Specialty coffee has always been about changing the status quo. Approaching a commodity market from a different perspective: one of quality, accountability, and hospitality (with a dash of hubris, of course).
Quality is the main throughput of specialty coffee and the foundation of Strange Bird Coffee. I source the highest quality coffee, from traceable farming partners and ethical importing partners. I roast all of the coffees to bring out the natural sweetness and terroir of each coffee, and pair perfectly with the other coffees in my blends, creating a balanced synergy. This was one of the main promises made by the specialty coffee industry several decades ago: to eliminate common defects through elevated farm level processes. It is the bare minimum. This is the qualitative jump off point for specialty coffee, from a farm-to-cup perspective.
Accountability is couched in the fair and equitable labor standards at farm level. Historically, coffee farms and estates have been exploitative, paying under a livable wage, dangerous working conditions, and long, dangerous working hours (and in some instances, forced labor without compensation aka slavery). Specialty coffee emulated the standard of the Fair Trade Organization to ensure all farm workers were treated with respect, paid well, worked reasonable hours, and not in dangerous working environments. This is also the bare minimum. But it is important to recollect why this is important. There are still instances in today’s world where this level of accountability and traceability does not exist and why specialty coffee is still very important to facilitating this conversation and marketing campaign. For additional context, slave labor was just reported at a coffee farm in Brazil. This farm sells coffee to Nestle. It is easy to forget the importance of this metric now that specialty coffee has become a bit more streamlined and normalized. Accountability is incredibly important and is very important to the mission of Strange Bird Coffee.
If quality and accountability are the foundation of specialty coffee and Strange Bird Coffee, hospitality is the front door. Great hospitality is how we share our messaging and the importance of our work, from farm to cup. If I source one of the best tasting, most ethical coffee in the world, but do not sell it with a high level of hospitality, it might be seen as a bad product. It is important to share the message of specialty coffee from a place of curiosity, humility and excitement to bring more and more people into the fold, and share the work we have been doing. From sourcing the best coffees in the world, roasting them to perfection and serving them with humility is the path. In perpetuity.
It is the goal of Strange Bird Coffee to steward delicious, high quality coffee, with the utmost hospitality.
So, then, specialty coffee is about positive change. And thus, Strange Bird Coffee is about positive change. I want to innovate and continue in the footsteps of the early pioneers and create long term ways that change how we consume. Coffee is a beautiful drink that is a vessel for creating new ways of approaching existence and space.
And that is what Strange Bird Coffee is: a vessel for change. That is why I chose to take a risk and package every coffee I source/roast in plastic free kraft paper bags, and cardboard boxes (roasted fresh every week, and ready to drink when it arrives to you; best to subscribe for consistent deliciousness)
Quality, accountability, and hospitality are the pillars that Strange Bird Coffee abides by. It is the change I wish to see in the world. I want to continue the already existing narrative of positive change, through ongoing high quality processes at farm level, fair labor and high level hospitality: all couched in a plastic free, home compostable box.
Be the change you want to see in the world. Bet.
<3 Stephen