Region: South Foreh Local, Okapa Station, Okapa, Eastern Highlands
Farm: About 1,590 smallholder farmer members of Roots #1 Cooperative
Variety: Arusha, Typica, Mundo Novo
Processing Method: Washed
Altitude: 1600–2200 metres
This fair trade, organic lot from Roots #1 Co-op in Okapa, Eastern Highlands offers some pleasantly surprising and complex savory-sweet notes! Light, sweet florals and toasty graham cracker on the nose lead to a smooth, clean cup reminiscent of key lime pie - sweet buttery pastry, tangy grapefruit acidity, with notes of marzipan to finish.
Roots #1 co-op was formed in 2012 as an effort to organize community members to share resources and deliver coffee more cost-effectively, and with a focus on empowering women to become more involved in the coffee business. Roughly 1590 smallholder producers comprise the co-op. Rather than large coffee farms, producers at Roots #1 have smaller plots called "gardens" where crops are grown for both their household as well as for income.