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In the Hopper...

For the fourth season we have been fortunate enough to secure specialty microlots from the Mathias family at Kelagur Heights Estate in India. These specialty lots are all UTZ Certified and have been processed with the utmost care and consideration.

These specialty lots are all UTZ Certified and have been processed with the utmost care and consideration. All complex cup profiles, the four specialty lots each possess distinctive sweet flavours and clean, pronounced acidity - attributes not often associated with Indian coffee. Harvested from 1220 MASL, they have been cultivated in superior climatic conditions and represent some of the most sought after flavours of Indian coffee.

The renowned Kelagur Heights Estate has been owned and managed by the Mathias family for the past four generations. Peter Mathias has led the estate since 1989 and throughout his leadership has transformed the plantation into one of India’s premier Tea and Coffee estates. He manages the estate under the strict philosophy of putting people first, and works to constantly improve the social welfare of his employees. He has introduced dedicated quality procedures to ensure that Kelagur Heights Estate produce is grown and processed to standards suitable for the most demanding specialty markets. He welcomes visitors and runs a homestay program, inviting guests to stay on the plantation to witness the workings of a successful tea and coffee estate.

Located in Western Ghats mountain range in the Chikmagular District of Karnataka State, the estate spans over one thousand acres. Whilst only a small portion of the expansive estate is dedicated to specialty coffee cultivation, Kelagur Heights Estate has fully integrated facilities for coffee processing with an on-site pulp house and curing works. Fourteen perennial springs ensure the washed Arabica and Robusta grades are both of the highest standard. Coffee plantations cover 120 hectares of the estate and the main varieties of Arabica cultivated are Selection 795 and Selection 9. The coffee is shade grown under two unique layers of forest canopy, the upper canopy comprising of trees such as ficus, albizzia, cedrella toona, and javanica and lower comprising of erithrina.

Committed to producing high quality sustainable coffee, the estate complies with a comprehensive set of environmental and social protocols. They ensure that all estate practices promote social and community development, while fostering sustainable farm management and maintaining at the forefront of research and technology. From humble beginnings in 1927, the estate now employs over 500 workers and yields 750,000kgs of premium quality finished produce annually.

Kelagur Heights Estate is a member of the Speciality Coffee Association of India, and Kelagur coffee has won the Flavour of India Fine Cup Award in 2008 and in 2005 which bears testimony to their continued emphasis on quality. Peter Mathias has been elected as President for the year 2013-14 of The United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI), and an Eminent Personality in the field of Research/Marketing/Management/Promotion of Coffee on the Indian Coffee Board.

We understand that for some of our customers India is not the first origin to spring to mind when considering specialty coffee, however after tasting what Peter Mathias and the Kelagur Heights Estate family have produced we are sure that next time you’ll think twice. It is great to be working with the Mathias family again this year and we look forward to furthering our relationship in the future.  

To request samples or place an order, contact us at trading@hab.com.au or via Facebook or Twitter

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