One of the best relationships we have at origin is the one with Yunnan Coffee traders and the Guiben farmers. TianCai, the farm manager and overall genius behind the processing, farming and quality control of those coffees, aims to connect with buyers that share the same values as the farmer group, which is to develop long term commitment at fair prices. We have no plans to go anywhere and as of next harvest, we will buy exclusively from Guiben in Yunnan! Mutual respect is key to build trust, and that is what we have been building by working closely together for the last 3 years. It feels really great to have one of their coffee back on the menu! Even though they are doing some natural process and are starting to experiment with washed coffees, the honey process is the one that’s been performing the best according to TianCai. Upon picking, the coffee cherries stay intact for 2 days before being depulped. It then spends 2 days in sealed containers before hitting the drying patios. This ensures a better sweetness while creating a super clean and easy to drink coffee. Guiben is a small farming community. Coffee is getting more and more popular in China, and multiple farmers in neighbouring areas started to use chemical fertilizers as a mean to grow their farms faster. Despite this situation, TianCai is committed to organic practices to preserve their environment. They are in it for the long game, and a healthy soil is crucial. This is more costly though, so partnering with buyers willing to pay more for coffee is key. It’s a no brainer to buy exclusively from them because in a blind tasting, Guiben coffees are consistently at the top when it comes to complexity, cleanliness and sweetness. Stay tuned because we have one more coffee from them coming to the menu soon, and we have so much in the works for future harvests!