Counter Culture Coffee | Coffee Driven

News Archive

From the Road: Saludos Peruanos!

8-27-10

Our Sustainability & Producer Relations Manager Kim Elena Bullock returned on Wednesday from a visit to Peru, the country of her first-ever producer-relations trip back in September of 2006. Since then, she's spent more time there than in any other coffee-producing country.

This year, for the first time, Kim Elena visited the growers of Valle del Santuario during the dry season, which presented muddy mountain paths transformed into pleasant, if challenging, hikes, and chilly nights contrasted nicely with warm, sunny days.

Read the full trip report in our COFFEE ORIGINS section for Kim's insight into the growth of our relationships with artisan farmers in Peru, as well as the questions commonly asked by the farmers who grow the delicious coffee we call Valle del Santuario.

And, stay tuned for Kim Elena's Flickr photo essay from her trip some time next week.

Thanks,
Nathan

Our Local Communities

7-22-10

We do all of our roasting in Durham, NC, and since our founding in 1995, we have partnered with organizations and donated resources to causes and organizations that work to preserve and improve our local community.

Building a sustainable business is central to Counter Culture Coffee's mission. We strive to be leaders in sustainable coffee and combine our commitment to buying high-quality coffee with respect for the natural environment.

One of the responsibilities of a sustainable business is to contribute in positive ways to our local community, as well as the communities of producer partners around the world. We do all of our roasting in Durham, NC, and since our founding in 1995, we have partnered with organizations and donated resources to causes and organizations that work to preserve and improve our local community.

Visit the Local Communities portion of the Sustainability section of our website for a recently updated list of organizations to which we have contributed resources in our communities.

Thanks,
Nathan

"Finca" Means Farm

7-20-10

You may have noticed that a disproportionately large number of our coffee names begin with the word "Finca." Our Director of Coffee and co-owner Peter Giuliano explains why and reveals the origin of the many beautifully named producers that contribute fresh, seasonal selections to our coffee offerings.

For Peter's story behind the names, visit our Facebook page now.

Thanks,
Nathan

From the Road: Hello from Peru!

7-14-10

Away from the coast and through the foothills of the Andes – up and over the spectacular peaks of South America – is little valley where the greatest coffee in Peru is grown. Photo by Peter Giuliano.

Our Director of Coffee and co-owner Peter Giuliano recently returned from trip to Peru, where he met with exporters and cuppers, visited the dry mill, and toured some of the contributing farms that make our delicious Valle del Santuario coffee possible – working his way backwards along the long road that coffee takes to get to us.

For the full story, read his trip report in our COFFEE ORIGINS section.

Thanks,
Nathan

From the Road: Kenya

6-21-10

Kim Elena with representatives of the Thiriku co-op in Nyeri,
Kenya, in June, 2010.

Following her visit to Burundi, our Sustainability & Producer Relations Manager Kim Elena Bullock headed to Nyeri, Kenya, and filed a report from her visit to the Thiriku cooperative society from which Counter Culture Coffee bought a harvest lot of coffee last year.

This wasn't Kim Elena's first time to Kenya, but she had never seen a Kenyan coffee farm or any of the numerous washing stations from which Counter Culture has purchased coffee. She arrived at the washing station full of questions. How many growers are in the co-op? What is the average yield per plant? Why does this coffee taste so amazing?

Read her full trip report in our COFFEE ORIGINS section to learn more about her trip and our partners in Kenya.

Best,
Nathan