Our access to products year-round has become so common that we often forget that most products have seasonalities in the year. As a child, I remember back home apples only being available in the fall, and oranges being in season during the late spring. Mango season was a favourite, and we would enjoy mangoes every day for a whole month, from mid-May to June. However, with global sourcing, this has changed. For example, when the kiwi harvest in New Zealand is complete, we see kiwis from Greece in stores instead. My daily favourite, blueberries, now come from British Columbia, Mexico, and Peru, guaranteeing year-round availability.
The same concept applies to coffee, which also has a harvest cycle that varies by geography. While we have a rough calendar for harvest and arrival times, several factors can impact the crop cycle, and shipping times may further delay arrivals. Nonetheless, through our continuous cupping process, we ensure that we always carry the best available specialty coffees.
To select our Coffee of the Month, we consider what coffees are in season and rotate them accordingly.
The idea for this small write-up on the coffee cycle came from a recent conversation with a customer. I hope it provides some interesting information about different coffee origins and why it matters. If you want to read more about coffee origins, I recommend a book called “The World Atlas of Coffee” by James Hoffman.
Have a great week,
Alejandro