The Challenge of the Rare Roast

Now I know what cutting diamonds feels like (well, sort of).

The rare coffee, cigar, steak or diamond businesses have a few things in common. The product is of the highest standard, the customers know what they are talking about and compare notes, the selection is often worldly and expensive, and learning about these items is fascinating. 

However, the risk accompanying selling these items is high. If there is an error in the order, on the part of the supplier or the vendor, the loss of revenue can be heartbreaking, not to mention unsold inventory if the product does not capture the imagination of the target market. Once in a lifetime Panama Hacienda Esmeralda coffee beans sold at auction at a split section in May requires the marketing power to sell the coffee while the fever about it is high. I imagine the same holds true for the newest Porche or solar technology. A mentor of mine once told me, "Lisa, sales is sales. The rest is romance."

One of rocketfuelcoffee.com's jewels in our line-up is Kopi Luwak. A most wonderful rare bean at $220 per pound, this is the legendary coffee in the movie, "The Bucket List", where Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson vow to drink it before they die. Made from the found droppings of Asian Palm Civets, the coffee is the most expensive and rarest beverage on earth. And it tastes damn good too. Read about it here.With the money and legend of course, comes carpet baggery, forgery and tall tales.

The Bucket List - Kopi Luwak 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVJqwCdzZnw

After 2 years of learning about rare coffee and having all kinds of coffee suppliers call on us to sell all kinds of weird beans, we found two Kopi Luwak bean farmers of repute. Trusted for authenticity, freshness and taste, these guys delivered consistent KL at the agreed price and in packaging that was at rocketfuelcoffee.com standards. Great. However, turns out, like unique, handmade rare products, one day is different than the next and constant supervision of anyone that came in contact with the beans was essential. A day of lighter roasting changed product. One batch, though not 100% proven, appeared to be stolen off site and replaced by an inferior bean and shipped to us. Espionage in rare coffee! Who knew?

We have a supplier who takes care of us on a personal level locally who we can look in the eye and ask what's what. George is my rock in the coffee business and without him I would be nowhere. But Toronto, Canada is not exactly in the coffee belt. Venturing further in the world has been the secret to my great coffees but at what risk and cost? Learning lessons the hard way (ok, the delicious way sometimes) is just something they cannot teach you in business school.

Cheers!