Our Inishgowla coffee includes two wonderful coffees sourced directly from the Mutwiri coffee farm in Kenya and the Tres Porteiras Farm from the South Minas area of Brazil.
Insight into the Mutwiri Coffee Farm, Kenya.
Charles Mutwiri is the owner and driving force behind this thriving coffee estate. Charles was only 17 when his father gifted him 150 coffee bushes. Tree by tree, he has expanded his farm and now he owns an impressive 30,000 coffee bushes in Nthimbiri, Central Imenti. In addition, he has his own factory where he mills his produce which range from 150,000 kilos to 200,000 kilos a season.
Charles Mutwiri picking his coffee
Charles Mutwiri is a man with a vision to transform his community and inspire future generations of coffee farmers, the development of his farm is testament to his hard work, quality product and resilience. He comes from a line of coffee farmers and his two daughters are also involved in coffee, one of which is a coffee farmer and the other is in college pursuing a degree in coffee management and farming.
The coffee of the Mutwiri estate is grown on rich, volcanic soil and after selective hand picking, is hand processed in fresh water. Full of sweet complex flavours, lively acidity, and rich velvet body that carry a distinct terroir that some call classic Kenyan flavour. Here the climate is very like a European summer and much of the coffee grows in the shade of the forest canopy.
Insight into the Tres Porteiras Farm, South Minas, Brazil
Owned and operated by Pedro and Maria Helenain in the Ingia region, South Minas, Brazil. Pedro who is an engineer and Maria Helena who is a doctor came to the region in 1989 with a dream to live and work the land. Giving up city life, they took the decision to move to an underdeveloped region of Brazil to grow coffee and follow their dream. Over 30 years later with many ups and downs they have created a wonderful coffee plantation that employs three families who live on the estate. Coffee output is roughly 1000 bags per year and has a SCA speciality coffee rating of 83.
Pedro and Maria Helenain, coffee is dried for 30 days in the sun to improve flavour
The coffee is grown at 1000 to 1045 MASL and the farm employs cultivation techniques that enhance insect biodiversity to organically control pests by planting wind break trees, tall grasses called brachiaria or bread grass and bananas to give additional protection.
The coffee is dried for 30 days with tasting notes that include fruit, acidity and sweet balanced, notes with caramel and sugar cane.
The end result is….
The mix of Kenyan and Brazilian coffee gives a bright coffee (coming from the Kenyan) with soft chocolate flavours (coming from the Brazilian) which is roasted to a light profile to give a modern and sophisticated flavour. This is an ideal cafe blend for those outlets that want to serve nuanced delicate coffee.
What we really like about these two producers is that they are real and viable businesses that demonstrate the drive for success, commitment to quality and a respect for their communities. I am proud to count these two families amongst the stakeholders of Green Ocean Coffee