Firstly a brief history of coffee as we know it.
As legend has it, coffee and it invigorating effects were first discovered by an Ethiopian goatherder, back in the ninth century or so. It then spread through the Arab world and by the 1600’s, had spread to Europe and to the new fashionable coffee houses such as Lloyds in London.
While coffee may have originated in Africa, only small amounts were traded to Europe via the Arab port of Mocha. At the time this trade was tightly controlled. In the early 1600’s Pieter Van der Broeke, a trader for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Mocha “acquired” some coffee plant seedlings. These seedlings were sent back to Holland for cultivation and study at the botanical gardens. Later botanist Carlus Linneaus named seedlings, Coffea Arabica, as after all that is where they came from.
By the early 1700’s, the first commercial coffee seedlings were sent for cultivation to Ceylon but this first attempt failed. Next they were sent to the VOC plantations in Java and Sumatra where the coffee thrived. It was some 30 years after that coffee was introduced to South America. The quality of coffee beans from these Java plantations was so good, that this region effectively controlled the world coffee market for some 200 years. The terms “Java” and “Coffee” were to become synonymous.
Around 1900, a rust disease damaged most of the low altitude Java Arabica crops, which led to South America taking over the lead. In response to this crisis, the Dutch then developed a strong coffee plant to resist this rust disease, and named it for its main characteristic, Robusta. Robusta was to take over as the primary coffee export of Indonesia.
Indonesia is an archipelago made up of thousands of Islands, including Sumatra, Sulawesi, Flores and Bali. Highland Arabica plantations on these islands and in the Java highlands were unaffected and cultivation of Arabica continued to this day.
History, geography and the fertile volcanic soils of the “Ring of Fire” region, all combine to produce Indonesian Arabica coffee. The very length and diversity of the Archipelago (over 5,000 km E to W) means that coffees of different islands have their own unique taste and character.
Arguably some of the best commercial Arabica coffee still comes from the highland plantation of the Indonesia Archipelago.
Why would an Italian roast coffee on the isle of Java? History!
Quintino’s coffee is roasted on the isle of Java, by our Italian head roaster Guiseppe “Joe” Tarquinio.
The answer is simple, “great coffee needs great beans”.
Our proximity to the Indonesian plantations has allowed us to build a close relationships with the farmers and traders. It also allows us to directly access the best beans of the harvest season and access to the “rarer” single origins of the region.
Over 6 years of research and trials in sourcing and roasting beans from around the Archipelago, we have learnt how to roast each single origin individually, to what we believe perfectly highlights its best character and Flavor.
Complimenting Quintino’s fine roasted beans are our revolutionary Qbags. Qbags put the personal back into coffee. Each sachet brews a real cup of coffee full of flavor and aroma. This innovation returns to you the fun of the coffee making ceremony in a form that offers real convenience.
Our Vision and Values
Coffee Quality
Where possible we insist on triple pick and as minimum Grade 1, (grade 1 is typically considered the highest in the commercial world trade of coffee). At Quintino’s we guarantee that we will never purchase lesser grades of coffee beans in order to save money. For each of our single origin coffees you can be assured it is the best possible example that we can find.
Our Innovations must be focused on improving the experience and enjoyment of that special cup of coffee for our customers.
The Quintino’s brand should represent coffees of:
- Consistent premium quality,
- Consistent flavor profile and coffee character.
- Freshness.
- Where only highest grade beans available are purchased.
- Coffee roasted with Passion
Quintino’s will never purchase lesser grades of coffee beans in order to save money. For each of our single origin coffees you can be assured it is the best example we can find.
Quintino’s offers a range of premium quality retail coffee products, distinguished by:
- Technical know how on roasting, production and packaging, Italian roasting passion.
- Direct sourcing of the finest grade (and often rarest) coffees of the Indonesian Archipelago.
- Innovation, the development of new products to enhance the coffee experience for our customers.
- Providing inside knowledge to our customers on the coffees they are drinking.
- Complimenting our range are Quintino’s Qbags and unique packaging.
Social Responsibility
When buying our beans we support socially responsible practices in our region.
Today’s supply chain for green coffee beans is characterized by the coffee passing through many many hands by the time it reaches the consumer. It starts in the country of origin from the farmers, collectors, small traders, and is the exported to large trading houses in the major consuming countries. These large trading houses then sell to other traders until eventually it reaches the consumer in a cup.
At Quintino’s we believe in going direct and promoting the coffee and the village or region from which we source. By increasing the awareness of the people and quality of the coffee and providing a source feedback, eventually the small farmers will benefit with increased prices because of increased demand by consumers.