Touring Costa Rican farms and mills

In January, 14 Dunn Bros Coffee store owners and staff flew to Costa Rica for our yearly trip to origin.  It was three full days visiting coffee farms, mills and meeting farmers and a lot of wonderful coffee people. Enjoy a few photos from that trip.

The Crew

L to R: Chris Eilers (DBC staff), Tanya and Cory Bennet (Coffee Tour Sweepstakes winners), Rachel Erickson (Fargo, ND), Lindsay Vergin (DBC staff), Jason Cote (DBC staff), Carmen Graff (Fargo, ND), Ben Eilers (DBC staff), Ron Anderson (Apple Valley, MN), Meghann Poku (Fargo, ND), Martha and Eric Schmidt (Lawrence, KS), Isaac Poku (Fargo, ND), Lisa Anderson (Apple Valley, MN)

Finca La Doka and Finca La Hilda

Seedlings that will later be transplanted to the farm.

Coffee cherries just waiting to be picked.

The cherries have been picked!

The 15 of us picked for about 30 minutes and ended up with two baskets.

COFFEE HINT: Better coffee from your automatic drip

We've posted this information before but we continue to get lots of questions from people who would like to learn how to brew more flavorful coffee at home using their automatic drip coffee machine. There's a few easy things you can do to improve the overall flavor of your coffee.

First, begin with the water you're using. Remember, the coffee you brew is 98.7% water (1.3% coffee extract), so make sure the water you're using is what you would normally drink.

Moving on to your automatic drip coffee machine. You'll want to begin with testing it to find out how much coffee it brews well. You don't want to over- or under-extract your coffee because this will have significant implications to the overall flavor of your coffee. Here's how to test it:

1) Fill your coffee maker with water and turn it on. Do NOT put coffee or a filter in.

2) See how many cups of water flow into the pitcher in 4.5 minutes.

For the best coffee from that machine, you should brew that number of cups or less. Brewing batches taking longer than five minutes will over-extract the beans and create a bitter cup of coffee. This way, you'll have a more full-bodied and flavorful cup of coffee.

For more coffee FAQ, click here. Let us know if you have other questions and as always, thank you!

Aquapulper Updates from Kenya

We received a wonderful update from John Mwangi, President of Gatto Estates in Kenya. We've been working with John throughout the planning and installation of the new aquapulper.  It's so great to hear stories like this come back.      

"Since the installation of the new Aquapulper in Gakurari Coffee factory, members of the larger Gatanga group have been sending their member farmers there to see the machine in Action. The factory receives buses coming twice a week with people coming to see the new pulping method.The harvest season is at its peak now and lines are long as farmers await their chance to have the coffee weighed and inspected before pulping.

Curious children and excited parents alike watch as the machine gulps water with cherry and spits out clean washed beans. It has become the center of attraction, and the hope is that, this translates into new enthusiasm in coffee farming.

Seminars by other factories are being held at Gakurari factory to enable farmers a chance to learn how the Aquapulper operates before they can buy their own. This excitement is real."

-John Mwangi

The Kenya Story: Installing and Dedicating the new aquapulper

By: Mark Christenson, Dunn Bros Coffee

View aquapulper dedication video.
View photo slideshow from Kenya.

NEW!: Cupping to America article in Franchise Times by Nancy Weingartner, who went with Mark and Chris to Kenya.

Mark Christenson - VP Marketing

A little over two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the culmination of the fourteen month “Kenya Project” initiative to improve the lives of the farmers in the Gatanga Region of Kenya.  If you have not been following this story and would like to get caught up – click here for the full details in previous blog posts by our coffee buyer Scott Kee.  I joined Dunn Bros Coffee in late January of 2009 – so the wheels on this project had been set in motion long before I arrived.  Given that fact, I find it very ironic that I am the one to now tell this part of the story!

I am going to share my observations from the perspective of someone who is fairly new to the industry, so a little background on me might be helpful.  I have a varied past having held marketing leadership positions in food, hair care, technology and now coffee - an interesting mix to say the least.  Since joining Dunn Bros Coffee one of my biggest challenges has been learning the ins and outs of what is a very complex industry.  From growing, harvesting, pulping and milling, to transportation, auctions, commodity exchanges, direct trade, certifications, politics and the dreaded middlemen – one’s head can easily spin.  The story of coffee is as complex and varied as the difference between a good Guatemala and a good Ethiopia.  Within all of this complexity (and in many cases because of it) one constant continually rears its ugly head – that is that the industry has traditionally been marked by winners and losers.  And, the losers in the story are usually the farmers.  Stripping away all of the complexity however, you can find at the heart of the coffee story today, a desire by Dunn Bros Coffee and many others in the industry to achieve one thing - a market where everyone wins.  We don’t want there to be losers any more; and that is what this story is all about.

Full disclosure, I was a Dunn Bros Coffee fan before joining the team.  I was a fan for one simple reason - the coffee was way better than what I had found anywhere else.  So when the opportunity to lead the marketing effort for a company and brand that I admired so much became available – I eagerly jumped.  Prior to joining the team however, I was like most specialty coffee consumers.  I knew what I liked, but never gave that much thought to where the coffee came from or how it found its way into my cup.  Since joining the company, Chris Eilers(our CEO) kept telling me “we need to get you to origin.”  Chris and I had many conversations about the industry and our philosophy of buying direct whenever possible.  Our philosophy is simple; we live in a symbiotic relationship with coffee farmers.  We need the high quality coffees that our customers demand, and the farmers that grow these coffees need to be fairly compensated for doing what it takes to produce exceptional coffees.  It is the only model that is sustainable long term and ensures that we will have the supply that we need.  We travel to origin countries because the more we can get to know the farmers, and the more we can buy direct, the more we can ensure that the farmers are motivated to produce high quality coffees for Dunn Bros.  Buying this way is harder and more expensive, but you will taste the difference in the cup, and besides, it’s the right thing to do.  In theory it makes total sense – I thought I got it.  But Chris was right – I did need to get to an origin country.  Because the best way to truly understand why buying direct makes a difference, is to experience it for yourself.

This long pre-ramble is simply to give you some perspective on me so you can understand the reflections I want to share with you related to this project.   So here goes:

The Kenya leg of our trip was at the end of a two week run which included stops in Uganda and Ethiopia in addition to Kenya.  Along the way we traveled many miles, ate many interesting foods, saw some awesome coffees and met some amazing people.  We found some very high quality coffees in Uganda and Ethiopia that we hope to source directly and bring to you early in 2010 if all goes well.  I will share more about those stops in a separate blog entry.

We arrived in Nairobi on Sunday October 25th and were joined by Nancy Weingartner – the Executive Editor of Franchise Times magazine.  Although Nancy is the editor she still sports a mean pen and is frequently out in the field covering stories (more than she should – she admits).  We were obviously pleased to have Nancy along, not only because she was a great traveling companion, but because we knew there was a great story to tell.  Nancy is currently working on her piece and it should appear in the January issue of Franchise Times.  We can’t wait!  On Monday morning the 26th we also we met up with Simon Muriithi and John Mwangi – both principles from Gatto Estates – an export partner of Dunn Bros.  The last person in our group was our driver named Patrick (more about Patrick in a moment).

Our band headed Northeast to the Gatanga region and toured four different area farms that were all associated with the Gakurari factory where the the equipment we purchased was being installed.  I was struck by a couple of farmers in particular.  One was a woman named Angelica Wambui.  Angelica was 66 years old and had been working the farm since inheriting it from her family in 1964.  Since losing her husband in 1982 she had really thrown herself into her farm and was now the 9th highest producing farm in the association (out of over 850 farmers). 
Anjelica was out working the farm with her family and a few hired hands ensuring that everything was done properly.  On these small farms all of the picking is done by hand.  It is painstaking work, and harder than it looks.  There is a trick to plucking the bean while leaving the small stem on the branch.  There are also ripe beans in and among greener beans - so you have to pick out the ripe one without disturbing the others.  The speed and skill that these farmers develop is amazing, and I realized quickly that I should stick to my day job.

Next we met Peris Wanjiku a 90 year old widow who also worked her farm every day.  Peris had the 14th top producing farm in the association.  At 90 that’s pretty impressive!  So impressive in fact that at one point Chris proposed marriage.  Fully demonstrating that she still has all of her faculties, Peris turned him down.  We saw a group doing an initial sort at this farm – making sure that unripe cherries or cherries with defects were removed before the coffee was delivered to the washing station.  This is another of the painstaking steps that these farmers take to ensure the quality that ultimately ends up in your cup.  After treating our group to a traditional porridge called Mukiyo, we headed off to the next stop.

After touring farms for the day I left with a great sense of the optimism of these Kenyan farmers.  Disenfranchisement is very common in the coffee industry and not just in Africa.  Farmers who work their farms every day and are paid mere pennies per pound for their coffees easily become discouraged.  They give up on quality or they give up on coffee altogether.  And who could blame them.  The drive to get ahead and create a better life for ones self and ones family is universal.  And the drive is alive in East Africa!  Anjelica and Peris were two shining examples of farmers who get it.  And as a result, they are leaders in the society who send a message to everyone else, hopefully inspiring them to join the effort to pursue quality.   And others need only see how that works to begin to follow suit.  Now overcoming the next issue – the washing of the coffee.  And that is where the “Kenya Project” comes in.

If you were not able to read the previous blogs here is the issue in a nutshell:  The Gakurari Factory is owned collectively by an association of over 850 area coffee farmers.  The washing station collects the picked ripe coffee cherries from the farmers and “washes” the coffee which removes the outer covering or “cherry” exposing the bare coffee bean - which is then dried before milling and roasting.  When Chris and Scott Kee arrived in the summer of 2008 as part of a tour which took them through Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania in addition Kenya, they were shocked and disappointed to see the significant disrepair of the station, especially compared to the beautiful washing stations that were seen in the other East African countries they just visited. 

The Gakurari Factory was using an antiquated disk type pulping machine that ran on a diesel motor.  Although commonly used in this part of the world, this particular pulper was in poor repair and not doing a great job washing the beans.  In addition, it was expensive to operate (particularly when diesel prices spiked last year), and used an incredible amount of water.  In fact, the machine used nearly 23 gallons of water for every pound of cherry processed.  The result of this was that the end coffee product after washing did not live up to the quality of the cherry being brought in on the front end.  There are many steps to the coffee journey before it reaches a Dunn Bros Coffee shop for roasting, and the washing process is critical to ensuring quality.  In addition, several years of draught and depressed coffee prices had created a situation where the association was unable to invest in upgrading their equipment.  This created a vicious cycle of farmers working hard to produce high quality coffees which were then degraded by the washing process at the factory.  The situation was frustrating for farmers to say the least and as I mentioned before, many had become discouraged to the point of giving up on coffee and pursing more profitable cash crops.

Scott and Chris were travelling with Josephine Ngethe from Deloitte Consulting who they had met at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) conference in Minneapolis earlier in the year.  Scott and Josephine struck up an immediate conversation about what could be done to improve the situation at the factory.  Scott shared with me how he was struck by the realization that the roots of the global coffee market were similar to what he had experienced on his grandparents farm in Missouri in the 1960’s.  The industry basically consists mostly of small family farmers scratching a living from as little as two acres of land.  Because they are small, there is much that is out of their control (weather, commodity prices, foreign exchange, etc.) but the one thing they can control is the quality at the farm.  Scott also shared with me that when he was in Kenya last summer he saw high quality coffee crops that were selling for bottom dollar prices.  Because (unlike Rwanda) the equipment to properly wash the beans was unavailable.  The coffee degrades without proper washing so the situation was critical.  At the Gakurari Factory, there were 850 families getting rock bottom prices for coffee that could be among the highest quality specialty coffee in the world market.  This was simply wrong.

Scott and Josephine decided to do some research and reconnect with ideas after returning home.  During the course of his research Scott discovered that the proper equipment to upgrade the Gakurari factory cost just $26,000 dollars.  Josephine discovered a pool of money set aside by the Kenyan Government for investment in just this kind of project.  The funds were made available in the form of matching grants through the World Bank.  The Dunn Bros Coffee leadership team discussed this project and easily made the decision to make the $26,000 investment on behalf of our system and our franchisees to benefit the farmers in this association.  Part of this donation also came from you – our customers.  A portion of the profits from Gatanga region coffee purchased at Dunn Bros Coffee shops also supported the  project.  Deloitte secured the matching funds from the World Bank and the wheels were in motion.  The matching funds made it possible to not only provide the equipment, but also provide a number of very necessary infrastructure updates.

The equipment itself is a machine called an Aquapulper which is manufactured in Colombia by a company named Penagos.  The Aquapulper will lower the cost of production and raise the consistency of the product.  An added benefit is that the new equipment uses far less water (only 2% that of the disk pulper) and fuel, which are limited resources in Kenya.  These additional benefits will lower operating costs while lessening the factory’s impact on the environment.  And the specialty coffee market wins by having more, higher quality coffee available.  The next step then is for buyers like Dunn Bros to buy directly from the co-ops and farmers whenever possible to ensure they get a fair price.  What is a fair price?  This is certainly a subjective question, but in our case it usually means well above “Fair Trade” prices.  This could be two to three times what farmers are getting at market or through a simple commodity exchange.  Direct buying gives us the ability to seek out the highest quality coffees and pay a fairly negotiated price that works for the farmer, for us and for you the ultimate consumer.  The ultimate realization of the potential of this project will be when 850 family farmers and their workers realize a significant increase in their standard of living because they were able to be fairly paid for the quality coffee they produced.   And for us, this is just the beginning.  We never intended this to be a one-off project.  We will be tracking all of this along with Deloitte to ensure that the investment has the intended effect.  When the model is proven we will have the data needed to replicate this project in other areas so we can potentially help even more farmers while increasing the supply of high quality coffees.  We will report findings in future blog postings as they become available.

After much work, the dedication ceremony for the new improved Gakurari Factory took place on Tuesday, October 27th.  To say that I felt privileged to be there is a monumental understatement.  Watch the ceremony in this brief video from Kenya.

After a morning tour of Thika Coffee Mills, Chris, Nancy and I arrived with John Mwangi and his father Simon from Gatto Estates.  We arrived to an unbelievable scene.  Nearly 200 of the farmers from the association had shown up for the ceremony.  A van with a PA system had been brought in and there was a special area set up for all of the dignitaries.  Music was playing from the loudspeaker and the whole farm was buzzing with excitement.  As the “marketing guy” my job was to hang back and document the event with video and pictures.  So, Chris, John and Simon walked up and took their seats right in the front row next to the Honorable Peter Kenneth the Regional Member of Parliament and the Assistant Minster for Planning.  The ceremony was called to order and we were treated to some wonderful dancing and singing performed by a number of the local women.  Even though I had no idea what they were saying, this performance was a true highlight of the day.  To see how easily they fell into the performance and to see a glimpse of this most important piece of Kenyan culture was really a treat.  The entertainment was followed by a brief speech by Tirus F.K Gathungu, the Chairman of the Association.  Chairman Gathungu welcomed us and provided the crowd with some interesting data related to the factory and the associated farmers.  He also reinforced the point that member attitudes about coffee farming were changing and that many had begun to practice coffee farming as a business, realizing that with good practices and high yields the prices will come and money can be made.

John Mwangi and Gatto Estates were recognized for their efforts to bring the Gatanga Societies together with coffee buyers like Dunn Bros Coffee so they can realize the rewards for their focus on quality.  I would be remiss if I did not recognize the significant role that Gatto Estates played in providing “feet on the ground” in Kenya as well as a wealth of logistical support for the project.  John said a few words and then introduced Chris.  Chris shared with the farmers the trends occurring in the United States and that the specialty coffee segment is the one that is really growing.  The demand for high quality coffees will continue to grow and he encouraged the farmers to continue to focus on quality and even work harder to elevate their game now that they have a new washing facility that will be able to ensure their quality out of the factory.  Chris was followed by Peter Kenneth the Member of Parliament who said something that was music to our ears.  After thanking us he said that he is beginning an effort and hopes that they can achieve upgrading of all of the other 20 factories in the society with similar equipment.  We had hoped that this installation would start a domino effect and it appears that it just might.

The formal part of the ceremony concluded and finally it was the moment everyone had been waiting for.  Immediately following a closing prayer everyone got up and walked down to see the Aquapulper in action.   After hearing about this project for so long, I was really excited to finally see the machine in action.  Quite a crowd had gathered around and at one point I wondered whether I was going to be able to see the machine at all.  Thankfully one of the association leaders pulled me through the crowd and got me inside the enclosure where the machine was housed.  Everyone waited with baited breath as the technician adjusted a few knobs on the service panel and pushed the buttons that made the machine come to life.  Cherries began flowing through from the collection bin above into a holding tank.  These were then sucked through a tube up to the top of the machine and fed down for the pulping process to begin.  In a matter of seconds I began to see the stripped fruit falling through the hopper to be collected and composted for fertilizer, and then the clean washed (“parchment”) beans began to flow out of the machine into the holding tank.

Looking at the finished coffees coming out of the new Aquapulper compared to some that had been put through the old disk pulper the night before – there was no comparison.  Seeing the difference in the quality of washing and the amount of water that was saved really brought the reality of this machine home to me.  The fact that by this small investment we might be able to change so many lives and create that “everyone wins” scenario was truly exciting.  After the demonstration we headed out to a specially prepared meal and feasted with the factory leadership and guests on grilled goat and beef sausage.  Then we thanked everyone for their incredible hospitality and said our goodbyes.

  Beans from old disk pulper

  Beans from aquapulper

Last week I was able to share some of the video I captured with our office staff and everyone was moved to see the impact and the excitement that our effort had made.  Especially Scott, who unfortunately was not able to make the trip with us.   I was very happy for him, the people of Gatanga, our franchisees and anyone associated with Dunn Bros Coffee.  To say “a caring attitude” is a core value is one thing, but to live it is another and I am very proud to be working with a group where core values matter.

I know this is already really long for a blog post, but I have to share one last experience that was completely unexpected.  Earlier I told you I would get back to Patrick, our driver, well here is the payoff.  Being a driver is not a glamorous job.  You have to deal with unbelievable traffic (if you have ever ridden in a car or tried to drive in an East African city you know what I mean) and you spend a lot of time sitting around waiting while your charges are busy doing whatever it is they do.  In our case it was visiting coffee farms and the Gakurari factory.  What was interesting is I noticed Patrick tagging along with us.  While most drivers would stay in the van or just hang out while we did our business, Patrick walked through the coffee farms with us, picked coffee with us and even toured a dry mill with us.  I also noticed that he took a more than passing interest in the Aquapulper.  As it happened, Chris had forgotten his video camera in the van after Patrick dropped us off for the night after the dedication ceremony.  Chris called and Patrick made a special trip to bring the camera back.  When Chris went down to meet Patrick to retrieve his camera, Patrick shared that he lived in a neighboring district and that he was not just a driver but also owned some land and was in fact a small scale farmer.  Over the past few years he had grown frustrated with the industry, believing he could not make money - so he had let his coffee go.  After spending the last three days with us and seeing the project, he shared that there had been much discussion about the Aquapulper in his district as well, and that they were all very proud of what had been done.  So over the course of the last couple of days he felt a renewed energy and purpose, and was going to go back and implement some of the things he had learned and get back into the coffee business.  When Chris shared this story with me I couldn’t help but smile – giving can be so rewarding.

If you have made it this far in the story – I commend you.  I am not a writer so I hope that this story has in some way inspired you the way it inspired me.  But since you made it this far I want to reward you with something – and that is this:  This story is not just about us – but about you as well.  We can’t do it without you – and they can’t do it without us.  We are all connected.  So the next time you order a “French Roast” or “Full City” and sit down to enjoy your morning cup - take a look at the “Coffee of the Day” board and make note of where it came from.  You just might get a small tingle knowing that somewhere thousands of miles away – you helped to make someone’s life better by simply doing something you love.  And if that’s not a win – win, then I don’t know what is.

View accompanying photo album.

Chris Eilers of Dunn Bros Coffee recently experienced the developing culture of exceptional coffee growing in Peru.  This is his account and video of his travels there:

Peru is not only a land where one can explore a rich landscape filled with countless Inca ruins including the wonderfully mysterious ancient city of Machu Picchu, it is also home to one of the best coffee growing regions in all of South America.  And the culture of producing exceptional coffees is very much alive and picking up steam.  More roasters and buyers of these higher-end lots begin spending more time in origin developing relationship and educating farmers on the benefits of producing these fine coffees.

In August, I was lucky enough to travel to Peru with a group of roasters and coffee buyers from many respectable companies including Coffee Bean International, Counter Culture Coffee, Sacred Grounds, and Cuvee.  In addition to meeting with several hard working farmers and exchanging ideas on how to improve coffee quality (and thereby help them receive higher prices) we spent most of our time learning about a “direct trade” coffee buying model that has proven to be an outstanding way to insure the small farmers associated with this program received the highest possible prices for their coffee through a 100% transparent contract.

This model was developed by our host, K.C. O’Keefe.  K.C. is an American who spends several months throughout the year in Peru.  Interestingly enough, K.C. also opened a beautiful coffee shop in Lima called Café Verde where he also has a five kilo coffee roaster just like you would see in one of our stores.  K.C. was excited and impressed to learn about Dunn Bros and our on-site roasting model.  He too is a big proponent of roasting fresh coffee in the store. One big difference though is that his selection of coffees is limited to those grown in Peru. As is typical in many coffee producing countries, importing coffee from other countries is not encouraged and therefore heavily taxed.  K.C. overcomes this challenge by creating blends and offering different varietals from different growing regions with in Peru.  The micro-climates and growing conditions of each region create specific taste nuances to those respective coffees.  This is why we are careful to highlight the growing regions from which all of our coffees (no matter what country) are from.

The “direct trade” model developed by K.C. was exciting to learn about. Unlike Fair Trade certified coffees, the transparency contract used in his model identifies the exact payment the farmer will receive.  All the parties associated with the buying transaction from the farmer to the roaster are identified on and they actually sign the contract.  Just as important, all the coffees are graded via “Q” cupping standards so the farmers know what the quality standard is that they are expected to deliver and the roaster has assurances that they will receive the quality of coffee they contracted for.  K.C. has developed a very thorough process to make sure all the parties are having their expectations met.  The beauty of this model is that it encourages the production of high quality coffee by rewarding the producers directly for their efforts. Furthermore, contracts between the farmers and the roasters are typically three years which creates the likelihood of a strong and more sustainable relationship between the two.

Over the coming months, Dunn Bros will be learning more about this model and we are hopeful that we will be able to bring you some of these wonderful Peruvian coffees very soon.

-Chris

Here is a detailed account of coffee buyer, Scott Kee’s, trip to Nicaragua hosted by Utz Kapeh:  

“I recently had the opportunity to tour Nicaragua with representatives from Utz Kapeh.  I traveled with a diverse group of seven individuals including importers, exporters, brokers and coffee roasters. 

As we gathered for our first breakfast, it was clear the host’s tightly orchestrated agenda was not for the casual traveler. We were on track to see all five of the country’s major  growing regions in 4 days. The itinerary’s rhythm was consistent too- tour farms in the morning, eat a late lunch, go on milling tours, and end the day at the mill cupping the region’s coffees.  

The first day we traveled to two farms and met with 20 farmers. We discussed the Utz Kapeh certification process, the assistance the farmers were receiving, and the farm level changes that had taken place since the Utz Kapeh process had been introduced. In the afternoon we traveled to the CECOCAFEN mill and cupped coffees from the Matagalpa and Jinotega areas.   

During our second night we listened to a presentation from Utz Kapeh. We learned that Solidaridad (the Dutch government), and various private aid groups, fund the Utz Kapeh group. We were also introduced to SNV, the technical partner Utz Kapeh relies on for agronomy and direct farmer fieldwork. To clarify each group’s purposes and funding sources, I have requested a flow chart from our hosts and will pass this forward. Coincidentally, Solidaridad is also providing grants at the Gatanga washing station that Dunn Bros Coffee is supporting in Kenya. 

On our third day of travel to the mill, the group agreed that the past harvest’s green coffee samples had become dull and faded in flavor. I was relieved as this explained why the coffees tasted flat. As we checked into our hotel for the night, I traced our travels on a large wall map when one of the drivers came over to show me the next day’s winding travel route. He then abruptly stopped, pointed hard at one spot and began tapping the map exclaiming, “Here is very, very, verrryyy good coffee.” He was pointing at Nuevo Segovia, where the topography information showed the surrounding mountains to have altitudes in the 1,500 meter range which is a good altitude to grow great coffees. 

Day four brought us to the 2 year old, state-of-the-art milling plant located in Palacaguina.  As we cupped the 40 or so coffees we noticed quality shifts in the cup characteristics. These coffees had dimensions we missed in the earlier part of our trip. A lot of the coffees we cupped that day were Fair Trade Organic and grown at altitudes around 3,500 ft. After a quick lunch, we set out for the Nuevo Segovia area for the final mill tour and cupping. 

Arriving at the mill, we met with twelve or so farmers eagerly waiting to see how well their coffees compared to the other farmers. As we went to work on the first twelve coffees it was apparent the mill had over roasted six of them- what a shame. We then went on to the next twelve coffees and immediately found six standouts. My favorite three tasted like grapefruit, brown sugar, caramel, and were loaded with body. 

After we tallied the scores we stepped outside to meet with the farmers responsible for the coffee. Of the six standouts, three of the coffees came from the Peralta brothers, and my favorite three came from a young farmer named Sergio Ortez. After the cupping scores for the second round of coffees had been thoroughly discussed, I discreetly sought out Mr. Ortez for further discussion about his farming practices, how much he produced yearly, and the likelihood of buying some of next year’s crop. Sergio was fluent in English, was fairly new to coffee farming, sees his profession as a labor of love, and only sells directly to roasters. Last year he sold his entire crop directly to high-end Japanese coffee houses. This year he has been hard at work increasing his production and replicating the farming practices that produced the outstanding coffees we cupped. As we wrapped up our conversation, Sergio said he was going to give me access to his private website so I could watch his weekly updates. This is the first farmer I have ever met that has such a great grasp on where coffee is going and how to harness social media. Amazing guy. 

In retrospect, the tight agenda was great because it allowed us to see the entire country’s diverse growing regions and their respective qualities, and also reinforced the importance of the education Utz Kapeh and other certification programs are bringing to farmers. These farmer-centric programs are the backbone to growing and processing better coffees. These certification programs are empowering the farmers. I look forward to bringing these coffees to our customers next spring.”

 

If someone asked you what the most popular beverage in the world was, as a Dunn Bros Coffee fan you might respond, “coffee,” - but actually it's water. If someone asked you what is the second most popular beverage in the world, again you might respond, “coffee” - but actually the answer is tea. 

In most cultures, tea is a ritual, an opportunity to connect with yourself or someone else. Preparation for a cup of tea requires thought and intention. To brew a cup of whole leaf tea usually involves several steps. First you portion out the leaves with a scoop, then tip the scoop allowing the leaves to fill an infuser, next you pour hot water over the leaves and finally you wait for the leaves to fully infuse. Definitely not a quick process.    

That’s why Dunn Bros Coffee is proud to serve Mighty Leaf Tea. Mighty Leaf Tea pre-portions each silken biodegradeable Tea Pouch™ with loose, lush whole tea leaves, fruits, herbs, spices, and blossoms for a flavor too big for an ordinary tea bag. They stitch the pouches with an unbleached cotton string, with no staples, glue or heat needed to seal the pouch.   With Mighty Leaf Tea you don’t have to choose between quality and convenience.   

Now that you know where you can get a great cup of tea, the next step is deciding what kind of tea is right for you. In many cases the best place to start is deciding what kind of tea is right for your mood.  Many people do this by first contemplating the caffeine level. Because of this, Mighty Leaf Tea color codes each variety according to caffeine level, making it visually easy for the eye to discern what kind of tea is appropriate for your mood. 

Another way to look at this is, “how do you want to feel?” If the answer is “energized”, then black tea or mat’e would be good caffeinated choices. If the answer is “uplifted or rejuvenated”, then green tea with its light caffeine would be appropriate. If you want to feel “relaxed or soothed”, caffeine-free herbal infusions would fit the bill. As always, if you need help deciding make sure to ask your barista. 

Antioxidant-rich, tea is a healthy choice any time of year.  For your ideal tea experience, come enjoy a cup of Mighty Leaf Tea at your favorite Dunn Bros Coffee Shop.

 

Our new Costa Rica Volcan Poas coffee comes from San Pedro in the area near the Central Valley Region called the DoKa Estate. This estate has many farms surrounding it and contains one centralized mill so that farmers don’t have to travel far to process their coffees. Farmers are able to bring their coffees to this mill and have their own measures of quality control—everyone has their own technique/style while using the mill which shows in the variations in coffees that are produced here.

The DoKa Estate’s coffees are one of the first coffees that Roaster Bob drank when he started at Dunn Bros Coffee and he remembers them having a lovely black pepper spice. Everyone once in a while you will get a Costa Rican coffee that is perfectly balanced in aroma, body and taste. This coffee possesses that balance. The aroma is sweet with a high citrus quality just before you taste it. The taste has a lovely floral quality that is great for spring and the body is light and sassy—perfect for the warmer weather.

The Volcan Poas Costa Rica is also UTZ Certified. Formerly known as Utz Kapeh, UTZ-certified cooperatives, estate farms and producer groups comply with the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct. This Code is an internationally recognized set of criteria for professional coffee growing, which includes socially and environmentally appropriate coffee growing practices, and efficient farm management.

Roastmaster Bob and our coffee buyer Scott Kee discuss our new Rwanda Gikongoro.  It's a delicious coffee with a very interesting history behind it.  You can read more about the Rwanda Gikongoro on our website.

When we buy decaf coffee, the first step is to cup (taste) the coffee before the decaffeination process. This is one of the main reasons why our decaf coffees really stand out – we first select the green bean as though we are going to roast it for regular caffeinated coffee.  Once we’ve selected the bean we send it through a decaffeination process and then cup it a second time to make sure that the flavor profile and quality remain in the cup.

Our coffees are decaffeinated using one of two methods: a water decaffeination process or a chemical solvent. The chemical solvents, such as ethyl acetate, are naturally occurring solvents that come in direct contact with the bean. Chemical processes are less invasive and result in a better tasting coffee because this process doesn’t allow other aspects of the bean to be affected.

We’ve just received our spring shipment of Decaf Colombia which was recently harvested and processed at a decaf plant right in Colombia; this meant that no extra travel was necessary. This current crop-Colombia really lends itself to a vibrant cup of coffee for our guests to enjoy.

In recent side-by-side cuppings of both our caffeinated and decaffeinated Colombia and Sumatra coffees, there were distinct differences in the overall taste. However, each coffee, even after the decaffeination process, stayed true to the characteristics of their caffeinated counterpart – the Sumatra having the earthly qualities and the Colombia the bright acidity as are expected from these two coffee regions.

Some coffee roasters will tell you horror stories about building roast profiles for their decaffeinated coffee beans but the quality beans that we choose roast the same as our regular coffees and allow subtle nuances to show through in the same way.  Caffeine is a very bitter chemical so the decaf coffees that we offer not only have distinct flavors because of their freshness but they will also taste a bit sweeter than our regular coffee offerings.

A word of caution: Serve one of our decaf coffees and some of your friends might not believe you that it’s decaf…

 

Coffee farm touring in Peru - August 2009

Chris Eilers of Dunn Bros Coffee recently experienced the developing culture of exceptional coffee growing in Peru.  This is his account and video of his travels there:

Peru is not only a land where one can explore a rich landscape filled with countless Inca ruins including the wonderfully mysterious ancient city of Machu Picchu, it is also home to one of the best coffee growing regions in all of South America.  And the culture of producing exceptional coffees is very much alive and picking up steam.  More roasters and buyers of these higher-end lots begin spending more time in origin developing relationship and educating farmers on the benefits of producing these fine coffees.

In August, I was lucky enough to travel to Peru with a group of roasters and coffee buyers from many respectable companies including Coffee Bean International, Counter Culture Coffee, Sacred Grounds, and Cuvee.  In addition to meeting with several hard working farmers and exchanging ideas on how to improve coffee quality (and thereby help them receive higher prices) we spent most of our time learning about a “direct trade” coffee buying model that has proven to be an outstanding way to insure the small farmers associated with this program received the highest possible prices for their coffee through a 100% transparent contract.

This model was developed by our host, K.C. O’Keefe.  K.C. is an American who spends several months throughout the year in Peru.  Interestingly enough, K.C. also opened a beautiful coffee shop in Lima called Café Verde where he also has a five kilo coffee roaster just like you would see in one of our stores.  K.C. was excited and impressed to learn about Dunn Bros and our on-site roasting model.  He too is a big proponent of roasting fresh coffee in the store. One big difference though is that his selection of coffees is limited to those grown in Peru. As is typical in many coffee producing countries, importing coffee from other countries is not encouraged and therefore heavily taxed.  K.C. overcomes this challenge by creating blends and offering different varietals from different growing regions with in Peru.  The micro-climates and growing conditions of each region create specific taste nuances to those respective coffees.  This is why we are careful to highlight the growing regions from which all of our coffees (no matter what country) are from.

The “direct trade” model developed by K.C. was exciting to learn about. Unlike Fair Trade certified coffees, the transparency contract used in his model identifies the exact payment the farmer will receive.  All the parties associated with the buying transaction from the farmer to the roaster are identified on and they actually sign the contract.  Just as important, all the coffees are graded via “Q” cupping standards so the farmers know what the quality standard is that they are expected to deliver and the roaster has assurances that they will receive the quality of coffee they contracted for.  K.C. has developed a very thorough process to make sure all the parties are having their expectations met.  The beauty of this model is that it encourages the production of high quality coffee by rewarding the producers directly for their efforts. Furthermore, contracts between the farmers and the roasters are typically three years which creates the likelihood of a strong and more sustainable relationship between the two.

Over the coming months, Dunn Bros will be learning more about this model and we are hopeful that we will be able to bring you some of these wonderful Peruvian coffees very soon.

-Chris

A Coffee Buyer's Trip To Nicaragua

Here is a detailed account of coffee buyer, Scott Kee’s, trip to Nicaragua hosted by Utz Kapeh:  

“I recently had the opportunity to tour Nicaragua with representatives from Utz Kapeh.  I traveled with a diverse group of seven individuals including importers, exporters, brokers and coffee roasters. 

As we gathered for our first breakfast, it was clear the host’s tightly orchestrated agenda was not for the casual traveler. We were on track to see all five of the country’s major  growing regions in 4 days. The itinerary’s rhythm was consistent too- tour farms in the morning, eat a late lunch, go on milling tours, and end the day at the mill cupping the region’s coffees.  

The first day we traveled to two farms and met with 20 farmers. We discussed the Utz Kapeh certification process, the assistance the farmers were receiving, and the farm level changes that had taken place since the Utz Kapeh process had been introduced. In the afternoon we traveled to the CECOCAFEN mill and cupped coffees from the Matagalpa and Jinotega areas.   

During our second night we listened to a presentation from Utz Kapeh. We learned that Solidaridad (the Dutch government), and various private aid groups, fund the Utz Kapeh group. We were also introduced to SNV, the technical partner Utz Kapeh relies on for agronomy and direct farmer fieldwork. To clarify each group’s purposes and funding sources, I have requested a flow chart from our hosts and will pass this forward. Coincidentally, Solidaridad is also providing grants at the Gatanga washing station that Dunn Bros Coffee is supporting in Kenya. 

On our third day of travel to the mill, the group agreed that the past harvest’s green coffee samples had become dull and faded in flavor. I was relieved as this explained why the coffees tasted flat. As we checked into our hotel for the night, I traced our travels on a large wall map when one of the drivers came over to show me the next day’s winding travel route. He then abruptly stopped, pointed hard at one spot and began tapping the map exclaiming, “Here is very, very, verrryyy good coffee.” He was pointing at Nuevo Segovia, where the topography information showed the surrounding mountains to have altitudes in the 1,500 meter range which is a good altitude to grow great coffees. 

Day four brought us to the 2 year old, state-of-the-art milling plant located in Palacaguina.  As we cupped the 40 or so coffees we noticed quality shifts in the cup characteristics. These coffees had dimensions we missed in the earlier part of our trip. A lot of the coffees we cupped that day were Fair Trade Organic and grown at altitudes around 3,500 ft. After a quick lunch, we set out for the Nuevo Segovia area for the final mill tour and cupping. 

Arriving at the mill, we met with twelve or so farmers eagerly waiting to see how well their coffees compared to the other farmers. As we went to work on the first twelve coffees it was apparent the mill had over roasted six of them- what a shame. We then went on to the next twelve coffees and immediately found six standouts. My favorite three tasted like grapefruit, brown sugar, caramel, and were loaded with body. 

After we tallied the scores we stepped outside to meet with the farmers responsible for the coffee. Of the six standouts, three of the coffees came from the Peralta brothers, and my favorite three came from a young farmer named Sergio Ortez. After the cupping scores for the second round of coffees had been thoroughly discussed, I discreetly sought out Mr. Ortez for further discussion about his farming practices, how much he produced yearly, and the likelihood of buying some of next year’s crop. Sergio was fluent in English, was fairly new to coffee farming, sees his profession as a labor of love, and only sells directly to roasters. Last year he sold his entire crop directly to high-end Japanese coffee houses. This year he has been hard at work increasing his production and replicating the farming practices that produced the outstanding coffees we cupped. As we wrapped up our conversation, Sergio said he was going to give me access to his private website so I could watch his weekly updates. This is the first farmer I have ever met that has such a great grasp on where coffee is going and how to harness social media. Amazing guy. 

In retrospect, the tight agenda was great because it allowed us to see the entire country’s diverse growing regions and their respective qualities, and also reinforced the importance of the education Utz Kapeh and other certification programs are bringing to farmers. These farmer-centric programs are the backbone to growing and processing better coffees. These certification programs are empowering the farmers. I look forward to bringing these coffees to our customers next spring.”

 

Enjoy Mighty Leaf Tea at Dunn Bros Coffee

If someone asked you what the most popular beverage in the world was, as a Dunn Bros Coffee fan you might respond, “coffee,” - but actually it's water. If someone asked you what is the second most popular beverage in the world, again you might respond, “coffee” - but actually the answer is tea. 

In most cultures, tea is a ritual, an opportunity to connect with yourself or someone else. Preparation for a cup of tea requires thought and intention. To brew a cup of whole leaf tea usually involves several steps. First you portion out the leaves with a scoop, then tip the scoop allowing the leaves to fill an infuser, next you pour hot water over the leaves and finally you wait for the leaves to fully infuse. Definitely not a quick process.    

That’s why Dunn Bros Coffee is proud to serve Mighty Leaf Tea. Mighty Leaf Tea pre-portions each silken biodegradeable Tea Pouch™ with loose, lush whole tea leaves, fruits, herbs, spices, and blossoms for a flavor too big for an ordinary tea bag. They stitch the pouches with an unbleached cotton string, with no staples, glue or heat needed to seal the pouch.   With Mighty Leaf Tea you don’t have to choose between quality and convenience.   

Now that you know where you can get a great cup of tea, the next step is deciding what kind of tea is right for you. In many cases the best place to start is deciding what kind of tea is right for your mood.  Many people do this by first contemplating the caffeine level. Because of this, Mighty Leaf Tea color codes each variety according to caffeine level, making it visually easy for the eye to discern what kind of tea is appropriate for your mood. 

Another way to look at this is, “how do you want to feel?” If the answer is “energized”, then black tea or mat’e would be good caffeinated choices. If the answer is “uplifted or rejuvenated”, then green tea with its light caffeine would be appropriate. If you want to feel “relaxed or soothed”, caffeine-free herbal infusions would fit the bill. As always, if you need help deciding make sure to ask your barista. 

Antioxidant-rich, tea is a healthy choice any time of year.  For your ideal tea experience, come enjoy a cup of Mighty Leaf Tea at your favorite Dunn Bros Coffee Shop.

 

Our Costa Rica Volcan Poas - UTZ Certified

Our new Costa Rica Volcan Poas coffee comes from San Pedro in the area near the Central Valley Region called the DoKa Estate. This estate has many farms surrounding it and contains one centralized mill so that farmers don’t have to travel far to process their coffees. Farmers are able to bring their coffees to this mill and have their own measures of quality control—everyone has their own technique/style while using the mill which shows in the variations in coffees that are produced here.

The DoKa Estate’s coffees are one of the first coffees that Roaster Bob drank when he started at Dunn Bros Coffee and he remembers them having a lovely black pepper spice. Everyone once in a while you will get a Costa Rican coffee that is perfectly balanced in aroma, body and taste. This coffee possesses that balance. The aroma is sweet with a high citrus quality just before you taste it. The taste has a lovely floral quality that is great for spring and the body is light and sassy—perfect for the warmer weather.

The Volcan Poas Costa Rica is also UTZ Certified. Formerly known as Utz Kapeh, UTZ-certified cooperatives, estate farms and producer groups comply with the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct. This Code is an internationally recognized set of criteria for professional coffee growing, which includes socially and environmentally appropriate coffee growing practices, and efficient farm management.

Gikongoro Rwanda

Roastmaster Bob and our coffee buyer Scott Kee discuss our new Rwanda Gikongoro.  It's a delicious coffee with a very interesting history behind it.  You can read more about the Rwanda Gikongoro on our website.

What's the scoop on Decaf?

When we buy decaf coffee, the first step is to cup (taste) the coffee before the decaffeination process. This is one of the main reasons why our decaf coffees really stand out – we first select the green bean as though we are going to roast it for regular caffeinated coffee.  Once we’ve selected the bean we send it through a decaffeination process and then cup it a second time to make sure that the flavor profile and quality remain in the cup.

Our coffees are decaffeinated using one of two methods: a water decaffeination process or a chemical solvent. The chemical solvents, such as ethyl acetate, are naturally occurring solvents that come in direct contact with the bean. Chemical processes are less invasive and result in a better tasting coffee because this process doesn’t allow other aspects of the bean to be affected.

We’ve just received our spring shipment of Decaf Colombia which was recently harvested and processed at a decaf plant right in Colombia; this meant that no extra travel was necessary. This current crop-Colombia really lends itself to a vibrant cup of coffee for our guests to enjoy.

In recent side-by-side cuppings of both our caffeinated and decaffeinated Colombia and Sumatra coffees, there were distinct differences in the overall taste. However, each coffee, even after the decaffeination process, stayed true to the characteristics of their caffeinated counterpart – the Sumatra having the earthly qualities and the Colombia the bright acidity as are expected from these two coffee regions.

Some coffee roasters will tell you horror stories about building roast profiles for their decaffeinated coffee beans but the quality beans that we choose roast the same as our regular coffees and allow subtle nuances to show through in the same way.  Caffeine is a very bitter chemical so the decaf coffees that we offer not only have distinct flavors because of their freshness but they will also taste a bit sweeter than our regular coffee offerings.

A word of caution: Serve one of our decaf coffees and some of your friends might not believe you that it’s decaf…