TIMOR ORGANIC TRIPLE PICKED GRADE 1

Sourcing Details

Timor-Lester is a specialty coffee origin that might be new to many, but this is one of the very first places where the Portuguese started cultivating coffee some 200 years ago.  And since then, many improbable things have happened.  First there was a leaf rust outbreak that nearly wiped out all of the island’s arabica production.  Later arabica and robusta got together and naturally formed the Timor hybrid, which is a genetic component of nearly every other rust-resistant arabica cultivar.  Cooperativa Cafe Timor (CCT) is at the forefront of coffee’s revival in Timor-Lester, working with more than 25,000 farmers that cultivate just a few acres of coffee to sustain their families.

Processing Details

CCT operates a centralized wet mill to support harvests from small farms so farmers do not have to invest in mill equipment.  Production is small enough for each individual farmer to focus on meticulous cherry sorting. After purchasing and transporting to the central mill,  cherries are depulped, fermented, washed, and dried.  CCT has made infrastructure innovations like additional drying structures that have greatly improved their ability to consistently meet quality standards for moisture content and water activity.

Cooperative Activities

CCT has helped producers achieve organic certification and establish best farm management practices.  With this model of collaboration, CCT has established traceable community blends with a vibrant regional profile ensuring greater producer earnings from direct trade relationships. CCT also funds rural health Clinics to ensure that families have access to medical care.