Gold Mountain Coffee Growers
Fighting Poverty through Quality Coffee
We source most of our beans from Gold Mountain Coffee Growers, a direct trade farming group that connects farmers of exquisite specialty coffees in Nicaragua - with roasters like us.
The devastating reality of the coffee economy is that most farmers are restricted by the artificially low cost of coffee and can’t live a dignified life.
Gold Mountain was created to fight poverty through quality coffee, and they’re doing a hell-of-a-job on their mission.
Here’s how it works.
High quality coffee…
Most coffee on the market is seriously degraded in quality, and people get used to the mildly-offensive taste. High quality coffee is much different. Not only is it sweeter and more flavorful, it allows coffee farmers to actually make money. Here’s the thing: The way the coffee is grown and processed at the farm has the greatest impact on the quality of the cup. As the demand for high quality goes up, farmers are incentivized to produce better coffee. They’re able to charge more per pound and make enough to live a dignified life. Gold Mountain’s quality team treats coffee farms like fine wine vineyards… and in turn, everyone involved benefits.
Sourced direct from the farm…
The typical coffee supply chain involves farm, exporter and importer, roaster, retailer, and then consumer. That’s a lot of people taking a cut of the already artificially low cost of coffee. Sourcing as direct from the farm as possible is the most effective way to get more money into the farmer’s pocket. Because of our relationship with Gold Mountain, our supply chain is simple — from farm to roaster to you. With less entities, it’s easier to maintain a quality product and make sure everyone involved is treated fairly and with dignity.
Employing sustainable practices…
Coffee that’s environmentally sustainable is not only good for the earth, it ensures the long term availability of the crop (Yes, coffee is increasingly under environmental threats). The fundamental problem is working AGAINST the natural harmony of nature and cutting down trees in order to expand operations. Practices such as using alternative processing methods (such as honey process, natural process, and carbonic maceration), using machetes instead of herbicides, filtering wastewater, and composting coffee cherries all contribute to protecting biodiversity, sustaining soil health, and ensuring a quality yield. Gold Mountain went as far as purchasing a rainforest for the sole purpose of protecting and preserving it. Now that’s something we can get behind!
& Embodying social responsibility.
Putting more money in farmers’ pockets is key for them to take care of their families, but it doesn’t solve all their problems. As a farmer, you need access to credit in order to reinvest into your farm—and credit is nearly non-existent for farmers in Nicaragua. Additionally, women have a very hard time entering the workforce in nicaragua. Gold Mountain’s social impact includes providing their member farms access to credit, computing classes for women, textbooks and other educational necessities in schools… and their efforts are continually growing.
Listen to an interview with Ben Weiner as he shares more about social responsibility being Gold Mountain’s primary mission.