At Beforest, we want to ensure that responsibly grown coffee reaches consumers in a pristine state. We are banking on some research, common sense and an expert Coffee Consultant to get through this phase with the least number of trials and errors.
Here are some interesting challenges we came across:
Moisture Content Of The Bean
Coffee is typically harvested in phases between November and March. Where and how the processed green beans are stored, affect its moisture content. Typically all green beans reach the roaster with up to 10%-12% moisture. Any higher, would mean a change in the roasting technique. It also means a loss of weight. A bag of 20 Kgs green beans would only produce 15-16 Kgs of roasted beans.
To address this, we are planning to upgrade the storage facilities at Poomaale. We have also procured green bags that can hold the moisture at original levels, be re-used several times to avoid waste and also be used for transporting.
Products And Variants
All coffee beans do not lend themselves to all coffee varieties. For e.g. Robusta coffee produced at Poomaale lends itself to premium Indian Filter Coffee. With a change in grind, we also now produce delicious variants of Cold Brew.
Sustainability and Packaging
To stay true to our values, we had to ensure our produce reached consumers in the most sustainable way, while keeping the price point in check. This meant we had to get deeply involved in the packaging process, along with labels. While food- grade biodegradable packaging solutions have made their way into India, Coffee-grade material is still at its nascent stages. While the current packaging makes use of recyclable and reusable packaging solutions, we are keenly on the lookout for completely biodegradable material.
The life cycle of coffee post – harvest requires an entirely different level of energy, commitment and mind set! No wonder planters stick to just the growing side of the spectrum!
With our network and size of operations, we firmly believe Bewild is in the right place to help Beforest and other farms following similar principles, reach consumers most effectively and efficiently. We are rearing to learn and take on challenges ahead!
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