About the process
The Madagascar Coffee Company (MCC) produced this washed coffee at its central mill in Soavinandriana, in Madagascar's Itasy region. The team dry ferments only ripe cherries in bags overnight, then depulps the coffee and ferments it underwater for another 24 hours before washing it and drying it on raised beds for 10 to 14 days. MCC's own drying structures and dry mill help it consistently meet high quality standards from start to finish.
About the producers
Approximately 40 smallholder producers organized around MCC grew this lot at 1,400 metres in volcanic loam, cultivating locally adapted Red and Yellow Bourbon and some Catimor. Each family tends a plot of less than a hectare, intercropping coffee with rice, maize, beans, cassava, avocados, citrus, bananas, and more. With harvests this small, farmers can sort their cherries meticulously, and MCC helps transport them to the central mill.
Growing coffee in Madagascar
Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot where nearly 90 percent of plants and animals exist nowhere else on earth, including many coffee species. Coffee has grown here since the 1800s, and the island holds some of the most diverse coffee genetics on the planet.
Coffee exports boomed into the 1990s, but over time, poorly maintained trees, fractured infrastructure, and inconsistent processing left the sector in decline. MCC is working to turn that around. With regional coordinator Bina Lalaina leading field relationships and quality control, the company offers training, renovation support, tree nurseries, and clear price incentives for quality, all to help families earn more from their coffee. If you're looking to introduce someone to an unexpected coffee region, this is the perfect place to start.
Brewing recommendations:
- Rest time: 3+ weeks after roast
- Filter: 1:16-17, 94°C
- Espresso: 1:2.5-2.7, 26-30s
