Back from the Road: Saludos, Guatemaltecos

3-20-09

Upon recently returning from Central America, Counter Culture Coffee's Sustainability & Producer Relations Manager Kim Elena Bullock offers us a detailed report about her visit with the Recinos family of Finca Nueva Armenia in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. A crucial part of our direct communication with coffee farmers, such personal visits build trust and lay the groundwork for long-term, mutually supportive relationships with our producer partners at origin.  During this most recent trip to Guatemala, Kim met up with Javier and Jorge Recinos in Guatemala City, where they cupped coffee together, discussed quality development projects for the upcoming year, and visited the mill where Finca Nueva Armenia's coffee is processed for export. 

For a full account of Kim Elena's visit with the Recinos family in Guatemala, please see our Origins section.

Thanks,
Nathan

More from the Road: The Journey Continues

3-26-09

Counter Culture Coffee's Sustainability & Producer Relations Manager Kim Elena Bullock filed another trip report this week that picks up where she left off from her Guatemala report: headed to La Labor, Honduras. Kim Elena met up in La Labor with Head Roaster Tim Hill following his visit with Aida Batlle at Finca Mauritania, in Santa Ana, El Salvador, and the two paid a visit to long-time Counter Culture Coffee producer partner Roberto Salazar of Finca Pashapa. A shining example of the potential economic sustainability that can be built upon environmental sustainability, Salazar's Finca Pashapa produces its entire compost requirements on-site through careful farm management and the tireless labor of thousands of worms—Finca Pashapa's vermiculture is incredible.

For Kim Elena's full account of her visit with the Roberto Salazar of Finca Pashapa, please see our Origins section.

For the whole story of Tim's visit with Aida Batlle, please read his post in our Origins section.

Best,
Nathan

Back from the Road: El Salvador

3-25-09

Our Head Roaster Tim Hill recently returned from a visit with Central American producer partners. Tim's focus for this trip on development projects at origin is part of our ongoing effort to work with partnering farmers to continue to improve their already incredible quality.

In his trip report, Tim shares an account of his visit with coffee superstar Aida Batlle and her Finca Mauritania operation in Santa Ana, El Salvador, tasting new harvest lots, and visiting the nearby farm on which this year's Los Luchadores, our El Salvadoran Pacamara selection, was grown.

For the whole story, please read Tim's post in our Origins section.

Thanks,
Nathan

Meet the Buyer Event at Everyman Espresso in NYC

3-18-09

Manhattan's Everyman Espresso will host a special Meet the Coffee Buyer event Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m., with Counter Culture Coffee's Director of Coffee and co-owner Peter Giuliano. The event, subtitled Building Quality from Seed to Cup, will cover a range of topics including but not limited to discovering and developing coffee quality, stories and photos from origin, and connecting coffee with taste experiences.

Combined with his gift for storytelling, Peter's wealth of knowledge about coffee, its history, and the communities that produce it will certainly make for an entertaining and enlightening evening.

Everyman Espresso
136 East 13th Street
(Between 3rd and 4th Ave)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 533-0524

Best,
Nathan