Brought to Equator Coffee Roasters from the elevated Plateau des Bolavens region of southern Laos is our new single origin coffee: Laos Plateau des Bolavens. It is available for purchase in-stores and online from today, November 7th, until December 5th.
History Of The Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative (CPC)
The saucer-shaped upland Laos Plateau des Bolavens region is essentially a massive basaltic lava extrusion that is situated east of Pakxé nestled betwixt the Mekong River and southern Annamese Cordillera (Chaîne Annamitique)’s western foothills. The area is sparsely populated with rich soil, brush, and tall grass, though it has been afflicted with plant disease, poor transportation, and civil wars. (1)
The Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative, aka CPC, was founded in 2007 thanks to the solid assistance of the French Agency for Development. As small-scale producers had depended on low prices and local traders, CPC’s primary goal was to obtain better market access for them. They are also significantly motivated to increase their coffee’s quality. Due in large part to CPC’s enthusiasm to foster new relationships in Canadian and US markets, they have developed a long–term partnership with Cooperative Coffees, the first importer to bring their coffee to the North America region, in addition to its European ties with Malongo in France and CAFEMA in Switzerland. (2)
CPC prides itself on ensuring that every processing unit in the villages it oversees are exceptionally equipped for maximum coffee quality, including the ability for timely cherry pulping, washing, and parchment drying for its washing stations. In these washing stations they also maintain a meticulous process for tracking their coffee to storage, which entails noting down all of the details prior to sending them off to the dry mill pertaining to the bags’ weights, the villages they came from, their moisture content post-drying, plus the dates the beans were spread on and removed from the drying beds and then bagged for final storage.
With a solid team of dedicated members, CPC works to ensure they are always meeting their customers’ expectations as they work towards ameliorating the livelihoods of the small-scale farmers they work with.
Tasting Notes And Flavors
This 100% Arabica organic FLO-certified coffee is a washed process medium roast (our roast level 4) that was grown at an altitude of 850 to 1200 m above sea level. The primary coffee varietals that are typically grown in this region are Typica and Robusta. With a superb cupping score of 84.5, this specialty coffee boasts an amazing fruity apricot flavor that compliments nicely with its other tasting notes of cream and milk chocolate. Ease into the winter season as you savor the last few sips of fall with the warmer flavor profile of a time filled with holiday cheer and lots of hot chocolate, all in your morning cup of coffee!
References:
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. (2011, October 18). Bolavens Plateau. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Bolovens-Plateau
- Cooperative Coffees. (n.d.). Bolaven CPC. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://coopcoffees.coop/cpc-bolaven-plateau-southern-laos/
