Madagascar Robusta Cherry

Sourcing Details

Madagascar is a specialty coffee origin that might be new to many, but coffee has been grown on the island since the 1800s and  has one of the most diverse coffee genetics anywhere on the planet.  Exports were booming into the 1990s and then there was a bust and coffee from Madagascar remained unnoticed for the years that followed.  Recently, a company called Madagascar Coffee Company (MCC) has come to the forefront of coffee’s revival in Madagascar. MCC works with farmers that cultivate just a few acres of coffee to sustain their families.  MCC’s motivation is poverty relief through coffee income improvements that come from the export of higher quality coffee typically rewarded in the specialty coffee market.

Processing Details

There is a growing trend in the specialty coffee world to seek out the Robusta species, which is considered more tolerant to the impacts of climate changes than the Arabica species.  Robusta’s flavor profiles, which have a negative reputation, might improve significantly with some of the processing innovations previously reserved for Arabica coffee. MCC’s centralized mills support robusta 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. MCC helps farmers with transportation to the centralized mill and provides transparent purchasing options.  At the central mill,  the same care in handling arabica coffee is placed on the post harvest of Robusta.  Cherries are sorted, macerated overnight and dried on raised beds.  MCC has made infrastructure innovations like drying structures that have greatly improved their ability to consistently meet quality standards for moisture content and water activity.  MCC also operates its own dry mill facility, ensuring an attention to detail throughout the entire post harvest process.