive an education and then return to the coffee farms to apply it, then we are likely to see more innovations like this.

Imagine this generation, with its technology, curiosity, and thirst for progress, working with the knowledge and experience of existing producers and industry workers.

Long Miles Coffee, in partnership with District Roasters, are currently working with unemployed youths in Burundi. They train these youths in agronomy and data collection. These skills are then used to improve the local coffee industry, for example by taking action against the potato defect. The youths also mentor other coffee producers in everything from pruning to bug protection.

As these young Burundians receive an education and a future in coffee, they help the entire community. They are securing the future of the local coffee industry.

Epa (left) teaches a farmer (right) about sorting cherries. Credit: Long Miles Coffee

Practical Ways Everyone Can Teach Youths About Coffee

I believe it is extremely important to start sharing the coffee industry with young people, even while they are in primary and secondary school. Why wait until they happen to have an encounter with coffee in their twenties, if we can create a passion and curiosity before that stage?

On top of my work at Perfect Daily Grind, I also teach in a school. And so I teach my students about the history and culture of coffee in our country. I take them coffee picking or to a roastery. I bring coffee beans, a grinder, and an AeroPress to my classroom and make coffee in front of them. And these children, some of whom have not green coffee or freshly roasted beans before – their eyes widen in wonder.

But all of us can help teach children about coffee, no matter where in the world we are or what our profession is. You can interview producers (via email or skype, if you cannot meet them) or local roasters. You can use Google Earth to take virtual tours of a coffee farm. You can make a V60 and let the taste and aroma incite their interest. You can teach them about trade models.

There are endless experiences you can offer young people, experiences that help them to understand and love our industry.

A young person experiences picking coffee. Credit: K.Quiñones

Picture an agronomist, fresh out of college, working hand in hand with a producer. Or perhaps a teacher devoting their summers to teaching young people on coffee farms while their parents work. Or an tech-savvy Marketer building a farm’s brand via Instagram.

Nearly any industry can further enrich coffee – even those that were not acquired through a degree. This is about intentionally creating a space for our youth so they can see the possibility of working in coffee. It’s our responsibility to teach them about coffee and let them know how much we need their skills, energy, innovation and creativity.

Because that’s how we will ensure the future of this industry.

Written by K. Ly Quiñones.

Perfect Daily Grind

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VERVE COFFEE ROASTERS | Shinjuku Station Tokyo Japan

‘Twas The Shift Before Christmas

‘Twas The Shift Before Christmas
And all through the café
No dish in the bus tub
Not even a tray!

The milk rags were hung in the hamper with care,
In hopes that the health inspector would soon not be there.
The bagels were nestled all snug in their case,
With visions of cream cheese schmeared on their face

While Becky made mochas and Jared pumped steam
I snuck to the back for a rip of whipped cream
When there in my walk-in, so cold you could shudder
A jolly old elf named St. Nick I discovered!

Ol’ Nick was so cheerful, sweet as demerara,
His nose was a bright and as red as cascara!
He wore a cap’d stocking and sported a tattoo
That said “Temp 200 is Perfect For Batch Brew”

I couldn’t believe it! St. Nick in my shop!
But what happened next made my happy jaw drop

He said with a chuckle from his head to his toes
“Tomorrow is Christmas! This shop should be closed!
I’m dialing your owner, the phone’s ringing thrice
I’m going to tell them who’s naughty or nice
Is often determined by how you treat staff”
He giggled aloud and then both of us laughed

And so with a twinkle the elf he did pay off
And gave this barista a much needed day-off
No Clopen! No Bus Tub! No Dial-In! No Decaf!
I’ll stay in pajamas and watch Celeb Rehab

A Christmas Eve miracle, bro that’s so sick
All from the hands of Jolly St. Nick

When once more in the walk-in a sleigh did appear
And so I made lattes for eight thirsty reindeer
Donder’s a grande, Blixen’s a tall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all
(We’re trying to close early, thanks. I’m turning off the Wi-Fi.)

Said St. Nick with a grin as he flew out of sight
“Merry Christmas to all! You can party tonight!”

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Berlin: Inside Five Elephant’s New Mitte Cafe

Just in time for Christmas, Berlin coffee tastemakers Five Elephant have opened a brand new bar in the heart of the city’s bustling Mitte neighborhood. This is the third cafe for the brand, and their second to open this year following this summer’s launch of a Five Elephant cafe in Chengdu, China.

Perhaps to cap off the geopolitcal garbage pile better known as 2016, there’s a different sort of elephant in the room right now for the coffee scene in Berlin. “It’s a bit of a somber mood here,” Five Elephant co-owner Kris Schackman tells Sprudge, referring to the tragedy at the Berlin Christmas market just a few short days ago. “We’ve all been in shock, and the city is very quiet right now, but the reality is that business goes on for a lot of people, and Germany has this very quick ‘back to business’ attitude, which is part of a long history of trying to heal things. It’s a sad fact of the time we’re in, but that’s life these days—a lot of people are writing books about it; we’re opening a cafe.”

About that cafe: it’s years in the making from Schackman and the team at Five Elephant. “We knew that to keep our staff motivated, we needed to provide opportunities,” says Schackman, explaining his move from quietly buzzy Kreuzberg to fashion-thumping Mitte. Housed in a former “strange belt shop”, the cafe was a total rebuild from the previous tenants, including plumbing in water and redoing electric in a building originally built around 1900. The bar comes armed with a two-group Modbar espresso unit, paired with a miniature Mahlkonig EK-43 grinder. There’s no pour-over coffee on offer here, but 5E have delicious filter coffee dialed in on a Bunn Smartwave batch brewer. Of course it wouldn’t be Five Elephant without the brand’s signature line of cakes, from recipes by co-owner Sophie Schackman, including their famous cheesecake recipe, available in smaller, more convenient sizes here in Mitte.

The space sports 10 bar stools, with ample standing room to accommodate the busy neighborhood. Mitte is one of Berlin’s most popular neighborhoods for shopping and tourism, and 5E’s new spot adds the already deep bench of cafes in the neighborhood, including cafe favorites The Barn and Father Carpenter. The cafe was designed by architect Nic Warner of Sunst. Studio, and sports a distinctive terrazzo-style bar and counter tops with brass inlays, inspired in part by the 130 year-old floors they found deep below the cement when renovating the space. The overall effect evokes a classic milk bar in a contemporary style, with little design touches like sacred-geometic lighting vents.

This new cafe is miles away literally and aesthetically from Five Elephant’s original neighborhood cafe space, near Gorlitzer Park in Kreuzberg. Visitors over opening weekend can expect washed Ethiopia Idido espresso and washed El Soccorro batch brew, as well as a rotating selection of teas by Companion. But for Schackman, beyond the coffee and cakes, the most important element of the space is perhaps the most subtle: “I want our staff to be happy, and as an extension of their happiness give really great service. That’s what leads a customer to have a very good experience—at least I hope so.”

Five Elephant Mitte is located at Alte Schönhauser Str. 14, 10119 Berlin. Hours daily. Visit Five Elephant’s official website for more details, and follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Jordan Michelman is a co-founder at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Jordan Michelman on Sprudge.

Gabriel Dunn contributed to this reporting. Photos by Gabriel Dunn for Sprudge Media Network. 

Sprudge Media Network advertising partners are mentioned in this article. A complete list of partners is listed on the right hand side of this and every Sprudge feature.

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VIDEO: The American Press?!

We have the French press. We have the AeroPress. But what’s the American press? Find out in today’s video guide.

Introducing The American Press

Alexander Albanese crowdfunded the American press at the beginning of the year on Indiegogo, raising an incredible 450% of his goal. His aim was to create a version of the French press without the mess – because we’ve all struggled to remove used coffee grinds from one.

It also bears more similarity to the espresso machine, as you push water through the coffee. In fact, as Alexander points out in this video, you can even tamp the coffee.  And it’s suitable for tea. Impressive.

SEE ALSO: Squeeze, Not Press: Is This The Next Brewing Innovation?

Feature photo credit: American Press via TechPunch

Please note: Perfect Daily Grind does not own the rights to these videos and cannot be held accountable for their content.

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Farm, Mill, & Roastery: How Producers Can Vertically Integrate

Emilio Lopez tells me that, in 2001, you would struggle to find micro mills in El Salvador. There were few small operations. But all that changed when he decided to buy his own mill to go along with his farm, Finca El Manzano.

Now his mill, Cuatro M, is one of the largest in El Salvador, processing 800 bags of coffee every single day.

Emilio’s visionary approach to the coffee supply chain is but one of many reasons we approached him to host PDG Micro Festival El Salvador at his mill. We knew that hosting it on a mill would give insight into the reality of coffee production. We knew that hosting it on Cuatro M would reveal the quality and innovation within El Salvador’s coffee scene.

SEE ALSO: How Micro Mills Help Producers to Have Economic Independence

Farming, picking, and processing: Cuatro M Cafés do it all. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

Portland Influence, Salvadoran Heritage

In 1997, Emilio left San Salvador to attend university in Portland. He wanted to immerse himself in a new culture and experience a different part of the world. But life in the US only drew him closer to his home country.

He became interested in the craft industries of beer, coffee, wine, and food – all so readily available in Portland. His family has been producing coffee since the 1840s, and so working in coffee in the US became a natural progression. He started importing roasted coffee to Portland his junior (third) year of college.

Then after a year and a half, in 2001, he returned to El Salvador to join his family’s business full time. In doing so, he became a 5th, 6th, and 7th-generation coffee producer, depending on which side of the family you look at.

In El Salvador, with farms going back so many generations, coffee production is steeped in tradition. Emilio tells me he’s proud of his Salvadoran heritage, but he was also excited to introduce new methods. Innovative and entrepreneurial, Emilio wanted to experiment with approaches to farming and processing.

And that has paid off for him.

Coffee drying at Cuatro M mill. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

From Farm to Company

Emilio returned to coffee when prices were low, and bought a depulper, huller, roaster, and his own drying patio and mill. He became one of the first vertically integrated coffee producers.

At university, he studied international business, environmental sciences, and philosophy as an undergraduate, before returning for an MBA six years later – the same year that Finca El Manzano gained Rainforest Alliance certification. He has also become involved in the SCAA, SCAE, and Roaster’s Guild, where he is currently the Vice-Chair and will become the Chair in 2017.

When he tells me this, I understand why his farm is so well organized. Talking to Emilio was like taking a crash course in business studies: from ISO 9000 to Balanced Scorecards, he has refined his organizational processes. Cuatro M Cafés has departments, all of which are held accountable for producing quality coffee. They are not just a farm: they are a company.

A vertically integrated model means Cuatro M Cafés can control and operate every aspect of the coffee production. After picking the cherries they have developed and perfected through close study and research, both in their lab and on the trees, they operate their own wet and dry mills. There, Cuatro M relies on advanced technology for sorting and quality control.

Next, they roast their beans until they have developed the best formula for quality coffee, right on the farm where everything is accessible for optimization. Finally, they brew, cup, and continue to perfect their methods.

Being a vertically integrated producer means they can trace their beans from the time they’re planted to the time they reach your cup. It’s the ultimate level of transparency, one that Emilio terms “seed-to-cup”.

Coffee growing at Finca El Manzano, Emilio’s farm. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

Equipped for Success

Emilio tells me that the first step toward being a vertically integrated producer is reinvesting in the business so that you have the proper technology to succeed. But you must also understand that technology. It’s critical for him to perform every part of the operation at least once.

When a new piece of equipment arrives, it’s unpacked and positioned, and then Emilio asks everyone to leave him. He goes over every detail of the equipment, learning about it, troubleshooting, and familiarizing himself with the process of using it.

In 2009, Emilio started distributing the Brazilian Pinhalense equipment in El Salvador. And at Cuatro M they perform extensive of equipment experimentation: Pinhalense sends prototypes, Cuatro M Cafés tests them and then offers essential feedback to the factory in Brazil.

The relationships he has built have been so successful that last year he and a business partner bought a farm in Brazil. The seasons complement each other: in El Salvador, the harvest is from October–March; in Brazil, May–August.

Coffee being processed at Cuatro M. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

Moving Forward

At Cuatro M Cafés, they experiment with 13 different varietals. And as Emilio continues to thrive on knowledge and development, his businesses continue to evolve and blossom.

Emilio’s strict processes have supported Cuatro M Cafés in growing from a farm plus micro mill to a giant. When he came on board they had 50 acres; now they boast 600 in El Salvador and 250 in Brazil. He and his family operate roasteries in El Salvador as well as in the United States (in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they also run a cafe). They buy cherries from other farms and they also conduct the operations of other farms, building sustainable partnerships and relationships.

The chances are high that if you’ve had a cup of Salvadoran coffee, no matter where you were, you’ve had beans from his farm.

Cuatro M mill from the coffee fields stretching above it. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

Emilio’s concerned about sustainability, both environmental and socioeconomic. When researching him, I noticed right away that his company website includes photos of his employees, right down to the mill operators. There is inclusivity and respect in this action.

His farm produces more than just specialty coffee because he doesn’t want to waste. And with the gaining popularity of specialty coffee, he wants to ensure that partners at all levels are compensated for this rising interest. Emilio continues to contemplate how to implement long-term sustainability and an ethical mission, and with his influential position in the coffee industry he is bound to continue to make a positive impact.

Written by D. Kilbride, with thanks to Emilio Lopez of Cuatro M Cafés. Feature photo: Cuatro M from a distance. Credit: Cuatro M Cafés

Cuatro M Cafés was a sponsor of PDG Micro Coffee Festival El Salvador. This interview was conducted in accordance with our editorial policies, and Cuatro M Cafés has had no greater influence on the final copy than any of our other interviewees.

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Excelencia en Café: La Rutina Diaria de un Barista

¿Quieres ser el mejor barista? Hace algunas semanas escribí acerca de la necesidad de descubrir tu pasión, de seguir formándote y de practicar tus habilidades. Aunque estas sean algunas características de un excelente barista, también existen pequeñas acciones que tomamos todos los días para servir mejor  café de especialidad.

Con ayuda del barista de Ciudad del Cabo, Arno Q Els, pensamos en cuatro cosas que hacen la diferencia en el día a día.

English version: Coffee Excellence: The Daily Routines of a Specialty Barista

Dosifica, ‘tampea’ y extrae – ¡Perfección! Crédito: Campbell Robert Colledge

1. Preparación

El café de especialidad exige más de ti que un café estándar – igual que tus clientes. Debes estar preparado para cumplir con estas altas expectativas. Asegúrate de que tu máquina de espresso y todos tus métodos de preparación estén listos antes de abrir. Mantén algunas tazas encima de la máquina y filtros a la mano. La eficiencia extra es la que te permite realmente preparar café de especialidad.

 

Preparación, preparación, preparación. Crédito: Saiv chow via Andy Andreson

2. Mantenimiento de los Equipos

Cuando se habla de estar preparados, esto incluye hasta los equipos. Los protocolos de mantenimiento diario debe ser de calidad y de forma constante. Nuestros clientes merecen lo mejor, y esto no se logra si una máquina está sucia o si se deben cambiar las muelas del molino.

Es muy fácil dejarse llevar por la extracción, las recetas y el latteart. Y se nos olvida lo más “aburrido”, los aspectos técnicos los cuales tienen un gran impacto en la preparación de una taza perfecta.

Cuida tus equipos. Crédito: Adnan Liansyah via Andy Anderson

Te puede interesar: 5 Cosas Que Nadie Te Dice Sobre Ser Un Barista en un Café Concurrido

3. Personalización de la Receta

Como baristas de café de especialidad tenemos el privilegio de trabajar con algunos de los mejores cafés del mundo y todos son diferentes. ¿Cómo sacarles el mayor provecho? Con paciencia, experiencia y mucha experimentación.

Trabajamos con cafés de origen y mezclas. Preparamos los cafés de diferentes orígenes y los extraemos de formas diferentes, usamos máquinas de espresso, Aeropress, conos de goteo y Siphon. Y como resultado, sabemos que las variables y los parámetros cambian de forma constante. La receta perfecta para cada café es un reto emocionante, y a medida de que vamos jugando, experimentando y pensando con mente abierta, lograremos preparar el mejor café (solo asegúrate de que tus clientes no beban tus experimentos).

Arno se enfoca en la preparación de un café perfecto. Crédito: Campbell Robert Colledge

4. Compromiso

Debemos estar comprometidos con nuestro café pero aún más con nuestros clientes y debemos hacerlo con cada bebida. Ya que en últimas esta es la razón del porqué atendemos a nuestros clientes y la pasión es lo que nos hace ser un barista en lugar de un amante del café. Además, el crecimiento como profesional en café va de la mano con el servicio.

Así que conociendo a tus clientes y lo que más disfrutan del café pronto te ayudará a descubrir  quién está realmente dispuesto a escuchar tus sugerencias acerca de los nuevos cafés y quién simplemente quiere tomarse un flat white. Luego haz tus recomendaciones y sirve tus bebidas implementando lo mejor de tus habilidades. Ese camino para encontrar la “taza perfecta” también podría convertirse en una aventura para tus clientes.

Comprometido con la búsqueda de la taza perfecta.  Crédito: Strada Coffee via Andy Anderson

Todos queremos ser los mejores baristas que podamos ser. Esto implica dedicación y educación a través de un largo plazo, práctica de nuestras habilidades entre otras cosas. Pero también significa darlo todo cada día. Preparémonos, cuidemos nuestros equipos y seamos meticulosos con nuestro compromiso de servir el mejor café posible a nuestros clientes. ¡Haz lo que amas y sigue preparando café!

Escrito por S. Aupiais con el apoyo de Arno Q Els.
Traducido por A. Molina y Editado por Karla Ly

Foto de portada: Green Door via Andy Anderson.

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¿Por qué los Cafés le están Pidiendo a los Clientes Donar Café?

Pagar por adelantado no es un nuevo concepto. Existen películas al respecto, tiene hashtags, ya existía en la Grecia Antigua y francamente, es genial.

Más y más tiendas de café están incorporando esquemas de pago por adelantado y sin ninguna pérdida para ellos, pero sí generando un beneficio significativo a su comunidad local. A continuación alguna información y formas comunes de cómo comenzar.  

English Version: Why Cafés Are Asking Customers to Donate Coffee

¿Cuando el café es más que un café? Cuando lo pagas por adelantado.

¿Qué es Pagar (Dar) Por Adelantado?

Más de una persona entre cinco viven en pobreza en el Reino Unido (IFS 2015) y 46.7 millones en los Estados Unidos (Censo de los Estados unidos FMI 2016), tú probablemente conoces a alguien cercano a ti que necesite café. Ellos simplemente no pueden pagarlo.

Pero no nos pongamos muy melancólicos , probablemente estás tomando un coffee break en este momento.

Cada vez más tiendas de café están buscando formas distintas de hacer la diferencia en la vida de alguien, ya sea con algo grande o pequeño. A continuación algunas formas en las que tú también lo puedes hacer.

¿Cómo se puede hacer el bien estando detrás de una máquina de espresso?

Te puede interesar: ¿Es el Café la Respuesta a la Pobreza Extrema de Burundi?

Grandes Cambios: Empoderamiento a través del Empleo

Los dueños de los cafés tienen la habilidad de hacer grandes cambios en las vidas de las personas. De hecho, algunos incluso han iniciado cafés sin fines de lucro con este fin.

Second Shot Coffee en Londres está tratando de resolver la falta de vivienda al contratar y entrenar a personas sin hogar. De esta forma, sus nuevos empleados obtienen una profesión e ingreso. Luego pueden salir a las calles y construir una pasión por su nueva carrera.

Paper & Cup también en Londres, contrata a adictos en recuperación como baristas o administradores de un café, permitiéndoles iniciar una nueva vida con nuevas habilidades. Su socio, una cadena británica de café, Pret a Manger, también los emplea luego de que han crecido profesionalmente.

Desde luego, no todo el mundo puede transformar sus políticas de Recursos humanos de esta forma. Pero existen otras maneras de dar por adelantado.

Las tiendas de café pueden servir mucho más que un café y un bocadillo

Haciendo una Pequeña Diferencia:

No podemos arreglar el mundo, pero podemos hacerlo un poco más fácil de llevar – y lo podemos hacer a través del café.

Una taza de café calientita puede mantener a alguien caliente durante una noche de invierno. Puede dar ánimos en un día difícil cuando a alguien lo han rechazado en otro trabajo, o no sabe cómo va a conseguir el dinero para el uniforme de sus hijos.

Así que aquí en Discovering Coffee, hemos decidido iniciar nuestra propia forma de ayudar a las tiendas de café para que pague por adelantado con café, algo que vaya más allá de nosotros. Algo que le permita a cada tienda de café del mundo ayudar a otros.

Good to-Go: Cómo puedes ayudar a los demás

Hablamos con Good Deeds Day para organizar lo que llamamos el esquema de Good To-Go. Al seguir las instrucciones a continuación, cualquier café del mundo puede unirse y hacer de su comunidad un mejor lugar.

1. Descarga los adhesivos de  Good Deeds Day & Discovering Coffee
2. Colócalo en tu ventana o en la caja registradora para que todos lo vean
3. Atrae la atención de tus clientes con el adhesivo y anímalos a que paguen una taza de café por adelantado.
4. Comparte tu foto en Facebook o Instagram utilizando los hashtag #GoodDeedsDay y #DiscoveringCoffee

Lo que sea que decidas hacer, es fácil marcar la diferencia en la vida de alguien. Ya sea con una oferta de trabajo, una taza de café o una amable sonrisa, ¡hagámoslo! #payitforward.

Escrito por S. Amini, Co-fundador de DiscoveringCoffee.com.

Traducido por A. Molina y Editado por Karla Ly

Perfect Daily Grind no se encuentra asociado con ninguna de las personas nombradas en este artículo y no puede contactarlas directamente.

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Coffee Catcha Holiday Giveaway

We’re not sure if anyone’s noticed, but it’s that time of year again – brewing time? No, the holidays are here! And since an international holiday party is out of the question, we decided to do the next best thing: a giveaway. The Perfect Daily Grind team is giving away the perfect tool for a barista looking to reduce wastage of ground coffee.

The Coffee Catcha

Not only does it save coffee shop owners money, it also eliminates mess and functions as a scraper. With the Coffee Catcha, you’ll get a consistent dosage every single time.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Cómo la Diversidad Natural de Colombia es una Protección Contra las Plagas

El 50% de Colombia corresponde a selva natural y tiene 55.000 especies de flora y fauna. Según Financial Times, el 10% de la biodiversidad mundial se puede encontrar en la región amazónica de Colombia.

Pero estos no solo son datos impresionantes, también son en parte la razón por la que mi país puede producir excelente café. Es lo que le da forma a los perfiles de sabor e incluso lo protege de las plagas.

English Version: How Colombia’s Natural Diversity Protects Against Coffee Pests

Cerezas de Café colombiano Crédito: Caglar Kiran

Clima de Colombia

La puerta a Suramérica, Colombia está rodeada por el Océano Pacífico y el Océano Atlántico, además de que posee una enorme cantidad de aguas continentales.  

La cordillera de los Andes va de sur a norte por la parte occidental del país, haciéndolo uno extremadamente montañoso. No existen estaciones en Colombia debido a que es un país tropical. La temperatura depende de la altura, entre más alto, más frío es (y más desarrollo tiene el café, gracias a la última cosecha).

Su geografía única indica que el país tiene 314 tipos de ecosistemas, esto le brinda al café una gran variedad de perfiles, también muchas aves, plantas y animales que ayudan a su crecimiento.

La impresionante belleza natural de Colombia. Crédito: J. Sierra

Café en Colombia

El café es una significante fuente de ingresos para la economía colombiana. Es más, según The Economist, es nuestra quinta fuente de divisas.

Lo verás sembrado entre 900 y casi 3000 metros sobre el nivel del mar e incluso en algunas ocasiones fuera de este rango. Es un país con tanta biodiversidad, y con el café coexisten animales salvajes, ganado y otros cultivos como frutas tropicales, caña de azúcar, cacao y banano.

Esta diversidad puede ayudar a sembrarlo de forma orgánica, a pesar del riesgo de las plagas.

Café creciendo en Colombia. Crédito: Caglar Kiran

Te puede interesar: Un Día en La Vida De Un Recolector de Café en Colombia

Biodiversidad: Repelentes Naturales de Plagas

La broca del café, ha devastado los cultivos de café en todo el mundo, ella entra en las cerezas para poner los huevos. Luego de que los huevos hayan incubado, la larva se come la cereza y destruye el grano.

Aunque si un caficultor produce un café sembrado a la sombra a 21 grados centígrados en promedio y a 1300 metros. Puede usar un hongo microscópico llamado Beauveria bassiana. Este se expande por la humedad natural del bosque y mata los insectos atacando su sistema respiratorio. Es una forma de luchar contra la broca sin comprometer la salud de los consumidores y los productores – o el ecosistema.

Asimismo, las plantas aromáticas son repelentes naturales para los grillos y los escarabajos a quienes les encanta comerse los árboles pequeños de café.

El café crece en la selva cerca de Yalí. Crédito: J. Sierra

Más Beneficios del Café que Crece en la Selva

Además el café que crece en la selva puede proveer buenos nutrientes como el nitrógeno para el suelo y puede incluso proveer otras fuentes de ingreso como las frutas.

En Yalí, Antioquia, al noroccidente de Colombia, se encuentra la Finca San Gabriel. La cual está a 1200 metros y se beneficia del bosque. Las sombras y la alta humedad protegen los árboles de café. Además de que la temperatura cae a 16 grados en la noche, generando así cerezas más dulces.

Cuando está seco, verás monos visitando la zona para comer guama, una fruta tropical cuyos árboles guardan hormigas, termitas, gusanos y millones de insectos, aves e incluso pequeños mamíferos. Podrás observar algunas de las 1900 especies de aves y beber café amigable con ellas.

Colombia tiene más de 1900 especies de aves. Crédito: Caglar Kiran

Si fueras a pasar algún tiempo de descanso en el campo de Colombia, te recomiendo que primero cierres tus ojos, escuches los millones de sonidos que produce el viento, el pasto, los árboles, insectos y aves. Huele los aromas dulces de las frutas y las flores combinado con el suelo húmedo.

Y cuando ya no puedas aguantar las ganas de ver toda esta belleza que produce todos estos sonidos y olores, abre tus ojos. Verás la mezcla de colores que esta increíble tierra tiene para ofrecer.

La biodiversidad de Colombia es impresionante y puedes probarla en cada taza de café.

Escrito por J. Sierra

Traducido por A. Molina y Editado por Karla Ly

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