Origin trip · 6 min read · July 2026
Direct Trade in the Highlands: Sourcing from Mount Apo
From the volcanic slopes of Davao del Sur to our roast bar in Manila.
Mount Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines, offers mineral-rich volcanic soil, cool mountain mist and altitudes above 1,500 meters: ideal conditions for dense, complex Arabica cherries.
01The farming families of Bansalan
We buy directly from smallholder families who hand-pick only ripe, crimson cherries. Working without middlemen lets more of the price reach the farm, where it goes into solar drying beds and careful processing.
02Anaerobic natural fermentation
The cherries rest for 72 hours in sealed tanks before slow sun-drying on raised beds for 28 days. The process brings out deep natural sweetness, winey fruit and a velvety cocoa finish.
03Roasted light and clean
In Manila we roast these beans on a drum roaster with precise airflow control, so the cup tastes of the mountain rather than the roast.
Great coffee begins on the mountain. Our job is simply not to get in the way of what nature and the farmer created.
