Ok let’s talk about transparency… 
 
Knowing where your coffee is coming from is one of the backbones of Third-Wave Coffee and something that has been (on the whole) very good for coffee. But, as with everything, there are always exceptions. Context is king in coffee and in life and what looks like transparency in one context can be a bureaucratic burden in another. Third-party certifications is a whole other soap box that I won’t get into here but for this case I think it’s important to talk about specifics. 
 
Most coffee farmers in Kenya are small-holder producers with an average crop size between .2-3 hectares. To put that in even clearer context, the rough estimate is that there are over 700,000 small-holder farmers and they produce roughly 70% of the country’s total coffee output! As such, many producers are only producing a single bag or two of exportable specialty coffee. In light of Specialty Coffee’s emphasis on transparency the question then becomes, what do we do with all these small lots when it comes to processing, export, and import? While I would personally love it if we all could be personally connected to every producer on an individual level for every product we consume... the reality is a little less idealistic. The answer then comes down to our old, often maligned, sometimes ally, sometimes enemy- blends. 
 
Before we clutch our transparent pearls, it’s fair to point out that blending in some ways is the anthesis of the transparency endeavor for specialty coffee- how can you trace something once you mix it with 10 other things? What about the “terroir?” Quelle horreur!  

Kenya solved this problem ages ago with most small-holder producers delivering their coffee cherry directly to the coffee “factory” (wet and dry mill) and only traceable to the factory level. Cafe Imports’ take on this problem is their Regional Select Program. Working with small producers and exporters, Cafe Imports will build “regional” lots by aggregating several of these small holder producers into a larger lot that still maintains the essential qualities each region is known for. Small-holders get access to larger markets, get premiums for higher-quality, and usually a quicker turn-around on getting paid. Importers and roasters get quality lots with a consistent profile for a slight discount (relative to other microlots) because of the bureaucratic cost-savings. IN GENERAL this works really well and we love working with importers and exporters who really lift the tide for all the boats involved in supply chains. 
 
This particular cup really impressed us on our sample table with its candied-orange and toffee sweetness and a luxurious apricot-jam note. This isn't the typical in-your-face acidity — instead it makes a cup with a very high 'yum' factor that you can enjoy at any point in your day. Don’t be afraid to push extraction on this one- otherwise those coffee cups will be transparent in a not-so-good way... 
 
(sorry, I had to) 
 
 

Enjoy!