Welcome to Seattle Coffee Company

This coffee comes from Nkamwayacu (pronounced Mmkam-na-ya-chu). A co-op that was established in 2006 and is comprised of over 300 members (of which well over 200 are women). Nkamwayacu is located in the North East province of Burundi, close to the Tanzanian border. With abundant rainfall and rich volcanic soil, the mild climate is perfectly suited to coffee growing. Nkamwayacu means ‘the cow that gives milk to the family’ – really illustrating the role coffee plays in these communities, supporting the livelihoods of families for generations.

There are many other coffee growing co-ops around the country, this one included, that belong to COCOCA. COCOCA is a union of coopertives. In 2016 COCOCA bought land and created the Horamama mill station in the Kayanza province, in the North of Burundi. All member co-ops can access this mill, essentially controlling the process of coffee growing from start to finish.

Coffee without the kick? No problem – we got you. Sometimes you just want that taste. There are two ways of doing decaf. At Seattle, we do it the right way. That means our green coffee beans are put through a gentle, non-chemical carbon dioxide process before roasting. The result is coffee without caffeine but full on flavour.

Grown high on the Aceh mountain range in Sumatra, these beans have been nurtured by a group of coffee farming families. We partnered with the Gajah Mountain Cooperative who are dedicated to coffee farming in the region. Sumatran coffee boasts complex and intense aromas and flavours that are a result of the unique wet-hulling process method specific to this Indonesian island. Experience swirls of sweet caramel, juicy plum jam, followed by a rich peaty syrupy finish. As you sip our Gajah Mountain coffee, allow us to take you on a rich and wild journey.

Rwanda boasts a sub-tropical climate and terroir that make for growing some of the best coffee in the world. This coffee comes from a small coffee cooperative called Abangakarushwa – meaning ‘those who strive for the best’. The cooperative is nestled in the mountainous region of Nyamasheka, close to the borders of Burundi and the DRC. The environment is ideal for coffee production, with coffee trees growing amongst the lush forests, and fed by tributaries flowing from Lake Kivu. A small group of just over 100 farmers produce this coffee and deliver their hand-harvested, unprocessed crops to the washing station. Here the beans are put through various processes to best preserve the original flavour and character of the coffee. Expect super sweet sugary flavours, yellow and green wine gums, citrus lime acidity and hints of stewed apples.

Colombian farmers have a long, resilient coffee heritage. The cooperative we source coffee from is fondly named after a warrior tribe who roamed the mountainous region of the Andes. 32 coffee farmers started the cooperative to create more economic stability for their community; today they are over 220 members strong. The Association of Timana formed in 2001, to improve product quality and practice environmental sustainability. To further grasp the complexity and beauty of the coffee value chain, the association established a cafe in their village for farmers to create more empowerment for youth, and see the life of their coffee come full circle; it being farmed on their land and drunk by their own community members. This coffee packs a punch with rich molasses, sweet plums, and caramel fudge flavours.

Guatemala in Central America provides perfect coffee growing conditions: high altitude, fertile soil, and loads of sunshine. In 2009, we began working with Esquipulas Cooperative in the Huehuetenango region. There has been great development in the area; the cooperative runs a healthcare and pharmacy practice and employs coffee scientists called agronomists to help facilitate the progression of coffee quality within farming communities in Huehuetenango. The 230 smallholder farmers grow specialty coffee on the slopes of volcanic mountain ranges, together with other subsistence crops like maize and potatoes. These beans have vibrant notes of strawberry and red apple with hints of dark chocolate on the finish; paying homage to their Mayan heritage.