Sourcing & Roasting
Every Woodfox coffee is shaped by three choices: which coffee species we use, where it’s grown, and how we roast it. Here’s how we approach each one.
01 Species selection
Most specialty coffee is Arabica, prized for its sweetness, acidity and aromatic range. Robusta, a separate species, is often dismissed, but carefully grown, high-grade specialty Robusta can add body, depth and a richer texture.
We don’t limit ourselves to one species. We choose and combine coffees for what they bring to the cup, and each bag will tell you exactly what’s inside.
02 Geographic origin
Altitude, sunlight, rainfall and soil all leave their mark on a coffee. We favour high-elevation growing regions near the equator, such as Ethiopia and Kenya, where slow-ripening cherries tend to develop more complex, distinctive flavours.
We’ll always tell you the country and region a coffee comes from, as specifically as we can.
— Seasonality
Each origin is harvested at a different time of year. Following the seasons helps us offer coffees while they’re fresh.
| Country | Harvest period |
|---|---|
| Mexico & Central America | |
| Mexico | Main harvest Nov–Mar |
| Guatemala | Main harvest Dec–Mar |
| Honduras | Main harvest Nov–Apr |
| South America | |
| Colombia | Main harvest Oct–Jan; smaller harvest Apr–Jun |
| Peru | Main harvest May–Sep |
| Brazil | Main harvest May–Sep |
| Africa | |
| Ethiopia | Main harvest Oct–Jan |
| Kenya | Main harvest Oct–Dec; smaller harvest Jun–Aug |
Typical periods only. Timing varies with altitude, weather and region, and coffee usually reaches a roaster several months after harvest, once it has been processed, dried, rested and shipped.
03 Precision roasting
We roast in small micro-batches and keep our profiles in the light-to-medium range. Roasting lighter lets a coffee’s origin, sweetness and acidity come through, rather than the flavour of the roast itself.
Every roast is monitored and recorded with roast-profiling software, so we can repeat what works and refine what doesn’t. Each coffee is cupped for quality before it’s released.
— Transparency
For every coffee: species, country and region, processing method, roast level and tasting notes, plus the producer or cooperative when that information is available and verified.
We won’t describe a relationship with a farm, a certification or a sourcing programme unless it’s true and we can stand behind it.