Fast and Furious: Wanale Drift

Before we begin, for those keen on multimedia experiences, this blog is best read with ‘Bandoleros’ by Don Omar playing as an accompaniment. – ‘The first drifters invented drifting out here in the mountains by feeling it. So feel it!’

After many years of faithful service, the mountain has finally thrown more at our old single cab pickup than it can take. Famed for such exploits as carrying triple it’s recommended capacity and running out of fuel when you least expect it, it retires to more genteel paths. This has opened up a need for a new set of wheels, something capable of taking on the heaviest loads, toughest tracks, and deepest floods. Without further ado, may we introduce the mighty tropical spec single cab Toyota Land Cruiser.  We’ve got one snorkel, two fuel tanks and six cylinders, all ready to bring coffee from the furthest reaches. It may not be a Supra, but it’ll beat anything on four wheels up the mountain in a rainstorm. You’re welcome to come and put that to the test, but as a word of warning: we only race for pink slips.

Ok that’s quite enough stupid movie references, on to business. Construction work continues apace up the mountain, particularly now that there’s a deadline as we’ve set a date for starting cherry purchasing. Come rain or shine, we’re 14 days from the off. As usual, we’ll start buying in Muyanda first as it’s the lowest elevation of all our sites, and as the weeks roll by we’ll be following the ripening coffee up the mountain until mid-October when it’s all hands on deck. Initial reports from our field team indicate that volumes might be slightly lower than usual this year, but with the new vehicle and drying space we’ll make sure to be getting all the coffee we can.

Back in office, R+D is underway on our roasted coffees after initial technology related delays, which have thankfully been resolved without any laptops thrown out of windows, although it was a close-run thing.  With a few new bits of kit and frequent testing we’re making good progress; a more significant overhaul may still be a few weeks away, but for now those of you enjoying our coffee in-country will be noticing some changes in our light roasts, hopefully for the better! It’s the same coffee and still in the same packaging (for now!) so you don’t have to change a thing and can simply enjoy a better cup.

Expect us to check back in when in two weeks when the season begins, but right now, I can hear the 4WD calling…

All right, let's see what this thing can do