Here our coffee is sustainably grown under a diverse canopy of shade
trees without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. When
the coffee is ripe, it is harvested by hand, peeled and sun dried. The
peelings are composted and used to fertilize the coffee plants. When
the drying process is completed, the parchment peeling is removed and
the coffee is machine and hand sorted to remove imperfections and create
a final product of excellent quality.
We also purchase select coffees from neighboring family and friends.
Whether we grow our own or purchase coffee, it must meet our criteria
for quality to qualify for our El Tucan Estate Coffee.
The coffees must be:
Grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.
Estate Grown:
Estate grown coffee comes from one farm and is never mixed with coffees
from other farms. This is excellent for maintaining consistent coffee
flavor.
Shade Grown:
Care is taken to preserve as many trees as possible and to plant new
trees where possible for the care of the environment, wildlife and for
food supply.
Sustainably Grown:
Sustainability, for us, has three parts. Those are ecological, social
concerns and economic development. Ecologically speaking, coffee is
a perfect crop in that it is a shade-loving shrub that lives in the
lower strata of the forest ecosystem. It coexists with a variety of
species that contribute to the bio-
diversity of the farms such as tree ferns, a whole host of tropical
flowers, migratory birds, small animals and large tree species. The
farms supply food items such as oranges and other citrus, bananas and
plantains, avocados and many others.
The farms also supply natural items for making life a little easier
in the mountains of Honduras with basket making materials, firewood,
fresh water and other household items. Our social concerns include economics.
The workers we employ are provided with a house to live in, a living
wage, bonuses, food, transportation and land to grow other food items.
We also purchase select coffees at a higher price from our neighbors,
friends and family which encourages them to continue producing a quality
product with sustainability in mind.
Strictly High Grown:
The higher the better. Coffees grown at 1100 meters above sea level
and higher are considered strictly high grown. Although we grow, purchase
and sell coffee from many different elevations, our El Tucan Estate
Coffee is always grown at the elevation of 1500 meters and above.
Sun Dried:
Many coffees are dried in large machine dryers. We believe this is harmful
to the coffee and that sun drying is far superior and better for the
environment.
Fresh Roasted:
Our coffee is not roasted and put into storage. As orders come in, the
coffee is roasted and shipped immediately.
Many coffees are sold to exporters. The exporters mix the coffees and
sell them to a coffee brokers. The coffee brokers sell to coffee roasters.
Finally, the coffee ends up in coffee shops and stores. Quality control
suffers in this process. With Honduras Coffee Company, the coffee is
farmer direct. Quality is maintained through the entire process. In
addition to all of this, it just tastes great. Honduras Coffee Company
is dedicated to providing the best darn coffee this side of the equator.
Enjoy!