Our Coffee Sources

Sources of Coffee Cherries and Parchments for Kummul Coffee

Kummul Coffee meticulously sources its coffee cherries and parchments from a diverse and carefully managed network to ensure the highest quality for the specialty coffee market. The following are the primary sources:

1. Kummul Coffee Estates

Owned Estates

  • Description: Kummul Coffee owns and operates its coffee estates in the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea.
  • Management: These estates are directly managed by Kurmul Coffee, ensuring complete control over cultivation practices, quality standards, and harvesting methods.
  • Quality Assurance: Regular training for estate workers on best practices, coupled with stringent quality control measures, ensures the highest quality cherries are produced.

Leased Estates

  • Description: In addition to owned estates, Kummul Coffee leases land for coffee cultivation.
  • Management: These leased estates are managed with the same rigor and standards as owned estates, with close oversight by Kummul Coffee’s management team.
  • Quality Assurance: Implementation of Kummul Coffee's quality control protocols ensures that cherries from leased estates meet the company's high standards.

2. Coffee Block Holders

Small and Medium-Sized Farms

  • Description: Kummul Coffee collaborates with small and medium-sized coffee farms in the Highlands region.
  • Partnerships: These partnerships involve contractual agreements where Kummul Coffee provides support and training in exchange for exclusive sourcing rights.
  • Quality Assurance: Extension officers from Kurmul Coffee work closely with block holders to implement best practices in cultivation and harvesting, ensuring cherries meet specialty coffee standards.

Training and Support

  • Description: Continuous training programs are provided to block holders, covering sustainable farming practices, pest and disease management, and proper harvesting techniques.
  • Quality Assurance: Regular farm visits and inspections ensure adherence to quality standards, and farmers are incentivized to produce high-quality cherries through premium pricing.

3. Small Holder Growers

Community-Based Farming

  • Description: Kummul Coffee sources a significant portion of its cherries from small holder growers in the local communities.
  • Community Engagement: The company engages with these growers through community meetings, workshops, and support programs.
  • Quality Assurance: Extension officers provide on-site training and support, ensuring that even small-scale growers can produce cherries that meet the high standards required for specialty coffee.

Support Programs

  • Description: Small holder growers receive farming inputs, such as fertilizers and tools, at subsidized rates from Kurmul Coffee.
  • Quality Assurance:
  • Kummul Coffee conducts regular quality checks and offers additional incentives for growers who consistently deliver high-quality cherries.

Processing and Quality Control

From Tree to Processing Plant

Harvesting

  • Selective Picking: Only ripe cherries are selectively picked to ensure optimal flavor and quality.
  • Immediate Processing: Cherries are transported quickly to the processing plant to prevent spoilage and maintain quality.

Post-Harvest & Handling

Washing and Sorting: Cherries undergo washing and sorting to remove defects and impurities.

  • Pulping and Fermentation: The cherries are pulped, and the beans are fermented to develop their unique flavour profiles.
  • Drying and Parchment Removal: The beans are carefully dried and the parchment is removed, ensuring the beans are ready for export.

Quality Control

  • Regular Inspections: Throughout the process, from farm to processing plant, Kummul Coffee conducts regular quality checks.
  • Laboratory Testing: Beans are tested in the lab for moisture content, defects, and overall quality.
  • Grading and Sorting: The final product is graded and sorted to meet the specifications of the specialty coffee market.

By sourcing coffee cherries and parchments from a combination of owned and leased estates, coffee block holders, and small holder growers, Kummul Coffee ensures a diverse and reliable supply of high-quality coffee. The meticulous management, training, and quality control processes implemented at every stage guarantee that only the finest cherries make it to the processing plant, ready to be transformed into premium specialty coffee beans for the global market