Tag Archives: Andrew Hetzel

Developing the specialty market for robusta with the first “Taza Dorada” in Ecuador

2016-08-16 Kraig Kraft Comments Off

The Borderlands project took place on two sides of the Colombian – Ecuadorian border. In Nariño we know about the hidden potential to produce high quality Arabica coffees. We’ve shared some of the stories from there previously on this blog. Less than 100 miles away, while the Andes mountains continue tracing the spine of South […]

316. CRS and the great debate

2012-11-07 Coffeelands Staff Comments Off

Yesterday I referred here to some recent salvoes in the escalating debate over the appropriate role for Robusta coffees in the U.S. specialty market. Today, some reflections on our modest role in support of the fine Robusta project.

315. The great (Robusta) debate

2012-11-06 Coffeelands Staff Comments Off

Over the past few months, a debate over the state of the market has raged between people with very different visions of how that market will evolve into the future. The tenor of the debate has been respectful, but charged, marked by references to class warfare, crony capitalism, core values and special interests. I am […]

314. Robusta on the cupping table

2012-10-24 Coffeelands Staff Comments Off

Earlier this month in Colombia, we worked with Sustainable Harvest to stage an event-within-an-event during its annual Let’s Talk Coffee gathering. Our event, which focused on “the other coffee,” was a three-part program called “Let’s Talk Robusta” that culminated in a fine Robusta cupping led by the great Sunalini Menon. Video coverage of the cupping […]

313. Robusta: The other coffee

2012-10-23 Coffeelands Staff Comments Off

Last October, I wrote the R-word on this blog for the first time. I was explaining our collaboration with smallholder farmers in Ecuador’s northern Amazon region to explore the emerging market for specialty Robusta coffees. It took us more than a year to re-engage publicly with the idea of fine Robusta, but we think it […]