November 2022

Feature #51

Keeping with tradition, Ozone Coffee Roasters are back for our annual November collaboration.

As always, Ozone presented us with a wide array of single origin offerings, resulting in a mild case off decision paralysis. Some of our old favourites that we've come to enjoy harvest after harvest, alongside new and exciting offerings. Must we chose but one? Why did we make this rule?

We eventually decided to follow our heart, that is to lead with a story. Not just the story of the roaster, although we're pretty chuffed to be able to tell it, but the story of another variety to build upon what we have learned since we forst began, with Ozone in November 2018, and to tell the story of Flavio Paulino de Costa and his wife Juliana.

THE ROASTER:

A little over 4 years ago, a chance conversation with the team from Ozone Coffee Roasters gave a nod to what became The Snobby Collective, in November 2018.
Shared values saw Ozone Coffee Roasters jump on board for our first collaboration.
Founded in 1998, Ozone Coffee Roasters is one of the cornerstones of the New Zealand coffee industry.
More than just keeping up with the hip new kids on the block, Ozone often set the tone. Leaders, quietly moving forward with the industry as it evolves.
The Ozone story doesn’t start and end in New Zealand, with successful operations in the United Kingdom,
Ozone has helped change the world of coffee. It is easy for the marketing department to throw around empty buzzwords such as sustainability, traceability, and ethics; In the classic, no-fuss Ozone manner, they’ve been working away in the background to form long-term relationships with producers such as Pedro Claros, through companies like Hasbean and Caravella.

Ozone further raised the bar, challenging themselves, and the industry to do better. Holding themselves to
account for social and environmental impact, transparency and finding the balance between profit and purpose. In doing this Ozone Coffee Roaster gained B Corp certification in September 2022. We couldn’t be more chuffed to have them back for the fourth year and share their achievements.

MUNDO NOVO (Variety):

The crossbreed came full circle.

A quick refresher. Legend has it that the coffee taken from Ethiopia to Yemen was of Bourbon-Typica lineage. From Yemen, it was taken by the Dutch to India and the French to the Bourbon Islands. From here, Bourbon-Typica began their separate journeys as distinct varieties, now known as Bourbon and Typica.

Enter Mundo Novo.
Discovered in 1943 in Brazil, seeds from this natural cross of Bourbon and Typica were first planted in the municipality of Novo Mundo, [modern day Urupes], Brazil.
The original selections took place over 9-years, ahead of distribution to farmers in 1952. While Mundo Novo is commercially significant in South America, including Peru,its popularity never caught on in Central America, its tall stature being unfavourable with many farmers. One notable exception is the several introductions to Guatemala in 1963/64 and its introduction to Honduras in 1974.
Despite good cup potential, Mundo Novo is slow to mature, taking three years to produce cherry.
It requires a high level of nutrition while remaining highly susceptible to disease and insect attack.

Mundo Novo, crossed with dwarf Caturra by IAC in 1972, resulted in Catuai, another component of this month's coffee.

FAZENDA NOVA ALIANCA:

Fazenda Nova Alianca is one of two farms owned by 5th generation coffee producer Flavio Paulino de Costa and his wife Juliana. Together with their daughter, they continue the family tradition of coffee farming that dates back to 1880.
Passionate about natural processed coffees, they use a combination of mechanical and patio drying, recently adding more drying patios, new wooden silos and introducing a tree regeneration programme.
A trained agronomist by trade, Flavio brings an in-depth understanding of what is happening on the farm and why. This finger-on-the-pulse approach to detail guides every aspect of work undertaken on the farm; Skills that he shares with other farms in the area. Coincidentally, it was through his work with other farms that Ozone Coffee Roasters came to make his acquaintance.
Fazenda Nova Alianca is divided into smaller sections with only half of the land holding producing coffee.
The farm is predominantly planted with Yellow Catuai, Yellow Bourbon and Mondo Novo.
Carefully companion planting of native and fruit trees is undertaken in each section to promote biodiversity.
Pruning and planting were undertaken under the watchful eye of Flavio’s meticulous assessment, with fertiliser being produced from farm waste.
Each of the small sections of the farm is harvested individually and these lots are kept separate throughout the entire production process, being individually cupped ahead of being blended to provide a balanced profile.