The Ramirez family established their coffee estate over 60 years ago in Cibao, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Its current owner, Eddie Ramirez, is making waves for both his community and for the planet. The Ramirez Estate is extraordinarily self-sufficient, as well as socially and environmentally conscious. Their entire operation is powered by natural gas created by fermented coffee cherries. The Ramirez family donates books and computers to local schools and even funded and built a school in rural Jarabacoa so kids wouldn’t have to walk a little over nine miles to attend class.

They also help Haitians looking to receive fair wages obtain legal residence in the Dominican Republic. Because of Eddie Ramirez and the estate’s organic certification and direct trade status, not to mention their tireless environmental and humanitarian work, they can fetch better prices for their consistently high-scoring washed coffee.

Washing and Drying

Washed coffee is all about the seed, not the cherry. Most specialty coffees are washed because this process gives the most true-to-origin experience, as the mucilage can impart syrupy flavors if left intact during processing. Our Dominican Republic is dried using mechanical rotary dryers that slowly turn the coffee. Rotary dryers allow producers to replicate successful harvests, control temperature, and perhaps most importantly, avoid unfavorable weather completely.

Direct Trade

Direct Trade producers can receive better prices for their coffee because they are in direct contact with purchasers, thus avoiding the expenses associated with exporters and importers. Direct Trade is more of a promise of quality than a certification, but there are still requirements for enrollment.

Organic

The benefits of organic certification for the producers and the roasters are huge. Certification gives access to markets not otherwise available, premium pricing, and eligibility for grants and financial assistance, among many other things.

Fresh Roasted Coffee’s Got the Goods

Like Jamaica and Haiti, the Dominican Republic’s mountainous landscape is prime for coffee growing. Our Organic Dominican Republic is grown at 1,400 meters above sea level and features notes of baked apples, vanilla, and grape. The high altitude at which this coffee is grown influences the flavors and is responsible for its lighter, more fruity notes, while the roast brings balance to the brew by adding a little bready toastiness.

Fresh Roasted Coffee’s Organic Haitian Blue is grown and processed in Dondon, Haiti, which is in the northern part of the country. COOPACVOD President Francis Dubois sowed the seeds for the organization in 1980, upon his move to Dondon. With over 800 farms currently in its ranks, COOPACVOD’s primary goal for Haitians is sustainable employment. The organization is working to create as many jobs in Haiti as possible within the coffee sector, which is demonstrated by their Direct Trade status and organic certifications. These factors leave more of the work to the producer, so more people are needed.

By purchasing direct trade coffee, consumers are responsible for helping to provide sustainable employment to over 2,000 Haitians who are paid roughly 300% higher wages than Fair Trade for this incredible coffee.

Direct Trade

Direct Trade producers can receive better prices for their coffee because they are in direct contact with purchasers, thus avoiding the expenses associated with exporters and importers. Direct Trade is more of a promise of quality than a certification, but there are still requirements for enrollment.

Dubois utilizes a eco-friendly method for lot irrigation, hydroelectricity, and coffee washing. Water from a nearby river is diverted, and then filtered before it returns to the river so as not to contaminate the source with coffee’s natural acidity.

Organic

The benefits of organic certification for the producers and the roasters are huge. Certification gives access to markets not otherwise available, premium pricing, and eligibility for grants and financial assistance, among many other things.

Washing and Drying

The coffees grown within COOPACVOD are all washed and dried on patios. Washed coffee is all about the seed, not the cherry. Most specialty coffees are washed because this process gives the most true-to-origin experience, as the mucilage can impart syrupy flavors if left intact during processing. Washed coffee dried on cement patios takes about 6 - 7 days until it’s ready. The beans are spread out thin in layers in rows and shifted every 30 - 40 minutes.

Our Organic Haitian Blue comes from the same Arabica varietal as Jamaica Blue Mountain, at a fraction of the cost. These rare organic coffee beans boast spicy notes like cinnamon and sweet tobacco, with a rich plum finish. The coffee Fresh Roasted Coffee sources from COOPACVOD is the only organic, shade-grown coffee available in the entire country.

Native to the Blue Mountains, Arthur was exposed to coffee farming at a very young age. Following his father’s passing in 1997, Arthur took what farming knowledge he inherited and some savings from his time with the Caribbean Regal Steel Band and invested them into his own coffee farm. Over 15 years later, Arthur continues to ensure each harvest is the highest quality it can be.

Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory

Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory was founded in February 2014 and is a member of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA). JCEA was established to help farmers of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee through better pricing, brand development, market expansion, and increased production. Trumpet Tree consists of five farms, located in Flamstead, Good Hope, and Constitution Hill. These farms collectively span 83 acres.

Jamaican coffee yields are largely Typica, a varietal that brews a clean, sweet cup and is found all over the world. Jamaica’s climate, soil, and geography are all optimal for coffee growing.

A Hands-On Approach

Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory is involved from every aspect of production, from the handpicking of quality cherries to small-batch processing, all of which guarantees traceability, remarkable consistency, and delicate, complex flavors. And you’ll taste it all in each sip of our Jamaican 100% Blue Mountain Coffee.

Pulping and Washing

The pulping facility in Constitution Hill utilized small, mechanized pulpers and a mucilage remover to wash the beans. Washed coffee is all about the seed, not the cherry. Most specialty coffees are washed because this process gives the most true-to-origin experience, as the mucilage can impart syrupy flavors if left intact during processing. The removed pulp is then stored for compost as the beans move onto the next step.

Drying and Finishing

Trumpet Tree coffee is sun-dried, and then transported to a temperature- and humidity-controlled room to rest for eight weeks before they are roasted or shipped to order.

The Conditions

Growing at 1,333 meters above sea level and higher, this high altitude makes for sweeter, lighter coffee, so we medium-roast our Jamaica 100% Blue Mountain coffee. To balance out the natural acidity, a medium roast introduces notes of cedar and root beer, which deliciously meld with the floral, creamy flavors of origin. Blue Mountain coffee matures slowly, giving it a richer, sweeter profile.

Fresh Roasted Coffee Sells Certified Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

There are lots of companies that claim to sell Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, but without proper certification, consumers can’t be sure of what they’re getting. Fresh Roasted Coffee is a licensed coffee dealer under the Constitution Hill Trumpet Tree Coffee Factory Limited, certified by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA). Our customers expect the highest quality from Fresh Roasted Coffee, and we’re proud that our 100% Blue Mountain offering is certified Jamaican-grown genuine Trumpet Tree Coffee.

Hala Tree Coffee, owned by Jean Orlowski and his wife, grows our impeccable Hawaiian Kona coffee. What started as a six-acre plot (only two of which had coffee trees growing) turned into a thriving coffee operation. But it wasn’t just about producing Kona coffee, it was about producing thebest possibleKona coffee.

In addition to learning some tricks of the trade from local coffee farmers, Hala Tree also became EURA Organic certified early on. From there, the farm increased by 20 acres, more coffee seeds were sowed, a processing plant was constructed, and the Orlowskis and their workers won several awards.

But Hala Tree’s mission doesn’t just benefit their founders, it also improves coffee production in Kona as a whole. They support and manage farms on behalf of other Kona farmers and work together to get more farms in the region organic certified. The Orlowskis say it’s their way of giving back to the community that helped them when they first set up shop on Hawaii’s big island.

Love leads to quality. Hala Tree Coffee produces EURA organically grown Kona coffee beans, meaning no synthetic pesticides or chemicals are used at any stage of the coffee process. Hala Tree's passion for organically farmed coffee has resulted in award-winning 100% pure Kona coffee that, when combined with Fresh Roasted Coffee's unique and eco-friendly roasting technology, will not disappoint.

We bring our 100% Kona to a medium roast to highlight its warming spice and sweet notes and underscore them with a little bready richness. Hala Tree uses wet processing to deliver a clean cup with bright acidity, and then uses a combination of sun and mechanical drying before hulling the beans to prevent a burnt taste while roasting.

Maui

Owned by Kimo Falconer, President of MauiGrown Coffee Distributors, LLC, the Ka’anapali Estate in Lahaina, Hawaii, grows Fresh Roasted Coffee’s 100% Maui Mokka and 100% Maui Yellow Caturra.

Sugar Cane to Coffee

The Ka’anapali Estate was originally part of the Pioneer Mill sugar plantation, which shifted to coffee growing in 1988, intent on replacing their sugar cane dollar for dollar. Unfortunately, this turned out to be an infrastructural disaster, but instead of closing and abandoning the trees, Falconer chose to continue regular irrigation to preserve them, hoping to revive the coffee farm.

It seemed like the future of superior coffee in West Maui was hanging in the balance, but this uncertainty wouldn’t last. In an agreement with the landowner, a lease was secured to return the mature coffee trees to full productive status with proper attention paid to stewardship of the land. This effort led to the establishment of MauiGrown Coffee and the rebirth of Maui coffee.

Maui Mokka

MauiGrown is the world’s only producer of the Mokka variety on a commercial scale. This variety originated from where all coffee originates—Ethiopia, but it is much rarer than Ethiopian coffee. Maui Mokka’s yield is low and difficult to hand pick because of its extremely small size, similar to M&M’s Minis, but its unique cup quality makes it worth the work. Ranging from chocolate to ripe fruit to hints of wine, Mokka definitely packs some of its eclectic African heritage into its velvety body.

Fresh Roasted Coffee’s Hawaiian 100% Maui Mokka is medium roasted to preserve its delicate origin notes and to add an herbal twist. This gives its sweet vanilla and peach flavors some ground to stand and shine on.

Maui Yellow Caturra

The Yellow Caturra variety thrives in hot, dry conditions and, unlike Mokka, has high yields. During harvest time, Yellow Caturra is usually the first varietal to ripen, and its color can be attributed to a recessive gene discovered by Brazilian agronomist Carlos Arnaldo Krug in 1942. According to Krug, red berries occur because of an XcXc gene pairing, while a recessive xcxc pairing produces yellow berries. Caturra is also native to Brazil, being a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety.

Yellow Caturra coffees are clean and full-bodied with forward notes of honey, wheat bread, and allspice, all rounded out sweetly with hints of juicy jam. You’ll typically find Yellow Caturra in blends, but Fresh Roasted Coffee believes it’s an outstanding standalone coffee.