Jackie and Silvan are two very passionate coffee lovers who have started a new journey. Their love of coffee and their seeking of projects that connect and respect people and the environment led them to Teikei coffee. An inspirational story and a great project to support www.startnext.com/teikeicoffee
How did you first get involved with Teikei Coffee?
We attended a festival organised by GartenCoop, a cooperative of eco- and climate-conscious farmers and activists in the region of Freiburg, Germany. By chance, we met Hermann Pohlmann, who had a coffee stand at the festival. We were curious! Not only to learn about (and taste) his coffee, but also to hear his side of the story. He worked for many years with community-supported agriculture (CSA) farmers in Brazil and last year founded Teikei Coffee, community-supported and sailed coffee to Europe. We thought, how incredible! We had never heard of such a project before.
Once back in Switzerland, we had the opportunity to meet the inspiring character, Esteban Acosta. Esteban is the CSA coffee farmer from El Equimite, Mexico for Teikei Coffee that focuses on sustainable coffee, vegetable agriculture, rainforest protection and biodiversity.
The more we learned about Teikei Coffee and its core values to connect and respect the people and the environment, the more we were inspired and drawn to the idea to get involved. So, we asked Hermann if we could support Teikei Coffee in anyway and now we are, together with Anna Knaus, a part of the team in Switzerland and building the Teikei community here.
What is Teikei Coffee and how is it different from other projects?
It’s more than just about coffee. As a non-profit organisation, Teikei Coffee builds bridges between continents and ensures a high quality coffee bean that benefits coffee lovers, coffee farmers and the environment. A relationship is shaped where coffee enthusiasts and coffee farmers meet on an equal footing. A community of consumers directly supports the farmers in Mexico by supplying the financial means for the family farm to grow quality coffee, improve their livelihoods and also create incentives for their children to stay in the coffee farming business. Through an agroforestry production model, the coffee is grown directly under trees, to maintain biodiversity and soil health, and we ensure that no tropical rainforest was cleared for our coffee production. In addition, by using biodynamic production methods and transporting the coffee via sailing ship across the Atlantic (powered only by wind), we minimize the impact on the sea, soil and climate!
If people contribute, what’s in it for them?
A regular supply of freshly roasted high quality coffee.
A calm mind for organic coffee, grown at a fair price, with respect for the people and land and transported in a nearly CO2 neutral way by sailboat and train.
To be an enabler of trading coffee in a new way and be part of a conscious, innovative and dynamic coffee-loving community.
What do people need to do to participate?
Currently, there are two options to participate.
Option 1: Until March 21, people can order a trial package or a year supply on our crowdfunding page:
www.startnext.com/teikeicoffee
Option 2: People can email us and become a member of the Teikei community. They can pre-order their coffee supply, which will be freshly roasted and delivered to them regularly.
What are you next steps from here?
In Germany, there are already over 600 participants. These members, in addition to the crowdfunding campaign, will make it possible to fund this year’s coffee harvest from the farmers in Mexico and sail it to Europe. Here in Switzerland, we would like to build up an equally strong network of coffee enthusiasts and grow from there. In the near future, we can imagine a model where each community would work together with a local roaster and bring to life their favourite flavors in our special coffee beans.
OK, now we need a few coffee facts about the 2 of you. How many coffees do you two have per day?
Jackie: 1 espresso + 1 afternoon pour over coffee
Silvan: 3 espressos
What type of coffee do each of you like to drink?
Jackie: My morning kickstarter is an espresso made by Silvan. We have a second-hand La Pavoni espresso coffee machine, which requires some wake-up arm strength to push down the lever, so I always appreciate all the heart and soul that is put into making my morning tiny cup!
Silvan: I am definitely an espresso drinker. I appreciate the complexity and balance of bold and fruity flavors. In summer, a cold brew is my go to.
At our home, with a drop of sunshine in the garden.
The second best option is Sleepy Bear Coffee Shop in Lausanne.
Where can people contact you?
jackie.barin@teikeicoffee.org
silvan.suter@teikeicoffee.org