Tag: best coffee from jamaica

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French press coffee back to earth

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Brewing with a coffee-press, known also as a french press or coffee pot, will offer an earthy brew in contrast to a pour over or percolator. The press will keep the oils and the full body flavor in every cup. The pour-over, led by minimalist styling of a Chemex, on the other hand, will enhance the brightness and fruitiness of the brew as it filters out much of the full body.

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For many, the preferred method of brewing depends on the flavours one wants to enchance. Coffee geeks wants drinkers to consider the ratio of coffee to water. Research advises drinkers that the ideal is a 1-to-14 or 1-to-15 mix. They speak about the type of water, the type of kettle, the weight of the coffee, the time to allow the coffee to seep. Everything except the coffee.

For many however coffee isn’t math but rather art. And while quality products are nice amenities, it is quality coffee that’s the most important. There are many ways to know quality coffee, an easy method involves avoiding bottom-shelf supermarket beans in favour of premium single estate coffee.

Regardless, at the crack of dawn, quality coffee remains the most important ingredient even above the brewing method.

coffee press

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Boiler accident cease local coffee production at Salada

An accident in the boiler room at instant coffee processor Salada Foods Limited led to a $23 million net loss for the December quarter 2018 and the halt of production.

The good thing is that enough branded Mountain Peak instant coffee was in the trade and still available for purchase.

The decline arose last October from an accident in the broiler room wherein both boilers were damaged and had to be taken offline. The main boiler only came back online at the end of November arising from repair delays, said Salada which manufactures instant coffee and ground coffee beans at its registered office on 20 Bell Road in Kingston.

“While it was down there was no production of coffee however there was sufficient finished goods inventory at Lasco and Salada’s overseas distributors to satisfy market needs,”said Salada in its interim report. Since February 2017, the company outsourced its distribution to Lasco Distributors.

Full production resumed last December, and it is now normalizing inventory levels with its distribution partners and expects by the end of the second quarter to get back on track with its financial results. Revenues amounted to $172 million for three months to December 2018 from $228 million in the corresponding period in 2017.

For the year ended September 30, 2018, the company led by General Manager Dianna Blake-Bennett grew its annual sales to $1 billion an increase of 19 per cent, up from $872,000 in the comparative year.

Improved exports and domestic sales were the keys to unlock much of the sales gains. Profits were buoyed by a strong sales performance, with Salada growing its domestic sales by 16.7 per cent, and improving its export sales in Canada and Barbados by 440 per cent and 220 per cent respectively.

 

Afternoon cup of joe

 

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Jamaica coffee experient

Some coffee companies in the island are innovating. They want to expand the definition of great coffee to include a more fruity taste profile instead of preponderance of chocolate tones. No one will go on the record but expect options that are bursting with fruit to hit shelves within the medium term.

🙂

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Japan needs lower Jamaica coffee prices

Jamaica Blue Mountain (JBM) coffee dealers are now in Japan (late September) seeking to secure new contracts. Japan is a mature market that buys 85 per cent of the total JBM crop. So any new contract secured would likely mean that another player lost marketshare.

Japan loves JBM but its not exactly selling like rice cakes. So reports are that the inventory of JBM is growing.

As a result Japan buyers wants a lower price for the JBM. And they are likely to get it, as supply now outpaces demand. In other words there’s a lot of beans going around.

Whatever happens in Japan affects the world. So that means that you–the reader on Jamaicamocha will reap cheaper prices on luxury roasted beans. Want even lower prices contact us and we will make it happen.

 

Steven Beans

info@jamaicamocha.com

 

 

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Why is coffee from Blue Mountain, Jamaica so incredibly expensive?

Why is coffee from Blue Mountain, Jamaica so expensive?

Simple demand, supply and the resultant price.

People are drawn to the balanced cup that real Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee offers. It’s chocolatey infused with spice and fruit without bitterness.

Additionally Japan demands it more than the rest of the world and buys 70% of total production. This results in 30% for the rest of world. Additionally the region that it’s grown in–the steep slopes of the Blue Mountains, limits cultivation in an is already limited zone. Its 8 hours of daily mist and fog crestes a natural green-house effect which slow ripens the beans.

Additionally the island offers a bespoke coffee made in traditions delevoped over hundreds of years. But that’s not to say farms aren’t investing in modern and new cultivation methods.

Some critics say that over the last 20years with the rise of Starbucks and specialty coffee, other regions have improved quality and now offer cups with similar quality to Jamaica Blue Mountain.

The truth is great coffee can come from anywhere but not all have same taste profile. In short, two handbags of the same size says nothing about the quality and style. A Louis Vuitton handbag will always maintain its value due to its quality and taste, so too with Jamaica Blue Mountain.

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Starbucks confirms Jamaica 

(May 4, 2017) –  Starbucks Coffee Company today announced it entered a geographic licensing agreement with Caribbean Coffee Traders Limited, a consortium led by Margaritaville Caribbean Group, a leading restaurant management and franchise operator in the Caribbean. The agreement grants Caribbean Coffee Traders the exclusive rights to own and operate Starbucks® stores in the country. Jamaica will be Starbucks 17th market in the Latin America and Caribbean region, with the first store slated to open in Montego Bay.

“Jamaica is a country blessed with a rich culture and heritage, particularly with its locally-grown and world renowned Blue Mountain coffee, which Starbucks has sourced as a specialty offering for over 40 years,” said Ricardo Rico, Starbucks general manager and vice president for Latin America operations. “We are delighted to build on this legacy and continue our expansion into the Caribbean by introducing the Starbucks Experience in Jamaica for the first time. As we position the brand for continued growth, we are proud to add Caribbean Coffee Traders to our strong network of licensing partners and leverage their proven market capabilities to reach new customers.”

Starbucks® stores in Jamaica will be operated by Caribbean Coffee Traders Limited, a joint venture between Ian Dear, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville Caribbean Group and Adam Stewart, who is also Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sandals Resorts International. Margaritaville Caribbean Group currently operates restaurant, entertainment and tour concepts throughout the Caribbean, and provides complete, multi-branded food and beverage experiences for major Caribbean tourism hubs. Margaritaville Caribbean Group’s brand portfolio includes a diverse collection of proprietary brands, international franchises, casual dining concepts, themed bars and popular quick service restaurants, including Wendy’s, Dominos, Dairy Queen, Quiznos, Auntie Annie’s, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Nathan’s. The group employs over 1,000 people throughout the region.

“We are thrilled to welcome Starbucks, a globally recognized brand, to Jamaica. Leveraging our knowledge of the local market, we will deliver upon the Starbucks Experience and create a global platform for Jamaica’s locally-grown and Blue Mountain© coffee.” said Ian Dear, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville Caribbean Group. “Our organizations share similar values, including our dedication to the customer experience, commitment to our crew members, and responsible corporate citizenship.”

For more than 45 years, Starbucks has built its brand by delivering a consistent, authentic in-store experience to customers around the globe that is rooted in high-quality arabica coffee and engaged, knowledgeable baristas. Since launching the brand in Latin America, Starbucks has grown to over 1,000 stores across 16 markets, 15 of which are operated by trusted licensing partners. In the Caribbean, Starbucks licensees currently operate 43 stores across Aruba, the Bahamas, Curacao, Puerto Rico, and most recently, Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica will become the company’s sixth market in the Caribbean region. 

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Avoid fake Jamaica coffee 

 

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Avoid fake or bad tasting Jamaican coffee by knowing what’s the best Jamaican coffee from a ranking list . These are 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain.

Most times these official brands are great but quality can slightly vacillate based on the crop. Good news however is that more coffee lovers are entering the field. This leads to sites like ours, that curate quality beans  on a monthly basis from trusted brands. So it reduces the risk to the consumer. 

Fake Jamaican coffee however tries to pass as real in a number of ways. The primary method involves mixing beans from other regions outside the Blue Mountains. While blending can be legal it must be called a ‘Jamaica blue mountain blend’. Some corrupt dealers will pass them off as 100 per cent Jamaica Blue Mountain (JBM). 

There’s no way to easily tell if the beans are mixed from outside the Blue Mountains. You can however easily tell if the beans are inferior: The contents have two distinct sizes of beans. Uneven roasts. A number damaged or chipped beans. Lack of chocolate or nut in taste. Bitterness and other taste imperfections.

JBM usually sells for $25 per 8oz plus shipping. So JBM at $10-15 per 8oz is probably fake. No one would buy a new BMW for $9,000, no one would trust it. Yet people risk their senses and health by purchasing cheap bulk coffee.

True JBM should be balanced with complex levels of flavour and no bitterness. 

Avoid bad coffee by knowing great coffees and stick to them. Test brands you are not familiar with in small quantities and compare to established brands you know.

 

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Jamaica Blue’s newest UK cafe sells Wallenford beans

Jamaica Blue made its debut in the United Kingdom opening its first cafe, on 8th December. The chain of 170 cafes within Europe, quickly grew that number to three in the UK with its third in Chelmsford is in the Bond Street complex.

Based on packaging the chain sells single source from Wallenford, blends from Jamaica, and coffees from other parts of the world.

If you are in the UK check them out. The cafe boasts vertical grass walls and lighting made from recycled Jamaica Blue Mountain barrels. Very cool, trendy and what you’d expect from cafes trying to enter a mature market.

Their Wallenford coffee would offer the signature balance of chocolate, vanilla and spice. It’s a profile known globally and respected among coffee nerds as the world’s finest.   If you are however not visiting the UK anytime soon. Consider Wallenford as your next coffee.

The motto of the Jamaica Blue brand is the Jamaican proverb, ‘Wan wan coco ful baskit’. The company bends its meaning focusing on slowing down to fulfill goals. More correctly it represents fulfilling goals one deed at a time.  However the simple philosophy of the chain includes serving great coffee, food and service. 

“From our humble beginnings twenty-odd years ago, we now have a growing international network of over 170 stores operating in 7 countries,” stated the company on its website.