Oddbox Rescue Blend – the Backstory
Written by Andrea Otte, CCR Head of Coffee
While perhaps not always thought of as such, coffee is a seasonal crop. It takes each coffee cherry - the fruit of the coffee tree which contains the beans – over six months to mature. Coffee is only ready to be harvested once it is ripe, and must be picked by hand to achieve highest quality. Most countries which grow coffee have only one harvest per year, when the entire crop might come off the trees in just a few weeks.
Due to regional differences in harvest times, coffee is available fresh in the UK year-round. To achieve best flavour, the blends most of us enjoy feature a rotating selection of coffees from different countries, harvested and shipped at their particular seasonal time of the year.
Though coffee in its raw, unroasted form never technically goes off, there are flavour differences between coffees which have been exported, roasted and enjoyed within a few months of harvest, and those which are consumed many months or years later. As roasters, we source coffees specifically to maintain consistent tasting notes in our blends. This means buying coffees as fresh as we can, and using them within 6-12 months from arrival into the UK.
Occasionally, for many reasons, such as a shipping delay arriving to our roastery, a coffee simply sticks around too long. With time their flavours change, and it may no longer serve the purpose we bought it for, but it doesn't mean the coffee tastes bad! These out-of-season coffees can still be delicious, and we hate the idea of them going to waste – which is where the Oddbox Rescue Blend comes in.
Finding homes for these older but still great-tasting beans also keeps more money in the hands of farmers as well, as we are able to make way for fresh stock from our farmer partners at full price. We roast each batch with the same care and precision as all our coffees, using industry-leading roaster technology to ensure that everything we serve hits our exacting standards.
Last but certainly not least, we source all our coffees from trusted relationships, verified by our Coffee Team in-person wherever possible, and with sustainability of both farmer livelihoods and the natural environment at the core of our program. By enjoying Caravan's Rescue Blend, you are helping to ensure each and every cup gets enjoyed, keeping us all caffeinated in good conscious.
