Stories — releases

Single origin espresso ETHIOPIAGUJI JIGESASINGLE ORIGIN ESPRESSO By The Coffee Department | May 02, 2025 The Variety Jigesa Our first release of fresh Ethiopia arrivals, this washed lot comes from the Jigesa [Jee-geh-sah] village washing station in Shakisso, Guji, where around 600 smallholder farmers deliver hand-picked coffee cherries each day. These farmers cultivate small, organically managed plots (averaging just 1 hectare) where coffee grows as the main cash crop alongside food staples, such as corn, grain, and bananas. Coffee grows under a canopy of shade trees native to the region. Farms sit at elevations of 1,800–2,050 meters and benefit from cool...

Seasonal Blend PERSEPHONEBLEND 2025 By The Coffee Department | March 21, 2025 The Variety Spring Yesterday marked the first day of spring—the vernal equinox—in the Northern Hemisphere. The tension of the transition was on full display here in Chicago. We woke to a thick blanket of wet snow, only for the sun to break through in the early afternoon and melt away any traces of winter's lasting grasp on the early morning hours. If you were up too late the night before cutting all your pants into shorts and slept through noon, you might not have known it snowed at all. The day...

New special selection COLOMBIALA LAJA GEISHA By Intelligentsia Sourcing | February 14, 2024 New special selection COLOMBIALA LAJA GEISHA By Intelligentsia Sourcing | February 14, 2025 New single origin COLOMBIASTRIPED RED BOURBON COLOMBIASTRIPED RED BOURBON By Intelligentsia Sourcing | January 26, 2024 The Variety Banexport From their work with smallholder farmers to the meticulous management of their experimental farm, Juan Martín, the lots we source in partnership with Banexport have become a cornerstone of our coffee program. What began 15 years ago has grown into a thriving relationship, providing us with a seasonal supply of regional lots from smallholders, which...

New Single  origin RWANDA MURUNDOPEOPLE'S FARM  By Intelligentsia Sourcing | January 10, 2024 New special selection RWANDAMURUNDO PEOPLE'SFARM By Intelligentsia Sourcing | January 10, 2024 New single origin COLOMBIASTRIPED RED BOURBON COLOMBIASTRIPED RED BOURBON By Intelligentsia Sourcing | January 26, 2024 The Variety The People's Farm The People's Farm, operated by Direct Trade partner Furaha Umwizeye of Kivubelt Coffee, is a collaborative effort involving small-scale farmers near the remote village of Gihombo in the Nyamasheke district of Western Rwanda. Unlike in many coffee-producing countries where farmers use land size as a measure of scale, farms in Rwanda are often small enough that...

Seasonal Blend CELEBRATIONBLEND 2024 By The Coffee Department | November 1, 2024 The Variety Celebration This year's blend is a tribute to coffee produced by smallholder farmers around the world. Each lot was selected from our current lineup of Single Origins to offer something unique: Kenya brings depth and vibrant acidity, Ethiopia offers notes of juicy stone fruit, and Guatemala rounds it all out with complex sweetness.  As you gather to enjoy this coffee with family and friends this season, pause and reflect on the remarkable journey it has taken to reach your cup — a journey rooted in care, skill, and...