Para ti, Panama! #origintrip

18/05/2022

Our last origin trip was in Panama and being able to see and walk on the lands where coffee grows is an immeasurable joy. It’s like the joy of finding the last missing piece of a puzzle, a shift of perspective. A new way of experiencing and understanding coffee, this time directly from the farm and the farmers.

We gathered our team and started our adventure with a quick stop in Milano on the way. It was really great to visit our Italian friends for a little while and catch up on the latest coffee news. Shortly after, we arrived in Panama and quickly began a new adventure to remember!

Alex Halchiaș, our Head Roaster, wrote down a few words about his experience and what impressed him the most:

”The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Panama City was the influence of the United States in that country. From the way the buildings look to the fact that they have adopted the national currency and the dollar. At the farms I had the same impression, from the way they are organised, their mentality, how they managed to create demand for a product they can later ask for higher amounts/better prices. I am referring to coffee, of course, especially to the geisha variety that grows and develops a unique profile in the world, due to the microclimates in Panama. 

I found out that the farmers are very united and offer their support to each other. Due to the lack of involvement from the specialised coffee organisations, people came together and created their own competition, ”Best of Panama”, where farmers participated only with the best lots they have and they could bid for those lots depending on the place they’ve won. Also, many of the judges are exactly the same farmers or farm owners.

 I have met many professionals, people who understand the phenomenon, who are constantly innovating through new processing methods. They are very well prepared and also very good promoters of their coffee in the first place, but also of the specialised coffee.”

We definitely made the most out of the whole experience and visited many farm that caught our attention, such as: Finca Hartman, Mount Totumas, Carmen Estate, Auromar, Ninety Plus, Santa Teresa, Finca Lerida, Lamastus, Esmeralda and Finca Bonita. 

We asked Damian Narița, our Head of Sourcing, a little bit about the first farm visit: ”Our first coffee farm visit in Panama happened at Finca Hartmann, one of the oldest farms in Panama. They grow a lot of exquisite varietals like Geisha, Chicho Gallo, Pacamara and Maragogype. Felt really privileged to visit this farm and cup some new and interesting lots. Also the harvest took place with the help of ngäbe-buglé people that are indigenous people within the territories of present-day Panama.”

As you may already know, our single origin collection has Panama Santa Teresa, an origin we sourced before our trip and it was exquisite indeed. Soon enough we’ll add even more to our collection, so make sure you follow us and be the first who grabs them. 

Until then, keep exploring new origins and always drink exceptional coffee!