Join us in celebrating the ongoing accomplishments of an extraordinary group of Tanzanian growers who are leading a renaissance in coffee quality.

The last several years have been difficult for Tanzania's coffee growers.

Poor quality, low yields, and an inefficient marketing system that channeled most Tanzanian coffee to the "blended" market, (the most volatile and least profitable) created a vicious cycle. As one grower said: "When prices are low, farmers get frustrated and might weed only once a year. But if things go well, they'll weed four times a year." Farming practices like these, driven by lack of income and incentives, meant that as growers earned less, they became increasingly unable to invest in their farms, and coffee quality and volumes suffered. When world market prices started tumbling in 2000 - the result of a global crisis of oversupply and static demand - the country's 400,000 small-scale growers grew desperate.

But a gradual turnaround has been underway. Since 1998, TechnoServe has been assisting more than 8,000 small-holder growers in Tanzania to increase yields and gain market access. In 2001, TechnoServe helped establish and now works in partnership with the Association of Kilimanjaro Specialty Coffee Growers, "KILICAFE" for short, whose members, after training in coffee production, processing, business management and marketing, consistently earn prices up to two times higher than their neighbors.

TechnoServe's focus has been primarily on investments that improve quality, the most significant of which has been the building of central pulperies in 29 Tanzanian villages that carefully control the crucial steps of fermentation and washing that are so critical to consistency in quality. These centralized pulperies have replaced the haphazard practice of farmers pulping their own cherries, with varying equipment and varying results.

Traveling the globe as one of TechnoServe's industry experts, Jerry Baldwin, Peet's former chairman, has provided world-class advice on how growers can earn higher prices, despite the global coffee crisis, by improving coffee quality and understanding the requirements of the specialty coffee market. Jerry made two visits to Tanzania in 2001 and in 2002 to lend his expertise. In the summer of 2003, Jim Reynolds, Peet's roastmaster emeritus, paid a visit to the region as well to see first hand what impact these central pulperies where having on quality production.

The quality of the coffee from these centralized pulperies was so extraordinary, that in March 2004, as a result of these growers' achievements, Peet's made the first direct purchase of this special Tanzania which was featured in last year's African Blend. This was a historic sale representing the very first time that small-holder growers were able to by-pass the national coffee auction and sell directly to a specialty coffee roaster. This direct purchase by Peet's also garnered members of KILICAFE prices 150% higher than other growers through their improvements in coffee quality. Said Jim Reynolds, "This purchase of Tanzanian coffee was especially gratifying because over the years, Jerry Baldwin has encouraged the coffee producers in their pursuit of quality, and we are seeing great progress from them."

In fall 2004, Doug Welsh, Peet's vice president of coffee, travelled to Tanzania to continue our support of this extraordinary program. Doug visited with members of KILICAFE and the numerous coffee-growing villages to actively seek out the best beans. Using "blind" cuppings to identify the brightest, sweetest and most ample-bodied coffees, Doug was delighted to be able to make Peet's second purchase of this extraordinary coffee.

While in Tanzania, Doug was invited by the Tanzania Coffee Board's "chief liquorer" to assist him with a blind cupping to evaluate and select those Tanzania coffees worthy of being showcased in a "Best of Africa" cupping competition sponsored by the East Africa Fine Coffee Association. From this cupping of the very finest estate and small-holder grower coffees, KILICAFE was among those selected to represent Tanzania in this national competition.

With guidance from TechnoServe, the benefit of this special partnership has allowed members of KILICAFE to continue to focus on the cultivation of distinctive and high-quality coffees for the specialty coffee market. It also allows them to continue to earn about 60% more for their coffee than their colleagues. The select group of farmers who sold the very best quality to Peet's for our offering, Tanzania Kilimanjaro, once again earned 150% more.

"Tanzania Kilimanjaro is the fruit of our ongoing partnership with TechnoServe and thousands of small-holder growers," said Doug Welsh. "This special offering represents the best in Tanzania coffee, as well as hope for a brighter future for these farmers and their families."

To learn more about TechnoServe's coffee work or make a donation, please visit:
http://www.TechnoServe.org