Pink…Bourbon?: Cryptozoology and Genetics in Specialty Coffee

One area that has been rightly ripping, in particular relative to historical norms, has been the introduction, interest in, and acceptance of new coffee varieties. When Castillo was introduced many people wanted to turn their noses up at it. In our lab, we were more accepting, as the results on the cupping table were impossible to deny. We regularly found it to perform well against Caturra, Typica, and the many other varieties that we blinded it against. When it won the Cup of Excellence, people were somehow shocked, going so far as to disbelieve the results.

And then, seemingly overnight, Castillos were broadly accepted. What happened?

The Race for Fresh Crop by Jason Long

Is Fresh and Fast Good?
Fresh is good – freshly baked bread or freshly roasted coffee.
Fast can be good, too. Coffee hanging out in port towns like Dar, Tanzania, when it’s 99ᵒF (37ᵒC) and 99% humidity for extended periods is not ideal. In coffee, though, fresh and fast together aren’t always good. There is a strange race nowadays for new crop coffees where offerings may arrive before they should even be shipped.

Presenting Purchase Planning: Costa Rica 2023

As a nimble and independently owned importer, we recognize that a roaster’s selections can only be made in advance with real-time information. Our green buying team is passionate about working actively with producers at origin throughout the year and sharing their knowledge and experiences with roasters like you.

About 4 years ago we noticed . . .an international mystery

Ethiopian coffee has always been our favorite, but there has always been a weird reshuffle of the business every few years, usually due to a governmental change triggered by something behind the scenes. We wanted to figure out what was going on this time.

What happens when an experimental farm and a micromill work hand in hand for five years?

Finca Juan Martin and Manos Juntas are two different projects, both striving to make coffee production more profitable for producers and consistently delicious for consumers, all under the Banexport umbrella. Banexport is our longstanding partner and friend, sourcing and exporting many of our Cauca, Huila, and Nariño offerings. Their commitment to quality, sustainability, and economic equality for producers is exemplified in their projects, particularly Finca Juan Martin and Manos Juntas.

Where Are We Now? A Café Imports Australia MICE Panel Discussion

As we all came together during the week of MICE, we were excited to welcome some new and old faces to CIA HQ for an evening of good chats, tacos, and wine, paired with a panel discussion focused on the topic of change and the current state of the coffee industry.

Introducing our Education Team

We couldn’t be more excited to announce the addition of two new faces to Cafe Imports, representing our Education team.

Guatemala Purchase Planning

We have designed our purchase planning tools with you in mind to make buying coffee with us smoother than ever.

Costa Rica Purchase Planning

We have designed our purchase planning tools with you in mind to make buying coffee with us smoother than ever.