K2 Story
  • Welcome
    • About >
      • Contact
      • Coffee and Moringa Resources
    • Blog
    • How to Order
  • Gayo's Best Coffee
    • Coffee Story
    • Coffee Product Information
  • Moringa For Life
    • Moringa Story
    • What is Moringa?
    • Moringa Product Information

Is Fair Trade "fair" enough?

11/15/2016

0 Comments

 
How does Fair Trade affect different players within the coffee industry practically? This is no research paper, but in this post, I want to explore problems with fair trade, and then look at how K2 pursues economic justice on behalf of the Acehnese coffee farmers. Special thanks to T.H. for bringing up some of these issues. 

First, it might be helpful to review the basic definitions of Fair Trade and Direct Trade

Fair Trade -  Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. When farmers can sell on Fairtrade terms, it provides them with a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping. When a product carries the FAIRTRADE Mark it means the producers and traders have met Fairtrade Standards. The
 Fairtrade Standards are designed to address the imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets and the injustices of conventional trade. (from http://www.fairtrade.net/about-fairtrade/what-is-fairtrade.html)
Picture
Picture retrieved from 
​​http://www.fairtrade.net/

Direct Trade -  Direct trade is a term used by coffee roasters who buy straight from the growers, cutting out both the traditional middleman buyers and sellers and also the organizations that control certifications such as Fair Trade and Bird Friendly, for example. Direct trade proponents say their model is the best because they build mutually beneficial and respectful relationships with individual producers or cooperatives in the coffee-producing countries. Some roasters do it because they are dissatisfied with the third-party certification programs, while others want to have more control over aspects ranging from the quality of the coffee, to social issues, or environmental concerns (from http://www.ethicalcoffee.net/direct.html)

Read More
0 Comments

Demystifying Coffee Processing

8/4/2016

0 Comments

 
It seems that everyone in the coffee world is talking about Ethiopian Naturals, meaning coffees from Ethiopia that are processed naturally. But what does this mean, and what's the difference between this "natural" coffee and the other coffees we drink. Are they not natural as well? Are they processed chemically or is something non-natural added to them? Thankfully no. 

In the coffee world, there are four (4) primary ways to process coffee. This is my attempt to give a super basic summary of each process, including what it means for the farmers, and for you and me when we enjoy the coffee in our homes, cafes, and offices. Each process begins when the farmers pick the ripe fruit from the coffee tree, often times called coffee cherries. Most of the time, ripe coffee cherries are red, but sometimes are orange or yellow in certain coffee varieties. If the coffee cherry is not ripe when picked, the overall taste of the coffee will negatively affected. After picking ripe cherries, the farmers then decide how they want to process them.
Picture
Good quality coffee starts when farmer's pick ripe red coffee cherries.
A few definitions will be helpful:

Pulp - The outer skin of the coffee fruit is removed with the help of a machine (pulper)
Hull/Parchment  - The inner skin (or parchment) of the coffee fruit is removed with the help of a machine (huller)
Mucilage - The sticky remainder on the coffee bean from the fruit after the coffee cherry is pulped.

The following image will be helpful in understanding the coffee fruit or cherry. Also, Sweet Maria's has some great pictures of coffee beans on this page on their website.

Read More
0 Comments

Coffee Cupping in Gayoland

4/8/2016

0 Comments

 
Recently I (Nick) had the opportunity to attend a basic coffee cupping training in the Gayo Highlands, close to Takengon. Many thanks to the Gayo's Cuppers Team for putting together a great training! Cupping might be strange terminology for some. Coffeeresearch.org defines cupping like this:

"Cupping is one of the coffee tasting techniques used by cuppers to evaluate coffee aroma and the flavor profile of a coffee. To understand the minor differences between coffee growing regions, it is important to taste coffee from around the world side-by-side. Cupping is also used to evaluate a defective coffee or to create coffee blends"  

From an outsider's perspective, coffee cupping probably seems either rather silly, or possibly like some type of cult-like activity. All I can say is that, it was very challenging (you try and taste and grade 5 cups of 6 types of coffee all in 35 minutes!), very fun, and provided a chance to build community based on shared experience. The bonus was being able to try really good coffee from all over Gayoland and the country of Indonesia. If you want to experience a bit of the madness, check out this youtube video.
Picture
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Quest for  a handmade gift box...

11/16/2015

0 Comments

 
As you may have seen in the K2 newsletter or on the K2 website, we have been hard at work at sourcing a local hand made gift box for coffee luwak. The idea behind the gift box is to provide a unique and authentic gift option for you in a way that provides a livable wage for a local craftsman.

After asking several Acehnese people for a sample handmade box, we finally found our craftsman - Azhari.  Azhari went to school for mechanics and machinery, but is talented in wood and other types of crafting. Here was the very first box he every made ....
Picture
And the second .....
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

The Journey Begins

3/24/2015

0 Comments

 
Thanks so much for checking out the K2 website. We are all really excited about economic development in Aceh through small business, and we can't wait for you to experience our wonderful products first-hand. We'd like to start the journey with you by introducing you to the K2 Family.
Picture
Uli - Owner

Uli has lived and worked in Aceh since tsunami relief efforts began in 2005. In the past, she worked for NGOs and local organizations in community development, focusing on microfinance for women, along with teaching baking and handicrafts. She married Nick in 2012.  Uli loves to promote Moringa for Life products because she has experienced God's healing through moringa twice in her life.

Picture
Eddy - Director

Eddy moved to Aceh in 2008 and helps run his family's bakery business. He and his wife Lina have two children, Evelyn and Erick Seven. He likes taking Moringa for Life capsules because it helps him sleep better at night.

Picture
Kyle - Coffee & Agriculture Consultant

Kyle helps us make sure we keep our moringa plants in good health and also works with the coffee cooperative in helping to improve soil quality. He is a daily consumer of both Gayo's Best Coffee and Moringa for Life products.

Picture
Andy - Moringa & Public Health Consultant

Andy helps keep our production staff trained concerning cleanliness, product quality, and efficient production processes. He also daily consumes Moringa for Life capsules along with Gayo's Best arabica coffee.


Picture
Eka - K2 Logistics and Office Manager

Eka is the newest member of the K2 family and does everything from shipping K2 products worldwide to taking calls.

K2 Production Task Force - Afni & Jal, Ahmad

Without our local production staff, we wouldn't have any great products to offer.

Picture
Sejahtera Tani Farmer's Cooperative

This farmers group made of 20 families is the source of some of the best coffee in the world!


Keep checking back to see the development of our business and how we get quality local products to you. We would also love to hear from you in the survey below.

Customer Survey

Submit
0 Comments

    Archives

    November 2016
    August 2016
    April 2016
    November 2015
    March 2015

    Author

    Those of us working at K2 will take turns writing posts. We will also include translated posts from our local employees and partners.  If you would like to share how Moringa for Life supplements have impacted your life, kindly email us your story and picture, and we will post it on the K2 blog.

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Products
Coffee
Moringa

Company
About
Blog

Support
Contact
FAQ

© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.