Winter Blend

The first component of the blend has been sourced with the help of our importing partner Primavera Coffee, whose work in Guatemala focuses on sourcing excellent coffee from independent producers as well as cooperatives.

Primavera are always striving to maximise value for producers, provide support to growing communities and offer full traceability for us as roaster buyers.

The Axola Cooperative is based in Petatan - working together to market and sell their high quality coffee. The members are mainly of Mayan Popti heritage and the name Axola means “ruins around the river” in their indigenous language.

As a group they prioritise the participation of women and seek to improve the quality of life of all members of the families who are involved with the cooperative. They are also very involved in preserving the environmental and social well-being of the community as part of their mission.

The women of the group consolidate their coffees together and sell it with the seal Con Manos de Mujer (With a Woman’s Hands), obtaining the certification in 2020 (through MAYACERT) to celebrate the coffees that are produced by women farmers. The cooperative, men and women alike, wanted to acknowledge the role of women in the value chain and reduce the economic risks for women that participate in coffee production.

The work goes beyond coffee production and seeks to improve women’s access to formal education, prevent violence against women, and promote women’s leadership and rights in the community. Of the group’s 150 members, 43 are women that are certified to produce coffee Con Manos de Mujer.

This blend is a mix of coffee varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuaí, Pache, Typica and Catimor. Processed by using the traditional washed method, the coffee is clean and sweet, with the subtle notes of red apple and cranberry with milk chocolate mouthfeel and nougat finish.

To create a balanced blend, as a second component we chose a Honduran coffee that delivers perfect fruitiness and vibrancy to the mix.

This lot comes from the COMSA (Cafe Organico Marcala) co-operative based in the west of Honduras. It’s formed of a collective of farmers from around Marcala, La Paz which was the first region in Honduras to receive Protected Origin status.

COMSA started out in 2001 with 69 farmers, with the aim to improve their community's coffee and livelihoods through organic and sustainable farming. They now represent over 1,200 members (400 of which are female producers).  

In 2005, COMSA became Fairtrade certified, so the coffee is now produced 100% Fairtrade and Organic. The Cooperative provides in-depth training in many areas, including water management, organic farming regeneration, soil analysis and wildlife conservation.

One of the coffee farmers contributing to this lot is Dilcia Bautista from La Colmena (The Beehive) farm. The farm is 6.3 hectares but only uses 3.5 hectares for coffee. A lot of the farm is kept for wildlife: she has 25 beehives. and dozens more carpenter bees, as well as a garden of red flowers she keeps just for the hummingbirds.

Dilcia also keeps goats, chickens, and turkeys on the farm, which all produce organic fertiliser. Diversification has been a big part of staying in business.

The lot is a blend of Catimor, Catuai, Paraneima and Maragogype varieties with fruity flavours of plums, figs and ripe pears, alongside very sweet notes of milk chocolate and brown sugar with a forest honey aftertaste.

Winter Blend may be one of our most exciting blends of the year. Created to please any coffee lover, regardless if you are a filter or an espresso drinker; or prefer a classic black brew or comforting milky cuppa. It’s the perfect blend for those cold & cosy days of the festive season.