We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Iannone. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.

David, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What can you share with us about the story behind how you found your key vendors?

During your visit to Jericó, you had the opportunity to meet the coffee farmers thanks to a local coffee roaster. The roaster had unified several farmers and motivated them to start their own coffee brands. You were impressed by their dedication and passion for producing high-quality coffee beans through direct trade. You decided to support these farmers by buying their beans directly and creating a business that would highlight their amazing coffee. This was the beginning of your journey to create a coffee business that supports local communities and employs people with disabilities.

David, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My wife and I are passionate about coffee. We love everything about it – the aroma, the taste, the process. We could talk about coffee for hours on end. One day, we were discussing our favorite coffee beans when we heard about a small town called Jericó that was famous for its coffee. We were intrigued, so we decided to visit.

As soon as we arrived, we fell in love with the town. Jericó is nestled in the mountains at 6200 feet above sea level, and the scenery is breathtaking. But what really captured our hearts was the coffee. We met the people who make it, and we were blown away by their process. They practice direct trade, which means they buy coffee directly from the farmers. This helps the farmers earn a fair price for their beans and ensures that the coffee is of the highest quality.

We were also impressed by how the community benefits from the coffee industry in Jericó. The town has a strong sense of community, and everyone is involved in some way in the coffee business. We saw firsthand how the coffee industry has helped to create jobs and support local businesses. It was inspiring to see how something as simple as a cup of coffee could have such a positive impact on an entire community.

As we continued to explore Jericó, we had an idea. What if we could bring this amazing coffee back to our own community? And what if we could do it in a way that helped others? We decided to start our own coffee business, with a focus on direct trade and supporting local communities. But we wanted to take it a step further. We knew that there were people in our community who were often overlooked when it came to employment opportunities – people with disabilities.

So, we made a commitment. As our business grows, we will aim to employ people with disabilities. We believe that everyone deserves a chance to contribute to their community, and we want to create a business that reflects that belief. We are excited to see where this journey takes us and can’t wait to share the amazing coffee from Jericó with our friends and neighbors.

In conclusion, visiting Jericó and learning about the coffee industry there was an eye-opening experience for my wife and me. We were inspired by the passion and dedication of the people we met and knew that we wanted to be a part of this amazing community. Starting our own coffee business with a focus on direct trade and employing people with disabilities is our way of giving back and making a positive impact in our own community. We can’t wait to share the incredible coffee from Jericó with others and make a difference, one cup at a time.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Our coffee is sourced through direct trade from established local brands in the Jericó region. These local brands have hand-picked select beans from the highest quality coffee trees. The coffee is then naturally fermented to remove any impurities and to bring out the full flavor of the beans.

Once the beans are ready, they are roasted to perfection by our trusted local roasters. We work closely with them to ensure that the beans are roasted to the optimal level, so that our customers can enjoy the full flavor and aroma of the coffee.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

It has been an absolute joy getting to know the coffee farmers and their families. Walking through the farms, seeing the lush green coffee plants, and feeling the warm sun on our skin has been a truly memorable experience.

As we learned more about the coffee production process, we were fascinated by the way the farmers work to extract the best possible flavor from the beans. We saw firsthand how they carefully pick and sort the coffee cherries, how they ferment and wash the beans to remove the pulp, and how they roast them to perfection. It was amazing to see how much care and attention goes into every step of the process.

One thing that really struck us was how the farmers were working in a traditional way. They have been growing coffee for generations, and they have a deep understanding of the land and the plants. They use traditional methods that have been passed down through the years, and it was incredible to see how well these methods work.

However, we also learned about some of the problems of sustainability when it comes to fair trade. While fair trade aims to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their beans, it doesn’t always guarantee that the coffee is sustainable or of high quality. That’s where direct trade comes in.

Direct trade is a more sustainable and ethical way of buying coffee. By cutting out the middleman, farmers receive a higher price for their beans, which allows them to invest in their farms and their communities. We were thrilled to see how direct trade greatly benefits the farmers, their families, and their workers.

By buying directly from the farmers, we were able to learn more about their lives and their culture. We got to see firsthand how our purchases were making a positive impact on their lives. We were proud to support these hardworking farmers and to promote sustainable and ethical coffee production.

In conclusion, our journey into the world of coffee production has been a truly wonderful experience. Getting to know the coffee farmers, walking through their farms, and understanding their traditional methods has been a privilege. Learning about the problems of sustainability in fair trade and the benefits of direct trade has been eye-opening. We are grateful for the opportunity to support these farmers and their communities and to promote sustainable and ethical coffee production.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elviajerocoffee.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/el_viajero_coffee/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElViajeroCoffee/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElViajeroCoffee
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU6smIvNo-MnPvQdqG7maKg

Image Credits
All images have been taken by myself. They are proprietary of El Viajero Coffee