Latitude Espresso
Our seasonal espressos each come with their own story, which is part of what makes them so special. Here we take a closer look at the producers behind this coffee.
RWANDA
Ruli
Most of the small-scale producers with whom the Ruli washing station works own less than a quarter of a hectare of land, where they cultivate an average of only 250 - 300 coffee trees each as well as other subsistence food crops such as maize and beans. The cooperative gives these small farmers the chance to combine their harvests and process cherries centrally.
COLOMBIA
Inza
Inza was produced by 52 smallholder coffee producers hailing from the neighbouring sub-municipalities of Pedregal and San Antonio. Every single microlot delivered was cupped and reserved due to its scoring 85 points or above by the community cupping lab, funded by Mercanta Exporting Partners, Pergamino, who are based in the Department of Antioquia.
The Facts
Ruli
Varietals: Red Bourbon
Processing: Fully washed & sun dried on African beds
Altitude: 1,700 to 2,000 metres
Inza
Varietals: Caturra, Colombia & Castillo
Processing: Fully washed & dried on parabolic and raised beds
Altitude: 1,500 to 1,800 metres
HARVESTING & PROCESSING
Ruli
Cherries are hand-picked only when fully ripe and then pulped that same evening using a mechanical pulper that divides the beans into three grades by weight.
After pulping, the coffee is fermented overnight. The wet parchment is then soaked in water for between 18 and 24 hours to stabilise moisture content.
Finally, the beans are moved onto the washing station’s extensive drying tables for around 14 days (depending on the weather), where they are sorted again for defects, turned regularly, and protected from rain and the midday sun.
HARVESTING & PROCESSING
Inza
Export partners, Pergamino work with more than 600 smallholder farmers in four Departments (Cauca, Antioquia, Huila and Nariño), and their influence continues to grow. They have developed the relationship with the communities over time, providing invaluable feedback on quality and training in quality assessment. They are committed to transparency in their partnerships with these farmers, ensuring that profit margins are clear and that value added by quality goes directly to the producer. The premiums that Pergamino pays range from 30-300% over market prices (depending on cupping score and volume). They also provide technical assistance so that farmers can continue to improve crop quality.
sourcing coffee
Our Coffee Broker
For over ten years we have worked closely with Mercanta. They pay a fair price for coffee, empowering the growers they work with. Such is our faith in their commitment to supporting farmers that we now purchase 100% of our coffee through Mercanta.
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