This Gesha coffee is produced by Luis Anibal Calderon at Villa Betulia farm in Acevedo, Huila, Colombia, at an altitude of 1,500-1,600 meters. The coffee undergoes an anaerobic natural process with 200 hours of fermentation, starting with a 24-hour dry aerobic fermentation followed by placement inside GrainPro bags for 200 hours at temperatures below 22 degrees. The result is a boozy, funky, and incredibly fruity coffee with flavor notes of blackberry, caramel, and banana. The Gesha variety was first planted in 2012 with 5,000 trees, and after three years, the first successful harvest helped Luis receive substantial premiums for his coffee.
Kiss the Hippo launched in 2018 as London's first carbon negative coffee roastery. Every coffee they sell is certified organic by the Soil Association and certified carbon negative, with reforestation projects in Colombia, Madagascar, Zambia, and Nepal through a partnership with Swiss nonprofit On A Mission. They pay farmers at least 50% above Fair Trade prices, often double. The roastery has won the UK Barista Championships three times, with victories by Joshua Tarlo in 2018, Paul Ross in 2019, and Paul Ross again in 2020 and now supplies seven London café locations. Sustainability extends to fully compostable pods, recyclable packaging, a Living Wage commitment, and a partnership with bio bean that turns used grounds into biofuels.
