HATUHEI

SUITABLE FOR: ESPRESSO & FILTER BREW METHODS
BEST AS: ESPRESSO (Black & Milk based) 

PRODUCER: HATUHEI SMALLHOLDERS
COUNTRY: EAST TIMOR
REGION: LETEFOHO
VARIETY: TYPICA, TIMOR HYBRID
IMPORTER: KARST ORGANICS
PROCESSING METHOD: WASHED

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTION: WHITE GRAPE, RED APPLE, MILK CHOCOLATE

ABOUT THIS COFFEE

We've been working with Hatuhei for the last 4 years, bringing some of the best coffees from East Timor to the U.K. The group specialises in washed coffee, under the guidance of Kar-Yee and Stewart from Karst Organics.

These coffees from Hatuhei are what we describe as High-Impact projects - meaning that our dollars (the currency of purchase) yield a greater benefit at the producer level comparatively than in other producing countries. We have recently purchased 1500kg from East Timor, and every penny makes its way towards doing more social good at the producer level.

Our eyes and ears down on the ground at East Timor is Karst Organics' field manager, Maun Simao. He serves as the primary contact for the coffee community in Letefoho, where he has lived his entire life. With over 20 years of experience in Timor-Leste’s green coffee production, Simao has a unique insight into the challenges faced by Ermera’s coffee producers. His role is crucial in maintaining quality control across all partner groups and providing essential support in coffee tree rehabilitation and maintenance.

Cultivated at between 1500 and 1600 MASL, this particular coffee is treated to constant sunny days and cool nights. The remote location of the village limits income opportunities for its residents, particularly during the wet season when the access routes are treacherous.

Carlos de Deus, the lead farmer of the Hatuhei group, is driven to find ways to optimize his community's earning potential through coffee. Under Carlos's leadership, the group has worked closely together for the past three years, fostering a sense of togetherness and learning from each other. They take the time to process their coffee to the highest quality, with the goal of continuous improvement. Ongoing collaboration with Simao, the lead farmer of the Eratoi group, helps them share ideas on processing and maintain support with materials.

Carlos and the members of Hatuhei aim to share their knowledge with other smallholder farmers in even more remote locations, enabling them to enter the specialty coffee market and increase their annual income. By leveraging their expertise and learning from each other, they hope to grow their communities and transform their futures.

The quality of the coffee alone was enough to persuade us to buy, but it was upon meeting Stuart at the Nottingham Coffee Festival and seeing his passion first hand that we realised what a special project this was indeed. 

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If you'd like to make Karst's coffee part of your cafe's seasonal offer list, please feel free to send us a wholesale enquiry here!