Coffee in Haiti
Coffee first arrived in Haiti in 1734.  By 1788,  the island of Hispaniola, as it was known then, produced half of the world’s coffee supply. In 1795, through the Treaty of Ildefonso, the island, which was previously divided between French and Spanish rule, was ceded to France . But between 1795 and 1805 the slaves who worked the coffee and sugar plantations on the island,  revolted against their French masters. Under orders from Napoleon Bonaparte, the commander on the ground attempted to quell this rebellion but was unsuccessful.  The Bloody Revolt, as it is now known, cost the lives of thousands of slaves and nearly all of the French colonists.

This battle was the only successful slave revolt in history and it came at a huge cost in human lives and the island’s economy. Ultimately this slave revolt led to the Louisiana Purchase and shaped the future of the United States.  Most coffee plantations were burned to the ground and the owners massacred. By the end of the revolt Haiti’s coffee production had declined by nearly 50% and Haitian coffee never again enjoyed its prior dominance in the global marketplace.

Haitian Coffee Today
Today Haiti is not considered a major coffee producer.  At the end of the 20th Century, Haiti produced less than half a percent of the world’s yearly coffee supply.  Unfortunately, due to civil strife, lack of infrastructure and other reasons, Haitian coffee has lacked for consistency and quality in the cup for many years.  With one relatively recent exception – an outstanding variety marketed as Haitian Bleu.

Haitian Bleu is a wet-processed coffee that  has a bluish color to the raw beans.  In some circles is lovingly referred to as “the poor man’s Jamaican Blue Mountain” due to it’s exceptional quality and the similarities in appearance when both coffees are in their raw, green form.  In fact, in Japan it is often used as a blender to stretch Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee supplies.  Haitian Bleu is typically organic and shade-grown – due more to economic reasons than a moral/ethical one, but still produced in an environmentally responsible way, nonetheless.  It’s primarily farmed by small family landholders at medium and high altitudes from a variety of microclimates.  Because it’s essentially a cooperative coffee, the flavors can be quite varied as each farmers crop is blended with the other cooperating harvests.  It is a rich, chocolaty, medium bodied, sweet, and highly aromatic coffee with notes of tropical fruit, cinnamon and vanilla.

Bottom line – Haitian Bleu coffee is an exceptional coffee from one of the poorest nations in the world.

Haitian Bleu coffee has the potential to help the nation economically rebuild from the earthquake and many of the social struggles it has faced for many years.   Though Port-au-Prince was severely damaged, the coffee plantations went largely unscathed during the earthquake.

So now that I’ve built up this exceptional coffee, how do you get some?

Great question!  Like so many  others, we would love to do something to help with relief efforts.  I’ve tried many sources over the last few weeks hoping to do a special Haitian relief coffee fundraiser, but have been told repeatedly that this year’s entire crop of Haitian Bleu was contracted to French importers.  However,  I spoke on the phone this week with an organization that will be getting some new crop Haitian Bleu in soon and we are optimistic that we’ll have some to roast before long.  When we do, we’ll make an announcement and plan a special fundraising event around it.  In the meantime, please continue to pray for Haiti and give as you can.