Single Origin vs. Blend

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Postby Aadje » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:31 am

We tend to concentrate on drinkable coffees, that is only a small percentage of all coffee grown.

So what do they do with the undrinkable part? Kettlefeed? Coffee for the ignorant?
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Postby ivdp » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:44 pm

Soluble and cheap blends, and coffee for poor(er) countries.
On the other hand, some like Rio Minas very much which, I am sure, you would call undrinkable.
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Postby Isabel » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:26 am

So what do they do with the undrinkable part? Kettlefeed? Coffee for the ignorant?


Soluble and cheap blends, and coffee for poor(er) countries.


I wanted to bring a different view to this particular discussion. As someone who comes from a poorer developing country I see everyday that the preference of the vast majority is of course cheap coffee (whatever is left over from the crop that couldn't be sold) or soluble coffee (because no matter how bad the coffee is, soluble coffee always tastes the same).

However recently, a social movement has started to increase the consumption of coffee in our country and several other coffee producing countries. In El Salvador's case, the goal of the Salvadoran Coffee Association, partnered with coffee experts from around the world, is to triple the average Salvadoran consumption in the coming years. However, they want to achieve this not by increasing consumption of poor quality or soluble coffee, but by introducing and teaching people about good coffee. A similar campaign was implemented in Brazil some years back and it worked amazingly. Locals started to drink better coffee and not just settle for whatever is left after all the good coffee has been sold or exported.

However, there will always be bad coffee, and there will always be people that market it and people that buy it. It is safe to say that after years of drinking bad coffee, people get used to the flavor and demand their coffee as bad as it is, unchanged. Hopefully these new "publicity" campaigns will help educated people, because really everybody deserves to drink a good cup of coffee :)
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Postby bruceb » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:41 am

This was very interesting to me. Thank you for sharing this information with us.

Isabel wrote:However, there will always be bad coffee, and there will always be people that market it and people that buy it. It is safe to say that after years of drinking bad coffee, people get used to the flavor and demand their coffee as bad as it is, unchanged.


Amen! This paragraph should be automatically attached to every forum entry asking why we get such bad coffee when we go to restaurants and cafés.
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Postby Aadje » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:44 am

@ Ivo: the rio minas has indeed an interesting taste. Not my cup of . . eh . . coffee.

@ Isabel: maybe it's a good thing that poor quality coffee exists, it makes coffee affordable.
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Postby Steve » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:51 am

I think that the El Salvador association do this very very well too. I wrote an article on my blog a while back talking about how El Salvador is the new Brazil, and I found out that the consejo had handed it amongst some farmers at a meeting. when we bought a cup of excellence lot they are very keen to put buyer and seller in touch in a way that others fail to do.

I regularly get mail from the consejo just saying hi how are things going.

And the best news is I'm off to El Salvador next month to visit some of our friends which is very exciting :)
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Postby Aadje » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:54 am

Sun and coffee, great combination!
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Postby Steve » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:55 am

Sun with my skin not such a great combination lots of sun cream :)
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Postby Aadje » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:59 am

That sounds very familiar. Just wear longsleeves . . .
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Postby ivdp » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:14 pm

Currently the fastest growing markets in terms of coffee consumption are, apart from China, coffee growing countries, notably Brazil and Vietnam.
Brazil is expected to consume this year more than 18 mio bags!
buying power does not allow to consume best coffees or import very good coffees from other countries.
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Postby Isabel » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:53 pm

I am so glad to hear someone is familiar with the efforts done in El Salvador :) I think they are doing a great job, with a lot of effort of course, and really hope it continues for years to come.

And the best news is I'm off to El Salvador next month to visit some of our friends which is very exciting Smile


I hope you have fun in El Salvador Steve! It is a great time to visit, the weather is beautiful and the people are always nice :) ( A little bias..but hey!) Are you going for any of the Cup of Excellence events?
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Postby Steve » Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:29 pm

Isabel wrote:
I hope you have fun in El Salvador Steve! It is a great time to visit, the weather is beautiful and the people are always nice :) ( A little bias..but hey!) Are you going for any of the Cup of Excellence events?


I've met a quite a few folk from El Salvador and they are always lovely people, its very exciting to be able to finally visit.

I arrive on the Friday at the end of the cup of excellence for the awards ceremony, then I'm off to visit two of my all time favorite farms, spend some time in San Salvador, then a long drive through Honduras to Nicaragua for a couple of days. Busy schedule but thats always the best was to get things done.

Just ordered my El Salvador Football shirts for the trip. :)
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Postby Isabel » Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:14 pm

I am sorry I have been away for so long...but I just wanted to wish Steve a great time in Central America. Enjoy your trips to the farms and the last days of the Cup of Excellence. I am sure your trip will be one to remember!
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Postby Steve » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:20 pm

I really hope so and thanks for your kind wishes. I'll report back with photos and story's I'm sure :) .
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