Karuna Coffee
Ending Poverty Through Compassion
I first came across Karuna Coffee at an event where they had a coffee stall. No time for a chat as I was passing though, therefore I decided to pay them a visit.
Karuna Coffee is a social enterprise, they import coffee beans via InterAmerican, to then be roasted in their little 1kg roaster.
The little 1kg roaster is working overtime and about to be replaced any day with two new roasters, one of which will be a 2.5kg roaster.
A larger roaster will at least initially lead to less frequent roasting.
Roasting is to demand, the roasted beans thus at their optimum.
Roasting is from light roast up to second crack, depending upon the origin of the beans.
I was shown two samples, a light roast and a darker roast.
Time for a coffee. The espresso machine was still on board the Land Rover from the weekend event. Try a filter coffee.
Karuna Coffee supply coffee direct, also run a stall at events.
Their businesses is experiencing slow organic growth, word of mouth, which is always the best way to grow.
I suggested a number of possible venues
- Goldalming street food festival
- Staycation Live
- Farnham Carnival
- Guildford farmers market
Barista training was provided by barista champion Dhan at Coffee Lab.
By sourcing high quality coffee, speciality coffee not commodity coffee, the growers receive a much better price, direct trade not fair trade.
Fair trade has become a brand to make the middle class feel good when an infinitesimal price of their cup of coffee finds its way back to the farm.
Karuna Coffee is functioning as an open coop though it is not, maybe something to consider for the future, maybe even consider us of faircoin, any profit, apart from upgrading equipment for example a new coffee grinder and two new coffee roasters, supports community projects.
Every bean has a story to tell, a story we rarely hear.
Direct trade with more openness, transparency and traceabilty, allows that story to be told. For example chalk board in the coffee shop, summary on the bag of beans, a qr code for more information.
