Harvest to Pour: Business of Beverages

From commodity to specialty: Gaucha Specialty Coffee’s dedication to quality and sustainability. With Matthew & Caroline Seibt Kruse

Episode Summary

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew and Caroline Seibt Kruse, of Gaucha Specialty Coffee Farm in Brazil’s Cerrado Mineiro region. They share their journey from large-scale commodity coffee farming to focusing on high-quality, specialty coffee. The episode dives into the challenges of transitioning from quantity-focused production to a more intricate and quality-driven process, including building relationships with American roasters and convincing family members of the benefits. They also discuss the farm’s sustainable practices, such as using coffee husks for cattle bedding and producing their own electricity with a biomethane reactor. Matthew and Caroline emphasize the importance of passion, patience, and sustainability in the coffee industry while highlighting their participation in trade shows to build trust and showcase their direct-trade model with roasters.

Episode Notes

Key Takeaways:

Introduction to Gosha Specialty Coffee and the Site Crews' background as a Brazilian coffee farming family.
Challenges in establishing relationships and building credibility with American coffee roasters as a new player.
Transitioning the family farm from a quantity-focused to a quality-focused operation.
Experimenting with different coffee production and post-harvest drying methods to improve quality and cupping scores.
Importance of the local cooperative in providing quality control, processing, and storage services.
Operational challenges like inventory management and affording specialized equipment.
Sustainability initiatives on the farm, including integrated dairy operations and renewable energy.
Growth goals and plans to continue expanding direct trade relationships with specialty coffee roasters.
Advice for other coffee producers looking to enter the specialty coffee market.
Personal coffee preferences and upcoming industry events for Gosha Specialty Coffee.

Matthew Kruse & Caroline Seibt Kruse

Gaucha Speciality Coffee

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