History of Cuban Coffee

[El Presidente]

Abridged history 

 

I had no idea Cuba was once the largest exporter of coffee in the world. 

The video is a very short overview. The article is part puff piece but with some interesting 2023/24 data. 

Coffee has gone the way of sugar. 

Cigars? 

 

 

 

How Cuban coffee is changing to retain more value

Jordan Montgomery

May 29, 2024

• Cuba’s annual coffee exports have declined from 330,000 bags to 130,000 bags since the mid-1950s
• Some supply chain actors are trying to reverse this trajectory with a broader focus on improving long-term productivity
• If successful, this could help Cuban coffee compete on the global stage

CHANGE IS afoot in Cuba. Despite a favourable microclimate, the country has faced challenges beyond that which have hindered coffee production. Now, with the support of powerful stakeholders driving development across key coffee-growing regions, Cuba is being put back on the map.

Coffee production in Cuba took off in the mid-19th century. Surges in global demand led to a shift in focus from arabica to robusta – which had higher yields and provided consistent exports to major international markets, such as Germany and the Netherlands.

At peak production in the mid-1950s, Cuba exported more than 20,000 tonnes of coffee per year (over 330,000 bags). However, following the Cuban Revolution, the nationalisation of the coffee industry and trade embargoes from the United States, production and exports took a sharp downturn.

Today, annual coffee production stands between 9,000 and 11,000 tonnes, and Cuba’s coffee sector faces challenges beyond the country’s legacy of a difficult geopolitical situation.

There has been an overall lack of investment to address inadequate infrastructure and outdated technology used for coffee production. These problems have persisted since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which was Cuba’s primary source of international support.

As the country seeks to improve the quality of exported goods and enhance sustainable agricultural practices, new efforts are underway to revive Cuban coffee.

Taking steps to transition to organic coffee production 

Of the world’s developed countries, Cuba currently ranks 5th in terms of sustainable development. Today, over 30% of the country is covered by forest – an increase from 13% in 1959.

As the country seeks to revive its coffee industry, the challenge will be to improve quality and increase the scale of production while continuing to protect and reclaim the natural environment.

One of the initiatives that has been started to address this challenge was launched in 2018 and currently involves 249 farmers in the southern provinces of Santiago and Granma. It seeks to improve the overall sustainability and commercial viability of Cuban coffee by focusing on forest preservation, improved agricultural practices, women and youth empowerment, and a streamlined supply chain. 

As part of its environmental goals, the project helps to preserve natural forests and promotes local biodiversity – many of which believe is crucial to guaranteeing the quality and sustainability of Cuban coffee.

“La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba by Lavazza is a premium organic sustainable blend made with coffee that comes entirely from Cuban plantations supported by Lavazza Foundation’s project,” says Michele Cannone, Global Brand Director at Lavazza.

The project also focuses on building a shorter supply chain through capacity building, awareness-raising and knowledge-sharing – with the goal of retaining as much value at origin as possible. 

Leveraging technology and training for a more sustainable coffee sector

For those working to increase production and improve coffee quality and sustainable farming practices, technological solutions are proving to be a valuable tool.

The integrated blockchain used for the “La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Cuba” product line is a good case in point. This seeks to improve the transparency and traceability of this Cuban espresso blend for the end consumer – acting as an “immutable ledger” for recording transactions.

“By leveraging blockchain technology, we can provide a transparent proof of origin, a log of field activities, and a full view of the coffee journey from the field to the cup to its customers,” says Michele. 

Coffee farmers are also increasingly turning to technology to reduce the impact of production on the planet. The goal is to support forest conservation and help farmers cope with the impacts of climate change.

“We have installed sensors in plantations, then sharing the data to adapt and develop agricultural practices and optimise the use of resources,” says Michele. “The monitored data includes air temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed/direction and soil humidity.”

For true sustainability, advancements in technology must go hand-in-hand with efforts for social development – including empowering women and youth.

Women make up 70% to 90% of the global coffee industry’s workforce, and an increasing number of young people are abandoning coffee production completely. As such, empowering and educating these groups may not just be crucial for the success for coffee production in general.

By providing training and education initiatives, the Lavazza Foundation is working to involve women and young people more sustainably in coffee production, fostering a situation of more stable employment throughout the year.

The project has implemented a final manual sorting system, managed by an all-female team of 95 women. It classifies the coffee in the traditional Cuban way – by quality segment – and eliminates defects that cannot be detected mechanically, helping to improve the quality of the final product.

Implementing greener, more cost-effective and productive systems and processes will contribute to the long-term sustainability of Cuba’s coffee industry. Reduced trade and production costs, larger crop volumes, and better quality will transform into better return on investment, better incomes, and will help retain next generations in the sector through better economic incentive.

By developing agricultural practices in an environmentally responsible way; and making space for social groups and labour segments that were previously withdrawing from the industry, Cuban coffee holds great promise. And as global demand for high-quality, sustainable coffee continues to rise, Cuba is an origin to watch.

Please note: Lavazza is a sponsor of Coffee Intelligence.

Coffee Intelligence

 

[BrightonCorgi]

Robusto beans are more common for espresso machine use. 

[Ryan]

There's a coincidence. I signed contracts on Monday with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture to export single-origin coffee from Pinar del Rio, where coffee was first grown in Cuba.

This will be the first single-origin coffee in Cuba's history. 100% shade grown Arabica. I got UN approval for inclusion of the project in their "17 Sustainable Development Goals" program.

Soon, Cuban cigar smokers in some parts of the world will get to taste the same coffee that Pinar del Rio tobacco farmers drink. 

Much to do yet but initial negotiations and documentation completed. An interesting process. All lovely people. More news to come.

The packaging is a work in progress. Work well in progress on the D.O.P. 

 

[Ryan]

Some of the info in the first article is incorrect. Cuba was 8% forested in 1959. 42% today.

20,000 tonnes was exported in total from Cuba in 1959. Last year Cuba grew much less than 9,000 tonnes. 

  

[BrightonCorgi]

That should be a hit when it hits the market!

[Jimmy2]

I used to have a store in Ireland I believe that use to have Cuban coffee for members here with a discount . It was many many years ago and I don’t even remember the place. Does any one know of a place that sells Cuban coffee would like to try some. Been at least over 15 years since I drank some.

PM me if anyone knows. 

 

[Ryan]

12 hours ago, Jimmy2 said:

I used to have a store in Ireland I believe that use to have Cuban coffee for members here with a discount . It was many many years ago and I don’t even remember the place. Does any one know of a place that sells Cuban coffee would like to try some. Been at least over 15 years since I drank some.

PM me if anyone knows. 

Cafe de Cuba was the company. Rebranded now as FIXX.

Guy Hancock of Decent Cigar Emporium and partner of Mitchell Orchant was an initial investor in Cafe de Cuba.
https://fixxcoffee.com/blogs/news/fixx-at-xx

[ubiquito]

1 hour ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Robusto beans are more common for espresso machine use. 

Robusta is mainly used for instant coffees and cheaper grocery shelf coffees. Some blenders might use a very small percentage of robusta in an espresso blend but you will find that most modern higher tier espresso blends are composed of 100% arabica.

[Fireball]

It will be a tough road.  When I walk down the coffee aisle here in the US, there are premium coffees from around the world.  There are also fresh roasted local coffees.  The selection is incredible. 
 

Even if Cuban coffee was allowed in the US, I think it’s too little too late. I assume the large number of coffee choices are everywhere. 

[El Presidente]

On 7/19/2024 at 5:58 AM, Ryan said:

There's a coincidence. I signed contracts on Monday with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture to export single-origin coffee from Pinar del Rio, where coffee was first grown in Cuba.

This will be the first single-origin coffee in Cuba's history. 100% shade grown Arabica. I got UN approval for inclusion of the project in their "17 Sustainable Development Goals" program.

Soon, Cuban cigar smokers in some parts of the world will get to taste the same coffee that Pinar del Rio tobacco farmers drink. 

Much to do yet but initial negotiations and documentation completed. An interesting process. All lovely people. More news to come.

The packaging is a work in progress. Work well in progress on the D.O.P. 

 

 

 

 Well done Andy!

[Namisgr11]

On 7/19/2024 at 6:02 AM, Ryan said:

Some of the info in the first article is incorrect. Cuba was 8% forested in 1959. 42% today.

20,000 tonnes was exported in total from Cuba in 1959. Last year Cuba grew much less than 9,000 tonnes. 

Brazil exports around 3 million tons a year, for comparison.

[Groucho.]

I'd love to sample a cup!

[Ryan]

2 hours ago, Groucho. said:

I'd love to sample a cup!

Thank you for the vote of encouragement. First customer! 🙂

[Ryan]

On 7/18/2024 at 10:42 PM, Fireball said:

It will be a tough road.  When I walk down the coffee aisle here in the US, there are premium coffees from around the world.  There are also fresh roasted local coffees.  The selection is incredible. 
 

Even if Cuban coffee was allowed in the US, I think it’s too little too late. I assume the large number of coffee choices are everywhere. 

I wish I had access to your research before starting this! 🙂

I appreciate the opinion. I have done some research on this before anything got signed. After that, I know this has as good a chance as any new business of success. That is, slightly better than "definitely going to lose the entire investment". If I can stay out of Cuban prison, that's a win. 

I have no interest in selling the coffee. I wouldn't have started this at all without strong distributor interest in multiple regions. Though the coffee is very good. I've brought it to every Q-grader in this country and it scores well within "specialty coffee". Currently there isn't enough specialty coffee globally to satisfy demand. This will probably get worse next year, in Europe at least, when the EUDR kicks in. Not a problem with the farms I'm working with. I've seen the blockchain traceability system they use and it's impressive.

Lots to do yet. But getting there. Coffee in Q4 of this year or Q1 next year. Though not nearly enough of it. That's an area I'm working on, with soil and process improvement projects with help from the UN. It's nice stuff. 30% of the crop will be for the local market, priced accordingly. Still nowhere near enough coffee in Cuba.

[El Presidente]

4 hours ago, Ryan said:

. That is, slightly better than "definitely going to lose the entire investment". If I can stay out of Cuban prison, that's a win. 

[Jack]

Not a hijack, but I'd like some green Cuban beans again, at some point. Turquino please.

[El Presidente]

For the layman Andy, what do you see are the flavour characters of quality PDR bean?

Back in the day when our store was in my mate Deans Coffee tratttoria, we experimented buying from Australian coffee wholesalers burlaps of Cuban green been. Quality was all over the place but that was late 97/98 and things weren't easy in Cuba. It never stood up on its own but worked well in a blend. Again, the bean quality was generally poor and we were informed that at the time, the best of Cuban coffee bean was being purchased by the Japanese. I have no idea if that is true or not. 

 

[Ryan]

8 hours ago, El Presidente said:

For the layman Andy, what do you see are the flavour characters of quality PDR bean?

Back in the day when our store was in my mate Deans Coffee tratttoria, we experimented buying from Australian coffee wholesalers burlaps of Cuban green been. Quality was all over the place but that was late 97/98 and things weren't easy in Cuba. It never stood up on its own but worked well in a blend. Again, the bean quality was generally poor and we were informed that at the time, the best of Cuban coffee bean was being purchased by the Japanese. I have no idea if that is true or not. 

 

Chocolate, natural caramel sweetness, not too much. A long finish with some nuttiness / woody notes. The sweetness pairs very well with a cigar. The roaster I'm using believes it's the best single-origin coffee he's ever had. We've spent a long time getting the roast right. A medium/dark roast. Roasted darker, the beans look great but it roasts the terroir out of it to the point tastes generic. 15-20 seconds in the roast makes all the difference. 

There is, until now, some coffee from Pinar del Rio being exported, mixed in with coffee from the Sierra Maestra / east of the country. It was generally sold as Serrano Lavado Superior, which the Cubans see as their highest-end export coffee. Currently. The coffee crop from Pinar del Rio is a tiny fraction of what's grown in the east of the country. They hadn't thought of single-origin Pinar del Rio coffee until I brought them the idea. So I negotiated exclusivity. Though there are some very good people in Cuban ministry of agriculture. Some are well aware of the "4th wave" of coffee. The project is about more than just the coffee, creating sustainable communities around the farms, raising the incomes of the workers and creating opportunities with other crops in the region. I'll get some more news out soon. I hired a photographer a couple of weeks ago and got over 4,000 shots and videos of the farms and coffee research centres. As well as some local Cubans enjoying coffee..

I hired a model for the day in Havana too, for the company's Instagram etc. I think she had a lot of fun with us. The most fun feeding Punch Joe's dog. Making a nutty dog even nuttier.

[Fireball]

@Ryan sounds like you have a very strong plan. I apologize for the way my comment came across, it was geared towards the original post and my lack of faith in the Cuban government. 

I sincerely wish you all the best. 

[El Presidente]

Great stuff Andy. 

[Ryan]

8 hours ago, Fireball said:

@Ryan sounds like you have a very strong plan. I apologize for the way my comment came across, it was geared towards the original post and my lack of faith in the Cuban government. 

I sincerely wish you all the best. 

No worries at all, and I apologize for my smarmy response!

I understand of course and I do appreciate the response. I have heard many horror stories in the past of people trying to do business in Cuba. And I know how much coffee there seems to be out there. I've been lucky, so far, in meeting the right people and stumbling on to the right path to get this far, and this is only the beginning. I've met some very helpful people on the way. There's always added risk in working in a country where there is no independent judiciary but all business is risk and nothing worth doing is easy.

[MagicalBikeRide]

Congrats Andy. Sounds exciting. I’ll be a customer. I miss buying from Guy. The FiXX blends of more recent years just don’t scratch the itch. 

[Coloniales]

Brilliant stuff Andy, impressive work. I look forward to the opportunity to try the coffee. A lot of very hard work, has gone into this project.

All the best.

 

Keith.

[ha_banos]

All the best @Ryan! 

There was a Cuban coffee at Monmouth coffee in London up until about 2006ish. Don't have any info about it unfortunately, but they seem to deal with more independent producers generally. Then there was another very short lived batch "In 2006 we had a small amount of Cuba Turquino, this coffee was a small amount which was available for around two to three month and bought from an Italian roaster – Caffe del Doge."

Then there was the packet stuff available over here for a while, Cubita coffee. Mitch used to stock it.

All gone off course. Be good to have some back!

 

 

[Jimmy2]

Does Cuba still sell Cubita?