Why Our Coffee Origins Come and Go
Ever wondered why your beloved coffee origin sometimes disappears from our menu? Or, perhaps we changed an origin’s tasting notes? Let’s dive into the reasons behind this constant rotation and share a little about our sourcing philosophy.
At Baba Java Coffee, we take pride in purchasing only specialty-grade coffee. This commitment means our coffee beans are direct trade and are fully traceable back to the farms that produce them. Knowing our farmers are paid fairly for their hard work is paramount to us, and we know it is equally important to our customers.
External Influences
Specialty coffee sourcing heavily relies on the quality of the seeds. Other external influences include weather, supply and demand, current events, transportation costs, and labor. These can all play a factor in our ability to source coffee, but the quality of the seeds and crop is the most important. Excellent growing, harvesting, and fermenting techniques are all factors that lead to great coffee and give the farmers an advantage in selling their coffee.
Seasonal Considerations
Coffee plants are similar to cherries, and much like other fruits, they are highly affected by the changing seasons. The quality of the coffee plant can fluctuate drastically depending on the time of year. Depending on the region, a farm might produce its best crop from December to February, or another window in the year. This influences when we choose to purchase from them, as we are always looking for the highest quality coffee. A farm experiencing a less productive season might limit its sales, making it more challenging for us to source those beans. In these cases, we might delay our purchase, or discontinue that particular origin if sourcing becomes too difficult.
Exploring New Coffees
We frequently receive samples of green coffee from farms around the world. We love experimenting with these samples, roasting them in-house to discover new and exciting flavors. If a sample impresses us, we might add it to our lineup, contributing to the rotation of origins.
Finding the Right Tasting Notes
Our coffee isn’t just for our café customers; we also roast coffee for other cafes and chains, and even have our beans available in some grocery stores around Birmingham, AL. Our wholesale clients may ask for specific tasting notes, prompting us to source beans that meet their preferences or create custom blends tailored to their needs.
An example of tailoring coffee to our client’s needs is Birmingham local donut shop The Heavenly Donut Co. They asked for whole bean coffee with chocolate tasting notes that would pair well with sweet donuts, so we searched for the perfect coffee to meet that request. We agreed on a blend of Nicaraguan and Ugandan coffee that has notes of dark chocolate and raspberry. They now sell this blend and Ethiopian bagged coffee in their cafes for their customers! We have created custom blends for many cafes, including The Copper Train in Alabaster, AL, and The Only Door Cafe in Fayette, AL, among others. We love working with our partners!
If you are a business owner hoping to sell bagged coffee in your cafe, restaurant, or store, please reach out to us at clientservices@babajavacoffee.com. We are always open to new partnerships.
What to Do if Your Favorite Origin Disappears
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a favorite origin, but discontinuations are sometimes inevitable. If this happens, don’t hesitate to talk to our staff. We’re happy to recommend similar coffees that might become your new favorite, and we’d love to prepare a pour over for you and help you discover what you love about certain coffees.
By understanding the factors that influence our coffee sourcing, we hope you can appreciate the care and consideration we put into every cup we serve. Each coffee has its own story, shaped by the seasons, markets, and the hard workers on the farms. Here’s to finding your next favorite origin!
Learn More
Read all about your favorite origin’s farm on the maps in our cafes. Each QR Code links to a page of immersive photos and stories about the farms and their impact on their respective communities. We are pleased to support their hard work!