Exploratory meeting on 13th October 2023 with Bradley and Amelia Steenkamp, owners, and roasters to investigate producing a CoopeVictoria single -origin coffee to mark the first Costa Rican to UK coffee shipment by the Gurnsey sea captain and entrepreneur, William Le Lacheur in the 1840’s.
Background
Horsham Coffee Roaster is an ecologically focused coffee roasting business dedicated to sustainable coffee sourcing direct from small-scale, independent, coffee producers in Central and East Africa, as well as from Central and South America. The state of the art 35-kilo roaster is a hot air roaster giving consistent quality and low carbon emissions. As independent roasters, they pride themselves in having good, long, working relationships with their small-scale farmers and growers.
Direct trade means that they often pay twice the price Fairtrade would pay the farmers, but that depends on quality, type of coffee grown and world prices. 60% of their turnover is from direct sales to clients via their website. They have a large, loyal customer base covering the whole world. 40% is sold through independent farm shops, cafes along the South Coast, and church and community cafes not signed up with another roaster.
Bradley and Amelia’s advice and suggestions on progressing this Le Lacheur (Galleon) coffee project.
Identify potential outlets and calculate possible demand: –
Local Community cafes in area
Local Events (Pann Mill), Local Shows etc
Church cafes (no leased coffee machine or signed up to a coffee roaster
Farm shops and Garden Centres.
Independent stores
Coop Stores, Budgens, Waitrose may have local autonomy to buy a local sourced or celebration coffee.
Hospitals and Health centres not linked with Costa Coffee or Starbucks.
Opportunities
Advantages could purchase green beans from CoopeVictoria via InterAmerican, a coffee aggregator, facilitator and shipper, for around £7.00 per kilo to the UK and delivered to the warehouse. Although not Fairtrade certified, Bradley has transparency reports going back several years to trace specific batches of coffee.
The price for a roasted blended coffee, labelled and bagged per 250g bag would be around £6.75.
The price for a roasted single -origin coffee, labelled and bagged per 250g bag would be around £7.00. It would be more for fruitier and specialist high-end coffees like Tarrazu, grown in Costa Rica, which would retail around £12.00 to £15.00 per 250g bag.
Perceived Advantages, Disadvantages, and Problems
Advantages
Horsham Coffee Roaster could import sufficient quantities of the Monte Cajeo “green beans” via InterAmerican. (Smallest amount would be around 10 – 12 Kilos enough for 40 or 60 x 250g bags
Imports would be by sea, therefore 60% to 70% cheaper than air freight. These beans would be from the 2023 harvest.
Disadvantages
Horsham Coffee Roaster does not use very big labels, unlike Roast Lab, and in only one case use a second label on the reverse side to tell a story.
Apart from the country of origin, roast type, varietal, flavour notes, and date of roasting, there would not be an opportunity to have an image of William Le Lacheur, or his sailing ship, or indeed any historical background. This was possible with the Roast Lab bags. However, further information about the coffee and the narrative behind this could be included within the Quick Response code on the front of the bag.
Their standard labels do not have images, nor is there much room for one nor any detailed narrative.
Their two blended coffees have a fixed, tried, and tested formula, so this would preclude utilizing the “Lacheur” coffee from CoopeVictoria in these best-selling coffees.
Only one of their ranges of single – origin coffees emanate from producer cooperatives, most come direct from very small – scale, independent farmers.
Problems
Defining the potential market of this “Galleon Coffee” locally, range of retail and community outlets, and judging the quantities required.
Future
Bradley and Amelia are having a family holiday in Costa Rica in 2024 and want to visit the CoopeVictoria Cooperative. They are aware of the quality and reputation of Costa Rican coffee producers.
I have given Maria Angelia Horsham Coffee Roaster email addresses.
Next Steps?
To be decided
Mike King
Wycombe For Fairtrade Friday 13th Oct 2023