Christmas coffee x 2

A small bag filled with wonders, along with a Christmas bun, no blunder. Christmas mess, mother-in-law's visit or morning, this coffee goes with any shirt.

The coffee in this bag comes from farms in Uganda and Brazil. Together they create a very dark and full-bodied cup of coffee, lovely notes of caramel, roasted nuts and bergamot! Perfect for keeping warm now that Christmas is here.

In addition to growing great coffee, Kingha Coffee Collective is dedicated to increasing the income and livelihood of Ugandan coffee farmers. They work directly with the farmers, providing education and training programs, thereby helping farmers produce larger harvests of better quality coffee, which significantly increases their income. Kingha Coffee also works with local schools and provides clothing, school supplies and agricultural education programs within the local community.

Recently, they have been working to create a micro-hydropower plant at the base of the Kingha property where part of the Entenjari River flows through it. The power plant, when completed, will provide a consistent source of renewable energy, sufficient to power the local health centre, 2 primary schools, a secondary school and the farm’s energy needs. All electricity produced will be given to the local community free of charge.

Kingha Coffee believes in giving back to the community that has given them so much, and takes great pride in being part of the local community. They provide community development by creating jobs and market access. During the harvest season, they employ over 85 local Ugandans, making Kingha Coffee one of the largest employers in the district.

They do not use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides anywhere on their land and generate 95% of their electricity from solar panels. They believe in the importance of growing and processing coffee in harmony with the local environment and ensuring a sustainable and healthy current and future coffee supply.

The region has around 4,500 farmers cultivating an area of 210,000 hectares. The Cerrado has a dry climate during the harvest, which means that the coffee is less affected by post-harvest humidity, which allows for a smooth drying process. The coffee is dried on patios for 12-15 days in the natural way, leaving the entire berry on the bean. Brazil has a history of producing large quantities of commercial coffee and when it began to see the potential in specialty coffee, it already had effective tools that made production scalable in a way that is difficult to achieve in other countries.

Cerrado coffee farms are grown in areas with altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,300 meters above sea level and are known for consistently producing high-quality coffee with a repeatable profile. Regardless of the size of the farm, there is a spirit of professionalism among Cerrado coffee producers. Entrepreneurship is part of the farmers’ DNA, and many producers are second or third generation growers who also have degrees in agronomic engineering, business management and administration. While each family story is different, Cerrado is characterized by an entrepreneurial attitude.

Coffee Facts:

Uganda, Kingha Collective - Brazil, Cerrado

Score: 84/100 - 83.5/100

Growing: 1300 - 1550 m.a.s.l. - 800-1300 m.a.s.l.

Species: SL-34, SL-28, SL-14. - Mundo Novo

Process: Washed - Natural

Craftsmanship and Sustainability: Los Hermanos Dedication to Perfect Coffee

Los Hermanos is the result of a collaboration between the Torres brothers in La Union, Nariño, Colombia. They each own a plot of land on the family estate of La Indonesia and are proud third generation coffee producers. Their coffee heritage begins with their grandfather Marco, who pioneered coffee production in La Union over 80 years ago. The farm grows coffee alongside fruit and shade trees, with a strong emphasis on soil health and responsible water management.

The Brothers’ Growing Areas

Juan Angel is responsible for a five-hectare plot in La Indonesia, while Brother Gabriel has a plot of approximately 8 hectares. Here, 60% of the cultivated land is located on a mountainside that ranges from 1,750 to 1,850 meters above sea level. Coffee has thrived in this region for over 30 years, and originally Caturra was the most dominant variety. The farm has dedicated over 300 square meters of land to coffee drying.

For the brothers, environmental concerns are a priority, as is a scientific approach to ensuring the quality of the coffee. Juan Angel emphasizes, "We fertilize the land four times a year, twice with enriched manure and twice with organic compost and humus. One of the biggest challenges is maintaining the organic matter of the soil, and this is achieved by clearing weeds between the coffee trees. For eight years, we have responsibly managed the water flow for processing. The fermentation process is crucial and the degree of ripeness of the coffee cherries is measured with a brixometer to determine the optimal harvest time. This evaluation is intended to identify the best sugar content