Resources

• Webinar

Cropster & Algrano Series Episode 2

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways for buyers and sellers to build strong and transparent relationships. However, who owns and controls these stories and narratives has often been one-sided. In our second webinar with Algrano we are joined by Philip Schallberger of Kaffeemacher and Diego Robelo of Aquiares Costa Rica to hear some terrific stories and discuss the importance of owning your narrative to empower your presence across the supply chain.
published

• Costa Rica

• Trends
• Interview

Why sometimes you just have to add things to coffee: on fermentation and adulteration

Why we’re probably not using the word “infused” right, what really happens when a farmer adds fruit to coffee and why we should think twice before calling that adulteration. Read about how one of the loudest voices in coffee approaches the subject and learn about other lesser-known benefits of fermentation such as batch consistency, longer shelf-life and why the process doesn’t have to go beyond (more or less) 36 hours.
published

• Blog

The principles behind Algrano's direct sourcing

To source directly means simply that it is the producers who make you offers when the coffees are still in their possession. The quality, price and samples you get come straight from them. This model has a lot of potential but it is only as ethical as the roaster who embraces it. Below are the principles we endorse to make direct sourcing a tool for positive change.
published

What is direct sourcing? Is it the same thing as direct trade?

Life is too short to discuss what direct trade is, so call it what you want. However, as the industry moves away from the slippery concept, we choose to highlight a sourcing model that is more accurate to what really happens in the supply chain and that gets right the things that direct trade got wrong.
published

• Interview

Five things you should know about Indonesian coffee

When most roasters and green buyers think of Indonesian coffee they think about wet-hulled Sumatra. Musty, earthy, spicy, tobacco-y… Some love it, others can’t stand it. However, Indonesia is much more than a cup of earthy wet-hulled Sumatra. Read the summary of our interview with Troy Kiper of Bright Java Coffee and discover the diverse flavour profiles being produced by young forward-thinking cooperatives.
published

• Indonesia

• Case study

How Bell Lane Coffee built a relationship with Canta Galo Farm from a 3 bag order

New to direct sourcing? Read Niko's story. The Irish roaster exchanged messages with Brazilian producer Heron on Algrano and quickly connected. Now in the second year of their relationship, Bell Lane contracted 160 bags and secured their favourite micro-lot before the harvest even started…
published

• Brazil

• Webinar

Simplifying Direct Sourcing with Cropster

Algrano and Cropster spoke with Hannes Fendrich of Coffee Circle to learn about the challenges, opportunities, and philosophies of direct sourcing from the roaster's perspective. With Hannes, Marcus Young of Cropster and Luiza Furquim of Algrano discuss how technology can improve direct sourcing through traceability, roaster/producer matchmaking, simplified logistics, and transparently sharing quality reports. Hannes shared how his solutions from Cropster and Algrano simplify direct sourcing.
published

• Blog

How to break the link between specialty and the C-price & other questions roasters are asking

Understand the reactions triggered by the increase in the C-price, how producers in Brazil and Peru are responding to it and get sound advice from our sales manager Toom Booth.
published

• Brazil
• Peru

• Harvest report

The impact of frost and drought on Brazilian coffee in 2021

Brazil has faced severe drought since September 2020. This led to higher percentages of malformed beans and screen sizes below 16. Selection and dry-milling will keep defects from reaching roasters but have reduced farms’ productivity.
published

• Brazil

• Case study

Friedhats & Gasharu: Embracing Rwanda without fear of potato defect

The quality of Rwanda's coffee has skyrocketed in the last decade. However, many buyers remain reticent about this origin because they fear the infamous Potato Taste Defect (PTD). Though PTD can't be 100% avoided, it is under scrutiny in the country and its incidence has decreased as quality improved. Now, some progressive roasters are willing to take the risk. Friedhats, a specialty roastery in Amsterdam, talks about their experience with the origin and how they are enjoying a partnership with Gasharu in Nyamasheke. They are not looking back...
published

• Rwanda

• Product

Algrano's lexicon: the difference between a seller and a producer

Algrano started referring to growers as either sellers or producers. This change of terms was put in place to reflect more accurately the roles of different actors in the supply chain. The word grower has become too broad and vague to communicate how different organizations act in the producing countries available on Algrano. By doing this, we hope to make it easier for roasters to understand who is involved in the sale of a given coffee and to provide extra transparency.
published

• Interview

Café Selva Norte: the environmental project in Peru you should support to reduce your carbon footprint

Deforestation is one of the main causes behind the emission of greenhouse gases in Peru and growing coffee under full sun, a practice which became common after the leaf rust crisis in 2013, is one of the contributing factors. To fight this, agroforestry project developer Ecotierra created the Café Selva Norte initiative. Read our interview with Guillaume Nadeau, Deputy CEO of Ecotierra Canada, to learn how the project supports cooperatives through microcredit, seedlings and technical assistance to farmers so they can transition from full sun to a healthy shade-grown crop, which will also improve their yields and double their income.
published

• Peru