Mercanta’s sustainable sourcing model highlighted by Sustainable Restaurant Association

Mercanta, the Coffee Hunters, received praise from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) following the recent ‘Crop to Cup: Meet the Farmer” Event,  hosted by Extract Coffee Roasters in Bristol on June 28. The event featured a cupping of many of Mercanta’s Santa Barbara Estate (Colombia) coffee offerings roasted by Extract, a presentation by Stephen Hurst, Mercanta’s founder, on our sourcing model and strategy in Colombia, and enlightening talks by Pergamino Coffee Roaster’s Pedro Echavarria and Leo Hennao. The event was well attended by local cafes and clients of Extract Coffee Roasters, who very much pulled out all the stops in showing us terrific hospitality!

The SRA article focuses on the links forged between coffee producer and roaster during events such as this, stating that the event created  “a real life connection which spread an awareness of the different channels and opportunities for trading ethically.” Mercanta has worked with Santa Barbara/Pergamino as one of our Antioquia, Colombia exporting partners since 2011: they supply us with the ever popular La Joyeria, Veracruz, Camelia, and San Pascual Naturals (among others!). Over the years, our strong relationship has grown to include not only Santa Barbara’s fantastic range of coffees but also microlots and cooperative coffees grown by smallholders from Antioquia, Cauca, Huila and Carmen del Atrato. Discussing this trajectory, Pedro Echavarria, Manager of Santa Barbara Estates and Pergamino Coffee Roasters, presented on his family business’s approach to specialty coffee and quality improvement programs with small holder farmers. Leo Hennao, Santa Barbara’s Quality Control Manager talked at length about  his experiments in fermentation and presented his findings regarding connections between processing and sensory perception.

Extract regularly features coffees from Mercanta’s Santa Barbara/Pergamino line-up in a variety of roast options. Currently, the San Pascual Natural is making a showing in the Unkle Funka Summer Espresso, available online now.

Check out the gallery below for photos from the event, and check out our Colombian coffee in store now!