top of page

COFFEE FIRST, SHENANIGANS LATER.

Each roast has an origin/backstory (like superheroes do) – scroll down to read about our coffees and the people behind the beans.

Coffee Team
Jamaica

100% JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE

One of ten siblings, Arthur McGowan grew up in Jamaica on his parents' coffee farm. After his father died in 1997, Arthur, an accomplished musician, put his music career on hold in order to take up his father’s mantel and pursue coffee production. With little knowledge of farming, it took him a while to nurture a three-acre seedling farm. Then, one day, a neighbor’s fire blazed too high, severely damaging all of his hard work.

 

But, demonstrating the traits of a true entrepreneur, Arthur did not let a setback stop him. His passion burning brighter, and he replanted the original three acres, adding 82 more for good measure! His determination paid off and he now has 85 flourishing acres of rich Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. He is celebrated in the community as a determined, hardworking farmer, and has even “got the band back together” so to speak as the leader of a Jamaican hit band, “Riddim Steel Band”. It just goes to show that all desires in life are possible with a little determination and perseverance.

 

In February 2014, McGowan founded Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory producing high-quality Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.  The factory is located East of Kingston, on Constitution Hill in the Jamaican Blue Mountains – approximately 4000ft above sea level where the highest quality Jamaican arabica beans are grown.

 

One of the most sought-after types of coffee in the world, the Jamaican Blue Mountain varietal is top of the list among coffee connoisseurs. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is known for its sweet, floral taste, bright acidity, and lack of bitterness, authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee like ours, is one of the rarest coffees available.

COLOMBIAN COFFEE- LAS ORQUIDEAS WOMEN’S PROJECT

 

Threatening their peace and prosperity, the women and children of Huila, Colombia suffered silently as violence continued to terrorize their region. Many, especially women were particularly susceptible to the economic pressures of the violence and upheaval within their region.

 

Overwhelmed by their circumstances, and lack of funding available to them, a group of 50 women came together to change their circumstances. These women were determined to improve the conditions that had been breaking down their families and threatening their futures.

 

Enter the Las Orquideas project in 2019. Las Orquideas focuses on developing financial literacy, social recognition, economic empowerment, knowledge of the coffee industry and fiscal independence, working with female producers across Huila, enabling them to secure stable futures for themselves and their families. With the assistance of Las Orquideas, faith in humanity is being restored in this corner of the world, and the future looks bright for generations to follow.

GRUPO-MUJERES-CAFETERAS-DEL-PLAYON
las jaja
las jaja
las jaja

COSTA RICAN- LAS LAJAS HONEY COFFEE 

 

In Alajuela, Costa Rica, on the verdant lands of the Poás Volcano, you will find Las Lajas, the home of the Chacón-Cubillo family, that owns and operates the Las Lajas Coffee Farm.

 

A sweet and loving family, the Chacón-Cubillo family tragically lost their patriarch to cancer in 1995. In order to carry on the next generation of coffee growing for Las Lajas, the family came together to carry on his legacy developing some of the finest naturally processed honey coffees the world has ever known.

 

Las Lajas is located 1,300 to 1,500m above sea level in the foothills of the Poás volcano. This is prime specialty coffee country in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of Costa Rica’s Central Valley. Characterized by heavy and regular rainfall of around 3,000mm for 150 days of the year the area is notable for its lush and fertile farmland.

 

The farm produces 100% Arabica coffee, primarily Caturra and Catuaí varietals, grown in the shade of native trees. Organic composts are produced on site using vermiculture (worm composting), and the production process is entirely free of chemicals and agro-toxins.

 

The harvest starts in December and runs until February, cherries are selectively handpicked, to ensure that only fully ripe and high-quality cherries are collected. These are then processed at the farm’s state-of-the-art micro mill, where the cherries are pulped using an ecological ‘dry’ pulper, saving thousands of liters of water in the process. The beans are then processed according to the fully washed

method. All of the left-over coffee pulp is recycled and used as fertilizer on the farm.

FAIR TRADE ORGANIC SUMATRAN MANDHELING COFFEE

 

The indigenous Mandheling women of the Batak region live without many of the things that a lot of us take for granted. Resources for education in the workplace, and medical resources to ensure healthy, safe pregnancies are in short supply if available at all. The partners of the Fairtrade Organic (FTO) organization have made it their mission to build up the Mandheling women, supporting their empowerment by creating employment opportunities in coffee processing facilities and financial education to help them manage their income to help secure their present as well as creating opportunity for future generations.

 

Indonesia is a cluster of volcanic islands between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The islands still benefit from the soil rich in volcanic ash and are ideal for growing coffee. As a matter of fact, some of the world’s most famous coffees are grown on the islands of the Malay Archipelago that encompass Indonesia, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Java.

 

Coffee trees were originally brought to Indonesia in the early 19th century by the

Dutch, who sought to break the worldwide Arabic monopoly on the cultivation

of coffee. Within a few years, Indonesian coffee dominated the world’s coffee

market. Yet by the end of the century disease had completely destroyed the crop.

Coffee trees were successfully replanted and quickly gained a large share of the

world market until the plantations were ravaged again during World War II.

fair trade
honduras

INTIBUCA HONDURAN COFFEE

 

Growing up in Honduras, Wilmer Maldonado was most proud of the time spent with his grandfather who raised him on his coffee farm.

 

After his passing, he left Wilmer the family farm, however, in 1998 Hurricane Mitch attempted to crush Wilmer's dream of following in his grandfather's footsteps.

For the next nine years, Wilmer was forced to work odd jobs across the border to survive, but he never lost hope. He returned to Honduras in 2007 to live out the

family legacy. He now cultivates 20 acres of high-quality Arabica coffee bred from hard work and lots of love.

 

With this, Wilmer humbly asks, “Que piensan de mi café?” (What do you think about my coffee?).

ORGANIC HUEHUETENANGO GUATEMALAN COFFEE

 

With climate dangers threatening the environment today, one place in Guatemala stands out. The village of Huehuetenango is in a remote region that features premier coffee growing conditions enabling producers to make a modest living.

 

Each day, the farmers set out with their baskets to handpick and process all of their own coffee. Taking great time and care, they sort the green by hand to remove any defective beans so that consumers like us can take pleasure in the taste of their coffee with its distinct acidity and fruity flavor.

 

This coffee supports the town of Huehuetenango and the peoples’ unmatched passion for the earth and its gifts. Like a great cup of coffee, there are layers beyond its delightful taste.

 

La Federación Comercializadora de Café Especial de Guatemala (FECCEG), is a second-level cooperative comprised of 12 small producer cooperatives in the

Western Highlands of Guatemala, including parts of Chimaltenango, Huehuetenango, Quiché, Sololá, San Marcos and Quetzaltenango.

In total, FECCEG represents 1,943 small farmers, of whom 529 are women. Seventy percent of members depend on agricultural production for their livelihoods. 

FECCEG focuses on strengthening producer networks, increasing its members’ collective bargaining power in the global market, and to achieve fair prices for their

agricultural products. They also focus on organic, value-added agriculture and projects that promote gender equality and food security.

guatemala
guatemala 2
Berkeley Bowl Logo
bottom of page