The US is the largest importer of Organic Coffee in the world and Organic Coffee is the United States' most valuable organic import. The cultivation of Organic Coffee has risen in recent years and one of the goals in growing it is to have a very low impact on the environment while creating a high quality natural product.
Organic Coffee is grown with organic fertilizers, which mimic natural growth and decay processes of the environment. Growing coffee under the shade of trees using organic mulch requires less irrigation, conserves water and encourages forest preservation. Following these organic practices stimulates the environment's ability to defend against disease and encourages sustainability. Organic Coffee products available include Organic Coffee that is caffeinated, decaffeinated, flavored and instant.
Organic Coffee Benefits and Advantages
The main benefit of organically grown coffee is that, because it is not subjected to commercial fertilizer or insecticide, its beans would be free of chemical residue. For this reason, some people claim that Organic Coffee has a fuller, richer flavor than non-organically grown coffee. Aside from the taste of the coffee, growing coffee using Organic farming methods benefits the environment and the health of the consumer and the farmer. The production of Organic Coffee uses no chemical fertilizers to feed the plants and no chemical pesticides to keep insects at bay. Pesticides and other non-organic farming chemicals accumulate in human body fat, causing damage to the nervous and reproductive systems. While Organic Coffee may cost more, most would say the benefits outweigh the added cost.
Organic Coffee Roasting
Our suppliers import and roast only the finest Organic Arabica Coffee beans. After passing through stage after stage of careful discrimination, We ensure that our Organic Coffee beans come solely from the top percentage of the harvest. Our expert partners often travel to buy directly from handpicked Fair Trade estates. Our Organic Coffee beans are slow roasted in small batches, illuminating all the coffee's best qualities. For your enjoyment, our Organic Coffee is always roasted to order and delivered at absolute peak freshness.
igourmet believes strongly in supporting sustainable coffee production, both environmentally and socially. We proudly offer Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance and Shade Grown coffees.
Organic Coffee Growing
The term Organic indicates that no chemicals were used in the cultivation of the coffee. In order to proclaim that a coffee is Certified Organic, a recognized third party certifier must document the cultivation of the coffee for three years running and issue an Organic Certificate. Without the certification, the term Organic carries little weight, as there is no way to prove the producer's claim. After passing the stringent, expensive tests conducted by a certifier, the symbol of that organization can (and will) be printed prominently on the coffee's packaging. Be sure to look for this symbol when shopping.
Organic Coffee Roasting and The Starbucks Roast
Professional coffee roasters roast green organic coffee beans by heating them in a large rotating drum. After about 5 to 7 minutes of intense heat, much of their moisture evaporates and the beans turn a yellow color and smell a little like popcorn. After about 8 minutes in the roaster, the "first pop" occurs. At this point the organic beans have doubled in size, crackling as they continue to expand. Many roasters stop the roasting process after the "first pop". Not Starbucks! After 10 to 11 minutes in the roaster, the organic coffee beans reach an even brown color and oil starts to appear on the surface of the bean. At somewhere between 11 and 15 minutes of roasting, the signature Starbucks flavor develops in the organic beans. The "second pop" signals that the organic coffee is ready to sell under the Starbucks label.
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