Taking a New Direction in Coffee Production

The directors to Eddy and Mausi Khul’s coffee farm in Nicaragua are as unconventional as the farm itself.

First, board a crowded northbound bus in Matagalpa, holding tight while it negotiates potholes on the rural mountain road. Get off when you see a rusting, Somoza-era tank on the side of the road and start walking. Just past the Bavarian-style guardhouse, you’ll encounter giant strangler figs and stunning bromeliads- the first indication that you’ve reached an extraordinarily innovative, eco-friendly coffee plantation.

Selva Negra is a densely shaded estate, nestled within 300 acres of virgin rain forest. The owners fourth generation descendants of German immigrants, are on the cutting edge of sustainable coffee production, and are constantly in search of new methods.

Coffee rows are mulched with algae from the local ponds. Natural pest controls are made with chili, garlic, and soapy laundry water. Water used to process the coffee cherries goes to a biodigester, where the methane gas it produces is used for cooking. Every step of the process, from cultivation to harvest, is examined for opportunities to create a closed loop of sustainability.

That kind of focus has produced a coffee noteworthy for both its environmental pedigree and it’s extraordinary presence in the cup.

We are thrilled to present Nicaragua Selva Negra, a sustainability-produced coffee with aromatics of cane sugar, notes of bakers chocolate and a zip or orange zest.