Larrea Blend

STORY

The first part of this blend comes to us from Rwacof Mill in Kigali. This lot embodies a clean and pure cup. Cherry is selectively handpicked to remove any damaged or under ripe cherries. Washing stations only accept perfectly ripe cherries, so farmers take more care when they pick to ensure the maximum amount of their harvest is accepted. Working with other organizations in Rwanda, Rwacof mill invests heavily in farmer training and good agricultural practices. Rwacof’s Farmer Field School shares information with all their partners about best agricultural practices, conservation tactics, the importance of picking only ripe cherries and more.

The Rwandan component is met with a well cherished lot from the Ribang Gayo Musara Cooperative. It was from this cooperative that we purchased our first Indonesian coffee and we are always excited for an opportunity to feature this origin. 

The cooperative was founded by Asman Arianto, whose interest in coffee production began when he was living in Aceh Tengah in Sumatra. He shortly began collecting cherries, processing coffees and experimenting with different processing methods. 

Asman decided he wanted to build a cooperative to bring together coffee farmers and find a market for these unique Asian-Pacific coffees. In 2018, he formed the cooperative intending to offer competitive prices to help farmers reinvest in their farms and their families. The cooperative currently has over 350 members who deliver cherries to their processing facility in Pantan Musara. 

The benefits for cooperative members are threefold. First, they get higher prices for their cherries when they sell to the cooperative. Second, as cooperative members, they receive end-of-season “second payment” premiums that share a portion of profits earned for higher-quality lots. In 2019, that premium was 500 Rupiah per kilogram. Finally, Ribang Gayo Musara provides training and outreach for farmers in everything from cultivation to processing.