Shutterstock
Coffee has long been established as a drink of importance since the very beginning of time. On a corporeal level, the properties of coffee awaken us and boost our energy. On a more cultural plane, the significance of coffee has helped shape history. Not only to enjoy a burst of flavor and physical vigor, but coffeehouses have also become synonymous with the exchange of ideas. Coffeehouses, it can be said gave birth to the French and American Revolutions. Coffee-drinking spots became egalitarian spaces, bringing people together regardless of their status or occupation and fuels design and thinking.
As the world becomes increasingly familiar with its great impact, the question now on our minds is: how is it made?
It is not surprising that coffee farming has become the source of income for millions of households around the world. However, it is unknown to us if those who produce that delightful cup so fundamental in our morning routines are indeed protected against abrasive agrochemicals. Or are they truly benefiting from the global coffee prices? The answers to these questions are where Nespresso excels. Through the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality program, the coffee giant has developed important partnerships with local coffee farmers and coffee experts specific to the main areas that comprise the ‘Bean Belt", naming them Master Origins. These Master Origins are zones worldwide that are known to generate the best-tasting coffee from the beans harvested there, all manufactured in different ways to create diverse tastes.
We take you on a tour of Nespresso’s Master Origins and how these landscapes are changing through innovative and fair farming practices:
INDIA
Nespresso
In the past of coffee-drinking Europe, it could take six months for ships full of green coffee beans to reach their destinations. The coffee beans would go through different transformations during the voyage: swelling in humid conditions and shrinking back to its normal size when it was sunny. However, this repeated altering in conditions changed the internal chemistry of the beans which produced a fragrant and honeyed cup of coffee. This cup remains as a popular choice for coffee-drinkers and is in turn heavily replicated today in India. The process named “monsooning” is often used on the favored Arabica bean but Nespresso, always pushing greater boundaries, are using this method on the Robusta bean.
Only the greatest coffee cherries are included in “monsooning” and they are firstly laid out to absorb moisture. The bean transforms into a pale yellow colour as it doubles in size during the process. The entire procedure lasts for an entire three months and requires meticulous care and attention. The Indian farmers who are working with Nespresso’s initiative are able to ensure the perfect outcome every single time. The results are seen in a powerful cup of coffee with woody and spicy scents.
