The Vournas Coffee Blog

Producing high quality washed and natural process coffee involves a number of variables for the world’s farmers and cooperative growers. Water quality, soil quality, fertilizers, organic certification, sunlight, shade and pest control must all be factored in to the grow cycle. Producers must also make the critical decision of how…

New this month we spotlight two excellent Tanzania Peaberry Microlots, Kibosho and Kitamu. Both coffees are handpicked, washed offerings from high elevation regions rich in volcanic soil and close in proximity to the spectacular Mt. Kilimanjaro. We have selected these two Tanzania Peaberry Microlots in order to provide Tanzania options…

Recently I have had a few roasters share that they had NEVER cleaned their roaster. One of them, a new roaster, ended up starting a small fire. Fortunately everything ended up coming out okay, but it was a big lesson learned—and could have ended in a complete catastrophe. That said,…

In just a few weeks it will be our honor to take part in the 10th annual Grounds For Health Coffee Auction to benefit women's health services in coffee-growing communities. The 2019 #GFHAuction will be a live, ebay-style online auction where you can bid on many different coffees from around…

It is with great excitement that the VCT team would like to announce we will be storing our specialty coffees at EBL Los Angeles. For the last several years we have been watching the L.A. market expand, and although we currently service a bunch of roasters already in this area…

Carlos Sanchez, the man who has portrayed the iconic yet fictional Colombian coffee farmer, Juan Valdez, has passed at age 83. Since 1969 he was the enduring face of Colombian coffee, appearing in countless advertisements and tv commercials for the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. Juan Valdez was…

As the world’s 8th overall largest producer of coffee, Mexico’s role in the coffee trade cannot be understated. Throughout North America specialty coffee importers and green coffee traders are keenly aware of the importance of the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas where the majority of Mexican coffee production originates.…

This month we’re very pleased to offer you two new fantastic, washed, organic Ethiopian coffees from two different wash stations in the West Guji Zone: the Kellenso Mekonissa and the Kercha Dubissa Bedessa. Both are produced by fourth generation farmer and mill operator, Aklilu Kassa along with his son, Biniam…

In northern Tanzania Mount Kilimanjaro reigns supreme. This extinct stratovolcano is the African continent’s highest peak (16,000 ft base to summit) as well as the source of a majority of Tanzania’s high quality arabica coffee, having been produced here since the late 1800s. Our new Tanzania Peaberry Microlot from the…

In Costa Rica there are very few families with a history in coffee that dates back over a century to the 1880’s, when Costa Rica’s independence from Spain was still evolving and coffee exports were driving the nation towards a coffee-focused future. This Costa Rica microlot coffee is produced by…