BUT FIRST REVIVE COFFEE
If I had to name one thing, one single reason why I’m proud to be working with Nespresso for over three years now, well surprisingly it won’t be all about the coffee (although it’s certainly very high on my list). The main reason would be the brand’s commitment to constantly improve its quality, not only on material levels but also and more importantly though a human factor: Nespresso’s Reviving Origins program is a living proof of this engagement.
Launched in 2019, this program aims to restore coffee farming in regions where it is under threat. Therefore, through its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, Nespresso helps farmers in regions that have been devastated by conflicts, economic hardships or environmental disasters to preserve, or even bring back, some of the world’s rarest, most exquisite coffees. Last year’s announcement was made alongside the launch of new single-origin coffees : TAMUKA mu ZIMBABWE and ESPERANZA de COLOMBIA – two coffees that are not only unique by taste, TAMUKA mu ZIMBABWE being a flowery espresso with complex fruitiness and zesty bright acidity and some berry notes, while ESPERANZA de COLOMBIA is a rather mild coffee that is light in acidity, balanced and rounded, with aromas of yellow fruits with a hint of a cereal note. More and foremost these coffees are synonym of hope for their regions, where Nespresso worked with communities, helping them to re-establish lost farms, reinvigorate supply chains and breathe new life into the local areas.
Having witnessed the benefits of Nespresso’s AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program through my own eyes while visiting coffee farms and talking to farmers last November during my trip to Colombia , I must say that the company’s sustainable sourcing model is impressive. Farmers that join the program get help from Nespresso in order to comply to specific quality, productivity, social and environmental criteria – this not only allows them to improve their businesses but also to secure a higher income and get an insurance system to protect them from a volatile market. Nowadays more than 90% of Nespresso’s coffee is sourced through the AAA Quality™ Program, allowing the company to have a sustainable supply of the highest quality green coffee.
The latest addition to Nespresso’s Reviving Origins coffee range is Amaha awe Uganda – which can be translated as Hope of Uganda – a rich and clean intensity-8 espresso with a wild character that carries both rare sandalwood notes and elegant florals.
If for centuries the altitude and fertile soils of Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains (also called the mountains of the moon) provided ideal coffee farming conditions, the past couple of years have been hard for Ugandan coffee farmers : ageing trees and poor cultivation, compounded by drought and climate change, have been a major factor in poor harvests, which have diminished quality and yields. In addition, the lack of a marketplace for high quality coffee resulted in poor coffee practices and low coffee quality. I’ve read an interview of Joseph, a Ugandan coffee farmer, who said that he chose to grow coffee because it is sustainable. It will help [his] children in the future. But that unfortunately he stopped producing coffee before because it didn’t bring in enough revenue.
Nespresso’s mission in Uganda has been to help revive the exquisite coffee the region was once renowned for. By working hand in hand with Agri Evolve, a young agribusiness dedicated to improving farmer productivity, Nespresso has been training more than 2’000 coffee farmers on cultivation and selection methods. Bringing back a quality coffee secures productivity and income to local farmers, and thus improves their communities’ livelihoods.
The story behind Nespresso’s Reviving Origins Amaha awe Uganda is compelling and I could go on and on about it but at some point I must stop and let you discover this rare coffee by yourself! Little pro tip : have it as an espresso macchiato, with just a drop of milk foam – this will bring some delicious biscuity notes.
