Flavor Profile:
Full body, medium acidity, smooth and earthy, with spicy notes and overtones of dark chocolate.
Our Central American TOLTEC Blend is a carefully balanced melange of Nicaraguan, Guatemalan, and Mexican Certified Organic, Fair Trade, Directly-Traded shade-grown beans.
Directly-Traded and roasted by an Austin-based woman-owned business, our coffee is a story of lifting lives, and fostering hope.
HOW IS FAIR TRADE HELPING?
The Fair Trade certification mandates that a premium be directly reinvested in the farmer community for purpose of infrastructure, sustainable farming methods, schools and healthcare services.
ABOUT THE FARMERS
The coffee sector in Guatemala is a reflection of the dichotomy that characterizes the whole country: a large number of smallholders (campesinos) that produce small quantities of coffee, and a small number of very large plantations (fincas) that produce the largest share of coffee in Guatemala. All TAGJOE coffee is purchased through the self-organized coffee cooperatives of small family farms.
Chiapas is one of the most marginalized states in all of Mexico, infamous for being one of the states richest in natural resources, yet with one of the poorest populations in all of Mexico. The state is characterized by having one of the highest rural populations, the least developed health infrastructure, the lowest levels of income and education, and the highest malnutrition rates in Mexico.
Chiapas is the largest coffee producer in Mexico and considered the largest organic coffee producer in the world. The first organic farm to be certified in the world is in Chiapas. In addition, the cooperative style coming out of the Zapatista movement and the concept of Indigenous Autonomy are playing an important role in improving conditions for the community.
In addition to political woes, the geographical location of Nicaragua exposes it environmental disasters. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and drought have historically plagued Nicaragua. Most recently in 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated the country, leaving 10,000 deaths in its wake. As Nicaraguans struggle to rebuild their country, the current political climate has resulted in increasing levels of social and environmental vulnerability.
Fair Trade coffee exports from Nicaragua offer a promising alternative for the country. As Kenneth Davids of the Coffee Review explains: “Nicaragua is simultaneously a rising star of Central American coffee and a poster child for what's gone wrong with coffee…” While Nicaragua earned the attention of aid agencies and “coffee idealists” due to its political history, it has also been slow to enter into the world of specialty coffee. The Nicaragua Specialty Coffee Association is attempting to change that, hosting Cup of Excellence competitions, improving quality, service and image in Nicaragua’s public outreach efforts. Nicaragua is now a serious player in both the Specialty and Fair Trade coffee markets.
