May we introduce: Our partner for high-quality coffee from India - Hoysala Coffee. The 4th generation coffee farmers are proud to work chemical-free and have also created a transparent supply chain. This way we can ensure that our coffees are subject to the highest quality standards and at the same time have a highly professional exporter as our partner.
Tradition and quality
Hoysala Coffee has been around since the late 1800s. It is a union of over 36 coffee farmers in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka. Hoysala Coffee is a prime example of quality and tradition. The coffee farmers have been able to optimize cultivation and processing methods so that they can export around 10,000 sacks of coffee every year! All of this is 100% chemical-free.
In order to produce such high-quality coffee, Hoysala Coffee relies on the cultivation of different plants. This allows the different species to have a positive influence on each other, for example by having jackfruit trees provide shade for the coffee plants. This keeps the soil fertile, saves water and allows very special aromas to be tasted in the coffee beans.
The following plants are also grown at Hoysala Coffee:
- Coffee: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica
- High quality spices: black pepper, cardamom
- Fruits: jackfruit, starfruit, passion fruit, oranges, avocado
- Arecanut (Betel nut)
Cultivation methods and processing
The Hoysala Coffee Plantation places great emphasis on high-quality processing. Therefore, there are different ways of growing and processing coffee. All plantations are at an altitude of around 900m -1050m and are heavily forested. This provides shade for the demanding coffee plants and preserves the natural fauna and flora. The challenges in these areas remain the strong monsoon rains and winds. Nature conservation is therefore very important to the Hoysala Coffee Company. A healthy environment also protects the coffee plantations and ensures the survival of everyone involved.
Depending on the customer's wishes, the coffees are processed by hand after harvest. Here is an overview of what happens:
Arabica coffee:
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Washed Process
The harvested fruit is sorted by hand. This means that only the ripe, red fruits make it into the next process. First, the coffee cherries are fermented "dry" for a few hours, i.e. stored in their fruit skin. They are then washed with fresh spring water and pulped, i.e. the coffee beans are separated from the skin. This sorts out cherries with a low density - these sink to the bottom and do not float on the surface of the water. The beans are then fermented in special containers for around 12 - 16 hours before being washed and then air-dried on special trays. When they have reached a moisture content of 11.5%, they are stored in parchment for 45 days, then sorted again by hand for defects and then packaged and exported to the respective target countries.
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Natural Process
The natural process begins with the fruit being sorted according to color, density and highest quality. Then the cherries are air-dried on special trays, complete with fruit skin. To prevent mold, cold ambient air is blown through the stored cherries. The cherries are then placed on so-called BBQ tiles, which transport heat and allow the sugar in the skin to caramelize. The cherries are then placed on raised beds and dried to a moisture content of 12%. The beans are stored in the cherry shell for a full 60 days and only then are they separated, checked for defects, packaged and shipped.
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Anaerobic Process
Again, the beans are first sorted, then cleaned with spring water and air dried on trays. The sugar caramelizes again on the mat-covered BBQ tiles. But this is where the difference to the Natural Process lies: the coffee cherries are exposed to rain! The wet cherries are then packed for 10 days to ferment, then dried in the sun to a moisture content of 10.5%. Here, too, the fruits and their skins are left to rest for another 60 days before they are separated, sorted, packed and shipped.
Robusta coffee:
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Washed Process:
Freshly hand-picked cherries are dry fermented overnight before water is used to remove low density cherries. Green cherries are then removed using a cherry separator before being pulped with fresh spring water. The coffee beans are then fermented in special containers for 36-42 hours (depending on ambient temperature) and then double washed. Firstly, the beans are air dried on trays with ambient air and then dried on BBQ tiles to a moisture content of 11.5%. The coffee beans are then stored in parchment to rest for 45 days. After quality control, they are packed and exported.
Sustainability and quality assurance
As already described, sustainability and environmental protection are important to Hoysala Coffee. This is the only way to maintain the self-imposed high quality standards. To check these, the Hoysala Coffee Company works closely with a Q Grader Quality Lab - a laboratory for checking the quality of the coffee. It is operated by a Q-Grader. This is a specially trained and recognized coffee taster. He can assign certain values and properties to the coffee and thus let customers know what to expect and roughly what prices they can expect for buying and selling. The laboratory regularly checks all coffees from the network of 36 coffee farms that belong to Hoysala Coffee. This way, problems can be located and combated at an early stage. They also work with a recognized warehouse for storing food, a reputable roasting plant in India and a renowned shipping company. This means that the entire supply chain can be controlled and tracked.
Export and international recognition
The Hoysala Coffee Company is highly valued in Europe. It exports its high quality to France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain and of course Germany
Conclusion
Coffee from India, especially from our partner Hoysala Coffee is a traditional coffee company that has built up and optimized its incredible knowledge over generations. The variety of processing methods makes the hearts of many roasters beat faster - and it absolutely deserves it. The quality of Hoysala Coffee is outstanding and you can taste it. We hope you have already tried our coffee from India and are just as convinced! Otherwise: What are you waiting for? Have fun trying it!
Your Kaffanero Team
