• Cerro Azul
• Classic Spicewood 71
• El Molino – Orange Bourbon
• El Molino – Yellow Bourbon
• Fazenda Pantano
• Hunapu
• Laguna Las Ranas
• Las Trancas
• Los Luchadores
• Meritage
• Mezzanotte
• Reserva
• San Jose Ocaña
• Santa Rita Peaberry

Our Commitment: Quality, Sustainability and Direct Relationship Coffee Sustainability is a popular word these days, but it is more than just a buzz word. And we take it seriously. Webster’s defines sustainability as, “of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using resources so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.” Cuvee Coffee takes that definition one step further. We are committed to positively impacting the quality of life for everyone who helps bring the coffee from the plant to your cup, while also preserving the natural resources that make our quality product possible. And, we only work with suppliers and partners who share our vision. There are a number of people that play an important role in making that vision a reality:

Picker: Quality begins with the skilled hands that pick only the cherries that are at their peak ripeness. This part in the supply chain is often one of the most overlooked, but it is one of the most important elements in ensuring the quality of our coffee. Farmer: The farmer represents the artisan that cultivates the coffee. He grows and cares for the trees, manages the farm, and processes and prepares the coffee for export. Cuvee only works with farmers who understand the importance of sustainability, respect for the environment, and conserving natural resources. We also only partner with farmers who are dedicated to producing coffee of the highest quality. Exporter: Exporters are our eyes and ears in the regions where we get our coffee. Because they reside in the country of origin and have relationships in the community, they often help us identify the farmers who can provide us with coffee that meets our strict quality requirements and help us build strong direct relationships with those farmers. Importer: Coffee importers can bring large quantities of high quality coffee into the United States, finance the port transactions, and store that coffee so that roasters can purchase what we need, when we need it. Most roasters do not have the resources to purchase tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds of coffee all at once. Roaster: A specialty coffee roaster needs to not only work hard to source the finest coffees the world has to offer, but also roast the coffee accordingly to unlock the magical flavors that make each coffee unique. We also must deliver the coffee fresh to the retailer – which in our case typically is independent coffee houses. In order to fully realize the sustainability model, roasters also need to respect our environment and conserve resources wherever and whenever possible. Retailer: For coffee shop owners, superior beans and proper beverage preparation are key to satisfying and building loyalty among quality-conscious consumers and those with discerning tastes. Often, the retailer is in the best position to educate customers about coffee production and the regional points of origin. Consumer: A great cup of coffee is one of life’s most affordable luxuries. And most consumers will pay for quality, even if it costs significantly more. Whether a consumer’s primary interest is in the taste, the experience, or the company’s reputation for social responsibility, he or she has to perceive some sense of quality or they will take their business elsewhere, or worse yet, find another drink. Cutting corners or squeezing money from one part of the chain to feed another only reduces quality – and threatens sustainability. Direct Relationship Coffee; aka, Direct Trade: Cuvee Coffee’s business model is based on improving quality of life and quality of coffee. Our goal is to build strong, mutually beneficial, lifelong relationships with everyone in the supply chain above. Every year we spend a considerable amount of time traveling to the countries and farms of origin to establish and build relationships with farmers who are genuinely interested in improving the quality of their coffee. Fair Market Price and Quality: This can be a difficult job. Some farmers are perfectly happy with the status quo and their main concern is “minimum price” or “fair market price.” But what we at Cuvee Coffee have found is that when we work together with farmers to produce a coffee of the highest quality, the result often is a more than fair market price. Defining Quality: We start by helping a farm or group of farms understand how we define quality. Then we help them quantify the cost of improving the quality of their coffee and whether that is the right decision for their business. It is essential for farmers to confirm that they can recoup their costs if they invest in improving quality. Coffee Pricing Structure: The pricing structure we use in purchasing green coffee from a farmer typically is accomplished through a scoring system for each coffee with a premium price and financial incentives for higher cupping scores. Once the price is established and agreed upon by both Cuvee Coffee and the farmer, we work with the exporter and importer to develop a clear contract that outlines compensation for both entities. The cost of exporting and importing are added above and beyond the contracted price to the farmer. Trusting Relationships Built Over Time: This sounds like a simple process, but we have invested time and money over many years to build partnerships with trusted suppliers. We do not use the term relationship lightly. One visit and a photo do not make a relationship. Regular visits, at least once a year – sometimes two or three times – and regular contact in between are a crucial element of long-term, sustainable relationships. Cuvee Coffee pays farmers a premium price for high quality coffee. Farmers trust us and are motivated to continue enhancing their coffee because we compensate them well for an excellent product. That promotes investment into their local communities and helps us improve the quality of life at the point of origin, and that makes for good coffee, successful business, and strong relationships.

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