This coffee is a field blend from the Las Etiopes farm, located in El Porvenir, Jaen, Cajamarca, Peru, at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,050 meters. Managed by Simon Brown and Merlith Cruz, the farm grows a mix of rare Ethiopian heirloom varieties and traditional Caturra. The coffee is processed using a washed, wet fermentation method, where cherries are fermented in sealed barrels for three to five days before being dried on raised beds. It offers a clean and vibrant cup with flavor notes of candied peel, apricot, and brown sugar.
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.
