beanscenemag.com.au 25SoCo Roasters talks to BeanScene about connecting with origin,
developing a unique blend, and building a community around coffee.
A
t less than a century old,
Zambia’s coffee producing
industry is one of the
youngest in the world.
With its first coffee trees
planted in the 1940s, local farmers
are happy to share with visitors the
folklore of how coffee was introduced
to the country.
“The unofficial story of coffee in
Zambia, as told by locals, is that a British
explorer crashed his plane in Zambia
and was nursed back to health by a local
nurse. They fell in love and he ended up
staying, started a coffee farm, and never
left,” says Jonathan Goldthorpe, Coffee
Specialist at SoCo Roasters. “Google has
different ideas, but I’m more inclined
to trust the locals.”
SoCo Roasters, which made its
public debut at the 2019 Melbourne
International Coffee Expo, uses a
Zambian coffee – sourced through trader
FTA Coffee – as the basis of its Society
house blend. SoCo Roasters MarketingManager Steven Commerford says
through this partnership, the specialty
roaster is able to contribute to those who
provide its coffee.
“There are some really strong
community projects on the ground
in Zambia. An 800-student school
and medical clinic were built for the
local community in the last few years,
and the farmers we buy from have
employed the first female tractor drivers
in Zambia,” Steven says. “There are
not many opportunities for women to
work in Zambia. They’re often left at
home to take care of the family, and
that’s their only option. This project
allows the women to gain agricultural
knowledge, be hands on in the producing
process, and build their skillsets.
“All of the development and work
being done there is only the beginning.
We can be directly involved and
actually see the impact and change
these projects are making.”
As well as an opportunity tocontribute to the local coffee producing
community, Jonathan says working
with FTA Coffee in Zambia has
provided SoCo with access to unique
and exceptional coffees.
“The coffee from Zambia has an
interesting tasting profile, with a big
body, bright acidity, juiciness, and
slightly spicy taste. We just found it
really different,” he says.
“The farms are fairly young as well.
They only produced their first fruit in- It’s exciting to see their potential
to produce even better coffee.”
WHAT GOES IN A BLEND?
Zambian Catimor contributes to 50 per
cent of the Society Blend and is paired
with a Colombian Dulima blend of
Typica and Caturra.
“Quite a bit of development went
into the blend. We made more than 20
different combinations, experimenting
with roast profile, blend ratio, and
different coffees. We narrowed it downA society of coffee
INDUSTRY PROFILE
beanscenemag.com.au 25SoCo Roasters talks to BeanScene about connecting with origin,
developing a unique blend, and building a community around coffee.
A
t lessthana centuryold,
Zambia’scoffeeproducing
industryis oneof the
youngestin theworld.
Withitsfirstcoffeetrees
plantedin the1940s,localfarmers
arehappyto sharewithvisitorsthe
folkloreof howcoffeewasintroduced
tothecountry.
“Theunofficialstoryof coffeein
Zambia,astoldbylocals,is thata British
explorercrashedhisplanein Zambia
andwasnursedbackto healthbya local
nurse.Theyfellin loveandheendedup
staying,starteda coffeefarm,andnever
left,”saysJonathanGoldthorpe,Coffee
Specialistat SoCoRoasters.“Googlehas
differentideas,butI’mmoreinclined
totrustthelocals.”
SoCoRoasters,whichmadeits
publicdebutat the 2019 Melbourne
InternationalCoffeeExpo,usesa
Zambiancoffee– sourcedthroughtrader
FTACoffee– asthebasisof itsSociety
house blend. SoCo Roasters Marketing
ManagerStevenCommerfordsays
throughthispartnership,thespecialty
roasteris abletocontributeto thosewho
provideitscoffee.
“Therearesomereallystrong
communityprojectsontheground
in Zambia.An800-studentschool
andmedicalclinicwerebuiltforthe
localcommunityin thelastfewyears,
andthefarmerswebuyfromhave
employedthefirstfemaletractordrivers
in Zambia,”Stevensays.“Thereare
notmanyopportunitiesforwomento
workin Zambia.They’reoftenleftat
hometo takecareof thefamily,and
that’stheironlyoption.Thisproject
allowsthewomento gainagricultural
knowledge,behandsonin theproducing
process,andbuildtheirskillsets.
“Allof thedevelopmentandwork
beingdonethereis onlythebeginning.
Wecanbedirectlyinvolvedand
actuallyseetheimpactandchange
theseprojectsaremaking.”
As well as an opportunity tocontributeto thelocalcoffeeproducing
community,Jonathansaysworking
withFTACoffeein Zambiahas
providedSoCowithaccessto unique
andexceptionalcoffees.
“ThecoffeefromZambiahasan
interestingtastingprofile,witha big
body,brightacidity,juiciness,and
slightlyspicytaste.Wejustfoundit
reallydifferent,”hesays.
“Thefarmsarefairlyyoungaswell.
Theyonlyproducedtheirfirstfruitin
2015.It’sexcitingto seetheirpotential
toproduceevenbettercoffee.”WHATGOESINA BLEND?
ZambianCatimorcontributesto 50per
centof theSocietyBlendandis paired
witha ColombianDulimablendof
TypicaandCaturra.
“Quitea bitof developmentwent
intotheblend.Wemademorethan 20
differentcombinations,experimenting
withroastprofile,blendratio,and
different coffees. We narrowed it downA society of coffee
INDUSTRY PROFILE