Haitian coffee was once a Grand Crus option

Paul Smithson

29/12/2011 13:12:46

The quality of coffee being produced in Haiti has been lauded by one bean importer.

Speaking to the Telegraph-Journal, Robert Lehnert described how Haitian coffee was once like one of the “Grand Crus” of the sector, but then the whole industry disappeared in the Caribbean country. However, the UK may be set to see a resurgence of Haitian roasts.

Mr Lehnert decided to set up his own importing firm to help revive demand for the drink, which he claimed is some of the best he has tried from anywhere in the world - a sentiment that may entice more Brits to try the beans in their espresso coffee machines.

The 22-year-old is very keen to offer local farmers a good price for their goods via his Café Xaragua firm, saying: “Whether you put a social entrepreneurship label on it or not, it’s just a better way of doing business. Not only do you have a focus on profit, but you also have a focus on the community and the environment.”

According to The New York Times, speciality Haitian coffee is beginning to attract attention from cafés in major cities such as New York and Miami, with local farmers benefiting in this surge of international interest.

But it is not just retailers that are keen to aid the industry; a recent deal involving Nestlé, Colombia’s National Federation of Coffee Growers and the Inter-American Development Bank saw $3 million (£1.9 million) raised for Haitian coffee farmers to boost production.