We’ve been working on something special at KOTA Coffee HQ and finally we’re able to share with you an initiative that we’re very proud of.
We found that it’s often hard for smaller producers to start using more exotic processes or take chances with rare varieties for many different reasons. The main problem being, if it’s doesn’t work well then it could destroy the business. Farmers are often paid in one go and coffee is not always a year-round crop.
When payday comes, it’s crucial.
So if some of the crop was wasted on a processing experiment that didn’t work then the impact of that can be catastrophic. Similarly if a rare variety get’s diseased or doesn’t taste great.
When our import partners Raw Material announced a change to their coffee listings recently we sat up and took notice. The introduction of an idea to categorise coffees by their impact was genius, but it also carried a very important message.
Raw Material introduced the "Always, Often, Occasional" model as a classification system for coffee based on its impact for producers, availability in offer lists, and final form as roasted coffee. The model prioritises maximising value for producers over traditional quality-based classifications.
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Always: These are high-volume, reliable coffees from associations, cooperatives, or washing stations, scoring between 83-85. They form the core of the producer's main harvest and are affordable.
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Often: These are quality-defined coffees scoring 85+ and are above the full association lots. They can vary in lot size and price and are part of a single origin program.
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Occasional: These are high-quality lots scoring 87+ but are smaller in volume and higher in price. They generate interest in regions or countries and aim to increase the value of Always and Often coffees.
The model benefits producers by ensuring they contribute to all three categories, thus maximising returns. For roasters, it helps in structuring their coffee offerings from staples to special releases. Consumers benefit from a range of options from daily staples to occasional indulgences based on the Always, Often, Occasional model.
At KOTA we position coffees from the Always and Often categories as general releases, we hope to offer these coffees for years to come. Occasional coffees go into our Moment Limited Release collection.
The Collection
Our Moment Collection is here to showcase exceptional coffee alongside an important message.
These coffees are here to be enjoyed but offer little value to producers.
Thats why any purchase from the Moment Collection entitles you to 25% off any of our general releases.
By encouraging you to try our general releases in this way we hope you can discover more coffees for regular enjoyment, helping us increase our orders of cornerstone offerings, in turn helping our producers.
The Coffees
These coffees are transient, they are here now, but will they return next year? Maybe not, such lots cannot always be reproduced year on year.
For now, everything has come together perfectly; the skill and judgement of the farmers and producers, nature, the weather.
These coffees have been selected due to their remarkable quality, and we present here our interpretation of them.
Shop Moment Limited Release now.
