Ethiopia Kolla Bocha
We're very excited about our new single origin offering, Kolla Bolcha, via our wonderful partners at Red Fox Coffee Merchants. An exceptional Ethiopian coffee, Kolla Bolcha came about partially because of the investment of the nonprofit organization Technoserve. Ten years ago, the Agaro region where Kolla Bolcha is grown was not known for high-quality coffee. What changed?
With the help of Technoserve, the farmers in Agaro were able to purchase a Penagos coffee pulper and began to adopt a washed process for their beans, rather than the natural process they used previously. The end result of the collaboration between the Ethiopian farmers and Technoserve is the coffee we enjoy today.
The farmers of the Agaro region are far from the only coffee growers who have benefitted from the assistance of Technoserve, which is why we'd like to highlight this exceptional organization and give consumers an awareness of who they are and what they do.
Technoserve was founded by American businessman and philanthropist Ed Bullard in 1968, while he was volunteering in Ghana. He realized that by providing underprivileged producers with access to funding and information (i.e. giving them access to the privileges he himself enjoyed) they would be fully capable of producing high-value products on their own.
Ed's intuition proved to be correct. Since the organization's founding, Technoserve has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of producers in developing countries through training, funding, and market access. The organization has focused much of its effort toward empowering women in particular.
So successful has Technoserve been at achieving its mission, that in February of 2020, it was awarded the National Coffee Association's Charity of the Year award. Additionally, major nonprofit watchdogs Charity Navigator and GuideStar have consistently rated Technoserve highly. Technoserve also partners and coordinates with other aid organizations, notably USAID.
Snowy Owl is proud to recognize the efforts of Technoserve and to serve coffee that has been facilitated in part through their efforts.
From Darkness to Light: How Yego Coffee Epitomizes Hope
Erupting out of the darkest era in history is a man with dignity and steadfast commitment to seeing tragedy bow down to goodness. Bolstered with confidence and pride, Francois Tuyishime walked into Snowy Owl coffee shop with one goal in mind— to get his family’s coffee onto our shelves. Over the course of the next few moments, we were presented with a vulnerable story of unyielding joy, courage, and strife.
In 1994, the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi people began. Francois and his family were under direct attack, living in a world of impalpable fear. Within one hundred days more than one million people were murdered and the homes of hundreds of thousands of people were defiled. Incomprehensible trauma swept over the Tutsi people in all of Rwanda, casting a blanket of grief, horror, and tragedy. At six years old Francois became a survivor of the Genocide.
While darkness and despair were consuming, the Tutsi people stood together with dignity. Yego, the word from Kinyarwanda meaning yes, became an anthem of hope, healing, affirmation, and positivity. The aftermath of the genocide still permeates the region but with a mindset transfixed on positivity, hope is being restored.
For over four decades, the Tuyishime family has harvested coffee. Coffee is the nation’s second leading source of income, and has provided a sustainable channel of security for Francois’s family. Fertile soil in Rwanda is highly competitive to acquire given the high population density, the abundance of crops being grown, and the nation being approximately the size of Massachusetts. After the area was ravaged, the Tuyishime family had to begin again from nothing. But coffee production is more than acquiring a sustainable income, it is a financial tool allowing the Tuyishime family to support and build up the local Rwandan communities.
Growing up, Francois’s father played a significant role mentoring Francois about coffee, business, and life. His father’s impact has set the trajectory of Yego Coffee by instilling in Francois the importance of recognizing that the coffee industry is more than creating profits. Francois went on to study at The National University of Rwanda where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and then pursued his Masters in Conflict Resolution from Brandeis University. The unique background of being immersed in coffee production partnered with educational achievements allows for Francois to actively participate in establishing long lasting and ethical relationships between New England coffee shops and the farmers in Rwanda.
Through our partnership, we are supporting Yego Coffee’s mission of supporting the Rwandan farmers. Currently, Francois operates two initiatives, Coffee Meals and Smile Girl. Coffee Meals provides school lunches for students attending the Busanze Primary School and Smile Girls provides sanitary pads for girls attending Busanze High School. Food insecurity and limited access to feminine menstrual products are two big needs in some of the Rwandan households. Currently these initiatives are directly providing for these specific needs, but Francois’s ultimate goal is to obtain relationships with roasters at competitive and equitable prices so the farmers are able to directly support all of their family’s expenses. Within ten years, it is Francois goal for every farmer to be financially empowered. We are proudly roasting Yego Coffee in our shops and excited to continue building our relationship with Francois.
Finca El Jardin: The Next Generation of Coffee Growers Bring a New Vision for the Future
On Finca El Jardin, residing deeper than the roots of coffee plants are the roots of family tradition. In 1918, Pablo del Cid’s great grandfather acquired a farm in the Fraijanes Plateau region of Guatemala. For over 100 years the del Cid family has managed the property that hosts complex and lush soil. Unwaveringly, the family has relied on its tried and true process of growing coffee, even though C Market prices have spiraled downward leaving it all but impossible to maintain a profitable coffee business. That is until Pablo boldly challenged tradition and took a lonely journey to bring the coffee of El Jardin to the next level.
Maintaining resilience and forging a new path for the Del Cid’s relationship to coffee is the foundation of Pablo’s pride, Quality Coffee. On his own micro-lot, Pablo experimented with processes to elevate the grade of his family’s coffee — studying the ins and outs of speciality coffee, trucking in high quality water, instituting new harvesting processes, tweaking, risk taking, and capitalizing on his mental stamina.
Growing up on the farm with his dad, Pablo learned the skills of fruitful harvesting. Still, harvesting coffee that meets the standards of speciality roasters was another challenge. Pablo pursued relationships with European roasters, but struggled to enter their markets. He went on to study in Sweden, researching speciality grade coffee and what it would require for his coffee to make it into the cups in curated shops. In Sweden he met his partner, Eva. Eva has played a dynamic role in supporting the development of Quality Coffee, and surprisingly, she was not a coffee drinker before meeting Pablo.
Remaining informed and involved with the intricacies of each process has led to Pablo’s success. Pablo and his team only process coffee from ripe cherries, which is not the norm in the surrounding area. With the help of local carpenters and blacksmiths, they’ve built greenhouses with raised beds and outdoor patios to dry their coffee. Refusing to take short cuts, Pablo has often chosen growing, harvesting, and processing methods that take longer, are more difficult than those used by traditional coffee farmers in his area, and are, at times, viewed with suspicion by previous generations of his family for contradicting traditional methods.
After a seven year hiatus, Pablo mastered his processes and is the first of his family to bring coffee to the United States. Quality Coffee is a story of perseverance, unyielding endurance, and giving back to the community. Despite conflicts that arose from blazing his own trail, Pablo intentionally invests in the local community to support the cultivation of more brave pursuits from the rising generation. Portions of Finca El Jardin have been donated to build a school in collaboration with the town’s Mayor. The school is named after the original owner of the land, Pablo’s great grandfather, Eusebio del Cid. Before the pandemic began, the school had 300 students from grades seven through nine. They hope that through the success of this and other coffees that this farm produces, they will be able to help contribute more towards the mission of ensuring all students have the supplies they need. We are proud to offer Finca El Jardin to our customers in store and online, and remain dedicated to providing our customers with coffee they can feel good about drinking.
Peru, Cusco; Hurtado Castro Gaspar; Valle Inca Cooperative; Red Fox Coffee Merchants (Copy)
Department: Cusco
Province: Calca
District: Yanatile
Community: Walla
Farm: Acsa
Producer: Hurtado Castro Gaspar
Cooperative: Valle Inca
Altitude: 1900 masl
Variety: Typica
Process: Washed
Harvest Period: June - September
Flavor Notes: Lemon, Chocolate, Green Apple
This is our second Peruvian coffee from the Valle Inca Cooperative in Cusco. Hurtado Castro Gaspar produces this particular washed coffee that is of the typica varietal at an elevation of 1,900 meters. Manuel is a part of the newly formalized Valle Inca Cooperative that is located in the Yanatile Valley. This cooperative is relatively new with 101 members and is quickly growing.
Valle Inca is led by Prudencio Vargas Saenz, a former agricultural loan officer. The knowledge he has from his previous work has greatly impacted how he operates Valle Inca. This cooperative was an informal group for many years, until this year when it was incorporated in order to gain organic certification, FairTrade certification, and the ability to export on its own. Valle Inca and Prudencio are well respected in the Calca province, due to Prudencio’s trustworthiness, dedication, and drive to invest in his community. He pays higher prices to his farmers to promote their stability, improving the health of the overall community and in doing so the coffee produced in these areas are almost always of a high quality. Due to the leadership of Prudencio, the value of this relationship he has with the producers shines through in each cup. Valle Inca produces consistently exceptional coffees that can satisfy the taste buds of a specialty coffee professional while still being approachable enough for the everyday coffee drinker.
Limited Edition: Papua New Guinea Eastern Highlands Banz A
Elevation: 1585 – 1768 masl
Varietals: Arusha, Mundo Novo
Milling Process: Fully Washed
Drying Process: Patio and solar dried machine
Harvest Time: April – September
Approximately 30 small-holder farmers contribute to the coffee from this lot located at an elevation of between 1585 – 1768 meters above sea level. They bring their coffee to the Jiwaka Kofi Mill in Banz, located in the Waghi Valley. The combination of this high elevation and extremely fertile soil create a complex cup. This cup gives notes of brown sugar, dark chocolate, and a touch of grapefruit.
Honduras El Jaguar COHORSIL
Altitude: 1220 to 1524 masl
Varietals: Catuai, Catimor, Pacas, Typica
Milling Process: Fully washed
Harvest: December – May
Flavor notes: Almond, Dark Chocolate, Orange
This washed coffee is grown at altitudes between 1,220 to 1,524 meters above sea level in the Comayagua region of Honduras. COHORSIL or La Cooperativa de Horticultores Siguatepeque Limitada is a cooperative that was formed in 1980 by 12 vegetable farmers. They formed this cooperative in order to improve the quality of their produce by working transparently to help encourage other farmers to adopt their practices. Before COHORSIL was incorporated, the farmers in this area primarily grew vegetables, this changed in the 80’s when they decided to diversify their crops and take advantage of their altitude by planting coffee. Starting in 1989, members of the cooperative switched to growing coffee as their main crop. It is a constant goal of theirs to improve practices in order to elevate the quality of their coffee. A cup of this coffee will bring flavor notes of almond, dark chocolate, and orange.
Peru, Cusco; Manuel Patilla Carrasco; Valle Inca Cooperative; Red Fox Coffee Merchants
Department: Cusco
Province: Calca
District: Yanatile
Community & Farm: Chaquimayo
Producer: Manuel Patilla Carrasco
Cooperative: Valle Inca
Altitude: 2100 masl
Variety: Typica & Caturra
Process: Washed
Flavor Notes: Toasted almond, Cocoa, Orange
Manuel Patilla Carrasco has been producing coffee for 18 years, over half of his lifetime, on his family’s farm called Chaquimayo. He produces this particular washed coffee that is of the typica & caturra varieties at an elevation of 2,100 meters. Manuel is a part of the newly formalized Valle Inca Cooperative that is located in the Yanatile Valley. This cooperative currently has 101 members and is quickly growing.
Valle Inca is led by Prudencio Vargas Saenz, a former agricultural loan officer. The knowledge he has from his previous work has greatly impacted how he operates Valle Inca. This cooperative was an informal group for many years, until this year when it was incorporated in order to gain organic certification, FairTrade certification, and the ability to export on its own. Valle Inca and Prudencio are well respected in the Calca province, due to Prudencio’s trustworthiness, dedication, and drive to invest in his community. He pays higher prices to his farmers to promote their stability, improving the health of the overall community and in doing so the coffee produced in these areas are almost always of a high quality. Due to the leadership of Prudencio, the value of this relationship he has with the producers shines through in each cup. Valle Inca produces consistently exceptional coffees that can satisfy the taste buds of a specialty coffee professional while still being approachable enough for the everyday coffee drinker.
Burundi Coffee from JNP; Aligning our Hearts and Minds
For a nation which culturally prefers tea, Burundi has made a name for itself in the specialty coffee world.
Located in Central Africa, Burundi is a small landlocked country, and one of the poorest in the world. According to the World Bank, the average GDP per capita in Africa was $14,923, in Burundi, it is $293. 80% of the population lives in poverty, one of the highest rates in the world.
Coffee was brought to Burundi from the Belgian colonists in the 1930s; in the last few years, it has grown to be the nation’s largest export. Over 90% of the population is employed by the agriculture industry. Located on the equator in the northern part of the tiny country, the Ngozi Province’s mountainous region is conducive to dynamic and bright coffee. Grown at heights of 1,200 to 1,950 meters above sea-level, Burundi beans create a phenomenal cup of coffee.
Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, the founder of JNP Coffee, is working to change that reality. Originally from Burundi, Jeanine operates JNP coffee from Massachusetts, but makes regular trips to Burundi. Her mother’s family owned a coffee farm in Burundi, allowing her mother to go to school. Through such a strong personal connection to coffee and the opportunities the export can create for Burundians, Jeanine named the coffee product “Bavyeyi.” In the native Kirundi language, “bavyeyi” means “family.” In reference to her own family history, Jeanine works to ensure that the women who grow and cultivate the coffee receive equitable payment.
The success of Jeanine’s initiatives for the women in Burundi is a dream come true for her and her partners.. When Jeanine visits women growers, they always take time to dance together in celebration.
Jeanine and women growers sort through and select the ripest beans for drying
A country with a long history of political instability, violence, and poverty, Burundi continues to be a place where women are fighting for rights to own land.
Sorting through the cherries after they have been naturally sun-dried before they will be depulped and sold as green beans to roasters.
Jeanine has also partnered with numerous organizations and founded initiatives aimed at educating women and overcoming societal stigmas against female education. In Burundi, women cannot own property. In the current coffee market structure, women cannot directly receive payment for their work.
JNP Coffee sources the majority of her coffee from women who are members of the Burundi Chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA). The IWCA aims to support and empower women in the coffee industry. Formed in 2003, there are currently 25 operational chapter countries. From Mexico to Vietnam, the IWCA seeks to provide women the opportunity to lead prosperous and sustainable lives.
Through sourcing its coffee through the IWCA, JNP Coffee provides payment and premiums directly to the women farmers. In the Burundi chapter, there are over 600 women growers who benefit from a direct premium payment system. On average, women reinvest 90% of their income back into their families and community. While the laws surrounding female ownership of land are in the reformation process in Burundi, the partnership with the IWCA ensures that women receive the payment they deserve, today.
We met Jeanine a few summers ago, when she and her family came into the Brewster cafe while on vacation here on Cape Cod. After just a few minutes of chatting, we realized this was someone who knew more about coffee than we did; we were immediately impressed by her women empowerment initiatives at source. She left us samples, and the rest is history. Nowadays, Jeanine is a very well-known name, and has elevated Burundi to coveted status of excellence in the world of specialty coffee. Big roaster names, such as Blue Bottle and Intelligentsia, would scoop up all of her green beans if she let them. She doesn’t; she cares about the small companies like ours and reserves enough beans Snowy Owl Coffee to share with our supportive customers. For that we are more than grateful.
Through the partnership with JNP Coffee, all Burundi coffee at Snowy Owl is grown on small production lots without genetic modification. Washed in fresh mineral-rich spring water and prepared and processed in the same day, the Bavyeyi bean is natural, fresh, and organic.
Customer Profile: Ann
“The people that work here aren’t just workers they become part of people’s lives or at least my life in particular. It’s the kindness and the warmth I feel here that makes me come back.”
Drink of Choice: Large drip / large pour over (Prefers Brewster) for here
Something interesting she’d like to share about herself
“You know what’s kind of interesting is I’ve been able to do the same profession for over 30 years, and I still really love it! I’ve been able work in settings with different ages of children and love the career. I’m able to work in areas around Boston and the Cape.
I only work right now with children up to 3 year olds in an Early Interventions at Kennedy Donovan Centers. I am a speech pathologist so, I work with primarily families and young children so that I can kind of help parents develop communication skills. I don’t just work with helping the kids to learn to talk or listen but I also work with the family practicing parenting skills like bed times, sleep times, and how to feed. I started Early Intervention right after grad school at BU. It’s changed how we work with families and I really think it changes in a way to make families feel like they are the most important teachers versus the expert that comes in.”
Why Ann keeps coming back to Snowy Owl:
“I’ve said this to Shayna, Manuel and a lot of you barista friends that there was something about Snowy Owl the first time I came in here. Shayna sometimes jokes that I was their first customer. It was a soft open but I walked in, being new to Brewster, and it was something about the feeling of the place that I can’t describe. I think people know it when they see it, and I think it’s the community that you now build. The people that work here aren’t just workers they become part of people’s lives or at least my life in particular. It’s the kindness and the warmth I feel here that makes me come back. When I go off Cape I kind of miss it. I miss the coffee because the coffee is awesome, but it’s the community feel and the connectedness. I think that’s kind of a universal thought for regulars that come here. We all say it a different way but that keeps us coming back, even in the summer!
Anything you’d like to say about our community (Brewster area/Snowy Owl):
More specifically to me about the community of Snowy Owl is that I find that Snowy Owl and the people that work here embrace lots of differences like: age, income, ethnic, racial, religious, and, political. I’ve been here long enough to see that even though people can be from different walks or are going through different paths there is a common community feel that Snowy Owl is an okay place. We can more than tolerate differences, we can respect them. We can embrace people and make them comfortable because we are all trying to be accepted and I think people can feel that at Snowy Owl!”
What Snowy Owl Staff has to say about Ann:
When I first met Ann, she approached me with a picture of the fluffiest pup and a smile on her face. That was when I found out she was the woman responsible for decorating our workspace with the adorable, vertically challenged corgis. Turns out she had a calendar of corgis at home and would rip the corgi of the day’s page off to hand to us every morning when she came in. Ann is just one of those regulars that cares about how we are doing and what’s going on in our lives. Every morning she joins other ‘veterans’ around the big red couch to check in about current events, horoscopes, and life. She is a staple in the Snowy Owl community that has shaped our culture. ~Kristie Handrinos