The Coffee Origin You Don’t Know About Yet
The United Kingdom has become one of the world’s principal consumers of coffee. Although we are traditionally known as tea-drinkers, the average Brit drinks two cups of coffee every day, adding up to a staggering statistic of 95 million cups, daily, across the nation.
The majority of this coffee comes from Brazil, which is also the world’s leading exporter of coffee. Other origins you are likely to spot on the supermarket shelves include Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and other Latin-American countries, as well as African and Asian nations such as Ethiopia and Vietnam. Coffee drinkers may choose single origin coffees, or (statistically speaking) more probably, a blend or an instant coffee.
However, whilst instant coffee is still the most commonly consumed type, speciality coffee is on the rise. It’s undeniable that UK coffee culture is growing, with independent coffee roasteries and cafes popping up on our high streets, and more people than ever seeking out more than just a quick and convenient caffeine boost. People are beginning to pay more attention to where their coffee comes from, the quality of the beans, how they prepare it, and the enjoyment of the experience of their cup of coffee.
If you fall into this category of coffee lover, chances are you have tried a range of different beans and blends, in search of your perfect brew. There is, however, a coffee-growing country that is just beginning to emerge into the UK market. It seems so obvious, yet until now has remained mysteriously unknown: Mexico.
Despite Mexico’s proximity to so many other coffee-producing countries, and its location within the coffee belt, Mexican coffee is still relatively difficult to get hold of in the UK. This could soon change. A handful of retailers are beginning to source these exclusive beans, but what, apart from its rarity, makes Mexican coffee so special?
For coffee plants to grow optimally, and for their beans to develop a good flavour, certain environmental conditions need to be met. These conditions include plenty of rainfall, shade, and the correct altitude. If conditions are not ideal, coffee may still be produced, but the beans will be of a lower quality, having an overly bitter or acidic flavour. Mexico’s Southern states, particularly Chiapas and Veracruz, happen to exist in this ideal environment; with large areas of mountainous forest, coffee farms are able to take advantage of near-constant, gentle rain, maintaining a humid but shady climate.
These states have some other unique contributions, too. Certain geographical factors, such as the proximity to the sea and the presence of volcanoes, lead to an especially enriched soil, in which coffee plants can thrive. All of this, of course, has a supremely positive impact on the taste of Mexican coffee.
As well as the physical landscape, Mexican coffee has been perfected over centuries of heritage. Whilst some high street coffees are very economical, this is made possible by quick and copious production, which unfortunately, often involves cutting corners: unpleasant acidic and bitter flavours in coffee come from the pulp of the coffee cherry which surrounds the bean when it is harvested, and the skin which should be removed before the beans are roasted. When so much coffee is harvested and processed as quickly as possible, the beans are not always thoroughly washed or carefully selected, meaning impurities end up in the final product. Speciality Mexican coffee often comes from smaller farms with many years of experience in perfecting the art of coffee production. Farmers take great care in each stage of the process: cultivating their plants, harvesting the cherries at their peak ripeness, washing the beans and removing any that fall short of the highest standard.
How can you, as a consumer, guarantee that your Mexican coffee has really been so meticulously crafted? The Mexican Coffee Company, a recently launched, Manchester-based supplier, has personal links with the farms it sources directly from, and can therefore assure that each of their three coffees are of the highest quality. With company values that promote “better prices for famers, better quality for you,” The Mexican Coffee Company prides itself on paying coffee growers a higher-than-Fairtrade price for their product. This goes towards ensuring that the farms can continue taking the time and care necessary to grow outstanding coffee beans, as well as a secure standard of living for coffee growing communities.
The company also encourages customers not to simply take their word for it; their “Sabroso Baile” coffee has been the winner of seven international awards, making it the most award-winning Mexican coffee in the world and attesting to its objective, intrinsic quality.
To read more about The Mexican Coffee Company and to try their exclusive coffee beans for yourself, visit their website or drop by at one of their pop-up events.
You saw it here first; Mexican coffee is the single-origin you didn’t know you needed.
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