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Coffee: sustainable – organic – fair

Rapunzel coffee indulgence with responsibility

Coffee, cocoa and instant beverages

Coffee: Organic, sustainable, fair

Fair value-added chain

Botanically speaking, coffee belongs to the Coffea plant genus. Of the more than 90 different types, the Coffea arabica and the Coffea canephora plants have the greatest economic significance. They are better known as the Arabica bean and the Robusta bean.

1,000 aromatic substances that mature in the shade

Bäuerin beim Pflücken von Kaffeekirschen

Cultivation and production

As is the case with wine, the composition of the soil, the hours of sunshine and the precipitation during the maturation period have great effects on the coffee flavor. The sensitive coffee plants need a balanced climate throughout the year without extreme heat and cold periods as well as sufficient rainfall and a lot of shade.

The greater the altitude of the location where the coffee is grown, the lower the average temperature – and the slower is the growth process. The slower the coffee bush grows, the more time it has to form its coffee cherries. A slow growth also has positive effects on both the aromatic intensity and diversity of the coffee cherries.

Shadowy existence

The coffee plants that are used for Rapunzel coffee are grown by peasants in mixed culture with bananas, citrus fruit and other shade trees that protect the sensitive coffee plants from wind and sun. A sustainable cultivation in highly-diverse, mixed culture supports and conserves the ecosystem in the growing areas and protect the soils against leaching and erosion.

During the harvest, only mature, red coffee cherries are manually picked. After the harvest, the farmers carefully examine their plants and remove leftover coffee cherries, as unharvested coffee cherries increase the risk for pests or diseases.

The annual pruning of the coffee bushes is also done by hand. The compost from the processed pulp of the coffee cherries is used for the fertilization of the coffee plants. Thus, the nutrient cycle is closed and the coffee plant recover a lot of nutrients.

Anbau der Kaffeesträucher als Schattenpflanzen

HIH-Partnerin Virtudes beim Kaffeepflücken

Local processing

Immediately after the harvest, the farmers process their coffee cherries. For this purpose, they remove the beans from the coffee cherries. For the Arabica coffe, this is done using the "wet method": the bean is removed from the pulp, is fermented, washed and dried.

For Robusta coffee, the coffee cherries are first dried and in a next step, the pulp is peeled from the beans ("dry method"). After the beans have been carefully sorted, the green raw coffee is made ready for export. Upon their arrival in Germany, the beans are roasted.

Great taste thanks to perfect roasting

Raw coffee has no taste. Actually, the coffee aroma is developed in the roasting process. The decisive factors of this process are the length of the roasting time and the used roasting temperature. The challenge for the roasting master is to adjust these two parameters to the respective coffee variety or coffee mixture. This requires a lot of experience and a lot of sensitivity.

Rapunzel coffee is roasted in small batches - this allows for a better control of the roasting degree. Another secret of our coffee is the fact that we roast our coffee neither too fast nor at elevated temperatures. Including the preheating process, the beans are roasted up to 16 minutes at a maximum temperature of 230 °C. During the long roasting time, aggressive acids are decomposed.

For comparison: in industrial roasting plants, the beans have too little time to develop their full aroma, because large amounts of coffee beans are roasted simultaneously at temperatures exceeding 400 °C. At such a high temperature, the roasting time is short (2-3 minutes) and the coffee acids cannot be decomposed completely. Moreover, some of the beans are burnt on the outside and are still raw on the inside.

Barista @ Home: criteria for good coffee

The water for coffee brewing should have a neutral pH because water with an acidic pH value reinforces the acidity of the coffee even more. On the other hand, basic water neutralizes the fine fruity acids in the coffee and the coffee lacks volume. Water with a good mineral content is best for good coffee as the salts and mineral substances are important flavor carriers for the coffee aroma.

The brewing temperature influences the coffee's extraction behavior. Ideally, the brewing temperature should range between 86 °C – 89 °C and should not exceed 96 °C. Espresso is best brewed at 90 °C – 95 °C.

The storage should always be cool and airtight – it is best to leave the coffee in the original package and to store the package in an airtight can. We recommend to not transfer all of the coffee into another storage package because this leads to a loss in aroma. Moreover, fats and essential oils may settle on the rim of the can and turn rancid.

Whole bean

The beans are suitable for coffee machines. With a hand-operated or electric coffee grinder, the grinding degree can be individually set and can be adjusted to the respective method of coffee preparation.

Tip: coffee mills with disc or conical grinders grind the beans uniformely and the aroma can unfold in the best way. Coffee that is ground in such a way is suitable for all modes of preparation. Crushing mills on the other hand chop the beans with knives. The grinding result is rather heterogeneous and includes small and big pieces of beans. Coffee that was ground in a crushing mill is not well suited for espresso.

Gusto coffee Arabica whole beans, HAND IN HAND

Naturally mild Arabica highland coffee with a harmonious taste and a light body. The Arabica bean comes from Honduras and Peru.

Gusto Crema whole beans, HAND IN HAND

Intense, full-bodies Arabica coffee with delicate acidity. Arabica beans are cultivated in Honduras and in Peru.

Gusto coffee Viva whole beans, HAND IN HAND

Strongly aromatic Arabica-Robusta blend with an expressive flavor, full body and a subtle earthy note. The beans come from Honduras, Peru and Tanzania.

Gusto coffee Espresso all"italiana whole beans, HAND IN HAND

Strong Arabica-Robusta blend, refined in a traditional Italian roasting process. The Arabica and the Robusta beans are grown in Honduras, in Peru and in Tanzania.

Ground coffee

Ground Rapunzel coffee is available in grinding degrees fine or medium. This already implies the suitable method of preparation.

Gusto coffee mild ground, HAND IN HAND

Finest highland coffee, full of nuances with a well-rounded, balanced flavor and a delicate acidity. The Arabica bean is produced in Honduras and Peru.

Gusto coffee Arabica ground, HAND IN HAND

Naturally mild Arabica highland coffee with a harmonious flavor and a light body. The Arabica bean comes from Honduras and Peru.

Gusto coffee Viva ground, HAND IN HAND

Strong aromatic Arabica-Robusta blend with an expressive flavor, full body and a subtle earthy note. The beans come from Honduras, Peru and Tanzania.

Gusto coffee Espresso all"italiana ground, HAND IN HAND

Strong Arabica-Robusta blend, refined in a traditional Italian roasting process. The Arabica and the Robusta beans are grown in Honduras, in Peru and in Tanzania.