While there is some debate, most historians believe that the coffee tree originated in Ethiopia and traveled to Yemen soon after the unique qualities of the cherry were discovered. The legend of Kaldi the goatherd, who discovered that his goats had great amounts of energy after consuming coffee cherries, is still strong in the region and indeed in the world. The medicinal nature of the fruit, and in particular the seed, meant that the coffee plant soon became a powerful global market commodity.

From the beginning of coffee trading, governments and wealthy traders controlled the fate of the plant, systematically oppressing the farmers that grew the trees and harvested the cherries, while spreading the plant across the globe. The Dutch, English, and French governments were all influential in spreading the coffee tree to Indonesia, throughout Africa, and, of course, to Central and South America during their colonial occupations of these regions.

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that even today, many coffee farmers do not earn a living wage and that the market as a whole is flooded with cheap, low quality coffee which large corporations purchase from large scale farms that employ cheap labor. The top coffee producing countries (Brazil, Vietnam, & India) do not typically produce a significant amount of specialty coffee.

At Red Rooster, we purchase only Specialty Grade coffee and we pay high premiums to small holders and washing stations to secure the best cherries and guarantee that the farmers earn more money. We only work with small importing companies that focus on specialty coffee and work on the ground to help farmers and mills improve quality, therefore helping them secure higher per pound premiums.

We buy coffee from all over the world, but some of our favorite coffees come from these distinctive regions:

Ethiopia

The birthplace of coffee and producers of some of the most distinctive and delicious coffees on the planet. The washed coffees are famed for their bergamot and jasmine floral aroma and sparkling acidity, while the naturals are often full of intense blueberry and strawberry notes.

Colombia

A powerhouse of specialty coffee, with several distinct growing regions all offering a wide spectrum of flavors. When the government run coffee federation (think Juan Valdez) opened up farmers and exporters to sell outside of the federation and fix their own prices, this increased competition and quality. Most of our coffees tend to come from the higher mountainous regions of Antioquia and Huila, along with the coastal mountains of Narino.

Peru

The high regions of Peru offer lots of approachable and full bodied washed coffees. Many of our signature blends use coffees that we purchase from women-owned cooperatives in the far north of the country.

Burundi

For several years we’ve worked with the exporting company in Burundi to purchase livestock for farmers so they can still make a living in the off season. The coffees here are approachable and sweet with a notable sweet vegetal characteristic.

El Salvador

We’ve been lucky enough to purchase coffee from the Ruiz family and their Tierra Bendita collection of farms in the Apaneca Llamatepec Mountain Range outside Ahuachapan for the last 5 years. Additionally, we purchase coffees from their Biokrop project, which sources high quality specialty coffee from around the country. The two projects are among the most forward thinking in the world, using biodynamic and organic practices to reduce impact and increase quality.