Our Coffee - Isabel

For many, coffee is a luxury or daily ritual.

For those who grow coffee as their sole source of income, coffee is a necessity. 

Coffee is a multi-billion dollar industry that employs over 25 million people in the growing process alone. More than 2.25 million cups of coffee are consumed a day, making it one of the most-traded and most valuable commodities in the world.

Despite these numbers, coffee-growing communities are among the poorest in the world. Large-scale growing operations discharge waste and chemical fertilizers at a staggering rate, wreaking havoc on the environment, and pushing small-scale farmers out of the industry.

We only buy organically-grown coffee from small-scale farmers, paying above Fair Trade pricing to ensure that our business practices support positive social and economic growth. This supports our farmers and allows them to own their land, support their families, and protect their environment. 

What is Coffee?

Coffee is a beverage derived from the seeds of the Coffea plant fruit, which resemble a cherry. 

Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia around the sixth century. According to legend, a goat herder stumbled upon the strange Coffea plant and fed its fruit to his goats. Upon tasting the lightly-caffeinated fruit, the goats became so excited that they began to dance. 

In BongoWorld, we like to think that Kaldi had a dog, and that said dog led the flock to the Coffea plant - every goat herder has a dog! And it ties into our branding a little better.

Back in the real world, coffee was smuggled across the globe and now grows in over 70 countries. Coffea plants favor high altitudes, cool to warm climates, rich soils, and few pests. All coffee is grown between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, in places like Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Vietnam, and India.

Coffee beans are stripped from the cherry and dried where they’re grown. Once dry, the green, unroasted beans are shipped throughout the world to roasters, like Bongo Java Roasting co.!

Robusta & Arabica.

There are two main forms of drinkable coffee: Robusta and Arabica. 

Robusta beans are the most common and contain the most caffeine. These trees are grown on large estates at low altitudes, picked by machine, and are typically roasted to a lighter level to retain moisture. Think of diner coffee with cream and sugar when you think of Robusta. Arabica beans are used in specialty coffee. These trees are grown at higher altitudes and the beans are roasted according to flavor profile, and not moisture level.

Despite being grown from the same plant, coffee flavor can vary wildly. Everything from soil pH to rain, fertilizer, and climate impact the flavor of your beans.