Pushing for Gender Equality: meet the Asomuprisma Women’s Association
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Dough takes an hour to rise, novels take months to write – and whether you think the world was...
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Rome wasn’t built in a day. Dough takes an hour to rise, novels take months to write – and whether you think the world was...
We thought it’d be safer to clarify – we’re not talking about gulping downs cups of unroasted beans (even though dubious ‘studies’ have claimed they promote weight loss, we think it’s a tastier experience to enjoy them properly roasted!). No – we just want you to maximise that feel-good sensation you get from drinking our coffee. Yeah, you’re helping to make coffee a force for good and improving the livelihoods of people in an often...
It’s International Coffee Day. And since we’ve been lucky enough to send Head of Coffee Will and MD Paul over to Colombia in the last week, what better way to celebrate coffee than to think back on what we’ve learnt from their adventures at origin! That we learn from the growers, as much as they learn from us Though Will really knows his stuff, and spends a lot of time mentoring growers around the world,...
Like Christmas, it comes just once a year. But, unlike Christmas – it’s not all fun and games (and overeating and over-drinking…). International Coffee Day is a day to celebrate coffee, and also to reflect on issues in the industry itself. This year, the International Coffee Organisation has chosen its focus to be the role of women in the coffee chain – applauding their hard work, and acknowledging the gender inequity inherent in both coffee...
Maybe you’ve heard whispers… changes have been happening in the world of Pact Coffee. We’ve come a long way from Stephen Rapoport’s kitchen, setting up camp in Bermondsey to do everything from roasting and grinding to writing, selling and marketing. But we’ve been growing – and like a hermit crab having to look for a new shell, we needed to find a bigger roastery that’d let us supply you lot with all the coffee you’ve...
Meet Maria Olano, Speciality Coffee Buyer at the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC) and longtime friend of Pact Coffee Hi, Maria. Can you tell us about yourself? My name is Maria Alejandra Olanao and I was born in Bogotá, Colombia. At 25 years old, I’ve already discovered my passion: coffee. I have a Master’s Degree in Coffee Economics and Science from the Università del Caffè, in Italy. Before that, I studied Business Administration in Colombia...
When you think ‘cupboard essentials’, you might be listing coffee along with things like sugar, flour, vegetable oil… everything ‘basic’ you need to get by. But while these are all things you use almost everyday, you’d probably be unlikely to fork out almost £100 for a pound’s worth of any of them. But other people would. In the International Cup of Excellence awards in June of this year, a lot of a particular coffee was...
Owning a coffee farm is not a glamorous job. You’re working in a steamy field, not an air-conditioned office. Your pay depends on the commodity market and how well your crop grows – there’s no guarantee of a comfortable salary and benefits each year. It’s unlikely you’ll ever own mansions and helicopters, and it is almost certain that there will be times of extreme uncertainty. So why farm coffee? For the love of it! Unfortunately,...
If you’ve ever opened an email from us, you’ve probably seen us mention Will, our Head of Coffee. Will describes the coffee like this, Will went here, Will did that … et cetera, et cetera. But who is Will? And what does being a Head of Coffee entail? And how do you become one? Just read on, friends, and get acquainted with the bean-counting, coffee-slurping arabica expert that is Will. Like anyone who’s thrown themselves...
Imagine this. Your job is to make brownies for a food market The ingredients one batch cost around £1.50 (you found a great deal on...
Growing, processing and roasting Agronomy: The science of crop growing and land management. Altitude: This massively affects the flavour of the coffee, with higher altitudes...
Did you know that food and drink have their own awards season? Earlier this year, Pact donned its evening dress and hit the red carpet to take part in the Guild of Fine Foods’ Great Taste Awards. Taking place over 60 days (that’s a lot of costume changes…), these awards have been called the ‘Oscars’ of the food world – and it’s literally a star-studded event. The “largest and most trusted accreditation scheme for fine...
Doesn’t this time of year just make you want to snuggle up with a steaming cup and a good book? No? Yeah, us neither. But even though the heat is on and you’ve almost forgotten that this is Britain, not Costa del Sol, it doesn’t mean you should say adiós to world-class coffee. Clear some space in the fridge, grab one of our cold brew kits and step into summer the best way possible -...
When it comes to sourcing interesting, rare coffees, auctions play a huge part. These events can provide a great opportunity for farmers to receive recognition for the coffee they are producing, and be discovered by international buyers like Pact. These competitions offer cash prizes and prices in the following auctions are beyond great… they can be astronomical. For us, securing coffee at auction is a win-win - we know farmers are being paid great prices,...
Alfredo Pacas has been the driving force behind the genetic purification of the Bernadina variety. Here he is looking out over his coffee farm, on the hill in the distance. The coffee-growers of Central and South America are facing a big problem. In El Salvador alone, disease has slashed the productivity of their farms from three million bags for export in 2011, to fewer than a million bags in 2017. Many are taking drastic action;...
Taste notes: marmite. Ok, not actually marmite. We’re not that brave. But this Ethiopian coffee is definitely a ‘love it or hate it’ kind of coffee. And we kinda love that… On paper, it sounds universally delicious. Black tea, lemon and blackcurrant flavour notes with a buttery mouthfeel, and light orange acidity. Mmm! But when we first debuted it in 2016, there were some very strong opinions. Some people thought it was fantastic and… others...
“We’re all going on a summer holiday” your colleagues crow, waving condensed guides to Costa Rica and ASOS packages full of flip-flops and swimwear in your face. But you don’t let it bother you. Instead of seeking sun, sand and sensual experiences somewhere far away, you’re packing up your 50l hiking rucksack (you know, the one you used once for Duke of Edinburgh and never again) and getting ready to join the camping… camp. Maybe...
At Pact, we know there’s a whole lot of world out there to see - and that means there’s just as much amazing coffee to try, too! Not content with sticking to our tried and tested range of Colombian, Brazilian and Rwandan coffees (to name a few), Head of Coffee Will’s itchy feet have led us to Kenya. Exciting, huh! What’s more, we let you, our well-seasoned caffeine fiends, pick which one of three carefully...
The story behind La Valentina. The latest coffee to grace our Micro-Lot range is an elegant little treasure from Honduras, which has been produced with expertise, care and love. The coffee was grown by Carlos Ernestor Mejia Rodriguez and his wife, Nelsy Castillo David, so it seemed only right that they name their farm and thus their coffee after their first daughter, Valentina. We caught up with Carlos to find out more about life as...
To get the most out of your espresso machine, you need to give it a little love and attention. Follow these simple steps every 3-4...