According to some experts, we have entered a new era of coffee, a new wave. The current movement values accountability for the coffee’s origin. Variety in flavor and preparation are priorities too. Single-origin coffees are celebrated for their reflection of the conditions the beans experienced while growing. With the focus on trying different coffees from distinct areas of the worldwide coffee belt comes…well, a lot of variety and options! However, for the responsible consumer, the treatment of the growers and sourcers in equatorial countries is another concern. A responsible coffee consumer will have fewer choices, which makes the selection process less overwhelming. It’s best to support operations that are environmentally and socially responsible and let the other organizations fade away.
Let’s look at the top 10 reasons to choose coffee from Subida Coffee Co. Although there are certainly more than ten reasons to pick Subida, we do realize we’re still in a base-10 number system. And posting 20 reasons right off the bat would just be showing off. We’ve compiled a list of the top ten reasons why Subida stands above the crowd of coffee-producing companies. Actually, that leads us into point #10…Subida isn’t a company at all. It’s a non-profit that donates 100% of the profits to charity!
#10 Taste AND Cause
Subida isn’t just a part of an incredible non-profit, it’s one that delivers single-origin gourmet coffee. Therefore, superior taste combined with an excellent cause is actually point number 10! The proceeds support a boarding school for teenage boys to enable them to continue their education. With flavor and aromas that will have you jumping out of bed in the morning and feeling proud of your purchase, Subida is that perfect sweet spot of a good cause in an excellent cup of coffee.
#9 Promoting Sustainability
Since day one, Subida Coffee Co. has been committed to sustainability on several fronts. Its commitment to and investment in sustainability have paid off with Rainforest Alliance certification. By committing to preserving the soil and waterways, Subida farms with minimal impact. Some coffee companies use pesticides and let the effects of farming be dispersed by streams and rivers. The forests neighboring Subida’s farms are considered in all of Subida’s decisions too. Shortcuts in farming and processing always affect the ecosystem. We know there’s no way around it. The agricultural engineers overseeing Subida allow the nearby flora and fauna to carry on like there isn’t even delectable coffee being grown nearby. The labor and trade processes treat the people involved well too.
#8 Elevating Honduras’ Coffee Prospects
For the past few decades, Colombian, Costa Rican and even Brazilian coffee have stolen the delicious-coffee thunder. In actuality, conditions for producing excellent coffee exist in Honduras. These great conditions are both similar to and different from conditions in the popular coffee countries. Santa Rosa de Copán harbors a perfect mix of ecological and geographical factors for coffee growth. A cool but tropical climate with a sliding 31-day rainfall of a half inch doesn’t roast or dry out the coffee plants. The altitude lets moisture drain quickly. The soil quality and shade top off this stellar coffee-growing environment. While the country is breaking down old stereotypes about Honduran beans only being suitable for blends, Subida is pushing Honduran and Copán coffee into the gourmet realm. These are not the same old filler coffee beans from Honduras!
#7 Great Single-Origin
Speaking of Honduran blends, Subida’s level of security and quality in a single-origin coffee are not often paralleled. With a dark roast offering consistent notes of brown sugar and black cherry, dark-roast lovers can delight in this specialty-grade coffee. The medium roast has notes of chocolate and sweet citrus. While showcasing the conditions the beans grew in to interested connoisseurs of coffee, Subida’s agricultural engineers and roasters have anchored the flavor of each roast. Brewing a cup of Subida coffee is never a surprise. After operating for years, the roast of single origin you re-order has been anchored to the taste of previous batches.
#6 Variety of Options
While some folks who deeply love coffee drink it black, others drink it every which way! Subida has a coffee offering for everyone. With both ground coffee and whole beans, we let those who enjoy the grind work that hard! Well—at least work hard at grinding their own coffee. Both the dark roast and medium roast can satisfy different preferences or provide variety. With a box, aficionados can decide on the size of the grind, from coarse to medium to a finely ground one that’s perfect for espresso. Single-serve pods delight at the office. Canned but delightful cold brews are perfect to grab before heading out into the summer heat. With so many options, giving Subida coffee as a gift is an act of double giving—delight a coffee drinker, no matter their preference and give the gift of education to Honduran youth.
#5 Supporting a Community
It’s hard to find a coffee-producing organization that is more committed to treating people well and doing good. As an arm of the non-profit the Moses Project that helps educate and improve the community of Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, Subida Coffee Co.’s sales get reinvested into the community. By educating teenage boys in a residential setting, the Moses Project prepares young people to become productive, able citizens.
#4 Ease of Purchasing
Many people just throw Starbucks or Folgers coffee in their grocery cart because, although they love coffee and wouldn’t mind purchasing responsibly, it’s just easier to do so. That’s why Subida provides the opportunity to have delectable, sustainably grown and sourced coffee delivered to your door. Supreme java can come to you. With a subscription model, coffee stays off your grocery list, tastes better and the purchase supports a super cause.
#3 Empowering and Educating Youth
The coffee-growing belt runs along the equator, and in Central America, educational opportunities aren’t always guaranteed until age 17. For that reason, Subida Coffee Co. and its parent organization prioritize expanding educational opportunities. Boys housed on the agricultural site where Subida’s Honduran coffee is grown receive a normal high school education and a Christian foundation. Beyond that, witnessing and even practicing agricultural skills like growing coffee and greenhouse vegetables provide practical and vocational promise. Beekeeping and aquaculture expand their opportunities. When young people learn and cultivate their skills for the future, they expand their vision for their life and their community.
#2 Caring for the Coffee
Although Subida Coffee Co. has the spirit of a non-profit, professionalism drives us. Every step, from planting seeds, to shipping bags from Memphis around the rest of North America, reflects professionalism and pride in the quality of the product. Agricultural engineers plan the entire life cycle of the coffee plants. Quality and sustainability reign. Hand-picking and hand inspection before bagging are careful steps that set Subida’s processes apart. Subida has single-origin coffees with the level of quality control of big-name coffee brands. In fact, it may be better quality because Subida relies on human judgment. We grow and pick high-altitude coffee beans, then roast them right!
#1 Great Tasting Gourmet Coffee
Flavor, it’s the sabor de Subida (the flavor of Subida) that is the number one element setting it apart from other coffee brands. We could go on about the great cause, variety, interesting properties of single origins or the convenience of delivery to your door. But when pressed to pick the number one reason to choose Subida coffee, flavor is the biggest draw. Notes of brown sugar and black cherry notes await brewers of the dark roast. The medium roast offers notes of sweet citrus and chocolate. If you live in the US or Canada, you can’t purchase great coffee grown locally anyway. To support a sustainable coffee operation with a great cause and receive a delectable single origin that was picked by hand? Sounds like a win-win-win! We’re ranking up there with the best coffee from Honduras.
