COLOMBIA

The Country
Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America and the only country in the region to have both Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The highland area which runs down the central-western part of the country is made up of three mountain ranges that form into the single Andean range in the south. To the east, and comprising almost half the landmass, is a vast area of flat plainland and Amazon jungle. Colombia has been persistently disrupted by political violence for decades, funded in recent years by huge illicit revenue gained from drug trafficking. Oil and agriculture (including coffee) form the basis for legitimate export revenue.

The Coffee
Colombia is the second largest arabica coffee producing country in the world after Brazil and the largest producer of washed arabica. Coffee is grown at altitudes of between 800 to 1,900 metres. The main region is located in the western area between the central and western cordilleras. However, there are also extensive growing areas in the north east and down in the south west of the country. Qualities have been variable over the past few years due to declining investment in cultivation (stemming from low prices). There is growing availability of speciality grades though the regular excelso and supremo grades continue to be the mainstay of many a coffee blend. Harvest times vary throughout the country. Broadly speaking the west and north have their main crops in October to December. The southern region has its main crop April to June.

Our Relationship
DRW has been developing relationships with a number of exporters and producers in Colombia. We have recently began working with one of the largest locally owned private exporters in order to be in a position to offer conventional grades and premium quality coffees from around the country, taking advantage of seasonal differences in order to offer the best possible qualities. Colombia is also an important Fairtrade origin and we have since early 2004 maintained a direct relationship with grower groups in the Cauca region (south west Colombia).

BRAZIL

The Country
Brazil occupies almost half the landmass of South America and is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the region. The sheer size of the country and the mix of ethnic origins – mainly Indigenous, African and European – has given Brazil a diverse cultural identity. Brazil is the 10th largest economy in the world and in recent years there has been a strong expansion into agroindustry with a whole range of agricultural products being added to traditional exports such as coffee.

The Coffee
Brazil is famously the world’s largest coffee producer, accounting typically for over one quarter of world production (an average of 30 million bags). About two-thirds of domestic production is arabica with one-third robusta (conillon as it is known locally). Coffee is produced mainly in the states of Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo. Traditionally most arabica produced has been natural dried coffee, though more recently quality improvements have seen a growth of pulped naturals (effectively a semi-washed process) and washed arabicas. Brazilian coffee is preferred by many as a base for espresso blends as it offers low acidity and a smooth sweetness. Brazil is rare as a producer in that it consumes about 45-50% of its own production (15 million bags). This makes Brazil the world’s second largest consumer of coffee in the world after the US. The harvest for arabicas starts in June.

Our Relationship
DRW deals with a number of exporters in order to satisfy our customer demands. From the bread-and-butter Santos grades sourced through brokers to premium quality coffees sourced direct from farms, we are in a position to offer a broad range of coffees from Brazil. As of December 2004 we have become the exclusive UK representatives for the renowned Daterra farms, which offer superlative sustainable coffees.

PERU

The Country
Peru is the third largest country in South America. It is steeped in a rich pre-colonial history of the Inca civilisation and a turbulent recent past defined by hard-line left-wing guerrilla groups and autocratic leaders. Over the past few years, Peru has begun to shed this troubled reputation and is generally much more peaceful. It’s landmass offers a stunning variety of Andean mountains, Amazon basin jungle, desert and Pacific coastline.

The Coffee
Peru grows a sizeable volume of coffee (about 4 million bags annually) although traditionally it has been sold as a cheap arabica. Most of the coffee is washed arabica although there is some production of naturals. Growing areas are located in the Andean range that cuts down through the centre of the country from heights of about 800m to 2,000m above sea level. Peru is one of the largest growers of organic coffee. There is one harvest which begins in June running through to October.

Our Relationship
DRW has been working since 2003 with two cooperative groups – Cecovasa and Cepicafe – in order to feed the growing demand for Peruvian coffee. Both groups are members of Progreso and offer both conventional and Fairtrade terms. Cecovasa is located in the south of the country (Valle de Sandía) while Cepicafe operates in the northern department of Piura.

COSTA RICA

The Country
Costa Rica has historically been Central America’s most stable country. Politically, it has benefited from the abolition of the armed forces in the late 1940s. Economically, the country has traditionally benefited from agricultural products such as coffee, bananas, sugar and cocoa). More recently tourism and light industry have played an increasingly important role. Geographically Costa Rica is dominated by a high volcanic mountain range in the centre, trailing off down to both Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

The Coffee
The coffees grown here have for years been considered some of the best in the world. Comparatively high production costs have made it increasingly hard for Costa Rica to compete on ‘mainstream’ grades of coffee due to a price slump in the first few years of this decade. However, the speciality sector is booming due to an upsurge in demand, particularly from the US. Although some of these ‘speciality’ grades are questionable, the main regions such as Tarrazu and Tres Rios continue to offer fine qualities. The harvest period is from November to March.

The Relationship
DRW has a long standing relationship one of Costa Rica’s key locally-owned exporters. This has allowed us to supply consistent grades of SHBs and HGAs over the years. In addition we have also developed close ties with Costa Rica’s principal exporter for Fairtrade producers. We also keep in regular contact with other shippers in order to identify opportunities for premium quality coffees, such as Tarrazu.

EL SALVADOR

The Country
El Salvador is located in Central America and is bordered by Guatemala, Honduras and the Pacific Ocean. The country is dominated by two almost parallel rows of volcanoes. Since enduring severe political upheaval and civil war in the 1970s and 1980s, El Salvador has been more peaceful over the past decade. However, the country has been vulnerable to severe weather conditions, including earthquakes and hurricanes, which have hampered reconstruction. Coffee remains the main export earner,

The Coffee
The coffee industry in El Salvador is making great strides to lose its reputation as a cheap ‘central’ coffee and demonstrate the quality of coffee that can be sourced. Much coffee that is grown is of the bourbon variety. This was an unintentionally beneficial legacy of the civil war, whereby the bourbon trees were not uprooted in favour of hardier types of arabica trees. The main coffee growing regions are located in the west of the country and around San Salvador, the capital. The harvest for better quality coffees is from January to April/May.

Our Relationship
DRW works almost exclusively with high quality producers in El Salvador, particularly those registered under the Rainforest Alliance sustainable certification programme. In a number of cases we have been able to match up customers with specific farmers to develop mutually beneficial long term-relationships.

GUATEMALA

The Country
Called the country of ‘eternal spring’ by some, Guatemala is a rarity among Latin American countries in that its indigenous population is in the majority. A land rich in biodiversity including the dense jungle area of the north and the lush mountains in the western highlands dominated by a string of volcanoes.

The Coffee
The coffees grown in Guatemala are without a doubt some of the best in the world with a high concentration of differing cup profiles throughout the country. Cultivation began with the Jesuits in 1750 but commercial production did not really get going until German settlers arrived around 1860. Today, many key exporters and growers remain strongly attached to their German ancestry. The harvest is from September to April with higher quality coffees coming through towards the end of this period.

The Relationship
DRW has relationships with a number of exporters in order to match customer requirements, including Fedecocagua and Transcafe. We were the first importer in the UK to offer SHBs from the Huehuetenango area. We currently import conventional SHBs, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and speciality grade coffees.

HONDURAS

The Country
Honduras is a beautiful country that occupies an important place in Central American history. At one time the ancient Mayan city of Copan was seen as the capital of the Central America until around 900 AD when, like a lot of the other Mayan cities, it was mysteriously abandoned. However, it is also one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and was one of the worst hit countries affected by Hurricane Mitch in 1997.

The Coffee
In recent years Honduras has been re-establishing itself as a leading exporter from Central America. Honduras has great potential for high quality coffees with distinct regions such as Marcala, Capucas and Los Alpes offering a surprising variety of cup character. Additionally commercial grade SHGs and HGs can offer a good bodied medium acidic coffee useful for blending purposes. Harvest is from October to March.

The Relationship
DRW has established a close relationship with La Central de Cooperativas Cafeteleras de Honduras (CCCH). La Central was formed in 1997 with the objective of promoting the development of rural communities through various coffee projects. The direct relationship allows producers to bypass the numerous intermediaries in the internal Honduran supply chain, channelling greater resources back to the farm level. La Central have the ability to offer good volumes of all types of coffee, including SHGs, HGs and region specific. In addition they also have Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified coffee.

NICARAGUA

The Country
Nicaragua is one of the largest countries in Central America, with both Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, and sharing borders with Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador. The land is dominated by volcanoes, lush tropical highlands and the huge lake Managua. Since the 1990s Nicaragua has been trying to reemerge politically and economically from the divisive civil war during the 1980s.

The Coffee
Nicaraguan coffee is emerging as an origin that offers some top quality coffees. Traditionally the coffee has sold at a substantial discount compared to neighbouring Costa Rica. However, there has been increasing investment in improving qualities. Good Nicaraguan coffee can display a medium body with high citrus notes.

The Relationship
DRW works with a couple of producer groups, Prodecoop and Cecocafen, who are both part of Progreso. Both are Fairtrade registered and can offer speciality grades.

ETHIOPIA

The Country
Ethiopia is steeped in a rich distant history and a more turbulent recent past. Geographically the country offers a wide variety of topography, including the highest concentration of highland areas in the African continent. Since the end of civil war in the 1990s and recognition of Eritrea as an independent state, Ethiopia has been land-locked. Poverty remains a severe problem although the end of out and out civil conflict has at least averted the degree of drought-induced famine that shaped the country’s image during the 1980s.

The Coffee
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. Depending on different regions there is a wide variety of coffees, produced either as dry processed or washed. Top Ethiopian quality displays unique characteristics, incorporating varying degrees of fruit and floral notes. Coffee is still largely sold through the auction system, although over the past few years there has been the emergence of cooperative organised groups able to offer green coffee direct to the export level. Main harvest times are from October/November through to April.

The Relationship
DRW has a twin approach to Ethiopia. We maintain our traditional relationship with a long established exporter in order to secure high quality grades at commercial prices. In addition we have developed a relationship with Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU) in order to supply predominantly organic and Fairtrade coffees to our customers.

KENYA

The Country
Kenya is one of the most scenically beautiful countries on the African continent, boasting white sandy beaches on the Indian Ocean, lush highlands, desert, savannah and fertile lowlands. The 30 million or so people who inhabit the country are made up of different tribal groups with the Kikuyu traditionally the dominant group in both commerce and politics. Politically, high levels of corruption have hampered Kenya’s post-colonial efforts to capitalise on its abundant natural resources.

The Coffee
A good Kenyan is one of the finest coffees available on the market, due to its intensity of body and fruitiness (blackcurrant and grapefruit). In recent years perhaps due to the collapse in world coffee prices as well as seasonal factors there has been an overall decline in the availability of such high quality. The bulk of production is on small to medium sized farms, fully washed on site and sun dried on trestles in the sun. Coffee is graded according to size and sold in lots a the weekly auction. There are two harvests each year, the main crop is picked between October and December and the secondary crop (fly crop) picked between June and August.

Our Relationship
We have worked for a number of years with a key local exporter. In general we import coffees of all grades with the top qualities being Kenya Regal AA and Kenya Royal AB. We also bid on occasion for specific Estate lots in the weekly auction. To do this we first receive samples of the upcoming auction lots and analyse them in our cupping facilities.

TANZANIA

The Country
Tanzania lies to the south of Kenya and Uganda on the east coast of Africa. There are several clearly defined regions, including the lush tropical coastal plains on the Indian Ocean, the Masai steppe in the north and the high plateau in the south leading down to Lake Malawi. Tanzania also comprises the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. The country was formed from the union of the former British protectorates of Tanganika and Zanzibar after they gained independence in the mid-1960s. The economy relies heavily on agricultural cash crops such as cotton, coffee, tea, sisal, tobacco and cashew nuts.

The Coffee
Tanzania grows both arabica and robusta coffee. The arabica, when good, can be a well-balanced coffee with berry notes and is grown mainly on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, towards the border with Kenya. The robusta is grown predominantly in Bukoba (west of Lake Victoria) and Usambara (in the East). Coffee is produced predominantly by small-holders with farms averaging size of 1 to 2 hectares. The arabica harvest is from October to February, the robusta harvest from June to December.

Our Relationship
DRW has been working with cooperative groups in order to source our coffee. Our arabica comes from producers on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Robusta is sourced from Kagera Cooperative Union (KCU) whose farm members are located around Bukoba.

UGANDA

The Country
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa sharing borders with Kenya, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has a diverse geography including Lake Victoria, the source of the White Nile, and on which the capital, Kampala, is located. There are also the Ruwenzori mountains, tropical lowlands, arid plains, savannah and the lush, populous Buganda region. Uganda gained independence in 1962 and was subsequently dominated by the despotic figure of Idi Amin. Although there are persistent political problems in certain parts of the country, the current government has generally provided economic stability.

The Coffee
Uganda produces both arabica and robusta varieties. The robustas are usually sold on screen size, either as screen 18 or 15 and can offer a neutral medium bodied characteristic. The Arabicas are defined by regions, such as Bugisu, Drugar and Gemuthindu, and offer slightly different characteristics, but all with a medium fruity acidity.

Our Relationship
DRW deals with a couple of exporters and producer groups in Uganda, enabling us to offer a wide variety of the coffees on offer, including under organic certification.

INDIA

The Country
India is one of the world’s most populous countries, loosely defined as the world’s largest democracy. It is a land, or collection of lands, that incorporates an unparalleled diversity of people, languages, ethniticies and geography. Culturally India has been defined by a caste system that is said to have helped maintain social cohesion where otherwise there would be none. However, the rampant onslaught of economic liberalisation have challenged these social definitions and moved India into a select group of emerging economic powerhouses.

The Coffee
India produces a wide variety of coffee mainly in the south of the country, including both arabica and robusta grades. Coffee is generally produced on a plantation-ownership basis with the small holder and cooperative structure comparatively rare. The arabica is medium to low body with some sweetness. There are different grades of robusta, including washed robustas. A unique offering from India is monsooned coffee, where coffee in parchment is left in opensided warehouse and subject to the effects of humidity during the monsoon season. Coffee harvesting is generally from November to February (arabica) and January to March (robusta).

Our Relationship
DRW works with a couple of exporters in India, one of which in order to secure regular grades of good quality arabica and robusta. In addition we have developed specific relationships with individual plantations in order to provide specific single estate coffees to our customers.

INDONESIA

The Country
Indonesia is effectively a huge archipelago, with islands stretching from Sumatra (the largest of the country’s islands) in the west over to Irian Jaya (part of which also comprises Papua New Guinea). Among its population of about 238 million people there is a strong sense of regional identity that has led to numerous internal conflicts, notably East Timor, which eventually won independence in the early 1990s and, more recently, the Aceh province in the north of Sumatra.

The Coffee
Indonesia is the second largest producer of robusta in the world after Vietnam and also produces a small but important amount of high quality arabica, with production concentrated in Sumatra and Java. Sumatran coffee has become increasingly valued over the past few years, offering good body coupled with a sweet spicey acidity. Sumatran coffee has a main crop and a fly crop

Our Relationship
DRW has developed strong trading relationships with three suppliers from Sumatra where the bulk of our arabica comes from. This allows us to secure the best available grades of coffee from the Lintong and Mandheling areas of the island and also maintain flows of coffee during tight supply periods. Our suppliers also include the principal organic and Fairtrade producers.

PNG

The Country
Papua New Guinea is one of the least developed countries on the planet, home to tribes who have had limited contact with the ‘outside’ world, if at all. This has given it a reputation for somewhat wild frontier land. Politically, the country seems to perpetually border on melt down between rival groups. Formerly an Australian colony, Papua New Guinea’s economy continues to be heavily influenced by its large antipodean neighbour.

The Coffee
‘Y' grade : The bulk of coffee exports (abt. 65%) from Papua New Guinea are classified under this export grade, which is produced by village small-holders from the wilderness of the Western & Eastern Highlands heading south into the lower altitudes of Lae and Popondetta. The coffee has traditionally had a full bodied fruity character, making it an excellent base for blending.

Plantation grades (A, X, C, PB) make up for approx. 14% of exports, coming from many locations. The plantations all have their own particular character and are highly sought after by the gourmet trade for the single origin, self drinkers - we supply many different marks. They achieve a good premium over the 'Y' grade.

Our Relationship
DRW has traditionally enjoyed a close relationship with PNG, being one of the first origins with which the company exported from directly. We import from a locally run exporter, both Y grades and Plantation A. Additionally we import organic A grade coffee from another supplier.

OTHER ORIGINS

DRW is always on the look out for new origins for our customers. In addition to our regular origins listed above, we have the ability to source coffee from wherever it is grown. This includes some better known coffee origins such as Mexico and Bolivia alongside some of the more exotic, such as Jamaica, Hawai, Australia, Vanuatu and Venezuela.