Cafe Imports

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.

An Interview with Ahadu Woubshet, owner of Tega & Tula Specialty Coffee Farms

Watch our newest video – a profile of Tega & Tula in Kaffa, Ethiopia.

Bringing two top-scoring lots from ECIEV Venezuelan producer competition to the States!

Cafe Imports Green Buyer Piero Cristiani judged and bid at EICEV 2023, bringing home the 1st place washed and 3rd place anaerobic lots.

Fairtrade International to Raise Price Minimums

Fairtrade International is raising the floor price for Arabica coffees for the first time in over a decade to combat the economic instability that producers face.

Highlighting Carlos Guerra: Legendary Coffee Exchange Participant

Enjoy our interview with Roaster and Honduras Barista Champion Carlos Guerra, who won an Ikawa Pro 50 Sample Roaster through the Legendary Coffee Exchange at the 2023 SCA Expo.

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.

Critical Coffee Plant Research Initiative in Congress

An amendment to the 2023 Farm Bill could speed up research of coffee disease resistance.

Watch our web-hosted discussion Special Topics: Anaerobic Fermentation!

Watch our most recent public educational event now, discussing all things anaerobic fermentation in coffee processing. Find out how to be part of the next conversation!

Costa Rica 101 Trip: A Recap

Back in February, a collection of staff, roasters, and baristas went for an educational excursion.

2023 Progress Report: Now Published

A note from Founder and President Andrew Miller introducing our 2023 Progress Report.

Where Sensory Science Intersects Specialty Coffee

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.

Field Report: Fermentation Training Camp in Risaralda, Colombia with Lucia Solis

At Cafe Imports, we’ve noted a rise in questions about processing, many of which either center around deciphering terminology or what the growing hype about methodology in fermentation and processing means for producers/processors and the coffees they create.

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.

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