The Civet Cats mentioned in this blog post all refer to wild animals.  All Civet Cat coffee available on FinestCoffee is from free-range wild animals who live free to roam the coffee plantations, choosing the fattest and ripest beans.   These, the juiciest of beans, are the best tasting to the wild Civet Cat, and produce the best tasting coffee.

 

This means you get the very finest of Kopi Luwak Coffee, ethically.

 

 

As a true coffee lover, you’ll have no doubt tasted a huge variety or different coffees throughout your lifetime. But, have you ever tried Kopi Luwak or Civet Cat Cofee? It’s one of the world’s most extraordinary coffees, sought like treasure in the Sumatran rainforest and certainly not to be missed.

 

If you’ve not tried it before, then you’d be forgiven for asking the question what makes Civet Cat Coffee so special? Well, Civet Cat Coffee is truly unique, as the beans (prior to roasting and packaging) are eaten and passed through the digestive systems of wild jungle Civet Cats.

 

The Cats eat the fleshy pulp of the cherry surrounding the bean, but their systems cannot digest the beans themselves. During the digestive process, the cat’s proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans more amino acids are created, and afterwards the stools are collected, and the undigested beans removed.

 

Using Civet Cat Coffee beans to make coffee is not a new trend nor is it a passing fad. Its origin dates back to the 18th century Dutch colonies on the Indonesian Islands of Sumatra and Java. Cash-crop coffee plantations were created by the Dutch, and during the period between 1830-1870, the native workers and farmers were banned from picking the fruits for their own personal use.

 

The natives wanted to try the coffee for themselves however, and they soon discovered that wild jungle Civet Cats were eating the fruit of the coffee plants but leaving behind undigested seeds in their droppings. The locals collected and cleaned them before being roasted and consumed.

 

The flavour and the unusual production process rapidly made this Civet Cat Coffee famous in the region, and it soon became a favourite with the Dutch plantation owners.

 

The coffee remains highly sought after in Sumatra, and is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world.

 

Are there any health benefits of drinking Civet Cat Coffee?

 

You may already know that this extraordinary coffee has a rich and pure flavour, but what you may not have been aware of was that it is said drinking Civet Cat coffee also has the following benefits.

 

1. It can protect your skin

 

Studies have shown than drinking 2 cups of Civet Cat Coffee on a daily basis could aid in reducing the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer by 17%. It could stimulate the skin to regenerate cells and can also help prevent the further growth of tumours.

 

2. You shouldn’t feel terrible after drinking it

 

Whereas usual coffee can often lead to a feeling of bloating, heartburn, nausea and headaches, Civet Cat Coffee should do no such thing. This is due to the extra enzymes which seeped into the beans during the civet cat’s digestion.

 

3. It can protect your teeth

 

The anti-bacterial effect of Civet Cat Coffee could also good news for your teeth. By killing enamel-destroying bacteria, this coffee could actually be doing you and your nashers a big favour.

 

 

So whether you’re someone who is intrigued by this unique coffee, or just completely baffled by the whole idea, it’s certainly something you need to try at least once. And who know, perhaps you’ll just love it?

5 Reasons why you should buy Fair Trade Coffee
You’ll have no doubt heard lots of buzz created by marketing companies encouraging people to buy Fair Trade and Organic products, but what exactly does the Fair Trade certification mean, and how does the movement behind it ensure that the beans which reach your coffee cup have been harvested using only sustainable and ethical practices?

In this article we take a quick look at what the Fair Trade movement is, and give you reasons why you should be buying its coffee, despite the fact that it might be more expensive than your regular beans.

So what is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is a movement which aims to protect farm owners and small food producers in developing countries from a volatile global market, by increasing their profitability and financial situation. It ensures the local communities involved with the growing processes are honoured and compensated fairly, and it also has strict policies to guarantee protection of the local natural environment, as well as promoting trade fairness and sustainability in the areas it works in.

Many products eligible for certification by Fair Trade are commodities such as fruit and textiles, but today we’ll be focusing on just coffee and how Fair Trade certification impacts the lives of those people growing it (and those buying it!). The list below will give you some excellent reasons why you should change your buying habits to include the purchase of Fair Trade Coffee.

1.    It’s great for the environment
Fair Trade certified growers eliminate the use of harmful pesticides and other toxic chemicals which are found in many consumer products today which do absolutely no good to the environment. In addition, farmers growing Fair Trade Coffee use sustainable production methods to help prevent further damage to the atmosphere.

2.    Nobody gets ripped of
The International Fair Trade Labelling Organisation has set a base price for certified Fair Trade Coffee, which means that the workers producing the beans cannot be exploited by corporations and it ensures they receive a fair price for their work. It also means that you, the consumer, are not cheated by being asked to pay over the odds.

3.    It builds the local Community
Fair Trade certifying organisations encourage farmers who have small plots to group together and run organisations democratically. Being larger helps them to buy and distribute supplies, and gives them an opportunity to negotiate better prices; helping them financially as well as helping to build relationships in the community. Many of these Fair Trade growers are also reinvesting money back into their local communities, through healthcare, schooling and housing schemes.

4.    It preserves biodiversity
If you buy Fair Trade Coffee you will be playing your part in helping to preserve some of the last remaining bird habitats in places like Mexico and Columbia. Organic Fair Trade Coffee plantations in South America are the only home to these endangered habitats, whereas mass-produced coffee plantations rob birds of their natural habitat in a way which makes it uninhabitable for many species. Studies show that Fair Trade plantations contain up to 95% more bird life than regular plantations.

5.    It’s better for your taste buds and your health
This may be last but it certainly is not least. In fact, it’s the point which affects you personally the most.

The demand for coffee worldwide is increasing, meaning the methods to grow as much coffee as quickly as possible leads to much lower-quality produce. Mass produced coffee is grown unnaturally quickly, with regular chemical fertilising and pesticide use. Not only does this mean than the beans lose their nutrients, it also means you’re drinking those very chemicals the plants used to enable them to grow.

Organically grown Fair Trade Coffee never uses any of these nasties, and what’s more, it tastes better too! This is because the plants the beans come from create soil that can hold its complex nutrient base. Nutrients are then slowly fed back into the beans which adds a smooth, robust flavour which is missing in mass produced coffee.

So whilst it may be true that Fair Trade Coffee will cost you a few extra pounds each week, surely that’s a price worth paying to not only ensure you’re protecting yourself and your personal health, but also helping farmers and workers from very underprivileged countries, whilst also getting a better tasting coffee! What more could you ask?