PUERTO RICAN COFFEE

After hurricane Irma and Maria devastated the island on September 20, 2017, my family and I decided to move to Puerto Rico, work the land and help the island get back on its feet in any way that we could. We were coffee lovers back then and understood that the coffee industry is one that would not exist were it not for the coffee farmers that work day to day to give us that hot cup of coffee. So we decided to become coffee farmers. Did you know that it takes about three years for a farmer to be able to harvest coffee from a seedling? From the time a farmer plants the coffee to harvest, he or she has about three long years before being able to sell their coffee. This can be a problem for some coffee farmers, especially after a disaster.

The Problem for The Coffee Farmer in Puerto Rico

After the devastation, many farmers abandoned their farms, quit or left the island entirely. With all the damage done to the existing coffee trees, Puerto Rico as whole, was left with little to no coffee cherries on its trees. This created a major dilemma in the coffee industry for the island that only a few initiatives and organizations attempted to mend. Some donated coffee tree seedlings and others offered some funding to rebuild farms and replant trees. But there was still an underlying problem left unanswered. How would the farmers feed their families while waiting for the next harvest in October 2019?

The Unknown Problem For The Coffee Lover Worldwide

There is a trend on the rise within specialty coffee culture of the need to know where its coffee is coming from. We want to know if its fair trade, we want to know if the farmer is paid fairly and what conditions they must endure to grow our coffee that we love so dearly. For new coffee lovers and seasoned coffee lovers alike, we have all thought about the harsh realities a coffee farmer must face to produce the coffee we enjoy. We have our favorite coffee brands, our coffee roasters, our quaint little coffee shops and we partake in a culture that seems set aside for a special type of coffee connoisseur. But how many of us within this "type" truly seeks to know the coffee farmer? I mean, truly wants to experience this process from seed to cup? However, if you are among those who want to know, then you will find this problem difficult to resolve.

The Solution For Everyone Involved

We have created a way, an answer for both coffee farmers to provide for their families while they wait for harvest and coffee lovers to share in the unique experience of their coffees production from seed to cup. You can now witness, first hand, what it takes to grow your coffee. You now have the opportunity to adopt your very own coffee tree, and become part of the solution for the rebuilding of a coffee industry and the betterment of the coffee farmer. Finally, an answer to the problem for both sides of the culture.

About the Program

We are a select network of small specialty coffee farms that grow high quality, arabica coffee. We pick, process and roast our coffee ourselves and we only pick ripe, red cherries. We have the unique opportunity to be highly selective with our cherries because of how direct we are to our consumer. Once harvested, processed and roasted, you receive your coffee within days instead of months like the traditional method. Most coffee farms are forced to pick everything from green to red cherries because of the high demand and high quantity they must process to meet demand order size. Sadly, with the tradition method, it takes many months before you even get to drink it.

We are the next level of specialty coffee for the true coffee connoisseur.

The usual coffee supply chain looks like this:
Farm → Private trader → Processing plant → Local exporter → Importer → Roastery → Retailer → Consumer

Our supply chain, looks like this:

Farm → Café Artesano → Roaster → Consumer