It finally happened. Seven years of telling people we don’t really buy Indonesian coffee and now there is one on my desk waiting to be brewed, picked apart and hopefully, enjoyed. Given that Indonesia is one of the worlds best known and largest producing countries I should probably start by explaining exactly why it took so long for us to feature one.

Sitio Serra e Leite is located in the coffee growing region of Poços de Caldas, renowned for its high quality, volcanic soil and unique micro-climates. This is a relatively small coffee farm compared to others in the Serra do Selado micro-region and the easy-going Luiz Zanetti focuses on using hands-on, traditional techniques rather than a mechanised approach.

B- Corp Month continues throughout March and to coincide with this week’s International Women’s Day we would like to talk about our investment in our supply chain partners and for this amazing project in Peru. During 2024 we are funding the construction of Casa Café Femenino in the Jose Huanama Community. This will be a community centre for gatherings and will also be used as a temporary shelter for women and children fleeing abuse or violence.

At Dark Woods we are fortunate to work with some exceptional coffee producers and many of these become lasting relationships that we return to year on year. In the first of what we hope to be a monthly series we would like to share with you some of the stories behind the farmers and importers that make what we do possible. Focusing on a different Producer Series coffee each month I will explore the relationship history and share my thoughts on how best to brew and enjoy these ever changing and unique single estate coffees. -

In the Autumn of 2022, I finally boarded my flight to Addis Ababa for my long-postponed visit to see our friend Ashenafi, and his team at Ardent Coffee in Ethiopia. This trip was originally planned and booked for March 2020 but, of course we all know what happened then…

Welcome to our B Corp Report for 2021/22. This was our second year as a certified B Corp, and our second Annual Report. In this report, we update progress on some of the work we started (and reported on) last year and highlight some of our plans for 2023 and beyond.

That's a bold claim; but, the outstanding work of the women farmers in Peru, supported by Cafe Femenino, means that it has become a reality. As part of B-Corp Month / International Women's Day, we recognise their amazing achievements over the last nineteen years and highlight why we all need to keep supporting their efforts.

Sebastian Ramirez's El Placer, based in Calarca, Quindio, is a truly pioneering farm. We really feel that Sebastian is a producer at the top of his game right now, delivering complex, yet delicious and drinkable, coffees.

This month’s producer focus is Mikava Coffee from the highlands of Risaralda, Colombia. Harvesting some of the finest beans around, their approach has focused on both heritage and modern varietals of Arabica, and experimental, extended fermentations on the coffee cherries. The results are heaven in a cup. 

Ethiopia, its coffee and its people, are close to our hearts.

In a new series of articles, we focus on some of the producers who have helped us to achieve success in the Great Taste Awards for another year. This time, we exploring our relationship with our friend Paul and his team at Mikava in Colombia.

We’re delighted to see the arrival of our fresh harvest Yemeni Mokha coffees this week, sourced from Abdulrahman Hayel Saeed and his team at Sabcomeed.