Level 300 Part 1 Reviewer PDF

to be steeped in boiling water, roasted or KALDI AND HIS LIVELY GOATS baked before being exported. a young goatherd, Kaldi, was tending his flock COFFEE LOVERS OF CONSTANTINOPLE one day. His goats were frequenting an evergreen shrub with small red fruit on i...

to be steeped in boiling water, roasted or KALDI AND HIS LIVELY GOATS baked before being exported. a young goatherd, Kaldi, was tending his flock COFFEE LOVERS OF CONSTANTINOPLE one day. His goats were frequenting an evergreen shrub with small red fruit on it. As the One of the many who fell for the taste of coffee animals nibbled the cherry-like berries, he was the Ottoman Governor of Yemen, who watched them become so lively that they started eagerly introduced coffee beans to Istanbul to dance, full of energy. The same thing (then Constantinople) in 1555. happened the next day. Curious, and fairly convinced by now that the fruit would produce The Ottoman Topkapi Palace, at the time the no ill effects, Kaldi decided to try it for himself. residence of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, He chewed on the shiny, dark-green leaves made coffee its own by developing a new way to (they were bitter) and then the subtly sweet fruit prepare and drink it. and the seed inside. Beans were: Before long, Kaldi was dancing along with his 1)​ roasted over a fire, finely ground and goats. A passing monk witnessed the bundles of then slowly cooked in water. energy that were Kaldi and his flock. Kaldi told 2)​ The grounds were left in the coffee him about the shrub, and the intrigued monk when it was served, and the frothy picked some of the fruit and took it back to the brew could be sweetened with sugar monastery, where he made tea from the berries and kept him awake. This delightful concoction became such a celebrated part of palace cuisine that the DEPARTING ON THE RED SEA all-important position of kahvecibaşı was created: Chief Coffee Maker. Over the next centuries, trade expanded from Ethiopia to Yemen on the southern end of the Green coffee beans were purchased, roasted on Arabian Peninsula. And so did coffee. It was pans at home and ground fine with mortar and here that the beans were first roasted and boiled pistil. The powdery grounds were then brewed to create a drink called qahwa (literally, that in a cezve—a small pot with a long handle which prevents sleep). specifically designed to make coffee and traditionally made of brass, copper, or even In 1536 the Ottoman Turks occupied Yemen. silver or gold. These days a cezve may be made Soon afterward the coffee bean became a vital of stainless steel, aluminum or ceramic, but export throughout the Turkish Empire. The Turkish coffee itself is still made in the same trade route involved shipping the coffee north via manner. (By the way, the patterns created by the Red Sea to Suez, a seaport city in coffee grounds left at the bottom of a cup, after northeastern Egypt, and then transporting it by the coffee has been drunk, are the basis for the camel more than 200 miles to warehouses in centuries-old practice of Turkish coffee fortune Alexandria, on the Mediterranean Sea, where it telling. Known as tasseography, the practice was picked up by French and Venetian includes “reading” the sediment in the cup for merchants. revelations about the drinker’s past or future). To keep other countries from cultivating the The world’s first recorded coffeehouses were plant, maintaining the demand for Yemeni opened in Constantinople. Called kaveh coffee, it was decided that no fertile coffee kanes, these coffeehouses became active and beans would be permitted to leave Yemen. So essential parts of the city’s culture. Customers to prevent germination, beans were required would come to drink coffee, socialize, listen to  music, watch performers, play chess and keep A “Simple, Innocent Thing” Takes London by current on local and world events. It sounds very Storm much like Starbucks' own “third place.” When coffee came to England’s Oxford SMUGGLING COFFEE OUT OF YEMEN University in 1650, it was treated as a novelty and with a tad of suspicion. To be sure, coffee’s In the 17th century, a Muslim pilgrim named reception in Europe had not been without Baba Budan is said to have smuggled seven controversy. Some in Venice had even called coffee seeds out of Yemen by strapping them the drink “the bitter invention of Satan.” around his waist. Other popular lore has him hiding the seeds in his beard.) He was able to Two years after coffee’s arrival at Oxford, successfully cultivate coffee on the coast of Pasqua Rosée, a Greek entrepreneur, opened India, and the area where he sowed the beans, St. Michael’s Alley, London’s first and where he is entombed, is known as the coffeehouse. Today the British Museum’s Baba Budan Hills. archives include a handbill printed for Rosée’s new café that may be England’s first official Soon after, the Dutch, who dominated the coffee advertisement. It bears the bold headline shipping trade, managed to smuggle a coffee “The Vertue [sic] of the Coffee Drink.” tree to Holland, but the tree did not flourish in the Northwestern European climate. Fertile “The Grain or Berry called Coffee,” the handbill’s coffee beans were brought to Ceylon (now body copy begins, “groweth upon little Trees, Sri Lanka) in the Indian Ocean and coffee only in the Deserts of Arabia.” It goes on to began to be grown there. Coffee trees were bestow the “vertues” of this new beverage, also transported to the island of Java and calling it “a simple innocent thing” that among Dutch colonies in Sumatra, Celebes other benefits “quickens the Spirits, and makes (modern-day Sulawesi), Timor, Bali and other the Heart Lightsome.” islands in the East Indies. The first coffeehouses came to be known as COFFEEHOUSE CULTURE ARRIVES IN “penny universities.” The price of admission EUROPE was a penny and included a cup of coffee, newspapers and access to edifying conversation Coffee had made its way to Europe by the with other writers, artists, lawyers, politicians early 1600s, and before long European and philosophers. coffeehouse culture was born. Men gathered for hours to drink coffee, learn Caffè in Venice the latest news of the day and engage in more serious and focused discussions than they While on business in Constantinople, Venetian could, for example, in an alehouse, where the merchants discovered coffee and took it back presence of alcohol might naturally affect the with them to Italy. At first it was sold by atmosphere. lemonade vendors, who also dispensed chocolate and liquor. London’s early coffeehouse customers must have learned quickly how coffee can—to borrow -​ In 1645 the first coffeehouse opened in more of Pasqua Rosée’s advertising Venice, and it quickly became known for copy—“prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit relaxation, companionship, conversation and for Busines [sic].” Those long penny university good food—and the special drink it served: sessions must have been spirited and lightsome caffè. indeed.  A New Paris Fashion taught, but he soon modified the style to satisfy Viennese palates. He took to straining out the -​ Turkish Ambassador to Paris, Soliman Aga, grounds and adding cream and honey. introduced coffee to the Court of Louis XIV in 1669, -​ Coffee had reached Germany in the -​ in 1686, when an Italian chef from Sicily founded 1670s, and over the next several the legendary Café Procope, that the enduring decades coffee houses began sprouting French coffeehouse tradition took root. The café up in German cities. Berlin opened its became the first “literary” coffeehouse in Paris, first in 1721. where great writers and intellectuals met notable figures from the world of art and politics. Spain got coffee from Turkish immigrants but -​ 13 rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, and still an developed their own roasting style—very dark attraction, Café Procope is the oldest beans glistening with oil that made extremely coffeehouse in Paris in continuous operation. strong coffee, which came to be known as -​ Caffè Florian in Venice and a couple Spanish Roast or Dark French Roast. Spanish establishments each claiming to be the oldest in coffee merchants were charged very high prices Oxford, Procope is one of the oldest in the world. by early Arab traders, some of the highest in Europe. French Brewing: -​ Instead of boiling the pan-roasted coffee Even though the Spanish could get cheaper in water, they used an infusion method. prices from their neighbor Portugal (who had -​ They spooned finely ground coffee into colonies in many coffee-growing regions in a cloth bag (that looked something like a Africa), they preferred the higher-quality Arabian sock) and placed that in hot water. coffee and would often meet the traders’ steep -​ When the brew reached the strength demands. they liked, out came the bag. This filtering technique made for a cleaner, — COFFEE STEALS AWAY clearer cup of coffee. The Noble Tree: A Gift Fit for a King The French also developed new ways to enjoy in the early 18th century, the Dutch were able their brew. They added milk and called it “milky to grow coffee in large amounts in Ceylon (Sri coffee”; “coffied milk” described the addition Lanka) and colonies in the East Indies. A single of sugar. Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise coffee tree was taken from Java to Amsterdam de Sévigné, aristocrat and famous writer of to be carefully cultivated in a botanical garden. letters, declared this form of coffee “the nicest thing in the world.” Many French citizens agreed, A coffee tree was an impressive, exotic gift for and café au lait (coffee with milk) became European royalty. One such royal was Louis extremely popular, especially for breakfast. XIV, King of France, who was presented a tree by the mayor of Amsterdam in 1714. By — All Aboard the European Coffee Express now a devoted coffee drinker, Louis realized the Coffee culture progressed elsewhere in Europe importance of this gift and had the “Noble Tree” in a timely fashion. planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Paris where it quickly began to produce fertile seeds. In 1683, Franz Georg Kolschitzky, a young Polish man who had lived in Constantinople for a decade, opened the first coffeehouse in Coffee Conspiracy Vienna, Austria, calling it The Blue Bottle. He made coffee the Turkish way, as he had been Another wonderful story involves a French naval officer named Gabriel de Clieu. While From Martinique, coffee spread to Jamaica, Cuba and eventually Central America. Coffee Keeps Growing Meanwhile, coffee plants were also being sent along Dutch trade routes from the botanical Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, gardens in Amsterdam to their colonies off the missionaries, travelers, traders and colonists coast of South America. continued to carry coffee seeds with them to new lands—leading to the planting of coffee worldwide, wherever it would grow. Coffee farms The French carefully guarded their New World were established in tropical forests, on rugged coffee output and endeavored to prevent mountain sides, in humble backyards. Some cultivation elsewhere. However, when crops were short lived, but many flourished. Francisco de Melo Palheta, a Portuguese Whole nations were established on coffee military officer stationed in Brazil, was economies. Fortunes were made and lost. And dispatched to a coffee-growing region of South coffee became one of the world’s most profitable America, The Guianas, to mediate a border crops to export. dispute between the French and Dutch, an opportunity arose. As Palheta ostensibly worked to resolve the conflict, he also succeeded in seducing the wife of the governor of French Guiana. When Palheta departed, the wife bade farewell to her lover with a special token of her affection: fertile coffee seeds concealed inside a bouquet. These seeds would be the start of coffee in Brazil, which now produces more coffee than any other country in the world. Over the next few centuries, coffee continued to spread across the Americas. That one illicit shoot said to be smuggled out of Paris from a plant originating in Java could very well be the direct ancestor of many of the arabica trees alive today in Central and Latin America. Out with Tea Though coffee in North America dates back to the early 18th century, it was the Boston Tea Party in 1773 that was the catalyst for the surge in American coffee culture. To protest the British Parliament’s tax on tea in America and its passage of the Tea Act, demonstrators dumped into Boston harbor an entire shipment of tea sent by the British East India Company. After that, with many Americans believing it was their patriotic duty to avoid tea, coffee rose in popularity and soon overtook tea as the daily hot beverage of choice. History of Coffeehouses plants of this species tend to be less resistant to disease, pests and drought, 1)​ 1555 - Constantinople (Istanbul) (Hacienda Alsacia—is being done to help 2)​ 1645 - Venice, Italy develop new, more resilient varietals of arabica 3)​ 1652 - London, England 1652 coffee.) 4)​ 1966 - Berkeley, Calif., USA (Peet’s Coffee) Coffea canephora (robusta) - is a very hardy 5)​ 1683 - Vienna, Austria 1683 species of coffee that is more resistant to 6)​ 1686 - Paris, France 1686 disease, pests and drought. 7)​ 1721 - Berlin, Germany 1721 -​ This species has a slightly higher 8)​ 1971 - Seattle, Wash., USA (Starbucks caffeine content than arabica. Coffee) -​ Often grown at lower elevations, robusta produces a higher yield of coffee but has a less refined, Coffees Historic Journey sometimes harsh flavor. -​ Robusta sells at a lower price point 1.)​ Kaldi’s goats discovered coffee which makes it appealing to some 2.)​ Coffee spread from Ethiopia to Yemen roasters as a filler to be blended with 3.)​ Coffee becomes a vital export throughout other coffees. the Turkish Empire -​ Starbucks does not purchase robusta coffee. 4.)​ The world’s first recorded coffeehouses were opened in Constantinople (Istanbul) 5.)​ Baba Budan is said to have smuggled The Vast World of Varietals seven coffee seeds out of Yemen 6.)​ The Dutch smuggled a coffee tree to People may say or prefer this as “Cultivars” Holland or “Landraces” but the term varietals is 7.)​ Coffeehouse culture arrives in Europe 8.)​ Specialty coffee arrives in the United used to refer to any coffee subspecies. States The arabica coffee tree is self-pollinating: instead of relying on bees The Coffee Tree: Bearer of the and insects, the coffee flower can pollinate Bean itself with its own pollen and produce a Species of Coffee Trees - There are two main coffee cherry. Since most of the coffee species of commercially grown coffee: Coffea grown around Arabica and Coffea Canephora (Robusta) The world today is descended from a small Coffea arabica (arabica) - is the most number of seeds taken from Ethiopia to commonly grown species of coffee, accounting Yemen, there is not a lot of pngenetic for about 65% of the world’s production. -​ grown at high altitudes, it produces diversity. high-quality coffee with the refined flavor, body and acidity most World Coffee Research (WCR), a nonprofit o1specialty-coffee buyers look for. committed to finding sustainable ways to promote coffee production, estimates that more than 80% of the commercial orange and yellow, with sizes ranging arabica coffee production around the from dainty to twice as large. world comes from Typica- or Bourbon-related coffee varieties. While 1)​ Varietals also mature at different these plants might have a delicious flavor in speeds and yield diverse cup, they do not all have the needed volumes of cherries. amount of resilience to disease and climate 2)​ Varietals help form the flavors we change. associate with each region and As the plant moved around the world, new are an important factor in cup varietals developed through natural quality. mutation or through hybridization as different varietals planted in proximity cross-pollinated. Some varietals were KEY VARIETALS TO KNOW intentionally created by plant breeders who 1.)​ Typica has a high yield and excellent cup desired specific characteristics such as quality when grown at high elevations. higher yield, smaller tree size or resilience -​ more susceptible to pests and coffee to coffee leaf rust. Learn more at diseases like leaf rust. varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org. -​ Typica is the genetic parent of many common varietals you might have heard of like Maragogype and VARIATIONS IN VARIETALS Java. Varietals have different visual 2.)​ Bourbon has lower yield but excellent appearances which can be seen in the cup quality when grown at high elevations. leaf structure and how the cherries grow -​ Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Orange Bourbon and even Pink in clusters on branches; Bourbon trees are cultivated for their -​ Some trees are tall and lanky; complex, sweet cup profiles. -​ others are compact and -​ Bourbon mutated into common dwarflike. varietals like Caturra and Villa -​ Tips of leaves can be different Sarchi. colors—green, bronze and 3.)​ Caturra first intrigued farmers because of various shades in between. its high yield and compact growth, which allows the trees to be planted close Depending on the varietal, ripe cherries together. range in color from deep red and pink to  -​ Discovered in Brazil in the 1930s, ADVENTURE IN VARIETALS Caturra today is one of the most common varietals found on Central coffees from various parts of the world American coffee farms. display unique flavors due to variations in terroir and processing. -​ differences in cup profiles—in body, 4.)​ Catuai was developed in Brazil to be a acidity and flavor attributes—as you high-yield varietal with sturdy, compact move between varietals. Coffees trees that do well with strong winds and growing in the same place, with the rain by crossing the Caturra and Mundo influences of the same terroir, can Novo varietals. still taste different from each other -​ grows dense clusters of red or because of the distinct varietal. yellow coffee cherries across Latin America. Our coffee buyers and coffee producers around the world allow collaboration in new As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is and innovative ways. One such relationship home to thousands of coffee varietals— is between Carlos Batres of Montecarlos many of which are not commercially grown. Estate and Starbucks coffee buyer Elliot -​ Heirloom varietals are those found Bentzen. Together, they had the idea to in Ethiopia that were never widely begin an adventure in the world of coffee spread around the world. varietals—an adventure that would open the eyes of our partners and customers. historic varietals handed down over generations from farmer to farmer or Everything the same— except for the coffee growing wild. varietal: Pacamara, Bourbon and Catuai. -​ One very famous heirloom varietal is The adventure started high in the Gesha (also called Geisha), which mountains of El Salvador, where the is celebrated for its delicate cup spectacular Montecarlos Estate sprawls profile. Named after the village in across slopes and up to the rim of a Ethiopia where it was first volcano. Among the rich soil and discovered, cloud-forest microclimate, Carlos 1.​ Gesha has since been Batres—the fifth-generation owner of the carefully introduced to Latin coffee farm—takes great care to cultivate, America handpick and process each varietal 2.​ Gesha is celebrated for its individually at the family wet mill. unparalleled, elegant cup profile. Pacama Varietal - Characterized as and cup quality. Identifying and creating unusually large beans and was first grown new varietals of disease-resilient coffee at Montecarlos Estate. trees require collaboration and research across the coffee industry. -​ Balance with a floral complexity lke rose and violet. Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks own coffee -​ Body is smooth with a lingering farm on the slopes of Poás Volcano in sweet flavor, like simple syrup Costa Rica. Catuai - Grown at Montecarlos Estate, The rows of coffee trees planted in neat, expertly cared for to produce high volumes geometric lines in a corner of the farm don’t of cherries each year —- look like a research lab, but the unassuming plot of 350 different varietals plays an -​ Brightest of the bunch important scientific role. -​ Soft juiciness that reminded us of fuji apple 25 acres are devoted to an ambitious -​ Playful, bright and juicy task: -​ In the finish we picked up notes of -​ research and development to help apricot and peach. ensure the future of coffee Bourbon - Growns small, round beans production. -​ serves as a testing ground where -​ Complex structure built on a mil Carlos Mario Rodriguez, Starbucks chocolate body and finishing with a head of Global Research and prominent sweet citrus note. Development, Agronomy and -​ Meyer lemon came into mind Farmer Support, experiments with because of its sweet flavor and creating and nurturing specially bred pleasing acidity varietals and hybrids, pushing the FUTURE-PROOFING COFFEE boundaries of agronomy research to breed trees that are resistant to WITH VARIETAL RESEARCH coffee leaf rust, which is ravaging At origin, we consult with farmers and coffee crops in Latin America. agronomists to understand how to improve Carlos Mario also tends the prized Core agricultural practices throughout our supply Collection, which represents the chain to support sustainable coffee production. -​ 100 most genetically diverse strains of arabica coffee in the Our agronomists also work with farmers on world, coffee varietal selection to improve yield  -​ sourced more than 50 years ago the germination bed to the nursery, where from Ethiopia. they spend the next year in a protected -​ Starbucks was one of the first environment. recipients of the Core Collection, distributed by World Coffee Research. 02 A Butterfly Bursts Forth From Seed to Tree By (2) two months the parchment shell (helmet) has fallen away, revealing the A coffee starts its life at a nursery. mature first true leaves of the coffee plant. coffee plants can handle more intense -​ This is called the “butterfly” stage weather, seedlings need protection. with the earliest leaves resembling -​ Once young coffee plant has the insect’s rounded wings. developed a strong structure that it -​ Over the next few weeks, the plant is moved to a field where it will will outgrow these first leaves and spend the rest of its life. produce shiny, elongated leaves that A coffee plant naturally begins its life as a end in a point. seed—in this case a “bean.” -​ During this critical time, the nursery protects the plant from frost, drought 1)​ A bean is placed into fertile soil, and weeds. 2)​ thinly covered, and begins its journey. 03 Time for a Checkup 3)​ The seed will germinate over the At (4) four months, the first next few weeks, and roots will begin branches will start to develop. to spread as a small green stem will start to reach toward the surface. -​ The plant’s size, structure, leaf color, distance between branches, and 01 Rising from the Soil root system are observed. By (6) six weeks, a delicate stem -​ By now a farmer or agronomist can has sprouted from the soil, and it has taken make a pretty good guess at how the protective, parchment-covered seed healthy the tree will be. with it. This is called the “soldier” or -​ A healthier plant is more productive, “matchstick” stage, the tiny seedling produces higher-quality coffee, and resembling a wooden match or a helmeted has a longer life. Any plant that does soldier standing at attention. Even at this not qualify at this stage is discarded. early stage, it’s critical for farmers to select 04 Ready for the Coffee Fields only the healthiest seedlings to move from After about a year, the plant has developed A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A a dark green color, healthy foliage and a COFFEE TREE prominent root system. -​ The healthy young tree is ready to What happens the rest of the year? leave the nursery and be 1.​ Time for a Trim transplanted into its permanent After harvest, the coffee trees rest for home: a coffee field. most of the dry season. -​ Young plants may stay on the farms where they were raised or be To help prepare the trees for the next purchased by another producer to growing season, farmers may take this be planted on a different farm. Now opportunity for an important part of crop the farmer waits. management—pruning the tops of the trees to keep the harvesting manageable. If left 05 Mature Coffee Tree unattended, coffee trees can grow to The coffee tree is fully mature after about heights of 30 feet (10 meters). It would be three to five years. very difficult to pick cherries by hand (the way they are usually picked) off a tree that -​ Now they will flower every year and tall. Coffee trees are pruned to around begin producing coffee cherries. 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 meters) to increase -​ Over the next few months, the productivity and make harvesting the season turns again from wet to dry, fruit comparatively easier. and the coffee cherries slowly change color from green to yellow -​ important to prune for airflow to ruby red. between trees. -​ It takes about (9) nine months for a -​ Fungi are one of the main threats to tree to progress from flowering to the health of coffee trees and producing ripe cherries ready for creating space for the trees to harvest. 0“breathe” also prevents the moisture that fungi thrive in. Years may seem like a long time to wait for a tree to start producing, but it is a worthwhile investment of time because a 2.​ Renewal and Replanting healthy coffee tree has the potential to produce cherries for 25–30 years. Timely renewal of trees allows producers to maintain uniform, healthy, sturdy and well-producing plants.  -​ Ideally farmers are renewing -​ For the4 farmer, the blooms give (replanting) 5% of trees each year the first glimpse into what the to reduce disease and improve the harvest season will bring. These quality and quantity of their harvests. beautiful flowers are fleeting. As they drop off, they are replaced by clusters of green cherries. 3.​ Soil Management From Wet to Dry, from Green to Red Producers also benefit from analyzing soil. Over the next few months, the season turns -​ If the pH is too high or low it again from wet to dry, and the coffee affects the tree’s ability to use cherries slowly change color from green nutrients efficiently, which in turn to yellow to ruby red. It takes about nine has a negative impact on coffee months for a tree to progress from quality. Sometimes even a subtle flowering to producing ripe cherries ready change to pH has a large effect. for harvest. The Coffee Cherry: Influencer of Picked by Hand the Bean As coffee cherries ripen, they turn a deep red, and this is the farmer’s signal that they more than 25 million people depend on are ready. coffee farms for their economic livelihood. All these people are devoted to the progress In most countries, cherries are picked by of the coffee cherry. hand, one by one, by seasonal workers who follow the ripening fruit from farm to The Yearly Cycle of a Coffee farm throughout the harvest season. This Tree can be within a particular country or between countries. Mobility and Wet Season and Fields of Flowers adaptability are necessary for picking As the dry season turns to the wet, the trees cherries at the peak of ripeness. will bud. -​ Triggered by a long rain, the buds will bloom into delicate, white, jasmine-scented flowers. -​ When the coffee fields are in full bloom, it almost looks like snow has fallen. HARVEST TIME Harvesters may need to revisit the same tree several times to ensure they are Coffee harvest time is an event, and farms choosing only the ripest cherries—what’s are alive with activity. called “selective” harvesting. Such care Harvesters will rise early, when leads to the high quality that the farmers temperatures are cooler, and make their (and Starbucks) are after. way to the coffee fields to spend the day At the end of the harvesting day, any collecting the fruit. They fill their baskets unripe (and overripe) cherries that found with ripe cherries, picking with great speed their way into pickers’ baskets are sorted and skill, emptying full baskets into larger out, along with any debris. bags as they go. To preserve the health of Harvesters then bring their coffee to a the trees, they take care during picking not location where it will be collected and they to damage branches or tear off leaves. will be paid for their day’s work based on volume or weight of cherries picked and The premium coffee Starbucks sources quality. We would not be able to roast, brew thrives at high elevations, where the and share exceptional arabica coffee with cherries experience warm days and customers and partners everywhere without cooler nights. the hard work done by coffee harvesters around the world. -​ This slows their growth and creates denser green beans rich with MANY SEASONS: HERE complex flavor. COMES A HARVEST -​ High elevations with their steep hillsides can mean coffee farms are No matter what time of year it is, there is often spread across different almost always a coffee harvest going on elevations, which can result in somewhere in the world. cherries in different areas of the farm With so many harvests a year, a steady ripening at different times. supply of fresh, incredible arabica beans -​ It’s even possible that one tree or arrives regularly at our door. one branch will have some cherries that ripen faster than others. This fluctuation in harvest seasons is -​ Topography challenges like this, due to the varied locations of along with fluctuations in when the coffee-growing regions. fruit is ripe, make the difficult job of Each region has a unique seasonal picking coffee even harder. calendar, the rainy season will turn dry at different times during the year in different brought to a local mill or begin the regions. process on the farm. harvest seasons can vary within the same -​ Processing is the transformation of region because of factors such as altitude cherries from a fleshy fruit to a hard and weather patterns. In the Latin America bean. growing region, for example, coffee Before its flavors can be unlocked through producers in Central America harvest roasting, and before we can consume it, a between October and April, while bean has to be freed from its fruit. As with harvesting in South America takes place any perishable produce, a ripe coffee cherry between April and August. This cycle can will go bad quickly and should be processed even vary among different areas in the as soon as possible after picking. same country. In parts of Colombia and Kenya, there are actually two coffee -​ Processed green coffee beans have harvests a year—a main harvest and a a much longer shelf life and can second called “fly-crop,” or mitaca. remain stable through the long voyage from mill to roasting plant. The constant arrival of fresh coffee all year keeps our tasters and roasters busy and ANATOMY OF THE COFFEE CHERRY makes for a lively, vital business. To get to the seeds of the cherry, layers of -​ allows us to feature a wide variety of fruit and protective skin are removed. single-origin coffees throughout the 01 Outer Skin year. The outermost skin of the cherry is taut, This calendar gives estimations of harvest thick and bitter. Peeled, the cherry looks a months by coharvest can vary significantly little like a peeled grape or a lychee—a depending on weather, elevation and other pale, sticky layer of fruit surrounding the environmental factors such as seeds. rainfalls.untry, starting in October when official crop years begin. The timing of 02 Pulp From Farm to Mill The pulp consists mostly of sugar and water. The heaviest part of the cherry, The freshly picked cherries are now ready pulp makes up around 80% of the total to be processed. Depending on the region weight of a coffee harvest. This makes for and method of processing, cherries that a lot of waste, and many coffee farms have been picked during the day are recycle the pulp into compost— fertilizing the very fields where the coffee grew.  Processing is a crucial, transitional step in the life of a coffee bean, and the utmost 03 Mucilage care is needed to arrive at a product that is Under the pulp we find the mucilage, a exceptional, one that has not suffered in sticky, honey like coating. quality or lost any of its potential flavors. 04 Parchment Every coffee-growing country is distinct in how it processes cherries. Local processing A thin, papery protective layer, similar to the methods are informed by each region’s skin on a peanut. climate, infrastructure, topography, 05 Silver Skin traditions and ready access to resources. Some specific factors that can A thin, almost translucent final protective influence how the cherries are processed: layer on the green bean. It flakes off as “chaff” during roasting. 06 Green Bean How much water is required? How much is available? The actual coffee bean (seed). What specialized equipment is needed? Most coffee cherries have two flat-sided beans inside, face to face. But in about How much space is available for the 5–10% of cherries, a single, round bean process? known as a peaberry develops. Chances How will the coffee beans be dried? On a are you can search through most bags of patio? A drying table? coffee and find at least a few peaberries among the flat-sided beans. What is the traditional processing method in this particular region? VARIATIONS IN PROCESSING METHODS Although there can be many approaches to The layers of the coffee fruit can be processing coffee, most methods fall into removed in different ways, but the main goal one of these categories: washed of every processing method is the same: processing, semi-washed processing and natural processing. -​ to maintain the highest possible quality throughout the transformation.  during which naturally occurring enzymes break down the mucilage. WASHED(WET) PROCESSING 2.​ After fermentation, beans are sent The washed method is used most widely down another channel that washes throughout the world. off any remaining mucilage. -​ Access to clean water is required for The alternative, contemporary method is this processing method. a demucilaging machine that uses less -​ Along with pleasant acidity, which is than 5% of the water used during highlighted by this method, washed traditional fermentation. coffees are known for their nuanced 04 Drying flavors and clean finish. -​ After the pulp and sticky, sweet After all this wet processing, the beans, still mucilage layer is removed from the in their parchment layer, need to be bean, it is parchment dried thoroughly dried. -​ This is traditionally done by laying 01 Receiving the beans in the sun Coffee cherries arrive at a wet mill and are -​ To ensure they dry evenly, beans transferred into a receiving tank. are raked and turned throughout the day. 02 De-pulping -​ This process can take three to Cherries are sent down a washing channel seven days. to a de-pulper, a machine that slices into the Some producers now use mechanical fruit, allowing the beans inside to pop out. dryers, tumbling the parchment coffee in The skin and pulp are often saved for temperature controlled drums. composting. 05 Resting 03 Removing the Mucilage The thoroughly dried parchment coffee is The mucilage is removed from the beans in bagged and transferred to a warehouse. one of two ways. The most traditional way to remove the sticky mucilage is by -​ coffee now rests for up to two using a fermentation tank. months, during which time it continues to develop flavor. 1.​ De-pulped beans remain in a cement tank of water for a 06 Hulling fermentation period of 18–36 hours, After the resting period, the bags are opened and, at last, the parchment is removed from the beans by hulling mucilage remains on the beans contributes machines. to flavor. -​ This process leaves the green beans 03 Partial Drying in their final state before roasting; The rinsed beans, still with parchment on they’re ready for the next stage in them, are laid out to begin to dry. (no use of their journey. a fermentation tank or demucilaging SEMI-WASHED(WET-HULLED) machine.) PROCESSING 04 Receiving The semi-washed (wet-hulled) method is The partially dried beans are bagged to be used primarily by smallholder farmers on transported from the farm to a mill. the islands of Indonesia. 05 Continued Drying This part of the world, coffee producers At the mill, beans are laid out on tarps to developed a unique wethulled procedure further reduce moisture. They continue known in Indonesian as Giling Basah. drying for 1 o 5 days, depending on the This process contributes chiefly to the weather. recognizable flavor profile of Indonesian coffees—earthy, herbal flavors with big, 06 Hulling syrupy body and greatly muted acidity. While still in a semi-wet state, the beans are -​ Wet-hulled coffees, unlike any hulled to remove the parchment and any others, finish their drying time as remaining mucilage. green beans 07 Final Drying 01 De-pulping The soft, damp green beans are returned to Right after harvest and before being sent to the drying patios and raked. Once dry, they a dry mill, coffee cherries are washed and are sorted, bagged and prepared for depulped using a hand-cranked machine transport. called a luwak. 02 Rinsing The beans are soaked in water for one to two hours and then rubbed together to roughly remove the mucilage. What NATURAL (SUN-DRIED OR 04 Final Resting DRY) PROCESSING The sorted beans are dried completely, bagged and made ready for transport. The natural method is the oldest approach to processing coffee and probably most The Role Mucilage Plays in similar to what would have been done in Flavor coffee’s earliest days. One of the biggest impacts on the cup -​ This processing method is most profile of each processing method is the commonly seen in East Africa and interaction of the coffee bean with the Brazil. mucilage— that sticky, honeylike middle No water is used in the process. The fruit of layer that coats the coffee bean. the cherry is allowed to dry right on the -​ The amount of time mucilage bean infusing it with flavor. Coffees stays in contact with the bean, processed naturally are known for their full along with the amount of mucilage to body and intense, fruity flavors. begin with, influences a coffee’s 01 Receiving body, acidity and flavor. After harvest, coffee cherries are taken to a With the natural method, for instance, beans processing location. spend days covered by mucilage, pulp and skin as the cherry dries in the sun. Instead 02 Drying of being washed away, sugars from the fruit The cherries are laid out in thin layers on add sweetness to the coffee. The resulting patios or on raised drying beds. turned often flavors in the cup, depending on origin, are to ensure the outer fruit does not rot or often very fruit-forward with a heavier body ferment. After several days, the dried than washed coffees. cherries will become hard,like the skin of -​ Processed coffees from Africa tend raisins. to have flavor notes of fresh fruit 03 Hulling such as cherry or blueberry, -​ Processed coffees from South and The dried cherries are then hulled, with the Central America can have notes of pulp, mucilage and parchment all removed dried fruit like raisin, plum or fig. together. The washed method has beans quickly de-pulped and the mucilage removed, so mucilage has less influence on the cup profile. The resulting flavor is bright with a The dried beans are hulled at a mill to crisp, clean finish and pleasing acidity. remove the remaining mucilage and parchment. Another spectrum of processing methods with 2.​ Honey processing a wide range of time that the beans spend The honey process is a variation of the in contact with mucilage. Two examples are; pulped natural method and is found 1.​ pulped natural processing commonly in Costa Rica and other parts of Central America. (hybrid of the washed This method shares characteristics of both and natural processes) the washed and natural processes. After harvest, cherries are de-pulped and partially it skips the demucilaged, with some mucilage left to dry 1.​ fermentation step and leaves the on the parchment. mucilage clinging to the parchment -​ No fermentation process. to dry with the bean. -​ Pulped natural processing is found 2.​ The honey process is classified by most commonly in Brazil and yields color, from yellow to black, a flavorful, sweet cup with more depending on the amount of body and less acidity than with mucilage on the bean and other washed coffees. factors like drying time, heat and humidity. 01 De-pulping Yellow honey coffee, for example, would The skin and the pulp of the cherry are have had less mucilage left on the bean removed mechanically. after cherries were de-pulped and 02 Demucilaging semi-washed, and would have dried in warm, sunny weather with little humidity— A demucilaging machine is used that can be adjusted to leave a desired amount of -​ More mucilage on the bean and mucilage on the bean. increased drying time lead to the darker color classifications. 03 Drying No actual “honey” is involved in the Beans are laid out on patios and dried with process. The name derives from the sticky, a significant amount of mucilage still sugary nature of mucilage itself (which is attached to the parchment. found in most fruit), but honey processed 04 Hulling coffees can actually taste a little like honey too. Distinctly sweet but without the intense fruit flavors of natural coffees, typically with greater airflow and more even drying, which a creamy body and muted acidity. adds to cup quality. 01 De-pulping On the other hand, producers are also often hesitant to experiment with new processing The skin and the pulp of the cherry are techniques because of what’s at stake. - removed mechanically. -​ Faulty processing can damage or 02 Drying ruin an entire harvest, and the Beans are laid out on patios and dried with integrity of the crop usually various amounts of mucilage still attached outweighs the opportunity for a to the parchment. different flavor profile or a potentially more efficient approach. And while -​ The beans reach different shades considering any possible innovation, while drying, depending on, among producers also weigh time - other factors, how much mucilage honored traditions of the farm, remains. mill or cooperative. 03 Hulling In the early 2000’s Sun-Dried Ethiopia Dried beans are hulled at a mill to remove Shirkina, the new coffee, won over coffee the remaining mucilage and parchment. lovers, and natural processing began to be embraced by specialty-coffee In these methods, the effect mucilage has producers in the Sidama region. on cup profile falls somewhere between the washed and natural methods DENSITY & QUALITY INNOVATIONS IN After processing, regardless of which PROCESSING METHODS method was used, all green coffee is sorted at a dry mill. Coffee producers are always on the lookout A general rule of thumb: for innovations that lead to processing more efficiently.. -​ the higher the density, the higher the quality. Some Central American producers, for -​ By hand or machine, beans are example, have started to adopt the African sorted by size and color, with tradition of drying coffee on raised beds attention to any flaws or (also known as “African beds”) instead of imperfections. patios. They have found this allows for -​ Sorting out any defects allows the highest-quality green coffee to be  kept separate from lower-quality designs and emblems printed on the outside beans. of the burlap, also representing pride in their nations. As with any agricultural product, the quality of coffee beans will vary from farm to farm. If you walk through a green-coffee storage But programs like Starbucks C.A.F.E. warehouse or visited a Starbucks Reserve® Practices can help farmers increase yield Roastery, you will be able to admire and reduce defects in the beans—to decorated sacks from farms all over the maximize each farm’s proportion of world. high-quality, specialty-grade coffee. 01 After beans are sorted, they are 01 Hand-sorting: Beans with visual or bagged physical defects are removed 02 Green coffee is weighed before bags 02 Optical sorting: Optical sorting are sewn shut machines use color instead of density and BON VOYAGE! size to sort beans Once the coffee beans are bagged, they are 03 Density sorting: This machine is a ready to begin the next stage of their gravity separator. It’s tilted and vibrating so journey—one that takes them around the the denser coffees stay on one side and the world. As the bags of coffee are loaded into less dense coffees fall to the other side. large shipping containers, workers are BAGGING careful to protect them from getting wet. After green coffee is sorted by quality, it is -​ Any moisture is extremely hazar weighed and bagged, usually in burlap dous and can cause the coffee to sacks. The sacks are then sewn shut by mold or mildew during the trip. machine or by hand with large needles. -​ Coffee is normally shipped in 20-foot (6.1-meter) containers, but -​ Most bags of green coffee beans they can be larger. weigh around 60 kilograms (132 pounds). The vessels will sail to seaports near one of -​ Depending on the country of origin, our several roasting plants in the U.S., though, they can range from 59–70 China or The Netherlands, where the green kilograms (130–154 pounds). coffee will be roasted and packaged. As bags depart their countries, there is a -​ The coffee’s trip will take from two great deal of pride attached to the coffee to eight weeks. inside. This is often expressed in colorful  -​ A cargo ship from Africa destined for -​ In the challenging hilly terrain of the East Coast of the U.S., might Indonesia, motor scooters are often have a voyage of more than a used to take coffee from farm to mill, month ahead of it. with beans strapped to a rider’s back -​ Cruising at the typical container-ship or placed in baskets straddling the speed of between 16 and 25 knots rear of the scooter. per hour, our ship’s ocean voyage will last 34 days. -​ In Latin America, donkeys and In Charleston, the bags of green coffee will pack mules have served as coffee be unloaded and transported by rail or truck transport for more than a century, to the appropriate roasting facility, possibly and are a cheap, reliable mode for Starbucks Sandy Run Roasting Plant farmers. upstate in Gaston. A mature donkey can carry over a BY LAND, BY SEA, BY BURRO hundred pounds of coffee all day long, picking its way slowly down rocky trails. It’s interesting to note that even before green coffee beans embark on sea While there are basic flavor characteristics voyages, they have already done a fair common to each region, flavor is really a amount of traveling. product of microclimate, processing method and other specifics related to After all, they had to get to the port from the terroir. —-- flavors found in each region mill, and to the mill from the farm. Flatter are incredibly diverse. No two growing terrain en route to seaports can be regions—or even two coffee farms—are the traversed easily by rail or truck, but the same. more difficult paths that coffee may need to take from the farm or the mill—down steep The Coffee Belt slopes or rugged hillsides—are sometimes negotiated in quirkier, more charming ways. LATIN AMERICA - Flavors of nuts, cocoa The exquisitely painted oxcarts (or las and soft spice. carretas) of Costa Rica are famous. Rustic -​ We find coffees with smooth, lingering and strong, at one time they were used to mouth feels and notes of chocolate and carry coffee from plantations in the country’s toffee. central valley over the mountains, through -​ Some are accented with the aromatics jungles and down to the Pacific port of of baking spices like cinnamon and Puntarenas or the port of Limón on the cardamom. Caribbean side. -​ Others feature a clean, dry finish like -​ our hearts were first captured by the walnuts, cocoa nibs, toasted almonds full body and herbal flavors of or hazelnuts. Sumatran coffee. -​ But from pungent to delicate, there But in this same growing region we also are many other incredible flavors to discover flavors that are reminiscent of be found. white peach and apricots, aromatics of -​ Syrupy, silky coffees with a malty jasmine or vanilla. Notes of citrus zest and sweetness. Notes of maple and orange marmalade. Some coffees are juicy, toasted marshmallow and others savory and herbal. The flavor variety butterscotch. There are also lively and consistent quality of the coffees we coffees with lemony acidity and source from Latin America make them notes of spicy green herbals, and crucial to many of our most beloved blends coffees with flavors of bell pepper, and single-origin offerings. kola nut and luscious chocolate. AFRICA - Flavors of citrus, berry and spice TERROIR: SOIL, ALTITUDE & with floral aromas. MICROCLIMATE -​ coffees that unfold with sparkling Our coffee buyers travel the Coffee Belt with acidity and jammy fruit notes. cupping spoons in hand. -​ There are florals that are sometimes perfumed, other times delicate -​ Each growing region contains its aromatics of lavender and jasmine. own weather patterns, soil -​ We find notes of cinnamon and composition and nutrients, and black pepper, tropical flavors, flavors range of elevations. In other words, that are tart like grapefruit or a multitude of different terroirs. cranberry, and chocolate notes that -​ A coffee from the Cauca region of range from dark to rich and creamy. Colombia, Starbucks Reserve® Colombia Pedregal, for instance, The diversity of flavors, some found in no shone with floral aromas, a juicy other region, is just one of the reasons that acidity and notes of lemon and African coffees are celebrated by baristas brown sugar around the world. -​ This coffee, Starbucks Reserve® Colombia El Peñol, displayed black currant notes with a touch of dark chocolate in the finish. ASIA/PACIFIC - Flavors of herbs and earth Both coffees were of the Caturra varietal, with full or syrupy bodies. grown at around 6,000 feet (1,800 meters), and both were processed with the fully Coffee-growing regions are often washed method and roasted similarly. But characterized by the dramatic volcanoes because of the different terroirs of the two and towering mountain ranges near which regions, the flavors we found in the cup arabica coffee thrives. were quite different. But why does the coffee we love grow so The Importance of Soil high up? Just as humans need a host of different -​ Higher altitudes make for a nutrients to develop well, so do plants. In denser coffee bean. The denser addition to the energy plants get from sun the bean, the higher the quality, the and water, fertile soil provides the coffee more complex the flavor in the cup. plant with vital nutrients. Starbucks purchases arabica coffee grown -​ the finest coffee in the world at high elevations, anywhere from around grows in rich volcanic soil on the 3,000–6,000 feet (900–1,800 meters), foothills of Mt. Kenya or along the depending on the origin. many volcanic slopes in Costa Rica. -​ When elevation is matched with the -​ Volcanic ash has a high ideal microclimate, growing concentration of minerals, and conditions can become extremely when mixed with soil it helps provide suitable for specialty coffee. essentials for coffee’s healthy -​ At higher elevations, temperatures growth, affecting, among other are warm during the day and cool at things, sugar and organic acid night. development in the coffee bean. -​ This daily temperature variance In other words, a rich blend of nutrients in slows down the growth of the coffee the soil leads to richness and complexity cherry, giving the bean more time to in the cup. grow, develop sugars and intensify in flavor. The roots of a coffee tree grow to be many feet long, so the plant grows best in deep, At lower altitudes there is less porous, well-drained soil. Another benefit of fluctuation in temperature, so cherries high ash content is that it allows the soil mature quickly and beans do not have the to hold enough water to keep plants time they need to build the complex flavors hydrated, but not so much as to cause rot associated with high-quality coffee. or cut off the supply of oxygen to the roots. Throughout the Coffee Belt, there are many The Role of Altitude different elevations at which coffee is grown. Some of our favorite Hawaiian coffees are grown at 3,000 feet (900 meters) while COFFEE FARMS: ONE SIZE exquisite Guatemalan coffees can be found at high altitudes close to 7,000 feet DOES NOT FIT ALL (2,100 meters). Geography also influences coffee-growing -​ Globally, there is not a perfect traditions including the size of coffee farms altitude for growing coffee. As often found in the region. Around the world, important as altitude is, it’s the coffee is grown on many types of farms that combination of altitude and the other can look vastly different from each other. aspects of terroir that culminates in Coffee estates - large farms on more the production of high-quality than 50 hectares of land. arabica. -​ farms that are large enough to The Influence of Microclimates support coffee farming and Microclimate is a term that describes processing in one location. temperature and the amount of sunlight and -​ After the coffee is picked, everything rainfall of a small or restricted that is necessary to prepare it for location—conditions that often differ shipment can happen on the estate. significantly from those in the surrounding Micro-estates - smaller coffee farms area. with on-site micro-mills for processing. -​ Microclimates can be as small as a -​ farms of this size have one depulper few square feet and as large as and one small fermentation tank. many square miles. -​ microclimates can help a unique Smallholder farms - even smaller, and flavor profile appear within a most of the coffee we source is grown here. relatively small area. -​ farms are between two and five The side of a mountain exposed to the sun, hectares in size and often grow for instance, will have a different coffee along with other crops for microclimate than the unexposed side. If subsistence farming. there is a river or waterfall on the farm, the -​ When the coffee is ready to harvest, microclimate around the water will be the farmer will take (sell) their distinct from other places on the farm. If cherries to another farm or mill for coffee is planted in the shade of trees, it will processing. experience a microclimate different from areas in direct sunlight. Cooperatives - associations of smallholder coffee farmers who organize into groups to promote and sell their coffee. -​ Cooperatives vary in size and can include 100–15,000 farms. -​ Cooperatives are centered around a mill or processing facility where all the individual farmers bring their coffee to be processed, with profits being shared by the group. In essence, each individual coffee farmer is a shareholder in a cooperative from which Starbucks purchases coffee. Starbucks sources coffee from all the different types of farms. Depending on farm size, our purchases may represent a farm’s entire annual best-quality production. Of the more than 450,000 farms we purchase coffee from, over 90% are smallholders. Collectively, coffee farms around the world produce about 152 million burlap bags of coffee each year. Starbucks purchases around 4.2 million bags of high-quality arabica coffee annually, roughly 2–3% of total global production. Starbucks Agronomists  Helps farmers increase the quality and FSC Locations quantity of the coffee they grow while also 01 Alajuela, Costa Rica (est. 2004) striving to protect the environment. Agronomist is like “medical doctors” for 02 Guatemala City, Guatemala (2005) trees who take care of crops so these crops 03 Kigali, Rwanda (2009) can increase yields. 04 Mbeya, Tanzania (2011) -​ Offer technical support and training, sharing new approaches to improve 05 Manizales, Colombia (2012) the quality and quantity of yields, and 06 Yunnan, China (2012) helping to drive sustainability and ensure social and environmental best 07 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2014) practices. 08 North Sumatra, Indonesia (2016) -​ Regardless if starbucks purchases coffee from the farmers our agronomist 09 Chiapas, Mexico (2016) supports them. 10 Varginha, Minas Gerais State, Brazil -​ Our agronomists are motivated to share lessons they learned about Farmer Support Centers also cultivate farming with growers around the world. relationships with coffee exporters Improving the abilities of all coffee -​ Coffee exporters, whom we also growers to survive climate change and refer to as suppliers, are benefit the industry as a whole. independent organizations that buy coffee from smallholder FARMER SUPPORT CENTERS farms, cooperatives and estates, Our agronomist works out for our Farmer and then help arrange transportation Support Center FSCs that are dedicated to of coffee to the buyer. supporting coffee farmers and their communities. HACIENDA ALSACIA: OUR FARM AND GLOBAL -​ They work with quality experts and farmers to develop responsible methods to grow AGRONOMY RESEARCH & better coffee, improve the quality and size DEVELOPMENT CENTER of the harvest, manage cost of production and help implement C.A.F.E Practices. Hacienda Alsacia has been a working coffee farm since the 1970s. Hacienda Our first Farmer Support Center opened Alsacia functions as a field laboratory for in Costa Rica in 2004 agronomy research.  -​ Aids Understanding of Challenges -​ Mission isn’t just to supply Starbucks with Facing Farmers coffee while safeguarding the future of -​ Hacienda Alsacia helps Starbucks coffee everywhere. gain a better understanding of the challenges facing coffee farmers Our Ethical Sourcing throughout our supply chain—. Guidelines: C.A.F.E. Practices -​ Develops New Varietals In order to help create a sustainable supply -​ A portion of Hacienda Alsacia is of coffee for the future, we developed dedicated exclusively to research C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity) and development of new varietals Practices, a program that would address all -​ The goal is to develop several new the components crucial to sustainability. hybrids that produce great arabica coffee and are hardy enough to -​ Standard for ethically sourcing coffee thrive into the future. -​ Standard that helps increase the quality -​ They look into the threats posed by and yield of coffee while investing in climate change to sustainable coffee communities and conserving the coffee, and they develop and test planet. methods of adapting to the ​ In partnership with Conservation challenges. International in 1998, C.A.F.E Practices -​ Visitors are able to experience (Coffee and Farmer Equity) was created. coffee from seed to cup and see This is one of the coffee industry’s first set firsthand the agronomy work we’ve of sustainability standards. been supporting and investing in for C.A.F.E Practices - sets minimum more than two decades. expectations of its suppliers but promotes continuous improvement through best practices in sustainable coffee production. OPEN-SOURCE AGRONOMY This program enables Starbucks to gain Open Source - means freely sharing insights into the different challenges information for the good of all. faced by the farmers in different coffee growing regions: Allows us to customize -​ Open-source agronomy makes research support whether that is in a means of and findings available to everyone in the financial assistance through a loan from the coffee industry. This includes everything Global Farmer Fund, providing healthy from farming best practices to new coffee trees or technical support through a varieties of climate-resilient arabica Farmer Support Center. coffee.’ C.A.F.E. Practices is made up of four our quality teams evaluate (100) hundreds components, all vital aspects of of cups of coffee each day and determine whether they meet our rigorous standards. ensuring sustainable coffee: Quality, This process is also referred to as green Economic Transparency, Social coffee grading. Responsibility and Environmental Leadership. We use a specific cupping-grade glossary as a reference tool for consistency. The -​ Starbucks will not purchase glossary provides acceptable green bean coffee unless it meets our moisture, density requirements and standards for quality and appearance (color, size and shape) as well unless there is economic as expectations from different countries. transparency. Cupping Evaluation Quality (Taste in Cup) Physical Evaluation Before we purchase a coffee, it must meet Coffees are cupped and evaluated on the these standards. The higher the quality, the following criteria: higher the price paid to the farmer. In addition to cupping, coffees are -​ Our coffee quality team at the evaluated on the following criteria: Starbucks Coffee Trading Company (SCTC) in Lausanne, Aroma: The way coffee smells Switzerland, tastes every coffee Bean density and moisture before a purchase is made. content: Measured using a specialized Starbucks Coffee Trading Company grain analyze (Lausanne, Switzerland) - farmers or Acidity: The lively palate cleansing suppliers mail a small amount of green sensation you’ll feel on the sides and tip of coffee, or “offer samples” to SCTC for the your tongue quality team to roast the coffee and cup it. Bean size: Measured by screen size They will taste and they will either approve analysis the purchase or reject with an explanation why it does not meet our expectations. -​ Farms are encourage to continue to Body: The weight of a coffee on your follow the guidelines in C.A.F.E tongue, described as light, medium or full Practices to improve their quality. Bean color and shape: Visual How We Define High Quality analysis Flavor: The way a coffee tastes part of Our Mission & Values is treating everyone with dignity and respect, Number of defects: Must meet our including partners and extending through quality specifications the supply chain Complexity: The overall impression of a -​ Evaluates hiring practices and coffee working conditions. Economic Transparency (Price Paid to -​ Ensures working rights are protected the Farmer) and that safe and humane conditions exist. To demonstrate how much of the price paid for green coffee actually gets to the farmer, This includes; participants in C.A.F.E. Practices are 1)​ Being paid a minimum wage (with required to submit evidence of payments the encouragement of employers to made throughout the coffee supply chain pay more) (from the coffee farmer to the exporters). 2)​ No child labor or forced labor is -​ Evidence of payments include present receipts to farmers for coffee sold Farms that fail to meet the zero-tolerance containing information on quantity, indicators are not allowed to participate in type of coffee, unit of measure, the program until corrective actions are adate, name of buyer and seller, taken and correction is confirmed. and price. There are more than 70 indicators that Without economic transparency, there make up the Social Responsibility portion of would be no way of knowing how much the C.A.F.E. Practices scorecard used to of the green coffee price goes to the measure performance. farmers. 1)​ Wages and Benefits Starbucks purchases coffee from more than 450,000 farmers. Indicator example: Employer pays for any national, legally required benefits (social security, vacation, disability) for temporary and seasonal workers. -​ Social Responsibility 2)​ Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining Protecting Workers’ Rights: Indicator example: Workers are able to talk Supporting the Local Community about workplace grievances with management or employer with no fear of working hours. Training is documented, reprisal. including instructors, agendas and attendance. 3)​ Hours of Work Indicator example: All workers do not work