Heres what Karst Organics the importers of this coffee have to say about it.
Overview of Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Situated in South-East Asia, approximately 1,000 miles east of Bali, lies the tropical island of Timor-Leste. With its lush green mountains and crystal-clear blue waters, this may look like an idyllic paradise, but the reality is that this small country holds a troubled and complicated history. Timor-Leste holds the unenviable accolade of being one of the few countries in the world to have been both colonised and annexed; colonised by Portugal from 1600s to 1975 and annexed by Indonesia from 1975 to 1999. Having finally gained independence for a second time in 2002, Timor-Leste is now the world’s second youngest nation state and trying hard to find its voice in the geo-political world of the 21stcentury after centuries of subjugation.
Coffee was first introduced to the island by the Portuguese and by the 1900’s was the country’s leading export, however the industry suffered greatly during the years of Indonesian annexation when the sector was largely ignored. Fast forward to the present day and you will see that the coffee farmers of Timor-Leste are working hard to collectively carve out a place for Timorese coffee in the global speciality coffee market, in addition to replenishing and rehabilitating their coffee forests which were so overlooked during the struggle for independence during the latter part of the twentieth century.
One of the most special features about East-Timorese coffee is that it is all organically grown underneath the imposing Ai-Kakeu (Casuarina) and Ai-Samtuku (Albizia) shade trees that dominate the mountainous coffee growing regions. Only natural fertiliser is used (consisting of chicken poo, cherry skin and soil) to nourish the soil and due to the country’s lack of development and strong animist beliefs, chemical fertilisers have yet to be introduced into agricultural practices.
With time old traditions in processing coffee, passed on from generation to generation, coffee is gradually helping to build up more opportunities for Timorese people to create a consistent and sustainable income from which to support and provide for their families and the local community. Thank you for helping us to spread the word about East Timorese coffee and firmly putting this new and exciting speciality origin on the coffee map.
Rotutu:
Having first been invited to meet the community of Rotutu in 2017, Karst instantly recognised the potential of East Timorese coffee and in particular, the sub-district of Letefoho. Shortly after, Karst entered into a partnership with the community to elevate their coffee quality in order to open new opportunities in international markets, and ultimately maximise their earning potential. This wasimplemented through a cherry purchasing model whereby the purchase price has continued to increase year on year at an average of 30% above the local commercial price.
2025 saw the Rotutu farmers continue to choose to sell their ripe cherries in place of processing their own coffee, for which Karst purchased at a further increased price of $0.85/kg. This encouraged the farmers to focus on picking only the ripest cherries to ensure that the highest return for their crop was achieved (commercial price fluctuated from $0.50-$0.60/kg), and whencombined with the increased yields which each of the members experienced this year, it meant that the 2025 harvest was a successful year for all.
The Rotutu members continue to motivate one another to ensure that only the ripest cherries are supplied to be processed for their delicious fully washed coffee. This comes from the great pride felt in seeing how widely supported their coffee is in the UK and European markets. After 7 consistent years of working together, we have seen the number of members increase and the widespread understanding that good quality coffee begins most importantly with the cherries initially picked off the trees. Karst continues to promote good rehabilitation and maintenance practices to ensure that each of the Rotutu members can see the benefits of their hard work and in return, receive a guaranteed price for their coffee which will remain consistent for the foreseeable future.
Karst’s flagship coffee highlights their core values of collaboration and trust built on quality and flavour, which is evident in every cup of this tangy and well-balanced coffee.
