​The test of time must be framed in a period long enough to understand a long-range phenomena, with the slow movement and measurement of its parameters. As it is in this case, about money, coffee and 400 years, a basic but fundamental tool to identify the errors of a system and to be able to establish its potential solutions. This is why the impact of specialty coffee on the coffee industry CANNOT be assessed on the basis of a very specific set of situations that generated an exponential rise in coffee prices to a 50-year high on the New York Stock Exchange.

​Until about a decade ago, coffee processing primarily utilized natural, honey, and washed methods, each of which offered a wide range of sensory qualities in the coffee. During these processes, fermentation occurs naturally through local microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, which interact with the coffee mucilage. The metabolites produced by these microorganisms can penetrate the coffee seeds, resulting in two types of effects: beneficial ones, such as desirable organic acids, esters, alcohols, and sugars; and harmful ones, which include undesirable organic acids and toxins that can negatively impact the quality of the coffee beans.

​1. Classic Natural Fermentation

In the classic natural process, coffee cherries are picked and then dried with the fruit still on the bean. The fruit's sugars and pulp influence the flavour during drying. This method gives the coffee a fruity, sweet, full-bodied profile with rich, bold notes.

Our go-to flavour profile: We look for deep, fruity, and sometimes wine-like flavours. Most often, they have a heavy body and a rustic profile but with a sweet aftertaste.

​The recent coffee harvest in Burundi and Rwanda concluded at the end of July, directing in the yearly challenge of selecting our next partner and origin. While the cup quality is paramount, we recognize that other critical factors influence this decision. To minimize any external biases, we rely on a meticulous process of blind analysis and cupping.

​Due to the above, the transit time of our shipment from Kenya was extended to 60 days, which is double the usual transit time. Furthermore, upon reaching the Mediterranean, ships are being diverted to ports in Morocco and Spain, which causes serious overcrowding and congestion in container unloading. All major shipping companies are using these ports for transhipments, putting immense pressure on port capacities in the Mediterranean region and pushing them to the limit.

Coffee is very important to Burundi, accounting for 80% of the country's export earnings and supporting the livelihoods of 55% of the population, approximately 750,000 families, the majority of whom are smallholder farmers. In 2007, the president of Burundi at the time declared that coffee belonged to the producers until it was exported. This agreement allowed them to oversee the supply chain and gave them the right to receive 72% of the revenue from international coffee sales. But in reality, little or none of that has happened.

​Journey to Origin: This process begins with a visit to cooperatives and a meeting with coffee producers and exporters at origin. Two trips are made; one during the harvest, where no cupping takes place, and another approximately a month when the harvest ends. During this last trip, we cupped around 500 samples per week, which is a pretty intense process. Here the pre-selection is carried out.

​Mchana Estate is located in Kiambu County in Kenya. Coffee cherries are harvested between 1800-2150 meters above sea level with an average temperature ranging between 13-25 degrees Celsius. Mchana has a workforce of 172 permanent workers and casual workers vary from 200 to 1,200 per day depending on the season. The largest quantity is produced during the peak harvest season.

​Umami is described as the fifth flavour, along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It is a savoury flavour that can be found in foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, and aged cheeses, and is attributed to the presence of glutamate in these foods. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, responsible for sending messages between neurons and the brain. All foods, including coffee, contain some amount of glutamate. Tomatoes, cheese and mushrooms contain high amounts of glutamate. However, in coffee, it is unlikely that this flavour is derived from free glutamates, as there are very few free glutamates present in green coffee. Therefore, it is more likely that the umami flavour that we sometimes find in certain lots is attributed to other compounds and substances present in coffee.